"Tell him what he's won, Rod"

"It's a NEW CAR, Bob!"

The green car (the first car I bought with my very own money) finally kicked the bucket on Monday and we decided not to put any more money into it. So after one stressful night of internet car shopping, we ventured out with the boys to shop on Tuesday night. The boys made my presence useless, by the way, and after one stop, I decided to take the children home and let Chris head back out on his own. He did but didn't test drive anything or narrow his list down any more than he had already done. I called in back-up and set the kids up with a babysitter on Wednesday night.

I picked Chris up from work and we had a quick dinner followed by a slow process at the VW dealership where Chris drove a new Jetta. He wasn't convinced so we headed on to the Toyota dealership where he drove a Camry and eliminated the Jetta. He decided that he wanted the Camry and, although the price was higher than our limit, I asked the salesman to meet us at our limit and he "was able to do it". I am always curious about how much these things actually cost when you don't include all of the overhead - the fancy showrooms, the salaries of everyone from the sales guys to the receptionist and the cleaning crew to the freight costs and the commissions...that car probably cost about $1,000 to make - ugh.

Anyway, as the world turns and commerce makes that happen, we contributed to the auto food chain and were assured by our Mexican-American salesman (soon to be sworn in as a citizen and a very lovely man) that the car was made in Kentucky ;). SO, we really contributed to the US food chain - at least a little bit.

Jorge sold us a 2011 Camry LE with keyless entry and power seats (the only thing that sets this model apart from the base model)...nothing but the best for my husband..ha ha. Chris was unenthusiastic about the whole process only wishing for the end to come and it all to be over. I do hope that he is driving the car that he wants, not the car that he felt pressured into getting because of the time crunch. At any rate, he seems to love this car and while there may have been another one to love out there...he has this red beauty to love for a long time.

Hospitalized!

This post will serve as a full explanation of how we got here for everyone concerned about Cole's condition. Over the past 12 months, Cole has had upper respiratory infections that have led or nearly led to pneumonia. Chris and I have learned to spot the signs that require doctor visits. We try our best to catch his colds early enough so they don't progress this far.

Sadly, we have come to realize that we can't do that anymore. Friday afternoon, he had a stuffy nose and said that his throat hurt. I gave him some allergy medicine. Saturday after his nap, he needed a breathing treatment. Saturday night, I couldn't sleep fearing his oxygen levels were low. I brought him to bed with me and listened all night as he coughed and struggled to breathe.

Sunday morning, I took him to Patient First and after 1 Albuterol treatment they sent us to the ER. We stayed in the ER from 10:30am until 6:30pm. He was given 3 Hospital Albuterol treatments back to back and didn't show ANY improvement. He was also given an oral steroid. After that didn't work, he sat for 3 hours on a continuous albuterol treatment. I say that he sat but that isn't true...he is a 4 year old boy, after all. Anyway, I knew that we had to stay for an hour after every hour of treatment so I was already mentally prepared to be there for 6 hours (between the original treatments and the 3 hour treatment). After 1.5 hours of the 3 hour treatment, he still was showing no sign of improvement and we were told then that we won a night time stay. Yippee (dripping with sarcasm).

We kept that treatment going and made our way through the day with a mid-afternoon visit from Daddy and Rhys bearing gifts of new PSP games, movies, a Happy Meal, books, toys, and a pillow pet. After that visit, we continued with treatments and monitoring, playing games, and fending off the frustration and boredom that goes with a visit to the ER. At one point, he pulled off the mask and unplugged his finger from the monitor, threw it all down and said, "That's it, I'm outta here!" Chris came back with dinner and supplies for our stay around 6:30 and we were moved to the room, ate, and got settled in.

Overnight, Cole received breathing treatments every 2 hours and had his vitals monitored throughout the night. I slept on one of the reclining chairs and am thankful that I have a husband who will relieve me tonight if he has to stay another night.

I was hopeful when we woke up that we would probably go home today but that changed after the last respiratory therapist came in and said that he was still too congested to say if we would be able to see enough improvement in him today. I am sad for him, frustrated for him, and tired with him.

Our plan after he was sick in late June was to ask for a referral to a specialist from the Pediatrician. Unfortunately, he wasn't well long enough to go back for a follow-up. That will come soon, though.

A salute to General Update

I just thought it was time for me to do a "check from the neck up" as my old boss used to say. I have been working and commuting for over a month now and I really love it. I love the people I work with and for. I love the time I have with them in the office. I don't mind the quiet early morning drive in or the afternoon drive home - although I am so eager to see my boys that I feel like I am not being a safe driver. At some point, I have to find peace in the situation and know that it could take less than an hour, it could take closer to 90 minutes...either way, I will arrive safely at the sitter's house as long as I am driving SAFELY!

The weather has been strange. It has been too hot to be outside and now that the temperature is more reasonable, we are having afternoon and evening thunderstorms which saturate the ground and playground equipment so the park is out of question and the moisture in the air is so thick, it is like a bathroom after you take a shower. EEK and YUCK. When the air quality is poor, we can't be outside anyway because of Cole's asthma.

My garden has been loving it and hating it all at the same time. Loving the heat and rain...hating the wind. This morning I found my forest of tomato plants in a heap. I negotiated my way to the end where I could right some of the support posts and connect them to the cucumber/bean support and I installed a tomato cage at the opposite end for the edge of the mound to rest on. At this point, if I mess with it anymore, most of my green tomatoes will fall on the ground or I will break branches. They will just have to do their best on their own. Next year, I will build a structural support before the plants go into the ground. I am thinking re bar supports connected with wire so I don't have to worry about warping wooden supports.

At any rate, there is always the farm market and farmer's markets. I went on Saturday to Papa John's Farm and bought some zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, patty pan squash, watermelon, tomatoes, and purple bell peppers. With some of the veggies, I made gazpacho and tonight I am roasting a bunch of veggies that have been marinating in pesto seasoning all afternoon.

This healthy eating brings me to the next subject. I haven't felt quite like myself lately and it could be the "vacation" eating and celebrating that has been going on lately. Becky (my younger sister) and her family visited last week and we went to/hosted 4 parties from Friday night to Sunday night. From hotdogs, to hamburgers, to pork BBQ, and steamed crabs with kielbasa...I think I ate about 2 pints of salt. That, of course, was chased by more adult beverages than I want to recount.

We are giving our hearts and livers a break by eating fresh, healthy, and alcohol free for the next few weeks (at least). I took the boys to the gym with me this morning and pounded out over 400 calories before heading home. Tomorrow we will be at the gym again and if the weather holds out, we will be hitting the pool afterwards.

Life is good but small annoyances put me in a foul mood. I do try to keep it all in perspective but sometimes...well, you know the rest.

Rhys, Rhys quite Contrary

I am dedicating this entire post to Rhys Alexander Harding - I am sure that when this ends up in the Internet cache, he will appreciate it 15 years from now as a Senior in High School when a tech savvy buddy finds it and publishes it to the school population. This is how my mind thinks, by the way.

Rhys is nearing 27 months old and is "brilliant" according to his speech therapist. He is really smart and coming along with this speech. He recognizes some numbers and letters and can fill in the blanks during the alphabet song. I work with him every day on the alphabet and hope that he can get caught up as his speech continues to improve.

I have to say he is brilliant too because he is potty training himself. That is a true statement since Chris and I only reward him and gently remind him that he may need to go. He usually doesn't take our suggestion but he has only had 5 accidents in the month that we have been letting him call the shots. Basically, I ask him if he wants a diaper, big boy underpants, or nothing at all when we are at home. He usually goes "commando" but today, he chose underpants. He has been in underpants for almost 4 hours straight and they are still dry. He occasionally tells me that he has to go but usually just tootles off on his own and takes care of his own business. BRILLIANT!

I am expecting the bad potty training challenges to come along but I hope that we all keep cool heads about it and don't create a potty monster in the process. Here's hoping!

"NO!" is his very favorite word to exercise. "Why?" comes in a close second. Here are some examples:
Me: "Do you want something to eat?"
Rhys: "No!"
Me: "Okay, do you want a drink?"
Rhys: "No, un't eat...Mama, cup'juice?" (translation: "No, I want to eat...Mama, can I have a cup of juice?")
Me: "ugh."

Rhys: "Un't go Mommy car." (translation: "I want to go in Mommy's car")
Me: "We will go in Mommy's car in just a minute."
Rhys: "Why?"
Me: "ugh."

We love to hear him say "wook at dat" because it is just too cute. I also think it is really cute that he tells us the he loves us but he just says, "Mama", reaching his arms out as wide as they go, "this much". He also asks to snuggle and gives affection when he is really happy about something. His unenthusiastic but well timed "yea" always makes us laugh too.

He loves to play outside and in the big pool at the gym. Unfortunately, no swim diapers are allowed so I struggle with letting him play along the water's edge (they have a gentle slope leading into the pool like a beach with fountains spouting up along the side) without letting him get in all the way. So far, no one has said anything and he knows that if he says goodbye to diapers, he can get in all the way!

Like chalk and cheese is a way to describe Rhys and Cole. They are so very different. I often think of Jack Sprat and his wife (you know the one where he can eat no fat and his wife can eat no lean and so between them both, you see, they lick the platter clean.) Just the other day they both had fruit cups. Rhys left all of his cherries behind and Cole left all of the other fruit behind. Now, they share one fruit cup.

He is very much my baby and I will truly be sad when he is all grown up but I am proud of how far he has come and when I look into his eyes, I still see that tiny innocent baby that I held moments after he took his first breath. Clinging to that thought is hard when he is such a bugger sometimes.

So hard to say good bye

For about a year now, my friend Kate has been moving to Australia. In the beginning she was excited and the preparations began. They continued through the summer last year with an end-of-year ballpark of moving. She packed everything, started renovations on their house to prepare for selling. They scheduled the movers in January only to cancel within days of the movers arrival. The move date was pushed even further into "sometime in the next few months" by her husband's company. She was even forced to unpack some boxes so they would have their stuff! Finally, the contract was signed and the green light was lit. Travel plans were made, tickets booked, house packed, garage stored, family visited.

They are flying to Sydney today. We were lucky enough to have Kate and her husband take time out of their busy schedule to come and have dinner with us. Sadly, we were unable to say good bye to her boys but I was able to give her one last hug. Hopefully we will be able to catch up again at Christmas. For now, though, I will follow her adventures through her blog. So long, Kate, Jay, Joe, Tom, and Sam. Have fun and try to enjoy every single moment! I can't wait to read all about it!

Vacation and Back to Reality

I haven't been blogging because it is daunting to imagine documenting all of the things that we have been doing and it has gotten so out of control that I decided that it is probably best to write something and take baby steps.

Right now, Cole is experiencing a new round of separation anxiety. I am not sure why but he cries when I leave him with sitters and dreads my going when he knows it will happen. From the Kids Club at the Gym to Preschool; he just doesn't want to think about me not being there. This is really bad timing since I am starting to work away from home and he is going to be staying with a sitter at least one day each week. Otherwise, he is a normal 4 year old.

Rhys is developing his speech and delighting us every day with his new phrases and personality. "Look at that" and "look at me" are popular phrases as well as "no" and "why". He also always asks to "go mommy car".

Cole finished up Preschool a couple of weeks ago and still talks about going back to school. I am sure he will enjoy the summer and will be really ready to meet some new friends and reconnect with old ones come September.

We all (including the dog) went on vacation to Rehoboth Beach, DE for the week of Memorial Day. It was a lovely time and you can click on the picture at the top of this post to view all of the pictures.

We spent time on the boardwalk in Rehoboth, Bethany, and Ocean City. The kids played video games, rode rides, ate candy and treats, played on countless playground equipment, played in the sand and surf, collected and decorated seashells, shopped, played putt-putt, blew bubbles on the beach, flew kites, and swam in the community pool. We were there for the whole week and enjoyed every day.

The house was perfect aside from the fact that the boys had to sleep in the same bed. Fitful sleepers and sleep talkers don't make for friendly bedfellows so we eventually set up a stack of blankets for Cole to sleep on the floor in our room. That made for better attitudes and well rested Hardings.

We made it home to a grown garden and a stack of mail. This was an especially special vacation because I knew before we left that I would be heading back to an office commute on the Monday after our return.

I accepted a position at WeddingWire Inc. As their HR Manager and will be commuting on Mondays for now and will probably add another day by the end of the summer. I will also be available from home for some time as needed. This is a big change from the occasional work that I have been doing for the last 4 years. This is regular work where I am expected to be in the office. It is really different.

I must say that there is a competition for what part of the day was the best. Was it knowing that the kids were with my mom, sister, and niece and at home for my first day of work? Was it the greeting that I received from old friends and new bosses (a hug)? It could have been the "jumping back on the horse" way that I stepped back into working and in-processed 3 new employees within an hour of walking into the office and conducting an exit interview after lunch. There was also that funny moment in the sales meeting when I was introduced as the HR Manager to unsuspecting employees. Was it getting out early and beating rush hour to get home to the open arms of a 4 year old? I am not sure. It was all pretty wonderful. I know that they won't all be like this but it is nice when they are.

Things, they are a'changin'

I have actually been avoiding the blogs lately - the food blog because I haven't cooked anything new and when I visit it, I am reminded of that fact and this blog because I am not sure if I want to document what is going on in my head right now. You see, changes are afoot and part of me doesn't want to think about it at all and another part of me isn't sure if I am ready to.

I am going to start working at an office job again and I am thrilled with the opportunity. I have also worked out the kids' care and am excited about that too. I don't know when I am going to start so I am just going through the days now being thankful for not having to commute today. We read more together, I rock Rhys more, and we generally try to spend more time away from the house - at the gym, the park, etc. The beauty of being a SAHM is that I don't have a job that I have to leave home to do; it doesn't mean that I have to stay at home. The real beauty is the freedom of going to story time or play dates without the restrictions of a work schedule.

This new "part-timer's" attitude I have about leaving the home has had an impact on the cleanliness of the house so I spent a lot of time cleaning last week in anticipation of my Mom's visit. We had a lovely time going out for lunch, walking around parks, picnicing with Cole's class, watching Cole play tee-ball, and attending a night parade.

This is pretty much how the days are rolling these days. We are doing lots of fun things, trying not to spend too much money, but making the most of the time we have before I head back to the world of the working.

I will add more musings about this in the coming months, I am sure. But for now, just know that we are still here, enjoying life, exercising, eating good food, and enjoying each other. Basically, we are counting our blessings and that is keeping us very busy.