Baptism Previews and other Scary Parenting Stuff

Ok we just got back from taking Abby to her baptism preview. This is getting serious. I guess it means she really is almost old enough to be baptized. AHHHHH I'm having a minor freak out. Kristin is completely unsympathetic because Alyssa is nearing Young Womens, but I still think I'm allowed to be a little unsettled by the fact that my baby is growing up SOOOO fast.

We heard back from the doctor and Delayna's EEG was normal. Therefore, we can assume that her problems probably stem from severe reflux. She's taking some medication that seems to help when we can actually get some down her throat. She doesn't like it and is pretty tricky about finding ways to "GET IT OUT OF MY MOUTH." (That is translated from baby language of AAAA, EEEEE !!!!!) But the hardest part is we have to wait 15 mintues until she can eat. Thank goodness someone wrote "patty cake patty cake" that can ususally keep her entertained until time is up. Of course, I'm getting a little tired of playing patty cake, but the smile on her face is worth it.

More pictures

Since I know what people really would rather look at pictures than read my ramblings, here you go. . . I think I'll run a captioning contest for this one. It cracks me up.

We love our Pediatrician and other musings from the week

Life is getting progressively easier around here since our visit to Dr. Andrews on Tuesday. Delayna had some wierd episodes on Monday and we were concerned about her. She felt that there were three possibile problems, she's having siezures, she has a milk allergy or she has severe reflux. Her medical opinion was that it was reflux, but had us do some tests to rule out the others just in case. The lab confirmed that Delayna does not have a milk allergy. We had an EEG on Wednseday morning, and won't know about that for another week or so. But the medicine she gave us for reflux seems to be working. Last night. . . . . . eight solid hours of sleep and then another three after a quick wake up. HOLY MOLY. Of course I didn't get to sleep for that long because my body is used to wake up calls now so I got to lay there going in and out of sleep wondering when she was going to get up. But I think I can quickly adjust if she keeps doing it. She also sleeps peacefully rather than fitfully, which is wonderful. She sleeps so peacefully now that I have to check to see that she is breathing. I'm so glad she's more comfortable. I have a feeling that poor Abby suffered from the same thing until she outgrew it at about six months. She would have had a much better time of it if only we'd known . . . Oh well, it's not the last time she'll suffer from being eldest child I'm sure. I may as well start scheduling the councelling appointments now. :0)

But there are good things about being the oldest. For example, Abby got to take Delayna to school for show and tell. Well, I took her to school, Abby just took her up to the front and held her. She's been wanting to do that from the day Delayna came home from the hospital. See, Delayna will never get to do that. I'm still cracking up over taking a baby to school for show and tell. But I'm happy she loves her sister.

Braydon and I were talking about him going to school versus schooling at home. He goes back and forth. Really what he wants is to school at home, but have people come and do school with us. But that isn't going to work out really well so he's considering his alternatives. Abby said today that she wants to do school at home next year and Braydon was soooo excited. We'll see. I think she'd be bored without all her friends. Anyway, he said he was going to always to school at home and that I could be his teacher when he went to college. (So cool that my kids still think I'm smart.) I was telling him that I didn't know enough about things to teach him at a college level and that one day he would know more about some things than I would. Then the light bulb popped above his head and he said, "I already know more about one thing than you. I know how to play video games and you don't." It's true, I stink. And so it begins.

A New Do

Cailah visited the salon today and came back with a brand new do. Mike is still composing himself, but he did a good job of not crying in front of her, and he'll probably never let me take her again. :0) It's not my fault though. She wanted her hair just like Bethany's.

It's a GREAT Day to be the MOM

Now some of you who have spent much time with my darling daughter Abby might think I'm making this up, but upon a stack of Bibles I swear this is how it happened. Last night I was working on dinner and Abby came in to help. I didn't ask her to, she just came in the kitchen, saw me washing dishes and said, "Mom, I'll wash the dishes." As one who has a serious dislike of handwashing dishes and never handwashes anything that will fit in the dishwasher, I was happy to turn over the job. After she was done she asked,"what else can I do to help you, Mom." I gave her a couple more assignments then something fell on the floor and I mentioned that it was really dirty and she said, "Would you like me to mop the floor Mom? I'm thinking wow, this is cool and as she's mopping and I'm cooking I told her "I'm having a lot of fun working together Abby. Thanks." She stopped and looked at me and said, "Mom, I'm almost eight. It's time I started learning to do somethings." Amen and Hallelujah. :0)

Super Sunday

It was a great Sunday for the Tolman household. After a long year of "I don't want to go to Nursery, I want to go to Primary" Sunday's (she even got Aunt Kristin to let her go to Sunbeams when she was there) Cailah is FINALLY a SUNBEAM. Phew. She thinks she's in heaven. She has TWO teachers, a NEW classroom, and she got to SING. (not direct quotes, but close rendition of the conversation on the way home.) Her direct quote for now is"It was really fun and we're singing songs." Braydon wishes "I could still be a Sunbeam. I loved Sunbeams." Cailah moving up means we are without a nursery aged child for the first time in a long time. Now to worry, we've got one coming up in 16 months :0)

This was also Delayna's first full Sunday at church, and my first Sunday back in Primary. We handled the separation very well :0) I have a great class of 9 year-olds this year and I'm stoked. We're going to have a lot of fun. And Preston informed me that if I beat them up his dad (the bishop) will fire me. I'm happy to know there is an easy way out if I get overwhelmed. Tee Hee

Braydon is now a CTR 6 and "we have fun, uh (and he made sure I put in the uh) and I like my teacher more that my old teacher because she gives us snacks. That's all." Abby is a CTR 8 and that means . . . . she's going to be baptised this year. She's a little upset because Braydon "stole" her teacher, but she's got yet another terrific teacher this year.

Gunnar was here today and that makes seven of us. Mike tried to sit in one of the side benches. We quickly realized that we have outgrown the small benches and ended up in the traditional 2nd row. Wow! We also fill every seat in the van. Holy Cow, who'd uv thunk it.

She's Two Months Old

It's hard to belive Delayna has already been here for two months, and yet we can no longer imagine her not being a part of our family. It's been a rough month to be Delayna since she spent much of it sick, but she's the happiest sick baby I've ever seen. She smiles when mom picks her up, smiles as she falls to sleep, and laughs while she's sleeping. She is starting to "talk" a lot and will talk back if you give her time. She's also learned how to yell for her mom and if you don't take care of her pronto your in for some screaming. She is NOT going to be left out or forgotten. She likes to have someone play with her when she's awake now and thinks "Patty Cake Patty Cake" is funny. She is not a big fan of "tummy time" but we give her some for her own good every now and again. She's started sleeping for one 4 hour period a night and for that I give a huge sigh of relief. I was beginning to think I was never going to get more that 2 hours of sleep at a time again. Go Delayna! And yes, I remembered the stuffed animal for the pictures this month.