The Ugly Side

In case you thought that things are peaches and cream at the Gax House all the time, I’ll just tell you they’re not, things get ugly at my house just like any other. I just choose to elaborate on the good stuff and gloss over (if I even mention) the bad.

This weekend, I got to celebrate my awesome friend from college, Shelley by going to her wedding shower and spending the night at the lake for her bachelorette! You heard it, TWO kid-free outings! I was beside myself, and it was much needed for me and much deserved for Shelley!

That of course left Nick handling the kids, and they did great despite the fact that Lu woke up on Saturday morning with a fever and Z woke up three times Saturday night saying his mouth hurt. They seemed okay (after magic medicine Ibuprofen) on Sunday, then Monday afternoon when I picked Z up from school he said his head hurt and he was really cold. He went down pretty fast after that. So, sparing the details, he got sick (at home and not in the car, even though I stopped on 280 and let him out thinking he was going to) and kept a fever for the next 24 hours or so. Then he actually started to pinpoint the pain to his throat, and when we looked in there, we saw a massive tonsil and felt a swollen lymph node in his neck. Consulting with my dad and bro, we decided to take matters into our own hands and started him on amoxicillin last night, then today it was confirmed that he does have strep.

Miss Lu on the other hand has been a fussy bunny for a long time. She hasn’t really had much fever, just low-grade on Saturday and again yesterday, but man she just cries and cries for no reason lately, so we also confirmed she has not one but two ear infections, today at the doctor.

So there we were, Mom with the sick puppy known as Z, who also did not want to be touched and thought he was there for Lu to get a checkup and Lu, who started screaming the minute we pulled into the parking lot. (I love my mom to death, but it was at this point that I wanted to say, “See, Mom THIS is why you can’t go get lunch from Jason’s Deli and a Latte while I take my kids to the doctor”).

But seriously, I am so thankful she was there for me! If I had had to take them alone, I for sure would be in a puddle on the floor.

Now that it’s sunny and we have medicines, I have found my hope again, and I am ready for the weekend, which incidentally we are going to the beach to celebrate my niece’s birthday. In the words of my doctor, that’s why they’re sick because we planned a trip…

I’m not sure about the kids in those other pictures, but these kids are going to have a fun weekend!

Mercedes Marathon 2014

My dad came up with this crazy idea back in 2012 that he was going to run a half marathon in 2013 (The Mercedes). We were all like yay Dad, you go for it, and call us when you’re done, and we’ll celebrate with you, but we’ll be warm in our beds until then.

So, he registered, got all his stuff the day before. We all went to dinner, then he got up at the crack of dawn in the freezing cold and my mom drove him to the marathon. We were like “duh, where’s the coffee?” when he was on mile 6 or 7! When he finished we went down there and celebrated with him and I was SO PROUD! We even blogged about it. At the end he said, next year Nicholas will do the half with me!

Fast forward to Marathon weekend 2014 and this happens:

My brother (going for the full marathon), my dad, and Nick. Could I love this picture any more?  Well, actually I can, when I think about the fact that my dad had asked one of the race leaders to take it for him at the start line. You could notice a hint of embarrassment in my brother’s face, but if I know one thing about dad it’s that he doesn’t give a you know what! (the guy was actually VERY nice about it).

They all stayed together for a little bit, but then this guy had other plans.

 

While he was checking his watch and following his training program, these guys were taking videos, telling stories, and occasionally checking their time.

To me, this video illustrates their experience pretty well. It’s an iphone video of the Fox coverage.

They seemed so happy and like they had the best time together! I was so glad they had each other! I think Dad has started a new tradition!

Mom and I and the kids did make it down there, not in time to see them finish unfortunately because I know nothing about downtown and parked 4 blocks away only after it took me 20 minutes to transfer their carseats, blah blah blah you get the picture, we were late.

We had fun anyway, and Z and Lu were happy to be a part of the celebration.

Valentine’s Day 2014

I love Valentine’s Day! I always have! I love red, pink, flowers, candy, school parties, all of it! I want Valentine’s Day to be special for my kids. I have been buying them little Valentine’s treats and presents for probably a month now, and I couldn’t wait to give them all to them! I also got them Valentine’s donuts which they enjoyed Thursday night after dinner. Well, Z enjoyed it, Lu just licked it and put it down. Go figure!

Because of the crazy week, I decided to make Friday a make-up day for them and a decompressing day for me, and send them to school. I also didn’t want them to miss their Valentine’s parties. I still had their treats waiting for them in the morning when they woke up, and Z was super excited! Miss Lu really wasn’t sure what to do with hers, but once she realized there was candy in there, she was pretty excited too! They ate candy pretty much all day on Friday (by far more than they had on Halloween). Maybe that was me projecting on them a bit, because I love me some candy!

Z was excited to get his Super Battle Droid, because we’ve been talking about it for a long time. Lu’s big present was a stuffed Boots doll, but it didn’t come until Saturday. She was unsure at first, but now she loves it too!

There were also two sets of silverware in there for each of them. I really couldn’t wait to give them those, because every meal, they go through a whole silverware thing, where Z gets his spiderman spoon and fork and Lu gets her Doh-doh spoon and fork, and heaven forbid when they’re dirty, which is often, and they have to use some generic silverware. Now they have lots of choices, which I think makes them very happy. It really is the little things!

Before we left for school, I attempted some Valentine’s Day pictures, and was let down once again by my 4 year old and 21 month old. Believe it or not, Z is not blinking in this pic but rather intentionally closing his eyes.

I finally get Z to smile and look at me after some threats gentle nudging, but Lu still has no interest. Oh well, this is real life.

While they were in school, I got a hair cut, met my mom for car washes, lunch, and shopping. I had a blast and felt totally recharged by the end of the day, but I couldn’t wait to get my babies and go through their V-Day loot!

They managed to get some dinner in them, and had baths, then things started going downhill from all the sugar. We finally got them in bed, then had our at-home date night, an idea I got from Everyday Cheer (one of the many blogs that inspires me daily!), while we did not do wine and cheese, I still think this is a fabulous idea, and we loved it! Where else can you enjoy fine dining barefoot, only to be interrupted by your four year old calling you to turn the fan on for him?

Incidentally, when I was putting Z to bed, I was dressed for our “date” and he said, “Wait, are you going somewhere?” I said, “No baby, Baba and I are going to eat dinner downstairs.” Then he got really sad and said “But I wanna eat with y’all, I love downstairs!” He eventually got over it and slept just fine in his bed.

Our dinner was from Chuck’s and it was fantastic! We enjoyed a gourmet steak dinner steps from our sleeping kids and were in sweatpants minutes after, now I’d say that was a success!

Next up, Marathon 2014! Yay!

Snow, a Four-Letter Word

Last week was CRAZY! I don’t even want to go into it because I just want to forget about it and move on! We had the threat of “winter weather” Tuesday then again on Wednesday, so school closed BOTH DAYS! We got nothing but rain until Wednesday night. By then, I didn’t even care. That’s a lie. I was really excited! Like running around the house looking out of every window excited. When will I ever learn?

We enjoyed it from the comfort of our warm home, but didn’t dare get out in it, it was bedtime and nobody messes with bedtime in the Gax House!

I am so thankful my mom kept the kids on Tuesday and Wednesday so I could do some work. I opened late Tuesday and closed early Wednesday, but with the memories of snowmageddon still fresh in my mind, it was not fun at all for me. The kids on the other hand, they had a blast with Nunna! For some reason Z got it in his head that he was hot at home, so he kept his PJ shirt off almost the entire time (and insisted he needed the fire)! When he gets like that, I like to say he’s wide open, so it’s safe to say he was wide open with Nunna (same as when he got to stay home with Nana the week before)!

Even though they barely got out of the house from Monday afternoon all the way to Thursday morning, they didn’t seem to mind it too much. I must’ve washed 39 pairs of pajamas by the end of it though!

Thursday, the school delayed opening, so I didn’t even bother calling my mom and I took them to the office with me, after we played out in the snow for a little bit. We threw a lot of snowballs, but we never got to make a snowman, instead we drove through the neighborhood and admired all of our neighbors’ snowmen. There were quite a few, and we really got a kick out of our little snowman tour.

 

We didn’t even end up seeing patients Thursday morning, because the roads were a little sketchy and no one wanted to take any chances. Come 10:30, I was at the door of the school with my kids feeling so relieved and ready to get back to our normal routine, although I will say that they were less than excited about going back.

Didn’t I say I didn’t want to get into it? And I did, oh well it’s history now. Spring better get here quick!

Next up, Valentine’s Day, my favorite holiday!

Talking Teeth and Nana Visit

Last week I had the honor and pleasure of speaking with Z’s class about teeth for dental health week. They ended up bringing in both K4 classes, so it was almost 50 kids! I honestly never thought I’d be so intimidated by a bunch of 4 year olds and my son, but I was! It went great, and I can’t wait to do it year after year for Z (and Lu for that matter). I’m sure one day he’ll be embarrassed by me, but he seemed to think it was pretty cool this time.

Thursday Nana came into town, so the kids got to stay home with her, while we were at work. There was another snow threat that closed the schools early, but thankfully it was nothing and I didn’t even have to rush out and get them because they were warm and safe at home with Nana!

Friday, Nick and I both had CE courses, so the kids got more QT with Nana. We are so thankful she could come down and watch them while we had our classes, and the kids had the best time!  They made cookies and Valentines and Z was so happy he was acting a little like a wild man!

Meanwhile Nick and I managed to have an impromptu Sushi Date since both of our courses were in Hoover.

We came home and headed outside for a bit while Nick and Nana went to the grocery store.

Saturday I had to go back to a course, and Nick, Nana, and the kids went to the park. I think it’s safe to say they had a good time.

Saturday night we went to Fish Market for dinner, and the kids were fairly well-behaved, besides Lu screaming “MAMA! MAMA! MAMA! MAMA! MAMAAAA!!!!!” which she likes to do about 463 times a day.

Sunday was beautiful, so we played outside with Nana, and she taught Z how to shoot proper baskets! And by proper, I mean between the leg, but they were getting in the hoop! Basketball here we come!

Oh and don’t think Miss Lu was going to be left out, luckily we still have Z’s old b’ball goal for her!