Foot, Hand, and Mouth Disease

This childhood virus has always terrified me. Whenever I have heard that some one's kids have this virus, I stay away for at least 2 weeks. The symptoms are sores in and around the mouth, on the hands, and on the feet. Children also get fevers, sore throats, stomach aches, diahrrea, and loss of appetite.

Around Wednesday or Thursday, I noticed Joseph had a bumpy rash around his mouth. Kids get that sort of rash all the time. I thought maybe he ate something he wasn't suppose to. I knew he hadn't tried any new foods. But, I just didn't worry at all. However, Joseph was very irritable, and wouldn't eat so I began giving him tylenol occasionally. Joseph also was waking up crying at night, which we thought was annoying and maybe he was teething.

On Saturday while I was holding and feeling very frustrated with Joseph who had been crying all day, I noticed that Joseph had bumps all over his fingers. I checked out the rest of him and he had the same bumps on his toes. I noticed they were very similar to ones he had around his mouth for days. I looked a little further and noticed that he had a sore on his tongue too. I checked the internet for childhood rashes and nothing seemed right. later, when I was showing John the odd rash on Joseph, it occurred to me that this must be the dreaded hand, foot, and mouth disease.

We looked it up and sure enough the picture of the toddler with spots around the mouth looked exactly like Joseph. So, we diagnosed our own kid. Doctors can't do anything so the end. He should actually be better in a day or two and it really hasn't been all that dreadful. The worst part has been how cranky Joseph is, but he is cranky whenever he feels the least bit ill. This was certainly easier than a high fever, croupe, stomach flu etc. And, it really only affects small children which means Rachel and Anya are the only other kids likely to have any symptoms.

Adam's Birthday Party

Adam had his first birthday party with friends on Friday. We gave out invitations to every child in his kindergarten class and invited all of the cousins his age. By Thursday evening, we had only heard from 5 kids in his class. I thought the party was going to be pretty small, so I bought things and planned for around 10 kids (just in case some people showed up that did not RSVP). Friday morning, I found out that none of the cousins would be able to attend. I tried to prepare Adam for a small party. Adam insisted that his whole class was coming. I told Adam that only 5 people called, and assured him that it would be small. After school, Adam got in the car and said, everyone is coming except one person. Hmmm... I thought maybe the kids were talking excitedly about the party. Still, I thought if people were coming surely they would RSVP.

About 30 minutes before the party I had several people call and ask for directions to our house. At that point, I knew we would have more than 5 kids. But I still didn't think there would be more than 10.

Ruth, Kate, and Johnny helped me get set up for the birthday party. They each set up and planned a game (Older children are really nice with things like this :>). Ruth filled balloons with gum for a balloon popping game; Kate did a fishing pond with prizes, and Johnny did archery with prizes.

At about 3:45 (15 minutes before the party) we had kids begin to show up. Over the next 20 minutes, more and more kids came. We had to keep adding to our table set up for cupcake decorating, and eventually, we had to move some kids out to make room for others. After moving some kids around, I was really thankful for Ruth, Kate, and Johnny's roles. They started taking groups of kids over to their games, while others decorated cupcakes.

We got everyone through the cupcake decorating and moved onto the games. John and I quickly cleaned up the kitchen and then helped with the games and even did one more as the first group of kids finished all three games.

Then we opened all of the presents, gave out candy and parents came. In all, I think we had between 15 and 20 kids come. Adam loved his party and when it was over declared that this was exactly what he wanted to do next year and the year after. I guess next time I should listen to Adam when he says his whole class is coming and be better prepared. Still, I am glad that Adam had such a big fun party for his very first big birthday party. I am also very grateful for 3 older kids who were excited to help out.

Mother Heart Thursday

This week we had parent teacher conferences at the elementary school for Kate, Johnny, and Adam. They each received the peacemakers award. These awards were given to all of the kids in the school who had not been sent to the principals office during the first three months of the school year. When Kate's teacher handed me the award and explained why she got it, I laughed. I exclaimed that most kids must have gotten that award. To my surprise, that is not the case. (Adam's kindergarten teacher indicated the same thing.)I said that I thought you had to REALLY misbehave to be sent to the principals office. The teacher said that indeed this was still the case. I am stunned! I don't think my kids need to be awarded for being civil in the classroom. In fact, I just expect them to behave especially well in school, but also at home. It is just a requirement for being a part of a family, a classroom, and a society as far as I am concerned.

Our neighborhood has 2 other schools. One is called Wasatch Academy and teaches a little differently than the public school, and the other is Spectrum Academy which is designed for kids that fall into the autism spectrum and other disabilities. There are families who have moved into our neighborhood just for this school. It is a great thing for the students who need specialized classes. As a result, our elementary school does not have many kids with disabilities. The kids that are being sent to the principals office are not the kids with autism or ADHD. They are just kids who don't care enough to behave civilly toward the teacher and the other students.

I honestly do not understand what is happening with so many children. I am writing this in gratitude for my own mother and father and for my husband's mother and father who taught John and I with loving discipline and thus handed down good old fashioned parenting skills. A loving mother and father who care enough to let you face the consequences so you can learn and grow are definitely a treasure. I hope that I can teach my children to be good parents and to hand down a treasured legacy from their grandparents who worked so hard to raise my husband and I.

Family Stories

Little Kid Stories

Anya Versus the Spider

Anya found a little black spider in the hallway outside my bedroom door. She went into my room, grabbed a glass water cup that I had left on my bedside table, and put it over the top of the spider. Then Anya ran into my room, closed the door and declared, "Now, the spider can't get me!"

Snoring

On the weekend mornings, I will let the kids come into bed with John and I if I don't feel like getting up when the kids do. John is always conveniently still asleep. (He never seems to hear the kids?) So Anya and Rachel were laying in bed gabbing sweetly with me when Rachel said, "Dad is like a pig when he sleeps." It took me a minute to process her meaning, but when I figured it out, I laughed a lot and out loud. Anya started to laugh too, and then made fake snoring noises and said, "Dad sounds like a pig!" Those noises actually did wake John up.

Everyone Versus Adam's Spider

Adam took a plastic Halloween spider and put a small amount of the left over fuzz from Halloween spider web onto the spider. Then he put the spider in a dark corner and yelled, "It's an emergency, It's an emergency." Johnny and Ruth went over and stared wide eyed at the big, hairy spider in the corner. John came over to see the problem. At first, John thought it was a real spider. He bent down to look at it a little closer, and then turned on the light to see it even better. John said, "Adam, I think it might be a plastic spider." Adam reached down to touch it. John, not being sure, yelled at Adam to stop. Adam picked the plastic spider up and laughed triumphantly!

Pre-Teen Stories

Ruth

Two weeks ago, Ruth had a bad week. On Monday, Ruth came home from school crying because all of her friends were ignoring her and her friend Lizzy wouldn't talk to her on the bus. Being pregnant and feeling awful for her, I cried too. On Tuesday, Ruth came home crying again. I asked her if things were getting worse with her friends. Ruth said, "No. That is all better now. We are good friends." Feeling a bit stunned, I asked why she was crying then. Ruth explained that the bus driver gave her a warning because she yelled hello out the bus window to her friends. (Ahhh, it is the age, I thought.) On Wednesday, Rachel said, "Do you think Ruth will cry again today?" She did not. But on Thursday night Ruth came home from Young Woman's volley ball crying because she felt like she had not gotten enough play time in during the game.

Kate

Kate and Ruth came down the stairs. Kate was obviously upset. John asked her what was wrong. Kate, in a rather indignant tone declared that Ruth said she was angry when she really wasn't. John then said, "Tell me if I have this right? You are angry because some one asked you if you were angry when you were not angry?"

Adam Turns 6

Adam is 6 now and in kindergarten. Adam has surprised us all and is maturing nicely. He preforms great in school. Adam has made a lot of friends; he does all of his work, and he is nice to his teachers. Adam has vanquished all of my worries. At home, Adam is kind, helpful, and independent. My Adam has completely grown out of that terrorizing toddler stage!

Adam as a baby

1 year old Adam and already into everything

1 year old Adam being a big brother

2 year old Adam, and very confident in his mess making skills

3 year old Adam never stops going

4 year old Adam with his cat

Adam on his 5th birthday

Adam on his 6th birthday

 

 

 

 

We have this photo folder that we made when Adam was 2, labelled, "Adam was here,". It is funny to look back at some of the things that little boy did. Adam just loved to take things apart and to get into anything and everything.

Adam unscrewed several parts of this lamp, and a lot of other lamps. He also plugged head phones into electrical sockets and burnt them out. Adam liked electricity and especially lights!

Mud picture on the door

Adam took the vacuum cleaner apart and put different pieces in different locations

Adam used that toy knife to slice into the cake.

Mothers Heart: Thursdays post on Motherhood

The writer, Naomi, of a  blog, I really enjoy reading found here, writes and links with other mom bloggers about motherhood every Thursday. I have linked on with some old posts, but I like the idea of sharing what is good about motherhood and learning from other mothers, so I am going to try and post something new about being a mom every Thursday. This is her request for posts, "For my 'Mother Heart' Linky I am looking for posts (old posts or new posts) that relate to mothering and motherhood. Experiences, tips, adventures, feelings and challenges that will help us feel connected and supported in our heart as we mother our cherubs."




Today was a very busy day filled with errands, a doctors appointment, car pooling here and there and such. So when it came time to make dinner around 7pm (late for us), I thought things would be hard with a bunch of crabby, hungry kids. Instead I found myself preparing dinner while my kids cheerfully set the table, cleaned the living and danced and sang with each other. I thought, "wow, I sure love my kids!" And I do.

Things aren't usually so rosey. Most of the time the kids do not pick up cheerfully while singing and dancing. That actually seems like it belongs in a Disney movie or The Sound of Music. But along with the diapers, and the tantrums, and the homework, and the laundry comes these wonderful moments when we all get along and it makes all the work completely worth while. I love being a mother.

Halloween 2010

Ruth-- a bat, Kate-- Witch Hunter Robin, Johnny-- Dragon Ninja, Adam-- J.I Joe, Rachel-- a pink cat, Anya-- lady bug, and Jospeh-- red dragon