Tah Dah .....

Hi. My name is Allie and I used to be no ... make that ... I want to be a regular blogger again.

And we are back ..... albeit slowly but we are back. The computer is almost fixed, we have internet again and well, I am just darn excited to feel in touch with the world. Sad isn't it? You take away the internet from me and I feel like I have fallen down into a deep dark abyss. The TV does nothing for me and is rarely on. I am dependent on music too. Last week when we were experiencing power outages during the day, I almost didn't know what to do with my kids without having some kind of music on in the background. I did manage to figure out though that it was a nice day so I got off my lazy butt and took the kids outside for most of the day. It was nice .... hard but nice. I mean, have you tried entertaining a three year old boy all casted up who so desperately wants to play in a playground but can't? And, it is challenging enough to haul him around and keep that cast dry but add in a high maintenance diva who just wants to motor around ... in mud?

Anyways, here is what has gone on in our lives for the past two weeks:

Masyn turned ONE! Can you believe it? My baby girl is no longer a little baby.

How did that happen? We had a fabulous little party for her ... with 11 of her friends in attendance ... okay make that more of Kaelen's friends. Add in both sets of parents into the fold and well, we had this little 936 square foot house just a rockin with people squished in everywhere. Masyn was spoiled rotten with gifts galore and because her Mommy actually managed to bake a cake! I mean, Martha Stewart watch out because you aren't going to be able to hold your own against this cake. Okay ... I know that it is a little simple but this cake is honestly a major feat for me. I am not a baker what so ever and life it much easier on my mental state of health and everyone else's stomach if I just order one from the store. Anyways, I had to laugh a few times because a few of the parents even went so far as to marvel at the heart shape. Secretly, I tried to convince myself that they were truly impressed when in fact I know that they were just likely trying to make me feel good.

Aside from Masyn's big day, we have been super busy with multiple doctor and specialist appointments. Masyn's DMSA scan came back (the one she had at the end of Jan) and the good news is that her kidneys are functioning correctly however her right kidney has scarring on it which I am pretty sure means that she has some form of kidney reflux. We have a sit down appointment with the specialist on the 3rd of March to discuss these results. There is also concern now for Masyn's weight as she has only gained 1/2 a pound since November. So we had a few days where she underwent blood and urine samples to rule out potential issues such as another kidney or UTI infection as well as anemia. She is a healthy girl, but only weighs 19 lbs which is a concern seeing as there is no growth in weight overall. Other than those concerns, she is great. She is into EVERYTHING and her latest and greatest is wanting to surf head first down the stairs. I swear she is some kind of thrill seeker and she tends to stress both her brother and me out with her rebellious antics.

Kaelen on the other hand is doing fabulous. This past Friday was the big day for his leg and so far he has healed excellently. Unfortunately, due to the severity of the break, he is still in a cast but it is casted just below the knee now as opposed to just below the groin. We are slowly trying to get him to walk on the cast but he isn't too keen on that just yet. The specialist says that these little guys are their own best judge and that he will figure it out in due time. Having the ability to bend Kaelen's leg has made life A LOT easier now and come the 4th, we are hoping that this newest cast will be removed permanently. Sigh ... what a day that will be. I think that the little man and I will have to go and gorge on Dairy Queen or something in celebration of this. Oh, and believe it or not, Kaelen just a couple of days ago had his first haircut with an actual stylist. With hubby living in Cranbrook right now, Kaelen was starting to resemble a shaggy dog. He woke up one day and asked if we could cut his hair. Rather than inflicting the torture on myself to create perfection (which I knew that I would fail at), I made a call down to Beaners and got him in. Now that is a place. Kids of any age can sit in a car, on a motor bike, elephant and play video games or watch a movie while getting their hair cut. And, while waiting for their turn to get their hair cut or once the cut is done, they can go and flop around in a ball pit for a bit. It was a dream come true for both mother and son. Now Kaelen is convinced that he wants to be a soccer player when he grows up because his hair is cut like Beckham's; I will let you be the judge. Personally, I think that Kaelen is much more cuter .....

Today, in about an hour, we are hoping into the van and heading down to Cranbrook to visit Daddy for two days. In addition to some quality family time, I hope to apply for a few jobs and check out a few daycare options for the kids.

Hope everyone is well and I am looking forward to catching up on everyone's lives.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MASYN!!

Okay - so it is a day late. She turned 1 yesterday - can you believe it?!?!?

Allie has been having some computer issues - so she wanted me to post this - and to let you know that hopefully all will be fixed soon and she will be back to catch up!!
Masyn's birthday party was earlier today - so I am sure there will be photos coming!

I just can't believe she is already 1!! Where does the time go? I seems like just a few months ago Masyn was born and now she is well on her way to being a little girl!! I am sad that I could not be there - but I have been assured that it was well documented just for me!!

Hope this finds you all well:-)

Fluids A Flowin

I have discovered over the weekend of exactly what I want to do in my next life, or if I should live to be the ripe old age of 150. I have decided that I am going to make a contribution to the world that will forever change the life of parents: the snot eliminator. It amazes me with the miracle of modern medicine at how very little there is out there to help alleviate the discomfort of colds in babies and infants. What little there was, has now been yanked off the shelves across North America mostly due to the incompetance of other parents being irresponsible and not following directions and doctors who likely had babies so long ago that they have forgotten the painful task of caring for a sick child. I am likely in the minority in believing that decongestants do work in babies but I am also in the minority where Tylenol Infant Cold DID help both of my children with their excessive snotty noses.

Our household has been under attack by the evil snot bug; rhe little man and I also have snotty noses and nice head colds and we feel like we have to sneak our comfort medicines without Masyn looking because we feel so guilty that there is medicine that helps us and nothing for her. So, here I am left dealing with a MISERABLE baby who just can't seem to understand the concept of blowing her nose and the immediate gratification one gets from it. Perhaps I need a little brushing up on my baby babble or even my charades techniques because my message is certainly meeting more than a little resistance. I guess until I can learn how to perfect these, I will just have to use the tools that have been suggested by top pediatricians:

Nasal drops: CHECK Nasal Aspirator: CHECK (which by the by is currently being NOT recommended by pediatricians because parents get too aggressive with the tool and end up damaging the nasal tissues within the baby's nose) Elevated bed: CHECK Baby Vapour Rub: CHECK Vapourizor: CHECK (Warm and Cold; I have both) Baby Tylenol: CHECK Steamy Warm Baths: CHECK Lots of comforting TLC: CHECK (except when Mommy is running on two hours of sleep, then the first minute is Mommy trying to get her irritation under control).

Hmmm .... from the looks of it, I seem to be relatively well prepared when reviewing the list above. So, how come NOTHING is working? Sigh .... does anyone else has a tried and tested true cure to help babies overcome snotty noses? If so, please share with me!!

In the meantime, we will attempt to not drown the in overflow of snot in this house. It is a good thing that Kaelen has a life jacket, Masyn an inflatable baby perserver and I my bronze cross badge ......

SOLD!

Do you hear that? Can you? Need a hint? Okay .... here is your hint .... what of late would cause a HUGE elated exhale of a sigh from me?

Yep - it is official; our house here in Cowtown is SOLD!! Now I know that it wasn't on the market all that long in comparison to others around here, but after one conditional sale that fell through, a turned down almost insulting low balled offer and multiple showings (averaging 1 -2 a day), our cute little starter like home has finally found a family to love it. The purchasers ironically are relocating from Cranbrook to Calgary and are an older couple so this house is up for some relaxing quieter times rather than the noisy chaos that my children create in it.

As I said to hubby last night on the phone, we are now 1/3 of the way there and that 1/3 is the toughest part. Now we just have to get a firm sale on the house down in Cranbrook and then begin the tedious task of moving all of our crap down there. And ... do you know what else this means? It means that the kids and I don't need to live on pins and needles worrying of making a mess and cleaning it up later. It also means that I can put up a few Valentine's decorations which I am also going to use for Masyn's first birthday seeing as she was born the day after.

I am so having a relaxing day today: toys are going to be left out, laundry will sit in that basket and folded later and I think in my little rebellion that the breakfast dishes will remain in the sink until at least lunch. Oh the luxury of this ........

Wordless Wednesday

Monkey See; Monkey Do

Pearly Whites

You would think that I am a first time mother or something. Masyn has been fussy of late, which to no surprise, I have been chalking it up to the extreme chaos going on in our house. Plus, I have been watching closely for signs of a kidney infection that can decide to rear it's ugly head again at any given time. Needless to say, while I have been empathetic to my daughter, I have also been under the frame of mind to "suck it up girlfriend and deal with it".

Ahem ... now this is where I humbly tell you all that two days ago, when Masyn was rolling on me, I caught a sight of white in the back of her mouth. Thinking that it was a sticker that her brother was playing with, I go to pull it out of her mouth only to discover that this sticker is actually a molar. Kind of shocked, I investigated inside of her mouth more only to come across FIVE other molars that had grown in. Yes - Masyn has grown FIVE molars in just under two weeks and is currently working on number SIX.

Like what the heck? This child isn't even one yet ......

The Kiddy Update

Here we go and I apologize for being so tardy in giving updates on my children whom of late seem to have a penchant for living the unlucky dramatic life like their mother:



Kaelen's Story:

Why did I ever think that being casted from groin to toe would seriously hinder Kaelen's ability to entertain himself? Kaelen has gone to teach me just how resilient children really are and how adaptable they can be. The little man motors around the house, up and down the stairs and can now pull himself up onto the couch or bed all on his own. His poor little butt, knee and elbows have the chaffed rug burns to prove just how hard he is working to entertain himself. His spirits are excellent and he already has the count down going for when he will be able to get himself back onto our backyard hockey rink. He has even gone so far as to ask if he can play butt hockey out there yet. Perhaps if it was -5 C I would entertain the thought but at -18 C as an average, his little butt would probably freeze to the ice. Kaelen's last check up went fabulous!! His leg had improved what I would say 100% since the previous week as far as bone regrowth and the specialist was so pleased that we do not have to go back until February 22nd for another x-ray. And, depending on that x-ray, Kaelen will either go home that day with a walking cast or will be recasted full leg for another 2 weeks. We are looking for sometime in the beginning of March that his little leg will be cast free and he may have to undergo minimal rehab. The great thing about him being only 3 is that these little guys will set their own limitations on their physical capabilities and will likely not overexert themselves.



Masyn's Story:
On the 24th, Masyn had a DMSA Scan done. It was a long test but thankfully one that was not uncomfortable to Masyn other than trying to entertain her from achieving total boredom. This test is basically an investigation that gives information about blood flow to the kidneys and how well each kidney is functioning for the production of urine. The test will also show if there are any obstuctions (such as scar tissue) for urine output. Masyn was given an injection into her vein and we had to leave and come back 2 hours later. Upon our return, we coaxed Masyn to sleep and laid her on the scanning bed at which point, the scan machine wedged itself around her and began taking pictures of her kidneys from various different angles. The scan itself took about 40 minutes so thankfully Masyn slept through the whole thing. We have not received the results as of yet, but results of this test will help determine if in fact Masyn does suffer from VUR (aka kidney reflux) and what kind of treatments if any she will need to help deal with it. Luckily, Masyn has her extreme youthful age on her side and if she does indeed have reflux, she will likely outgrow it by the age of 2. Upon consultation with the specialist, we have temporarily taken her off of the theraputic antibiotic and it is left upon me for the short term to be aware of any signs that she may display that could indicate that she may have an urinary tract infection or another kidney infection. We do know however that Masyn does have a larger than normal bladder so the specialist feels that she likely does not drain it until it is completely full. That would certainly explain why she can go for hours with a dry diaper and then two minutes later it will be beyond saturated. We also know that her right kidney, the lining around it is a little thicker than normal which certainly points towards mild reflux of some kind. We are lucky though as she is in excellent hands with the specialists at the Children's Hospital and we are potentially looking at a health problem that is very treatable.

A Fresh Perspective

One of my goals this year is to journalize about life and what I have learned from it in the short (erm some would argue long) time that I have been living. In my early twenties, I got involved with a fabulous leadership camp that was hosted by Rotary International and it honestly changed my life. It gave me purpose and a positive direction to head towards. It taught me that I am the only one that can make my life something and that I need to use whatever is thrown in my path and learn from it.

So, sorry my friends, this blog site at least once a week will become somewhat of a journal sharing difficult or joyous life experiences and what I have learned from them. I have been told with sharing my story to others before, that it has helped them overcome their difficulties or it gave them the courage to start believing in themselves. If I can accomplish that with at least one person, then it is all worth it to bare my soul and expose the inner person that I am. Besides, writing my thoughts down is the best thing that I can do for myself as well for when I go back to read it, I can hold my head up high and pat myself on the back and tell myself "Good job Allie".

Super Sunday

Because today we have multiple showings on the house, a potential conditional sale that could become valid if the purchasers sign their documents prior to 2:00 pm this afternoon and of course because Tom Brady is playing this afternoon, blogging will be a challenge.

Okay who am I to kid, blogging of late is a challenge no matter what the daily situation is. Nevertheless, I need to get in some serious day dreaming in this afternoon while I watch "The Jerk" aka. Tom Brady (I only call him that for leaving his pregnant girlfriend for another woman - but then again, I don't know the true story of what went on). After all, a lonely single like mom needs to get her kicks in some way no? (Sorry honey)

Sigh .... too bad that I am such a Miami Dolphins fan for today could have been a dream if I were a Pats lover.

February 3, 1986 Changed My Life ......

It is hard to believe that it will be 22 years ago tomorrow that the reality of how difficult life can be was thrust upon me. It was a day that forced me to grow up at the age of almost 13 when most kids are still having fun playing Barbies, watching music videos and not having a care in the world.

It was a cold Sunday night and after a dinner filled with laughter and bellies full of food, Christie and I were trying to convince Dad not to go to hockey. You see, he was waivering throughout the entire dinner as to whether he or not he wanted to go. He had a tournament the following weekend so felt that he should get a game in with the boys before hand. After a few more laughs, an hour later Dad would walk out the door forever in our lives. Why oh why didn't Christie or I run up the stairs to give him that one last hug?

Two hours later there was a knock at the front door. To our surprise, it was a very good family friend still dressed in full hockey gear including skates telling Mom that she needed to come to the hospital immediately as Bob had fallen on the ice was has been taken to the hospital. Almost immediately, I felt a wash of cold come through me and I began to cry. Mom chastised the two of us and told us that Dad just hit his head and would be fine. An hour later, Mom still is not home and a family friend comes over to stay with us and put us to bed. Two hours later, a crying Mother brings Christie into my bed and before the words came out of her mouth I knew. When my poor Mom choked the words out, I screamed and accused his friends of killing him not knowing that they were upstairs in the kitchen, sitting in stunned silence with tears streaming down their faces. My Dad was dead? How could that be? He was only 37 years old and in perfect health.

Meanwhile, Mom was sitting there trying to be strong for her two daughters while trying to deal with the realization that her life has been torn apart. She had just been given the most difficult blow in life by being thrust into a cold, lighted room and seeing her husband in death. How could she go on without her soul mate, best friend and the love of her life?

Death prior to this day was always a hushed topic spoken about and as a child, you never really fulled understood the impact that it had on people. You always as a child felt sad and almost scared of seeing others in their devastated misery, but then got easily distracted when something fun came along. I also learned that day that life was precious; that it could drastically change at any given moment. It gave me a sense of my own fatality and many in years to come would call me morbid for thinking of my death and when it would happen. It is not like I would be fixated on it, but I came to the conclusion that life could be short so you had to be aware that it could happen. I wanted to live for today and for tomorrow but not for 10 years down the road. I didn't see much of a reason to think of 10 years down the road when it might not happen. This was and still is to a certain aspect difficult for people to understand and I find it is usually those who may not have experienced loss or death close to them. When I meet people like this, I get secretly envious. How awesome would that be to live to my age and have yet to experience that devastating loss. Yet on the other hand, I feel for them, because I sometimes think that when that time in their life comes, that they may not be equipped nor resilient enough to handle it.

I know that while my Dad has not been in my life in the physical presence, I have to absolutely believe that he has been watching me from heaven. Even after 22 years, the hurt is still there, the pain has lessened but the yearning to be wrapped in Daddy's arms is still there. I don't think that it will ever go away and I don't think that what I feel is wrong. Heaven must be a really special place because there are so many people that I love dearly, that are there and they are lucky because they have my wonderful Dad there to keep them entertained with his outgoing humour, boisterous laughter and inspiring leadership.

I love you Daddy and even though I know that you are watching our every move, the three of us are doing well. And, we are doing well because of the love that you showered us in our short time together.

Lost Connection

Hooray! I am back! Gosh .... six days without Internet access and it feels like you are living in the dark!!

My modem blew up and I had to fight with my Internet provider to get a new one. At first they were telling me that it was my computer so I called in a favour and had a very good friend whom is a IT specialist come it to fix it. It was then determined that it was not my computer but in fact the modem. I called the next day and had to argue with said company to get a new modem but was informed that they had dispatched a technician to come to the area as they had lost all DSL connection to our area. The conduit turned out to be fine and was supposedly my house line. This caused another technician dispatch that never showed and then again for today without a show.

So ... to make a long story short, I had to lose my noodle and rant like a lunatic just to get some service. After many phone calls and a few managers up the line, I finally got the green light to go out and buy myself a new modem (which I offered to do in the first place). Luckily for said company, they offered me a $150 credit against my account to help with the "distress and inconvenience" they have caused. Well haleluia!!

Stay tuned ... I have lots to fill you in on!!