Ethan, my mini Ryan

Ethan had a class presentation on the solar system this week. All the kids had written reports and made paper mache planets. The lights were all turned out to make it more authentic--you can't have lights on out it space, right?! All the kids were acting like tour guides and took us on a trip through the solar system and told us all about each of the planets. They even sang a song about the planets. It was a cute presentation.

While we were there, Ethan wanted to show us a robot that he had created. The kids were given some supplies and they each had to come up with their own design to make something pick up a cup.

He was quite proud of his design. I know it is a simple design, but it even surprised me when I saw it. He has always been my little inventor. He is always creating something or trying to improve a design of something, much like his daddy. He is constantly coming up to me and showing me all the different things he is making. He once even made a little "automatic" car out of wheels from a hotwheels car (the ones that you pull back and let go and they start driving) attached to two handcuff keys. I thought it was awesome, but now I am way off topic. :-)

I love all the different activities the kids get to do at their school. I will be so sad when I finally have to pull them out and put them in a regular school.

2 wheeler

Aimee is finally a bike rider, hooray! We have been trying hard for over a year to get her training wheels off, but she had too many phobias to allow it. I'm sure she was capable to riding a 2 wheeler last year, but she didn't want to have anything to do with it.

This week we get a video message of her cousin Jess riding a bike and we convinced her to at least give it a try. She kept telling me, "I am brave in elevators now. (She is terrified of elevators, but is finally tolerating them due to her many ENT visits.) I will be brave on my bike. If I fall, I will just laugh at myself." I had her get into pants and long sleeves so she wouldn't scratch herself when she fell. I made some knee and elbow pads by cutting the toe off Ryan's socks and rolling them up. Even though they weren't much protection, it still convinced her little mind that it wouldn't kill her if she fell. Ryan took her out to the driveway and worked with her for little bit and I started cooking dinner. By the time dinner was ready, we had a bike rider.

Tonight Ryan had her ride around the back yard and turn a full loop, making sure that she could handle making the turns. As soon as she did that, she announced to Ryan that she was ready for her McDonalds. He turned to me and informed me that he owes a girl some ice cream and they left. Of course, bribery never worked for anyone, right?

Love

I found a note hidden under a blanket outside. As soon as I read it I knew who had made it and for whom it was made...

It reads (spelling corrected), "love, love. We both have love. Now let's dance and hug all day."

I busted up laughing when I read it. Kate is my little love girl. She loves boys so much! She was telling me last week that all the girls were dancing with their boyfriends at recess. I asked her if she participated also and she told me that her boyfriend wouldn't dance with her, but she danced with another boy. She even told me about when she was making eyes at the new boy in her class and she instantly made him her boyfriend. Little girls are so cute.

We went to the kids school this week for a little presentation Ethan's class was putting on. When we parked the car, Kate's class was at recess. It was no surprise that Kate was not playing with any of the girls; she was surrounded by boys. And not just a few of them--she was playing with 8 boys. She was still trying to get her boyfriend to dance with her. She has now come up with a plan to have his friend convince him to dance with her. All she really wants is for someone to give her attention and show they care about her. Girls...they are so dang adorable and completely innocent.

The $2000 ear infection

You might recall me mentioning Aimee's ruptured eardrum on the day we went to Papago Park. That was the start of it all. The funny thing is, she had never mentioned before that day anything about her ear hurting. It will be 2 full months this week since her ruptured eardrum and she still has her ear infection. She initially went to urgent care and was started on eardrops. When that didn't clear it up, we went back to an after-hours clinic at her pediatrician's office and she was put on an oral antibiotic. After 10 days, it still wasn't gone so we went back to her pediatrician's again and this time was put on a different oral antibiotic AND eardrops. The doctor was at least wise enough to start the referral process so she could see an ENT. Sure enough, those two didn't do the trick and we were on our way to the ENT. By the time she saw the ENT, her ear canal was full of infection-- all the way to the end of her ear canal. The ENT vacuumed the infection out of her ear canal and put her on some eye drops to put in her ear. After 3 days, I could tell it wasn't working and we went back in to get the infection suctioned out again since the ear canal was completely full. The ENT added a different oral antibiotic to her list and sent us on our way. A week later, we were back in his office...this time I was getting pretty upset and frustrated at the whole situation. Not once did anyone ever do a culture after the failed treatments. I was not happy about the extended antibiotics and the constant guesswork. I am sure he could tell I was just a little frustrated. He finally did a culture. Sadly, she had been on so many different antibiotics that it created what he called a "sterile environment" so the culture wouldn't grow anything. He suctioned her ear out yet again and put her on a different ear drop, basically a $250 glorified vinegar mix. This one actually seems to be doing something, or at least preventing it from getting worse. We went back after a week and the ear canal looked a ton better, but we could tell it was not completely gone. She gets to see him again in another week after being on these drops for 14 days and we will see where she is at then.

I have never had this much of a problem with an ear infection. ever! The doctors kept telling me how important it was to keep it completely dry and when the treatments failed they were trying to accuse me of getting it wet...as if the continued infection was my fault. I am positive that I never let it get wet. Silly doctors...sometimes their education gets in the way of logical thinking. ;-)

The tally for this ear infection's expense:
-7 doctor visits (so far, at least 1 more to come): approx $130 each
-3 oral antibiotics: average $100 each (2 generic, 1 brand name)
-4 ear drops: anywhere from $40-$250
Totaling it all up, we come to just under $2000, not including the remaining appointments or any other treatments if these drops to completely clear it up. Thank goodness for health insurance!

President's Day

Apparently I did not get the memo that yesterday was a holiday (and neither did Ryan's school). We woke up and did our normal morning routine, starting school at 7. By 9 we were finished for the day and headed off to the library. I first noticed something was wrong when the school-zone lights were not flashing on Power Rd and the school parking lot was empty. I figured maybe they had a late start that day. Then we got to the library to find an empty parking lot. It was at that moment that I realized it was a holiday and I should have given my kids a break from school. Oh well, they learned anyway. I actually think they liked school yesterday and they all (including Aimee) wrote some pretty fab poems about the desert (of course, there is no parental bias here). The girls even took it an extra step and drew pictures to go along with their poems.
Since we couldn't go to the library, we decided to try the park instead. We were surprised to find out the park had new equipment and HUGE shade structures. It actually made it bearable to play at the park in February...at a whopping 88 degrees! (I am really dreading the summer already.) The kids loved the modern merry-go-round. They especially liked the turning cages that allowed them to double-spin.

Even V tried to get in on the fun, but I didn't spin her cage.

We tried the other side of the park to let V go on the swings.

The older kids even found a new swing. I guess this is the new way to do a tire swing.

 The kids had a blast and were complaining when I told them we had to leave. By the time we got home, though, all the kids were complaining of dizziness. Two of them even stood in front of the toilet, thinking they were going to throw up. It just made me laugh.

We spent the rest of the day recovering from their park experience. What a great way to spend a holiday!

As a side note, I made lasagna last night with homemade pasta. Never again will I eat store-bought box lasagna noodles or frozen Stouffers lasagna. It was the best lasagna I have ever tasted! It was even super simple to make and *cheap*!

Little Climber

Lately, V has been climbing everything. She can get on the couch by herself, she climbs chairs, and she was even balancing on the keyboard last week. The other kids keep trying to "protect" her by just grabbing her and getting her down. I keep trying to stop them, knowing that it is important to fall from low places in order to learn that falling can hurt without getting badly hurt. It has all been to no avail, as Kate keeps grabbing her when she gets on things. :-( Now V has no fear. I am actually expecting to find her on the roof within the next 6 months. (sigh)

Last night, I was cooking dinner and looked out the window to check on V. I was in for a surprise as I saw her walking straight towards the trampoline. I quickly grabbed my phone to catch it on video, just to prove how fearless she is.

Secret spot

Sometimes V loves to get in to things, knowing it will get her siblings upset at her. She grabs her goods and crawls as fast as she can (because she can crawl faster than walk) to her secret place to play with whatever she has just taken. Her favorite place to hide is either behind the couch (if we are sitting on it) or right in the corner of the couch sections if we are anywhere else.

It is so funny to watch her try to shove her head in the corner of the couch so nobody will see her. I tell ya, we are in for some trouble with this girl.