Long time, no see

Well, I have taken a wee bit of a break, haven't I?  Honestly, I really enjoyed writing my blog while it was  happening but once you get out of the routine, it's hard to get back into the routine.  So here I am....trying it again.

I just re-read all of the posts from before and how cool!!! It literally is a time capsule of what was going on in my life at the time.  And my memory STINKS so any reminders are very helpful. Haha!

So what has been going on in my life lately?  My kids are big!  J is going to be 10 in a month and A is 6 1/2.  You can't forget the 1/2 because it is.so.important to her to distinguish the months.  A is ALL about counting the days/months...I guess she wants credit owed?  Lately she has been on a kick where she wants to "look at me-a-baby book"...which is an unfortunate way in English to say "I want to look at a baby book of me."  So we bust out baby book after baby book when she was a newborn and uber little.  She likes to narrate each one like she was there...I mean, yes she was, but not that she would remember. 
I loved how when she was born, she had a full head of black hair. In fact, when we were in the hospital, my mom comes in and said she couldn't find her in the nursery.  Oh she was there.  But A was not the peaches and cream baby you would expect.  She, like I said, had a full head of black hair.  I am blonde, my husband is a mid-brown so the black threw us all for a loop.  So my mom had a hard time finding her.  Well, back to me-a-baby-book, A says, "Hey!  Was I a Mexican baby?"  Can you imagine trying to explain genetics/genes to a 6 year old? I mean, what do you say, "A you can't be a Mexican baby and be you today."  That sounds....wrong, sorta racially incorrect.  Or maybe I am being over-sensitive?  All I know is that each commentary she made was somewhat inappropriate and funny. Oh man.  She's funny. 
I will keep you all posted as best as I can and try to remember funnies for you. 

Welcome back! (to me!).  The Voices from the Backseat are just a little bit older but slightly more sarcastic!  We will have fun with this.

Let's Work On Our Vocabulary, Shall We?

Last night, NBC was showing "National Treasure 2", one of my favorite movies.  I decided to watch it, while Jack was getting ready for bed.  He comes in right at the beginning and says, "Is this appropriate for kids?"  I said, "It should be okay."  He keeps watching and says, "I don't think this is appropriate for kids."  Then it is the scene in the theatre with Abraham Lincoln.  I asked him if he knew who he was.  "Abraham Lincoln," he replies.  I asked him if he knew who Lincoln was (expecting him to say a President).  He said, "Lincoln and Martin Luther King both were laminated."

In bad taste but definitely funny.  Yes, I corrected him and said "assassinated" and then we talked about what good men they were and how they contributed to society. 

Watch and Learn

Now that Jack is a high and mighty 1st grader, he likes to impose his views on Ava.  Yesterday, Ava and Jack are arguing about what to watch on TV.  He pulls out a LeapFrog video (I think it was Talking Letter Factory) and says to her, "You need to learn how to spell.  How do you spell CAT?"  Ava replies, "F-A-R-T."  Jack laughs, I roll my eyes.  He tries again.  Ava replies, "A-E-I-O-U."  Jack sighs deeply and dramatically (imagine GLEE only with less spirit fingers) and says, 'Ava, you need to watch this movie.  Watch and learn....watch and learn."  Those two!  *giggle*

Dooms?

Ava asked me today what "those are".  I thought briefly about what to tell her since she is pretty smart and very well-spoken.  I told her "boobs"...stupid me!  I should have just told her the technical word but I didn't in a moment of minor panic.  She smiles and giggles and says, "I don't have dooms."  I repeated it again.  She again says, "I don't have dooms."  Then here I am, much to my chagrin, slowly and phonetically sounding it out..."Watch my lips Ava...boobs".  She still didn't get it so I take it to her dad.  I tell him what she asked and then her follow-up.  He asks her if she has dooms.  She said, "No.  I have BOOMS!"  And says it very slowly again to him.  What a mess!

Mommy Said No

Overheard from the backseat: Jack: "Ava...when I get my cast, I'm getting a red one with a blue stripe." Ava says, "Ooh! Just like me..only mine is pink and purple." Jack asks, "Ava, let me try that on." Ava shouts to the front of the car (which is a rental car because mine has been in for service all week), "Mom! Can I take off my cast?" Me: "No" and then Ava WHISPERS, "Mommy said I can't." Jack conspiratorially responds, "Maybe you should try." Ava then shouts, "Mom! Can I try?" Me: "No". Ava WHISPERS to Jack, "Mommy said no". Jack states, "Well, I will just have to get one too." Seriously?! How many more injuries do we need in this house?!

Ava's New Cast

As you probably are aware, Ava broke her arm 2 days ago and this morning, she had to go to Riley to get her cast put on. When we got there, the nurse said, "Whoa! She has almost destroyed her splint." Good thing they didn't make us wait a week as planned ;) The doctor was talking to Ava about her arm and said that her break wasn't that bad. She said that Ava would actually be able to have a removable cast "but after talking with her for 30 seconds, I can tell she needs a real cast." Ava told her that she "didn't need a cast" and that "I am all better...look! See! I can punch!" She then proceeds to jab at the doctor, fake hitting her and almost tackled her. Needless to say, Ava is on the reckless side; therefore, she has a real hard cast put on. She chose hot pink with a purple stripe. Definitely Ava...raucous princess Ava ;)

Ava's broken arm

Last night was a rough night for us, especially Ava. Ava was climbing out of the bathtub and I was holding her left hand. She slipped and fell hard on her right hand. Heard a pop and she was crying hard...I knew immediately that it was broken. Got Jack out of the tub, dressed both of them and ran out the door. Me? I had just gotten out of the shower before they took a bath so I had soaking wet hair, no makeup...really looked the fright.
Drove down to Riley Children's Hospital ER and she was taken in immediately. That was nice. By this time, she had stopped crying and seemed fine. She was back to talking to everyone and being friends with everyone. We were taken in a small room where the nurse came to see us. She was fabulous...I don't remember her name though. Ava had 8 x-rays taken even though it seemed like the doctor didn't think there was a break because she wasn't crying, they could touch her and manipulate her arm. I kept telling them that Ava is a TROOPER and that her pain thresh-hold is really high. The initial reading of the x-ray didn't reveal a break but then the radiologist spotted what they called a "buckle fracture". Apparently this is a very common type of break in children because of their softer bones. It basically means that one side of the bone buckles or bends without a break on the other side of the bone. It can also be called an incomplete fracture.
They ended up putting a splint on her arm under the orthopedist can see her and put a more substantial cast on her arm. Waiting to hear back from the Casting Clinic to get an appointment.
It was an awful night last night but Ava seems to be in good spirits this morning.


I want to again compliment Riley for their outstanding service. Everyone there was so terrific, from our checkin nurse (Jill Chatham) to our "personal nurse", the physicians Dr. Rose McGwere and Dr. Lindy. The supervising physician was wonderful too but I missed her name all together. They gave both Jack and Ava a stuffed toy to play with and keep, brought movies to watch and carolers came to brighten the entire wards' spirits. The entire staff really worked to keep people's spirits high and to make a bad situation as good as can be. Thanks to them!