Yoda's Tale

For about 4 months, our cat, Yoda, was throwing up at least once a week. Let me tell you, that was not fun! It started in November when I accidentally bought the wrong food. It was kind of accidental, but kind of not. I wanted to buy a bigger bag of his food, but they didn't have it at our Petco. In fact, that time they didn't even have it in the smaller bag. So I but a different kind. And so starts the four month of cat vomit adventures!

Around that same time in November his water was moved next to his food. I didn't think it was a big deal, until I realized being in a different place was not helping with his water intake to flush out his tummy problems. Only recently did I move it back to where it used to be.

We quickly but his old food after he threw up for about a week consistently, but I think that triggered an upset tummy. Jason had bought me a poinsettia plant for Christmas. Recently, I discovered that Yoda was eating the plant. Did you know that poinsettia plants are poisonous? I did, though I didn't know he was eating it until I saw one of the leaves in his vomit two weeks ago. I also discovered, that he was eating fake evergreen from a Christmas decoration on the floor of our storage room.

Now that he is on even better food, thanks to Kay and Auburn, is drinking water again, not eating fake evergreen, and not eating poinsettia plant, he hasn't thrown up in over a week! He is acting more like his obnoxious self instead of hiding out all day and throwing up in mysterious places.

One last addition to you Yoda's recent hard life. In January, I was playing Life with Victoria. Yoda was sitting in the box, kind of unusual for him at that time since he was not very social then. When I went to grab a piece of money from the box, he clamped down on my hand with the hardest, longest bite ever! I screamed long, loud, and hard. It hurt! He has nibbled on me before and bitten me here and there, but never like this one. I now have a lovely scar to carry the memory of my cat forever!

The next day.

I am glad he is not throwing up anymore, knock on wood, and that we can enjoy him more again. We love our Yoda!

(I wanted to post a picture of him, but I don't have one on my phone right now. Of course I can't find him at the moment and I can't use our computer because it is broken! ) 

Freedom With a 10-Year-Old

Victoria is almost 10 1/2. Over the past year, I have left her and Karissa at home by themselves while I went to the grocery store for about an hour, maybe 3 times. They were random times when the kids were home and I desperately needed to go to the store, but didn't want to take four kids. I remember the first time was a big deal. She was still nine. We went over and over about not answering the door or the phone. In fact, I had told them, since our door is also a window, that if anyone came up to the door, they were to freeze so the person outside wouldn't see any movement. Luckily, not many people come by, so I don't think they had to deal with it.

Last week they had two half days. On Thursday, Karissa had a doctor appointment with the optometrist at 1:30. I had decided that I didn't even want to take Erik. So, I gave Victoria her first real babysitting job with both the boys. When I returned, everyone was calm and somewhat quiet (playing wii helped with that) and the house was clean. The boys had chocolate milk, which they enjoyed thoroughly, and plenty of other snacks I am sure. I felt free!

On Saturday, I had to visit teach a friend with a new baby in her small apartment, at 9 am. We had a busy day ahead and Jason was going to a church leadership meeting in Lansing (Elder Cook was there among other prominent leaders) so I needed the girls to get their homework, chores, and piano done. I gave Victoria her second baby sitting job (both of these she got paid for, which she was thrilled about!) I brought Erik with me this time so they could get work done and not have to worry about monitoring the boys. I left a list for each of them and they were all super excited to get it done. I believe that Austin got most of his work done as I was getting ready to leave. Victoria took charge and helped him with the things he needed help with. Again, when I returned, the work was done and it was peaceful at home.

Needless to say, I am excited about this new-found freedom I have with a developing babysitter. Victoria definitely has a "take-charge" personality, and I think it will come in handy for when there's work to be done while I am away. Now, if I can only get her to do the same while I 'm around!!

She won the coloring contest at school, awarding her with this certificate toward a book at the book fair. 

Frozen on Ice

We surprised the kids and took them to Disney's Frozen on Ice last Saturday. I don't know who enjoyed it more, me or them! I had always wanted to see Disney on Ice. We were informed it was coming here and it worked out perfectly being the same week as my birthday. It was about as close as we can get to Disney out here. We enjoyed the opening welcome by some of the main Disney characters.

 Frozen just makes sense being on ice! I enjoyed using my imagination with the characters as they performed chase scenes and falls off cliffs that are hard when they're not controlled by a computer. The boys loved when Marshmallow (the big snow monster) puffed up really big. Erik's mouth was down to his chin! The girls loved the music and dancing on ice skates. I never asked Jason what he liked best, but I think he enjoyed all of it.

The pictures didn't turn out great with the white colors and lights over the ice, but these are the best ones. The rest, we'll just keep in our memories!

We snuck of pic with this poster in the back before the  thronging crowd came over this way.

Luckily, I thought to bring the Elsa costume. Every other girl Karissa's size and smaller had one on, just about. 

Here's the welcoming crew from Disney. You can see Pumba there in the front on the left.

Elsa and Anna right down on our side. 

Let it Go was beautiful and the sparks of light were awesome!

Nice ending pose with the main characters. 

Pre-Birthday Thoughts

Tomorrow is my birthday. Here are some thoughts I've had this week:

-I don't feel as old as I thought I would this year. I have many friends, including my sister, who turn 40 this year. I'm still three years from that!
-I've been going from feeling exuberant to exasperated this week. Exuberant because of the fantastic weather we've been having (highs in the 40's mostly, but today and tomorrow, 52 degrees!!!) Exasperated because Erik has been giving me triple doses of his pill and I've had more lunches returned home untouched, than I like. It's not just Karissa this week, either! On a side note, she had her 8-yr-old check-up today. She grew 3 inches and gained almost 5 lbs. in a year! She's still in the 6th percentile for weight and 9th for height, but at least she's consistent.
-My last recurring thought: why is the time change the week of my birthday now? I think that is part of the core to my problems this week.

This is what it looks like outside right now. We had so much snow, that even after 5 days well above freezing, most of those were sunny, the kids still have to wear snow suits at recess. It was 52 today and they came home dressed in gloves, hats, and snowsuits!

More Progress

This progress has nothing to do with Erik's eating, but with his social skills, something I've been focusing on a little. I know he's a 3-year-old boy, but when he doesn't want anyone who is not in our family to talk to him at all, and gets really mad when they do, and then when he finally gets comfortable in a public area, "asks" for attention by growling, barking, screaming/yelling, and running  around or tackling people, I decided I wanted to help him get more comfortable in public situations. I'm sure it's mostly because he's getting older, but I thought taking him to that cooking class and a gymnastics class, that we've been doing, would also help as he is exposed to other kids and other adults in a learning environment. In January, he got to start going to the Sunbeam class at church. I think that has helped him too, though it's been rough. Jason, or I, had to be with him most of the time up until two Sundays ago. That's the week the progress started to take affect.

Erik stayed in the Sunbeams class the whole time by himself and even got a good report this last Sunday and the one before! (The teacher has also figured out the best way to help him calm down after Daddy leaves: ignore him!) At gymnastics last week, he walked by the teacher at the station she was assisting the children at (the other stations the parents assisted), instead of completely avoiding her. He even looked at her! He also stayed with the group more, rather than wanting to do his own thing. Then, when I brought him to a friend's so I could volunteer in Austin's class, he actually talked to the mom instead of avoiding her, which is what he has always done. She commented that she didn't know he talked that well because he had never really talked to her before!

Tomorrow is supposed to be his last day of gymnastics, but I will sign him up again if really wants to. Here he was last week when he was doing what he was supposed to.

Notice his shirt? It's the one I got him for his birthday that he refused to wear until now. 

This wasn't actually what they were "supposed" to do here, but he was staying on the right equipment, at least.

Can't go wrong with a tunnel!

The pit has been his favorite from the beginning.

Here's to more progress!