God is so Good

I love that she loves to sing.
I love that she loves to sing songs about God and Jesus.

I love that every time she does something worthy of recording she looks like a raggamuffin. :)
Murphy's law, I guess.

This video clip is of her singing her latest top hit, God is so Good.
  I did not teach it to her.
  She heard it on a little Catholic program my dad told us to watch.

Her best (and loudest) singing is typically done when she's playing alone, in her crib before she falls asleep, or being pushed in the cart at Wal-mart.

This one is "Oh how I love Jesus" as she's waiting to eat.

Lewis Land Rain Dance

We haven't had much rain lately.

Lots of people have been hoping for rain.

Apparently the secret is to go have a picnic for supper.

We sat down at the picnic table for about three minutes...

and then it poured.

Interestingly, it poured with the sun shining.

...for a good 15 minutes.

So the picnic was moved to the van.

 The novelty didn't quite impress Gianna who really wanted to be outside.

Yep.

This is what the sky looked like except for one little tiny spot

 --- right above us.

On our way out of the park, we caught sight of some ducks...

and some geese...

and a deer...

with a friend...

or two.

They come right up to the car.

We were excited to get home to our watered lawn.

It didn't rain at home.

That figures.

Oh well.

Isn't it supposed to be autumn?

Well then how come it's still 90 degrees at 9:30 in the morning when we go to the park?

We had an impromptu park day last week.

My poor little over-heated toddler.

I always consider Gianna's hair blond, until I see Benjamin!

Swinging...

Ambushed by surprise visitors...

Looks like someone else might be ambushed...

Scarlett

...swinging in the cool swings that we would all totally own - if they didn't cost $700!!!!

Isabella

Ben sharing snacks

How cute is THIS little chick pea?

Kate's Army Man trying out his parachute...

I think she's looking for autumn....

...I hope she finds it.

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Did you ever have to write Haiku in school?

I remember doing it in 2nd grade and then again in high school.

This post inspired me.

Autumn Haiku

By Maria

Craving crisp, cool air.

Crunching leaves ~ blowing breezes

Where art thou, Autumn?

Should we stay or should we go?

Going to the doctor.

I never quite know when to take Gianna in to see the doctor.  I know when it's OBVIOUS, but really she hasn't been 'obviously sick' very often.  I don't want to waist my time and their time if it's nothing. I think of all the sick kids in the waiting room and wonder if it's worth exposing her.  (Am I the only one who thinks about these things?)  I don't want to be an alarmist, but I also don't want to overlook something that could be serious.

To clarify yesterday's 'blech' post, she only got sick once after her morning milk. I might have made it sound like she had a horrible stomach virus.  She doesn't.

So I ended up bringing her to the doctor this morning. Symptoms: low grade temp for a little while yesterday, one ick sick episode, not eating much for about four days. "Ooooh, really?" the doctor says, "Could be strep."  Doggone it. That never crossed my mind.  Didn't know those were possible symptoms.  Sure enough ---- red throat.  Tested for strep ---- negative.  Did blood work and doctor said numbers were pretty good, but there was definitely something going on - slight as it might be.  The test showed a little bit of viral and a little bit of bacterial going on....but not enough to treat. Her body's definitely trying to fight off something.

She wrote a script for the end of the week if she worsens or gets fever.  I love our doctor.  I love that she's conservative and proactive.  I love that she doesn't make me feel like a moron. 

Oh -- and I told her about the mosquito bites incident and she said Gianna's not allergic - just highly sensitive.  An allergy would produce a much more severe reaction no matter where the bite was.  Good to know.

So this post isn't really necessary except I wanted to have it for as a note to self future reference when I'm trying to decide whether or not to bring her in to the doctor. 

Here ya go, Maria:  BRING HER IN!

So, here's a little prize for you for reading this boring post.  I laughed so hard at the subtitles that I am now wheezing.

Blech...

So, Gianna has been a little more 'subdued' that normal these last few days.  Clingy, quiet, loss of appetite. sleep interruptions, a THREE hour nap due to said sleep interruption. 

Yesterday she said, "I sick."

This morning she proved it - all over the kitchen floor.

Blech...

It freaked her out a little bit - because she's really never gotten sick like that before.

(God must really love me if He's guarded me from the 'ick sick' for over two years!)

I must admit, I don't do 'ick sick' well.

I have never handled it well, whether I was the victim, or someone else was.

My mom said she was the same way.

When she was teaching, SHE used to go and get the janitor when someone got sick - leaving the poor kids by themselves.

I'd have done the same thing.

The janitor asked her, "Ms. Zullo, what are you going to do when you have kids?"

She told him she'd worry about that when the time came.

And then she told me, "And when I got married and had kids, I could all-of-a-sudden handle it."

Poof. Just like that.

She told me it would be like that for me.

"When it's your kids, it won't bother you."
I believed her.

Hey Mom, guess what?

YOU

WERE
WRONG!!!!!

Blech!

Ugh!

Gross!

Gag!!

I should've known I wouldn't have been exempt from this curse.

You could just ask my husband.

I've hidden in the house before when my husband was sick.

I mean hidden, crouched down, with my ears covered.

Pathetic excuse for a wife, I know.

And then when his pale, pitiful self hobbled to come find me and tell me the coast was clear....

I'd yell at him for being sick too loudly.

Yeah. I should've known then.

I didn't yell this morning.

I was a good mommy.

A good gagging mommy, who washed the cleanup towels three times.

Frankly, I'm surpised I didn't throw them out.

I fear my frugality will be compromised in the future as I'm tempted to throw soiled bedsheets, towels and clothing out - so as not to 'deal' with them.  We'll see how it all plays out.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

On the cuter side of ick, Gianna woke up from her 2nd three hour nap in two days by saying,

"Gianna choke on floor. Mommy get towels."

Choke is her best description. 

Sounds better than the alternative terms I've managed to avoid throughout this post.

Blech.

You should see my living room.
I've got blankets covering every surface and a great big pink Snuggie laid out on the floor...just in case. (Couldn't think of a better use for that Snuggie!)
And every time I give her something to eat I say,
"Hey, let's go play outside!"
She thinks I'm the coolest mom.
But this is serious business.
I'm on the defensive now....wuss that I am.

 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

She fell asleep in her high chair at noon as she was nibbling on the cracker.

So pitiful....and sweet.

(We're going to the doctor in the morning - just to check her out.)