Oh who knows

I've been wanting to post for days but Little Man is sick (again? still?) and things have been busy, Busy, BUSY! Packing for our trip, dealing with life's usual schedule, etc.

The Little Man seems to be dealing with a form of asthma. The Dr doesn't want to officially diagnose him with such because it can cause problems in the future, so unless it becomes chronic and drastically worse, we have a diagnosis of hyper-something, (for the life of me, I can't remember). He's on oral steroids, nebulizer steroids, and anti-biotics. Poor little guy.

I was going to do a post on how it seems like now that we're not nursing, he isn't all about the Mama anymore, and I may still do it, but when he's sick... he still wants the Mama. It's nice to feel needed, though I hate that he's miserable.

Heading to the mountains tonight - looking forward to some time away, seeing the nieces, my SIL, etc. Fuss has been counting down the days for MONTHS.


Happy Thanksgiving!

Treading water

So I got the bug that the rest of the family had last week. I am grateful that it waited until after my incredibly busy week/weekend to hit me, though, so I won't complain too much.

I had a successful party on Saturday and I am happy to report that I hit my goal for my sales for the first 45 days and I earned my Start Swell kit for FREE. I made over $2000 in personal volume (which isn't to say I earned that much of my own, but I sold that much) and I'm very excited about that. (I just wish that I would get my confirmation email already!!!)

We are now in the throws of preparing for our road trip over Thanksgiving and I feel like I'm up to my ears in clean-but-unfolded laundry.

Oy with the poodles already!

I've spent the last hour googling things like "vomit, fever, child, 4 days" because my kids are sick. I thought it was a short-lived thing, since Fuss began her fever on Monday night and seemed better by midday yesterday, but her fever is back this afternoon with a vengence and brought along a friend, vomit. Fun times. The Little Man started his fever yesterday and threw up twice this morning, but other than the fever still hanging on and general fussitude, he seems better than his sister, at least for now.

I've got so much going on this week - yesterday was supposed to be the beginning of our non-stop 5 days of business and I've had to cancel a lot. Fuss did feel well enough to go to dance class last night, which was nice since it was Visitor's night and my in-laws all came along and it was the first time they let the parents in the classroom since the first week. So cute.

I turned in my latest Thirty-one order and have hit the 2nd-level threshold for my Start Swell Incentive, so I'm pretty psyched about that. I also got my first "paycheck" today - my commission check was deposited into my account this morning and it is so nice to be earning some $$ again. If I have an average party this weekend (which I'm really hoping, since I'm driving all the way to Orlando to do it), I will hit my top goal for my first 45 days and I will be able to get my second kit for free. Which is awesome.

I've booked another show for December, gotten my in-laws excited about the next 2 months of incentives, potentially booked a way-out-of-town book party for December/January and have a strong lead on 2 January fundraiser deals. I'm feeling confident right now.

But I really, really wish I could make my kids feel better. Fuss keeps telling me how much she misses her daddy - something I understand all too well. And the Little Man can't decide if he wants to be free or to snuggle and seems to whine every time his whim changes.

I have no idea what to do about tomorrow. It's MOPS and I have 3 of the four Mentor Mom's out this month. We have 3 alternates (one of which will be out of town as well) so I was supposed to lead my own Discussion group as well as my regular duties. Plus I really wanted to hear this speaker. But I can't bring my sick kids to the kid care. I don't even like it when other moms bring their kids with the sniffles, so flu-like symptoms seem like a ridiculous conflict. I just don't know what to do!

It's beginning to look a lot like....

It's getting to be that time again - and while I tend to prefer to wait until Thanksgiving is over to actually put up my decorations, I have to start thinking about the gift list and the Christmas cards NOW. I prefer the picture Christmas cards, so that means I have to do the kids outfits (finished this weekend!) and get their pictures taken early so that I can find the perfect card to put their beautiful faces on.

And where better to find the perfect card than Tiny Prints? I've used them in the past for birth announcements because theirs are always the absolute best. They have a great selection of Christmas and holiday cards this year. From the classic to the whimsical, from the sweet to the humorous, Tiny Prints has such great options! Now, I just have to figure out which one I'm going to choose - which could take me a while!

This one made me smile.

I loved the look of this one.

this one is sweet.

I could just do a
pic of each kid for this one.

I liked this one for the typography, etc.

And I LOVE this option - an ornament card! They have a whole bunch in lots of styles/layouts, so there are choices, choices!

Shop 'til he drops

My dear husband went to work for a free-lance client this morning - hoping to get it done and out of the way so we could spend the rest of the day together. Here's hoping.

He also agreed to a shopping trip later today. Poor man doesn't know what he's gotten himself into. My shopping list is as follows:

• Boots for me. Most likely black, but I also need some sort of brown low-heeled shoe as well. It will depend what I find.
• Christmas clothes for the kids - have pretty much picked them out online at JCP where my MIL gets a discount. 
• Overalls for Little Man. April's Henry had on the cutest outfit of a simple white polo and overalls yesterday and I couldn't stop melting every time he toddled past me. Must get some for my Little Man. Probably going to look at Old Navy
• Warm jackets for the kids. While we're at Old Navy, I plan to check out the jackets. I've seen several online that I like for Fuss (she's only getting one, but I like to have options). We are going to NC for Thanksgiving in less than 3 weeks (!) and the temps are quite cold (for us Floridians) up there in the mountains. Considering we were all shivering when the house dropped to 71 yesterday morning, the temps that are predicted to be somewhere in the realm of "highs in the 50s" are going to demand warmer clothes for both munchkins. 
• A warm jacket for me. I have a lovely black wool pea coat that is 12+ years old that barely fits. Also my leather jacket that only fits over thin sleeves. I need something that looks good and will keep me warm. 
• Other warmer clothes for the kids. Fuss has a few things - I bought her jeans 2 weeks ago at the consignment shop and she has some stretch pants that still fit from last year - but mostly she has a few long-sleeved tees and a couple of hoodies and that's it. 

Now don't know that we'll be getting all of these things, of course.  I imagine that list will be quite expensive and we just can't afford to get it all at once. But this is what I'm looking for, so he'll be dragged around the mall for a bit. I'll buy him a Starbucks (which lengthens his shopping tolerance significantly) and I put on sexy undies and have teased him with that info, which also lengthens his tolerance (reward at the end, etc.) so I'm hoping he can deal while I at least look.

Musings

Need sleep. Once upon a time, my bedtime was 10PM. It worked for me. But then, I had to get up by 6 at least several mornings a week, so it made a lot of sense. Then, when my job came to an end and I didn't have to get up as early, I started being able to sleep in a little ('til 6:30 or 7) and started staying up later. Over the last 3 days, I've been up past 11, and one of those days it was past midnight. So yeah, I'm tired.

Both kids are coughing these days. Yippee. I might take them to Bible study tomorrow, regardless. I know, I'm terrible. But I missed 2 weeks ago and don't want to miss again, plus it's like my only "adult only" time during the week, usually. But I hate it when other kids infect MY kids in the nursery, so... debating.

I have a party this weekend - very excited. Also nervous. Trying to decide what sort of presentation to do. Also trying to decide if I should do the gambling game or not. It backfired last time, but since none of my in-laws are coming to this one, I should be safe! I will talk it over with my hostess. But since I NEED bookings, I might do it again to see if I can get some more.

My knee started up again last night and this morning both my knee and my hip hurt. I'm falling apart. Ironically, when I read up on the meniscus injury, it mentioned that it happens to athletes (which I am not) and older people (which I apparently am).

Have to go to the store this morning to buy milk and nothing else. I have a whole list of things that I need or will need rather soon, but my husband paid a ton of big bills this week and we have limited funds until Friday. And I need gas. And he needs gas. So you know, trying to only buy the essentials. And maybe a new shirt for this weekend with the cash I've squirreled away.

Remembering/post-Halloween

We took the kids to the Trunk or Treat event at my in-laws church last night. As we were walking up, I started to feel weird, remembering what happened the last time I was there... the last time I took Fuss to this church all dressed up...

You see, that's when I started the heavy spotting. That was when I began losing my baby.

I calmed myself down. I reminded myself that if that baby had lived, I wouldn't have the Little Man. And I wouldn't give him up for anything. It helped that the church had changed a lot in the last 2 years, there were new buildings and a new football field for the attached high school. So the event wasn't laid out the same. It was crowded and the kids were having fun and my MIL and SILs were oohing and ahhing over the kids, etc. I saw my 31 sponsor with her kids. I saw a couple the my husband and I knew in high school (he graduated with my husband, she graduated with me), we saw some really cute and creative costumes... it was a nice evening. But I was exhausted by the end. Physically and emotionally. And I started to wonder if realizing the date had something to do with the way I had been feeling all day - tired, grumpy, like I just wanted to spend the entire day in bed.

While we were there, my knee started acting up and by the time I was driving home, I seriously didn't think I was going to make it all the way home. The pain had gotten horrible. I was limping when I got to my moms. She thinks I might have injured my miniscus (sp?) and I'm going to have to get it checked out, I guess.


I'm remembering my lost baby today. And enjoying the 2 that I have with me.