Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Unprecedented

The girls are at a friends' house and both little ones are sleeping, so I am getting some quiet time to myself.  Ahhh, it's heavenly.  Our helping mothers have all gone home, the kids are back in their appropriate rooms, and we're starting to find a groove with our new little Nora.  She is a great little sleeper and doesn't cry much (yet), so it's pretty easy, but I'm still going, going, going all day long.  Especially on laundry days.  I have yet to do consistent schoolwork with the girls this summer and it's killing me, but I'll just do what I can and try no to stress about it.  I tell myself it doesn't matter too much since Kj is only going into first grade next year, but I had such fun hopes and dreams for schooling this summer.  But to just feed and clothe and get ready for the day four children ages six and under takes a lot of work!!!  I am so lucky that I have sweet, well-behaved kids (generally).  

I imagine you've had a hot spell if you're reading this and living in the USA.  Thankfully our neighbors lent us their portable AC unit so our downstairs is very comfortable, but upstairs is roasting!!!  We are really looking forward to 70s this weekend, and some raspberry picking and jam making.  I missed the strawberries due to my confinement (ha!  I've always wanted to say I was in confinement), but oh well. 

We've also really been enjoying the pool in our neighborhood.  Well, I haven't been swimming, but everyone else has.  Kj and Moo are little fish and I love watching them swim.  Kj got swimmer's ear yesterday, so I called the nurse advice line (I love that service!) and they recommended mixing equal parts vinegar and warm water, putting the mixture in the hurting ear canal and letting it sit for five minutes.  A warm compress can also help relieve pain.  The way to determine if it's swimmers ear or not is if maneuvering (that's the term the nurse used) the ear is painful or not.  If moving the outside of the ear around hurts, then it's swimmers ear.  Of course, I am not a medical person, but i thought I'd pass on the helpful tidbit of info. 

Update on baby: we have an appointment with a pediatric cardiologist in two weeks.  She has to have another echo done, but everyone keeps saying it will probably resolve itself, and I hardly worry about it or give it a second thought.  Nora grew and inch and gained almost a pound in two weeks, so she's doing well!  I love her beautiful dark skin.  Our other babies are all fair skinned and light-haired, so it's fun to see something different.  Maybe Nora will be like my sister, Moose, who was the dark-skinned one in our family.  More than one person thought she was an adopted Native American.  That still makes me laugh.

3 comments:

Michael Family said...

The ability to tan easily is a wonderful gift. :)

Maggie said...

Good luck with your next echo. If she is eating well and gaining weight, I am sure it isn't very serious. Was it a murmur they were worried about? I should go back and read your birth post again :) Glad she is a happy girl.

amydear said...

I think it was Lisa who people thought was a native American. Kyle thought Marisa was adopted when I first showed him a family photo and she was tan from working on a landscaping crew all summer. I still have people ask me what ethnicity I am! It was nice to meet Eleanor and take a swim. I love the nurse advice hotline too!