"Kissing" Tonsils and growing up

My little cutie is having surgery on Tuesday.  As my friend Diana put it "she is having the trifecta." The ENT was convinced that not only does she need her tonsils and adenoids out immediately (hence the quickly scheduled surgery) but she also needs tubes in her ears.

Notes from our visit:

~Kate's ears have so much fluid (and wax-yuck) that he did not think she could pass the hearing test.  She always has fluid which is why she needs the tubes.

~He was astonished at her verbal ability.  He could not believe how well she spoke since he thinks she cannot hear and he just thinks she speaks very well in general:)  That was nice to hear.

~He said that her tonsils are so large they touch and are called "kissing" tonsils. They must come out.  They make it hard for her to eat (she chokes and gags), sleep, breathe etc.

~He thinks she'll be a different (and even better and sweeter) little peanut once they are all out.

~When he listened to her heart, he said in his adorable and grandfatherly British accent that she has a happy heart.

~As we were leaving he told Kate that I ought to buy her lots of presents for Tuesday.  Thanks Doc!

~He told me that she will likely have to spend the night in the hospital because of her sleep apnea.  I will stay with her but I still think it will be very scary for Kate.

In other news this week....

When did this little guy (Will)

morph into this big guy

GOING TO HIS FIRST DANCE TONIGHT?

Yes, Will was heading out to the 6th grade mixer dance at his new school.  He was fresh out of the shower and that is why his hair is wet.  But it looks that messy dry too;) He was going with a group of buddies but they all had "dates" meeting them at the dance. Then, the boys are having a sleepover.  I'd love to be a fly on the wall at that sleepover!

I cried (little quiet tears) after I dropped him off at his friend's house.  He is growing up. It is all too quick.  He won't be home tonight to tell me all about his first dance. Will confides in me and I love it.  We have a great relationship. I know I'll find everything out tomorrow but this letting go is SO VERY HARD.

Oh and I took him to the library after school today and saw firsthand these young teenage girls (some bigger than me) oogling over him.  They stopped dead in their tracks to check him out.  It is the first time I have seen girls blatantly check out my son in public and it was unnerving. I think we are entering into a whole new realm in our house. I am so not ready for it.

Thank you Moms and teachers

Thank you so much for all of the wonderful words of wisdom and advice.  I knew that many wonderful teachers came by this site and I am so fortunate to draw from your wisdom and experience.  I am going to think of a way to thank you teachers (look for a giveaway for teachers only soon).   I spoke briefly with the vice principal on the phone yesterday (I have a fever and stomach virus so I cannot go up to the school).  She informed me that Harry's teacher is the ESL teacher for 3rd grade.  However, she also informed me that 11 of the kids are ESL and the rest are not (10 maybe).  So, perhaps Harry is exaggerating the ethnic diversity in his room?  I am not sure. She also told me that this particular teacher is the most requested teacher in the whole school. Parents BEG for her because she is so good and that she teaches to each individual child's ability. Harry said there are two children from China that do not know any English at all and need translation so that concerns me (as far as pace goes).  Harry seems to think that the work thus far is challenging and he likes the class a lot.  He does not want to switch classes.  The vice principal assured me that it was not a mistake and that this truly will be a great year for him.  He will be pulled out for gifted/talented one day a week.  She also said that if we feel it is not a good fit in a few weeks, she will talk to us again and look at switching him.  She was a bit surprised that I was asking questions because so many parents are upset that their children did not get into this particular class.

In talking with a few other parents at the school, they agreed that this is an amazing teacher and they would keep their child in the class.  The only parent that suggested moving him was the one who told me it was the ESL class to begin with and she had a negative experience with her child in a much younger ESL class.  

I will keep you updated once I talk to his teacher to see how this really works.  I know several of you were interested.  As a side note, our school is extremely diverse.  We live in the medical center area of a very large city.  Many physicians come here for internships, fellowship, research etc. from all over the world.  Harry has told me that the children in his class are from Poland, Russia, China, Japan, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia!  Two children in his class wear the traditional clothing that covers part of their face (according to Harry).  Many of the children in the ESL program are extremely bright children and are in the gifted program as well.  I am still concerned about the pace of the class but I am willing to take a "wait and see" approach.

Off to the ENT with Kate...what a week!

Teachers~ I need your advice, please.

We had the most amazing time at the beach last weekend with friends. We kayaked, played scrabble, beach baseball, collected shells and shark teeth, ate, danced and laughed. Thank you Lisa and Charlie for including our family (there were 5 families staying in the beach house). Look at the photos above~Kate actually fell asleep in the ocean jumping waves with Dave.

Thank you for all of the GREAT feedback on the surgery. I am so grateful for all of the words of wisdom. I have a BAD stomach virus right now but hopefully will recover enough to take Kate to the ENT tomorrow morning:) I will let you know what happens.

I need more advice from you teachers (and Moms too) out there. Harry was placed in the ESL (English as a Second Language) class at his school this year. He adores his teacher but he is one of only two children from the US in his entire class. While I think in many ways this could be a fabulously enriching experience for him; I am also concerned that it could impede his progress academically. I imagine things go a little slower in the ESL classes due to language and comprehension issues. I do not want him to be bored. Harry is a straight A student and in the gifted program and I am not quite sure how he ended up in this class. Any words of wisdom, teachers? How are these things decided? Do you think he'll be challenged enough? I love the cultural diversity. I just want to be sure he is stimulated academically. And I don't want to react if it is no big deal. Thank you in advance if you have any special teacher/school experience with this. I know that a lot of teachers read my blog:) And I LOVE teachers!

3 kids at 3 different schools=One tired Mom!

This year each of the peanuts is at a different school.  Three different starting times. Three different ending times.  It was a bit of a frenzy this morning.  I am going to have to get up a lot earlier to get everyone ready (and have time to juice).

This morning I had just gotten them all off to school and I  had 30 minutes to myself before I had to pick Kate up from pre-school.  I am thinking that keeping track of 3 schools is going to require some organizational skills.

Here are some first morning of school shots.

My happy 3rd grader who told me he got the "nicest teacher ever!"

My "very cool" middle schooler. Like that hair?

This is the first time the boys will be a different schools in a long long time.  I think Harry was kind of sad.

My boys!

Kate had a doctor appointment and it looks like she is going to need surgery (tonsils and adenoids removed).  Her tonsils are so big that they touch and are causing all sorts of problems (choking, gagging, sleep apnea). We have had to do the heimlich maneuver on her twice! The doctor also thinks this is the likely cause for all of her illnesses from the constant ear infections to the strep and sinus infections!  I don't even dare mention the fact that she snores like a large 60 year old man who has had a pint of bourbon.  We see a specialist on Thursday but please keep her (and me) in your prayers.  You all know I am a holistic health kinda gal so I really don't want to go ahead with this surgery but it seems like it could solve a whole host of issues with her. Any wisdom out there? Please share.

Child-logged

Seaside, Florida

 2009 

(taken by my sister~thank you, Dawn!)

You know how if you spend too much time in the water you get waterlogged?  Well,  I am officially "child-logged." (I made that up, pretty good, huh?)  I LOVE my children dearly but I have spent entirely too much time with them this summer.  I am out of steam.  I find myself begging them in the car for just 5 minutes of quiet.  They are good children but I have had enough.  I have been reading other Mom bloggers writing about looking forward to school starting so they can get back into a routine.  That is nice.  I look forward to school starting for two reasons:
1.  a few (and I do mean few) hours of PEACE AND QUIET 
2. a few hours of a semi-clean house
I know people will e-mail me and tell me how quickly they grow and to enjoy this time...blah, blah, blah!!!!  I have enjoyed almost everyday of the summer with them and I am ready to enjoy some peace and quiet now.  Yes, I love them.  Yes, I enjoy them. But enough is enough.  I know you Moms know exactly what I am talking about!
Today, we went to Will's school to set up his locker, we bought Kate some new school shoes, went out to lunch and swam at the pool.  Yesterday, I took the boys to see Ponyo.  And this weekend, we are heading back to the beach for one last hurrah with some family friends (20 people in a beach house).  On Monday though...it is BACK TO SCHOOL for ALL! I was so excited to have 2.5 hours blissfully alone on Monday morning until the pediatrician called to remind me of a 3 year old well child check-up for Kate at 10am Monday morning.  My heart sank.  Apparently I made the appointment in May or June before I knew Kate's school schedule.  So, guess I will have 30 whole minutes of peace on Monday...well there is always Tuesday:)
Today when I took the peanuts out to lunch we reminisced about all the fun things we did this summer. It was a good summer. The boys agreed that sleep away camp was their favorite and our trip to Seaside was their second favorite activity.  Here are some final photos of our beach trip that I never posted....

My 3 peanuts

Katie Ru and Mommy

(now we are both letting our hair grow)

Peanuts and cousin, Ashton

Daddy and Kate Emerson dancing on the beach.  They were doing this while I was photographing my sister's family.  I caught them out of the corner of my eye and had to snap away.

So very Proud!

Today was Kate's first day of school at her new Montessori school (well if you can call two hours a "day").  It is a carpool drop-off and I was worried she would throw a fit when they went to get her out of my car.  But she did not.  She was calm and happy and brave and secure.  She confidently said, "Bye Mama!"  My heart soared. It has taken two years of filling her up with love but I think she is truly securely attached.  I know not everyone will understand the feelings I had this morning, but I thought my heart might burst with joy. She has come so far. I am so proud of her.

She is counting here:)

A snuggle with Daddy~o before school:)

When I picked her up from school, she was very happy and said she had a great day!

The first day snuck up on me and I did not have a new "first day of school" dress for this year! That is so unlike me!!! So, she chose to wear this one (again).  I am kind of embarrassed.  My Mom always had a new first day of school dress or outfit for me and my sisters:)  I think I have become a bit of a slacker.

A hair update and juicer questions answered

I am doing a little better about the hair. Thank you for all your supportive comments. Kate looks so young with it short.  As we go about our day, I do feel slightly compelled to explain to people that we did not cut her hair like this on purpose (I haven't though).  The length is not the awful part.  The awful part is that it is still a mullet (short over the ears and longer in back)~it is just a shorter mullet.  Anyone have any hair growing tips?  Kate's hair grows SO INCREDIBLY PAINFULLY slow.

She told me this morning that she wanted her hair back now.  So, I know she does regret it. One of the boys mentioned that all of the princesses have long hair (she is obsessed with princesses).  Their point was to tell her not to do it again.  She thought about it and said, "Mulan cut her hair with a sword." Damn that Mulan!

Okay, now onto the juicer questions...

1.  I noticed your juices are mostly veggie juices. What about fruit juices?

I have made fruit juices for my kids (watermelon and blueberry).  They liked it but they prefer smoothies.  Fruit juices are okay  (in terms of health) but they do have a lot of natural sugars and can spike your blood sugar.  So I have not done many. Also, I have not really craved the fruit juices as I think they are really sweet. It is my understanding that the veggie juices really pack the nutrients.  I use fruit to sweeten the veggie juices.

2. Do your kids like it too?

Harry is very willing to try all the juices.  He liked the beet and green veggie juice I made yesterday.  He also likes the carrot, apple, ginger juice.  However, I only make them for myself unless they ask.  Right now, my strategy is to be a role model for the children.  I am hoping that by seeing me drink them and feel energized (and hopefully Dave), they will ask for more.  I typically pour Harry a small cup from mine when he asks.  Also, for children the juices ought to be diluted with pure water (it can be too much for their little systems).  

3. What kind of a juicer do you have...brand/model?? Do you like it enough that you would purchase the same kind again? Is it easy to clean??  

I bought the Breville Juice Fountain Elite.  I got it at Bed, Bath and Beyond using a 20% off coupon so I saved quite a bit. It retails for about $300 but you can find it on Amazon for $259.00.  I paid slightly less than that at BBB and really I was impatient and did not want to wait on shipping. 

I LOVE my juicer! In fact, I wish I could take to with me when we travel:) It took me a few tries to figure it all out but now it is super easy.  Cleaning takes 5-10 minutes.  All the pieces are dishwasher safe but I hand clean them because they are big and I don't want to run the dishwasher twice a day.  I did a lot of research and for my needs and budget, this was definitely rated the best.  Martha Stewart uses it too:)  Have a look here to see her juicing...

4. The taste - did you have trouble getting past the taste of some of these mixes?

You would be surprised!  They taste very good to me. I put either a pear or an apple in all of my veggie juices and they really sweeten any bitterness of the greens.  I actually CRAVE the green goddess every day and I have missed it when I was away. Try one at whole foods or a juice bar sometime!

The carrot juices are a little strong for me but I try to drink one or two a week because I have premature cataracts (it is hereditary!) and carrot juice is GREAT for that!

5. Do you drink the juices in replacement of breakfast and lunch? 

I did not start juicing for weight loss so I was just adding the juice to my diet.  But I generally drink one large veggie juice for breakfast now. I was never a big breakfast eater though.  I want to start adding spirulina (a protein) but I have not gotten around to purchasing it yet. I know many people do replace meals with juice and lose lots of weight.  I hope to do a juice fast (1-2 days) when the kids return to school as a small detox.

6.  I really am curious if the juices would be better though that eating the fresh/organic fruits & veggies I eat? 

Okay so here is what I have read....When you eat a carrot your body absorbs 11% of the beta carotene because your stomach works so hard to break down the food and extract the nutrients. If the carrot is cooked even less is absorbed because cooking destroys the enzymes.  When you juice a carrot, you get 100% of the beta carotene.  Juice is live, full of enzymes and super easy to digest so it gives your stomach a rest (which is why I started juicing). So, while you don't get all of the fiber, you get TONS more of the the live enzymes and nutrients (which fight cancer).  I am NOT an nutritionist or an expert.  This is purely what I have read from the experts.  I would certainly read all you can about juicing before you decide if it is right for you.

7. Will you share what brand you have and where you get your recipes?

I originally asked someone at the juice bar at the beach and she told me on the sly the vague ingredients of my favorite juices and from there I have looked up recipes on-line and experimented.  I have my favorites for sure but you are supposed to switch around the combinations so that you don't become sensitive to any foods.  Food rotation is super important to avoid allergies.  My next step is to get a few juicing recipe books.

Another tip I will share with you is that I put my juicer out on the counter (and put away the coffee maker). It looks good too! I also made sure I had 3-4 days supplies of produce for the juices.  That way, I see it every morning and I make the juice. It is no harder than making a pot of coffee.   If it were in a cabinet or the pantry, I think I could get lazy. Please let me know if you have any more questions.  I am always happy to share information on things that have helped me but I know this is definitely not for everyone.

Mullet anyone?

Okay, I know some of you will think this is funny, but I can tell you that I am NOT there yet, so please be sensitive and empathic.

I was taking a shower today and Dave was making the kids lunch when Kate CUT HER HAIR!!!!  She cut the front and side up to her ears.  She had the WORST mullet!

I have told her 1,000,000 times that we NEVER use scissors on our hair.  I am not going to lie. When I saw it I cried and I cried HARD.  For two years, I have restrained cutting her hair.  I painstakingly let her bangs and her hair grow out from this

to this.....

and this...

and this...

I stood by and watched friends cut bangs or cute little bobs on their daughters and I debated doing the same but I stayed the course because Kate wanted long hair and I wanted her to have long hair. It was finally at a length where we could style it in so many cute ways. Her bangs were completely grown out and even with the rest of her hair.  Well, not anymore!

Here are some mullet shots.  Now, trust me it looked SO MUCH WORSE in person....

Does someone look  a little guilty?

Well, now our Kate is sporting a pixie/bob/the only thing the hairdresser could do to salvage her hair. I know she looks cute in these shots but it real life...she looks like she cut her hair and it is going to take a LONG time to look even again. (and just in time for her first day of school, too!) Just to let you know how bad it looks~ Will asked me if we could get her extensions! LOL!

I know that in the big scheme of life this is minor.  I know that I am lucky and that our life is blessed.  But I am still REALLY sad and grieving her old hair.  She was going to be Cinderella for Halloween:(  I also know that it will be year or two before I can pull it back again...sigh.

P.S. I got several questions about the juicer and juicing.  I will answer them Monday or Tuesday.

As promised, my newest obsession...

My secret weapon

(there I am reflected in the middle of the juicer:o)

Snekcip (a loyal reader) keeps me on my toes here...she reminded me that y'all were waiting to find out my new discovery.  

Well, there is a story. All summer I had been having major stomach pain.  I was convinced that I had an ulcer or stomach cancer (yes, I can be a hypochondriac).  The pain would wake me in the middle of the night. I could not eat.  I could NOT get in to see a doctor or a gastroenterologist.  It was awful.  I finally got an appointment to see a general practitioner who did a blood test for h.pylori (which was negative) and then he handed me a pack of prilosec and told me most Americans are taking it now. As you might suspect, I am not big on drugs, so I decided to take a more natural approach (surprised?).  First, I gave up caffeine.  That was hard.  I LOVE coffee but I had read that it is AWFUL for your stomach. Then, I began reading about juicing.  

I considered buying a juicer but I don't LOVE vegetables or fruit so I thought it might be a waste of money.  Around this time, we left for the beach.  The first thing I saw in Seaside was a raw organic juice bar.  I decided right then and there that I would try one everyday on vacation. Each morning Will and I went to the juice bar and I tried a few veggie juices (with an apple or lemon  too). Well,  I felt GREAT.  I had no headaches from caffeine withdrawal.  I had more energy than I have had in years. I was in a great mood all week.  And my stomach pain COMPLETELY disappeared.  

When we returned from Seaside, I immediately bought a juicer and I have been juicing about twice a day.  I feel so much better.  Here is a list of benefits that I have noticed immedately:

~my skin is better

~the whites of my eyes are brighter

~I am sleeping better

~I have MUCH more energy ( I cannot overstate this one)!

~my moods are more stable (except on the days I did not juice due to being away).

~my stomach feels great

~we don't own a scale but my clothes are looser so I think I am losing some weight.

~I am craving more healthy foods all around.  I want salads all the time.

I LOVE my juicer.  If anyone has any questions, I will try to answer them but as I have only been doing this about a month, I am not an expert at all.

I want to share a book with you that I LOVE if you are interested in nutrition.  It is called Food as Medicine: How to use diet, vitamins, Juices and herbs for  a healthier, happier and longer life.

It has very specific suggestions for what to eat, juice and supplements for various illnesses (cancer, diabetes, stomach issues, ulcers, hormonal problems, aging, skin problems, allergies, ADD, asthma, etc).  I can not recommend this book highly enough. 

Green Goddess Juice 

(celery, cucumber, parsley, fresh greens ~I rotate kale, spinach, watercress, red leaf lettuce etc~, an apple and half a lemon)

Carrot, apple, ginger juice

Beet and veggie juice

I just want to end by saying that juicing is a commitment of both time and money.  The good juicers are expensive (about $300) and you need to use fresh, organic produce .  It takes me about 20-30 minutes to prepare a juice and clean up.  It is very worth the time and the money for me...but I want to be very realistic here. There are SO SO many health benefits of juicing.  I did not want to go into it all here but you can google "health benefits of juicing" and you will be amazed.

My princess

Kate LOVES Cinderella!  I suppose it is my fault for introducing her to the movie. I bought the movie and we watched it about a year ago one night while the boys were doing something else. However, I never imagined an obsession like this.  She asks to watch it every single day.  She sings the songs, laughs out loud and GASPS with awe everytime she sees Cinderella ready to marry Prince Charming at the end (although she thinks he is Cinderella's Daddy but that is another post).

So the other day, Kate dressed up as Cinderella and asked me to put her hair up like Cinderella's hair.  I gave it my best shot....

She danced around the hallway like a true princess!

Then I let her watch a little bit of the movie....

 and she was completely enthralled for the 1,000th time!

In other Kate news~ she went to visit her new school yesterday.  When we moved here so suddenly last year, it was too late to apply to the Montessori school that my boys went to when we lived here previously. But luckily, she was accepted for this year.  I was nervous about the transition but she loved it when we visited yesterday.  She went right to a shelf, got out work and asked for a lesson so to speak.  It was only a "look and see" day but Kate did work the whole time and was so engrossed in the materials.  It is hard to explain if you are not familiar with Montessori...but as she was spooning rice from one bowl to another with great concentration, she looked up and me and said, "Mommy, is this a toy?"  I laughed because Kate does not touch toys~she simply does not play with them....but she would have spooned that rice for hours.  She is a Montessori girl!  Her first real day is next week! She wants them to teach her to read!

"Look and see day"