Thursday, July 31, 2008

Seriously

Ok, this post is not about my daughter Lauren, but I need to let you know something that has made me laugh on several occasions. It will be short and sweet.

My 129 pound lab will not go in the backyard to do his business at night unless the light is on.

You heard me right. He will stand at the back door and look at me until I flip the light on. Then I guess he feels safe enough to roam the backyard with his beacon guiding him back to the house. Maybe he's worried he will get lost.

My dog is afraid of the dark.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Rip-off

We got the bill in the mail for Lauren's surgery. Well, I guess it wasn't a bill since the insurance will cover it. Either way, my jaw dropped when I opened it. Before I tell you the cost, do you have a guess? Don't look at the bottom of this post yet. I'll wait a minute..go ahead. Give it your best shot.

Here's a little background of the day so you can have all the information first. Lauren was in out-patient surgery for about four hours total. That included the time it took to put her to sleep, do the surgery, and for her to wake up and leave. The surgery itself took about five minutes and didn't even require a stitch. She had happy juice to make her sleepy before the general anesthetic, a spinal block, and regular sleepy gas. Ty also took (stole) her little blue hospital gown, but I don't think they charged us for that.

Are you ready?



The total cost after four hours is....$6,687.91.

I am in the wrong profession.

Monday, July 28, 2008

She's Walking!!!

It has been a terribly long time, at least in my head, since Lauren walked around. Mostly due to the fact that her foot was hurting after the surgery. I think there might have been a touch of "spoiled" in the mix as well. I guess when people carry you around the house for a few days, you get used to the attention and relaxation of it all. Either way, I was ready for this to happen.

I had to resort to a little 'tough love' and actually force Lauren to walk. I could tell that she was ready, but either a little afraid or a little stubborn. I think it was a combination of both. She had just finished using the potty when I stood her on the bathroom floor and backed up. I told her she needed to walk to me. She was half crying and half giggling. When she saw I wasn't kidding, she had a total meltdown. I hugged her for a minute as she was repeating, "mommy up!". Yes, it broke my heart, but as a momma, we always have to do the hard things for our kids.

I decided that the only thing I could do was bribe her with a freeze pop. This is probably going to be another post, but freeze pops are my daughter's version of crack, if she was ever allowed to use crack. I told her that if she would walk to me, she could have a freeze pop. She said, "Yellow freeze pop?" I said yes, yellow freeze pop. Lauren giggled and took two or three steps and the rest was history. She is walking with no pain and a little limp.

My life just got a whole lot easier and Lauren got her yellow freeze pop. Life is good!

Friday, July 25, 2008

Discipline

Lauren is now at an age where discipline is a whole lot easier than it was a six months ago. Not because we watched Supper Nanny and learned a few tricks. It's because she actually understands what we tell her. I learned really quick that disciplining a hearing impaired child was pretty tough.

At first, time-out didn't work for Lauren. She had no idea why she was there and would repeat the behavior over and over. She just didn't have the language to understand what was going on. It was like putting an 8 month old baby in a chair and expecting them to realize why they were being punished. She would cry when I put her there, but then instantly get up and do it all over again. It was a very frustrating time and I felt like a horrible parent. I couldn't get my child to follow any rules. Luckily, she is a sweet kid and didn't do a whole lot wrong.

It feels like Christmas now that I can reason with her and reach a level of understanding when it comes to behavior. She gets choices and life runs a lot smoother. She knows the difference between the two choices I give her now that the hearing aids have opened her world to a new way of communicating. For example, Lauren has spent a lot of time eating, watching tv, and playing on the couch after her surgery. Not that she is scootching around, those privileges have diminished greatly. She still wants to eat every meal on the couch. Before I would just say no and move her to the table kicking and screaming. I would try to explain why, but it didn't do a bit of good. She would have no idea why she couldn't and I would be the mean mom that got frustrated because she wouldn't stop crying. Sounds like fun, huh? Since the language has progressed, I am able to tell her why she no longer gets to sit there and give her two other options that might work as well. I will let her choose whether she wants to sit at her small table or sit at the big dining room table. She chooses and there is not one tear shed.

Sometimes Ty and I get so excited that there has been such a drastic improvement that we give each other "Parenting High-Fives". Yes, I know. We are dorky. Nobody high-fives anymore! Maybe we should change it to a "Parenting Fist Pound". Either way, life is better with hearing aids.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Scootch

Lauren has decided that her foot hurts to bad to walk anywhere. I have decided that Lauren is too heavy to carry everywhere. So Lauren has come up with a new way of moving around the house. She sits on her bottom and scootches across the floor. It takes her a while to get somewhere, but it works. She likes the freedom from the couch and I like that my arms aren't cramping. It's a win-win situation.

It shouldn't be long until Lauren's boredom takes over and she is walking again. Keeping a 3 year old entertained on the couch is a full time job. Dora is great, but it only holds her attention for so long. The doctor said she could start walking on her cast anytime. It's still a little too sore for her taste.

Still getting used to her cast and how that changes our routine. I am glad she got the surgery and anxious to see the improvement in her walking when it comes off. Now, if we can just get this whole potty with a cast on nailed down....

Friday, July 18, 2008

The Little Patient


Things went really well with Lauren's surgery. Thanks to everyone who lifted us up in prayer. It was felt and deeply appreciated.

We started the adventure off right. Lauren actually went into surgery 5 minutes early. They gave her some "Happy Juice" that made her look like she had thrown back a few beers. Her eyes were half shut and she had a grin on her face from ear to ear. It was hilarious. She waved to us, without a care in the world, as she was getting wheeled off for the real anesthetic.

Ty and I thought we had around 45 minutes to waste until Lauren was done. Turns out that the surgery itself took five minutes and the Lauren was in recovery 20 minutes later. It took her about an hour and a half to wake up. She was a little confused about the cast on her leg and the IV in her arm, but a Popsicle took care of everything.

My friend, Shawna stopped by with her three daughters. Brooke, the oldest, had this same exact surgery when she was seven. They brought balloons, a teddy bear, and Skittles for Lauren. It was so sweet I actually cried in the recovery room. It's really nice to have someone to talk to about a surgery you know nothing about. Thanks, Shawna!

Thanks again to all my friends and family. You are so loved and I am blessed to have you in my life!

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Back Again

We just got back from a 10 day stint in Pennsylvania. We decided to get one last vacation in before Lauren's surgery this Friday. It's kinda hard to drive 8 hours in a car seat and a cast, so we figured we better get it done now.

Lauren had a blast with all her cousins. It's amazing how much vocabulary makes it into her long term memory after only a week or so around other kids. I guess Ty and I are too boring to copy. She just gets more and more expressive everyday and her little personality is developing nicely. I have no idea where she learned it, but Lauren has now adopted a new way of expressing her anger or frustration.

When she gets mad, Lauren folds her arms across her chest with a great amount of drama. Her eyebrows squint down and her lips purse together. She sometimes even stomps down the hall and shuts herself in her room. It mostly happens when I tell her we are out of chocolate milk. I guess that is a straw that breaks the camel's back around here. Who knew that chocolate milk is the cause for such trauma in the life of a three year old.

I am still so grateful that she is learning to express herself and acquire the language she needs to communicate. It doesn't hurt that she expresses it in the most adorable way.