Cold Flu Thing

Last week Keith came down with a runny nose and a cough. Then he lost his voice. This was around the fourth of July. On Friday I started getting a headache and just didn't feel good. Saturday the bug was in full force, as I went through kleenex after kleenex. As Sunday came on, my voice left for the most part. We stayed home from church (I hate it when that happens!) and that meant I didn't get to sing in the patriotic quartet musical number that I organized and practiced for weeks prior to yesterday. Someone else filled in for my part, but I was sad to have missed doing it. Such is life. This morning I woke up with a fever blister. How lovely. For whatever reason, when the fever blister comes on the scene I know that I am truly very sick. It is sort of a physical validation for how I'm feeling. You know?

Silas is recovering quite well. The incision looks better each day and he doesn't seem limited in what he can do. About once a day he will get into some sort of position and he will say that it hurts his chest, but other than that he is fine. Silas is learning more English, although his pronunciations aren't perfect (yet). His "more" sounds like "mar" and he cannot say his name to save his life. He knows his name, just cannot pronounce it. Ha ha. Every morning without fail he comes into my room and lays his head on my tummy. Then he goes on the other side of the bed and does the same to Tyler. He is full of love and just the sweetest little boy ever. He is often snuggling and loving on someone throughout the day. Such a sweet little pumpkin.

Calvin is doing well. We haven't had any problems with the wounds from the echo. He can'ts swim for 2 weeks which he doesn't like and that combined with the fact that Silas can't swim for 6 weeks means that we don't swim during the day anymore. Usually I would put Silas down for a nap and the older four would swim with me, but now we have to wait until Tyler gets home, which at that point he and I are too tired and swimming doesn't happen. It's only 2 weeks, we can wait, right?! He is a frequent attention seeker, still, coming to see me several times each hour just to lay on me and look for love. I try to give it often, but there are times...when I just can't give anymore and I send him away. I feel guilty but it can be suffocating. Calvin's English is coming along nicely. There are still things we cannot communicate, but his sentence structures are longer each week. Everything I say that we are going to do or eat he says: "Yea! I love it!" Ha ha. He LOVES the PBJ sandwich or he LOVES that I'm putting on Signing Times. A very upbeat, happy boy. 

Iryna is adjusting better to the new kids and she and Calvin are playing better than ever. They still have their squabbles but they are not as often now. I am taking her to meet her psychiatrist this week. Her prozac was upped to help curb her compulsive behaviors but I have seen no improvement whatsoever. In fact, she has started sucking on her hair again which drives me batty. I looked at Iryna this morning and saw an 8 year old girl sucking on her fingers and wondered...will that be a permanent behavior? It's been going on for at least 3 1/2 years. And...I hate this, but Iryna is lying now. I think she thinks she won't get into trouble if she denies hitting, pushing, pinching, etc. But then, she's so easy to read that you know she's lying, not to mention 3 eye witnesses including the person who was hurt telling me what happened. I would prefer to nix the lying immediately, but I can't understand her desire to deny things so she won't be in trouble. And I think it's the idea alone of her being in trouble that she fears. Typically she is sent to time out - standing by the wall - or to her bed to cool off. And she always has to hug and kiss the person she hurt plus say she is sorry. These things are too difficult to deal with (in my mind) but perhaps in her mind they are more than she can bear? Not sure. 

Keith was having issues with smearing poop on his underwear. Daily. We talked about going back to pullups or diapers (ugh) but then I had an inspired thought - Keith just doesn't get on the potty enough during the day with someone commanding him to poop. So a few days ago, I had Keith get on the potty after every meal and poop. No more dirty underwear! Hooray! This just means that I need to be diligent in this new schedule. Keith is very much in the world of airplanes, helicopters, rockets, and sometimes submarines. In the past I have found it cute and fun but now it is very obsessive. When he hurts himself he says "That hurt the helicopter". And when he is in trouble he will cry out "Airplane! Propellers!" seeking for those things to comfort him. His school teachers said it was a real problem and was preventing him from learning and I agree now that I see it everyday all day. Keith is a happy boy, very low maintenance. Sometimes I think he just flies beneath the radar (like that airplane pun?) and I need to remember to find him and love on him and talk with him. 

Anna is having a good summer, I think. She is practicing the piano 30 minutes each day (other than Sunday) and I recently forced encouraged her to read Harry Potter. She was so incredibly resistant to reading it despite my telling her what a fun story it is and my knowing that she would *love* this book. She has flown through it but is determined to not *love* it because I said she would. What a stubborn girl! (wonder where she gets it from...) But, I do think she likes it a lot, no matter what she says. Anna's friend, Rebecca, is back from Germany so they have been playing together lately, except for during the past 5 days when both myself and Rebecca's family has been sick. Anna is a delightful girl. She really understands the gospel of Jesus Christ and can apply the scriptures to our daily lives. It is a pleasure to teach her about Christ and the commandments. 

I am trying to gear up for our move - next month! We are moving ourselves and that should mean that we are packing everyday...but we haven't been. We did go through the garage a couple of weeks ago, so that is something, right? We are scouting out the area to find a place to live. We thought about being in a smaller house to try and save money but I don't think a family of 7 should be in a 1300 square foot home...I think that Iryna, at least, needs her space to calm down. I have been going on a walk around the block in the evenings which has been nice. I am planning to sign up at the YMCA when I get back to OH and will be able to work out while the kids play in the nursery area. I miss that place.

Tyler is doing well with work and catching some waves when possible. He has taken Anna golfing twice in the last month and they have enjoyed that time together. I am so grateful for a dedicated and hard-working husband who takes care of our family and who takes care of me. I have a blessed life.