Another Hospital Stay

We thought we could make it through the winter without Leo having to go to Urgent Care or have a hospital stay.  We were wrong.  Leo woke up around 3:30 am throwing up (he actually made it to the toilet in time.  Not sure if I should rejoice or be sad.).  He ended up at Urgent Care all day due to his breathing (had to be on oxygen most of the day which he hated).  They ended up wanting to keep him overnight too.  When they told him this he threw the biggest fit that he just wanted to go home.  I finally got him to fall asleep and he was whimpering in his sleep that he wanted to go home.  It was horrible just watching my baby and knowing there was nothing I could do to make him feel better.

The below picture shows just how bad he looked and how he did not feel well........even though he loves jello.

Zoo Fun!

Gwen didn't have school for President's Day Weekend so I decided to take time off from my job and take the kiddos to the zoo.  It was such a warm and gorgeous day.  We got there right as it was feeding time for all the animals, so they were all out and active.  I think the kids loved the large hunks of raw meat hanging in the cages of the large cats.......especially the big and chubby Snow Leopard.

Cinderella

We are lucky to live in a place that has a fantastic Theater District.  All kinds of plays, musicals, ballets...etc, come through Denver.  Today, Gwen and I took the Light Rail into the city to have lunch and see Cinderella.  It wasn't the Disney version, but Gwen was mesmerized and absolutely loved it.  It was such a fun Girls Day.

Shark Teeth

The kiddos had a dentist today.  As you can see by the below pictures it went pretty smoothly until..........Gwen had to have 2 teeth pulled.  I always tell her that she only gets teeth, she doesn't lose them.  She had all her teeth before age 1 (started at 4 months).  Well her bottom adult teeth came in behind her baby teeth so she had "shark teeth".  After 2 months, the baby teeth still weren't loose, so they had to be pulled.  It was not an easy process.  I felt so bad for her as she was so scared and I know it had to have hurt as the baby teeth had long roots.

During the procedure she had to have laughing gas.  At one point she goes "I feel funny".  You could just see the stiffness and fear slide away with each breath. 

She was very brave and the tooth fairy brought her two $5 bills.  She may not be so generous next time.  That's not even counting the $70 Lego set that she suckered her grandparents into buying!!!

Best. Compliment. Ever.

The Director at the kid's daycare is leaving for another center.  The day she told us she also said to me that she "hopes someday her girls will turn out like Gwen."  I almost cried.  I hear all the time how wonderful Gwen is, but this one really hit home for me.  At at time when life is throwing curve balls, it's a great reminder to look at what you have and see how amazing it is. 

Gwen is and always has been amazing.  I am so lucky and blessed.

The Lego "Zibit"

We took the kiddos to the Wildlife Experience in Parker because they were having a, what Leo calls, a Lego "Zibit".  The exhibit was great.  The kids could play with tons of Legos and make vehicles to race.  They had really large Legos as well where you could make castles.  The kids loved it.  I of course got Influenza A a couple days later, but that's another story :-)

The rest of the Wildlife Experience scared the sh*t out of the kids.  They had, what looks like, taxidermy animals.  Well some of them move and the kids were petrified of the alligator.  Needless to say, we spent most of the time in the Lego Zibit.

Reflection....

Each December 31st I reflect upon the year that was and look forward to new beginnings.  This year as I looked back onto 2014, which was arguably one of the hardest years of my life, I am able to focus more on what I have learned, what I have let go, and my blessings.

In a year where my mother battled cancer and my husband lost his job, I felt defeated and spent a lot of time feeling sorry for myself........played the victim.  Then Mike got a job and my mom got a clean bill of health.  That made me really look at my life an
d who I had become in a brutal year.

I became comfortable in my own skin.  I never understood how women could do this.  I didn't get it. This year, in a way, forced me to do this.  I stopped worrying about stupid things about myself, that I couldn't control.......my moles, my small breasts, the way my gut is always a little rounder.........I realized that worrying about those things are unnecessary and to instead focus on those things you can control.  I gained confidence at work and with myself.  This will only make me a better mom to my daughter.  She needs a role model that doesn't have a messed up body image, one with energy and life........one that is happy.  So slowly but surely I am getting there.  I am getting to be that happy mom.  Not sure what that means for 2015, but am anxious to see.

My blessings are all around me.  Besides the obvious amazing children and family.  I have friends who bring so much light into my life.  Tonight, after Mike and I went out for sushi, we went to a friend's house and I was able to look around and really pause and thanks whoever that they are in my life.  It was a great night especially because we came home to my parents.........my healthy and amazing parents.

Happy New Year.

Now for the only New Years picture I have.  It's my craziest blessing and I wouldn't have it any other way!!