Sleeping Toddler

I am running out of ideas for postings!! Thank goodness there are only 7 more days after today! I was looking through pictures to find some inspiration and came across these 2 pictures.

Too funny.

Bad Parenting Skill #15

I have to do a very quick post tonight. The kindergartners are performing their Three Piggie Opera in an hour. I know I will be too tired to blog after the performance.

Bad Parenting Skill #15: Letting your child swing a golf club inside.

I know, this is a bad idea. I mean all kinds of things can happen- broken TVs, holes in wall, blah blah blah. Oh well! No one has gotten hurt yet.

This video is of Jax practicing his golf swing. After watching the video, I notice that Lucy kinda steals the show! She is such a little theif and persistent little dog that it became kinda comical after I watched it a few times.

Special Mama Time

It seems that lately, most of the blogs I read have mentioned the fact that Mom is always the one taking pictures and never actually in them. So each mom has been trying to get in front of the camera a little more often. In my friend Bee-Jai's blog, she posted "Mom n Me Monday". She posts a picture of a special moment shared between her and her sons. What a GREAT idea!

My special moment with Jaxon is bedtime stories. Our routine every night is Brian & I get Jax ready for bed together. Once he is bathed and pajammad up one of us reads him a story. More often than not that someone is me. Lately, I have been asking Jaxon would he wants to read him a story. The answer is ALWAYS "Mama!" with a very big show of him throwing his arms around me and saying, "Read it, Mama. Read dinosaurs" (or whichever book he's into at the moment). I have even tried saying, "Oh, but Daddy is a good reader. Don't you want him to read you a story?" "Ummm No. Mama read it".

I truly enjoy this time with him. I know the time will come too soon when he doesn't fit in my lap anymore and won't want me to read to him. I cherish each night that I get to sit him on my lap, smell his sweet boy smell and snuggle with my baby. Even though after 3-4 books, I'm ready for that sweet boy to go night night. :) He almost always says, "More Mama. Read other one."

Have I ever mentioned how much I love this boy?

Thyroid Update

It was a year ago today that I had a complete thyroidectomy due to a cancerous tumor. So, what better day than to today give an update!

I have been seeing my Endocrinologist, Dr. Edwards, every 3 months since June 2009. Each time I have lab work done so he can check my TSH (thyroid something hormone, can't remember the name) and the tumor marker. Well, (I think I've blogged this before but I can't remember) apparently, my blood makes an antibody that conflicts with the antibody used for the test. This means Dr. Edward is not getting an accurate reading on the tumor marker, which means he does not have a clear idea of what the cancer may or may not be doing. He hasn't been extremely worried about this considering that Dr. Coffman (my surgeon, Dr. McDreamy) took out as much thyroid tissue as possible last year and I had a very successful body scan last summer. Since there hasn't been an accurate blood test, I have to have a body scan in June. This means that I must have another radioactive iodine pill, which means I must go on the low iodine diet once again.

The diet will begin on

June 7 -June 25 (yes, that's almost 3 weeks!): Begin low iodine diet

June 21 & 22 : go to Dr. Edwards' office for some injections (not sure about why, but he told me I had to)

June 23 : Go to hospital to take the radioactive iodine pill and leave immediately!

June 23 - 25. In isolation. Luckily, this is a much smaller does than last time (5 millicuries as apposed to 150) so my isolation time is only 3 days. Jaxon & Lucy will be in Tucson. Brian will be living in our guest room & his office

June 25: Body scan

June 26: Fly to Tucson to pick up Jaxon!

Let me remind you what the low iodine diet consists of:

- no dairy products- milk, yogurt, ice cream, chocolate

- Only egg whites, no egg yolks

- No iodized salt or sea salt

- No seafood

- No soy sauce

- Only 6 0z of meat everyday. Stay away from ground meat

- No foods that are packaged- no sliced bread, no cookies, no cereal, no crackers, no tortillas, etc.

Almost everything has to be homemade since I can control what goes into each meal. Thank goodness for my mom because she got VERY good at cooking meals & snacks that followed the guidelines. She even made me homemade bread every other day!!

While in isolation I may not be in the same room with any person or animals. This is why Jaxon & Lucy will be in Tucson.Brian will be home with me, but he will spend most of his time in this office or the guest room. Last year, when I was in the living room and he would want to come into the kitchen, he would yell, "Coming to the kitchen!" And would either go outside or upstairs until he was done.

During isolation I have to use disposable everything, plates, utensils, cups, napkins, etc. I also have to flush the toilet 3 times after using it and rinse the sink & bathtub thoroughly when finished. I also have to shower 2-3 times a day. This helps the radioactivity leave my body quickly.

Several hours post-op

The day after surgery

My scar today. You have to look closely! It is right in between the collar bones. It looks like a crease. Dr. McDreamy did an amazing job didn't he?!?

It's hard to believe that was a year ago! I feel great and the thyroid medication I take everyday is the perfect dose. I feel so very blessed for having survived thyroid cancer with not much fuss. I also am so happy Dr. Coffman was my surgeon, he did such a great job removing all of the cancer. Dr. Edwards has also been a Godsend. He is so patient, nice & caring. And I just feel fortunate all the way around!

One Little Jaxon Jumping on the Bed

After about 3 hours of peace and quiet in our house yesterday, I begin to hear some peculiar banging noises coming from Jaxon's room. Hmmm? A little boy must be awake and doing something naughty I'm sure. Sure enough, I walk in and find Jaxon jumping in his crib. My favorite part is the look on his face in the very beginning of the video. He knows he's up to no good and knows he can get away with it! He is 100% boy!

You Know You're a Mom When

All of my blogging friends have blogged on this topic this past week, so it wasn't something I thought I should do. BUT! I couldn't think of anything else to blog about today and I can't skip a day this month! So here is my version:

You Know You're a Mom When....

- You would NEVER dream of leaving the house without a sippy cup, extra snacks, small toys, & diapers.

- You can drive one-handed while leaning into the back seat handing your child one of the above items.

- You can't have a meal without getting out of your chair at least 5 times to pick up a sippy cup or fork that was "dropped" on the floor, feeding your own food to your child (even though he has the exact. same. thing. on his plate!) and saying, "Do NOT play with your food!" a million times.

- You can't walk into any room of your house without stepping on any number of toys.

- You have no problem sticking your nose in a kid's butt to check to see if there's poop.

- Your couch & carpet have all kinds of interesting stains.

- Your day revolves around naptime.

- You chose a restaurant based on whether they have waiters or not. If they do, you won't go. Too much waiting for a toddler!

- You do more shopping for your child than you do for yourself.

- You have a day to yourself and you decide to go grocery shopping instead of getting your nails done.

There's my list! Check out the other versions of "You Know You're a Mom When"

The Best Things in Life are Three

Madsen Memoirs

A New Normal

Sarah and James Plus One

6 Years Ago Today...

The past six years have been the best of my life! Thanks for being a wonderful husband, taking care of me and putting up with all of my craziness & feistiness! There is no one I would have rather been with than you!

Happy Anniversary!