BolderBoulder pics

They're in! Here are some pictures from the Bolder Boulder!

Pictures of Mason

Finally, pictures of Mason Curtis. He is so cute!!! The official stats: 7lbs 4oz and 19.5 inches long. Welcome baby boy!!!

Ben's update

Update on Ben:

All of Ben's blood tests came back today. They are all normal and the Mono test came back negative. However, it did show that Ben has had Mono in the past ~ apparently, the blood test showed that he has the antibodies for Mono and he is now immune to it...I guess it's like Chicken Pox. So, we still don't know exactly what caused the fever, the enlarged infected tonsils, and then the enlarged spleen. The doc believes it could be the Haemophilus influenzae virus...non-type...not type-b (Hib)...as my initial online research brought up and, therefore, prompted an immediate and slightly panicked call to the doctor :o) The doc calmly reassured me that it was the non-type he was referring to (whew!!!) Love that doctor...very nice and called me at home Friday and today to check on Ben and give me all the test results. He was also very good about talking to me, at length, and not making me feel like he was in too much of a hurry and needed to get to the next patient. This seems like it should be a given when it comes to doctors (pediatricians, in particular), but our last pediatrician was not a good fit and was way too busy to care about his bed-side manner. So, we are really glad we switched to the pediatric office. Ben has been on antibiotics since Friday and he does seem to be feeling better. Thank goodness.

Welcome...

Welcome to the world

Mason Curtis!

Born this morning via c-section ~ sorry it had to happen that way, Carrie :o/

Mason weighs 7lbs. 2oz., 19 inches long. He has blue eyes and a dimple in his chin. No pics, yet ~ I will update this post as soon as I get them. I was SO SO sure it was a girl...but Carrie thought it was a boy...mother's intuition...Carrie has it full strength already :o) :o)

Congratulations to Brandon and Carrie. You will be wonderful, wonderful parents. Can't wait to meet baby boy Mason SOON!!!

A Marathon Day

It's BolderBoulder time again!!! We ran the BolderBoulder 10K this morning. We had a strange start, but everything ended great.

Scott, Rich, Cailey, and I left the house around 6:45a (our wave start was as 8:08a). We arrived at the CU parking structure at around 7:30a. We met up with Richie and Dan and then walked to the shuttle pick-up spot ~ about a 10 minute walk. The shuttle showed up just as we arrived at the pick-up spot and we thought we were in the clear...approx. 25 minutes to get to the starting line which was only about 6 miles away. Unfortunately, it took the shuttle 30+ minutes to get that far (grrrr...) However, all the timing for the marathon is done electronically ~ we wear a little electronic tag on our shoe and your time doesn't start until you run across the starting mat (the tags track each mile and they stop timing when you run across the finish mat). So, it didn't really matter that we missed the start to our wave, but it was still frustrating. By the time we got off the shuttle, Richie and I had to pee (we would have had plenty of time to go before the race, if the shuttle hadn't taken 30+ minutes!) Richie and I left the group to use some port-a-pots near-by. Unfortunately, we were turned away and told we couldn't use those. As we walked back to the group, we saw Rich who was making his way towards the start. Long story short, we kind of got swept up in the moving wave of people and before we know it the gun is going off for the start of that wave and we are crossing the starting line...without Cailey, Scott, and Dan...who were still waiting for us to come back from the toilet. We thought they had started, they thought we were still going to the bathroom...ugh! So, Richie and I ran together for the first mile until we found some more port-a-pots (we still hadn't gone!) and then we had to wait in line! Now our race time was shot to heck! I kept looking for Scott and Cailey, but didn't see them and still thinking they might be in front of us ~ if only we had cell phones...it was a little taste of what life is like without cell phones!!! Finally, around mile 2, I decided they were definitely behind us (in fact, they gave up waiting and started) and I slowed down to a slow walking pace and hoped they would catch up. I thought Scott would be pissed because, with Cailey, he had no hope of making a decent time. But, I also knew he would push her harder than I would and there was a good chance they would catch up to me if I slowed way down ~ like I said, my time was already shot. I finally spotted them just before mile 3 (Scott wasn't mad) and the three of us finished the race together ~ which was a really nice treat! I felt great at the end and I was kinda bummed that I couldn't run to see how well I could have done. Maybe next year. Sorry, no pictures...I forgot. But, I will post the "official" pictures from the BolderBoulder website when they are ready.

The results (drum roll, please):
Cailey ~ division place: 14 out of 157, net time: 1:19:04.73, pace: 12:45 (based on net time)...Cailey shaved 10 minutes off of last year's time!!!! She will get a medal again this year!
Scott ~ division place: 349 out of 418, net time: 1:19:04.85, pace: 12:45 (based on net time)
Alicia ~ division place: 474 out of 597, net time: 1:238, pace: 14:24 (based on net time)
Rich ~ division place: 38 out of 124, net time: 1:03:42.56, pace: 10:16 (based on net time)
Richie ~ division place: 375 out of 477, net time: 1:10:07.79, pace: 11:18 (based on net time)
Dan ~ division place: 224 out of 488, net time: 0:58:19.31, pace: 9:24 (based on net time)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!! For Mom's birthday we went to see Indiana Jones (even Ben and we had Matt and Zach with us!). Ben skipped his nap but he was actually really good at the theater...and it was a 2 hour movie (whew!). We dropped Matt and Zach off at their house and then we took Mom to Red Lobster for her birthday dinner. Ben fell asleep in the car on the way and had his first accident in a long, long time. He was upset about the accident, but I assured him it was okay since he fell asleep and it was truly just an accident.

On that note, Ben is fully potty trained during the day!!! Yeah Ben!!! He has been going poopy and pee in the toilet and even goes without asking or telling me...just runs in and goes! He doesn't wear a pull-up during nap at school and he does great...but I am not that brave and I still put one on him at home for naps...I guess I should stop that...but I don't like to do that much laundry :o) He definitely still wears a pull-up/diaper at night. We will tackle that obstacle later.

Mom and Rich will leave early in the morning and will be taking the cat home with them. We will miss Mary.

Bye Bye 2nd Grade and more...

It's done. Second grade has officially ended. Today was her last day. She will start third grade on August 11. Until then, we have a busy summer ~ golf lessons, ice skating lessons, dance, a trip...busy, busy, busy. She will have fun I think.

Today, Ben went to the doctor...again. His tonsils are so big that they are touching and now they have white spots on them ~ the doctor described the tonsils as "impressive". Obviously, they hurt him and he is having trouble eating. He is snoring (loud) when sleeping and having trouble breathing ~ he holds his mouth open and has a wheezing, nasally sort of sound coming out. The strep culture was negative (again), but the doctor found that Ben's spleen and liver are enlarged. That prompted an immediate blood test ~ the doc suspected mono. Having to draw blood from a two year old is one of the most traumatic events I have had to endure. Ben had to sit in my lap, I held him around his middle with one arm and held his other arm straight with my other hand. Grandpa (and Grandma) were with me (thankfully) because Grandpa Rich had to hold Ben's legs so he wouldn't try to kick loose. The poor phlebotomist was shaking so bad and then she couldn't get the vein in the right arm. She dug around for awhile and Ben kept crying/yelling, "You hurting me, that's hurts!" I had to look away and just keep holding him so, so tight. When she couldn't get the vein she let him rest for a bit and then tried again in the other arm. Luckily, she got that vein right away and we were done after she filled three vials. The doctor ordered a complete blood screen. Everything came back normal and the mono test was negative. We are still waiting on another mono test, the Epstein Barr virus test (apparently that is a more accurate test for young kids). So, Ben is back on antibiotics and we don't know what is causing the infection(s). I just want to get him healthy...(heavy sigh).

End of School Party

Cailey had her End-of-School-Party today. The second graders walked from school to a near-by park. It was a lot like Field Day but the weather was a little better (lots of wind, though ...bummer) and the kids had a lot fun. They got root beer floats, too! I can't believe Cailey will be a third grader!!! Time is flying. Ben will start kindergarten in two years! On that note, he is doing so much better at his new school. He is happy, he is talking a ton, and he is potty trained (poop and all!). He has a girlfriend ~ how cute is that! Apparently, there is a little girl that loves him and cries every day when she has to go home without Ben. So cute! He is a charmer. Grandma Sunny is visiting and he has been playing her like a fiddle ~ saying things like, "Gandma, you the best gandma ever!" and "Gandma, I miss you." and "Gandma, you come with us, okay!" and lots of other really cute things. Mom's heart melts and Ben gets whatever he wants, but that's okay...that's what Grandmas are for.

Here they come...

A water game...

Always hamming it for the camera...

A dress-up relay...look how much fun she is having!!!

Having fun with the classmates...

Field Day 2008

It's that time of year again for elementary school kids ~ FIELD DAY! The day started out very cold, but I think the kids were fine with that. They seemed to have a great time anyway. Once again, they didn't have any competitive aspects of Field Day (no points, no ribbons, no stars)...the kids just play and, in most cases, "hang around". I have expressed before that I am not a fan of this "feel good" Field Day. I don't think it's giving the kids any competitive experience and, let's face it, our culture is competitive. This should be the one day where we reward kids for excelling and allow them to experience some good old fashion competition. I won't get on my soap box in this post ~ maybe another time. But, I do think field day can be set up so it's fair, fun, challenging, and rewarding for all kids ~ even for those kids that don't enjoy sports or are athletically challenged :o) They could have booths/events that are more intellectual in nature...speed puzzles, word games, speed reading, etc. I just think they should still get a tangible reward or prize or compensation for excelling and participating in "the games". Cailey doesn't have a competitive bone in her body and I would like to see her challenged and allowed to work outside her comfort zone in this area and then rewarded for her attempt. I don't think it's the kids that mind having competitions because they seem to find a way to compete anyway and they seemed to have more fun at the stations that allowed them to keep score or compete for distance. Enough of that. The kids had a good time no matter what my opinion is :o)

On another note, Cailey was a little under the weather today (cold/allergies) but she insisted on going to school today ~ she has been looking forward to Field Day for weeks. The "virus" that has been making it's way through all of us finally caught Cailey and she is not feeling well.

You can see from the pictures that it was, indeed, a chilly morning. Enjoy the pictures.

Drama Queen

The high school kids from the high school theater class have been coming to Cailey's school for 5 weeks. They have been working on "performance concepts" ~ whatever that means ~ and today they presented small plays to parents and teachers. Cailey's group did Jack and the Beanstalk. Cailey was the mother character ~ she enjoyed getting to "yell" at Jack (Brody) when he brought beans back from the market...the highlight of her day :o) :o) Cailey did a great job ~ no surprise when it comes to performing ~ and "projected" her voice very well and "took on the persona of her character" like a champ :o) :o) I know, I should have brought the video camera but I forgot to charge the battery and, of course, it was dead. BTW, Cailey's "costume" was purely her own creation. Apparently, that is her idea of what a peasant mother wears. Enjoy the pictures:

Return of the Hives

This morning Ben woke up with a worse case of the hives! They were even on his face ~ which is more than a little scary since that is getting awfully close to his throat/air way! I gave him more steroids, more antibiotics, and more Benedryl as instructed by the doc. An hour or so later and they seem to be getting better. Terra suggested Fifth Disease...I looked it up and I suppose it could be that, but there isn't anything more we can do since Fifth Disease is viral ~ we can only treat the symptoms. The steroids make him hyper, hyper, hyper...on top of his normal energy level...I am in big trouble today :o) I couldn't send him to school today (obviously), so I am trying to get some work done while dealing with a child that is running around like a crazy person :o) But he's happy...not being bad. Apparently, he will be really hyper for awhile and then hit a serious wall and all Hell breaks loose. Can't wait. Little Einsteins seems to keep him calm for a couple of minutes, but only a couple of minutes at a time. Oh well. Work can wait, I suppose.

Don't these look icky!! These are ALL over his body. I should have gotten a picture of his face, too. Oh, well.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

We went to Embassy Suites last night to celebrate Mother's Day. We did the same thing last year and it was a lot of fun, so we decided to do it again this year. It's actually a good deal because the hotel includes a full complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast, complimentary cocktail and appetizers in the evening, and an indoor pool with hot tub. The kids went swimming (twice) and I got to have my much anticipated BBQ (I am the only one that really likes BBQ, so I rarely get to enjoy :o) and we brought it back to the hotel to eat and enjoy those complimentary cocktails. So, we get a good mini vacation at a very reasonable price and we don't have to clean up, do dishes, or drive home :o) Now, that's a Mother's Day gift! The Bergs came to the hotel last night and went swimming with us. After they left, we went back to the hotel room, ate junk food, stayed up late and watch T.V. Despite a few bumps in the road (the kids fighting, whining, and overall crabbiness), we had a good time.

Ben woke us up at about 8:00a by announcing "RDS...MORNING!" (he was trying to say "It is morning") ~ and then he ripped the curtains open to a full shot of sunshine right into our eyes (ugh!) :o) I love my kids, I love my kids, I love my kids ~ Happy Mother's Day to me. Then, they showered me with cards and gifts...three (yes, three) one-hour massage gift cards!!! Yeah!!! Happy Mother's Day to me!! After our complimentary breakfast, we played a game of Zooreka in our hotel room ~ a fun board game for the whole family ~ and drank mimosas (Scott and I had the mimosas, of course!). Then, we checked out and headed to The Home Depot to buy flowers for the big outside flower pots. We picked out some beautiful flowers and I planted them tonight while the kids played outside with all the neighbor kids, Scott mowed the lawn, and then Scott started to teach Cailey how to ride her bike without training wheels ~ she's been too scared to take them off, but has decided that having "baby wheels" on her bike was way too embarrassing and she decided to endure the fright of falling off her bike. ;o) We were having such a good time and the weather was SO beautiful that we forgot to eat dinner, so we didn't eat until 8:00p! Ooops.


Unfortunately, Ben broke out in hives all over his body this morning. We gave him Benedryl before we left the hotel, but it didn't even touch the hives. I have never seen hives this bad. They itch him (he can't stop itching them) and they seem to hurt. At home, he didn't eat lunch, but fell asleep in my arms for two hours ~ we know he is REALLY sick when he does this. So, this afternoon we headed to Urgent Care. I suspected that it was strep throat (his tonsils are so swollen that they are touching and he cringes when he swallows!), but the rapid test came back negative. Hmm, now I have no idea what is wrong. But, the doc put him on steroids, antibiotics, and told us to keep giving him Benedryl around the clock. They sent the strep test out for a culture and if it still comes back negative we can take him off the antibiotics. Ugh.

(I am loved...even by the cat. Ben is asleep.)

(Just a sample of Ben's hives.)

I guess I got the the highs and lows of being a mom all in one day. Happy Mother's Day!!!