Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Plans change

I wanted a third baby. Really I did. Stephen and I were even talking about it. I thought sometime, maybe in six months, or a year, would be just about the right time to try for a baby. But sometimes, we make our plans, and God laughs and directs our steps where He knew they needed to go all along.

Hello! Third baby, on the way, RIGHT NOW! I was surprised, and a little disgruntled. What about The Plan? I was going to be so prepared. In fact, I had just made a list of all the things I was going to do before we had another baby.

I was going to lose ten pounds, and really get in shape.

I was going to read all of the books we owned, even the boring ones.

I was going to declutter and organize our house.

I was going to finish Nathan's first year of homeschool.

I was going to really work with the boys on a couple of habits/behaviors.

I was going to take a couple of fun weekend trips, leaving the kids behind.

I was going to go on a foreign mission trip.

I was going to eat a really healthy, awesome diet--all the time.

And, most importantly, I was going to pick out a new baby boy name. (I've used my last two.)

I know, the list is a little ambitious, but given a year or so, I was convinced I could cross everything off. Key words: given a year or so. Oh well! Take nothing for granted, especially if your life seems to be proceeding especially smoothly for a couple of months in a row.

Anyways, after I mourned over my list for a couple of days, I recovered, and started making a new list.

Exercise several times a week.

Read pregnancy books, only my favorites, again.

Set up appointment with midwife.

Choose new mattress for crib (preferably organic). (By the way, I had just consigned my old crib mattress not two weeks before we found out. But I guess baby #3 deserves at least a new mattress to sleep on...)

Eat as well as I possibly can, while not throwing up.

Keep kitchen clean, mainly to keep food-related odors from permeating the house. Let other house related messes go.

Keep homeschooling. Preferably complete work before afternoon exhaustion sets in.

Pick boy name! (I'm on the clock now, and I'm worried. I've never been a fast name picker.)

God likes to keep me on my toes, constantly reminded that I am not in control, but that I can trust Him, because He is in control, and because He is good. I know He'll help me do this three kid thing, and I'm thankful I can count on Him. I'm gonna need Him...

Friday, July 20, 2012

Toothless

Nathan has a loose tooth. Well, actually, he already lost one, but this is the first one that's been loose in his mouth before the big exit. His first lost tooth has been replaced by a permanent tooth that's just broken through the gum. How space was made for that first pearly new permanent tooth is a tale of brotherly affection.

About three weeks ago, my boys were doing the thing they love best, chasing each other, shoving, wrestling, typical boy stuff. I wasn't paying much attention; it was just too normal to warrant any concern. Suddenly, I heard it--the cry. All moms know the cry. It's the one that instantly tells you that your baby has sustained an injury. I popped up from the couch lickety-split, ready to assess damage, kiss boo-boos, assign blame and dole out punishments.

Nathan was crying. "Daniel head-butted me!" Then he said, a little surprised and fishing something from his mouth, "Mama, my tooth came out!" I could see that his gum was bleeding from the newly empty socket, so I rushed him to the bathroom, tooth still in Nathan's hand, trying to save my beige-colored carpet from indelible blood stains. As I grabbed a cloth to wet and apply to his gum, Nathan, who was checking out the tooth in his hand, suddenly lost his grip and the tooth went right down the drain. Gone. Forever.

I tried to keep my calm. After all, Nathan was about that age, I thought. So I played it off nicely. "Yay, Nathan! You lost your first tooth!" Yet inwardly, mommy script was running. "Okay, I don't think that tooth was loose. Daniel's head just made it come out. I hope there's not still a root in there or a tooth fragment. I better inspect the gum. Gum is red. What does gum look like after loss of baby tooth? I think I'd better check the internet."

Everything I read on the internet about traumatic loss of baby teeth said it was probably fine, but to check with a dentist in case of a partially retained tooth, which could cause the permanent tooth to grow in crooked. I also read that if the tooth could not be recovered, imaging should be done to be sure the tooth wasn't aspirated. "Wow, glad I dodged that bullet. At least I saw the tooth for two seconds before it went down the drain."

I did not want to take the kids to the dentist though. Neglectful parent you may think I am, but my kids have never been to the dentist. And, most importantly, they do not currently have dental insurance. I did not want to spend a hundred dollars for a dentist to look in Nathan's mouth, say, "Yeah, it's fine," and send us merrily on our way.

Yet I didn't want to not take Nathan and then have something go terribly wrong. I imagined the worse. Tooth abcesses. Infection of the gum. Systemic infection. I simply could not go on without consulting a professional. So I called my wonderful dentist during his off hours at his emergencies only, home number. I got his wife who rapidly passed the phone to Dr. Lee after hearing my slightly incoherent account of how my son had a tooth knocked out of his mouth by his brother's head. After I gave Dr. Lee the rundown of the whole scenario (which actually made him laugh quite a bit), he asked whether it was a permanent tooth, and upon ascertaining that it was not, assured me that I had nothing to worry about and nothing I needed to do.

I don't know that I would have chosen to have Nathan's first tooth knocked out that way. (I do not need that much excitement.) Nonetheless, there were pros and cons to the situation. Pro: No dread factor. No trying to figure out how to get out a tooth hanging by a thread. No dealing with the tooth fairy issue. (We haven't done Santa Clause with the boys, and I don't think we'll do the tooth fairy either. Just trying to keep it real, people.) Finding out how truly wonderful and caring our dentist is. Cons: No consolation prize. Lots of stress for mommy. And now knowing that my child could aspirate his tooth. (Honestly never crossed my mind before.)

Well, we'll see how it goes down the second time round. I'm seriously considering feeding my child a Now and Later or a caramel apple.

Saturday, June 30, 2012

No sugar with my honey

I guess I should rename the blog Erin's sugar free therapy blog, at least for now. But I'm not going to, because that would be too much trouble.

So last night, Stephen and I went out on a date. We left the house at 7:30 (!!). I don't think we've done that since pre-children, maybe since college. I'm most definitely not a night owl, and I prefer to be home by 8:00. It's nice to have the children's bedtime for an excuse, but last night both the boys spent the night with my parents. Yay for grandparent time! But with Stephen working late (7:00), and without my usual excuse, we went wild...well, wild for us. After some discussion, we chose Olive Garden and headed out. I don't think we started eating until at least 8:00. I ate chicken and gnocchi soup, two and a half breadsticks (I suspect there's tons of sugar in them, but sometimes ignorance is bliss), and about three bites of my favorite Olive Garden entree ever: braised beef tortellini. I was too full of soup and breadsticks to eat any more than that. Never fear, I ate the rest today--for breakfast. Yum.

So at the start of the meal, I spent about three minutes trying to turn the standing flyer in the right direction so I wouldn't have to look at pictures of the desserts. (Remember my last blog about the see food diet.) I finally got the drink side facing out after much trouble, only to discover later in the dinner that it folded flat quite nicely and easily. Problem solved!

Actually, by the end of our meal, I turned dessert down quite easily. I was way too full to be tempted by anything. Even when our waiter plopped an Andes mint right in front of me, I slid it over to Stephen right away.

We wrapped the night up with a couple of rounds of bowling. I won one, Stephen won one. (Not that anyone's keeping score...) I decided I really need to work on my grip strength. The quality of my bowling game went downhill fast as my forearm got tired during the second game. (Because, you know, I'm such an insanely awesome bowler...)

Anyways, we had so much fun, and I probably enjoyed it more without the sugar fog that usually accompanies consuming a huge, rich restaurant dessert. I didn't need dessert, because my honey's plenty sweet already!

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Beware, it's everywhere

And it's dangerous. Check out this article about how simply looking at a picture of a treat is enough to make you crave something sweet. Be forewarned that they put a piece of tasty looking chocolate cake right at the top of the article.
http://bodyodd.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/26/12421650-photos-of-sugary-treats-may-spark-cravings-study-finds?lite

 But I didn't need an article to tell me that when I see sweet, I want sweet. I just have to think about what happens every time I see the York peppermint patty commercial. Yep, you got it. "Stephen, you wanna go to the gas station and get me a York?" Or when I see those pictures of Chick-fil-A's peach milkshake...mmm...gotta have one. That's one of the major reasons getting off--and more importantly, staying off--sugar is so difficult. It's everywhere, tantalizing me to just have one bite. It's like the garden of Eden all over again. It's sweet, it's delicious, one bite won't hurt, but the next thing you know you've eaten a whole pan of chocolate chip cookies and ruined your day.

So with temptation everywhere, why bother trying to kick the sugar habit at all? Well, aside from the fact that it makes me feel miserable, I am convicted that sugar has mastered me. When I find myself thinking things like, "I can't live without it," I know that it has become a sweet idol in my life.

1 Corinthians 6:12 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.

I do not feel like there is anything sinful about eating sugar. In fact, the promised land that the Lord gave the Israelites was a placed described as being full of sweetness.

Deuteronomy 26:9 And he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.

The problem is when sugar has become my master. I want it, I depend on it, I use it to cope. Sounds like a false god to me. It's time for a sugar fast, both to let my body heal and to let my spirit taste the sweetness of the Lord.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

And my frenemy is...

Sugar is my frenemy. I love it, yet is sure isn't good to me. I don't really want to associate sugar, but I just can't seem to kick it to the curb. For one thing, my frenemy sugar shows up everywhere. It goes to all the same parties I do, it calls me incessantly, and it even intrudes on my most private moments when I am all alone. It's so sweet when we're best buddies, but it seems like the minute it's out of my sight, it stabs me in the gut.

Sugar, you've been a bad friend to me. It's time for me to detox from this poisonous relationship. I need some space. Hope you don't show up to ruin my day. Buh-bye.