Overheard in the Wonderful World of Iz

I walked into the living room tonight while Ed and Isabelle were working on a special art project. Right when I walked in, Ed said to Isabelle, "Do you have any more fairy balls over there? I need fairy balls to stick right here."

I turned around and walked out of the room, ha ha.

Healthy Habits

Isabelle was heading to swim class with Ed on Saturday. Before she left, I asked her what color lollipop she was going to choose today (the kids get to pick a lollipop on their way out if they have a good class).

She got a serious look on her face and said, "Well, actually, Mommy, I'm not going to take a lollipop today. Because lollipops don't make us healthy."

Maybe the Easter Bunny should pack apples and oranges into her basket this year instead of candy!

Where are you going? Where have you been?

Things have been so hectic the last few weeks, I've neglected Izzi's blog so I apologize. Some updates on the Siler's antics...

• Ed has been hard at work on his Masters Degree. He's taking online classes and thankfully has a one-month breather this month (April) until his next class starts in May.
• We have been hard at work doing some very long overdue home improvements, mostly focusing on the outside right now. We tore down the dilapidated old fence (destroyed by the double blizzard of 2010). The new fence is ordered and that will be started (hopefully) this weekend, weather permitting.
• We also ripped out our old dry-rotted wooden porch and spent two days this past week building a new one. It's low to the ground, so it's more like a wooden patio, but anything over 8 inches above grade required a building permit, so we skirted the system and built a low deck. We're hoping this will improve our summer dinners al fresco since we'll be above the wet sloppy yard that we always have in Edgewater since we're so close to the water.
• I signed up for a 10-week intensive online writing course (Fiction). I'm in week 4 right now and trying to keep up with all the homework, critiques of other student's writings, and balancing that with a full-time job and family life. There just aren't enough hours in the day sometimes.

As for Isabelle, she's as spunky as ever. We're in a consistent mode of dress-up at this stage. She is always wearing a princess dress, or Minnie Mouse ears, or a queen hat, or whatever. She acts out full episodes of her favorite cartoon, The Backyardigans, which typically requires Ed & I to play one of the parts. Of course, Iz always gets to be the nice characters while Ed & I take the spot of the wicked witch, or the mean Giant, or the ugly Beast. I guess it goes with the territory since she is an only child. I do really think that she's heading for the theater one day, if she keeps up this active of an imagination and playing out stories, we might have a budding artist on our hands. Too bad she can't keep a tune to save her life when she tries to sing.

We recently discovered that Isabelle has seasonal allergies. She had a pretty severe allergic attack about a month ago. We thought it was a pesky cold but then one day she woke up from nap screaming that her ear hurt. We took her to the Pediatrician who told us she ruptured her eardrum. Then we got her an emergency appointment at her ENT who told us the eardrum was fine (thanks, Pediatrician, for freaking us out). She had an ear infection in one ear (the ear where the tube has already fallen out on its own) and then the other ear was really full of fluid, but the tube was doing its job draining everything so that one was not infected.

We have to go back in June for a follow-up. If her ears have not fully drained of fluid at that point, then we are looking at another surgery this summer. They will remove the one tube, put two new ear tubes in. They will also remove her tonsils since they have to put her under anyway. We knew her tonsils would have to come out one day but they like to wait until kids are 5 or older now, unless the tonsils have repeat infections. Thankfully, Isabelle's have not been infected (yet) but they are HUGE and referred to as "kissing tonsils" because they actually touch each other in the back of her throat. This leads to sleeping problems b/c she cannot breathe efficiently when she lies down. Plus with the allergies, she was really having some sleeping issues.

She is now on daily allergy medications (one oral liquid, and one nose spray). We'll see what the ENT says when we return in June. We don't have an appointment date yet, they are going to call us when the June books open up for appointments.

Anyway, sorry for the long post. Wanted to update everyone on the goings-on around here. Things are not going to slow down anytime soon but I'll try to post more regularly. What we have coming up...

• Our film-making contest (48-Hour Film Project) is coming up in two weeks (April 29-May 1)
• Ed starts his next Graduate class in May
• Uncle Don & Aunt Susan, Uncle Sean & Jenny come to town in May
• Jen has to travel to Denver for work the first week of June
• ENT follow-up in June -- surgery in June???
• Uncle Sean and soon-to-be-Aunt Jenny get married June 11

I'm tired just typing it all!

Welcome Home

We found Pretty Lamb today! She was found isolated in a big Tupperware storage bin that we had emptied out for donation two weeks ago. I guess all those Lenten prayers worked. She is contentedly resting in Isabelle's lap as we speak. I can't even express how relieved we are. Welcome home, Pretty Pretty Pretty Lamb.

Spring Has Sprung...

...and the allergies have too.

Isabelle woke up from a nap at daycare on Tuesday screaming in pain, saying her ear hurt. We got her into the Pediatrician Wednesday morning and it appears she perforated her ear drum. It sounds worse than it is, a perforation heals itself within a week or two. But, if it happens too much, scar tissue can develop which would result in hearing loss (partial or complete depending on how much scar tissue develops).

She has had large tonsils since she was born, our ENT said they will most likely have to be removed eventually. These days, they try to wait until the child is 5 years old before doing that surgery, unless the tonsils start to have repeated infections, or the child gets Strep Throat a few times. Thankfully, Isabelle's tonsils haven't gotten infected yet, but they have actually grown. They are now in the category of "Kissing Tonsils" which means the tonsils are actually touching or overlapping in the back of her throat. This causes major sleep issues including apnea, and mouth breathing which can lead to mouth/teeth/jaw issues.

It appears the perforated ear drum was a result of a severe allergic reaction. Seasonal allergies typically don't show up in children until after the age of 2 and they can come on suddenly. Which is exactly what happened in this case. She had the allergy "shiners" which is reddish-purple rings around the eyes. Because she can't quite figure out how to blow her nose yet, the allergies caused a huge build-up of pressure in her ears and the ear drum bursts from that pressure.

So for now she's on an anti-biotic to kill any infection from the ear drum perf. She's also on a daily allergy regimen of Claritin and Nasonex spray. Oddly enough, she tolerates both very well. We got an emergency appointment with her ENT for next Wednesday so we'll know more about the tonsil situation next week and will keep you posted.

Of all the things we pass along to our offspring, I'm sorry she got Mommy's allergies.

R.I.P. Pretty Lamb

"Pretty Lamb is gone forever, isn't she Mommy?"

That was the question Isabelle asked me after a frenetic tearing-apart of our entire house came up empty in a search for our beloved "Pretty Lamb". Isabelle never had a binky, nor a blankie. But she did have a lovey. She originally clung to her Peter Rabbit for a few months, and we thought he was a keeper.

Then one day, we had cleared baby stuff out of the closets and had it bagged up and ready to go to its new home. The Gund "Comfy Cozy Mini Lammy" was laying on top of one of the outgoing bags. (Meanwhile, Isabelle had never paid ANY attention to the thing while it was in her room). But for some reason, she saw it and fell into instant infatuation. Poor Peter Rabbit got a kick to the curb and her new lovey was affectionately named "Pretty Lamb". And she hasn't left Isabelle's side in over a year.

We have no idea where Pretty Lamb is, but she is gone. Possibly forever. We never let Iz take her out in public for fear of the very situation we find ourselves in now. We're hoping she turns up around here, peacefully napping in some box or secret hiding place.

Ironically, the saddest members of the family and actually Ed & I. Iz seems to have moved on and doesn't even ask for Pretty Lamb anymore, after only a few days. I wanted Pretty Lamb to live in her memory box for many years, but alas, it doesn't look promising. And she's discontinued at Gund so I can't even fake Isabelle out with a replacement.

So, R.I.P. Pretty Lamb. Our little girl is growing up so fast, she apparently doesn't need you anymore. But Ed & I do....so please come home.

Heartbreaker

I got slammed at work on Monday, worked late the last two nights and will be working late again tonight. So goes it with the job that I have. I have deadlines, and they usually are unrealistic. But I work from home, so how can I complain, right? Riiiiight.

I just went downstairs to refill my water glass and see the family. Isabelle was playing in the living room with her doll house, while Ed was doing some schoolwork on his computer. Isabelle's doll house people were "having a conversation" and the two little girls asked the Mommy to play with them. But Mommy said she was TOO busy.

The girls walked away sad, but found Daddy. They asked him to play with them and HE said yes.

Wow. Shot the heart. The doll house never lies.