Did I say "sick"? I meant SICK.

Tuesday I got sick. Thursday I went to the doctor. The flu swab was negative and I was relieved... for about 24 hours. My fever was still up around 101 (even on Advil) on Friday afternoon and I decided to order myself a chest x-ray 'just in case'. They were able to squeeze me in before they closed for the night.

Sure enough I have f*ing double pneumonia. My mom was still on the West Coast at my sister's in SF and she got on a plane and flew up here to help Jon. I am on strict orders to rest, with no work for another week. I was terrified that Julian would get sick, and I am in constant motion doing stuff at home so I actually checked into a hotel for a few days. It would be like an awesome vacation except for the pain in my chest, splitting headache, constant coughing and fever.

I'm spending my time reading, watching TV, and just plain thinking. Thinking about what is really going on that I would get this sick. Gonna need to be makin' some changes.

I'll ask Jon to gather some good J stories this week and I'll try to post. Don't count your chickens though- I'm busy resting.

Sick.

My advil has kicked in and my fever is down to just under 101. Can't even imagine creating an interesting post right now so I'll just post some pics. My mom was here this weekend and it was just amazing to see her with the boy. My heart just melted.

The elephant from my mom came in this box. Can't say which was a bigger hit. OK, the elephant was, but this was super cute.




Jon told Julian Becca was here to give mommy a massage just like he sometimes massages Julian's legs (restless boy at bedtime settles a bit with some leg massage) and Julian took one look at Becca and pulled his socks off and stuck out his feet. Too cute.



Visit with the girls and their boys.


Special delivery.


A recent art piece by Juilan. For real.

That Darn Flip

I have almost no photos since the last post. We keep grabbing the video instead of the camera. Turns out though that it takes a loooong time to upload the video so we may just pull that camera out more often. Here's an elephant march for y'all- it's a bit long but i can't figure out how to cut it yet, and the end is kind of cute (background: Edge is the name of our cat that we had to put down last year, Ellwyn is our living cat). Note the timing on the start of his marching...he's got it all dialed in.




We've started a new construction project at the house. We decided to put a bathroom in the basement and to sheet rock the concrete walls so it is a bit warmer and more comfy down there. We partially finished it a few years back and put down carpet tile to make a playroom.

Anyway, the contractors jack hammered out some foundation to find that we had a sewage pipe with a large hole that was LEAKING SHIT WATER INTO THE DIRT under the house. Ick ick ick! Oh, did I say ICK? We also found mold under all of the carpet tile. Also ick. It's going to add a pretty penny to the project to refinish all of the floors down there, but I'm glad to know we are getting it taken care of. A playroom with mold is potentially quite problematic for a boy with asthma.

So let's see, what else. Uncle Doug visited last weekend, my mom is coming this weekend, then a week break, then my sister is coming for a weekend, then about 3 weeks after that, Jon's folks. My dad wants to squeeze a trip in somewhere too...I'm tired just thinking about it. Good thing we love company around here!

When my mom is here this weekend she'll take care of Julian while Jon and I go to a fundraiser for an organization called Our House, a residential AIDS facility that Jon was lead architect for a few years back. The theme is Mardi Gras, and it is semi-formal. If anyone has outfit ideas, please let me know. My mother thought a thong and a mask might do it but we both decided that's not quite my style.

xo
-s

PS Do you think the (body text) font on this new layout is too small? Feedback, pleeze.

Yes yes I know.

It's been too long again. Work has been a bit consuming. One of my staff members is currently working both at the front desk and seeing patients (we all have lots of hats over there) and her husband won a vaca in Mexico. So she's gone for 2 weeks. Lots of slack for me to pick up. And then my other receptionist has been out of the office for personal reasons. In any case, here I am, once again apologizing for my tardy posting.

2 weeks ago we went to the mountain house. Jon designed this house for some very close friends of ours so we go there at least a few times a year. This time we went with said friends and had just a great time. Jon and I are doing our yearly 'detox' which means our diet is very limited. The great thing about this is we eat so much fresh and healthy food. No junk at all. We spent the weekend lolling about, eating fresh fish and roasted OG chicken, reading books, playing, chatting, lovely.

Julian reading us a book.


Julian "helping" Papi stretch.


First sled ride. Julian wasn't so sure...


Baby Nate giggles.


I just got a new flip video camera (our friend designed these...) so I have more video than photos of late. Will work on figuring out how to post. That's supposed to be the best part is how easy they are. I'll keep you posted.

Then last week Jacquie, Chase and Corbin came for a visit. We had so much fun but WOW can a 7 year old and 9 year old pair of brothers whip up the pace around here. It made me pretty confident that we're stopping at one.

Messing around on the couch.


OMG how cute is this? Julian is in LOVE.


And finally Julian had someone that would march with him over and over again.


More later...

FFF - "New"

We had Julian's final readoption ceremony at the courthouse.
Well more like a visit than a ceremony. I'm in a rush so just posting my FFF photo, will get to more details later!

He finally has his official NEW name.





For more Favorite Foto Friday, see Sarah's Blog. :)

When it rains it pours.

This morning I got to work and made my usual drink- green tea powder and vanilla hemp milk. When I got back to my office I had a few sips. It was really sour and just not right. So I walked back to the kitchen and took out the "milk." Rotten. Nasty. NASTY. I swore loudly. That's no news for anyone that knows me, even a little.

Little did I know that this would be the highlight of my day.

Around 1pm I got a sharp pain in my foot that dropped me to my knees. I have a nerve tumor that lives in my foot and has occasionally caused me some distress over the years (they were supposed to take it out during a prior foot surgery about 8 years ago but that's another bitch session altogether.) I could put NO weight on my foot. So after swearing loudly again I hopped and crawled around for the next few hours while my fabulous receptionist tried to track down some crutches. A lovely patient overheard and drove home to get me hers. Very sweet.

The day went on, not too stressful other than trying to do everything on crutches. I called the practice who did my surgery to get in for an appointment. Not only are there no appointments available for a month but if I want to see a different doc in the practice my prior surgeon (see above, grrr) has to give me permission. I asked the scheduler dryly what the point then would be of having a group practice but she didn't seem to understand the question. Again a few choice words flew- after I hung up, of course.

I finally get in my car to drive home- it's freezing cold and I'm juggling my bag and my crutches, almost falling on my ass getting into the car. Then about a half mile down the road I look at my dashboard and see a yellow light with an exclamation point. Hmmmm. I wait until I can pull over in a safe spot and pull out my manual. "Do NOT drive your car if this light is on." Um. OK?

Thankfully Jon was home and picked me up about half an hour later. I just left the car there. We'll see if we can get it towed to the shop before it starts getting tickets in the morning. I was safe and sound but very, very cold. The little mister was sobbing in the back seat "I want to get out" over and over again. Poor kid can't stand that car seat but c'mon I know he understands that he has to stay in it.

We arrive home and I go back to the bedroom to change.

I look over and the cat has puked all over my comforter.

Awesome.

Edited to add: As my child is feeling better, Obama is about to be sworn in, I have AAA and good health insurance (yes I'm knocking on my desk as I'm typing), I'm actually amused by all of this rather than irritated. Lucky Jon.

Edited again (!) to add: After a mere $75 diagnostic and a laundry list of things we should repair on the car, we learned that the light was "nothing." I can walk on my foot again, albeit gingerly. The associate at the doctor's office can get me in in 2 weeks. The cat puke cleaned up swimmingly. And as I was stranded at home yesterday with a bum foot and no car I got to curl up, watch the inauguration, and organize my to do list. It was worth it.

De-lurking Day and FFF (eyes)

I apparently missed that yesterday was national blog de-lurking day. I was clearly too busy with my giant meat cake (see yesterday's post.)

Oh, and for those of you are not regular blog readers, to de-lurk means you leave a comment and let me know you're visiting.

C'mon y'all I'd love to see who's out there keeping tabs on our silliness!

And I'm still trying to get that FFF thing going. Sarah started the Friday theme that ties so many of us. This Friday was EYES.

This is my favorite photo of Julian's eyes. I can't believe it's a year old.