Fish

Last night was an eventful evening. It looks like we will be taking fish off of our "safe to eat" list for Isaac. I made tilapia last night. Isaac took three good bites - he even said "yummy". Eli had already made it clear that the "chicken" I made did not taste right. That's right - I lied and told the kids it was chicken so they would eat it. Not sure what ramifictions that is going to have the next time we have chicken?? Anyway after three bites Isaac started coughing violently, and his lips started to swell. Between coughs he told me to "get his breather" which is his inhaler, and meant he could not breath. We gave him two sprays, the usual, and he asked for more. Then he started throwing up violently and breaking out in hives. We had the Epi pens ready, but gave him Benedryl first which calmed him almost immediately. After 30 minutes he was back to normal. I slept on his floor, just in case the fish in his system out lasted the benedryl. Thank goodness the Benedryl seemed to have kicked it.
It was so scary, and hard to understand how food can make the little guy so so sick. This reaction mirrored his reaction to peanuts - which is a bit scary. We will now have to avoid fish like we do peanuts. Poor guy. Thankfully he takes it in stride. After about an hour and the shock of the situation had worn off Isaac would put a cracker in his mouth and act like he was gagging and fake throwing up and then laughed. I hope he maintains that positive little attitude as the years go on.

The Great Outdoors

You have to love this weather! The boys have been dying to go outside, equating sunshine ("Shunshine" in Eli speak) to warmth, but finally, finally it is warm enough to go outside. We spent most of the morning outside for the past two days. Today was much more eventful than yesterday.
We are having our driveway sealed today so Eli helped me move a big pile of sticks from the driveway under the deck. Isaac kept saying "Frog, frog" (more like fwog, fwog). I wasn't really paying that much attention til I walked back to pick up more sticks and saw a dead, semi-petrified frog on the driveway. I stayed cool, gently picked it up with two sticks and walked it to the trash can - oh my gross!
The boys have really taken to peeing on one of the big trees in the back yard. What was once scary is now hilarious. While Isaac was peeing today I was standing behind him and a piece of poop fell on my shoe. That's right - he was pooping standing up. ON MY SHOE! Not sure the mechanics of standing up and pooping, but he thought he was a being a "big big big boy." Double gross. Eli was running around saying, "Isaac pooped outside like a dog!"
Finally, we went for a walk. Well the boys went for a "pull" in their wagon. While we were walking we say two ladies mowing, Eli was astonished. He said "Mommy, mommies don't mow, Daddies mow. Why are these mommies mowing?" It looks like I am doing a good job developing socially appropriate gender roles for my kids. My liberal family studies professors would be horrified. Although, that was always kind of a personal goal of mine.

Oh yeah - and Eli told Isaac to jump off the wood thing in the pictures and he would catch him.
Thankfully Isaac isn't that dumb, and laughed at him.

Fun to Share

Eli and Isaac have highly refined opinions of music. My parents bought the boys a 6 CD set of Children's Bible songs. The other day Eli asked me to put the CD in. He listened to one song and said "Ok that's enouth (enough in Eli speak), put in Jack Johnson."

The boys used to think Jack Johnson was actually my brother Kevin singing, he is that good. Anyway, Jack Johnson has a song from the Curious George soundtrack called the "Sharing Song". The chorus says, "It is so much fun to share with everyone." This evening after dinner we were enjoying a bowl of homemade ice cream sprinkled with chocolate chips and Eli had eaten his bowl WAY before everyone. He leaned over to me and said, "Mom give me a bite of your ice cream, it is fun to share."

We digress?

Last night we went to the balloon glow at UK. We stopped by Qudoba for dinner (one of Isaac's few safe restaurants). Eli was thrilled that he got to see a real live pirate there. Ok, it was just a tattooed guy with a doo rag on his head, that looked like he could kill us. Luckily he was gracious to Eli's stares.

I thought my nights of interrupted sleep were over. No more bottles, no more paci's. However, Isaac woke up at 3:00 AM to pee in the potty. Really? Is this two year old so in tune with his body that the urge to pee wakes him up from deep sleep?

A New Level

I took the boys on our first outing since potty training. I put them in pull-ups because I didn't think we would be gone too long. I didn't offer an outside trip to the potty and they didn't ask. we went to the mall playground and to the grocery. They made it the FULL 2 HOURS without peeing! They both waited until we got home! I couldn't believe it!

Did I mention that the boys tried okra last night and loved it. OK - it was fried, but still.

Oh No!

The boys now have a chance to one up us when we put them in time out.
Eli both peed and pooped in his pants since we left him in his room more than five minutes. He said it was an "askident", but his smile was a little too revealing.

Pics

Watching Monster's Inc.

Easter 2009

Potty Training 101 - Day 13

Do I dare say it? No accidents since Monday - have we accomplished the impossible? I even caught Eli on Wednesday going to the bathroom all by himself! Should I go buy them a car or something. What's next?

Remind me again...

Why do I let Isaac eat dry rice krispies on the new sofa?

Food snobs?

I will tell you I didn't do it on purpose. Isaac has so many food allergies we have to make nearly everything from scratch and use special allergy free recipe for every thing from bread to cake. We rarely go out to eat, and even more rarely do we eat fast food. In fact, Eli thinks McDonald's (which, by the way, he has never been to) is a pizza place.

On the way home from the doctor the other day I ran by Arby's to get some roast beef sandwiches. I ordered through the drive through, again a first for Eli. As we drove up to the window to pay Eli asked if the guy in the window was making fresh bread for us. Sort of doubt it.

Today while eating a nutritious lunch of turkey hotdogs and pretzels (processed foods Isaac can actually eat) Eli made a master piece. I guess I should stop watching so much Food Network.

Potty Training 101 - Day 10

Yesterday was the boys first day at school after potty training. They did great. Eli peeped twice standing, which is now the preferred way - he even tried to stand up and poop today. I stopped that one fast. Isaac went 4 times, before noon. I think he is so terrified of peeping in his pants that he goes as soon as he feels any type of urge. He is kind of hard on himself when he has an accident, I hope that doesn't mean he is going to be a high strung perfectionist. At school the teacher said Isaac would count to 3 before he would try - he would say "1,2,3 (push)". Whatever it takes to learn those numbers.
I asked Isaac today if he needed to peep and he said no, and I said "ok, but it has been a while" and Isaac said "Be patient." Nice - the student becomes the teacher.

Perfection

So - this is a picture of Eli. If you look really close you can see that he wrote his name on a piece of paper with a crayon. I'm serious. John and I were in the kitchen, the boys were in the dining room and when we came in Eli had written his name on the coloring page. Nevermind that from his vantage point it was both backwards and upside down.

Brothers

Potty Training 101 - Day 6

Well - I am feeling pretty confident about this potty training effort. I know, I just jinxed myself. Isaac had one accident today and Eli had none. Eli is aware enough to tell us when he needs to go, Isaac just isn't there yet. As long as we ask him he is in good shape.
I think they are digging the underwear. I bought them both some cool new underwear today, a Disney Pixar mix of Cars, Toy Story, Wall-E, and the Incredibles. I never thought pooping and peeping in the potty could be so time consuming, I am pretty sure at least 75% of my week off has been spent in the bathroom. But at least we close the week with more success than failure. And I still have some carpet cleaner left for the good times to come.

The Flu

We took Isaac to the doctor on Wednesday related to his hives outbreak, therefore Eli now has the flu, and so does Isaac. Why oh why do they put toys in the waiting room of a doctor's office. Eli has been delusional due to his fever and lack of sleep and has been saying all kinds of funny things. I "slept" on the floor in his room because he threw up twice before mid-night last night and I was afraid he would aspirate. So I heard 6 hours of random thoughts my favorites:

"Who's laughing in here"

Leaning over the bed and handing me his stuffed turtle, Eli said, "Mom, this warm juice is disgusting"

"Mom, why are you crying"

I took Eli to the doctor this afternoon for the official diagnosis. The doctor came in and said "Well Eli, I just talked to the Easter Bunny and he said you have been a good boy this year." Eli said, "Really, that's surprising."

Potty Training - Day 4

I am not going to lie, today is not going well. In fact I am eating a little of ice cream right now. For whatever reason when I called John to let the kids brag on how they are doing, the whole potty training bit fell apart. We called John at about 10:30 so he could be proud of the boys for using the potty twice in the morning. Since then Isaac has peed on the carpet in three different rooms, and Eli has peed in a fourth room. Not cool.

The Beach

Eli and Isaac went to the pretend beach today (the playroom in the basement). They stripped down to their skivvies so they could go swimming. "I need to go get my camera, this is adorable", I thought silently. And then they both whizzed on the floor. I ran upstairs to get carpet cleaner instead.

Potty Training 101 - Day 3

Yesterday went pretty well. We had a couple of accidents, but it was an out of the ordinary day. Isaac woke with with some serious hives so we had to go to the doctor (I put potty training on hold for the doctor's office trip). When we got home I switched them back to underwear - and then we went outside to enjoy the weather. I took the little potty outside with us. Isaac used it, Eli refused. I tried to get him to pee on a tree (something I sure I will regret later) but he thought that was a bit weird.

I am a little overly sensitive to grunts that sound like active pooping right now. We were coloring yesterday and Eli was making those noises and I kind of scared him, I think. I popped my head up and said "Eli are you pooping?" he said "No mom, I'm breathing - I like to breath." For some reason I got a real kick out of that.

It turns out Isaac is allergic to jelly beans (of course). He has had some serious hives over the past two days and that is the only thing we can isolate. Jelly beans were our last, regular, peanut-free treat. Evidently the red dye makes him break out. As bad as eggs!!! So I guess we will now be purchasing the $50/bag allergy free candy.