Walking and driving and vacuuming! Oh my!

Yep, that's my big news!

I am officially walking, well limping but hey, at least I am upright! And yesterday I drove for the first time since 12/30/07. And I vacuumed! Yes, I am a bit strange but as I lay on the ground on that oh so fateful day waiting for the ambulance to come and rescue me, the thing that ran through my mind the most was the fact that I was likely not going to be able to vacuum....for a long time. Vacuuming is my happy place. I think its the hum of the motor that allows me to tune out the chaos... er I mean kids in my house. I also love the instant gratification of having vacuum marks in my carpet. Yep, I did tell you, I am weird like that.

So I saw my orthopedic surgeon on Tuesday and got the go ahead to bear weight and walk. I still have my boot on (a very heavy and very bulky walking cast, kind of like a ski boot) but he said I should try to wean myself from it over the next few weeks. I also started physical therapy to help get me into top form for Disney in April. So yesterday I decided I would surprise Ryan and go pick him up from school. He's been asking me lately when I would be better and be able to take him to and from school again. His reaction was priceless, "Mom, you're here?! Who's going to drive us home?" I think I made his day. :)

Ryan has been having a rough time lately. I think all the upheaval in his life is getting to him and he's been having some issues at school. When I spoke to his teacher she assured me she thinks it's all directly related to everything that's been going on at home. Which I know, but it doesn't make it any easier to swallow. So picking him up yesterday was really just what the doctor ordered, all around.

Molly and Kate have been well, Molly and Kate. Those two have got to be the craziest three year olds around. Molly is really letting her Irish temper shine through. She is prone to getting mad about ANYTHING and EVERYTHING while running up to her room in tears. How old is she again, thirteen? Oh and lest we forget, the nail painting incident. White out, all over her hands and nails. Boy did she look pretty.

Kate has been living the life of hard knocks. She had an anaphylactic reaction to something we had for dinner on Valentine's Day. We think it may have been sesame bread or possibly some cross contamination with peanuts. We'll have her tested for a sesame allergy at her next doctor's appointment. During dinner she began to complain of a stomach ache and soon was pretty much lethargic. Very frightening for all of us. I managed to keep it together and administered the Epi Pen. She had a ride to the hospital via ambulance and after some monitoring, she was declared well and sent home. The funniest part of that evening.... while sitting on the stretcher in the ER, she declared, "Mommy! You da bad guy! You poked my body!" while demonstrating how I jabbed her thigh. We had a good laugh with that one.

So less than a week later, Kate and company were out back running around and Joanie (our savior of a nanny that we recently hired to get us through the end of my recovery) comes in with a screaming, bleeding Kate. Apparently during some rough housing Kate was pushed by Ryan and did a full frontal face plant. Her mouth was streaming blood and I once again felt that panic build up that has happened so many times before with my children. They are really getting good at scaring the bejeesus outta their momma! So back to the ER we went. She ended up with three stitches right above her top lip. A little Versed and a hug from the papoose board and she was good to go.

And then, the other day she had a collision with a brick wall. Whilst playing her favorite game of "puppy" down on all fours, she ran smack dab into the brick wall in our family room. She scraped up her left cheek and now it is a lovely mix of purple, green and blue bruises.

I swear, I used to be a social worker people and if I didn't know better I'd be thinking that child needs a safe home!

Kevin and I along with both of my parents came down with some lovely respiratory thing that turned into a week in the hospital for Gamma, two very sick and tired parents and a still sick Pop Pop. Antibiotics, steroids, breathing treatments and several doctors appointments later, hopefully we'll have some health and well being coming to this family soon.

Have I mentioned what having three kids does to one's bladder control when you have a wicked cough?

Yep, I LOVE my kids. Really I do. They give me loads of grief and reduce me to tears at times but truly they are the greatest miracles one could ever hope for. They are growing so quickly and I am awed by them every single day. Life has certainly been rough these past few years but I wouldn't change a thing. Well....maybe a few less ER visits.

I really need to pick up my camera. It has been sorely neglected these last few weeks. Now that spring is around the corner, we'll be outside more and hopefully I'll find some inspiration. I'll keep ya posted.