toddler tonsillectomy

please ignore the boogers. I was trying (not very successfully, to get photo documentation of the size of my almost three year old's GINORMOUS tonsils)

If you're reading this you might be considering having your toddler get his or her tonsils out. I have three words for you:

Don't do it!*

Actually, I have a whole bunch of more words for you too, but those are the main ones. Charlie's tonsils were "ginormous" according to the doctor, and were impacting his breathing and sleeping (so much snoring)! And I figured since Charlie was not even three yet the surgery would be much easier on him now than when he was older. I mean, it's not like he was 38 (when I had mine out). Children heal faster than adults, or so they say. But what I didn't consider was that he's too young to understand what the fuck just happened. And why? And that the medicine will, in fact, help. Even though it's "spicy". (PS Tylenol with codeine are "spicy" to an almost three year old).

this was pre-surgery when he literally had no idea what was coming. I didn't want to worry him ahead of time, so we didn't tell him. I feel bad about that now.

Also, when the doctor says it will be 7 to 10 days of hell afterwards, don't do like I did and figure what he really means is five or maybe six at most. Wrong. He actually means a full TEN. Also, keep in mind that the antibiotics that they prescribe afterwards are merely preventative. If you can't get your toddler to take them don't stress about it. The pain meds are MUCH MORE of a PRIORITY, and you definitely want to keep on top of those. Speaking of pain meds, I found Tylenol meltaways (or generic, because that's actually what I found). They come in grape and bubble gum and they literally just melt on the tongue. So no swallowing is really required (when swallowing really hurts). When we began to wean of the codeine this is what we used. Also, FYI, Tylenol with codeine can be hidden in apple juice. Antibiotics cannot. And neither can liquid ibuprofen. Believe me, we tried EVERYTHING. And he caught on most of the time.

this was after 27 minutes of blood curdling screaming (and very nearly mama tears) in the recovery room, when we finally checked into the room we would stay over night. (patients under the age of three stay over night at our hospital)

Bring movies to the hospital if you'll be staying over. We watched the Lorax 2,545,345,809 times.

 he actually ate that evening. maybe the heavy drugs from the surgery were still working, because there were quite a few days afterwards that he barely ate anything at all.

My three year old was deathly afraid of the blood pressure cuff, and the oxygen thingie that they put on your finger to make sure you're getting enough oxygen. The nurses would have to try to get readings on both of these things every few hours and while you and I know that they really truly do not hurt, telling a toddler who just woke up having had parts of his body very literally cut out of him did not bode well. He hated all the nurses (except the one that gave him a car that he could take home with him).

 one of the few moments where he slept that night. New Year's Eve, 2012, YAHOO! PARTY in room 528!! (maybe, honestly I don't remember what room we were in)

When you do get home, if you can't get your toddler to eat, don't worry. He'll eat eventually. Spend your energy making him drink. That's much more important during recovery. And if he gets dehydrated he'll have to go BACK to the hospital (which also, is a really good threat if your kid WON'T drink).

*Disclaimer. If you decide to do it anyway, know that you WILL actually get through it. Just be realistic in how long you can expect your toddler (and therefore you) to feel absolutely miserable. We got through it. And Charlie doesn't hold a grudge either. He may have even forgotten about it. Probably not, but maybe.

And also? No more snoring.

hell hath frozen over

I worked out this week people. Like in a gym. Twice.

(And if by chance YOU want to work out. Like in a gym. Check out Innovative Fitness.)



I'm posting every day this month for NaBloPoMo!

wtf! seriously?

Somebody stole (most of) our pumpkins.

At least they were "kind" enough to leave Charlie's?

Camden thinks they only wanted "the good ones".

I'm posting every day this month for NaBloPoMo!

seriously? part 2

Thursday afternoon I spent as a laundry whore. Meaning I did ALL the laundry. Washed, dried, folded.

Right about the time I was pretty much all done one of my darling children informed me that she (or he) needed hers (or his) dark jeans washed. For tomorrow, of course.

Where might those particular jeans be?, you might ask...

On her/his floor. Of course. 

So take note: Around here apparently clean clothes go in the dirty laundry, and dirty clothes go on our respective bedroom floors.(Or sometimes shoved in dresser drawers).

I know you'll all come visit me in the loony bin. Right?

seriously.

Do you think it's possible to go completely insane by finding the kids' clean (and folded even!) clothes in the dirty laundry?

dear target

Dear Target,

It's been a long time coming, but I can't hide it any longer, I think we should see other people. Or, if I'm honest, I've already been seeing other people. You just don't do it for me anymore. I've thought about it a lot lately and really, it's not me, it's you.

Things started going downhill when you decided to add groceries. I understand people need to eat. But "people who need to eat" is NOT your target demographic. I'm pretty sure that demographic belongs to a grocery store, like Safeway, or Fred Meyer, or (God forbid), even Albertson's. Adding groceries itself may not have been your downfall, had you expanded your entire store as well, but instead, bananas and pork chops stole precious square footage away from the things I loved most about you...aisles and aisles of affordable trendy clothes for me, my kids, and my house.

Who are you and what have you done with the Target I once loved?!

Your junior's and women's clothing sections are now WAY too crowded. I can barely get my cart with my screaming toddler through there (PS I do love your new carts though). And when I find something that might be cute, that I'd like to hold up in front of myself and admire how it might look on me? I can't. Because THERE ARE NO FREAKING MIRRORS IN YOUR ENTIRE STORE! How on earth you ever could have thought that would be a good idea is beside me. Even so, sometimes I'll find something that I think might be worthy of an actual trip to the dressing room, but then still, I end up disappointed. Nothing is cute. Nothing fits. And it's not even that cheap anymore. Your shoe section is pitiful. It's tiny. I did find a cute pair of red patent leather flats recently to replace an old pair of red patent leather flats (previously purchased at the "old" Target), and the new ones? I hate them. They hurt my feet. The back elastic shoves my toes up front where they aren't supposed to be. Why'd you do that? Why'd you even change them? And your home decor? Cute things to make my house look pretty? Quit moving them around! I can't even find them. Do you even have them anymore?

You used to have this Global Bazaar thing every January/February, where you'd bring in tons of really great housewares and furniture. (Not the crappy back to school stuff either). I got my kitchen table there one year. And I still love that. And I got an entire set of dishes (on clearance even) another year. But the past few years instead of that you bring in bulk sized cleaning crap and diapers? Really? Have you met Costco? Because they have that market covered. 

I kind of think you're trying to hard. You can't be everything to everybody. You need to go back to what you're good at it...find me some really cool things and sell them to me at great prices. Make me WANT to browse your aisles and get excited finding just the perfect knick knack, or a great skirt that I'll wear the heck out of. I used to love going to Target, for NO reason. Now, it makes me claustrophobic. I dread it. I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to let you go.

I hope we can still be friends, I just really think we need a break.

seriously

if this child doesn't take a freaking nap in the next 7 minutes I'm not quite sure what I'm going to do.

legit

This seems totally legit, right?