Da da da daaaaa .... she's here!

For those who haven't heard, Ember Dawn Rahija arrived two weeks ago at 8:11AM, just in time for mommy to have breakfast (weren't sure which family this "arriving in time to eat" trait comes from, as it could be either one!). She weighed 7lb 12.5oz and was 20.5" long.




Big sisters, Erin and Avery, are adjusting fairly well to our new addition, even with the start of kindergarten and Erin's impending 6th birthday.




Daddy is adjusting to being the lone boy in a house of 4 girls! The smallest one seems to have him wrapped around her finger, and his voice and "bouncing"/snuggling works like Benedryl on her!



This girl sleeps so well. She slept through the night at 4 days old, and we've only had a few nights where she's woken more than once - mostly due to burps that didn't make it out the top and the air had to make its way out the other end. She eats very well too, and at her two week appointment she was a whopping 8lb 13+oz - such a different story than her big sisters! If only she were as skilled at burping!





Mommy is adjusting to living with three daughters, and getting them ready to go places. Some of our adventures have included: Orange poop stains on the bottoms of Ember's feet when we've gone to school. After Avery spent an afternoon playing with Mr. Potato Head, I looked away while Ember was sleeping on my lap, and looked back quickly with Ember's screams to see Avery holding her sister's ears at perpendicular angle to her head, and gladly exclaiming "Two ears!" Avery also has explored the inner sanctum of Ember's throat, and squeezed the spongy button that is Ember's nose. In the hospital, Avery tried to pull the "panic button" clamp off Ember's umbilical cord, which would have given her an "outie" vs. an "innie"!



I think it's safe to say that Ember will be a "hearty lass"! Just wait until she can retaliate!

Underarm Aroma

Undeniably funny quote from Erin today ...

Mom: Erin, I think we need to buy you some deodorant. (mom is lying on couch as Erin hugs from overhead, sticking armpit right over mom's face)
Erin: Why would do you say that mom? (with a bit of a snicker)
Mom: Well, I think my face stinks like your armpit now, and it is not pleasant.
Erin: Yeah, but mom, at least it smells a little good.
Mom: Oh, it does?
Erin: Yeah, because it smells like a yummy omelet! I love omelets!

Yep, it's good to be a kindergartener, when the glass is half full, even when you have stinky pits!

Updates

I haven't updated our blog for a while, because ... there aren't many things to update. I am now 39 weeks into this pregnancy, and still very pregnant! My due date is a week from today, and I am really hoping to deliver by then. The next few days are supposed to be "scorchers" and I am not looking forward to the heat with this bump on my front! However, if God is not finished with this little princess, I want to give him all the time He needs to complete her construction -- we don't want "doughy in the middle", which is great for cakes and cookies, not so great for "buns" coming out of the oven! I am dilated to a whopping 1 cm and am barely 20% effaced, but the encouraging news is that her head is down, in the correct place, and Dr. Peck, my most amazing OB, is on call this weekend, and will be able to deliver her if she suddenly gets a wild hair and wants to come on out and meet us. It looks like Natalie's birthday remains her own, at this point, and it's a few days until the next Rahija August birthday, so she could have her own day at this point. We also scheduled a tentative date to induce, being August 13th/14th. I really hope it doesn't happen this way, because Erin starts kindergarten on the 14th, and I would really like to take her to school on her first day. If that doesn't happen, it will be fine, she is just really struggling with the idea of the baby and school, and I want to make her transition as easy as possible. God is in control, and I want to leave Him there!

Other news ... Erin and I went school shopping this week, which was fun for about 10 minutes :)

Avery's terrible twos have arrived along with some hitting, screeching, and yelling traits that are so very foreign to us in her. She also shakes her fist in the air like an angry old man at times, which is sometimes very funny.

It's really hot here.

Erin found two more monarch caterpillars yesterday so they are in the butterfly jar atop the bookshelf, munching away on green leaves. We think it might be just the right timing for her to take them to school if the teacher will want them in there, to share.

Daddy and Mommy enjoyed a long weekend without the girls, as Uncle John, Aunt Michelle, Aunt Krista, and Grandpa and Grandma graciously invited Erin and Avery to attend the family reunion in Oklahoma. Aunt Michelle picked them up on Thursday afternoon, and they returned on Monday evening. It appears they all survived. Daddy and Mommy enjoyed two dates, and some much-needed conversation time. We had a ball, and are so thankful to all of them for giving us the gift of time alone together! THANK YOU!

I think that's about it. We haven't done anything too exciting lately, and feel like we're just sitting around waiting! Baby has met all scheduling requirements by family and friends, and now we're just waiting on her! Have a great weekend, and try to stay as "un-hot" as possible!

Wings

We had an exciting event at our house this morning, a journey that began about 10 days ago left the ground today, and took flight. Ten days ago, Erin excitedly ran into the house with her newest pet discovery, a monarch caterpillar. We fixed a jar with leaves, a stick, and some water, hoping to keep the little guy alive until he made his cocoon. We expected it to take a while, but overnight, he started into the process. David saw him wiggling around while hanging from the lid of the jar, but didn't think much about it. When we checked later, the little green, pepper-esque chrysalis hung by a thread from the lid of the jar. Erin was pretty excited, and we continued to check it over the course of the next 9 days. Last night, David and I were inspecting it, and noticed it had changed color, and that we could actually see the beautiful wing pattern through the walls of the chrysalis. This morning, Avery came downstairs and was cold, so I picked her up, and she exclaimed "I see a tatterpillar! A tatterpillar!" She pointed to the jar on top of the bookshelf, and I saw the beautiful creature hanging from the lid, completely unwrapped from the blue cocoon.

I sent Avery upstairs to get Daddy and Erin, and we all quickly dressed and hurried outside to release the amazing orange and black masterpiece.

The butterfly was a bit nervous to fly, so we just let him spread his wings a bit, and get his bearings. He crawled on David's finger and Erin's arm (until she couldn't handle the tickling anymore), and then David set him on some leaves so he could choose his own flight schedule.

We all came in to eat breakfast, and Erin hurried back out to watch him. Half an hour later, she came bursting into the house with the exciting news of the first flight of her monarch. It was an exhilarating morning at the Rahija house! One of God's huge miracles wrapped in a small package!

Three Weeks or LESS!

We had our 37 week ob appointment yesterday, and came back with little to report. Baby's heart rate was 147 bpm, my bp was 124/72, and I am still measuring 1 cm smaller than I "should" be measuring on my belly. Next week, Dr Peck will start checking for dilating and effacing, so we have another week to wait and see what's going on in that department.

I think we have a name we like, which is a relief to me! We also have diapers and the carseat washed and ready to go, so I feel prepared in a way.

Grandma Gerstenkorn says we have to wait until the 24th to have this baby, Rachel says we need to wait until August 4th, and Grandma and Grandpa Rahija will be gone from the 25th to the 28th, so they have put in a request for either before or after that timeframe. However, Dr. Peck is back from his vacation, and aside from being off for the weekend, he said he's here for the duration, so we're just going with his schedule :) Any other scheduling requests will be considered, but probably ignored (especially if this baby is anything like her two big sisters!). Thanks for your prayers and support! We can feel it!

Erin's Firsts

Erin is turning into quite the big girl these days. Her sixth birthday is just around the corner, as is the first day of Kindergarten! She is very excited about this, and just a bit apprehensive. She seems to be in a pattern of "growing up" lately, as I was informed that she was too big for splashy baths, and preferred to shower by herself, and she could take care of the hair/body washing, as long as I was close by in case she got soap in her eyes. I secretly suspect that she really was just tired of Avery's little habit of sticking her little hand into butt cracks - this is actually quite unpleasant! However, we have tried to respect her wishes, and as time allows, she is showering like a big girl.

Another first is her transition away from training wheels on her bike! In under a week she and daddy mastered the tricks of balancing, pedaling, and steering simultaneously, and now they are bike-riding buddies. She LOVES to go fast, especially down hills (as does her daddy!), and asks David to go out riding from the moment he opens his eyes in the morning until bedtime, it seems! This mostly pleases him, except when he is hot and tired :)

The last "first" I have to share is the loss of her first two teeth! According to her, one day, she was chewing on a tumble weed stem that had a little "notch" in it. When she pulled it out of her mouth, her bottom left tooth caught on the notch, causing some initial looseness. Later that evening, we went to Pizza Street, and while biting into a soft cheese stick, the tooth wrenched more loose. She cried as it hurt some, and thankfully she didn't have a mirror, because there was some bleeding. Mommy has a bit of an issue with teeth, so lucky for me, while I went up to refill my drink, Erin reached in and just pulled the tooth out, wrapped it in a napkin, and shared her "surprise" with me when I returned to the table. She was so pleased, and shared her joy with anyone who would listen at Pizza Street. The tooth fairy visited that night, and left a quarter, which I have been informed by another adult, is a very low tooth price, but we have a book about the tooth fairy that says she leaves "a coin" under the pillow of her tooth donors, so I think we're okay for now. The second tooth came out two days later, after Erin twisted it out. I fear she views losing teeth as a lucrative situation, and I hope she doesn't try to pull them out before they are ready! Quarters are pretty valuable around here, because they work in the arcade games at CiCi's and Pizza Street! Fun times, fun times!

Pics of the Room

Here's some photos of the girls' new sleeping room. They are really enjoying it!







Avery's fallen off the top once, and one night fell out of her own bed three times - that was a fun night! However, she's quite the climber, and gets up and down off of the top bunk like a little monkey (much to the chagrin of her big sister!).

Sleeping Room Redone

The project weekend was a big success! The sleeping room has been transformed into a periwinkle paradise, complete with new bunk beds, new dressers, new night lights, and happy camper kids. I love it, the kids love it, and David is glad to be done :) If we have time, and I can get it ready, we'd like to do our room too, as I have paint in the garage for it, and rearranging our furniture will help for when the baby arrives and inhabits our room for a while.

We are continuing with the laundry project, and my amazing husband built me a clothes folding table yesterday (thanks to Mark for the 2x4s, from the closet tear-out project!). We can fit two clothes baskets under the table, and two on the shelf, so I can keep laundry sorted easier, and then fold the clothes to take upstairs instead of taking up the baskets of clean clothes that just stay in the baskets and "cure" while we use clothes out of them! I think it feels like we are finally getting this house under control! Yippee! If I can keep it maintained, we'll be doing great! Thanks to all who have helped me in Project Reclaim the House!

6 weeks remaining

Well, we are on the downhill slope of this pregnancy, and are excited and anxious for it to be done (or at least I am!). Baby is still pretty active, although she sinks lower and lower each day, preparing for her entrance into this world. We had a "preterm labor scare" just over a week ago, but after about 9 hours of regular contractions, we got the the hospital and of course, they stopped! However, our nurse, was very nice, and we are excited for another great experience at Olathe Medical Center's "The Birth Place". My very good friend just started working there, and today is her first day with patients, so we are hopeful that she will be there with us! I had another episode of spotty vision followed by numbness in my arm and a headache this morning, but thankfully it didn't last long, so we are feeling healthy again.

There are still lots of projects to complete before baby arrives: getting the girls' sleeping room painted and put together. We have the paint, Grandpa R dropped off the bunk beds we received from Freecycle on Monday evening, and after the painting is done, we are trading our neighbor for a matching set of dressers (she insists that our blue and yellow dresser is a fair trade for her three pieces - I am thanking God for this provision!). The cubby we pulled from our dumpster has been primed and is waiting for paint. I also need to finish organizing the play room. Grandpa and Daddy built shelving into the closet, and it's wonderful, and the girls are already enjoying being able to see the toys we've "homed" on the shelves. The girls and I need to paint the pegs/hooks for their play clothes, and I need to buy another tub for the dress-up accessories. It's fun to do these things, when the energy is there. We are also trying to get all of our laundry caught up (our regular laundry is fairly under control, but the out of season/too small/rarely wear piles were out of control, so I think I am down to about 5 loads to get us done. Grandma R has come over to help me sort clothes, clean the basement, and other big jobs. What a blessing! This weekend is supposed to be our big project weekend, but things at work are a little uncertain for David taking off Friday and/or Monday, so we'll see what we can accomplish! The other big project to complete soon is finding a name for this new addition to our family. We can't seem to come up with one that we all like. Erin is pulling for Alice ... we were strongly considering Eva/Ava, but with Avery, our friend pointed out that those two names were very similar and could get confusing ... so suggestions are welcome at this point!

Have a great day!

A New Post!!!

Yes, friends, it has been too long since I've posted ... my excuse was I couldn't post new pics, and it seems I had several I wanted to post, but have since forgotten which pics they were, so... we'll just post some new random ones so you can see our little family as it's growing!

David and Erin in a stunning pose!


Erin's last day of preschool (before we went for frozen custard)


One of Avery's new skills: undressing in part (haven't taken any of her "in full" pics yet). Here she has her purple shirt stylishly adorning her waist as a belt accessory.


This girl has a fantastic sense of style, just ask Mark!


Who can resist these eyes and the smile?? Mom and Dad - we've been down this road before with big sis! Poor little Princess #3 ... she doesn't stand a chance!


In family news ...
* We said goodbye to Grandma Looney and Grandma Boeck early this spring, and celebrated their homecoming to Jesus.
* Baby Rahija is a girl (yes, that makes three girls; no, we haven't decided on a name yet; yes, David is coping and getting used to the fact that he will be the lone male in the house; no, we do not need a male dog or other pet to help with that situation!).
* Avery turned 2.
* My sister, got married, so now I have two brothers called John/Jon!
* Erin attended Kindergarten Roundup!
* Erin finished pre-school.

Ummm, I think that may be the highlights of life since February. Thanks for checking in with us from time to time. We are both on facebook if you'd like to look us up there. Okay, I have a glucose tolerance test to check for gestational diabetes in 6 hours, and need to get some rest. Have a wonderful day!

Today's blessing ...

The little boy who has been viewed as the class bully by Erin has learned the word of "please!"

Erin came home so excited today, that while in the sandbox, he returned the red shovel she was using when she asked by saying "please" to him. We have been praying for this little munchkin, as have many of you, as well as two of our church communities. Thank you!

Forever

Today was a special day at the Rahija house ... tonight as Erin was having some difficulty at bedtime, she expressed some concern to me about not being able to be with Jesus, and crying because she knew that she had been with Him before she was born, but couldn't remember what He looked like. I asked her if she had ever invited Jesus to live in her heart, as her forever friend, and she said she hadn't. I explained a little about what that was, and asked her if she'd like to invite Him. She immediately responded with a serious concern ... "Does Jesus get mail?" (I think she was concerned about how to get the credit card apps inside of her without it hurting). I assured her that the kind of mail Jesus gets are like prayers, so they don't hurt. She seemed relieved, and after a few more minutes of small-talk, she returned to the subject by simply stating, "Mommy, I'd like to invite Jesus to live in my heart." I asked her if she'd like me to pray with her and help her. Like so many things in her life, she responded, "No, I think I've got it covered, Mommy." I smiled, and held her hands and listened to her pray to God, thanking Him for sending Jesus, and asking Jesus to come live in her, forever and ever, to never leave her, so she would never be alone or afraid again.

Doesn't get better than that, friends!

Latest Erinism

Well, David and I couldn't help but snicker at this one ...

Erin's preschool had a "mixer" event on Tuesday, involving ice cream. Some called it a party, some called it a social, and one called it "show-showl". This is funny, because she wanted to take her bunny, named "Shu Shu" along at one point ... try saying "Can I take Shu Shu to the ice cream Show showl, mommy?"

What a funny bunny!

On a not so funny note .... you might keep Erin in your prayers. There is a little boy in her class who is a bully. He apparently disobeys the teachers, spits at them, has to be held down during story time, touches kids randomly (as in their hair or arm), ... and pushes the other kids around concerning the toys at recess. Erin is trying to reach out to him, and we've had several talks about this little boy. She wants to be Jesus to him, but was brushed off today ... she painted a picture for him, and he said he didn't want it. Her response to me about this was "When he did that it made me feel like I wasn't a very good artist." I think she's talked to the teachers, and their response is that he is just three. Her teachers are excellent, and after Erin covertly pointed out the mystery bully to me today (it was funny, her lips barely moved, and she pointed "through" her body because he was behind us as we were waiting for the doors to open before school today - yes, imagine Erin being discrete, and that is really funny!), I have seen the way they handle him, and it seems to be with love, and out of concern to help him grow while keeping the other kids safe. We have started praying for this little boy, and that God would use Erin and the others in the classroom to show love to him.

Okay, that's it for now. Good night!

Wild Weeks

Well, since the last illness and the birthday, we've had a busy schedule it seems. Erin started preschool (yes, we decided to keep her out of kindergarten ... for a myriad of reasons, but mainly, because she has the rest of her life to be in school, and we don't want to force her to be there yet, and as the youngest in her class, we didn't want to put that stress on her). She attends the Lawrence Arts Center arts-based preschool program. It is wonderful! She has brought home so many paintings and discovered so much already! You'll have to ask David about his new favorite children's song ... clue: it involves all the children singing "Where is TallMan?" and demonstrating together - priceless. Miss Allison and Miss Miriam are wonderful, and the environment of the classroom is so great! This teacher/mommy is very excited! I would be excited to teach there, if I ever wanted to teach preschoolers! She has already had her first sick day -- she caught another round of the stomach bug, and actually came down with the fever about an hour after returning from the first day of school. The need for a bucket arose later in the evening, and continued through early morning. The fever hung around for 3 days, which was unpleasant, and a bit scary, as she started to get very weak. I had to carry her from the potty to her bed once because her legs wouldn't work. However, all is right with her world again, and she had a great time at school on Monday.

Over Labor Day weekend, we were busy, with household purging, new furniture in the upstairs living room (YEAH!), grandma and grandpa Gerstenkorn visiting overnight, and a picnic (well, it really wasn't a picnic, because we stayed inside, but we ate picnicy food, and had a fun time!) with our friends from church (also, we had a leadership team meeting, but the eating was more fun!).

Avery is getting to be a real clown these days. She's trying really hard to take part in family conversation, with more than just grunting. We cannot understand many of her phrases yet, but she is very intent on saying some words instead of just squawking or whining or grunting. This is amusing, but perhaps the funniest is her attempt at humor. During dinner, when someone at the table is telling a story, she bursts out with this fake laugh, dips her head, and shakes her head from side to side, as if enjoying the punchline. It is hysterical, because we all start laughing, and then she really starts to giggle, but continues with the head shaking/dipping. I think she is going to be the funny one in our bunch. What a ham! She has also developed a love for shoes, and has a pair of pink shiny shoes that cause her to dance. This is also entertaining. She seems to like punk music, and flowy female vocals as well. Today she did something very gross, and I am worried about the outcome. We had "Saucy Chicken Casserole" last night for dinner. Before I ate my chicken, I did a quick "fat check" to remove any big pieces of that before eating it - one of my worst feelings: biting into meat that has a bunch of fat, always makes me gag. Anyway, sorry, that was an icky description. Okay, after dinner, I tossed the scraps into the garbage, and it was rather full, but I didn't take out the trash. Today, during a renegade trip to the kitchen garbage can, Avery discovered the remains of the chicken, and put all of it in her mouth. When I picked her up to change her diaper, I smelled something that wasn't diaper-related, and asked her to open her mouth. She obliged, and I found the chicken. I was pretty grossed out, and after digging it out, called Grandma G, the nurse, and asked her if I should be worried. She gave me the number for poison control (I guess that answer was yes), and I called them. They told me not to worry, but just watch for signs of food poisoning, and if she has those symptoms for more than 24 hours, see the doctor so she doesn't get dehydrated. Hopefully, all will be well, and her digestive system will take care of any bacteria she ingested.

Okay, just wanted to give a little update. Hope life is going well for all of you, and know that I enjoy reading your news!

Royal "To Do" at Castle Rahija

- ARP (Associated Royal Press)

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! (I guess it should be "Read Ye! Read Ye!") Princess Erin has celebrated the fifth anniversary of her birth. The Royal To Do, held at Castle Rahija, in the kingdom of Lawrence was a huge success, with all invited guests attending, and even a few surprise guests! Unfortunately, the royal photograph machine was not functioning, due to a lemonade situation a week prior to the celebration. Guests, including Evil Aidan, Lady Chloe: Tamer of the Dragons, Lady Jordan, William the Terrible (fire-breathing dragon), and Sir Avery: Knight of the Square Table arrived in their finery, as was Queen Sarah, who wore her finest queen attire from the wedding celebration of Their Highness John and Michelle of Castle Riggs. Surprise guests were Sir Matt and Lady Dena of Castle Broderick, who "rode in" for a quick moment.

Guests enjoyed exploring our castle grounds, and were brave enough to enter the cave of the dreadful dragon, William the Terrible, who chased them back to the safety of the castle walls. The Evil Aidan attacked at some point during the evening, and the group fended off his evil army with their marshmallow catapults. The guests also had the task of returning the tails to the dragon (dragons, much like some lizards, periodically lose their tails). William the Terrible (of course being a dragon) did very well in placing his tail in the correct place.

Guests enjoyed a strawberry tiara cake (bunt cake, frosted yellow with jolly rancher jewels, and 5 yellow candles for the "pointy parts"), fruit punch/pineapple, apple, orange juice in jeweled tumblers with their names insribed on the side. They also feasted on crackers, pretzels, and a castle of cheese, constructed by none other than King David.

Guests were all different ages and sizes, but a good time was had by all. Sir Avery, who had traveled from Castle Baranet in the Kingdom of Eudora, stayed later to have some special play time with Princess Erin. What a blessing to have good friends, near and far!


(Evil Aidan's mom snapped a few pics, so maybe we can find some pictoral evidance of these goings-on)

"I think I need a thermometer"

After a "weekend of wilderness fun" - or at least controlled camping environment fun! - we are slowly unpacking the bags, moisturizing our sunburns, and trying to figure out what kind of cake we can do to even come close to being as cool as the one Uncle John and Aunt Michelle made for the Rahija Birthday Campout Weekend! Erin had a blast at Clinton Lake this past weekend, after a year of planning, inviting, and painstakingly waiting, her dream was fulfilled. She played so hard in the water, that I think she started developing scales. She is so brown, and her hair is quite a bit lighter as well. She was so tired that she fell asleep on a couch before worship service, slept through the music practice, through the service, and through the furniture re-arrange that happens after service and before the meal.

Today, we had a not-so-fun day, as Erin woke up "feeling really yucky." Thirty minutes later she was hunched over a bucket, watching Toy Story. I, for one, was impressed. She turned her head to the side to heave, and never broke eye contact with the television. I wiped her mouth with a washcloth, dumped her bucket, and returned it to her, where she held it at her side until it was needed again later.

She is such a good little trooper. I think the funniest thing about Erin being sick is that she gets far more panicky about the thought of having a fever than throwing up or having a tummy ache. I felt her hot little head and told her that she had a fever, and she nearly went into a panic attack. Later this afternoon, she ambled upstairs and flopped on a chair and said in a very dramatic voice, "I am so sick that I think I even need a thermometer." I asked why she thought that, and she told me that thermometers help sick people feel better. She knew that on good authority because her grandma is a nurse. Well, we did indeed have a thermometer, and put it to use, healing the sickness right out of that girl. We also prayed and sent her to bed at a good time!

Only time will tell if the thermometer is a healing agent ... I have to say I'm embarrassed to say I did not know of this healing measure - and I lived with the thermometer expert for 20 years!

New Favorite

Well, I have a new favorite song ... "East to West" by Casting Crowns. It really hit me as a song that speaks to a place I hit somtimes ... not that I am afraid, of rejection, just not wanting to fall back into a lifestyle that destroys ... AND the assurance that Jesus did, does, and will always know, understand, and be there in those moments! The song is on their new album that releases in August, and is currently the first song that plays on their myspace page. LOVE IT!

East to West

Here I am Lord and I’m drowning, in Your sea of forgetfulness
The chains of yesterday surround me, I yearn for peace and rest
I don’t want to end up where You found me
And it echoes in my mind
Keeps me awake tonight
I know you’ve cast my sin as far as the East is from the West
And I stand before You now as though I’ve never sinned
But today I feel like I’m just one mistake away
From You leaving me this way

Chorus:
Jesus can you show me just how far the east is from the west
‘Cause I can’t bear to see the man I’ve been
Rising up in me again
In the arms of Your mercy I find rest
‘Cause You know just how far the east is from the west
From one scarred hand to the other

I start the day, the war begins
Endless reminding of my sin
And time and time again
Your truth is drowned out by the storm I’m in
Today I feel like I’m just one mistake away
from You leaving me this way

I know You’ve washed me white
Turn my darkness into life
I need Your peace to get me through
To get me through this night
I can’t live by what I feel
About the truth Your word reveals
I’m not holding on to You
But You’re holding on to me
You’re holding on to me

Did you know...?

Another Erinism has come to my attention ...

Last week Erin and I were taking a walk around our little condo neighborhood, I was pushing Avery and she was pushing Abby in strollers. Erin's stroller is a little short for her now, so the walks are a bit painful to watch, but she still likes to do this. As we were walking, I noticed a dead slug on the sidewalk, and pointed it out to her, merely in hopes of helping her stroller wheels avoid contact with the expired slug. She skirted it, and I dismissed it. Two or three sidewalk squares later, Erin pauses, sniffs the air, and says,
"Yep, that was a slug alright."
I said, "I know, I pointed it out to you, remember?"
"Yeah, but how did you know, Mom?"
"Well, I saw it and just knew, because I have seen them before."
"Well, I know too."
"Oh?"
"Yep, don't you smell it?"
"Smell what?"
"The slug."
"Um, no, I hadn't stopped to sniff it."
"Well, you don't need to stop, Mom, just smell the air. Come on, try it. " (model sniffing ensues) "Don't you smell it?"
"Well, it does kind of smell like something."
"Slug stink mom, that smell you are smelling is the stink of slug, and that's how you can know if it's really a slug or not. Trust me, I know, I touch those things all the time, and that's what my hands smell like, exactly."
"Oh, thanks for sharing that with me, Erin, I learned something from you today."
"Thank you, mommy!" (beaming face emerges, and stroller resumes route).

Oh, what a kid!

Cast-Off!

Well, Erin's arm is stink-free now, as her cast came off last week. She was so itchy (and stinky), and scratched a sore in the crease of her arm. Poor thing, we were trying to wash it to remove the cast residue (and STINK), and she was so afraid of moving it, in case it wasn't better. Thankfully, it is healing nicely, and the bone has made the protective "cocoon" around the break, so she can be without the cast, but still needs to be careful while it is healing. We go back the first week of July to hopefully get the "all clear".

Some things we learned through this process:

1. not all doctor offices expect or display the same level of courtesy in their reception area
2. worm-diggin' four-year-olds can get dirt in the most interesting places
3. water can invade a plastic trash bag in many places
4. plastic trash bags tied onto arms make great baby-scaring splashers
5. a pink cast, no mater how cuddly it appears, is a weapon in disguise
6. it is hard to eat a sandwich when the arm is bent in a 90 degree angle without the contents falling all over the floor
7. a comfortable sleeping position is something highly desired by one wearing a pink cast weapon
8. a pink cast draws much attention and sympathy from adults
9. said cast also gets many great bargains (even free-bies) at garage sales
10. And, perhaps the most memorable, the aroma of a pink, fading to dirt-brown cast is overwhelming near the hand region of a small child (especially when the small child has been handling worms, slugs, mud, dead rabbits, snails, and other fairly disgusting and stinky things). (David and I actually bickered over who had to sit on the "cast side" of the bed during story time at night, it was so bad!)

Thank you so much for your prayers, notes of encouragement and humor, and just loving Erin and our family. We thrive knowing that God has placed us in the middle of such a caring family. Erin sends her thanks, and told me today how special it made her feel to know that people were praying for her and her arm getting better faster. Thank you.

New accessory

Today we returned to our arm doctor for Erin's checkup. Thankfully everything looked great, and things are healing nicely. They even were able to cast her arm today, vs splinting it again, which makes me feel really great.

The past week has been really stressful for me trying to keep her arm still, clean, and from getting "more broken". Two events that stand out are Erin walking across the floor in our living room, a clear floor, surface unmarred by toys, paper, or clothing, and falling, without an explanation. Yep, there's mom coming through! The second event occurred Friday evening, at David's work cookout. Erin made herself right at home in this backyard, instantly making friends with the other child present, and immediately finding a way to be near the water feature. The two of them played and played, but suddenly Erin spied a worm in the bottom of the water. understand that when it comese to worms, Erin is all business - this is her life! She found a long stick and began trying to fish it out of the water. Now, this water feature is fairly deep, and has a fountain shooting out of the middle. Erin discovered this first hand, as she lost her balance, lost the worm, and lost her "dryness" in one fell swoop. We heard a yelp, splash, then crying, and turned to see a dripping, sniffling little girl. Her legs were scratched up, she was soaked, and she had landed on her arm, so it was hurting and soaked as well. Poor thing ... even her mouth was full of water, and when she opened up to squeeze out the words, "I'm wet.", the water poured out. Thankfully, our host offered her some dry clothes and she played the rest of the evening without incident. Those are just two examples of why life at our house has been a bit stressful this week - try explaining to a stubborn, active 4 year old why she can't ride her new bike, climb the tree, jump on a trampoline, race the other kids on the sidewalk ... it is not a fun or very successful experience, I might add.

Anyway, today, the doctor was pleased, and had the nurse put the cast on it (she wanted a rainbow cast, but settled for pink - it's very cute!), and when we go back on June 1st, we may get to keep it off! Exciting news for this girl who wants to be in dirt or water 24 hours a day! Thanks for praying for a quick and low-pain recovery! Have a great week!