Daddy's Home

Julien's home!!! Thank God!!! Now I can take a little break. Then I have to get back to work before we leave. It never ends. Aidan is feeling much better. No fever after Thursday. Eating and drinking like a champ again. Back to playing again too. I think his ear is on the mend. Although he HATES the medicine he's on. It smells funky, so it must taste really nasty. Life is getting back to normal.

A week without Daddy

As I mentioned in the last post, Julien is gone on a business trip this week. Even without the exciting trip to the ER, this would've kept me busy enough. It's been a challenge. I spend all day with Aidan, right up to the time he goes to sleep. It's been a little difficult keeping him entertained. I think he's gotten tired of seeing me. He always looks forward to seeing Daddy at the end of the day and playing with him. Daddys just do things differently, you know? Thankfully, our neighbors are always happy to see Aidan and that keeps him occupied for awhile. But, even that has become a little boring to him. Personally, I'm too tired to be bored. It has really worn me out. Wednesday night was exhausting physically and mentally. Even so, the regular routine of the week has worn me out a bit. I have a lot of respect for single moms. I don't know how they do it. I really rely on Julien to be there to help and share the load. Most disappointingly, I don't get to sleep in on Saturday as I usually do. That is the one luxury I have yet to surrender. There will be no sleeping in this week and no breaks. At least we are heading up to visit my folks soon. That will give me an opportunity to rest a bit. However, it goes without saying that I am looking forward to seeing Julien on Sunday. I hope he is ready for some serious Aidan time. Hopefully I won't have to do this again anytime soon. Now I'm off to watch TV, eat some chocolate, play my DS, and fall asleep. Good night, everyone.

Our 1st ER trip

Yesterday started off as a normal day. Aidan and I went for a bike ride and ran some errands. Very mundane. Then around 11am, he started to act funny. He stopped eating and drinking, then he got really tired. Next thing I know he has a 100 degree fever. After some Tylenol and a nap, things were about the same. I talked to the pediatrician's office and elected not to take him in as his symptoms were so new. In retrospect, I regret that decision and will, from now on, listen to my mother's intuition at all times. Because, then he got cranky. All he wanted to do was lay on me and sleep, or cry. And the fever went up. To 104.1 to be exact. After an after hours call to the doctor, we decided to take him to the ER to be safe. This is the time I should probably point out that Julien left for a week long business trip on Monday morning and he is currently 1000 miles away, literally. Why do these things always happen on business trips?? My absolute saint-like neighbors Jen and Mike filled in for Julien and drove us to Cardinal Glennon's Children's Hospital in St. Louis. I didn't know exactly where it was and was a mess anyway. Driving wasn't a great idea. We arrived at the hospital at 9:30pm. Since the doctor called in to ER for us, we went back almost immediately. The staff was incredibly nice and tried to reassure Aidan as much as possible. They were also very timely. We didn't sit in the exam room for long before the doctor came in. So overall, the staff was very helpful and courteous. I will definitely use their ER for all pediatric emergencies from now on. Aidan wasn't as happy with the ER though. He was upset that he couldn't walk around from room to room and all the equipment scared him. In the end he got a Mr. Freeze-It Popsicle and that made up for everything. As for what caused all this? Seems the antibiotic he was on for a sinus infection wasn't working as he got an ear infection. So now we have a new antibiotic and some children's motrin. At 10:40pm we walked out of the ER and headed home. Quickest ER trip I've ever had! And in a major metro area. I was very impressed. So, today things are much tamer. We're getting back to normal. Mommy's nerves are mending. So are Daddy's. I feel much more prepared for the next crisis. My lesson from this was to 1) Always listen to your gut instinct, it won't steer you wrong 2) Know where the ER you will be using is and how to get to it 3) Have back up support ready if you're going to be flying solo. It really helps, even if it's just moral support. And to my back up support, you've been officially upgraded to Aunt and Uncle status. Thanks so much for all your help. You won't know how much I appreciated it....until you have kids of your own. :)

The newest member of the Ross-Boon clan

The motorcycle issue has been resolved. This weekend Julien finally got one. I'm a very indulgent wife. :) It's pretty though. And if he wants to trade up in the next 12 months, the dealership will buy it back for full purchase price. Which is a nice option. He's tickled pink as you can imagine. Aidan is obsessed with it. All he says now is "bike, bike, Daddy bike." He loves to sit on it and look at it. I think we may have another wild man in the family. I've been asked why I caved. I was ok with him getting one from the beginning really. The money was the hang up. They were having a good deal on them. And he was so happy and excited about it. It was hard to say no to that. It doesn't hurt that he looks pretty hot on it either. Now, he doesn't get anything for the rest of the year. He'll get xmas presents if he's lucky. ;) Now the real question is what do I get???

My First Earthquake

I experienced my first earthquake today here, of all places, in Missouri. Couldn't figure out why the bed was shaking at 4:30am. Figured in my sleepy hazy that it must be the cat and kicked him out of bed. Strange. There were tornadoes in Iowa. There was a hurricane while in Maryland. Now an earthquake. What else is left on the natural disaster checklist? Mudslide? Locusts?

Aidan the Wonder Kid!!

So this will be my "bragging post." I thought I would blog some of his developmental achievements so far. Not everyone gets to hear what he is up to or gets to see him. So this is for your benefit. Anyway, I am so proud of my little boy. He really has made the transition from baby to boy. Not only the way he looks but, in the things he does from day to day. He has about 50 words that he says often. Everyday it seems he picks up a new one. He just started using two word phrases. Mostly bye and something else. But it's a start. He finally mastered walking down the stairs by himself. He always been a little cautious. He's definitely not one to jump off the couch, if you know what I mean. He's almost tall enough to reach the pedals on his tricycle. He can push himself around on it even though he prefers to be pushed. He throws a ball overhand really well. He can kick a ball too. He works hard on catching but that will take a while. He loves to color! He even holds a crayon like an adult holds a pen. It's funny. He loves to paint. He's really getting into finger painting. He loves books. If you try to read him a book he doesn't want, he'll take it and give you a new one. He's doing great with his silverware although he prefers using his hands for a lot of things. He's starting to try out a cup without a lid. It's very exciting for him. You can see the pride in his face every time he conquers a challenge. For example, last night we went to the park to play on the equipment. He wanted to climb up the climbing ladder to get to the slide. Problem was it was taller than him. He ran up to me and said,'Mommy Mommy.' I asked him, 'Do you need help?' It was like a lightbulb went off and excitedly he said, 'Help!' and nodded. He knew there was a word that expressed his need, he was just looking for it. As soon as he heard it, it was like he finally made that piece of the puzzle fit. You could see him making the connection. What a wonderful moment. And it was one of the first times I can remember him nodding 'yes.' At this age, you don't get yeses very often and I'll take all that I can get. I love this age though. Even back at the daycare, I never minded taking the 12-24mos class. It's such an age of growth and accomplishment. There is so much change in every area. Motherhood has been an incredible rewarding experience. This stage is doubly so. Everyday I watch Aidan take leaps and bounds into independence. As sad as that makes me sometimes, the feeling of pride that I get is more rewarding than anything else I've ever done. Even better, I know that Aidan is proud of himself which means he's happy. That means I've done my job. :)

Doctors visits and Diaper Changes

We had an unexpected sick visit today. It seems our cold turned into a sinus infection. Poor little buddy's nose has been all icky for 10 days. It always seems that you have to wait 10days before the doctor will take you seriously. Hopefully we'll be back on our feet again soon. It's funny how my life now revolves around doctor's visits and diaper changes now. I was thinking about it the other day as I was reading an old friend's live journal posts. It's been almost 6 years since I left Iowa. I haven't seen a lot of old friends in years. I was certainly a different person back then. As I was reading this person's post (yes, it was yours Josh), I was wondering what all those old friends would think of my blog. What would they think of the change? I talk about babies, complain about my husband, and get excited when new Pottery Barn catalogs come out. It's a far cry from partying, going out to the bar, and ditching class. Even I think about how life has changed so dramatically for me. I always feel surprised by it and I don't know why. Six years ago, where did I really think I would end up? This is really what I always thought I would be doing. I guess the time flew by. I feel like I went to bed one night being 22 years old. Then I woke up the next morning, pushing 30, living all sorts of places, and with a huge set of responsibilities. In the end though, I always come to the realization that I did well. I left to experience life outside of Iowa and lived to tell the tale. Actually, I came to really like the east coast, which surprised me. I married a great guy, even with his faults, who is committed to his family. I have a beautiful and smart son. I have a nice house, and feel lucky that I don't fear losing it like a lot of people nowadays do. I have great friends all over the place. Maybe I don't hear from them as much as I would like *ahem* but they're awesome nonetheless. Really, I accomplished most of what I set out to do as I entered adulthood. I feel very blessed and lucky. And I need to try to keep that feeling with me all day long. It will help battle the daily frustrations of life. I wonder what all the old crew are up to. I really hope that they feel the same way about their lives. I wish I could find out what happened to them all. That would be fun. I wonder how many of them would relate to diapers and doctors visits?

Shopping, shopping, shopping!!!

So, a couple things:

I wanted to share this pic and show how cute my boy is.

Update on Stress of the Day- It has been decided, and not necessarily by me, that an expensive bike will have to wait for now. We are looking at less expensive options.

We are planning a trip to Iowa shortly. We look forward to seeing all you Iowa people soon.

Ok, then. This weekend I finally got to go to the mall to shop for clothes. I even got a take another girl along. I know! It was so much fun. My neighbor Jen who went with probably didn't view it as being exciting as I did. But then again, she doesn't have kids and she leaves the house more than I do. :) It was nice to walk around, not in a rush, and look at stuff for me. Of course I bought a bunch of stuff for Aidan, but I made sure to get me a few things too. I don't often take the time or the initiative to take time for me. I really need to do that more often. I spend all my time taking care of others. Taking care of the house, Aidan, Julien, even the dog. I put most everything ahead of me. For instance, I have been meaning to buy shoes for 6 months now. I just keep putting it off, saying I don't have time for it. It doesn't take long to go pick up a pair of shoes. You just have to make the time. As for taking time to myself, I don't even have the excuse that it's hard on Aidan when I leave him. He's just fine. I could drop him at the neighbors to play and he wouldn't realize I was gone. It's hard on me to leave him. As any mother out there knows, no one is capable of caring for my child like I do. It's not that I truly think that no one is good enough to babysit. I do let others watch my child. It's the weird feeling of not having control. Having always been at home with Aidan, I never had to face that issue like the working moms I know did. (Let me clarify, the moms that work outside the home as well. Trust me, all moms work hard at home. Remember that when you go to buy your mom a mother's day present!) So it's still an issue for me. However, I had such a good time that I will have to make it a habit.

Stress of the Day

Today I find myself somewhat stressed. We have two family trips coming up, Julien has one business trip, unfinished house projects, and Julien wants a motorcycle. While I'm excited about most of these things, (guess which ones) I find myself a tad uneasy.
Last night, Julien and I went looking at bikes. I was surprised to find my shopping experience to be disappointingly unsatisfying. Even with looking at used bikes it was hard to find one in our price range. It felt reminiscent of being a child at a toy store, knowing you don't have enough allowance money to buy anything. I understand that there is certain pride and premium that comes with that Harley price tag. No one makes fun of a guy riding a Harley, unless he's riding an 883 Sportster. (That joke was for all the motorcycle enthusiasts out there. Showing my street cred.) Harley's keep resale value like nothing else I've seen. It is an investment. That being said, I can't believe they want more for a 4 year old bike than what I paid for my Civic brand new. And it's something that only one member of the family can use for approximately half the year. In fact the best part of the whole deal last night was being able to leave Aidan with the neighbors while we shopped. We have great neighbors with a two year old boy who Aidan loves to play with. They were nice enough to offer to watch him and feed him dinner. We felt a little guilty jumping at the offer, but I know we'll return the favor eventually. Anyway, once the two boys started playing with tractors the decision was made for us. Aidan wasn't going anywhere!
Why does it always seem that Julien picks up the most expensive hobbies?? So should I put my foot down or allow him another pricey hobby that causes me stress. Maybe I'm wrong. You guys tell me. Weigh in with your comments. I actually would appreciate different perspectives. In return, I will let you all know how it goes. I have a feeling the end of this story involves a lot of sighing and head shaking on my part.

Serendipity: The faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident

Lately, I've been busy trying to make the house more like home. I've poured over paint colors and Pottery Barn Kids catalogs putting Aidan's spaces together. (Of course the first rooms in the house to get any real attention are his naturally.) This endeavor has taken a lot of my time over the last two weekends. Last weekend I spent both days painting Aidan's room, from top to bottom. The weekend before that I was painting his bathroom and getting it just so. (The bathroom turned out adorable, btw.) More importantly, since this took all my time, Julien was left with Aidan duty both weekends. (I can see all the Moms getting a slow smirk right about now.....)
Last weekend I could tell the work load was getting to him. Before I go any farther let me just say Julien did an awesome job taking over all the care duties. He took him to the produce market, butcher, Harley store. Fed him, diapered him, even brushed teeth before naptime. It was a boys weekend. He worked very hard. And last weekend he started to let me know it. :) Sunday afternoon I start to hear this from Julien:

"It takes twice as long to run errands when you take Aidan. Not that he's bad in the store but, he just slows you down."

I know honey.

"I'm tired. I don't feel like I've got a lot done either. It's just draining to take care of him, physically and mentally."

Yes it is. You have to be thinking constantly.

"Yes honey, your job is hard."

So, most of you who know me well know that Julien isn't overly eager to help me with cleaning and other household duties. This is often a source of frustration for me. But, when he called from work on Monday he had changed his tune. The house has been left a holy mess from me neglecting it two weekends in a row. So, guess what I did Monday. When he called he told me what a great job I was doing and that I was amazing for tackling the mess he had left for me. *blink,blink* Not only that, but he also said he would help vacuum and reminded to take a break during Aidan's nap. Yeah, I was stunned too. Now, whether or not he really vacuums doesn't matter to me. Making the offer, while giving a compliment, was all that I really wanted. In fact, what he said in that call is all I've really ever asked for in all the times I've complained to him about helping out. Just to offer and let me know that he appreciates and notices the things I do. And then it clicked! Therefore I have come to this conclusion; I should, more often, stick him with Aidan while I conveniently do something around the house he can't complain about.

No Country for Old Men

So, this weekend Julien and I got the opportunity to sit and watch a movie in peace. This is a rare occurance in the Ross-Boon household. Usually, there is something more important that needs to be done and I leave Julien to watch the movie alone. But, this time I made sure to make time. We finally got around to watching No Country for Old Men. I really liked it. I'm not sure how many of you have seen it. For those who plan to, the violence is a little shocking but, doesn't typically last long. Just be prepared.
My first thought about the movie was, 'you just had to go back with a jug of water, didn't you?' You mean to tell me that you get a case of the guilts in the middle of the night and go back???? Idiot. But I soon got over it as I was terrified by Javier Bardem's character. The character himself is enough to give you nightmares but, somehow the hair just takes it over the edge. Now, I'm sure the actor is a nice guy and all. He must be used to people crossing to the other side of the street when they see him coming. And someone tell me the point of Woody Harrellson's character? He's there for maybe 10 minutes and surprise,surprise, he's dead. Really, that's it? I found him to be more annoying than anything.
The ending was a little abrupt. And the way things turn out is a little sad. And like all good movies, when the credits roll it leaves you asking questions. Everyone should go see it.X

My First Blog! Watch out world, here I come!

I have decided that it is time for me to jump on the whole "internet" bandwagon and get myself a blog. Everyone I know, it seems, has one. Or a MySpace page or are on Facebook. I'm probably the last person in the world to carve out their little piece of the web. So here I am! Hopefully my friends can stay up to date with the goings-on of the Ross-Boon clan. I can't always promise that I'll be incredibly interesting but, then again who is??? So welcome to my humble little page. I hope you visit often.