SweetPea Castle

Josiah confirmed it...

... that we are all dealing with Influenza Type A.  He spiked a fever and we took him to the pediatrician yesterday morning.  Poor little guy is now completely stuffed up and quite miserable.  But, we're doing our best to keep him comfortable.  As long as the fever stays manageable and he doesn't have any breathing issues, we'll stay home.  But, at the first sign of distress... we go straight to admitting at the hospital.  It's difficult to see my almost 8 week old baby suffer through such a difficult sickness and really not be able to do much to make it better.

I guess the good part of this is that I got prescriptions for Tamiflu for Jason, Eliana and Tabitha... who (so far) have still managed to avoid this illness.  So, perhaps they will avoid it all together or at least not get it as badly.

This means that I'm still not getting hardly anything done.  But, it's not as bad as it could be. 

The sickies strike again!

Bah!  Everytime I think we might be ahead of this, we all get sick again.  This time, nearly the whole church is fighting off the various forms of the flu.  I started feeling poorly on Thursday and just got progressively worse.  It started as a tickle in my throat and a chesty cough.  Friday night I gave up and realized that I was seriously ill.  I spent all day Saturday and Sunday in bed.  I NEVER stay in bed all day.  Every time I got up, the room was spinning and it was all I could do to get right back into bed.  The chest cough is one of the worst I've ever had and my throat is still raw.  I struggled with a fever of 104ish for over 24 hours.  It finally broke sometime last night and I am beginning to feel human again.

Noah started feeling poorly on Saturday afternoon.  It started as a simple cough and sniffle.  I thought he was going to end up the same as me.  He was bored watching TV in my room and decided to go lay in his own bed and play quietly.  He wasn't gone for 15 minutes when he came back through my bedroom door barfing.  Uhm... yuck!  His bathroom was definitely closer, but he wanted comfort.  Pappy (God bless him!) came over and cleaned up Noah's bed and my bathroom while we got Noah situated.  He's still down with the fever and upset stomach.  There seriously isn't anything left in the poor little man's tummy.  I'm praying that the fever breaks this evening and he gets some good rest so that he feels better tomorrow.

Josiah has been cranky and unsettled all day.  I can only pray that this is as bad as he gets.  Jason said that he's feeling a little funny this afternoon too.  That just leaves the girls (in our house) and I really can't fathom anyone else being sick right now.  Of course, mom went home a little bit ago.  I think she too has succumbed to this sickness.  Pappy?!?  Well... he hasn't said one way or the other if he's got this for sure or not... but then again... he is usually too stubborn to tell anyone when he's sick or let it disrupt much of his daily life.

So, if you were expecting to hear from me recently or soon... please know that it may be a couple more days or so.  I didn't look at my computer nearly all weekend and didn't respond to anything.  I'm still not responding to anything yet.  I don't want to make commitments that I just can't keep yet.

Praise the Lord... I just cannot wait until His triumphant return and pray even more fervently that it is soon.  No more pain, sickness, fear, death... that will truly be Heaven!

2/25 To-Do List

Here is this weeks list:

1. Complete Josiah's matching booties (coffee with extra cream) and i-cords
2. Knit soaker(s)/longies for the littles... as I get other stuff done.
3. Basement cleanout
4. Sewing room reorganization
5. MPB Local Tax reporting.
6. Existing custom list (NOT necessarily in order)
   1. Marie (MPB 2/15 Stocking); ready to ship on 3/3.
   2. Britton (MPB 2/15 Stocking); prepping embroideries and pulling fabrics
   3. Shelley (my end of the trade); prepping embroideries and pulling fabrics
   4. Sara D.; waiting on an email
   5. Jenn H. (fitteds); will email 3/2 for specifics
7. MPB Stocking 3/3
   • Instock Plain/Fabric-covered AIOs; Need to put in cart for Monday 3/3 stocking.  ;-)
   • soaker/booster sets
   • Next custom slots probably 3/14 stocking.
8. Collage
   • tbd
9. Website Update?? - need to select a website developer to work on this.
10. Supply orders
    • Woven Labels (redesign and order) - re-design first.  Order probably in May?
    • Freebies? - waiting for vendor to restock items.
    • polymailers
    • USPS Priority boxes
    • Aplix
    • Snaps?
    • PUL

Broken in body, but not in spirit

I know that the only way I am going to get my health back in order is to get into regular exercise and proper eating again.  My blood pressure is awful high and my weight is just as bad.  I do NOT want to have to go back on the bp medicine again.  So, I am working hard right now to reign it in.  However, I have been feeling really awful the past week or so.  I know that most of it is directly related to the pain from the bladder prolapse issue.  But, that just isn't very comforting when it is so dangerous.

But, this is a physical and spiritual battle for me.  I need to be a good steward of everything that God has given me... and that includes this frail body.

On that note, I am excited to say that I've managed to do my elliptical workout every day since the doctor released me to be able to exercise again!  I am also drinking more water and making sure that I get plenty of rest.  I am 5' 2.5" and 37 years old.  My goal weight is 140 lbs.  I'd love to get lower than that, but that is realistic right now.  My starting weight was 196 on Friday morning before going to my doctor's appointments.  I intend to weigh in every Friday morning.  I am also nagging... erm... I mean... spurring my husband on in his own weight loss efforts.  ;-)

I have an appointment in two weeks to get the ball rolling and get surgery scheduled to fix this prolapse issue.  I am nervous and yet very excited at the same time.  I am sure that the Lord has this in His hands and I am resting in that.  So, working on my health in the meantime is an excellent plan.

Knitting is going well... and sewing is starting to get a bit more productive too.  This is going to be an odd week though.  Jason is out of town from Thursday through Saturday.  I'm going to have my hands quite full.  But, next week should be less stressful.  Tabitha has her 18 month well check at the pediatrician on Friday.  So, I will check in again after that... if I don't do so before then.  Godspeed... ~ Tiffani

2/18 To-Do List

Here is this weeks list:

1. Complete Josiah's matching booties (coffee with extra cream) and i-cords - STILL in process
2. Knit soaker(s)/longies for the littles... as I get other stuff done.
3. Basement cleanout
4. Sewing room reorganization
5. MPB Local Tax reporting.
6. Update MPB QuickBooks file and personal Quicken file(s) in preparation for tax time.
7. Existing custom list (NOT necessarily in order)
   1. Shelley (my end of the trade)
   2. Sara D.
   3. Marie (MPB 2/15 Stocking); awaiting invoice payment... prepping embroidery files.
   4. Britton (MPB 2/15 Stocking - waiting on response)
   5. Jenn H. (fitteds)
8. MPB Stocking 2/29
   • Instock Plain/Fabric-covered AIOs??
   • 2 custom slots... one regular and one lottery... 3 items max per slot. ??
   • soaker/booster sets
9. Collage
   • Update babymoon listing.
   • 2/25 semi-custom item
10. Website Update?? - need to select a website developer to work on this.
11. Supply orders
    • Woven Labels (redesign and order) - re-design first.  Order probably in May?
    • Freebies? - waiting for vendor to restock items.
    • polymailers
    • USPS Priority boxes
    • Aplix
    • Snaps?
    • PUL

Wow... what a birthday!

Well, it's been a rather long day.  I had my six week postpartum checkup with my OB and with the endocrinologist today in Fairfax.  So, Jason and I left early this morning for a fun-filled day in the city (insert sarcasm here  ;-)).

Actually the day was rather nice.  I got to spend it with my hubby and my newest baby. 

The endocrinologist signed off on releasing me.  Although I am not technically diabetic, I am to live my life as if I am.  I need to get my blood pressure and my weight under control again and continue randomly checking my fasting sugars at home.  I continue my glucophage and have annual bloodwork done.  All of this was expected.

The OB was also really as expected.  My body is healing nicely from having a baby.  But, my inners are also STILL falling out.  I have a rather severe bladder prolapse and a fair uterine prolapse.  We've known this for several weeks.  I have another consult appointment with the other OB in the practice in a couple weeks to plan the corrective surgery that I need to have for the prolapse issue.  This means that God is closing the door on any further children.  We are still coming to grips with this information.  But, in the short term... it means a lot of planning for another surgery and healing time.  Details details...

Okay... the littlest man has really been wonderful today with being cooped up in his carseat and not in his regular routine.  But, he's had enough now and needs my attention before we can really get some sleep tonight.  I'm off to respond to another email or two and then head to bed with him to snuggle.

Praise the Lord for another year...

Happy Valentine's Day!

Why yes... I AM really tired.  This was taken on Sunday afternoon after a long day.  Josiah is sporting the longies and hat that I finished knitting for him in the last two weeks.  They fit wonderfully and he was sleeping really well at the time.

Today is Valentine's Day... a day where we take time to celebrate our love for one another.  I was recently reminded just how precious life is and that we should never take a single day for granted... we are not guaranteed another here on earth.  So, that is what I am trying to do from here on out... cherish each and every day as if it could very well be my last, or the last of someone I love.

My husband, Jason, is my soulmate.  He completes me.  He knows me better than anyone else in this world... and he still loves me.  He has seen me at my best and at my worst and is still here.  We have been married for 21 years this coming August.  I truly cannot imagine my life without him in it.  And, as much as I LOVE our children... I cannot wait to grow old with my husband and have more time with just the two of us.  And what's great is that I KNOW he feels the same way.  Honey, I love you the mostest!

Today, it has been six weeks since Josiah was welcomed into this world and truly captured our hearts.  The medicine we got on Monday for his reflux is really making a big difference.  I need to call the pediatrician about adjusting it a little.  But, we expected that and he is doing MUCH better now.  He is beginning to bless us with little hints of a real smile.  And, you should see Tabitha just light up when she sees him.  She is in love with her baby brother and it shows.  She is amazingly gentle with him.

Time to get back to the children.  Eliana wants to watch a movie and we are just waiting for Noah to finish his last page of homeschool work.  I'm hoping to get a little bit of knitting in before Josiah wakes up from his nap, too.  Today is a good day.  Again... Happy Valentine's Day!

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ~ Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  

Be back soon...

I'm drowning!  Between sick little ones (both Tabitha and Josiah) and health issues... and trying to get back into the regular routine... this sucks!

Tabitha has a virus... a rash, sore throat, isn't drinking hardly anything and isn't sleeping.  Poor thing is really miserable.

Josiah... well, it's not "sick" really.  He's got reflux issues that we're trying to work through.  He does NOT sleep between the hours of 2 and 5am unless he is sleeping upright on me.  This does NOT work well for me to get any sleep.  We started some medicine last night and are praying that it helps really well... really fast. 

I'll be posting some more pics sometime later this week of all the children in my flickr gallery. 

Because it's my birthday, I'm going to open two MPB custom slots on Friday.  I've also got 3 or 4 people on my personal waiting list that I'm going to get in touch with later today or tomorrow to get in the works.

Right now, I need to get back to working with Noah on his homeschool studies.  We are a day behind because of having to take the two littlest littles to the pediatrician yesterday.  I'll be back later today or tomorrow with more.  Godspeed... Tiff

2/11 To-Do List

Here is this weeks list:

1. Complete Josiah's matching booties (coffee with extra cream) and i-cords - STILL in process
2. Knit soaker(s)/longies for the littles... as I get other stuff done.
3. MPB Local Tax reporting.
4. Update MPB QuickBooks file and personal Quicken file(s) in preparation for tax time. - almost finished.  Need to upgrade QuickBooks.  On sale at Costco next week.
5. Begin work on existing custom list (contact and get specifics)
   1. Shelley (my end of the trade)
   2. Michele - switched to prefolds and wool.
   3. Sara D.
6. MPB Stocking 2/15
   • 2 custom slots... one regular and one lottery... 3 items max per slot.
   • soaker/booster sets
7. Collage
   • Update babymoon listing.
   • Late February special item.
8. Website Update?? - need to select a website developer to work on this.
9. Upgrade Flickr account(s)
10. Supply orders
    • Woven Labels (redesign and order) - re-design first.  Order probably in May?
    • Freebies? - waiting on an email back from a specific vendor.
    • polymailers
    • USPS Priority boxes
    • Aplix
    • Snaps?
    • PUL

2/4 To-Do List

Here is this weeks list:

1. Knit longies for Josiah (coffee with extra cream) - completed 2/4 pm.  Still need to finish i-cord, lanolize and block.
2. Knit matching booties and hat - started hat 2/4 pm.
3. Knit soaker(s)/longies for the littles... as I get other stuff done.
4. MPB Local Tax reporting.
5. Update MPB QuickBooks file and personal Quicken file(s) in preparation for tax time. - in process
6. Plan next stocking at MPB ... mid February??
7. Collage
   • Update babymoon listing.
   • Plan February listing
8. Update fabric options on the website.  In process
9. Website Update??
10. Upgrade Flickr account(s)
11. Supply orders
    • Woven Labels (redesign and order)
    • Freebies?
    • polymailers
    • USPS Priority boxes
    • Aplix
    • Snaps?
    • PUL