When it rains, it pours . . .

Once upon a time there was a little girl whose father used to ask her what kind of day she had.  She had two options: "Were you a lion today, Noella? Or were you a Christian?"  So on the days when I was taking the world by storm and "winning" as the case may be, I was definitely a "lion" conquering everything in my path, like the lions that were put into the gladiator arenas of Ancient Rome.  Or, of course, if they day was particularly difficult, I could be the Christian and basically be eaten alive.

Well, my friends, I have been a Christian these last few weeks.  And when it rains, it pours.

(prepare for whiny Noella session)

Coming home from Tahoe, I started feeling pretty sick, but blew it off because I couldn't be sick . . .  not at the end of a vacation and coming up on a quiet week off before working this summer.  Well, it got worse and worse and I couldn't ignore it anymore.  So I went in for a normal doctor appointment for the baby and started freaking out because I hadn't felt the baby move very much.

Well, the doctor freaked out too and I was admitted into the hospital to monitor the baby and figure out what was going on.  Low and behold, I was super dehydrated after whatever GI bug I caught and they were afraid I would go into pre-term labor.  So I spent the day in labor/delivery (wee!) and was released under strict orders to hydrate hydrate hydrate! Understood.

I began working a week later on Monday, July 2nd and on Tuesday started feeling pretty crummy.  Back to the hospital I went! This time though, I went to the ER, feeling like I was having some kidney stone issues.  As I walked into the ER, the patient (woman) ahead of me in line told me to sit in the wheelchair and someone hopped out from behind reception and immediately saw to me.  WOW! When you are 32 weeks pregnant and go into the ER . . . things get done. The first kidney stone I had, I writhed in pain for over 2 hours in the ER.  For my second kidney stone, I had to wait just over an hour.  3rd kidney stone while pregnant, things get done. Granted, everyone thought I was in labor (which I could have been) but I just kept saying, "well, it's either labor or kidney stones .  . ."

So I hung out in labor/delivery (again) got on some pretty high pain meds (whee!) and started feeling better.  I was sent home the following morning with Vicodin and wishful hopeful prayers that I passed the stone to the bladder.  Once you pass the stone to the bladder, life is good.  Its the trip down the ureter (from the kidney to the bladder) that really sucks.  So I spent the 4th of July afternoon feeling pretty okay, just waiting for the final pass and the final catch.

Until late on the 4th of July when the pain came back ten-fold. I was in tears and have learned NOT to power through.  I'm so glad I live near my parents.  God bless them a million times over.  Mom came to stay with Luke while Todd rushed me back to the hospital.  They put me right into labor/delivery to keep an eye on the baby and started pumping me with meds to help with the pain.  Baby = great! Noella = final step before death. Morphine did not work. Vicodin did not work.  Percoset did not work. Big time heavy meds that I cannot pronounce but sound like "gelato" - those worked.  Man, the pain just wouldn't go away.  I spent two days in the hospital this time around, finally getting the pain managed on Friday.  So I was discharged late on Friday and ready to spend the night at home.

Uncle Dan and Auntie Ellen offered to babysit Luke on Friday, picking him up from school and getting to spend the night at their house.  Gracie already had a friend coming over for a sleepover so all the kids had a backyard campout.  Lesson learned by Luke: when Mommy is sick and goes to the hospital, all fun things happen.

Friday night was extremely difficult and very VERY painful as clearly, the stone had not passed yet. At this time, because I am pregnant, they cannot do any xrays or more invasive procedures like blasting them with a laser.  After my last kidney stone, my xrays showed that I still had two stones left (one on the left, one on the right) and an ultrasound in the hospital could see Mr. Righty but not Mr. Lefty, and my pain is entirely focused on my left side.  So, not helpful at all. Currently, all I can do is try to manage the pain and do the best I can.

Baby Girl is completely fine.  She has had absolutely zero issues with any of this.  She is just as fiesty, moving all over the place which has impressed all the nurses and doctors.

Now, that being said, I am finally announcing my promotion, which is terribly entertaining in light of all this business.  I have totally been meaning to scan my new business card (fancy!) and let everyone know that way, but my cards are at work so oh wells.

*drum roll please*

I have been promoted to Elementary Vice Principal which means that I will no longer be teaching in the classroom (which is kind of stinky) but will not be grading (which is awesome!).  It also means that I will no longer be at my home campus of Los Gatos (where I have been for 7 years) but starting at Sunnyvale De Anza (which is exciting!).  I'm going to miss my awesome principal, but luckily, I have an awesome principal who has been incredibly understanding during all of this.  Considering I worked two days before ending up in the hospital and taking off from work. *sigh* I keep reminding myself and my principal that this is NOT how I normally work. (ie: I started passing my first kidney stone and STILL kept teaching.  It was music class, if you want to know)

http://www.stratfordschools.com/sunnyvale_preschool_elementary_school_94087

Here's my pic and my new title (woo!) I'm 4th on the rotation of all the principals and front office staff. It is my school picture from last year - not too bad.

I promise I will get pictures of the child up soon - I haven't forgotten. Just be otherwise preoccupied. Still waiting on passing that stone.  I read that sometimes they travel back to the kidneys and have to go through the ureter all over again.  all over again. I really hope that's not me.  I'll freak out about that.

Tahoe Trip – Part 1

These next few posts will be terribly out of order, but at least they’re going to get done. Eventually.  Much love to Mr. Tony for taking pictures with his snazzy camera as my cruddy little point-and-shoot came out a blurry mess.  Clearly, I had anticipated more from my camera than it was designed for and left my higher quality camera back at the cabin.  Lesson learned.

So in our two weeks off between the end of the school year and summer school, we rented a cabin for a week with the Gartins and the Fazzios for some good ol’ Tahoe fun.  As the boys are very active and Todd had to come to Reno to pick me up from the airport (another story, another post) everyone decided to head out to Reno for the day.  In Reno is one of those trampoline places and we thought the boys would love it.  The parents loved it because the Fazzios had a hook up and we didn’t have to pay. Sweet.

Did the boys love it? Uh . . . YES.  Did both my boys love it? You betcha. 

Was I jealous? Yes. Lame.

Luke’s favorite part? Jumping into the foam pit.

Daddy’s favorite part? Jumping into the foam pit.

Todd:

Mini- Todd:

Todd:

Mini-Todd: (barely missing getting run over by Shannon!)

Todd: (think he enjoys trampolines?)

The kids having fun altogether.  Being reminded repeatedly to get out of “traffic” on the trampolines. (ie: 15 year old boys being crazy.)

“Tony. Seriously. You’re not really going to take my picture in such an unflattering pose. Right? You know that this is a terrible angle. Right? Right?” Crap.  FYI: I had just flown in from SJ and was super tired/cranky/irritated. Oh and hugely pregnant. Bleh.

Drowning in a sea of foam.  While Mommy just watches.

So we discovered that we need to find more of these places in our area because there are so few activities that actually tire our boys out.  I mean, seriously. It is no surprise that there are going to be 4.5 years between my kids.  Luke is exhausting.  I am far more tired than he is by the end of the day.  That being said, I totally won on the husband front:  Todd can at least keep up with him.  Todd is awesome for that.  Especially now more than ever as I cannot physically do half of what Luke wants to do.

Good Reno times for the afternoon and then back to Tahoe for relaxation.  Which is what I was really ready for!

I love quotes.  I love it when someone can concisely say what I wish I could say.  I admire brevity and cleverness.  Every day, I get a Quote of the Day from my favorite magazine, "Real Simple." Sometimes the quotes come at serendipitous times and sometimes they're just interesting.  

Today's Quote o' the Day is one that I readily use and attempt to apply to my life.  It is one of the reasons that I love sunflowers.  I love that it's all about attitude and finding the positives in life.  It's one of the reasons that I have sunflowers as part of my tattoo. It is an idea that I want to instill in my children.  

What I didn't know? It is a Helen Keller quote.  You see, in my crazy mixed-up mind, I feel a special connection to Helen Keller. Weird, right?  Well, I decided on this "special connection" years ago when I did a report on her and found that we have the same birthday (June 27th) exactly 100 years apart (1880 vs. 1980).  And that while she lost her senses of vision and hearing, I have no sense of smell.  Weak connection, at best, but I was like, 12 years old and held onto my "beliefs."

All that out of the way, this year has been a challenge.  I have had my most difficult year at work, feeling incompetent and overwhelmed the majority of the year.  I tried to remind myself of this quote and told others about it, in weak attempts to bolster myself up.  Most of the time, I faked it.  At work, I smacked a smile on my face and tried my best to keep turning toward the sunshine.

The long and the short of it . . . it's all about attitude.  I can't control anyone or anything but myself, and I'll make the decision to face the sun.

And my grades are FINALLY done. Woo hoo!

Welcome to the Zoo!

For Luke’s Spring Program, the theme was animal songs and was called “Welcome to the Zoo!”  I do not think that is a coincidental name. Luke actually did a great job, though it was very clear that there were songs that he preferred and songs he could care less about it.

The teachers made all the kids’ shirts for them, using iron-ons of lions they had drawn, which is an awesome keepsake for all the mushy, sentimental moms.  Luke’s lion looks disappointed in the whole thing.

 

Home, Home on the range . . .

Where the deer and the antelope play . . .

So proud of you, Luke!

Luke’s Preschool class!

Mother’s Day Surprise!

The Friday before Mother’s Day was a tough one.  It wasn’t good on any front – tough in my class: the Spring Program Dress Rehearsal was NOT good. Not. Not. Not.  Luke had a tough day at school.  I was not feeling successful on any front: work, home, family, bleh bleh bleh.

So imagine my surprise when a beautiful bouquet was delivered on Friday after getting home from work.  I have never had flowers delivered to me before and I was so excited (and hormonal) and immediately after reading the card from Todd and Luke, I completely burst into tears. Yikes.  Poor Luke.  Daddy wasn’t home yet and Luke didn’t know what to do with a crying mommy that should be happy since she got a present.

Oh, my Luke . . . the road to understanding women is long and convoluted.   I’m just trying to prepare you.  So I was sent a beautiful bouquet of lilies – none of them had opened yet.  The next week, Luke was so excited to announce when the individual flowers would be blooming. 

Todd also sent along a little teddy bear and a box of chocolates.  Luke absconded with the bear pretty quickly and well, the chocolates didn’t last long. The “Greatest Mom” decoration is actually a magnet to use after the bouquet is done.

The good news? The flowers are still blooming well over a week after delivery.  Impressive.

Matching!

One of my classroom parents thought it was pretty funny yesterday when I "matched" my classroom sign. I think I look gigantic, but I do match, and it is pretty entertaining. She sent me the picture . . . I figured I had better post a pic of me pregnant. I don't take too many of these. I'm sure that one day I'll regret it, but mostly, I don't want to see how big I'm getting and how quickly it's happening!

Easter Morning

I have said this before, and I’ll say it again: best. MIL. ever. She was so on top of things and ready for Easter. I was not even close. I blame it on pregnancy and crappy work for the last two months. Granted, she’s had crappy work for the last two months, so I guess all I’ve got I pregnancy.

So my darling MIL not only put together an Easter basket for Luke-pie, but a Mommy basket and a Daddy basket, too. Luke was put on the hunt for all three baskets.

Getting ready for the hunt – so excited!!

He found mine first and it was a fabulous caffeine free basket of glory: all my Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf favorites: Swedish Berries loose leaf tea, Decaf Viennese coffee, a sweet butterfly tea ball and a mother mug. And a big giant flower! All in a sweet little basket that will definitely find its way into the nursery.

Luke is just as excited as me. :)

Going to find Daddy’s basket next:

The Easter Bunny left a San Diego Craft Beer Basket for Todd. The Easter Bunny is one smart guy!

“But where is mine!?!?”

In the tub, of course.

“Oh! A bunny!” (Yes, I am a terrible mother: it was from last year’s basket and I reused it. He forgot about it last year.)

“Oh. MOM. This is such a CUTE SHIRT.”

Angry Birds. Oh, how we love the Angry Birds.

And trains. We still love trains.

Such a fun Easter basket morning. The Egg Hunt just made it even better!