Adventures in Parenting

There's never really a dull day with two little ones along for the ride.

Last week, we spent two full afternoons in a row at the doctor's office. The first day, I brought the kids because Emmy had caught my cold a week earlier and it just kept worse and worse. We figured she had an ear infection so I got her checked up. She ended up having a sinus infection so we got antibiotics. Luckily, during the long wait, we all 3 got our flu vaccines too.

The next day, as I was walking out of the library, about to cross the street, Emmy jerked away from me and pulled her feet out from under herself. I felt two little pops in her arm, but thought it was nothing. But from that exact moment on, she started crying soooo hard, like a real, hard, painful cry, and wouldn't stop. She wouldn't eat any food, and she wouldn't open her little fist of the hand I had been holding or use that hand for anything. She even colored with her left hand when I offered her crayons. Poor baby. So of course I had to lug the two of them back to the same walk - in clinic as the day before. Every few minutes, Emmy burst out in huge cries and was obviously in so much pain, but we still waited for about an hour and a half! Horrible. Anyways, the doctor checked a few things and then held Emmy's elbow with one hand, twisted her forearm with the other and pushed it straight up. She felt and I heard a pop and that was it. After a heart wrenching cry for about a minute, she was as good as new. She suddenly started using her hand and stopped crying and acted like nothing had ever happened. She ended up having "Nursemaid Elbow" which is when kids' arms get yanked straight out and their elbow pops out of place. Now she's more prone to it happening again, so we'll have to be careful, especially when she decides to throw a tantrum while crossing a street. :)

More about Emerson lately:

Her sentences are progressing a little bit - she can say things like, "Spoon down Mama" when her spoon falls or "All done milk."

When she get's hurt, she instantly runs over and asks me to kiss it, but then she always gives me her other hand or foot to kiss too...usually over and over, one and then the other.

She can TOTALLY sing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star!!!" She's getting so much better. She and Zane were singing it together all during our grocery trip today. Loud. Video soon to come.

She complains so much while we're driving in the car and lately she's been grunting and groaning while she squeezes her arms out of the buckle and then if they ever actually get out she cries and complains about that. She says "down" or "all done" most rides.

She scrubs Zane during every bath time now, mostly his hair. She also likes to do my morning routine with me - washing our faces, brushing our teeth, putting lotion on, etc. She does whatever I do.

She helps me bring things over when I need them - like Zane's shoes, without me having to ask.

When we read a book, she starts panicking with about 2 pages left because she doesn't want it to end and frantically starts trying to turn back to the beginning so that I'll start over instead of finishing it.

What Zane's been up to:

He's really into "investigating" mysteries and finding clues to figure out mysteries. He likes watching Scooby-Doo, so this, I think, has been his inspiration. He makes up mystery stories and then we all have to solve it together. Today, he told me he luckily brought his map and flashlight to help us get to the "monster" who took our special gold rocks. He told me to go on I-25, turn into the dark tunnel, then go under the train tunnel, finally turn right on Emmy Street to the forest and he'll be there. He makes up so many details for our games now!

He also finds footprints wherever we are and makes up what kind they are and where they are headed. So we always pretend like we're following them. Sometimes it's dino footprints, sometimes mice, sometimes made - up creatures. He always makes up a story to go with it too, like... "It must be Cookie the Giant (not the Monster)! He's nice, but sometimes just pretends he's mean. He wanted to go see the puppies in the mall so let's go find him!" etc.

He has a few pet rocks that he likes to play with. He let one rock, Cuz, play on Zack's ipad with him one day. Let's just say Cuz scratched it up pretty good.

He pretends so much. He even pretends that his stuffed animals are pretending.

He's been wanting to get a baby mouse ever since he played with one at the Children's Museum a while ago. The other day, he said, "We really need to find a new baby mouse at the store soon, or I guess I'm just going to have to use my imagination."

When we were at the mall with my Grandma Fran, out of the blue, Zane told us to look at all the animals over there. Grandma played along and said, "Where?" He told her, almost rolling his eyes and giggling, "I'm just using my imagination, Grandma."

Zane has been super sweet to Emmy and loves giving her hugs and kisses. He was following her around trying to give her a hug and she didn't want it so he got on his pretend phone and said, "Emergency! Emmy doesn't like me!"

When he got home from school the other day, as he went to sit on the couch, he said, "Man, I had a long, tiring day at school. I just need to forewax (relax).

He totally makes up stories (white lies) now and sometimes it's really hard to tell the difference between those and the truth. But usually if we ask him if it's the truth or just a story or fib he'll tell us which one (and it's usually the truth).

He asked me the other day, "Gosh, why does Emmy love Elmo so much?" because she constantly asks for Elmo or shouts his name with she sees him.