I'm back (and the world's longest blog post)

Okay, I really haven't gone anywhere except away from the computer. I have been on a computer diet lately and I think it's been good for me. I needed a break and it's allowed me to lay in bed a lot (that part was meant to be a joke). So first off, to answer the much anticipated question, no, I am not dying (at least not to my knowledge). There have been a few rumors that I am dead, or dying, or at very least, having my lower half amputated. So to set the story straight:

I am in the midst of a chronic fatigue symdrome/fibromyalgia relapse; the longest since my first year in college. I am also dealing with some mysterious pelvic/leg pain that has managed to baffle my internist, gynecologist, neurologist, gastrointerologist, physiatrist, general surgeon, and one more internist for good measure (I'll bet most of you haven't even heard of a physiatrist; look it up, learning will do you some good). I had an EMG done on Tuesday which has now ruled out femoral nerve damage which three different doctors thought might be the problem. Things have reached the point where I can't really care for the kids on a consistant basis. That's where the ever-amazing and generous Auntie Bonnie comes in to play. Josh's sister, Bonnie, flew from Hawaii to Boston nearly three weeks ago to help out and we will forever been indebted to her. There's a good chance we will never let her leave (and even if Josh and I do, I am pretty sure the kids won't).

Lest you think I am wallowing in my misery, I'm not. I am used to being sick; I don't remember a time in my life where I wasn't. Not that I enjoy it or anything but I feel like I know how to cope with it 95% of the time. The only thing that makes me sad is when Harrison comes up to me, gives me a big hug, and say's "Mommy, I don't want you to die." I don't know where he came up with that idea (Lion King? Bambi? Maybe he has a really artistic mind and sees how my illness came on like a stampede of wildebeests or how I am crippled by the pain just like Bambi's mom was crippled by a gunshot wound) but I am doing my best to assure him that Mommy isn't planning on dying anytime soon.

I have survived worse and I will survive this too.

So there's my "I really hate talking about my health but I have finally decided to come clean" update.

Now on to the stuff the grandparents are waiting for, kid updates and pictures. The first confession is that we haven't been good about taking pictures of the kids lately so sorry for the shortage of pictures from the last month or so.

Harrison

Harrison on his first day of school

Harrison started preschool three weeks ago and absolutely loves it! He came home the first day and asked if he could go again the next day. I have gone back and forth about putting Harrison in preschool this year and at the last minute, four women from church asked if Harrison would like to join their co-op preschool. Harrison has a blast with his four friends (all boys) and minus the first mommy-leg hugging day, he runs right in. They have been learning about weather, shapes, and letters (and a bunch of other things I am sure).

Grandma Liz (Josh's maternal grandmother) has always called Harrison a tender kid and I think she saw something from the beginning that most people miss about him. Despite all his energy and playfulness, he really is so loving and cares about others. He comes up to me countless times a day to give me a hug, rest his head on my shoulder or leg depending on the circumstance, and say, "mommy, I love you." He will stay still long enough for the words to set in and then he's off to another activity. He also makes sure that he not only receives a kiss from me each night but that he gives me one in return. Do you think he will still do that as a teenager? :)

Ellie

Ellie sportin' her boots

I pulled these boots out of the depths of Ellie's closet yesterday morning (Josh and I bought them for ridiculously cheap at the end of last winter and crossed our fingers that they would fit her this year). She LOVES them (but then again, she loves all shoes). She calls them her "boots, piiiink" with more inflection than that thought possible on one little adjective. She walked around like a cowboy just off his horse for the first little while as she was getting used to the new feel of wearing boots; she can walk in them almost like a normal girl again now, almost :) I think she inherited a little piece of Aunt Megan because she sure didn't get her shoe fetish from me.

Ellie is such a busy body. She is everything Harrison is not. She is a dare-devil and I fear she may jump out of the window one day (soon). She rips books to shreds, colors on walls, gets into the toothpaste and mommy's make-up (she painted her fingers with my mascara this morning), swishes her toothbrush in the toilet (never fear, it has been replaced), and is still our little wild child. She at least kisses her own owies now so that saves me a few minutes each day :)

She and Auntie Bonnie have pre-pre-school while Harrison goes to pre-school. She grabs a stray backpack and heads to the living room. They read lots of books, have some music appreciation thanks to the musical selection on Comcast, and play.

One thing the two kids have in common is they love to accessorize. Ellie is always stealing my shoes or wearing her own purple bling dress-up pair, covering herself in necklaces from the dress-up box, or walking around in daddy's bike helmet. Harrison always brings his wallet when we go to the pharmacy and often put's it in his "purse". I try to call it his man bag but Harrison says, "no, mommy, it's my PURSE". Okay boy, you work it! (at least it's blue, right?). I bought a jewelry kit for Ellie (she keeps asking for bracelets) and Harrison pulled it out of the bag and immediately said he wanted to make stuff. So Auntie Bonnie helped the kids make necklaces. Harrison is probably the only boy who can make a pastel, butterfly choker look manly.

Every once and awhile my kids really are just funny. Earlier this week, Harrison was playing "Swiper" (for the non-pre-school crowd, Swiper is a character on Dora the Explorer who steals things, you could call him the villain of the show). So as Harrison ran around the house stealing things and saying "I'm swiper!" in his best evil voice, Ellie ran right behind him announcing, "Wiper!" She would proceed to use her doll's blanket to uhem, wipe herself, Harrison, her doll, and occasionally the wall. I guess something was lost in the translation.

So that's my quick update. I will make a better effort to actually update the blog from now on but for now, this is about all my foggy brain can write.