This week, will be in central FL
We've been quite active this month. We've been taking the kids places and
attending lots of birthdays. Even to the mall to see Clifford and Discovery
Kids Channel's Doki.

Karla has been enjoying her summer camp. Things have been hectic at work
and at home with lots of summer days off. I'm soo glad I postponed the bar
until February. Back to School is almost done, but then Karla is only going
to Pre-K.

DH, Karla, Letty and I will be traveling to Tampa this Thursday July 16
until July 26. We'll be visiting relatives and looking at possible places
where we would like to relocate. Believe it or not, we haven't done this as
a couple. Last time we tried to travel the kids got sick. I want to take
advantage and look at Lake Mary and another city ranked by Money Magazine as
one of 100 best places to live. (Since we are going to relocate, we might
as well choose somewhere pleasant)

Now, if I could just get that pesky bar studying (and passing) thing out of
the way our lives would be soo relaxed. After this, I have to get DH in
cooperation mode so I can study.

Good news, I've lost 5 pounds. It took all summer, but I lost 5 whole
pounds. Hope to keep my looosing momentum. :-D

Sick, ER
Mood:  incredulous
Topic: Karla
Yesterday, Friday, Karla woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed and went to
camp. She and Letty were jumping on my bed trying to wake me up early in
the morning. DH took Karla to camp. It was my day off from work (I only
work 4 days a week) so Letty and I went to the Dr to have our colds/asthma
checked out. This Dr is located across from our house and happens to be our
neighbor. Sahara dust is affecting air quality so everyone has asthma
lately. Dr told me to rest because he didn't want me catching bronchitis.
Letty was fine, so DH took her to her summer camp/daycare.

DH got a call from Karla's camp that Karla had vomited. Dr told me he would
check her out just to ensure Karla wouldn't get worse over the weekend. Dr
told us he'd be available to see her until 2:30pm. DH picked up Karla at
camp and took her to the Dr. I walked to the Dr too. Within 15 minutes Dr.
had examined Karla and told us to take her to an ER because he suspected
apendicitis. Karla had vomiting, fever, lots of abdominal pain, and a lousy
demeanor.

My first reaction was what? APENDICITIS! You're kidding! Wait, you don't
kid about this. So we called up her pedi who's located next to San Jorge
Children's Hospital. Her pedi saw Karla as an emergency consult and told
us he'd hospitalize her if necessary. Pedi called up the ER docs and sent
Karla for tests and scans. (This was shortly before 4pm)

Karla was promptly tested and scanned at the children's hospital. Since the
ER was full, Karla seemed to be stable, and this is a children's hospital,
she was allowed to wait for the results in the waiting room, next to the
triage station. That was cool as we could all be with her, even Letty. All
four grandparents were there. By 5pm we knew her CT was clear, but we still
didn't know what was wrong. Tests revealed a possible UTI. After
discounting all other possibilities, and taking additional urine tests, we
left the ER around 10pm with a antiobitics prescritption. Pierre's parents
had taken Letty overnight with them earlier in the evening. God bless them.

I took Karla home while Pierre went to the overnight Walgreens. By the time
we gave Karla a quick wash, changed her clothes, gave her meds and put her
to bed, we were beat.

This morning I got a call from my Mom. It seems my Dad, who was with us
last night, got late night chest pains. So, they had to rush to a nearby
hospital, with my brothers, to monitor my dad. Dad will be in the hospital
until Monday, as drs want to make sure there is nothing wrong. They don't
think he had a heart attack but different drs are still checking him. Many
drs, many problems. I hope he'll be cleared ok soon. Mom, keeps calling to
update me every few hours.

Hooray, Hooray, Letty Pooped in the Potty
Mood:  celebratory
Topic: Letty

Hooray, Hooray!  Letty pooped in the potty for the very first time.  Yay!   She has been going pee pee on the potty every so often, not all the time, but at least she knows where to go.  Now, she has started to recognize the signs that poop is coming.  Could diapers be on the way out?

I know we shouldn't get too excited.  Letty is only 21 mos old, but the idea of having her go potty is very exciting.

My little baby surprises me every day.  She's growing up so much and acting so smart and mature for her tender age.

My latest adventure or flying down the stairs
Mood:  accident prone

Last Sunday evening, we attended a basketball game. Pierre left first since
he had to comment the game on the radio. I would meet him later at the
game, along with our teen aged neighbor.

I was getting the girls ready to go to a basketball game. Karla had taken a
bath and gotten dressed. Letty had also taken a bath and wanted to eat. As
I was walking down our stairs carrying Letty, I felt a puddle of water under
my bare feet. I tried to hold on, but before I knew it I was landing knee
first (I heard a pop! when my knee hit the floor) on the half of the
stairs. Letty flew out of my arms and landed on the half of the stairs
right side first then face down. I couldn't catch her on the air, but some
angels must have because she was unharmed. Thank you God! We both cried. Letty must have felt allright because she insisted on being fed.

I put an ice pack on my knee (inside my thin legged jeans) and got the girls to the game along with my neighbor. We were late (got there at the beginning of the 2nd half, but we got there)

There's a saying in Spanish "Los niños son de goma" or kids are made of rubber. Somehow kids will come out unharmed. I was not so lucky. Even though I put an ice pack on my knee for the whole night, my knee was still very, very sore.

On Monday, I got up early put on some compression socks, tennis shoes,
and bought a knee protector at the drugstore. I looked horrid (like out of
What Not To Wear), but was still able to go to work. At work, I informed my
boss I could not attend the week's hearings, but was still able to get our
documents out. That evening I called our physiatrist (A physiatrist is a
physician specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation.) He was out
until Wednesday evening and couldn't see me until then.

My knee and ankle hurt throughout the night. They were very, very swollen
by Tuesday Morning. I was able to get an orthopedic surgeon to examine me
Tuesday morning. (He is a friend of my parents). The orthopedist ordered
Xrays of both ankles and my very bruised right knee. No broken bones! He
also ordered an MRI, gave me an ankle protector and a prescription for
Celebrex. By the time I left the hospital where the offices and the X rays
were located I was just beat.

Wednesday morning (today) I got the MRI done at a place where it was first
come, first serve. The scan wasn't bad. Some people say it's
claustrophobic. To me it was an opportunity to sleep or at least rest. I
must have slept throughout the scan (as noisy as it was) because it just
went by way too fast and I was just too groggy when the test ended. My only
complaint was the cold. Next time, I'll request 2 blankets instead of 1.
(I hope there's no next time, those tests are expensive). In the evening, I
saw the physiatrist as scheduled. He will need to see the MRI once results
are in. I will definitely need PT for the ankle (which is bruised, but does
not worry the orthopedist too much). My knee will need PT to help the
swelling subside (even with lots of ice and a knee protector) the knee is
still quite swollen. The physiatrist's office is across the street from my
house and very accessible. The PTherapists are excellent. The doctor and
the therapists had done a great job with a bruised elbow(tennis elbow), so
I'm hopeful they can help with my legs. Lord knows I need to be able to run
after my kids.

On times like these I really appreciate my health plan, which allows me to
go directly to a specialist w/out a referal. Even, if I pay for this
through the nose.

Still, I feel terrible for I feel terrible for Karla.  She's only 4, and feels terribly guilty for the fall.  She can tell Mommy is in pain and cannot walk well.

Weaning?
Mood:  crushed out
Topic: Motherhood

Today Karla asked me why my "lechitas" were ddry.  I told her mommy's milk is for babies and that once babies stop needing milk the lechitas' stop producing it.  Needless to say, my boobs are shrinking.

I think she's weaned.  Karla knows there is very little milk.  Besides, Karla is 4 and has very little interest in nursing.  She only remembers every few days, sometimes every few weeks.

Letty has lost most of her interest in nursing.  Letty is only interested in nursing at bedtime, and for less than a minute.  Letty insists I prepare a milk bottle (bibi) at night.  She nurses first.  If and when Letty wants milk and is not satisfied with my production she drinks from the milk bottle.  Otherwise, she hugs the bottle like a safety charm.

 Once Letty is asleep, I put the night's bottle and sippy cup (milk and water) in the mini refrigerator upstairs.  If she wakes up in the middle of the night, she can have her bottles ready.

Wean me gentle.  I'm not ready for my last baby to grow up.  I've been nursing nonstop for the last 4 years.  It's hard to believe my baby prefers a milk bottle to my mommy milk (I must be sooo dry)

Letty has begun potty training
Mood:  lucky
Topic: Letty

Letty has recently shown a lot of enthusiasm for potty training.  She would pull her diaper trying to take it off.  I finally got the old potty out of the box.  Letty soon learned to sit on it and pee.  My Baby gets very excited wherenever I mention doing pee pee in the potty (Yay!)

 Last week we got her a box of pull ups at Costco so she could train better.  Sometimes Letty lets me know when she needs to go.  Other times, she doesn't.

Maybe Letty will be potty trained before she's 3, but then there's no need to pressure.

Sahara Dust strikes again
Mood:  irritated
Topic: Puerto Rico

Ever since last wednesday, May 16, we've had record breaking levels of Sahara Dust aka African Dust. The sky is incredibly hazy and looks smoke filled.

This is poison for asthmatic persons. Weather persons have been warning the public to stay indoors, close their windows, keep the Air Conditioning on, and avoid outdoor activities. Needless to say, it's hard to convince a 4yr old to stay indoors because even though it's a gorgeous day, the air is *d i r t y*. On the bright side-- the days are sunny and it's only raining only ocassionally.

The air should clear sometime next week. 

Requesting clean air vibes

Karla's last day of school and pool party
Mood:  crushed out
Topic: Karla

The school year has officially ended at PPP (Parent Participation
Preschool). Next year Karla will attend Colegio Marista in Guaynabo and I will truly miss PPP's wonderful atmosphere.

We hope to place Letty at PPP in the near future.

Karla attended her last day of school, and the following day her class had a pool party at Dorado Beach East. I took the day off from work and took Karla and Letty to the party. Pierre got there later, and was there for about an hour.

The party was at a kiddie water park at el Hangar at Dorado Beach. The place is gorgeous and so are the surrounding homes$$$$$. I've been told Ricky Martin has a house there.

Needless to say the kids had a lot of fun.  We, the parents, also had a great time. It was a hot, sunny day (93 degrees F), the water was delicious, and the breeze was divine.

Almost all the kids from Karla's classroom attended. Their teachers, Ms Edeline and Ms Karla, were also there. I was happy the kids had a blast, but will surely miss them and the wonderful teachers and school.

Karla's 4th Birthday Party
Mood:  celebratory
Topic: Karla

Last May 5th we had a party for Karla's 4th Birthday. We celebrated at Reino de los Niños  an indoor park full of pint sized amusement park rides. Karla had a blast, and so did AdaLetty. (Ada Letty thought it was her birthday too!)

We invited Karla's classmates and a few of our friends and neighbors. We had 19 kids attend the party, plus a few babies and their parents.

My sister Frances came from FL and brought her two kids Francisco and Paula.  Paula's birthday was the day before the party so we also sang Happy Birthday to her.

Counting up to 20 with Karla
Mood:  quizzical
Topic: Motherhood

Tonight we were counting in both Spanish and English. Karla knows how to count in English better than in Spanish. When we were going from 11 to 20, I noticed Karla changed the number 19 to 9. So I start counting, along with Karla, Letty is watching us.

11..12..13..14..15..16..17..18..*19*..20. Yay!

As soon as I reach 20, Karla says--Mommy, I congratulate you. You counted really well.

Karla then proceeded to walk away and do something else.

I just stood there dumbfounded.

Who's teaching who?