OK...so, this is a rather simple rendering done by Elena. Not a lot of time, nor drawing talent was put into it (she has much more prowess than this), but the message here was a bit of a startling one. Do you know what it is? It's a parade. A whole big parade, with dogs and animals. It's a very exciting parade that is trotting right by. See that funny little person off to the side? That lone person down on the bottom right? That's Mommy. That's Mommy with her puter. She's missing the parade. Out of the mouths of babes....
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
DAY 119: Check Up
Just thought I would update you on Elena's check-up today. Our doctor is VERY concerned about Elena's weight. She's way off the charts for weight while being still at 50% for height. He wants us to attack it right now. Otherwise, she is headed for diabetes and other weight-related issues.
The good news is there is a medical condition they can treat that will help. She will be starting on Prevacid because Cigno believes she has been suffering with reflux for a long, long time..the cavities she had clinched this diagnosis. In addition, the constant hungry feeling and the hunger upon waking are signs that she is "raw" in the stomach. Children with reflux all the time actually feel the erosion as hunger. Poor baby!! And, it feels better when they eat, so then they eat ALL THE TIME and, he says, it becomes an obsession. Also, because their stomachs only feel good when they have food in their stomach. By constantly putting food in their stomachs they quiet the hurt. Unfortunately, this means her stomach has stretched to...let's just say too large of a capacity.
So, he wants us to break the cycle.
For the next 4-6 weeks she is on an extreme eating regime (I am intentionally not calling it a diet). She is to eat three meals a day ONLY. LOW, LOW carbs (not more than 2-4 slices of bread equivalent each day). No more nuggets, no more hummus, no sweets, no processed foods if at all possible. Veggies are free, she can eat them all day long if she wants. I am also going to get some sugar-free popsicles and low fat microwave popcorn. He doesn't even want us to let her drink too much water, though, as it will further the stomach stretching.
I'll let you know as I develop more strategies and dietary ideas. Off to google communities for parents with overweight kids!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
DAY 118: Hey...Look at Me
So, this is certainly not a stellar picture of either of my children, but it tells a story. The story was that I was snapping pictures of Liam, which I seem to be doing a lot lately (since he is so damn cute!!). Well, SOMEBODY did not like that I was photographing him. First she asked me, "Mommy, Mommy...what are you taking pictures of???" (She suspected it was her cute little bro.)
When I answered, "Liam," her fears were confirmed. I saw her cute little body edge into my view finder. She's showing pictures of the deer she spotted in our back yard (which she has NOT stopped talking about for days.) "Look at ME, Mom! LOOK AT ME!" Ok, little girl, Mommy's looking and loving it.
Monday, April 27, 2009
DAY 117: Drinking it In...
Wow. This weather. I have given up wine as a birthday present to myself. I am going to take an evening walk with my kids instead. It should be healthy all around. Tonight we walked to the park. It was gorgeous. Look at the magnolias! Aren't they such a sight? Couldn't you just get drunk on their smell? I could!
And here are my walking companions who, somehow, have learned how to ride in the stroller together after almost three years. I anticipated fussiness on the walk home from the park, so I stopped at our local favorite restaurant and got an order of chicken tenders for them to share. When in doubt, feed them...makes for great moods!
Sunday, April 26, 2009
DAY 116: Arts and Crafts on the Back Porch
Elena was calling him Mr. Blueberry.
And Elena is working on a paper mache dog:
Saturday, April 25, 2009
DAY 115: Doe A Deer
This was about 10 feet from our back window tonight. Elena spotted him. It was a highlight for the whole family who tried to quietly crowd around the windows. We weren't that quiet, but in the personality of deer in our area, he was brazen. 
Friday, April 24, 2009
DAY 115: Cherry Blossoms
I cannot resist a cherry tree in full bloom...or a crabapple...or a dogwood. Soon, it will be my birthday and I will be 39. It seems like just yesterday I was 29. Time flies. Fleeting, like the blossoms on a cherry tree...beautiful for a moment and then gone.
DAY 114: How to Clean Practically Anything
So, recently our dryer shit the bed. It turns out it didn't REALLY shit the bed, but the entropy that is our laundry room conspired to knock out the plug to the dryer and we surmised the thing had broken. It wasn't anymore broken than it had been, which is not great. It turns out the dryer vent also had become disconnected. Mom undertook the challenge of climbing in the no-mans-land that is the space between the washer and dryer.
Luckily, one of the first things she found was what we call the "grab-nabbers" which are a vestige from one of my dad's hip surgeries. They were handy for pulling items out from the back of appliances. The first thing she pulled out is in the laundry basket in the foreground...it had us all in stitches of irony. Can't see what it is? Here...let me show you:
Thursday, April 23, 2009
DAY 113: First Visit to the Dentist
Elena went to her first real dentist appointment. It went great! She was such a trooper! Of course, it helped that the dentist was a pediatric one and was just awesome with kids. Two thumbs up for pediatric dentists!! Booooo for six cavities caused by acid reflux as a toddler.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
DAY 112: Bathtime for Liam
They love the bath so, don't know why I hate bath time. I think it's that feeling I get being prisoner in the bathroom. I want to run and do things, not sit in one place, but at bath time, that's what's expected...just sitting...getting splashed upon. At almost three, we are getting to the point where it's actually ok to leave Liam (who chats non-stop anyway) for a moment or two to shuffle off to, say upload some pictures to the puter or fix a snack. He's so constantly noisy that the barrage of constant noise keeps me aware of his aliveness. Thank goodness for that...sometimes.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
DAY 111: Whitestone Bridge in Fog
First day I actually agree that this big metal bridge should be called the Whitestone...
DAY 110: Forgot a Picture Today
So, a bonus one from yesterday...here they are skipping stones. I love that big boulders by the river bank has huge rusty spikes sticking out of it. Really safe! But, at least it made for some pretty cool photos!
DAY 109: Time Out
We had a lovely day. We had lunch at the GW Tavern in Washington, CT and the weather was spectacular. I took the kids down to the river edge to skip stones. They were really into it...pitching rocks into the water. It was only when Liam threatened to pitch himself into the river (after being repeatedly warned NOT to go down the bank) that he wound up in time out. As is his way, even his time out was cute and punctuated with conversation.
"Mommy, I don't wan be bad. I don't wan get in twouble!" Um, too late! Poor little bug...
Sunday, April 19, 2009
DAY 108: Peep Casualty
Photo essay...What happens when a Peep meets the chimnea?
Peep Tragedy:
Peep Gather at the Crime Scene to Investigate:
Peep Coffin:
Note: do not try roasting Peeps like marshmallows. The sugar on the outside gets so hot and looks tasty, like it's been caramelized, enticing the roaster to touch it. BAD IDEA. The blister on my finger doesn't look like anything or I would have a picture of it too!
DAY 107: The Bronx Zoo
It's so hard to pick a single picture to represent the day when you have an eventful one like I did on Friday. At seven in the morning, I picked up my friend Lorraine, who had just flown in from Seattle. I had the kids with me and we went to get breakfast and then headed to the Bronx Zoo. Just as it's hard to pick a single photo, it's also hard to name our favorite animal! I think it was toss up between the baby giraffe named Margaret, the litter of river otters and the African Wild Dogs. There were plenty of beautiful species and the zoo was glorious in 70 degree weather and full sun. Heaven!
Margaret:
Litter of River Otters:
African Wild Dog:
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
DAY 105: My Diet Doesn't Have a Name
I have been on a low carb diet for over a year. It works for me. I have cut out things that used to be highly addictive to me such as bread and sugar. After the first few months, which were very strict, I allowed a few carbs back in. I eat corn chips for example. It is only in the last few months that I have allowed kettle corn. I might have to NOT allow kettle corn in the future since it is so yummy it teeters on the edge of addiction.
Oh well, I can eat because (and this is what I always say) my diet doesn't have a name and thus, there is a not a book written on it, nor rules to follow. I don't have to answer to any one or feel guilty or bad if I make up a new guideline to follow...it's all part of my diet which is really nothing more than a healthier way of eating.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
DAY 104: Grandpa Sassano's Style
Liam was needing to get ready for bed tonight, but I realized I hadn't photographed his new sneaks yet. I got out the camera and got him out of his clothes. All of a sudden, I was transported to seeing my Grandpa Sassano in his shorts, dark socks and sneakers (or dress shoes) back in the day. A nod to you up there in Heaven, Grandpa! We love you!
He loses his Grandpa look when you see his whole bod...
Monday, April 13, 2009
DAY 103: The Face of Unconditional Love
I think I blogged about this before, but oh well, here goes. This is Lambie. Lambie is my son's lovey. He sleeps with Lambie every night. We actually have three lambies to ensure we always have a back up. In case you don't this little gem of wisdom, never have "back-ups" of a child's lovey unless you intend for them to attach to snuggling multiples of said lovey. That's exactly what happened to us. We can get by with one Lambie, but two is always better. And, as was the case this evening, sometimes he has two and wants his "second" Lambie (which really means third).
Anyhow, I played around taking loads of Lambie shots this evening. I had fun with poses...Lambie in repose, Lambie serious, Lambie smiling, Lambies getting some action...etc...Liam was checking out the pictures I took and immediately had to have his "Wammies" NOW...He trotted off to get them and proceed to come back down with two. He used them to make a "widdle garage for his Lightning Dequeen car" and then proceeded to announce, "Awwwww, wook Mommy! Wightning is sooo happy is his widdle Lambie garage!" Gosh, I love this age!
REPOSE:
LOVE:
LITTLE GARAGE:
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