Where Did She Get That?

Petra did the funniest thing yesterday. I was sitting at the computer doing some schoolwork and she came into my room.
"Mom, can I watch TV?"
"No."
I went back to my school work, and she went over to my dresser and started messing around, but I wasn't paying very much attention.
"Mom, repeat what I say."
The only way to keep her reasonably entertained so that I can accomplish anything is to play along.
She said, "Mmmm mmmm"
I said, "Mmmm mmmm."

She said, "Mmmm Ahmmm."
I said, "Mmmm Ahmmm."

She said, "Yes!"
I said, "yes."

She said, "No!"
I said, "no."

She said, "I can watch TV!"
I said, "No you caaaan't!"

Lol. As we say about her almost every day, "Where did she get THAT?"

Christmas Tree Fun

Last night we decorated our Christmas Tree. We bought it on Monday, but last night was the first chance we had to decorate it. It was pretty fun.

Around 1:30, we heard a sound like a note on a low note on a harp. Dusty went to see what it was, and the tree had fallen onto the piano! The 8 cups of water in the stand spilled all over the carpet. Dusty and I tried to stand the tree back up, but every time he tried to fix it, it just fell back over again! So, we took a string and tied the tree to a hook in our ceiling left over from one of those 70's lamps that hangs on a chain. It's a temporary fix, but we just could not figure out why the stupid thing wouldn't stand up!!

Kabul Beauty School

I just finished one of the best non-fiction books I've ever read. It's about an American beautician that goes to Afghanistan right after the Taliban fell to help. She gets this idea to open a beauty school for Afghan women so that they can have a way to earn more money and have a marketable skill. I think that it is really amazing what she did. I don't think that most people would realize how much a beautician could really help! It is fascinating and heartbreaking to read about the Afghan women's lives, before, during, and after the Taliban. It is also quite humorously written. I would definitely recommend it to anyone.

No More Cast!!!!!

Today, Petra and I took a trip down to Shriner's, and she got her cast off!!! HOOORAYY!!! She has a little brace to wear on her thigh for the next 2 weeks, just until her muscles get a little stronger, but it easily comes on and off so she can bathe. Tonight, she spent half and hour in the tub, and she didn't want to get out! Her lips were blue because the water had gone cold, she was shivering like crazy, and all she could do was laugh and say how much she loved baths! Also, Dr. Carroll said that she would like to do a bone density-type test, but we have to wait three months, because her bones need to recover from being in a cast. If it turns out that her bones are weak, she will have to have a phosphorus-calcium IV medication every 4-6 months. I am SO happy that they are finally DOING something about this! Hopefully, we won't ever have to go though this again. Also, tonight, she tried sitting up on the floor, and she did it! She hasn't been able to do that since they put her hip in the socket!! I'm exhausted from spending eight hours in a car, but it has been a good day.

Frustration

I don't want for all of my posts to be negative, but I guess you'll just have to endure more gripping for me (or stop reading now.) I am about stressed to the max. Petra is incredibly bored of not being able to do much of anything, and it is making her whiny and clingy (which is hard, because every time I touch her cast, I get hives all over my hands!) Also, Talia is belly crawling, and it is getting more and more difficult to keep an eye on her. Today, she had something in her mouth, and when I pulled it out, it was a dead wasp. Yuck! I nearly threw up. School is looming, and I think that the mere prospect of it, wondering how I'll get through my work, etc., is actually worse than the classes will be themselves. Money is always a worry, and I was up until midnight last night stressing about medical bills and car repairs. Petra's medical needs have shot through the roof in the last week, with me calling all around and trying to arrange a million different things. Oh, and I have a new calling. I have to create a ward choir out of nothing (okay, I actually don't think that that will be too bad.)

The one bright spot--through the college I got a really good deal on an Apple Club membership, and today I had fun working out (I hate to admit it, because it sounds really awful, but just getting away from the girls for a little while was a relief). Of course, there is a downside there, too, because I can only go during the laxest times, when the nursery is not very full (because of Petra), and that means that I can't take any of the classes. There is still equipment and stuff, but I wanted to take step aerobics and spinning.

Anyway, moan moan moan. Complain complain. Sorry.

Pic of Girls

This is a pic of the girls that I am posting for an expiriment.

The Trouble With Teeth

This week, I hate teeth. I finally took Petra to the dentist (bad mommy!) which is something that I have been putting off because everytime I made an appointment, something came up, and I knew that it promised to be a very bad experience. Well, it didn't turn out to be bad in and of itself, but it turns out that poor Petra has so many cavities, that she needs to have all of them filled under full sedation at the local surgical center! Her enamel is very worn down. It makes me feel really cruddy because I have tried to take good care of her teeth (nothing but water at nighttime, and I brush her teeth each evening and most mornings) but I guess it wasn't enough. I feel dreadful, because teeth don't heal on their own--they only get worse and worse! Her dentist thought that perhaps her bad teeth had something to do with the Arthrogryposis, but I don't know. Maybe the fact that she doesn't eat very well? Anyway, she can look forward to a lifetime of teeth problems (including braces). Whoo-hoo. That poor thing. As if her little body didn't give her enough problems.

And, (joy, joy) Talia has been teething. Now, most of the time we just call her Spit (courtesy Scott (I think)). She cut her first tooth the other day and the one next to it is not far behind. It is a very exciting/harrowing time.

Thankyou mom for making me take all of those disgusting little pink pills.