Radioactive Woman

10 days ago, I had a thallium stress test on my heart. It turns out that my heart should be good for at least 15 more years: my valves and heart look great. This is great news for me. Since then, my family has been on a roller coaster as all of the medicines, etc. I've been on have been adjusted.

I takes something like this to remind me how much my health affects my family. My house is a wreck (and not because my husband isn't helping, but because he has had to be both of us). My "simple" cold became something very major. My blood sugar is completely out-of-whack. Being sick isn't just about ME; it affects my entire family. It reminds me of the old saying, "When mama's sick, ain't nobody happy!" and that's really true around here.

As a quick update: despite the housing market, the stock market, and the lack of real estate sales, my husband still has a job that he loves! He is also cleaning out the trash in our back yard. We've determined to get our house engineered, and over the winter get the house ready to rebuild. We'll start the major work in the spring. Hopefully by then, we'll know what the stock market is going to do...

Jack has a new Primary teacher who says he's the best of all her students! And, he's back to shouting at his siblings. It turns out that being the oldest when mom is sick is stressful on the oldest child, too. He is doing well in school. He's a good reader; he's working on his math and loves his teacher.

Xandri continues to terrorize her siblings; she thinks Max should be held all the time, and Max feels like she is his personal strait-jacket. Xandri is a dress-up queen, and she loves styling her hair! Who knew THAT day would come?? She loves headbands and bows, and she'll let me do side-pony tails and poofs. She's the glitter, nail polish, etc. queen. I got a girly, girl, and it makes me deleriously happy. I know that the day she starts stealing (and ruining) my shoes, I'll have gotten my comuppance from what I did to my mother's shoes.

Asa's speech is so clear I am beginning to believe he's learning English at pre-school. He's a motorcycle fantic. He loves Cars (the movie), trucks, and all things with engines. He uses Tinker Toys... to make motorcycles. He, Jack and Max play cars virtually all the time.

Max is sad that we have finished nursing. I am too! It's sad when the baby isn't a baby anymore. He's so big! He likes to pus his cars around (he makes a "th" sound as he does so). He rearranges shoes, and drives them around like they are cars. He loves pulling daddy's socks out of the sock drawer, and he's really starting to talk. He says: "mama," "dad," "no," "mine," (in some variation--it's not quite clear yet), "Hi," "this," and "Asa" (in some form) and "Jack" (in some form). He also knows the meanings of all sorts of words. "No" from Mama makes him laugh. "No" from Dad makes him cry. He also cries when you say, "Let's go to bed." He's great at "snuggle" and "hugs" and he understands "kisses" and sticks out his tounge appropriately. You gotta be careful with him. He's into "french" kissing. You get slobbered by him, but at least you know you're loved.

That's the update!