July fun, pain meds and Grandmas' gracious help

So much for lying around on the floor and doing "tummy time!" Maggie has graduated into the Hot Rod! Who-hoo, she's growing up! She can make it scoot backwards a few steps. And of course, Owen likes to scoot her around, too. Not mention, he likes to get in and out of it and play around and scoot across the floor. Although, I'm not sure how he does it since it's on the lowest setting and his knees practically drag on the floor, grass or cement....wherever it's at!
Peace Grandma (as Owen now refers to her. Translated = Grandma Spiehs) was very daring during her stay in Springfield and took Owen and Maggie to the zoo. We had just been there a week or two before with my parents, brother, sister-in-law and neice and nephew. Owen loved the entire trip, especially the monkies! If I'm having problems getting him somewhere, I can use the monkies to my advantage. "Climb up your changing table like a little monkey." "Scoot into the car like a monkey." To divert a screaming tantrum: "Go find your monkey book." (Curious George)What a smiler. The last few weeks Maggie's really enjoyed being in the jumper. She really seems to get a kick out of being able to control which direction she's looking and being able to stand on her feet. Just in the last few days she's figured out how to actually jump in it. Owen, of course (being the master hopper that he is) thinks he can teach her how to jump higher by grabbing hold of the bungee cords and jumping with her! Yes, she goes much higher that way.

No, we don't feed Owen in the highchair. I'm putting this on the blog so there's offical record that Owen chooses to climb into the highchair (usually once or twice a day). After we thought he had outgrown it (about 6 months ago) we got him a handy booster seat. He used that for about 2 months. (Although he'll ask for one at Peace Grandmas). We didn't argue too much with him about not using the booster seat. As long as he eats, we won't argue too much with him. Since Maggie has started using the highchair now a few times a day, he thinks he should get to sit in it, too. I thought at first that it was going to be a once time thing, and then he'd move on. Wrong! I don't think I'll argue too much with him on this issue, either. Six reasons. 1. He gets in and out of it himself. 2. He can't go anywhere once he's buckled in and has the tray on. 3. The tray is easier to clean than the table. 4. I can wipe his grubby mug and paws before I take off the tray and unbuckle him. 5. He's not running around the house. 6. He feels special because it's something that he wants to do and we let him.

You may have caught in the title of this blog "Pain meds and Grandmas gracious help." Vicodin is a great pain reliever! I ended up in the ER last week after having a seriously bad lowback spasm and couldn't walk or move myself very far. I've had a history of low back problems (the last 10 years). This last time I was putting Maggie down in her crib for a nap when the muscles just snapped and I couldn't move. My mother-in-law ("Done Grandma" as Owen now refers to her, translation = Grandma Hudson. He has the "D" sound and the last "N" sound, he'll get it, eventually!) was at the house, thankfully to help get me to the couch and the ice pack. Needless to say, I knew I wouldn't be any good for the kids; my mom was able to get to Springfield from Phillips in record time. (as Karen was heading out for Georgia that day). The next day actually was worse than the day of the spasm, which is when I went to the emergency room for some awesome shots and prescriptions for spasms and pain. The weekend came and went. I slept most of it away, if I had a burst of energy I tried staying upright for a while and walking and moving in a very cautious sort of way, almost holding my breath with every slight bend or twist of the waist. I can honestly say that the recovery from this back incident, was worse than recuperating from the C-sections. At least after the C-sections, when I was able to get up on my feet, I stayed up and was able to walk; I didn't have to wonder if the spasm I was having from trying to stand up was going to get worse if I stayed standing up or tried to sit back down. It spasmed whatever I did. Not sure how many times I heard Owen say, "Mama ouchie." We had a week of Grandma help. Grandma Spiehs from Wed - Sunday. And Grandma Hudson from Sunday to Wed. What a blessing to have such wonderful women in my life. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Since I was out of drugs and still in pain, I headed to a doctor on Monday. Got more prescriptions and an appointment for an MRI on my low back. I wouldn't call myself a claustrophic, but it's not a procedure I would like to have done too many more times in my life. Although it was a half hour laying down with no kids and listening to Van Morrison's, "Moondance." :-)

We'll know the results in a few days. Most likely it's nothing. Just a precaution to make sure it's nothing. So I'll try to remember to keep everyone posted.