Sick Mommy

I've been sick for the last few days. Just a cold but a bad one. I do have a faithful nurse. Nurse Ellie. She hold my hand and tells me "get better Mommy" I can't turn around or she's kissing my head. She brings me soaking wet, dripping wash clothes (she can't read, she doesn't know they are supposed to be damp) and covers my head with them.

I have to get better soon, I'm being loved to death.

The Continuing Boyfriend Saga

Lauren is bound and determined that Joshua is Ellie's boyfriend. No ifs, ands or buts about it.
She looked at me last night and said "Mommy, Joshua is a nice boy. Ellie picked a good boyfriend".

Seriously, is she going to be 17 and I didn't realize it. I've tabeled the age appropriate relationship talks for now.

Sleepless nights

We changed Lauren medication in June. She went from 25 mg to 40 mg of Straterra. We also increased her afternoon dose of Ritalin from 5 mg to 10 mg. Her neurologist warned that the increase of Ritalin may cause sleep problems.

Wow, he wasn't kidding! First, Lauren already has sleep problems which is one of the reasons she's on Clonedine at night. It is actually a high blood pressure medication but helps some kids with impulse control and makes you tired. I've never decided if it does help Lauren with impuse control but it does help her sleep and that's reason enough for me to continue to give it to her.

The last two weeks, she's been sleeping about 3 hours a night. 3 hours of very irregular, interrupted sleep. She been going to bed at around 9:30. hey, it's the summer we live it up here. She then wakes up around 12:00 or even 11:00 if it is an especially bad night. She up for the day, she restless, her entire body twitches and she thrashes around. The worst part: she's not happy about it and desperately wants to sleep. Until now, Lauren's sleep problems have primary effected everyone else. She's been blissfully unaware of the problems. That is no longer true. She's been crying for a few hours a night about how tired she is and how she just can't sleep. She may be only 6 but she knows her body. I believe her. It is not a trick or a ploy. She just can't sleep.

Hopefully her neurologist will have some ideas of how to help.

Just Hanging Around

Face painting at the Irish Festival

Irish Festival

We had a great time at the Irish Festival. There was great food. There is nothing like eating stew out of a bread bowl in over 80 degrees. We got there shortly before 11. It was free before 11 with a food donation. We didn't leave until after 8. The girls did great. They kept the playground open so we were able to unwind there several times. They loved everything from the mugs we bought, to the fudge, the Irish dancer, and the shuttle bus. And there were dogs. We love dogs!

Riding bikes

Our new favorite thing is to load up the bikes and go to Lauren's school. the playground with the basketball hoops is always empty so they can ride a lot easier then on our sidewalks