Good Kids

*Pictures posted with permission from BILC students' parents.
**I have no pics of the 2 new kids/haven't gotten permission to post pics of them yet as they just started this week. ;)

Small Victory

If you aren't up to date with my blog, (Then shame on you - you aren't allowed to have a life outside my blog! ;) then let me recap. I have been caring for a little girl with neuroblastoma for the past 2 weeks or so. One of the many problems that have plagued her as a result of this illness is that she has developed a food aversion because of so many rounds of chemo. She has a central line in her belly that runs to a backpack with a bag of formula inside for her nutrition needs. Her mom has been going to Food Therapy, trying to learn how to get L. to eat, but before she started coming to me, L. was completely disinterested in food of any type.

Since coming to my school and being around the kids, L. is beginning to try things here and there. With her mom's permission, I give her anything she wants if she requests food. One day, she asked for some of my Dr. Pepper, so I cracked open a can for her.

Anyway, I am happy to report that this problem is getting so much better, and today she ate 1/3 of a package of chicken Ramen, 2 bites of a cheese stick from my pizza leftovers, 1 bite of a stick of string cheese, and about a 1/2 cup of milk. I know it doesn't sound like it, but the even greater victory is that SHE asked ME for the food. I didn't suggest it. She came to me and said, "Ms. Colleen, I'm hungry, can I have some noodles?" Normally, if a child gets up during naptime, it means big trouble, but I could have jumped for joy when I heard those words!

The kids continue to pray for her at school, and, according to their parents, at home, too! I am so proud of them all. They are so sweet and encouraging towards her. It can be so easy for kids to shun someone who is different, but they have all helped foster an accepting and supportive environment for her. They are such good examples for me every day. I am grateful to have them around me every day.

He's a med student, a daddy and a teacher, who knew?

This week has been filled with sickness in the Blake household. We're still fighting off reactions from that dang chicken pox vaccine. I wish I had just told that mean nurse "No, thank you, ma'am, we'd rather have chicken pox!" Jackson has had an off and on fever of up to 101, and on Wednesday he woke up looking like a leper with a rash all over the trunk of his body. Ben had already left for school when I got Jack up, so I called him and he promptly turned right around and took him to the doctor. What a guy! That made him so behind with studying this week, but that was only the beginning for my super-awesome husband.

On Thursday, I woke up feeling a little iffy. By 9 am, I was sure I was going to physically ill, and boy, was I right! My first thought was that I was pregnant, but the fever and other sypmtoms disproved that theory. I'll spare you the details, but by the end of the day I was dehydrated and exhausted to the point that I couldn't stand. How did I take care of 8 kids while incapacited thus? I just did. I don't know, but what option did I have? When we went outside, I had to quickly corral everyone back in when I knew I was about to be sick. Twice Jackson was throwing a fit for me to hold him right when I had to make a run to the bathroom. I had to squat over the potty, using my knees to balance him, my left arm to hold him and pin his arms back from the target, and take care of business. All the while, I had all the kids sitting in group time with a book, thinking Mrs. Colleen just had to run upstairs for a few minutes, and she'd be right back. Good thing they are well trained and did what I asked them to do. Good kids!

Anyway, I only had to make it until 4ish because Ben came home as soon as he could and saved me! By the time he got there, I was literally crawling across the floor to change diapers, answer the phone, etc. He took over for me with the 4 kids (including my special needs student), plus Jackson and did an awesome job. I stayed in the living room on the couch (off and on) until all the kids left, then I went to bed and slept till 6:45 this morning.

I awoke today feeling weak, but much better and went back to work as usual. But I just want to say I am so grateful for my husband! He never fails to step up and do whatever job is needed of him, even when it something he is uncomfortable with. AND I have learned my lesson...I am not going to procrastinate this anymore: Anybody wanna be on my sub list??? ;)

New Cars, New Kids and Not Much Done Today

Today we finally became the proud owners of a brand new car: an 09 deep blue Jeep Patriot. We have had our Dodge Neon for 4 years and Ben's 99 Grand Am since we first started dating, maybe 6 years... Traveling to Tulsa or just going grocery shopping has not been an easy task in our small cars since Jackson joined our family. Even though it will be Ben's car (since I got the last new one and since from 7:15-5:30, I pretty much can't leave the house), I am so excited because when I go grocery shopping or need to run errands, I will have space I need! YES!

Also, I have another little 3 year-old-girl starting on Monday. Then today I got a call from a woman I spoke with back in July who eventually decided NOT to enroll her 3 year-old boy, but was then referred to me by Lorraine Lee, and now has changed her mind. (Thank you so much Lorraine!!) So if both of these work out I will have a total of 9 kids including Jackson, but before you all go and start thinking I'm nuts...Two of them are half-day - one am, one pm - so I really will only have 8 kids incl. Jackson at a time.

Due to the new car adventure today and Jackson's 1 year pics this morning, I got nothing done around the house. Sigh, I hate not feeling ready for the week! It makes me feel like I have to do it all on Monday, and that just adds stress to my life that I don't need!

Immunizations and I agree with "I Have a Good Life"...

Sigh...Jackson has had a high fever for days now. He isn't sleeping very well at night. Normally, I would be concerned, and I still am a little, but I know why he has the fever. He had SEVEN shots last Tuesday for his one-year immunizations(sidenote: What kind of cruel person gives a baby seven shots? What kind of cruel mother allows this and even holds her baby down so someone can inflict such pain on their child??), one of which was the nasty chicken pox immunization. The nurse told me that he could have a fever of up to 101 for up to 42 days! Is that healthy for a baby to have a fever for that long? Can I give him Tylenol for that long? Does anyone think I should take him to the doctor anyway? HOw do you mothers do this? I can't sleep at night because I know he doesn't feel well and it's all my fault.

I absolutely have to have his shots up-to-date though, even if I wanted to make the personal choice not to. The state requires all kids to have current shot records for a Licensed Child Care home. Plus, I started caring for a little girl with neuroblastoma and her immune system is very weak, so I wanted to make sure Jack was current before she started coming every day. This poor girl is so fragile as it is, I just want to do everything in my power to help her heal. She doesn't eat, she is hooked up to a central line and eats formula poured into a bag with tube running directly to her stomach. She wears a backpack and carries it around all day. The 7 rounds of chemo she had endured has created a food aversion, and when she eats, she feels nauseous. She has also sustained severe hearing loss and has to wear hearing aidS, and takes several medications several times a day that give her severe diarrhea all day long. Yet, you look at this girl and she is so sweet and happy and excited to play with the other kids. She is happy to come to school every day and learn. She takes it all in stride and goes about her day. She is so inspiring to me. To be 4 and to have gone through so much...ok, I have to end now or I will be crying. When I really think about her I always start to tear up. The sweetest thing is when the other kids pray for her before meals. I almost cry every time we pray. If he hears anyone's prayers, I know Heavenly Father has got to hear those! LIFE IS SO NOT FAIR!

I wish I had a pic to go with this story...

This afternoon I was working with 3 kids at the table and Jackson was on the floor playing with some toys, and I got up from my round table to get a glue stick and turned my back for MAYBE 5 seconds. When I sat down, one of the girls said, "Ms. Colleen, look at Jackson!"

I looked over and the little stinker had stolen my Dr. Pepper! He was over in the corner hiding from me, trying to down it as fast as he could! He maybe got 2 sips in his mouth, the rest was all down his shirt and in a puddle at his feet on the carpet! When I starting walking toward him, he tried to run from me!!

It was so funny, I couldn't be mad! I guess that will teach me to have a Dr. Pepper right at the table within his reach, huh?

What are your daily roles?

Today I was a...
Husband's lunch-maker
Dish doer
Bathroom cleaner
Keeper of quiet kids (preventer of a grumpy husband)
Letter T & living and non-living things teacher
Fight intervener
Potty assistant
Diaper changer

Playground Supervisor
Boo-boo and "broken heart" comforter
Listener of silly stories
Tickler
Children's book reader

Discipliner
Lunch and Snack Maker
Maker-Upper of Silly Lunch Games to Help Kids Eat a Full Lunch
Kitchen Cleaner
Laundry Doer
Lesson Planner
Dresser of a Toddler (which is a feat in and of itself, am I wrong?)
Post-Meal Cleaner of a Toddler (again, a feat in and of itself...)
Provider of Children's Entertainment

Communicator with Parents
Maker of Homemade Pizza for Dinner
Errand Runner
Reassurer of Love
Bather of a Toddler
Bedtime-Story Reader
Song Singer
Prayer Leader
Bedtime Putter-Downer
Supporter & Packing Assistant of husband's weekend hunting trip

Lazy TV watcher

Skittles Eater and Pepsi Drinker
Guilty 2 mile-runner
Blogger

And after blogging, I will be a...

Ensign-Article Reader
Scripture reader
and finally, a freshly-showered Sleeper

Hmm...whose head do I see hiding behind the train table?


Just like his mama, who used to get in trouble for reading books with a flashlight under the covers way pst her bedtime...