i heart faces-soft and sweet

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It goes without saying that I did not take this photo. However, my dear husband B did and of all the photos in our archive that say "soft and sweet" this one stood out the most to me. I realize that I may not be eligible to win the photo contest and that is okay. But B deserves huge kudos for snapping this very special moment between me and my sweet boy. It is one of my most favorite photos of us and a rare moment in which he is actually sleeping on me. The original photo is in black and white and I only made a few adjustments to soften the photo even more.

Check out all the other great photos below:

It happens every time

>So it seems. This is the first time in three years that I have started a new job and 10 days in I'm already sick.  I'm sure that Logan brought something home from daycare and we must be fighting off the same nasties. I remember three years ago when I started my previous job and the second night I had one of the worst sinus infections I'd ever had. I was working the night shift and felt so bad that I called in sick on the second day. Good thing the person who was training me knew how yucky I felt the night before so I knew she didn't think I was faking it (I get very self-conscious about people thinking this about me). Anyway, a week ago my supervisor told me straight up that I would get sick and it would be soon. I tried to scoff that off because B has been sick three times in the last 5 weeks with nasty stuff and both Logan and I have been able to stave it all off. Apparently Logan and I have the same immune system because we're both sick. YUCK! I hate it. I hate head colds and feeling like my balance is off because I can't hear anything. I do feel a little better today and am taking the day to rest and clean the house. Logan is at daycare for a few more hours so I better get going.

Of reactions and sickness

>The last few days have been rather crazy. And not really in a good way.

Last Thursday, I was informed that I should get two immunizations for work (by my employer). They were DTAP and Meningitis. I have had both, several years ago, and never had any issues with reactions. DTAP is known to be a sore shot at the site. Redness and slight swelling are almost expected symptoms, as is it with just about any immunization and with these, the shot has a small portion of the live virus in it. So Thursday night I was hurting. I had a shot given in each arm in the upper portion of my tricep muscle. Why it has to go into the muscle, I don't know! But I slept horribly, to say the least.

Friday I was still in training and pretty much grinned and bared it all the way through. I took ibrpofin to keep the soreness at bay but I was in some serious pain. I could hardly concentrate on the important material I was trying to absorb. Now, one thing about me that kind of sucks is that I do not tolerate pain very well and I make sure that everysingleperson knows it. Because I was training with new people I did not say one word about how I was feeling so I saved up all that complaining energy for B. Initially, he gave me the side eye for being such a baby over simple immunizations. Get over yourself, is what I kept seeing come across B's face but he just happens to be the most amazing husband and would never dare say something like that to me. I was already in tears from the pain. 

Saturday morning I woke up (from what little sleep I had-sleeping on my arms was impossible) and was in so much pain. The soreness was not going away and up until this point I had paid little attention to how my arms actually looked. I was so focused on the pain I did not even bother to check on the sites. Well I finally did and WOAH! My arms were so swollen and red. The sites were HOT to the touch. I knew that was not good and I felt worse that I had since the first day. Took my temp and had a fever. I cannot even tell you the last time I had a fever! Later, it dawned on me that as mamas we keep an eye on a fever after our babies have immunizations and it was rather ironic to me that I spiked one. All of these symptoms are considered mild side effects to the vacs, things which are not normal, but also not unusual (as that is how the ER doc explained it). Oh yeah, the ER (errr Urgent Care). So I called my supervisor and told her what was going on. She then called our big boss and he asked that I go to the ER or urgent care because something like this would fall under workers comp and I had know I idea how much worse I could get.

(I just want to point out that had this been a reaction to vacs given to me by my PCP and NOT work related I would have just sucked it up at home-I thought urgent care was a bit much but heck, I do what I'm told.)

Saturday around noon I headed to UC with my kindle. I knew it would be a really long wait being that it was Saturday and my priority was like, not one at all. Three hours. All to be told to keep icing and ibprofining it up. Duh. I knew that. Today, my arms are much better. Still a little tender to the touch but not painful. Does this mean I will never be able to receive these vacs again? I have no idea. I have yet to follow up with my PCP. If I find out, I'll let you know.

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On top of all this Logan has been sick. Bad cold which we are certain he got at daycare. Pretty normal and nothing we can't handle, although trying to carry a 22 pound child while my arms were in serious pain was no fun at all. He's still not feeling great and I can see three more top teeth inching their way in.

THEN I get sick. I'm sick. Wow. I have not said that since last June. I rarely ever get sick anymore and I am certain that Logan got me sick this time. Ha...blaming it on my child. Great mama here! lol I feel pretty crappy and am doing everything I can to try to keep it at bay. Still have a ton of training and practice going on at work and I really cannot afford to miss any days. So please pray that Logan and I get well soon and that B does not pick up what we've got. Also for motivation to keep the house picked up. We are moving in less than a month and there are two boxes packed. Thats it. 

Happy Easter

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(Logan, one year ago on Easter)

We're not big fans of the bunny in our house. In fact, I did not even decorate this year. Not because I didn't want to, but because everything is packed. Next year, in our new home, will be wayyyy different. But still, we're not fans of the Easter bunny. That is not at all what Easter is about to us. Jesus is Easter. And this year, as every year past, we celebrate his resurrection. I pray blessings to you and your families.

Happy Easter! He IS Risen!!

i heart faces-pets

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This weeks challenge theme is pets. It was barely 10* outside and Tulo cannot stand being outside when it's cold. Except when he's running with Butte. Captured this photo mid-sprint and you cannot even tell that he hates how cold it is. Here is his profile:

• Greyhound (99% purebred)
• Never raced
• Adopted at 10 weeks old 
• Weighs ~65lbs
• Height ~3ft from floor to top of front shoulders
• DOB August 14, 2007
• Named after Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado Rockies Short Stop
• Nicknames (mostly given and said by me): TT, T-Tons, T-Dog, T-Payne, Pooplo, TT-Peepee Pants
• Loves: 
• snuggling
• car rides
• running (as you can see!)
• playing with Butte
• giving Logan kisses
• laying in bed with us under the covers
• special chewy treats
• baseballs (no joke-it's the only ball he will play with and he can strip the leather off in no time)
• Hates:
• being left alone
• laying on the floor
• getting hurt (HUGE baby)
• water/baths (unless Butte is there to help encourage him, he will not get into the water)
• when he does something bad and gets into trouble
• being cold and/or wet from rain or snow (although the above photo proves that he CAN suck it up and have some fun) :)

Check out all the other awesome photos below:

QUICK! Help me decide!!

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The next iheartfaces photo challenge is going to open up sometime tonight or tomorrow (most likely tonight due to Easter) and I CANNOT decide which photo to enter! The theme is pets and here are my best photos already edited. Tell me which one you think is the best and that will be the one I enter. THANKS!!

When do I say "enough"?

>I need your help friends. I mean, really need your help. I'm asking all you regular lurkers out there to actually leave me a comment and tell me what to do. I know, shocking.

As I mentioned in my last post Logan has been in daycare a total of THREE days and has been bit by three different children FOUR times. Yes, one child actually bit him twice, once on each arm. Since the initial shock of my child being injured while in someone else's care by another child has lessened over the last few days, my anger over the consistent occurrences has only increased. Taking Logan to daycare to begin with was a big deal. I was worried that he would miss me, that he would realize that everyone in the room was a new person and I had not been there to help him get aquatinted and comfortable with his teachers and the other kids. I worried that he would not take a nap, that he would sit alone in a corner and not participate in activities, and that he would cry and cry and cry. My heart ached with these concerns as the days approached and not once did the thought of him getting hurt cross my mind. I'm totally aware of his risk of falling and bonking and bruising from play but never from another child. So when I brought him home and told my mom and B that Logan had been bit TWICE, we were all fuming.

My heart broke thinking about him being hurt and wondering where I was to make it all better, to kiss his boo boos and hold him until he felt better. Logan happens to be a little dramatic when he gets hurt and while I do my damnedest to NOT help fuel that by gasping or instantly running to his side, he still cries. I want him to know that not every single time he bonks his head does it mean he's actually hurt. But this is not what this post is about. This is about other kids biting my kid at daycare.

So here is where I need your help. I need to know what to do. I've worked in daycares before and I don't remember kids biting each other. Sure there were squabbles and such, but I do not recall a single child ever having an issue with other children so much so that he was going home every night with a new bite or bruise caused by another child. I'm sure if I had, that I would have had a serious talking to about how our supervision of the children needs to improve, even though we were there. Anyway, I'm lost. I have made countless mistakes as a parent and I don't want to just jump ship from what could be a potentially good daycare just because Logan is being bit by other children every.single.day. It's not like the teachers are encouraging it and the director has been very honest with me about what they are doing to try and prevent it. Even so, he is still being bit. He has a buddy in his class and they've both been in the class the same amount of time and he has not been bit. I don't get it. The teachers are telling me that Logan is not the only child being bit. So what the hell is going on?!

Logan is not the youngest kiddo in his class, but I would put money on him having the fewest teeth. He has been a late bloomer with getting his teeth and I would be livid if BECAUSE he has been getting bit that he himself adopts that form of ill toddler communication. LIVID!! My mom has been in early childcare for 20+ years but does not have recent experience with a group of 1 year olds. She works with 3 year olds, kids who have words and understand directions, etc. Regardless, she cannot believe this is happening every day. I cannot believe it. As I said, I am trying not to bail right away and blame the daycare. Finding another daycare is a huge pain in the ass and there are several perks of him going to this particular one, the main one being he is a block away from where I work.

So please help me out here! I am at a loss. Obviously Logan quickly forgets what is happening to him and so far none of the bites have broken the skin. I've notified his doctor and have yet to hear back. Thank you SO MUCH for any and all advice you can offer! No more bites for my baby!