A diagnosis...

Just after Katelyn turned 4, she got her first ear infection. And then with every consequent cold virus, came another ear infection. So many in fact that I've lost count. She's had 8 within the last year alone. How do you treat ear infections? Antibiotics. And Katelyn has been prescribed at least 6 different antibiotics in the last year to combat all the ear infections she's endured. Aside from severe ear pain, which is heartbreaking for any parent to witness, Katelyn's also had much difficulty with her hearing. When she failed her first hearing test, I was heart-broken. Even though I knew her hearing loss was temporary, it didn't matter-my little girl could not hear.

In November, Katelyn awoke at 9 pm one night screaming with pain. We took her to the Children's Hospital urgent care(north campus) & upon examining her, they prescribed an antibiotic for an ear infection. 2 weeks later when we followed up with our pediatrician, he said her ear infection was not gone & prescribed another antibiotic rarely used anymore, but it did the trick. At that time I told her doctor I wanted to see an ENT & he said he didn't think we were there yet. He also told me that we could put Katelyn on antibiotics indefinitely. My mommy radar went off like crazy!! Are you kidding me?? So we put her on all these antibiotics & when she gets pneumonia or worse & needs antibiotics, her body will have built up such a resistance to antibiotics that they won't work. I DON'T THINK SO!! I realize I didn't go to med school; but sometimes, when you're a parent, you just gotta go with your gut!!

In January, when Katelyn got yet another ear infection, we saw a different pediatrician in the practice & he agreed with me that we should see an ENT. So upon conferring with trusted friends, we decided to see Dr. Steubel at Children's Hospital. It was very important to me that Katelyn see a pediatric ENT. During the consultation at Children's, Katelyn met with an audioligist. Even though she didn't have an active ear infection at the time, there was so much fluid built up in her ears, that she barely passed a hearing exam. I will never forget sitting in the sound-proof exam room with Katelyn. Katelyn had on ear muffs & every time she heard a noise she was supposed to raise her hand. Well, she couldn't hear the sounds; so in frustration she kept turning around to me and saying, "Mommy, you need to tell her to turn it up, I can't hear!" Man, was it hard to fight back tears.

After Katelyn's hearing exam, she met with Dr. Steubel. He's a very nice man, if not a bit stoic. He has a German accent, I think, could be Norwegian. But, right away, I felt comfortable with him & so did Katelyn. His diagnosis sure surprised me, though!! Not only did Katelyn need tubes placed in her ears, but she also needed her tonsils & adenoids removed. WHAT??? I was not prepared to hear this at all! He said her tonsils were so over-enlarged that they were touching. He also said that due to her snoring & open-mouth breathing, he was certain she had some degree of sleep apnea; although he didn't want to put her through the extensive testing to confirm it. Dr. Steubel wanted to schedule Katelyn for surgery & he wanted to perform all the procedures at the same time. Whew, that was a lot to take in. No parent wants to put their child under anesthesia, so we agreed it would be best to do all the procedures at the same time. Surgery was scheduled for March 9, 2010.

A little carried away?

Well, maybe the beret was a bit much, but I just couldn't help myself! Is this not the cutest outfit ever?? I love shopping for my little girl & it's no secret that my favorite store is Gymboree-they just get it right!! Their clothes are durable & CUTE!! So many of the styles in other stores are just too mature-looking for my sweet little 5 1/2 year old!

Next year Katelyn will start 1st grade in a new school that requires uniforms. I am actually very pleased that they have a strict dress code & that the children wear uniforms. I really feel that children in school should be focused on "school" stuff & not what the other kids are wearing or if they have the right $60 shoes to fit it in. There will be "free dress" days next year & of course weekends, church, & after- school times for Katelyn to wear the cute clothes we find at Gymboree(or Hanna Anderson, another favorite!). And you can be sure that my girl will have the very cutest for as long as I'm allowed to choose what she wears. I realize that someday, Katelyn will have very strong opinions about what she wears & I will have to "pick my battles".

I remember being a teenager & wanting to wear the clothing that was in-style for the time. I'm fortunate that my parents were supportive. On the other hand when I was in high school, we were VERY preppy. None of this grunge-style business with the holes in the jeans, or cleavage-baring tops, or shirts with inappropriate language. No we wore Izod polo-type shirts, loafers, designer jeans, argyle sweater vests, etc. May have been hard on my parent's pocketbooks, but at least you couldn't see my butt crack when I bent over!! And someday when I have a teenager in the house, I will gladly pay the price for the same type of clothing I wore as a teen-I only pray it comes back in style!

For now I have control over where we shop, but Katelyn absolutely has a say in what we purchase. Did you happen to notice the tiny Shih tzu's all over her blouse & on her skirt?? Yeah, she loves this outfit too!!

Basketball Star??!

Well, maybe. It's really too soon to tell. Katelyn, along with her good buddy Shea, is taking instructional basketball at the Rec. Center this winter. So far, Katelyn really loves it, but I have no grand illusions of a basketball scholarship just yet. (Shea on the other hand-seriously the girl's got game!!) Anyway, my goal for Katelyn is to expose her to as many different sports as I can. We've tried Karate, soccer, T-ball, Ballet, Gymnastics, swimming(really a life skill, not optional!), and now basketball. Ultimately, it's her decision which sport(s) become her favorites. One thing is certain: I will do whatever I can to encourage Katelyn to be involved in sports!! The reasons are many and pretty obvious: I want her to be fit and healthy; I want her to be a part of a "team" & to share in those special bonds with other children; I want her to gain self-confidence from being good at something; I want her to learn perseverance; and hey, a scholarship someday wouldn't hurt either.

We are very lucky to have a wonderful state-of-the-art Rec. Center just down the road. I am able to enroll Katelyn in an instructional sports class for a very modest fee. This enables her to try a new sport, and then as she gets older we can explore more options. So far, she has loved everything she's tried, but I think Karate & soccer have been her favorites! We have much to look forward to this year with basketball now, followed by soccer, and then T-ball & swimming lessons this summer. I am going to try and fit Karate back in there somehow, but with piano lessons too, it's hard not to get too busy & overwhelmed. Balance. That's the key.

Loving Basketball!


Katelyn & Shea


Working together~


A little guidance from Coach!


Stretching those muscles~

Oxygen

Before we left for school today, Katelyn insisted that her Dalmation, "Downy", needed to ride in a car seat too! Cute, huh! But her request really got me thinking about something else which is this: Katelyn, I'm so glad you're still little. Glad that you think it's fun to rig up a car seat for your stuffed animal. Glad that you have such an active imagination. Relieved that you're still so sweet & innocent to the more complex issues of this life. Although I try to hide it from you, the fact that you're growing up way too fast is really hard on me. The time we share together is so precious to me. I realize that next year when you're in 1st grade, our time together will be cut in half. I realize that 10 years from now, you will no longer consider me the most important person in your life. (GOD help me, but you may not even like me much at all).

Lately Katelyn is very obsessed with turning 6. There isn't a day that goes by that she doesn't remind me that she's almost 5 1/2. And that she'll be 5 3/4 in April. July 29th(when she will turn 6) seems so far off to her. Katelyn knows all of her friends birthdays by heart: Jacob turned 6 in November, Sydney earlier this month, Shea next month, and Miriam in March. As much as I enjoy having a 5 year old, I can sympathize with her desire to be six. It must be really hard to always be the last of your friends to turn the next age.

Aside from the issue of waiting, I hadn't realized until now what a big deal turning 6 really is!! For example Katelyn is obsessed with losing her first tooth-she wiggles a "loose" tooth all the time. (I don't have the heart to tell her that it's not really loose!) Apparently when you're 6 you also get to watch "older" t.v. shows like Hannah Montana, ICarly, & the like...(sorry, honey, but I don't think so!!)

Katelyn is already taking huge steps towards her independence. In an effort to prove to me how "big" she is, she has asked for more responsibility at home like feeding our cat, setting the table, helping me to fold laundry, unloading the dish washer, cleaning up her toys, etc. I love that she asks for these tasks, rather than me having to insist that she do them. I've always been a huge proponent of positive intrinsic behaviors.

Additionally, Katelyn has insisted on taking over her own self-care. I have to admit this has been a tough one! For example, she insists on brushing & flossing her own teeth-great, right!! Unless, of course she forgets or doesn't do an adequate job. It's so hard not to want to do it for her just to make sure it gets done right. Katelyn insists on picking out her outfits now too. Oh, I have to bite my tongue hard not to comment on her choices. Like the other day when it was 40 degrees & she insisted on wearing a tank dress(with a 4th of July theme)& a thick winter vest over the top of it, and snow boots. We actually went to the mall with her dressed like that & when people looked at my daughter, I just smiled. I had to because when it's all said & done, I'm proud of her for being strong-willed & independent!

I guess what I want to say most of all is this: Katelyn, don't be in such a hurry to grow up. The truth is if I could slow down time I would. I'm grateful for every moment we share together. Please stay little. You're my oxygen. I love you.
XXOO,
Momma

"I got this!"

"Katelyn, would you like me to help you with the bowling ball?"
"No thanks, mom, I got this!!"

Man, I love her enthusiasm and her positive attitude when it comes to trying new things. Whereas I'm always afraid of the unknown, and enter new experiences with reserve & hesitation, Katelyn is ready to tackle anything new full-on, totally exhuberant! I LOVE that about her-I am SO proud of her confident nature!

So today when we attended her friend Sydney's birthday party at Splitz Bowling, Katelyn was able to bowl for the first time. And true to her nature, she bowled with self-assurance & confidence: "I got this, mom!" And she sure did! Thatta girl!!







"Hey Katelyn, come look at these pictures of you bowling."
Katelyn: "OOO-EEE, I was smokin!!"

Where does she come up with this stuff??

Signed,
One proud mom!

~A Very Merry Christmas 2009~

The Christmas "season" is my favorite time of year and this Christmas was truly magical. I have so enjoyed having Katelyn home from school for Christmas break. We've been able to do so many fun things together & spend a lot of quality time. I've enjoyed the holiday music, receiving Christmas cards from friends/family near & far, shopping for the perfect gifts, and meeting with friends for lunch or just to chat. Colorado's had a lot of snow so far & this year we truly had a white Christmas-perfection! Last year it was 60 degrees on Christmas day and this year on Thanksgiving it topped out at 70 degrees. No, it's just not the same to me if there isn't snow!

But the best Christmas gift of all was a visit from my dad, Katelyn's Grandpa Tom. He arrived on Dec. 23rd with our traditional barbecue supper in tow, this time from Gate's Barbecue. You may not know that Kansas City is famous for its BBQ, and every time my dad comes for a visit he brings a different restaurant's BBQ for us. YUM! In addition to bringing the BBQ, my dad always brings me the most beautiful bouquet of fresh flowers and helium-filled balloons for Katelyn. It's wonderful to have special family traditions. Thanks, dad-you're the best!

Lately Katelyn has been very interested in the history of Ancient Egypt. So on the 24th we took Grandpa Tom to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science so Katelyn could show him the Ancient Eqyptian Mummies exhibit. We also toured the special Genghis Kahn exhibit (which was fabulous!), and took in "The Little Star that Could" at the Gate's Planetarium. We had the best time! Katelyn & I have a membership to the museum & visit often, but it was SO special to have Grandpa along with us!

Is there anything better than Christmas morning with little ones? You hear the toilet flush, water running, and then little feet scampering down the stairs as fast as they can go! Did Santa bring me what I asked for?? Did Santa drink the milk and eat the cookies I left him?? Did he take the gift I left him too??(This year Katelyn decided it wasn't fair that Santa only gave presents, but didn't receive any himself. So she left him a note and one of her favorite books. Precious, right!) I'm telling you it just doesn't get any better than my daughter's excited little face on Christmas morning! We had a wonderful time opening gifts and sharing a breakfast of bacon & cinnamon rolls!

At about 1 pm my brother, Chad, joined us for Christmas dinner: Ham & Turkey from the Honeybaked Ham Store, AuGratin Potatoes, Green Bean Casserole, Sweet Potatoe Casserole, Fruit Salad, & Rolls. We had a wonderful time eating & visiting. Later in the day, Michael Jr. & Shelbey and her family joined us for Pecan/Cherry pie & ice cream. We all went to bed exhausted, FULL, and happy!

You might think the magic ended on Christmas Day, but we got an unexpected gift from Mother Nature. A snow storm that blew through late in the night closed I-70 from Limon, CO to the Kansas state line making it impossible for my dad to return home to Kansas City. Jokingly, I told my dad that he was my hostage!! I was just SO happy to have an extra day with him-when you only see your dad/Grandpa twice a year, an extra day makes a big difference!! We ate lunch at Red Robin and went to "The Chipmunk" movie later that afternoon. On the 27th he was able to leave for KC(sniff, sniff).

Here are some photos from our Christmas 2009~

Mom & Katelyn attempting to decorate a gingerbread house(next year I WILL buy the premade kind!!)

Grandpa & Katelyn at the Egyptian Mummy exhibit

"Walk like an Egyptian!"~the Bangals-the 80's rule!!

Grandpa & Katelyn at the Genghis Khan exhibit-turns out they don't like you to sit on the statue-nope not so much!!

Christmas morning: "Santa brought me the Ancient Egyptian Playmobile set I asked for!!!"

Not as thrilled over the new toothbrush in my stocking!

I got my own luggage set! When are we going on vacation???

Katelyn gave Grandpa a new calendar full of pictures of what else-Katelyn!!!

Opening gifts from mommy & daddy

Mommy & Katelyn

Christmas dinner

The kids

Our little family

My dad, me, & my brother

Katelyn with the Chipmunks(FYI-Alvin is her favorite!)

And of all the presents she received, what did Katelyn enjoy the most?? The cardboard boxes they came in!! Katelyn spent more time playing her games or pretending to be a dog in her "doghouse" than anything else.

Just doesn't get any better than this!


I want to say a special heartfelt "thank-you" to all of you who have read my blog this past year. Thanks for leaving comments, sending me an email, or just giving me a call(old-fashioned, I know!HA!) It's meant SO much to me to be able to connect our lives to yours! I wish each of you peace, best in health, and much happiness in the new year!
Love, Shell

The Nutcracker Ballet

This afternoon we took Katelyn to the BNC(Ballet Nouveau Colorado) production of The Nutcracker Ballet. One word: WOW! What an amazing performance. Katelyn used to take ballet at BNC, but quit after deciding the tights were too itchy. She liked everything else about ballet, but just couldn't deal with the itchy tights!!(Unfortunately tights are part of the required uniform, so we couldn't do anything about that!HA!) Anyway, today's performance far exceeded my expectations and Katelyn was truly mesmerized. I was particularly impressed with the elaborate sets, beautiful music, and gorgeous costumes. I haven't been to a lot of ballet in my 40 years, maybe 3 productions total, but the quality of the dancing today was really top notch!! The BNC ballet company consists of both students and professional ballerinas/dancers. Katelyn loved seeing other children in the ballet-many very close to her age.

After the ballet, the director of the school came on stage and allowed the children from the audience to ask questions. Then all of the children were invited on stage where they were taught a short ballet from the Nutcracker. After practicing a few times, the children performed their ballet for all of us. Katelyn loved being on stage. Afterwards, she twirled all the way to the car!

Katelyn: From the moment I found out I was pregnant, I started planning all of the wonderful experiences I wanted to share with you throughout your childhood. I am SO excited that you're old enough to go to the theatre with me and really enjoy yourself. I love going on special outings like this one with you. I love watching your face light up, delighted. I love watching you experience something new for the first time. I love being your mom. Merry Christmas Sweetheart.


On stage learning a dance


Taking a bow!

Disney On Ice~

On Saturday, Mike & I took Katelyn to Disney on Ice. We had such a wonderful time-Katelyn was so excited!! She dressed as Snow White (man, have we gotten our money's worth oughtta that dress!). It's so much fun to watch your child having fun! I love that we can spend these quality times together as a family. The sets were amazing, the skating was great, all the familiar music from the shows, cool costumes, yummy junk food...! I took lots of pictures & told Katelyn I would make a special photo album just for her. And guess what Katelyn wants to be now when she grows up??? Yep, an ice skater! Oh, but I bet she changes her mind again!

Katelyn posing before the show started

Our host & hostess: Mickie and Minnie Mouse

Cars

Daddy & Katelyn

Little Mermaid

Lion King(this was Katelyn's favorite part!)

"Yeah, I'm having fun"!!

Mommy & Katelyn

Tinkerbell

We've had a wonderful time!

Just a little Christmas cheer!

It's no secret that I love to decorate for the holidays. It's also no secret that Christmas is my favorite holiday. I LOVE CHRISTmas and everything about this time of year. I've always put my Christmas tree up the day after Thanksgiving. Every year when I get out my Christmas decorations, it's like getting out old friends I haven't seen in a while. Hello stockings. Hello mistletoe. How ya been nativity set? And having a little girl to share my passion for everything Christmas with is absolutely the icing on my cake! Katelyn loves to help me decorate our house. She loves to listen to my Christmas cd's and sing along to her favorite songs. We read lots of special stories about the birth of Jesus. I love the Advent season at our church and all the special ways we pay tribute to Christ's birth. At home we love to sip hot cocoa in front of the fireplace & watch all the special holiday movies and kids shows that only air this time of year. I LOVE to go Christmas shopping for special gifts for my loved ones. I've never been the type of person to buy Christmas gifts in July. It's just not the same to me at all. Christmas is a very peaceful & reflective time for me. Like Thanksgiving, it's a time to be grateful for all of my blessings. It's a happy time to share with friends and family. And decorating our home for Christmas adds to my joy, well all of our joy!

About 11 years ago now, my husband introduced a new Christmas tradition to me. Mike had been at our local Ace Hardware store and saw that they had a Christmas village set up. He was intrigued thinking, "Wonder what my wife could do with this?" So he bought the "fire station" and brought it home to me. Next came the Catholic Church. I don't remember which building came 3rd, but over the past 11 years I have amassed a holiday village of 39 different buildings, countless number of faux trees, people, mountains, accessories, etc. My village fills our entire entertainment center, 2 of the shelves next to the firplace, and the end table. By the way, I say "holiday village" now because about 5 years ago I started putting everything up before Thanksgiving. It takes me about a week to unpack and put everything together, so I want to make sure there's plenty of time to enjoy it all. All of the buildings light up, so it's quite the electrical ordeal to get everything plugged in. Let's just say we wouldn't want the fire marshall to stop by!!

I have to admit that my village has also become a bit of an obsession. Every year new buildings are introduced and the old buildings are "retired". So naturally when I see the new ones I want them too!! And it's not just me, Mike is just as bad!! Our biggest problem? SPACE!! We are running out of space to put everything!

I don't think these pictures really capture the beauty of my village. So if you're in the neighborhood & you want a closer look, just stop by, and I'll fix you a cup of hot cocoa! Merry Christmas everyone~

Most of the village is on our entertainment center~

Anyone up for a bit of theatre or ballroom dancing??

New this year, I let Katelyn pick out a building (a house) and created the scene on the end table just for her. Everything is at her level, and she loves turning it all on and playing with the people etc. It's hard to see from the picture, but there are lots of dogs too! Shouldn't surprise you!

Happy New Year friends~

MOO!