Hi World!

Time to update my photo. Its been 2 years since I changed my photo! I don’t think I’ve changed that much since then, but wanted to update it. Im surprised my stress isn’t PLASTERED all over my face

So like I said, it was time to change my photo, and in order to change it on my sidebar I need to upload it somewhere else, so HI! How are you! LOL! I feel strange looking at it as I type. It’s a little too close up, but oh well.

 Yes I took the photo myself , yesterday, hence the weird angle, and why Im so “in your face”. I felt weird having someone take it, as I REALLY hate “posing”! Im also use to seeing myself in black and white. I think its more flattering But Oh well. This is me. Full color. Wishing now I dyed my hair BEFORE taking this photo. HAHAHAHAHAHA

Anyway, enough of that.

I have things to share but no time :C I spent ALL day at the DMV-TWICE!!!!  Running into Concord 4 times!! Thankfully my brother’s girlfriend now has her license back, and I won’t have to play taxi so much, once I get them to find a car!! I have a never ending TO DO list for them to help them get their life together BEFORE their baby comes. I’m playing mommy to everyone, ALL day, everyday and its truly exhausting.

Yeah! Im happy at least I can now scratch a HUGE item on the TO DO list, to get them on the path of independence. Once they get a car I should have “my time” back. I cannot wait. I miss my daily stamp time.

Anyway, some things to share.

SUInk & more is having 10% off all their Storage Units in November! I bought mine in August for all my Pallette and other non-Stampin Up! ink, and LOVE it. I figured I would show you the photo of mine next to my SU! Ink caddy to give you an idea of the size difference.

SUink holder on RIGHT.

I have the Ultimate Plus It holds 60 ink pads, 40 ink wheels, 60 markers and 60 re-inkers.

Now as you can see by my photo (DON’T look at the mess on my desk! EEK!) I used my “wheel” storage for my smaller ribbon spools!! You can fit 3-4 spool on each wheel peg. That’s just my own thing I wanted to do with it. I find that pretty handy!

I totally LOVE my ink caddy. It spins so easy. Just one of my “must haves” for Christmas, if you are looking for something BIG to ask for Its always good to have the hubby get those big ticket items! LOL!!

OK speaking of gift giving…………….Noah’s Birthday is the 13th. I know MANY of you are always looking for party ideas, so I am thrilled to share this one

We are having a Critters N Creatures party!

Noah gets to pick 6 animals to get to touch & learn about for his party. The woman travels to our home (she also does school trips and whatnot), and brings the 6 animals the birthday child picks, along with any props (like a empty turtle shell to aid in learning) to let the kids touch and learn about those animals!! So FUN & educational! I am over the moon excited for this party. Its such a great BOY thing to do. We are doing Pizza & cake FIRST, then the animals the second half of the party. The kids get to have their photos done with the animals the last portion of the party.

You HAVE to check out the animal page to see the animals there are to pick from. I encouraged him to pick ALL ones that can be handled. For obvious reasons some cannot be handled.

He chose the Turtle, Hedgehog, Chinchilla, Legless Lizard, Dragon, and Skink.

SO now I am doing all sorts of critter themed ideas, starting with the invites.

For Noah’s 6th Birthday invites I was reminded of the turtle from Pond Life, and given the fact we are having a turtle at the party it was PERFECT! I made 18 invites, in 1 1/2 hours. Not too bad.

I printed my party info, in red (we ran out of INK! Nice timing huh?), and then had to scramble to make it all work since the party is on the 16th! I like to give people 2 weeks notice, but that obviously isn’t going to happen this time around :C. I found some old SU! paper so it worked perfectly, since I needed to add the blue and green for the invites. YEAH!!! Mission accomplished.

You can’t tell but the solid shell is stamped in Aqua Mist ink, and the head, legs, and spots are in Ripe Avacado. I added matching ribbon too.

Then I die cut the #6 using my Red Tag cuttlebug Alpha.

PS I do know you can see my phone number on the invite. Im not worried about it. I’m listed in the phone book so anyone could easily look me up.

Now I need to focus on the favors

This is going to be a total blast.

OK I have LOTS more to do, so Im on the run. Come back tomorrow for the Saturday Sketch, and some peeks at MORE C.C. Designs to be released sets! AND I gotta finish My Timeless Templates samples for you.

Id LOVE to hear guesses on what YOU think is next

Thanks for reading

OK so this is my life.  

I get LOTS of requests asking how I do what I do.I’m honestly not sure why that is intriguing to people, but I if you want to know, I am here to share. I’m truly not that exciting. When other mom’s ask what I “do” and I tell them their eyes glaze over! LOL!

 In fact people in our area have no idea what I do, or how big stamping really is. Heck most of our family doesn’t even realize how huge this hobby is to me. If you don’t stamp you just don’t “get it”. KWIM?

People are always wondering how I fit what I do into one day. I’m not totally  sure! LOL! I just have a “system” and it just works for me. I am pretty organized, and I think that helps. I take one afternoon a week and give the house a full cleaning. By staying on top of it throughout the week it doesn’t get out of control.

Also I have an ear piece so when I talk on the phone I can either workout on the elliptical machine (blogger-cise) , or should I have to, clean or something like that, I am hands free. Its all about multi-tasking.

As far as the creative stuff goes, honestly the more you stamp and get creative time on a regular basis, the easier things just flow. I can’t explain it, it just works for me. My brain is so crazy with ideas that I don’t need a ton of time to get done what I need and want. I whip stuff together in under 30 minutes often, usually because I already have a stamp plan!  

So here is my TYPICAL day.

6:30 - 6:45 wake up/shower/makeup/hair . My hair is super long and curly. Just wash, brush, hair products, scrunch and go!

6:45 - 7:15 make coffee, make bed, fold laundry, empty dishwasher, feed dog, feed cats, quick clean bathroom and glass tables/mirrors

7:15 - 7 :45 get kids up out of bed. Dressed, teeth brushed, hair done, make breakfast. Pack lunch/snack bags

7:45 - 8:10 get kids off to school

8:10 come home. Let dog out

8:15 - 8 :30 do blog post. If long winded add 15 minutes. OK so Im usually at this a half hour! LOL!

8:30 workout 40 min-1 hour

9:30 throw in more laundry, go stamp till 10:45. Toss Laundry in dryer.

!0:45 - 11:15 go pick up Noah & Amber

11:15 -12 :30 return home. Maybe run a quick errand. Begin to cook lunch and check emails

1:00 - 2:00 pm Afternoon craft time with kids.

2:00-2:20 vacuum, maybe fold laundry, and get snack ready for when Alexa gets home.

2:20- 3:00 Alexa home. Let her do craft and finish craft with the other 2. In the meantime Im talking to her about her day, and other stuff

3:00- 4:30 Mommy stamps!! OR has to run around to sports/meetings/ appointments. Maybe go for a walk with the dog

4:30- 5:00 Do my Fake it routine or if Im not cooking stamp till 5:30! LOL! Kids also doing craft in my room.

5:00- 5:30 cook dinner

5:30 - 6:00 eat dinner, then clean up, feed dog

6:00 6:30 homework or other school related thing. Read stories

6:30 - 7:00 Bath, brush teeth, clean rooms/house from any mess made during the day

7:00 - 7:30 Snack time

8:00 get kids off to bed.

8:00 - 9:00 do whatever I need to do that didn’t get done. Like cleaning, take and edit photographs of projects, maybe blog for next day……………….sketch ideas, whatever.

9:00 - 11:00 Jay and I watch our TV shows that we saved.

11:00 bedtime.

If I have to go to the store or food shop, maybe have an appointment, then you can cut out the part where I stamp. Or I just move my schedule around.

So that is what a “typical day” looks like, when all three kids are in school. Alexa is M-F 8am to 2 :20. Noah & Amber go for 3 hours . Amber only on M-W-F. Noah M-F.

During my time non stamping, I have a notebook handy so I sketch ideas for what I want to do when I get to my stamp room. I especially make sure to have a notebook/pen in my pocketbook so while Im out, if an idea strikes I can jot it down. Does this sound totally insane, and like my life revolves around stamping?

I have SO much to share today. I didn’t realize it until I began going through all the recent photos.

I have 3 Smileboxes to share!  I know, its alot ot take in for one post. But I know many of you follow my family, and enjoy what I share. The funny thing is our family time is NOT perfect, and I think anyone with kids will laugh at some of what I am sharing. I know I laugh, AFTER its over.

I LOVE making these Smileboxes because they take NO TIME, and I don’t even need to resize my photos. I also like that I am preserving memories without having to scrapbook! LOL! Sorry that is just not my thing. Plus I think its more interesting to view photos this way. You can send these via email too. Great for long distance family. I know my own mother keeps up on my CRAZY life by reading my blog-so you usually know as much about me as my family! LOL!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Alexa turns 9!

 As promised I have the Smilebox of Alexa’s Bowling party from last weekend. Many of you sent her cards and whatnot! Thank you!! She felt very special.
We all had a blast at Alexa’s party. I spent the day taking photos.

Some fun details:

Alexa’s friends would hand her each ball, when it was her turn. She likes being “waited” on. Her very first ball she got 9 down! I thought that was really cool since it was her 9th b-day!! I did get a photo of it, but you can’t see it, so I was bummed. She even won the very last game! YEAH!

Noah was a bowling pro and may do his party at the bowling alley.

Amber cracks me us because this girl can do anything, and still twirl her ponytails in the process. Im mean she is running and playing soccer, kicking the ball down the field, and twirling her hair at the same time. Hilarious.

I didn’t include too many photos of her friends, kept it mainly our family. I think you will see how much fun she had. I also didn’t include her home gift opening. Its sort of the same thing. The faces she makes when she opens gifts always makes me laugh. She always has a look of “OH THAT IS THE BEST GIFT I EVER GOT!” and totally surprised. Too funny.

Now I have one of my most favorite things to do with the kids-apple picking. I think I look forward to it more than they do! Each year gets better and we all have so much fun. Some of my favorite photos every year come from this time, as you will see why.

Make a Smilebox photobook

This day was for Amber’s class field trip. I kept Noah & Alexa out of school to got with all of them! SHH! Don’t tell! LOL!

Now we have a Smilebox of our time at the Deerfield Fair, and Canobie Lake. Lets just say we were tortured at both! LOL!

At the fair-it was cold and rainy, which we tried to smile through. Noah complained about the “smell” of the animals and would NOT go in any of the barns! Well, given it was a FAIR, and aside from rides (which hello it was pouring) that was the only thing to do. It is usually a favorite, but not for Noah this year.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Now as for Canobie Lake Park, that is a park of rides. Once the kids found the “kiddie” rides they only wanted to go on them. I know its selfish but Jay and I were BORED out of our skulls We did go on some big rides but Alexa was not happy about that!

Her and I were on the Rooster ride, when she began freakin out and telling me she was scared. OK nothing I can do about that right now. Then she says “Im going to pee my pants!” I screamed!! LOL! I was lie you better not pee on me! I will not be happy. Thankfully she didn’t, but after the Tilt a whirl it was time to go. They had enough. Oh well, we tried.

OK that is it for today.

I am going to share Amber’s birthday Smilebox later today or tomorrow. Lots of photos to go through for her. She had a amazing time, as did her friends!

Thanks for reading, and I hope you are enjoying the day!

Its been 9 years. Where has the time gone?

You have grown so fast, and are turning into such an amazing person.

I look at your face, and I see a million things.

I see an amazing little person who has made a difference in the world. A person who changed me the minute you took your first breath. I see a piece of me, that I can literally hold on to. I see a life full of love, happiness, laughter, innocence, hope, faith, honesty, and the future. I see someone who beats all odds, a fighter. A person, who with one look, flashes a million memories across my mind. Times that may not have been,  if I listened. If I didn’t keep you. If I didn’t have faith. If I didn’t fight for you. If I didn’t believe they were wrong. If my idea of perfect, was their idea of perfect.

 But my idea was not the same. If it were I think of the love I would not have felt, happiness that would not be, memories that wouldn’t exist, tears I would not have shed, pain I would not have felt, experiences that would not have lead us to today. Today, nine years of a life I would not known. How sad that would have been.

 They told me you would not even live, to be 20 weeks gestation. Then you did.

 They told me if you even lived to full term, and I was “lucky” enough that you weren’t still born, that would be limp and not breathing. 

 Wednesday September 29th at 1:58 pm- your limbs weren’t limp, your fists were closed and you were ready to fight. Ready to prove them all wrong. 

At first breath, a breath I was told you would need to be resuscitated to take-you screamed as loud as you could! It immediately silenced, as they placed you on me, and I said your name-Alexa. You stopped, and looked right at me. The face I had so longed to see. Eyes I waited so long to look into. So aware. So content to be in my arms. Finally.

You were 9lbs 20 inches long. To me you were PERFECT.

There I looked at you. Instantly loving you, and so in awe of the amazing gift I was entrusted to care for.

A child I was told and encouraged not to keep.  Told that I had my entire life to have a “perfect family”. I’m still  not sure what they meant by perfect because you were perfect to me. It didn’t take 9 years to figure out they were wrong. I knew the minute God gave you to me that this is what perfect is. I often wish they could all see you now.

Everyday you prove “them” wrong, with every smile, every hug, every I love you…………every accomplishment-big and small, everything you do, you prove you are what perfect is.

You, Alexa are my definition of PERFECT.

per·fect play_w2(”P0187000″)

 (pûrfkt)

adj.

1. Lacking nothing essential to the whole; complete of its nature or kind.

2. Being without defect or blemish: a perfect specimen.

3. Thoroughly skilled or talented in a certain field or area; proficient.

4. Completely suited for a particular purpose or situation: She was the perfect actress for the part.

5.

a. Completely corresponding to a description, standard, or type: a perfect circle; a perfect gentleman.

b. Accurately reproducing an original: a perfect copy of the painting.

6. Complete; thorough; utter: a perfect fool.

7. Pure; undiluted; unmixed: perfect red.

8. Excellent and delightful in all respects: a perfect day.

tr.v. (pr-fkt) per·fect·ed, per·fect·ing, per·fects

To bring to perfection or completion

Me and my girls yesterday

Happy Birthday my special girl! I hope you know how much you have brought to our lives, everyday.  I cannot imagine a single day without you in it!  You are a true gift, and I cherish every moment I am able to have with you, and an honored to be your mom. I only hope I can bring to your life a fraction of the love and joy you have brought to mine.

I loved you from the instant I knew of you, and I will always love you!

xoxo

mom

Its not easy fitting everything into life in just 24 hours a day.

If you are like me you’d rather be blog hopping than literally hopping, and getting fit.

Think of the number of hours you spend ONLINE? And we all say we have NO TIME to exercise! I decided that was a LAME excuse. I use to spend more time answering emails than taking care of myself. Now 4 weeks in, and I am actually looking forward to my time to work out. I feel weird if I don’t!

Well since I am on a mission to get in shape, and no matter what make 1 hour a day to do that., I figured it would be great to make the most of my time doing it. I have a solution that will allow you to combine the best of both worlds!

Blogger-cise!

What does this mean? Well exercise WHILE you surf your favorite blogs, update your own, answer emails, or any other online task you may have!

Here is a photo!

What on earth are you looking at?

I saw a episode on 20/20 about a company that ordered special desks for their workers so that they could WALK on a treadmill ALL day as they worked! They had them special made and the workers all got in shape walking at a slow pace 8 hours a day!  Personally that seemed exhausting, but I thought it was a cool concept.

I looked at my elliptical machine and asked myself HOW I could do that too.

SO I got my laptop, and using my sons (one size fits all adjustable) belt I strapped my laptop to my machine!!! It works great!!

View while ON the machine

I pop on my head phones, and get moving!! I can now go really fast and type at the same time. I have been doing my blog posts WHILE I workout for an hour for over 2 weeks now! The time goes much faster when you surf the Internet! No pages to turn on a magazine, and great reading! You get use to it quickly too. Just go to your favorite places, read and work. Before you know it an hour has flown by and you have not only made the step to getting healthy and in shape but you got in your computer time too!!

Now seriously how can there be any excuses?

Just strap it to the back, resting on the tray, snuggly!

Pretty cool huh?

I hope you give it a try if you have longed to get fit but want your computer time too. OR if you thought there weren’t enough hours in a day! You deserve to give yourself TIME! The healthier we are the better we feel. I never thought I’d feel great giving up coffee but I do.

OK enough of the exercise blah blah blah, I just wanted to share my fun find with all of you and hope it helps someone out there who may be wanting to make a life change too!

I will be back later with more peeks

Later-

OK Im checkin in fast here. I have been super busy and gone all weekend.

The 3 classes went awesome. I love my girls who come. They just make my day. I cannot even tell you. They really make me want to keep on with the classes So thank you to all of them.

I have emails to answer (if you are one of them I will get to you soon) and I need to check in on all the awesome peeps who have been participating in the sketches (yeah!!), and the sketch team. I have a super awesome PTI project (as do the rest of the DT) to post tomorrow (and my big news below).

OH boy this weekend and week I am going to be so straight out. I have a ton of family stuff to do (all good stuff I think), soccer starts, pre-school meetings, and cram in last minute kid-ventures, school shopping (HELLO did you know that Old Navy just had a 40% off ALL kids stuff sale! OMW! I got like over 9 shirts per child,  and stuff for the kids all for $155!!!!) Take my cat to the vet because he is really sick :C Alexa has her chemo follow up Friday, and a Endocrinologist appt as well so all day will be spent at Dartmouth. Our Wedding anniversary is Sat (gotta make Jay his card, and get his gift, plan a date??), and Amber & Noah are in my Uncles Wedding on Sun, so I have to drive to meet my mom to get their outfits. Next thing you know BACK TO SCHOOL!! Can I get a WAHOO!!! LOL! AND I know I am forgetting SOMETHING else. Oh well.

Onto to the important stuff

Have you heard the news?

Check it out —–>HERE!

This is another reason I have been SO busy!

 (Look at my fat face! OMG! I could die, at least Im workin on it )

Besides that………………

Is that exciting or what? I LOVED JustRite Stamps and was over the moon when asked to be a guest designer for this week I was just freakin out with excitement, then panic! What could “I” possibly do that hasn’t been done? Then I took a deep breath and let it go.

Now you won’t want to miss my creations! I am sure you are bound to find something that inspires you (OK so I HOPE that they inspire you! LOL! Even just a tinsy bit).  I was really happy with my take on their product when all was said and done.

All week you will get a little peek here (starting tomorrow) and then see the whole SHEBANG on the JustRite Stampers Blog!! Don’t worry I’ll send you to the right place.

 MORE BIG NEWS!

They are having a super duper Champion Contest! Details on how you can get a chance to win HERE! Now don’t go saying “Oh I’m not good enough, I’m too afraid to, I never win anything, I don’t have time, or I’ll never get picked”, and all that crap! You know how I feel about that stuff. If you don’t even TRY you definitely don’t win!! At least if you try you have a chance. YOU are just as good as anyone else. So go for it!!!

OK I must run. More posting to do!!

Hope you check back in with me later Sorry I have NO TIME for a sample tonight.

You may have already seen Nichole’s post about the changes taking place at Papertrey Ink.

If you have not I suggest you read it, to be informed

Changes are coming.

Many roles are changing. Lynn has been given a new duty within Papertrey, as has Jennifer. Details on Nichole’s blog.

We are welcoming 3 new, and amazing designers! Dawn McVey, Michelle Wooderson and Niki Estes. BIG WELCOME to them. They are perfect additions.

Taylor is saying goodbye. With that change I have been promoted to a Senior Designer! I am so excited about this new venture. This position offer’s possibilities that I have worked so hard for !! There is just SO MUCH talent out there, I am in awe to be where I am today. So grateful for every opportunity I have been graced with.

I cannot wait to start this new venture.

This is however bittersweet. I have to bid farewell to many of my design teams I am currently on, in order to fulfill my obligations. I guess we can’t really do it all. In the end I had to do what I needed to so I can fulfill my dreams.

I have notified those I have to say goodbye to. It was not easy, as I have had the privilege of working for the best of the best! Each and every company was full of the most wonderful and amazing people. I will miss being on their “team”, but it is not goodbye to their products!! We all know how much I love my stamps, and new goodies!!!

I want to thank each and every person I have worked for & with! I have learned and grown so much. I also want to thank Nichole, Jane, Julie & Rick- for believing in me :D, and my fellow PTI DT members who are truly so supportive.

I want to thank all of you who come and visit me here!! For the kind words and support. Now don’t worry! I am not dropping everything! LOL! You will still be able to come and see fresh new eye candy, and ideas galore All the same sort of things you have in the past-I just won’t be as crazy around release times.

I may even have more TIME! You know what that means…………….more stamping

Change is so hard sometimes-but you can’t not go forward because you are afraid of what you can’t see, or don’t know. How can you grow and learn if you stay in one place? In what is familiar? What is worse than change, is regret. Regret that your didn’t do something. I know I don’t want to regret anything in life So I embrace these amazing changes and look forward to the road ahead.

Thank you again.

We interrupt this regularly scheduled blog post for a SPECIAL announcement!

I am now a new member of the Unity Stamps Design Team! You can check out their blog HERE. Sometime today I will link on my sidebar with all the members. She has an excellent team going, with crazy talent, so I am honored that Angela wanted to add me as well. Please check the Unity thread on SCS and welcome all the new girls!

Heather

Amber

Ana

Natalie

Jennifer

Maren

Patter

Angela was only going to pick ONE, but ended up with EIGHT! LOL!

This company has just EXPLODED! I have wanted to get EVERYTHING in their line of stamps since seeing them featured on the Craft Critique at the CHA show! Have you seen their big sentiments? OMG! I just ordered almost every single one!!

Anyway-I know you are wandering where on earth I will fit this in (I am asking myself the same thing! LOL!) but, I’m taking it easy, and I don’t have a heavy work load, and some of my other commitments have ended, and that lended  up a chunk of time for me. Plus when you LOVE working with something, its not hard to pump out the samples. PLUS that means even more to post here!!! Heck I may even upload to my SCS gallery more often! LOL!

Now that I have a FULL workload, I just spent the morning CLEANING OUT ALL MY SU! STAMPS and them some!! Tomorrow I will post a HUGE Stamp sale!!!! Plus we *may* be selling our house so the less I love the better!

 Given all my design work I haven’t used them in forever. Its best they go to a good home where they will get well loved. So check in later tonight or tomorrow for that.

NOW another WAHOOO!!!!

 I created my very first Scrap page!

Yes! ME-Lauren Meader, scrapped. I can’t believe it myself Oh and the shocker……….I enjoyed it! Many have asked me to do this, and here you are. Don’t expect this often though.

I tell EVERY company I sign up for that scrapping is out of the question. I have even let opportunities go because I don’t like it THAT MUCH! LOL!

When getting ready to create my sample for my big reveal, I was just compelled to do a 12 X 12 page.

Amber:Finding the beauty amongst the weeds

I have to say I am SOOOOOOOO proud of this page! I am totally patting myself on the back. I am so not a scrapper. If I can do it, anyone can.

View from the bottom to show dimension

I used Unity’s Butterfly Beauty for this page. I stamped my butterflies in chocolate ink, then colored with Copic’s and then sponged on some pumpkin ink. The antennae are copper wire. A souffle pen created the yellow spots.

I also used my Punch Bunch flowers to create my own “weeds”. The leave stems are ribbon I got at The Paper Tree.

I just loved the photos of Amber in the field at Charming Faire Farm picking flowers. Totally oblivious to the world around her. Picking and smelling each one. (I don’t think Dandelions smell at all, and if they do most likely not good).

I wanted a place to journal, yet hide my insanely messy penmanship, so I made a pull out tag to say what I wanted to remember of this page

I loved the colors in the photos as well, and was reminded of my Scenic Route paper in theAshville collection

I had this layout in my head since editing the photos, and figured WHY NOT! Just make a page. I looked at it more like wall art than a scrap page. I plan on getting a 3D frame to frame it, and put it in our living room. Poor Amber being the 3rd child, there isn’t a stitch of scrap book stuff done for her. Forget a baby book. Hopefully she will forgive me someday.

I will say having a “theme” in mind, rather than just making a page was fun and easy. I was definitely intimidated by that 12X12 canvas. So I said OK large card-REALLY large card.

But again I am so stoked with how well it turned out. Now I need to find a frame that matches my living room!!

Thank you to each and every one of you who reads all my blabbering and checks in here with me with so much love and support! You have no idea how much I appreciate and cherish each of you!!

Till tomorrow.

May of you have asked me numerous questions about the book-The Paper Garden.

Please check out my review —->HERE<—–over at the Craft Critique! It may answer your questions, or give you any extra info in case you are on the “fence” and needed a giant PUSH! LOL!

I took today off to get some much needed family time

I am hoping to get some MYTIME tomorrow and create, since not much has been done all week given Alexa’s scare, and my awful cold.

I have things done, but STILL need to photograph them too!! I know, I know-I need to just do it.

Enjoy the long weekend!

The waiting game that is.

So we saw the doctor. I love our pediatrician and her “normal” oncologist. Its weird they aren’t handling this. Im now “cut off” since Cancer is no longer the primary issue. Anyway-

Here is the “plan”

Alexa has to drink 7 oz. of Citrate of Magnesium. We need to clean out her bowels. The purpose of this is HOPEFULLY during the “cleansing” we start to see COLORED poop. It is possible that during her virus, the gut didn’t squeeze enough to activate the gall bladder to work on the  poop-leaving a “usually” small portion of poop un-colored. Since she has a bajillion other issues that lead to constipation it is supposedly likely

Another reason for the clean-out-if we DONT see colored poop-its all white we are in a load of CRAP, and I don’t mean just literally!

We will then do a ultra-sound of the gall bladder and liver (another reason for the clean out-makes results easier to see and more accurate). IF there is something unusual after that we have to resort to a CAT SCAN.

Now in the middle of all this if ANY fever results ER here we come.

Oh and BAD abdominal pain. She will have cramping but it has to be pretty bad.

So I have spent the ENTIRE day begging and pleading and bargaining with Alexa to drink the drink. We still have 3oz to go. I think I know where I will be all night. Sitting in the bathroom with Alexa! Because she has bowels f steel!

I have no idea when this will finally hit her.

A little background-Last year in Jan Alexa was FULL top to bottom-Yes, FULL! Puking Poop!

She got 3 enemas (the maximum allowed) and a tube ran through her nose to her belly pumping Go Lytley. She got 2 FULL IV bags full-not a poop squeezed out of her. Finally the NEXT day (they said most adult would be curled up in a ball on the toilet ALL day after 1/2 a bag) she began to poop ALL liquid. They thought they saw a blockage and the poop was passing around it and she was scheduled for surgery the next morning. Prior to the surgery they did another x-ray-she was CLEAR! She held all that liquid (and not one complaint except the tube in her nose) so long that is liquefied ALL her poop.

Anyway-here I am. Waiting for her to finish the drink and praying the cleansing starts SOON. Then I can get some answers.

So its either a fluke-Auto-Immune Hepatitis, or a blocked bile duct in the gall badder-gall stones-or early liver failure.

Prayers said for the fluke.

Im beyond exhausted and I know its stupid but am a little worried we may have to ditch Amber’s field trip. All the kids were so looking forward to it. ME TOO!! They have missed out on so much in the past 2 1/2 years you know.  Here we are again, different problem. I know I should not be whining but I am always honest and this is part of my thoughts. I just want everyone to be healthy and go to the stinkin farm like a normal family! What is so wrong with that.

 I just want to see brown poop!! I thought she’d be going by now. UGH!

Since the day your child is born we all worry over poop. Geesh.

I have read all the thoughts/prayers and emails and really cannot tell you how much they mean. Im not just saying that. I have really taken some comfort in all of you out there. I know it may sound silly but its so true.

So thank you for being my sounding board.

Ill be back when I know more.