Resolved (and an Isaiah update!)

(I'm not sure why there are goofy links on some random words in this post, but I didn't do that, and I can't figure out how to make the blog knock it off. So don't click on them.)

In the past couple of weeks, much has been resolved with our little Princess.

Going back, you might remember the post I had (I wish I was savvy enough to know how to link you to that old post... maybe someone can tell me) about her and her breath holding. Well we talked to her pediatrician a while back and right off the bat Dr. N pinpointed exactly what we were describing as "breath holding spells." She gave me an info sheet on them and what I read was Aphia TO THE T! What she does is most definitely a behavior issue rather than a medical one. Our info sheet said that these spells "are not dangerous, and they don't lead to epilepsy or brain damage." It also said under the treatment part, "Have your child lie flat to increase blood flow to the brain. Apply cold washcloth to your child's forehead until she starts breathing again. Give your child a brief hug and go about your business. A relaxed attitude is best. If you are frightened, don't let your child know it. If your child had a temper tantrum because she wanted her way, don't give in after the attack."

Aphia has not had a breath holding spell since I posted about it last time. I've seen her get so upset that she could possibly go into one, but if I'm able to keep her talking, telling me the problem she keeps breathing and it helps work on communication skills. It is a huge peace to have the knowledge that there is nothing wrong medically.

Next up: the potty accidents. She has been potty trained for a long time, but was having bouts of accidents. She would be totally fine for weeks, no accidents and then all of a sudden, she would wet herself constantly! And I mean wet, wet. Not some little pst. I was getting VERY frustrated! Brought her in to see Dr. N, once again and we were able to deduce that there was indeed no UTI or bladder infection, but rather her bowel was so full of POOP that it was pushing on her bladder, leading her to not being able to control that. Poor girl! Stop being so retentive! When she gets backed up, it puts pressure on her bladder and she has accidents. Simple solution- poop and you will control your pee. Easy Peasy. (Except for when she gets so HOPPING mad, has a tantrum and is being disciplined... then she just wets herself to be a snot.)

And finally: Those HOPPING mad moments. We have had a few of these lately. Ok few is a small exaggeration. Let's see... she's awake for approximately 13 hours a day, except for naptime so 11. I'd say that for the last week or so 9 out of those 11 have been horrid with her. Gah! She has been R.I.D.I.C.U.L.O.U.S. On Saturday morning it all game to a big, old, nasty head. I literally threw my covers up over my head and hid, not wanting to get out of bed to deal with her AGAIN. LONG story short- in talking with my mom I was able to say, "By George, Watson, I think we have solved the mystery!" My mom suggested that it is her blood sugar levels. All of her big tantrums seem to happen when she is hungry. They almost always fall right before meal or snacktime. Since Saturday we have stayed on top of her eating habits, which are actually pretty healthy- Thank the Lord! We get breakfast right away, she has a mid morning snack and prompt lunch. After nap, I make sure that Jonah is playing downstairs so she can get up in peace and immediately have a snack. Occasionally we wait until Jeremiah gets home from work to have dinner together, but that is after 6:30 and so more often than not, I feed the kiddos before that. And by golly, since Saturday she has been a peach! Any glimmer of a tantrum is easily warded off with words and no screaming... On either of our parts :)

On Saturday I was able to take her out to lunch and shopping. We had a GREAT time. We needed that time with each other to remind each of us, that this past week is not going to be how our life is together. We do like each other and enjoy being together :)

God is always at work in my heart for various reasons. The relationship with my daughter will be an ongoing process of refining each of us- BY FIRE!

ISAIAH Update:
Today is a BIG day for our big boy! He has been fussy the past few days and I figured with all the drooling and rosy cheecks he was teething. Sure enough, today a little tiny bit of his first tooth popped through! Then a while later as he was laying on the floor, on his back, kicking away, I glanced over at him to see him on his tummy! I told Jonah and Aphia that he had rolled over on his own and Jonah said, "Well I guess he wanted to have some tummy time!"
(Jonah got his first tooth and rolled over all in the same day also- 6 days before he was 5 months old. Today is 4 days before Isaiah will be 5 months old.)

Angels to Protect Them

Every so often I have these pictures in my head. I don't want to say "visions" because that makes me sound weird and off beat, so I'll say mental pictures. I'd like to share one that I had last night.

Aphia kept mumbling/crying in her sleep. At first we didn't know what it was because when we would go into her room, she was quiet. Then after a while, we knew for sure what was going on, and that it was truly her. One of the last times Jeremiah and I went in, we layed our hands on her and prayed for peaceful sleep for her. When I went back to bed I continued my dialog with God asking him to send his angels to guard her against anything that was not peaceful. A couple minutes later I heard her start to wimper again and got this seriously awesome picture of 3 beautiful angels standing in front of her bed, glowing and standing guard, protecting her. We had seen a group of Celtic singers a couple nights before on tv and Aphia was completely enamored with them. Nothing could break her gaze from the beautiful singers in their gorgeous gowns... The angels may have looked a bit like these ladies :) In that moment she fell silent and not another peep was to be heard from her for the rest of the night. I thanked God for answering my prayers and keeping her peaceful.

I feel that there are plenty of times during the day when her little 3 year old world and mind is not at peace. Whether she wants a toy that someone else has or wants to do something that is not allowed or does not want to do something she has been asked to do, life as a 3 year old can be tough. The least I can do is pray that she have a fighting chance at a completely peaceful and restful night.

Ready For Something

It has been 4 months (4 months last Sunday, to be exact) since Isaiah entered this world and I am ready. I am ready to re-boot. I have been in "doing" mode for 4 months, just doing life, trying to keep up with the little things that needed to be tended to. But now I am ready for a little more. And by "little" I mean LITTLE. One of our wise MOPS mentors did a devotion last week and it talked about priorities. She talked about a mom who was challenged to write down exactly what she did all day long (in 10 minute increments). I did this and I have found that there are a few moments in my day when I could to add a little. I have a few free moments some days and I want God to rock them! He knows that I only have a few and I would really, really like to use them to be in the Word.

I've just been feeling a little stagnant in my relationship with Him lately. I'm not feeling challenged. Now I have to understand that by saying these things and asking God for them, he probably will challenge me. Am I ready for that? I think so, but he knows just how ready I am and I am comfortable with where He leads.

I guess that I would really like a study that I can lay on my kitchen island so that I can read a snipit, tend to the beckonings, read some more, tend some more, and answer some thought provoking questions. My mind and my heart want to be stretched. I am feeling dry and want to be quenched. I am a student at heart and I have been doing a lot of teaching lately (and not high level teaching to my 0, 3, and 5 year old if you catch my drift!). I spend a lot of time in my own head during the day, unless I am answering questions like this from Jonah, "Where does infinity start if it never ends?" And after many, MANY (praise God!) days of no accidents, I get this question from Aphia, "Mommy, what's wong with me?! Potty keeps wunning down my leg!" Ugh... try the toilet! Or I'm doing things that ARE very important to my children, like playing My Little Ponies- Aphia likes them to swim in the ocean, AKA big blue comforter, while Jonah prefers to have them ride the "personal watercrafts." Anyways, these things are important to them, but not so "mind challenging" to me and I am feeling a bit dumbed down I guess.

Any suggestions on studies to do? Does Beth Moore have individual studies or just group gigs? Any other authors you would point me to? I have heard good things about Francis Chan lately... any word there? I am open to the leadings, so lead on!