Brothers, Botched Circs, and Bad Docs

Yesterday, out of the blue, Carter told me, "Momma, Baby Paul and Baby Miles are the best brothers in the whole whorold". I really couldn't believe that this comment came out of his mouth seeing as how just five minutes prior, he was trying to squeeze his brother's head off. Some minutes Carter dotes on Miles, and then within a few moments he will try another malicious act. Meanwhile, Miles will track Carter around the room, easily navigating any path Carter sets out on, which trust me, is rarely ever a straight line.

Carter recently had to have a minor corrective surgery up in Portland, Oregon. Let's just say that his first pediatrician, with the initials: DR. MARTIN YOUNG, of Southern Oregon Children and Adolescent Clinic, piece of sh**, mother-f**ker, screwed up his circ. when he was a baby. Poor Carter had to have the whole procedure redone, but this time around he had to be put under anesthesia, and has had to end his summer with no swimming, or straddling activities (ie his favorite activities: riding horses or bikes). Carter has handled the whole thing really well. I think it was more trying on us the parents or perhaps the grandparents, than anyone else.

Morally, I don't feel that I should have to pay for this second circ., seeing as how the first one was was REALLY wrong. After consulting with various lawyers who all said they couldn't try to get me my $2,000.00 back, (apparently malpractice cases aren't good for anything less than 30 grand) I decided that I would "professionally" handle the situation by calling the asshole's office myself and politely suggesting that he might morally and ethically feel obligated to either pay for the 2nd time around, or at least refund me our money from the first botched job. Would you believe that the office manager answered my inquiries by stating, "Well, ma'am we get these kind of phone calls about Dr. Young's circs ALL OF THE TIME". WTF?????

Looking on the bright side, it was a great trip to Portland because we got to spend time with my sister, her boyfriend, and my parents. Prior to his surgery we took Carter and Miles to the zoo, which was only made even better with a Peter Frampton concert right next to the elephants.

On another note, I think Miles may be the "messy brother". I am trying not to pin labels on anyone or put any of this energy out there, but he had rice cereal for the first time this week and it wasn't pretty. The encore to ingesting the rice cereal (fed to him by Carter), was the process of smearing it all over himself. We need someone to balance out Carter's need to have everything in order, clean and precise (I wonder where he gets that from:)), I guess that's why Carter knows that Miles is one of "the best brothers in the whole whorold".

The month of July has been very busy for us! Between gardening, housework, weddings, and vacation I feel like it has just flown by!

I will try to sum up some of our most memorable moments of July.

4th of July - Carter LOVED the sparklers and the fireworks. Miles seemed to enjoy the lights as well. Our in-laws hosted a wonderful 4th of July party, almost two weeks later their pool collapsed. . .

Carter's first race - One mile in 27 minutes! It was rough terrain:)

Good friend's wedding - Carter was one of three ring-bearers. I will just say that kids will do anything for a few jelly beans. The wedding was hot and beautiful and my parents took the boys home! We had a nice evening visiting with friends.

San Diego trip - beach, Disneyland, Giants/Padres game, waterslides -

Whew, it was an amazing trip. Both Carter and Miles ate a lot of sand and saltwater, perhaps leading to explain their interesting bowel movements. It was truly amazing to witness the magic (and overcommercialization/stimulation) of Disneyland through the eyes of a child. Carter was genuinely excited to meet Mickey Mouse, Donald, Pluto, and Minnie Mouse. Pirates of the Caribbean was a hit, but ironically, the Pinocchio ride was sheer terror. Miles was a trooper through all of it (read sleeper).

Perhaps the best part of the trip was realizing how important spending time with cousins is. I grew up away from all of my cousins and they were also much older than my sister and I. Carter and Miles are so lucky to live so close to at least six cousins, and have the opportunity to spend the week with six other extended cousins.

Here's to hoping that August does not fly by as fast as June and July have. I LOVE my job but am dreading leaving my boys. . .

Pumpkins, lettuce, swimming, oh my!

With the addition of the faux post prior to this one may notice that a lot has been going on in the Isbell home. With all that has been happening I am happy to report that Miles has been aided in his sleeping by some excellent swaddling advice! Knock on wood, he has had some six, even seven hour stretches! Yahoooo!

Both boys are growing every day. Carter has started swimming lessons this week and even though he "wants to swim without Ty holding me", he seems to enjoy himself. Miles is awake a lot more and likes to move! Carter usually has to be reminded at least once a day to not brutally mutilate his brother, but Miles is still functioning well despite Carter's many attempts to "wrestle" with his brother.

Summer just sort of happened in the Valley. It was so cold for so long. I actually kind of enjoyed the slow pace that the cold brought to our home, but once the temperatures started rising I feel as if we are in a never-ending rat race. As the lettuce started to rise, so did our endless number of activities. We have had a solid garden for several years and have actually grown in size to the point that we have participated in the local Farmers' Market. This past season we started selling to local restaurants as well. However, this year was the year we decided to "go big or go home". (It seemed the right time to go crazy, being as though we had a two year old and a newborn. *note sarcasm) In addition to starting a small, five family CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), selling at the local Farmers' Market, and supplying local to restaurants, we planted a "you-pick" pumpkin patch. That's right, as our little Miles was growing, so were the 2,000 pumpkin seeds that Bradley and Carter started in our greenhouse. Last weekend we planted all of those seeds in our front field. (We being ourselves, a good friend, and amazing parents.) I have run SEVERAL marathons folks, FAST MARATHONS, and I have NEVER been as sore as I was the day after we planted those plants. My muscles hurt to even be slightly touched! That being said, the plants are in the ground, we have a nice logo (see prior post), and we are spreading the word.

I am so proud of my husband for pursuing what he ENJOYS in life. He creates a hell of a lot more stress than I need, but I believe that he does everything with incredible passion and precision. Sure, he blows the hell out of a budget as well as Miles blows through a diaper these days, and we may not see a profit, but we're a family and we're loving life.

Check out our new website www.isbellgardens.com - if it's not working, the nice folks at weebly assure me it will soon.

Time to Reflect

I believe that creator of the old adage - "Time flies when you're having fun" would agree that fun could be replaced with a plethora of words. Drinks, to pay bills, - or in our case - babies. In all seriousness, time has just flown away from me. Our newest addition - Miles John Isbell will be four weeks old tomorrow and time has scooted right along. I don't know if it's the minutes in the days that tick by quickly, the days in the week, or the weeks in the month, because I truly feel that I am living minute to minute some days.

My pregnancy with Miles was absolutely terrible . To recap - placenta previa, bedrest, contractions, bedrest, pneumonia, bedrest, gestational diabetes, and to top it all off, four weeks of contractions during which my cervix was at 5cm and I was working full time. However after 39 weeks and six days of well, hell, Miles entered the world easily and effortlessly. No joke, I was induced around 5:30 and he came into the world at 10:40 pm. There was no tearing, stitches, hours of groaning, swearing, just a few pushes and he was out.

Since his arrival he was gained almost two pounds and is the calmest one in the house. Despite a few grunts and some loud eating, we sometimes forget he is here. Carter has taken a strong liking to his new brother but does like to push the limits of Miles' personal space. Miles has already taken on the roll of Carter's wingman. Carter likes to use the excuse of "checking on my brother" to get away from eating his vegetables. Poor Miles has also taken the blame for a few ripped pages of treasured books and seemingly invisible scratches on his brother.

I'm sure that Miles will learn from Carter's mistakes growing up as most younger siblings do, but I think that Carter has been learning a few things from Miles. Case in point, he has a strong sense of the purpose of boobies and can apply so learned knowledge to everyday life. I would like to be modest about my pumping each morning but Carter can't be trusted in a room by himself with his brother, so both of them (along with the poor neighbors who might glance into the kitchen window) get a full viewing of Mom's girls being suctioned by plastic cups. The first time Carter witnessed the ordeal he asked incredulously, "Momma, WHAT are you doin?". I told him that I was pumping milk for his brother. He thought for a minute and then replied, "Oh, like a cow?". This conversation was soon followed by his observation that my tummy was "jiggly". I knew my child was smart, but now I know that he's honest too.

The day before Mother's Day this year I entered a local 5K pushing both boys in my new stroller. (That purchase is a whole other blogpost in and of itself - I'll just say that my husband must really love me.) As I set out getting ready for the race that morning I could hear Carter telling Bradley that he was going to run too. Bradley avoided the issue by assuring Carter he could finish the race with mom. As the race began I was hoping Carter wouldn't get upset about not running by himself and he didn't, just sitting in his stroller with his brother. During the race he was a great sport and cheered on other runners as we passed them or we were passed. About 1/8 of a mile before the finish he asked to run with me. I don't know how he knew it was the finish but he did. The little man ran the whole way and was so excited to cross the finish. This folks, was my crowning moment as a mother. Carter was enjoying my passion as a runner on his own. His cheeks were red, he asked for water, and told anyone who would listen about running a race for the rest of the day. The whole experience was the best Mother's Day present I think I could have asked for.

All in all, I think our familial unit is doing well but Bradley recently admitted to me that he is just "surviving". I feel extremely blessed to have the time off of work until next school year to be with my boys. I will admit that I often feel as if I'm living minute to minute but I couldn't be happier as I reflect on what the last four weeks has given me.

Ready or not!

The blog has been a bit neglected over the last month. Mostly because I have gone into labor every other week. Needless to say, our insurance deductible has been met and I am on a first-name basis with the OB department of FMC. Apparently our new son to be has quite a sense of humor. I have had to breathe through contractions which teaching a math lesson to 4th graders, drive over Yreka Mountain in a blizzard requiring chains, and create last minute lesson plans detailing STAR test preparation, all to get hooked up to a monitor in a hospital (three times mind you), and then have the contractions STOP.

I am now nearing my due date and have finally been taken off work. I guess the doctor figured that if I have contractions all day and am five cm dilated I deserve to sit at home. I can't possibly clean another item in our house, the car is packed, grandparents are on high alert, the baby clothes have been "Drefted", we're ready. . . or are we.

When Carter came along we were pretty blissfully unaware of the dreadful lack of sleep and unwavering sense of unselfishness that is parenthood. I love Carter more than any words or actions could possibly convey, but I distinctly remember how incredibly hard those first few weeks were. You see the commercials on TV with blissful looking families cuddling their soft naked newborns and you realize that those ads are pieces of airbrushed propaganda - wrong on so many levels. I mean who leaves a newborn naked for that long right?

I guess I'm being kind of negative and am using a little comedy to accentuate the point that I am scared out of my ever loving mind right now. Forget the actual part about birthing the child, no, I've got that, but how am I supposed to competently care for a newborn AND a two year old with the lack of sleep and sanity I know I am destined for at any moment. I am so very blessed to have the most amazing and supportive husband who has made the transition into fatherhood look like a dream, and I have not one but two sets of grandparents, that live less than ten minutes away. So why am I so freaked out? Shoot there are women living within miles of me that have eight, nine, kids - some all at home. I guess I just want to make sure that I do the very best job that I can. I know I won't be perfect and it will be hard, but if I give the best I have to offer every day then I know my two boys will thrive.

Okay some brief highlights of the last month:

1) Carter telling me that he is going to cut Miles out of my tummy with his saw.

2) Being told to be patient by Carter.

3) A friend telling us at the pub that it's okay for him to have four beers and drive because "I just sip them."

4) Carter wanting to play in Mason and Shelby's baseball and t-ball games. "I can't wait momma! I can't wait for Mason's baseball game!"

5) Listening to Carter read his books. The Very Hungry Caterpillar (Caterpillar Hungry) is nearly memorized.

6) Listening to Carter tell Baby Miles that he loves him and asking him to come out soon to play.

Okay Miles, I am ready. I had my pedicure, the house is Home and Garden ready, your car seat awaits, and I have vented/figured out/released some anxiety. I am so ready to meet you and hold you!

Birthday "Plans"

It's been another heck of a week or two in the Isbell household. My mom constantly reminds me that "if you want to make God laugh, make plans". This is coming from a woman who also likes to remind me that she isn't "religious" but she is "spiritual".

Yes, mother was right. Don't try to make plans. About a month ago I began "planning" Carter's 2nd cowboy birthday. I went to great lengths to create custom invites on Shutterfly that depicted Carter as the Lone Ranger. My mother-in-law, BLESS HER, was enlisted to make hobby-horses for each guest. The date was set, Oriental Trading was given a hefty donation, and the invites were mailed.

Well. . . I went for a baby checkup (oh, that's right we actually need to remember that a 2nd human being will soon be joining our family and needs attention too) and found out that baby Miles was great, but momma had pneumonia. Wait? What?? I had a party in two days, the invites, the cupcakes were ordered, hobby horses for crying outloud! Nope folks, the momma was very sick. I knew I didn't feel well, but the next few days were borderline scary for the momma and momma to be. Needless to say, Carter's party was postponed until the next weekend. Luckily for me, my cupcake lady (no judgment here please, I work full time and am VERY pregnant), had a church potluck to take her cupcakes to.

Well, the party went off without a hitch. Unless a hitch counts as a two-year old who didn't get a nap and consequently didn't want to share ANY of his new toys with his generous guests. Or if a hitch counts as possibly inviting toooo many young cowboys and cowgirls and serving toooo much sugar. Or if a hitch counts as aforementioned sugared up cowpokes earning numerous bumps and bruises from enlisted hobby-horses. Regardless, kids came, kids had cupcakes, kids played cowboys/cowgirls, and kids left with hobby-horses, hats, sheriff badges, and cowboy hats.

The most important part is that Carter had a wonderful actual birthday and a fun time at his party with all of his friends. He did fall asleep sitting up next to me at 5pm and is currently snoring on the couch. I would like to "plan" on his sleeping through the remainder of the night, but we all remember what my mother said about "plans" right?