So Excited

We had a new water system installed in our house this week! Now we can drink the water from any faucet in the house and be healthy. The biggest deal for us was to get rid of fluoride and chlorine. Mission accomplished. So exciting!

The 1st Ear Infection?

I'm not sure; one thing I know is that it's gone and that it woke up K's appetite.

On Saturday morning last weekend, K and I went to see a doctor just in case. K had had a fever for a couple of days prior to that, and the night before I noticed a little cut in her ear. I feared an ear infection and wasn't sure if we could go without having it treated. I had let K play with the ear thermometer and had a feeling she scratched her ear with it, but on the other hand, I didn't know what the ear infection looked like, so we went to check it out.

That morning her fever was already gone. Len was gone for the weekend, and I knew most doctors wouldn't see patients on Sunday, so to avoid a possible trip to ER, we went to see a local pediatrician.

I made a mistake mentioning the ear infection to him. He looked into K's ear and said: "Yeah, it's red. Here is an antibiotic for the following week, that should help." The whole atmosphere changed when I asked the following questions: "So, the ear is red, but is it infected? The fever is gone, is it possible that the ear is healing on its own, and maybe K doesn't need the antibiotic?" All I wanted was for him to look at K as an individual, but maybe I'm expecting too much from a "weekend doctor".

I've been meaning to check some homeopathic doctors but didn't have a chance. It's good to have one "lined up" in situations like this.

I ended up waiting to see if K's symptoms would get worse, but instead she kept getting better. By Sunday she was herself again, and since then she's been eating like a horse (3 bowls of cereal for breakfast, etc). I ended up throwing the antibiotic away.

What a Day...

Klaudia has been having a fever for the last couple of days. There are no symptoms whatsoever, so I'm thinking it's her back teeth that are coming out that are causing the problem.

It was late afternoon today, she was cranky, so I decided to take her to the park for a few minutes. When we got back, our house alarm was on. Within a couple of minutes, I got a phone call from our alarm company informing me that the alarm was on, and that it got triggered by the back door. They also said they had canceled the police call and asked what the house looked like, whether someone broke into it or not:

Kate: I just got back from the park, so I didn't have a chance to get inside.
Dispatcher: Do you want me to stay on the phone with you when you go inside?
Kate: I don't want to go inside; what if someone is in there?
D: So, do you want me to call the police?
Kate: I think so. This is the first time it's happening, so I don't know what to do. I know I don't want to go inside - I have a two-year old with me, and I'm pregnant - too much to risk.
D: I understand. I'll call the police right now.
D: Madam? The police are on their way.
Kate: Do you know how long it will take them to get here?
D: No, unfortunately I don't.

25 minutes later my neighbor happens to be outside and after a quick explanation of what's going on, he offers to go in with a baseball bat and check the entire house. No intruders! The house is "safe". We can go in.

Once in the house my mind is all over the place. What if the police come and think that I'm the intruder? Should I wait for them outside (K needed a diaper change; needed to be fed and wanted a bath NOW, and did I mention she was feverish, tired and super cranky?) After one hour of waiting I call the ADT again.

Kate: I'm calling to find out if the police are still coming.
D: Let me call them to find out. Mhm, it looks like they don't have anyone available right now.
Kate: I wish I had known that; I've been waiting outside with a sick toddler.
D: I'll be happy to stay on the line with you if you want to go inside and check the house.
Kate: didn't feel like mentioning the neighbor was necessary But what if someone is inside?
D: I have 911 on a speed dial; if anything happens, I'll have them on the phone within seconds.
Kate: Yes, but I'll be dead by then.

Eventually I agreed to walk with "him" through the house, and he did end up canceling the police call. In the meantime, I had been trying to reach Len who's been traveling this weekend. He finally called me back, and that's when I lost it. Poor guy had no clue what was going on; all he knew was that the alarm went off (ADT left him a message), and then there was me... sobbing.

Everything turned out to be OK. While I talked to a doctor trying to see if I needed to bring K in tonight (I noticed something in her ear - cut and swelling - and wasn't sure if that was causing the fever), Len was on the phone with the sheriff's department trying to get someone come out here. The doctor said it was OK to wait til the next day, and the police came and inspected the backyard.

It's 11pm, and I'm pooped. The baby is kicking like crazy causing a lot of pressure. I'd better get some rest in case she decides to come out any time soon.

The First Snake Sighting

... and killing ocurred last weekend on Hwy 5, 10 minutes from our house. As I was driving with K to San Jose, I saw something on the road, and as I got closer, I realized it was a 4-5 foot snake. There was no time for me to change the lane, so I kind of went over it and... killed it.

Chatting Away Again

The last time Klaudia started talking lasted about a week, and then she went back to ... not talking. Then, Len went on a trip for a week, and Klaudia started talking up the storm, and she hasn't stopped since.

When I had spoken to other moms at the playground saying I couldn't wait for K to start talking, they'd say: You'll miss the days when she didn't talk. I now know what they meant. Although super cute, constant repeating things can be draining at times.

Len and I enjoy watching K use her new words. She loves to pretend to cook and come to us and offer her soup or juice that she just "made". She'd say: "want some?"; we'd say: "yes, please"; then she'd say: "here we go".

The other day, it was time to change K's diaper (something that she recently dislikes having done). Len went around the kitchen, so that she wouldn't see him getting the diaper from the drawer (trying to save the battle for later). When he turned around, K was right behind him saying: "I see you".

Latest Reactions To My Pregnant Body

1. At the gas station.

Older male cashier: Two more weeks?
Kate: Two more months.
Cashier: Twins?
Kate: Nope, just one.

2. At the office.

A teacher: Man, when you turn to a side, you're awfully big.

3. At the playground.

An older woman: A couple more days left?
Kate: I wish. 5 more weeks.
Woman: Wow, you're huge.

4. In the classroom.

A 20-something year old student: Kate, when I look at your belly, I don't want to have kids. Ever!


So, here I am at 34 weeks.

Home Sweet Home

Here is one of the conversations at our new home...

Kate: So, I talked to B, J's mom. They had a snake in their driveway a few months ago.
Len: OK.
Kate: (who happens to have the worst case of arachnophobia) And, she also said their neighbor had a tarantula crawling into the house through the vent.
Len: (still somewhat uninterested) They did?
Kate: And, our neighbor J said her husband shoed 2 tarantulas off their front porch. I'm telling you THEY ARE HERE!
Len: You need to stop talking to people about this stuff.
Kate: I need to know the truth!
Len: You can't handle the truth.