Epic Roadtrip 2012, Part One

There are many things really great about being married to a lawyer. Regular vacation time is not one of them. When Seth was at the big bad law firm, we went on one vacation--one. And this is a regular complaint of mine "We never go on vacation! Why don't we ever go on vacation? The kids need vacation! Memories!!" (I know, it actually is as annoying as it sounds, too.) So, when we got the invite to cousin Heidi's wedding in June, we planned a two-week roadtrip around it, stuffed the minivan full of snacks, movies, and clothes and hit the interstate. 

 This is B&H having dinner in the hotel in Pittsburgh. If you know me reasonably well, you know I love hotels. Many people want to be rock and roll stars for the fame and the chicks. Not me. I wanted to be a rock and roll star when I heard they spend an inordinate amount of time in hotels. So one of the great things about a road trip for me is spending lots of time in hotels.

This is Harry in fleece pajamas posing unwillingly in front of a well-placed prop at a roadside farmer's market in Virginia. It was at least 100 degrees outside. Brice was in a time-out at the time.

The sign in front of our digs in Virginia. Seth's Uncle Lee lives in Nellysford, Virginia, along with Heidi and her now-husband, Randy. Uncle Lee has a mini-farm with goats and chickens and a few horses. Oh, and a pond full of hungry fish. The kids loved it and got to milk a goat, chase the chickens and catch some fish--a great experience for two spoiled suburban kids.

So, this is all three boys taking an enormous bubble bath. I might have filled the bath a little too much and just might have poured in a little too much bubbles. This would not have been an issue, had the children not found the button for the jets. Oh well. Incidentally, this is also what they were doing while Heidi was getting married. I didn't mention we missed the wedding? Oh yeah. The wedding we planned the trip around--the wedding where we were the only Diehl members represented--we missed it. Got the time wrong. Showed up for the reception. Nice.

They clean up well, no?

Harry waits to make his move on the dance floor.

The wedding was outside on Heidi and Randy's farm. Martha Stewart could not have outdone her. It was gorgeous, with their horses in the background and a stream nearby where the kids could throw rocks in the river. 

Part Two is up next: from Virginia to NYC, then Boston. 

We made it...or, We are in the process of making it

Brice had his tonsils and adenoids out this morning. He was so excited. I really had him pumped up about it. He woke up and said, "this is the best day of my life!" (see? intense, emotional). The nurses were super sweet to him and gave him a teddy bear and a doodle pro, which he happily accepted. He was sitting up in his bed, wearing the surgical shower cap, hands to the sky yelling "abracadabra!!" when the automatic doors opened up to take him into the surgical unit.

Fast Forward 45 minutes to the recovery room. He was screaming and sobbing in bed, barely coherent as the effects of the anesthesia wore off. I hugged him and held him and he ate popsicles while the nurse continued pushing pain meds through his IV. By the time we left, he was okay. I thought maybe we'd be that lucky case where the pain isn't too bad and the kid bounces back quickly (right, Ellen??).

It seems that will not be us. He went into hysterics when I told him he had to take some medicine. He managed to get the antibiotics down, and even the Tylenol with codeine. However, when we went to pick up Harry, things quickly went downhill. We had to pull over on the side of the road while Brice threw up and SCREAMED, his feet wet with puke, mixed with dirt (I took him barefoot, thinking he wouldn't have to get out of the car). A cop stopped to help us. Thankfully, it appeared he had a weak stomach. He gave us some napkins (clearly leftovers from a lunch run) and some wet wipes and just stood by us and waited till we were back in the car to take off. Which was a good thing, since Harry was bouncing around in the backseat with no carseat or booster (Seth forgot to leave it with Ellen, woops).

The night was no better. Worse, actually. Nobody really slept for more than a few hours. Harry, who loves nothing more than eating and sleeping, even woke up at 4:30am. Today has been slightly better. We figured out ways to give him medicine that doesn't require big gulps. Now he's sleeping. Thank you, Jesus.

So sue me...

Is it so wrong i'm giddy with excitement about Brice's upcoming surgery? Like SO EXCITED. On Wednesday morning he is having his tonsils and adenoids removed to relieve him of sleep apnea. For years, YEARS, Seth and I have been trying to work with Brice. Help him manage his moods, express his feeling, deal with his anger, learn self-control. He's been an extraordinarily difficult child. Lovely in so very many ways. Brilliant. Intense. Emotional. But always so very very tired.

We've read every single parenting book out there (I might exaggerate a teensy bit). I'm afraid to show you our bookshelves--your spirited child, your defiant child, your strong-willed child, your explosive child. These books are dog-eared, highlighted, underlined. We've gone to counseling. I've gone to counseling. I have prayed and prayed and prayed. And talked and talked and talked. And googled and googled, etc. Then, as a last ditch effort (if you read my blog, which you obviously do), we took him to an ENT which led to a sleep study, which is why we find ourselves 36 hours aways from the surgery that will allow to him to sleep. Really sleep. Like, all night--with no waking. Deep REM sleep. Maybe he'll hit 9 hours or 11. Heck, 12!!!

We are hopeful that this will help Brice better cope with life. Who can deal with the difficulties of daily life on so little sleep? Not me, at least not on a regular basis. Certainly no 5 year old. I am looking forward to those ever-present dark circles under his eyes disappearing for good--to seeing him rested and refreshed and able to deal with, and actually enjoy, his life.

Fingers crossed that life is about to get very sweet for a very sweet little boy.

Where we've been...

This is what Harry and I do in the afternoon--snuggle into my unmade bed, watch a little Thomas the Train and finish off my cold coffee, always on the bedside table.

 This is Brice the day after his sleep study. He fell asleep in the van on the way home from school at 4pm, moved to my bed at 5pm, his bed at 7pm, and slept until 6am. I guess he was tired.

Brice is having a time-out in the hallway. Scully watches from nearby.

Brice is studying spiders in preschool. He is describing to me how he wants me to draw the spider on his hand. He is also obsessed with Spiderman. A serendipitous intersection, for sure.

Sweet Harry and I chatting at the table. He often requests a kiss. How can I say no??

 When Harry senses he is in trouble (he isn't in this shot) he tells me i'm beautiful. How do little boys learn these mad skills? 

 Happy Birthday to Seth. 37 on Valentine's Day. 

Happy Valentine's Day, Harry!!

 We had Brice's 5th birthday party at the Children's Museum. All the kids wore red, in honor of Spiderman. 

Happy Birthday Brice!! How can you already be 5? How is it you're only 5?? It feels like you've been with us forever--we are so very blessed!

Make a wish, little man. The future is yours...

The results are in...

 This little foolio of mine has sleep apnea. "Mild" sleep apnea they called it, but still, the child does not sleep like he should. I actually started crying when she told me. There's a reason! A REASON!!! Some common symptoms of childhood sleep apnea--daytime hyperactivity (check), moodiness (check), irritability (yes, go on...), etc. We go see the pediatric ENT again on Thursday to hear what she thinks we should do. I'm guessing surgery to remove his tonsils and adenoids (which I hear is brutal). We've tried Flonase, but nothing much has changed. This gives me hope that things can change and improve.

My Valentine's Day poem, from Seth

I Remember

If you feel a bit ploughed under

Ground all day by little boys

If you sometimes sigh and wonder

What became of former joys

Close your eyes and picture this

Sunlight gleams on waving corn

Part your lips now for the kiss

Heady summer love reborn

I remember who you are

I have not forgotten

You're the comely cookie jar

This thief's hand was caught in

Sleep Study

 Brice's sleep study took place last week. I knew what an ordeal this might be for him, so I made sure to really prep him and get him super excited--you and me! staying in a hotel together! you're going to look like a superhero! it's going to be so awesome!! And he bit--he was telling his teacher about it, complete strangers got to hear what he was about to do. So on Thursday night, we packed a bag--complete with his favorite smelly blanket and blue bunny--and headed to the pediatric sleep study center. 

 The room was so much "nicer" than I expected. We really were in what appeared to be a hotel room. There were monkeys on the wall and an IKEA leaf canopy over my bed :)  The pediatric nurse was super nice and showed Brice all the wires and he even got to watch Nick Jr. while she hooked him up.

He really champed it and didn't fuss to much. I think he was just fascinated with it all. The sleep part wasn't great. He cried and whimpered and had a hard time. The nurse told him she could see him on the camera and hear him if he cried out, and Brice took full advantage of it.

"Diana?" "yes Brice?" "Wanna hear me count to 900?"

"Diana?" "yes Brice?" "are you nocturnal?"

In the morning, which in Brice's world was 4:40am, they unhooked him and let us get cleaned up. The nurse wasn't allowed to give me any kind of indication of his sleep quality, so we'll have to wait a couple weeks. I can't really capture how TIRED we both were. I am amazed I didn't crash the car on the way home. And poor Brice fell asleep at 4pm the next day, and proceeded to sleep 14 HOURS. Which really puts a dent in my whole "Brice doesn't sleep well" theory. 

February 16th is the follow-up with the dr., so we'll know more then.