silly times

My children provide me with much needed "silly" entertainment.

Kaylin's favorite two words are "Oprah" and "Obama." I do not know where she learned about Obama, probably Ben complaining, and I can guarantee you that she does not know of the political connection between the two. She simply finds them both funny words to say, and she thinks she is speaking French! She will randomly blurt out "Oprah!" "Obama!"

Recently when we were driving Kaylin suddenly became excited as we passed a big truck. "Mommy! Grandma calls those Sam-Is!"

My favorite car conversation between the kids is when Kaylin and Kavan ask each other "Do you remember when the turkey ran over the car?" They discuss this one regularly. (If you do not know this story ask one of my sisters who was with them when it happened.)

Kai is not silly. He is just sweet. He giggles, gives high fives, claps, plays peekaboo, and shakes his head back and forth just to see if he can get you to copy him. He wants to walk but just isn't sturdy enough. He just wants to take off when you grab his fingers, but have you ever tried to balance a toothpick standing on its end?! He looks funny crawling on his hands and knees now, since he finally learned how but looks too "mature" for this.

Kai got into Kaylin's Easter candy today. I wasn't intending almonds to be in his diet yet, and had Kaylin disobeyed (like Kavan did) and eaten them all the first day, this wouldn't have happened! I was wondering why I was on email a whole uninterrupted 5 minutes while hearing no fussing from the living room. He thoroughly enjoyed his organic dark-chocolate covered almonds and so did his clothes and the carpet.

Lent Report

Despite the fact that we are not Catholic, Ben and I have found it a beneficial tradition to "give something up" for the purpose of increasing our reliance on God.

My goal was to give up two things, sweets and my stress level.
Here is a report of the outcome:

Sweets - this was not nearly as hard as I thought! I have never gone that long without a pop, even though on average now days I only have one organic pop every two weeks. I don't typically have other sweets in my home, except organic chocolate and my favorite in-a-hurry breakfast treat, organic chocolate toaster pastries. So I gave those up, and I gave up any of those away-from-home temptations that show up. It's surprising how frequently one encounters sweets away from home! Sometimes I was almost relieved to have an excuse to turn them down. Don't we often eat only due to social pressure? Sometimes I was disappointed. It was so hard to turn down a lemon bar! But overall I was surprised by how NOT difficult this was for me. I wanted to give up all sweets but organic chocolate, but Ben said NO, we are having NO sweets. I did not think I could do it. I thought I would be starving and give into a "quick and easy" toaster pastry at some point. I did not. Ben did cheat one or two times. :) This whole experience taught me that alternative choices are available, and that someday I will be able to give them up altogether. I was excited to eat ice cream yesterday. But I couldn't even finish it all! It was too rich. I drank a pop and had oreo pie. I ate a homemade caramel. Today I will stick to organic chocolate. But that's it! I don't feel a need for more. I know now how unnecessary these things are. And, I lost a few pounds unintentionally. Fitting into some old pants is definitely worth saying no to sugar.

Stress: I really did okay with this one. Despite all the regular pressures and deadlines I really don't feel I got "stressed." I definitely noted regularly the discrepancy between the tasks that needed to be accomplished, and the time available to do them. Ben will say I still brought this up too often. I would say I was being proactive: noting a problem, and doing something to fix it. I asked for help when I needed to. Unfortunately not as much help came through as I was hoping for, so with taxes due around the corner, today it's time to be stressed again :)

Spiritually - I did occasionally reflect on how much greater God can fill my needs than the temporary fix of giving in to a craving. I did read my Bible more and definitely realized how much starting my day in this way reduced my stress level. I am more determined to meet the goal of Matt. 6:33 (the "seek ye first" verse).

Next year we will have to do pizza. Even the organic frozen ones. Instead we will have to plan more meals, and be all the healthier for it. Our kids would love this actually...have you ever met kids that don't like pizza?! They complain every time.

YES!

I passed! The outcome choices were "pass" "pass withheld" and "resit" which mean: you can teach on your own, you can teach with someone else for awhile until you get better, or you have to take part of the class over. All I hoped for was a "pass withheld" and I got a PASS!

The end of class was emotional. It felt like we'd been together for a month and it was hard to say goodbye to the fellow trainees and really to the whole experience. Despite the difficulty it was amazing. The whole class was energizing and inspiring. I still had energy left over when I got home early this evening and I showed Ben and the kids some moves. An hour later I COMPLETELY crashed. I slept about 5 hours all weekend. I'm afraid for the limited mobility tomorrow will bring. Thankfully I cancelled my class for tomorrow night! Going to bed now...

Bodypump

As the instructor would say, I’m about to join the ranks of 70,000 instructors worldwide who survived the certification training for the largest branded group fitness class in the world. Currently I’m in the middle on the most physically intense weekend in my life. I did and didn’t know what I was getting myself into (all to teach at the Y). Survivor meets Army Boot Camp meets American Idol Hollywood Week meets high school danceline tryouts. The choreography we need to learn makes these days more than mentally challenging as well. Luckily we have only “Paula” and “Randy” judges and no Simon. If you want to see a picture of our male instructor go to the website www.lesmills.com and he’s on the front page (before the other pictures start flashing). He flew in from Pennsylvania to spread his bodypump enthusiasm.

Yesterday’s training went from 9.5 hours long, then we got home at 10:30 p.m. (after finally eating dinner and then grocery shopping to have food for today since we all learned the hard way our breaks aren’t long enough to leave the building) and had to learn a back and glute workout routine to a song that was 6 minutes long. Then we had to be back at 8 this morning and got done at 6:10 this evening. We went 3 hours some times without even a short break. My bladder was in pain several times because if we had to leave the class when it was not a break time, we owed 20 pushups when we got back. Tomorrow we start at 7 a.m. Tonight I “only” have to learn a 3 minute routine. It’s 9, but I am writing because we were instructed to take a little mental break for ourselves. I just got back to the room because I needed to go shopping for our requirement to wear black and/or red for our assessment tomorrow.

The lowlight of this weekend is my severe lack of muscles compared to the other participants who already take this class regularly. The other women are very inspring though, and I know I’m on my way back there again. Even the women in their 50s were super cut and seemed decades younger with their energy level.

The highlight was the “Ultimate Bodypump Challenge”. After completing a 15 minute run and then the hour-long bootcamp where we had to push our limits on some of the weight exercises to show we can do more than we think – especially when we have a partner cheering us on, he set us up for what he said was the ultimate feat of Bodypump weekend, the 5 minute wall sit. He said nobody’s stopping until they fall down, you’d better not be able to stand up and walk away, and we’ll see how long you guys can last… This was a test of endurance and I knew I had an edge here (muscular strength and endurance are somewhat opposites), but still the longest I’d ever held the pain of a wall sit was 1 minute. The 3 men in the class of 23 were among the first to drop (to their credit men have a lower percentage of the endurance muscle fibers). The strongest woman dropped after about 1:30 and slowly the fittest of the fit each gave way. Myself and 3 others made it to the end. I was shaking and yelling and I had a crowd cheering me on to get me through the last impossible 30 seconds. Afterwards I was in tears. I don’t know if I’ve ever pushed myself that hard before.

I don’t know if I will pass tomorrow. There are no “fails” but I may have to come back and go through another Saturday again – and all the pain of that hardest middle day. This won’t be of course for a few more months and meanwhile I wouldn’t be able to teach. I’m having a lot of trouble concentrating on the choreography and my technique at the same time; the fatigue of these last few months is definitely showing up here. So if you read this on time, pray! Back to work….

Sweet "Toddler" Kai?

I think he will always be my "sweet baby Kai." Is it perhaps my own wishing and labeling that has stunted his growth and development? The toddler in Kai is finally emerging. He is cruising all over grabbing onto whatever he can find to pull him along and help him get around the room. If you leave for a minute he'll seem to have gone a mile (from a couch to a laundry basket to a table to a window...) by the time you get back. What's really fun is when he grabs onto my legs and allows me to "walk" him to his next landmark. He likes to walk hanging onto our hands too, and he likes his little walker toy. He is also CRAWLING up on his knees a few strokes, but then he decides he prefers his usual army crawl and plops back down. He is pulling himself to standing on the lego table and knocking down all his brother's and sister's creations. He is trying to crawl up the steps.

On another positive note he weighs 17.6 pounds! I finally remembered I have a digital scale. That means he's gained 1.1 pounds in the last six weeks. He only gained 2 pounds in the previous six months!

I think he's coming around. I will miss my sweet baby Kai.

Uncrashing

Today I woke up 90% better! Kai slept almost all night! Ben stayed home one more day so I could rest up and not relapse again. By tonight I feel almost back to normal. Tomorrow I will go to a fitness certification class for teaching at the Y, which will also be helpful in healing since I'll get to just sit there all day listening. Sounds relaxing to me! I'm insulted though that I have to sit through hours of exercise science alongside people with no fitness background instead of being allowed to test out of the class. At least with this class and my bodypump training next weekend I will have all my continuing ed credits done and I won't have to cram a bunch of classes into May like I did two years ago! Finishing up my recert. in March is my idea of learning not to procrastinate. I'll just have to take a 2 hour CPR refresher in May and then I'm good to go for another two years. TTFN! (Thanks Sam for letting me know what this means... I'm still not in the loop with text messaging...)

Crashing

I told a friend a few weeks ago I don't know how my body keeps going. I've been getting so little sleep for so long now... I wondered when I would crash. I was waiting for this moment where my body would give out on me.

Today I crashed. A couple of days ago I stopped taking my immune supplements because I thought I was getting better and we were running low on then. Now today I am so sick. I don't know what this is. I don't know if it's that same flu bug or if I have something new. Symptoms are the same with the addition of a sore throat this time. Ben stayed home today. He had to cancel a presentation to a class that he had already rescheduled from last time he was sick. He is running out of sick days. But he said I'm more important. Thanks babe.

I've gotten very little sleep the last few days. Kai had a few good nights where he was only up once and now he's back to 3 times at least. Just when I was finally ready to let him cry it out Ben decided he disagrees - that now's not the time to train him when we are sick. Last night I listened to him cry for an hour and half before giving in. I felt more miserable every minute and I just wanted to get back to sleep.

I don't know what tonight holds. I think I am too achy to sleep but I'm going to turn in early anyhow.

Kaylin Talker Jo

"You're eating like a monkey" I think she said to me 3 times before I answered her. (I was eating a banana.)

At times I just get in a zone and everything the kids say blends together. With their constant arguing and fighting, my mind has learned how to tune stuff out. I also think there are times though where I need to stay on-track with them better and respond more immediately. It's hard to find the balance. She is always talking! Ben asked me during his sick week when he couldn't take it any more, "Is she always like this?!" "Like what?" I asked, completely confused. "Talking! nonstop all day long every day!" "Yes," I laughed, "I don't even notice it any more."

But most of the time I too am annoyed. I feel like she's at an age now where we need to instruct her on when it is appropriate to talk and what things are worth talking about. How on earth do I go about that? Another mom mentioned telling her daughter recently "you don't need to tell me about everything." I do not want to crush her spirit. But I also think I would have a more positive attitude toward her when she does talk if she would stop once in awhile! She is my little narrator. We are working on bossiness and tattling less - I suppose if we get those under control she won't have much left to say!

I'd love to hear your ideas.

Diagnosis: No flu shot

A casual passerby of the news this weekend will hear these 3 headlines regarding one top news story: MN's first flu death of the season, 12 year old girl, no flu shot.

If you listen a bit longer you will hear the family did not have health insurance (the government's fault, right?). On one station one time, I stuck through the story until they got to the point of interviewing a dept. of health official who said it is not known whether the flu shot would have helped; it hadn't yet been determined whether the girl had one of the 3 strains present in this year's vaccine.

Of course when they do determine this, the only result that will make it back on the news is if the strain tests positive as one in the shot. Makes sense to me that every "no flu shot" headline would be followed by this "unknown if it would have helped" disclaimer. But the public responds well to fear.

Instead the news got another story with the "massive rush to flu shot clinics expected Monday" headline.

Just once I'd like to hear discussion about nutritional and environmental influences on that girl's health. Did she eat only natural foods? What was her sugar consumption like the week before she got sick? Did she consume pasteurized milk, which increases mucus production in the body? Did she take any basic nutrition supplements to make up for where our modern diets fall short? Did she take anything to enhance her immune system function at onset of the illness?

Just once I'd like to hear a pros and cons discussion re: the flu shot. I would love to see a naturopathic or chiropractic doctor discuss side effects and alternatives to vaccination. But medicine owns the media and therefore this country. A study done outside of the U.S. of course showed a tenfold increase in Alzheimer's among patients who'd had just 3 flu shots in their lifetime (compared to those who'd had none). Since I had two before I knew better I'm on my way I guess.

I believe in flu shots for those who have compromised immune systems - the risks and benefits need to be weighed - but it's very unfortunate they still contain mercury in this part of the country (this costs the insurance companies less than non-mercury based preservatives) unless one has a special reason to request one without. Every year in MN there's a group at the capitol that tries to get the mercury out, but each year "50 cents - 1.00 more a shot? Denied!"

A healthy immune system can handle the flu. It is unfortunate that we have to suffer through these superbad strains that in my opinion have developed due to resistance to previous drugs and vaccines in the first place.

Guess we'll just have to hope the mercury-free vax group has their way before next year when all school children are required to get the flu shot (legislation is pending) . And thankfully I live in a state that allows exemptions!

The Answer

Since I hope to have a chapter about the immune system in my book someday, (and considering our current circumstances!) I decided it was not a waste of time for me to spend 2 whole hours looking on the internet for an answer to my question: When it comes to natural treatments that aid in the body's immune response to a virus, why is it so absolutely necessary to take them at the very first signs of an illness (and why are they inneffective later on)? I wanted to know because of the extreme difference between Ben's and my responses to the same supplements.

The search was frustrating, because at first it seemed to only turn up the same question. Over and over again I came across various products that stated "take at first signs of illness" "take at onset of symptoms" "take as soon as you feel yourself coming down with something" etc etc.

On the plus side I got to learn more options that are available, and a few other random things about the immune system and health. I got to learn how some of the immune herbs work (like increasing white blood cells and T-cells, or antibacterial or antivral properties, or inhibiting enzymes that allow invaders to enter cells). I also learned that excess levels of vitamin C will cause a B vitamin depletion, so it's important to take extra B vits following a C regimen during an illness.

The reason I wanted to know the answer to my question so badly is because I did it again. I didn't think I could this time considering the severity of Ben's illness.

I used to be skeptical of immune supplements because I thought "well how do you know you would have gotten sick." That was until the last year of my life, where I actually have felt myself coming down with something several times, knowing I would be very sick by the next day. But then I wasn't. Once again I've had the same success fighting off this flu. For the past two days I have had all the same symptoms as Ben still, but to a MUCH lesser degree. If I didn't know what he has, I wouldn't know it's the flu and I'd be going on about life as normal, but since I do know what it is, I'm trying to stay away from others as best as I can to protect them.

When I was about to give up on my search I found the answer: Because the virus multiplies so quickly at first. You are probably thinking "duh!" I guess I was expecting something more profound.

The virus multiplies rapidly and once it's at its peak there's little that can be done and you just have to ride it out. The mechanisms by which the various supplements work are in this stage of preventing the virus from taking over, but once it has...

Even Tamiflu, the wonderdrug the govt. wants to stockpile in case of outbreaks, only works if taken in the first 48 hours according to the packaging. Ben decided not to take it since he was on his 3rd day. We looked online to double check and sure enough every description we found said the drug will only work if started within the first 2 days, and even then it only decreases the duration by a day. Hardly worth the numerous potential side effects.

I'd better go take my oregano, silver, echinacea, oscillococcinum and vitamin C and get to bed early tonight. Good night!