Ditzy Grannie

I messed up my last post, I’m officially the bad Grannie. Morgan will be 2 in just a few days! I thought about editing the original, but that would feel awful sneaky.

I also have new pctures of Samara and Jasmine. Can’t afford to develop them quite yet, but soon.

I only have Camron this afternoon. Did I just say that? LOL Right when I typed “only” I noticed it was rather quiet; I hurried to the door and sure enough, he had it open. I flipped the deadbolt and he was off to use an onion for a ball.

I really have to watch he doesn’t get out the backdoor, dead-bolted or not. That lock sits a bit lower and if he gets his toy crate (read large dishpan) he’s just the right height to unlock it.  Wee whip! I do not like having escapees. They give you grey hair.A good chain lock is on my to get list. I’m going to mount it clear to the top of the door.

oops… phone call. enough rambling for now

Grannie crowing time.

5 and 1 respectively

I got this picture from Sarah and then played with it a bit on PSP. I figured if I couldn’t sleep. I might as well do something relaxing. I can hardly believe Melany is 5 and Morgan already 1!

Trying to become a day person…

I dinna ken it’s possible, but I”m trying. My Mom says I was born a night person. Olivia was too and I’m not going to trying to change that. As for me, I think it’s time I try and live in a more daylight world.
The past couple of days I’ve had my phone set to wake me at 6. The first day I shut the dang thing off immediately went back to sleep until 8. The second day got up and now the third. We’ll see how things go now that I’ll be baby sitting 2-10; I may have to tweak the plan a bit.

After tending to Samara and Jasmine, I may take longer to unwind. Today will be the telling day. Usually I can get them both down for a nap about 4:30. Usually. Jazzy girl always does but sometimes Samara refuses. She at least takes a quiet time.

Then I’ll have this time in the morning for things like this. By the time Olivia is up I can turn the computer over to her. Then, actually work on this mess of a house! Samara is a walking tornado. Foget deep cleaning ANYTHING with her around. Going for the illusion of clean is almost impossible with her. She’s busy busy busy!

ON top of that fact, I’ve had to have the cats and dogs in due to bad weather and the fact that both pups have gotten too tall for their houses and keep popping them apart upon exiting. This spring I’m going to have a dog door install at one end of the shed that leads into a larger fenced in area. I’m also fencing in about another half acre for the safety of the grand kids. The fence will be rather cheap since I’m going to use field posts and pig wire. I know that sounds ugly, but I plan on dressing it up with moon flowers and morning glories around the back and with rambling roses where the fence will show in the front. Rustic and beautiful me thinks.

That’s another reason to be more of a day person. My flowers will do better. lol  It will be easier during the spring. I love to sit outside and drink coffee when it’s warmer. Lord willing, I’ll make it to my friend Sue’s and I’ll have some hens to giggle at this spring. We used to sit out near the chicken coup every morning talk and watch the silly little birds. By the time we were done with that one of the little ones had brought us all the eggs and we’d go inside a have breakfast. I miss that. I don’t have a house full anymore, but I still think I’d enjoy it even just me and Jesus. I know Caleb and Heather would come down for coffee and the boys do rise at the crack of dawn.

Maybe this is why I’ve chosen to do this now. Spring will soon be upon us and I want to enjoy every second of it!

Things I have learned being a Grannie

Let me start by telling anyone that doesn’t know, I have 9 grandkids. Some step, some heart, some biological. I don’t recall who’s what most of the time.

My grandkids are Marcus 10, Matthew the elder 7, Nathan 6 Melany 4, Matthew the younger 3, Samara 2, Morgan 1, Camron 1, and Jasmine 7 months the 4th of next month.

I baby sit a LOT. Child care is expensive, In my not so humble opinion a hot bed of needless attacks on tiny immune systems and emotions only places for those that have no choice in the matter., Besides, I didn’t have five kids to not want to be with my grand babies. It works out well for everyone.Most days that is… and here’s where the learning came in:

I’ve learned when you have five or more of them over it is a good idea to keep a damp mop handy at ALL times along with assorted rags.

I’ve learned that when they are potty training, one will poop on the kitchen table while the other is pooping on the dining room table.

I’ve learned that sometimes it is a good thing to keep antibacterial soap around.

I’ve learned that when you see one of the pups go by with pink stuff all over the top of his head I’d better go find the baby that was eating strawberry yogurt. Oh yeah, and don’t forget that mop and a new rag.
I’ve learned that most dogs and cats do NOT like having yogurt washed off of them. (I need to add protective gloves to my next shopping trip)

I’ve learned Grannie’s lap is too small to make everyone happy.

I’ve learned that three boys + two dogs = lots of noise. It is great fun to get huge puppies to chase you into the kitchen to watch them slide when they hit the newer slicker floor.

I’ve learned large dogs make great make-shift horses. Much to the chagrin of said dogs.

I’ve learned that little girls love my Mary Kay as much as I do. Lip liner makes a WONDERFUL crayon, and lipstick is made to be munched and smeared.

I’ve learned a lot, but the best thing I’ve learned is I’m very blessed. Even when they wear me to a frazzle.

Sometimes life is rough. Go hold a child… suddenly the world will look a lot better.

Our past week end

 Life has been hectic at the Lassiter hub, aka my house lately. So by last Friday, I was looking forward to Saturday to sleep in a bit then clean house. At least going for the illusion of clean. lol I awoke about 11am. Ooops! too late to make it into the bank. Oh well, I didn’t much want to  go anyway.

By 11:3o I was starting wash. !@#$@#$ washer died on me. I put a call in to the repair service… “They will call me back Monday”. Ok, I refuse to go the the laundry mat in the next town, so the girls go to the farm and to their brothers to throw in things we must have done. No real biggy.

Olivia had started preheating the oven for a pizza and asked me to listen for the beep and put it in for her, they’d be back by the time it was cooled.

I’m sitting in the dining room and Samara and Jasmine are in the living room watching cartoons. Suddenly I realize there is smoke filling the kitchen! I run in there and my oven looks as if it’s been turned into a Ben Franklin stove. Then, it dawns on me I’m smelling burning plastic. I grab some bar towels out from under the sink plop them under water, a take one sopped one and open the oven door and throw it in. Green burning goo goes a flying! Oh shit!!!!! Grab a few more towels and start throwing them in. lol I get the flames extinguished then head for the windows. Even though it is a mere 32F outside I have to air out the house quick. I holler at Samara to stay in the living room and cross ventilate as best I could. Turned off the furnace so nothing would be circulated through the house, check and double check on Toodle-do (my lovebird), holler to Samara again to stay in the warmer and still smoke free living room. Then joined the babies shortly after that to collapse for a bit. lol

This whole thing could have been avoided. I had caught Camron twice the previous day hiding his gooey frog in the oven. Had I thought to tell Olivia the story…

Oh well, one more near crisis averted PTL.

When the girls got back we shut the windows and scraped what remained of froggy off the oven.

By this time we are all even more hungry so Calli goes to the basement freezer for another pizza. When she comes back up she informs me she heard a dripping sound near the water heater and there is water heading for the sump pump. Lovely.

It’s like the damn thing waited for me to get there. I went down stairs and began checking around the water heater. I get down on my knees for a better look and the whole bottom cuts loose like some sort of fountain! I quickly turn off the water heater, then the supply line. Go upstairs to happily (not) announce we now have no hot water.

NOTHING is open past noon on Saturday in hillbilly ghetto after noon. I didn’t go to the bank anyway, so it wouldn’t have mattered if there was.

We manage to make it through the day and have reconciled ourselves to not being able to do anything until Monday but some grocery shopping. Teen girls cannot go anywhere without a good shower first so they go back to Caleb’s to bathe and retrieve the laundry.

By now it is supper time, so they decide to wait until after to go to the store. By the time they get back it is getting late. I get a call from Caleb asking me if I’d come run him to Casey’s for milk before they close. No problem… I jumped in the car and headed over there right after I hung up. Go the three blocks to Caleb’s pick him up drive another three to Casey’s.  (in case you are wondering, no my son isn’t that spoiled lol, it was sleeting to beat the band)

When we get back to Caleb’s we see the mayor go down the road with his blue lights on. (he’s also on VFD)  Then I see the rescue truck and another first responder. Caleb and I both said something to the effect of someone probably got into a ditch outside town and pray quickly that it’s not too bad.

I drop him off and head down to turn onto my street. As I turned, I could see the rescue lights, by the time I’m a block more it dawns on me that they are a MY house. I think I nearly had a heart attack. I pulled into the yard and jumped out and asked some man in my yard what happened. He replied he didn’t really know, but there had been a 911 call.

I came barreling into the house to find Calli holding Samara and a lot of crying. Samara had climbed onto the kitchen table and fell of backwards onto her head. Calli freaked at all the blood and the fact there was no car here and called 911. Samara got a ride in the ambulance, a new teddy bear, and a story to tell… “Bonk a head; juice come out”

Grannie got a few more gray hairs and Mommy got her first ones.

So how was your week end?

Rural IL health care.

Or more aptly titled LACK of rural IL health care.

This past Thursday afternoon, my grandson Camron drank charcoal lighter fluid. Chelsea and Jeff hopped in the car and headed for the nearest hospital while on the cell phone with 911. By the time the ambulances (yes two) met them, he was blue and unresponsive.  The EMTs then argued about who’s call it was. Jeff gave them a thorough cussing and told them he didn’t care who, but someone better do something for his baby NOW. With oxygen support, he had come around by the time they got to the hospital. They took a chest x-ray, the Dr gave a cursory look to ears and mouth. Declared he didn’t think he actually swallowed any, and dismissed him within 45 minutes of his arrival.

A little background…

Jeff had called me when they were getting out of the ambulance. I started to lose it. Then, the thought hit me if I didn’t keep it together I couldn’t pray for him. While Ed got shoes on, I went to bring the truck up from the back. All the while praying for Camron, his organs by name, that kind of thing, then when I ran out of organs I began praying in tongues. I figure the Spirit knows more than I do anyway huh?

By the time Ed and I arrived at the hospital, Camron was awake. The Dr my Gram so despised was in charge. Wonderful. I walked back towards the nurses station and asked where Camron was. I didn’t bother asking permission to go back, simply walked in with a stance that dares them to stop me. I was there to see the “Dr” (using the term loosely here)  give him all of a five second look over and tell Jeff and Chelsea he could go home.

By the time they arrived home he began vomiting charcoal starter fluid. Lots of it. Chelsea rushes him back to the hospital and Jeff calls me to get there quick. I drove back to the hospital 70 mph and didn’t have to pass a single car.

We are there about a half hour, they do another chest x-ray and say it shows nothing (in rather snotty tones) but then his temp begins to rise. Chelsea and I had the nurse take his temp three times in about 15 minutes. First reading 100.4 second 102.4 third 103.

About this time another Dr walks in and says Camron can be dismissed.  What?! I lost it. I asked, “We are back here because he threw up what you peopled declared he didn’t ingest, now he’s running a fever and you are sending him home?  What is this stuff going to do to him? How much danger is there to his brain, his liver, his throat and lungs?” He said “I don’t know, I just came on shift and am going by the previous Dr’s notes.” I told him he bloody well better go find out for himself and pronto. He comes back a few minutes later and says he thinks Camron should be admitted to Taylorville hospital where his pediatrician has  privileges.

By the time he walks back out I lose my cool I picked up Camron and head out of the room, telling Chelsea to follow me. When I get to where the Dr is he is flipping through the Poison Control book (never mind calling them huh?). I told him, “We are leaving and taking this baby to St John’s” (they have a pediatric unit). He said, well I still have to call his Dr and you will be leaving against medical advice” My response? “Like I care! Get the damn paper work now because I am walking out and you have about 2 seconds.” In the mean time… Camron’s Dr calls and says he won’t admit him to his hospital because he has an appointment in his office the next day! He could be dead by morning you bloody moron!

The second Dr in this fiasco finally admitted to Chelsea she was doing the right thing.

I traded vehicles with Chelsea and told her to go get Jeff and haul ass. They drove 100mph all the way. Chelsea said she had already decided she wasn’t stopping for any cop, she’d take whatever they wanted to give her once she got to the hospital. She saw nary a cop, which is very unusual for I55.

While they were rushing there, Camron’s uncle Jason was on the phone with St John’s telling them what was going on. They wanted to send an ambulance, but by the time they’d be able to meet up on the interstate, it would waste precious time.

Camron was immediately admitted upon arrival at St John’s with a dx of aspiration pneumonia. They kept him 24 hours doing x-rays and blood work every two hours. When the Dr went to dismiss him, he told Chelsea if she didn’t feel comfortable with that he could keep him another 48 hours. Since the last two labs came back the same, they decided to bring him home.

Yesterday it was very evident this little 15 month old boy had been through hell. Every time I look at him I want to punch the two Drs that ignored his distress. At the same time I thank the Lord over and over that it wasn’t worse. It is only by His grace and mercy it wasn’t. I believe that with all my heart.