Developing old film

In this digital age, I gotta say I still love the thrill of film. Obviously, for financial reasons and such I dont' use it often...but the thrill of turning over the film and waiting and then that reveal of "did I get the shot?" And then the added fun of if you waited so long you can barely remember what's on the roll.

I just got three rolls of our Greece trip...OMG going on 3 years ago...developed. A lot of them are the "artsy-fartsy" type like angled shots of churches and ruins and such which I LOVE in black and white but others may not be as fascinated by. And snapshots of Jas because he was manning the digital camera while I (in my insane fussiness) manned 2 camera bodies and one lens...one held black and white film and one in color because it never fails I always want a shot of one type when I have the other stocked in camera. Yet another reason why digital rules now!

Just the weekly run through the medical mill around here for Munchkin and Mom. As of today, Munchkin's weight was FINALLY up...she gained 0.21 kg which is just shy of half a pound I believe. I've gotten the doc to back off of putting her in the EFM program (Exceptional Family Member...affects orders) until at least next time. So it looks like I'll be up in the wee hours for awhile yet.

We've learned there is a 3rd option for facial reconstruction for me. It's amazing the things you stumble on. After wanting nothing more than to smile for 8 years now...now I'm getting all picky about how it happens. Can I deal with an (easier, more likely successful) surgery that I'll have to grit my teeth to smile? Or do I stick it out for the more natural functioning (but 3 surgeries and no way of knowing how it will all work out) surgery we had already planned to do? Oy, sometimes having a choice just sucks, but I'm glad I can take my time deciding.

BBQ sauce on everything still rocks. I wish mom would leave Elmo alone and stop making him freeze so I'd eat. I'm giving in more often than not, though, I want to see my show darnit! And you know, Dr. Short's not ALL bad. He didn't poke or prod me at all today.

Egg and barbecue sauce...YUMMY

Not exactly the taste treat anyone would ever have picked. In fact, really really really gross. I had to taste it to get the Munchkin going on breakfast for the past 3 days but it's working. I have a sauce baby. I was kind of aware of that before but she is coming unglued about the sauces lately. "Dip, dip, dip" is the mantra at our house.

We've also figured out she likes Polynesian sauce and white sausage gravy on her eggs as well. Um, the gravy I can kinda see, and I'm just glad she's eating. We tried the waking in the middle of the night for a warm formula bottle as well. She only took about an ounce or so, but it was enough to add some calories and also to keep her gut working so that her metabolism stayed higher and she actually ate better all day yesterday because of it. We'll see how it goes but I'm a bit more optomistic.

You can't always get what you want, and sometimes you find you can't get what you need, either.

BBQ sauce and eggs? How come no one thought of this before??!!

Cruddy rainy day

Not much to report here. Didn't start the middle of the night wakeup feeding last night, I was too tired. Will do tonight. Oh joy.

There IS a CPR course this weekend, hopefully they'll let me late register for it! I'm 2 weeks overdue. Crap.

These cookie things are good. Mom says they are "Pirouline" or something like that. I just call them yummy...when I can keep them away from the Boo.

"You have chocolate on your panties"

And that was the high point of the day.

Still no answers for Munchkin, and she lost again. We are referred to the pediatric GI specialist who also does in house nutrition. Someone wanna tell me why we weren't seeing him in the first place.

And I also found out today that my plastic surgeon deployed. So I am seeing a new one next week but I have no idea what his thoughts will be on doing the reconstruction. My original doc will not be back for possibly a year. Fabulous. Absolutely fabulous.

Mommy isn't letting these people with stethoscopes at me for just no reason anymore. I'm liking that. I might even eat for her today.

Random thoughts while driving

1. I have NO power over the "Hot Donuts now" sign. I don't think anyone in their right mind does.

2. It really irks the crap out of me when I am asked at a gas pump if I want a receipt, I hit yet, and THEN they tell me to go inside. Hey, jerk, if I wanted to come inside you think I'd have PAID YOU in there? So then boy wonder at the counter has my cc receipt. I hate that.

3. My life in dogs...Happy (though I don't remember him but in pictures), Skipper (wonder mutt!), Trooper (lab who thought he could walk on water if he moved fast enough), Buster (ate EVERYTHING...egg crates, drapes, coals popping out of the fireplace...), Raleigh (ADD doggie if ever there was one), and now Nelson (the Boo, my first baby).

4. If you have a Corvette, and you are being passed by 2 minivans, an SUV, and a tractor trailer truck, not only should you NOT be in the left lane...you do NOT deserve a cherry red Corvette. Please drop it, the keys, and the title off at my house.

5. I really want to host a gathering soon, I spent about an hour planning it out in my head.

6. Munchkin gets her champion sleeping skills from me. She slept 4.5 hours in the car!!! Then woke up singing to "Bankey".

7. Why did it just occur to me that the Ergo would save me when walking Nelson on car trips?

8. Zaxby's drink cups suck. They ALWAYS spill in the console. I keep a Chick Fil A cup handy to transfer. Annoying though, Zax should fix this.

9. It is really odd that for holidays you tell people what to get you. That is striking me as really odd lately. Registry for events is one thing...this seems to be another.

10. There should be more trick or treat for charity options.

11. I am 1300 miles overdue for an oil change. Oops.

15. I can drive more than 6 miles on "0 miles to empty". (No lectures from the peanut gallery, being behind the slowest car in the universe through a construction zone in a national park, just PRAYING to make it to an exit was punishment enough).

16. Why can I not avoid lottery signs when I dont' care, and why can I not find one when I'm curious if anyone won my money?

17. I am so thankful to be in driving distance of family again. REALLY thankful.

18. Elmo is either Swahili, Farsi, or pig latin for "lobotomy" it really must be.

19. People should be a LOT more careful about what they put on their vanity plates.

20. Whenever I see those "Loosest slots" signs for casinos, why is it always a crazy looking woman in the picture, never a man? I wonder if perhaps they are trying to convey another message?

Sometimes you don't realize how much you miss...

...those who have been important to you in the past. And you don't realize how much they are still close to your heart. Munchkin and I got to spend some time with Miss Liz today, it was their first meeting and I think both are in love. Phenomenal to be able to catch up, even the least little bit, and share the new paths that our lives have taken in the years since we last got a visit (which I believe was my wedding or shortly thereafter).

We hit the Pumpkin Festival today at Stone Mountain Park. Again, apologies Liz, I swear it used to be artsy crafty I really swear. I remember rows and rows of exhibit and sales stalls lined with hay bales in the field that is now a parking lot flanking what can only be called a mini amusement park. It did look like fun, really did, but just not the relaxed and bring-your-own-fun atmosphere I rememeber. Many changes for the park, first that discovery and then that the road for half the mountain drive is now one way so once you pass a certain point you ARE going all the way around to get back. That pissed me off a tad, but you swerve.

And we are very glad that MunchkinDad is home safe and getting some much needed rest this weekend while I still have the Munchkin and the Boo so he can have a quiet house. See you soon hon, love you.

Intoxicating and heavenly...and that was just the parking lot...

I cannot believe I grew up here and had never been to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. Pictures will have to wait until next week...my dad's computer doesn't accept my 16G SD card but oh MAN are they awesome.

So I park the car, get out, and am instantly transported somewhere sweet, beautiful, and peaceful just from the aroma wafting away from the gardens. I don't know what it was, but I totally get why hummingbirds are so buzzed all the time. We go in, and I am in heaven. Munchkin was asleep for the first hour so that was fine by me I got to take my time looking. They have their Scarecrow exhibit on now and there are so many different ones all over the garden. Always something new to look at. I wandered the children's garden just to get an idea of what was there and where I should really get a grip on the Munchkin while she played.

We walked into the "Garden under Glass" exhibit...all rainforest/humidity type plants leading into the orchid house. I truly ADORE orchids. They are just so fragile and so perfectly crafted by the most loving hand ever. And so many kinds!! I took so many pictures that Munchkin woke up and her first thought was an excited "Ooooooooooh, wow!". I took about 350 pictures today. My shutterbuggin' self is tired!

She loved the children's garden. I am so glad I prechecked it because any water feature sings a special Siren's song to my little sweetie. She gets closer and closer and closer and she'd be in it up to her neck if I turned my back just once. Water, especially moving water, has a power that the girl just cannot ignore or resist. Like her mommy, I guess, but the self control of the overwhelming urge to pitch yourself in I guess comes later in life. Until then I will be shopping around for a pocket life jacket. Just in case.

We enjoyed ourselves so much, I joined the garden as a member. And I don't even live here (there are reciprocal benefits all over the nation, but I joined for ATL mostly, in 4 visits it pays for itself). And Munchkin enjoyed her romp so much I know we'll do this again.

OK PICTURES HERE WE ARE!!!!!!

Some of the scarecrows they had on exhibit (the one in the highchair reminds me of Munchkin when she eats, or doesn't as the case may be).

Some of the water features and artwork around the gardens...

In other news, Mommy has solved the "Uncle Gus" dilemma. I could never figure out why Munchkin seemed so standoffish and afraid ofmy borther at first. Now, admittedly she doesn't get to see him quite as often as I'd like, but she just seemed to have some extra oomph to her wailing where he was concerned. As of today, that is no more. I figured out that she was seriously confused and scared for one reason. She has ANOTHER Uncle Gus, one she sees almost weekly, who is also her very much loved Godfather. So poor girl is thinking, "What the heck is WRONG with you people? Can't you see that's not Uncle Gus??????" She's thinking we're all deluded and leading her down the primrose path. For now, my brother has been relegated "Uncle Goose" until Munchkin learns that more than one person is allowed to have the same name.

So many flowers, so little time! Mommy was proud of me, I managed to remember the "if you pull the leaves off, you can't put them back on" rule of all flora and fauna. I didn't pull off a single thing. Those scarecrows sure were neat, but they had an ENTIRE garden just for little ones like me and that is most amazing. LOTS of fountains nearby too, and a fishpond, Mommy seemed quite worried I might take a dip. Today was so much fun.

First ponytails and rainy weather

Not much going on down here, Munchkin is just being forced to shop a lot. She shouldn't mind, never fails I spend the money on her. I do tend to shop a lot when I'm home, and my dad makes fun of me for it...I am the family shopaholic. But the stores I love here they don't have where we are so it's the only time I can go. Not to mention we typically hit up the play areas so Munchkin can have some fun. We had planned to go to Stone Mountain, the Botanical Gardens and possibly the aquarium...but weather isn't cooperating and I really wanted to do outside things. We'll have to hit Wren's Nest next time we come for storytime we won't have time this Saturday. Just a couple of pics of her first ponytails from a few days ago.

I'm NOT feeding her razors!

Kiddo is killing me today. She's screaming bloody murder because I'm trying to get her to eat like 6 bites of her dinner before she can watch "Punket" (Halloween pumpkin movie, that's what she calls it). I mean literally, hyperventilating, hysterical. And I'm thinking, how many calories is she burning putting on this show so I can get some darn calories into her??? This is so counter productive. I'm either going to be miserable at 400 pounds from stress eating or be 95 pounds from an all alcoholic liquid diet from stress when this is over, seriously.

There are not enough hours in the day between mealtimes for me to fully recuperate from the stress of feeding this child. I really hope she turns a corner soon. On a high note, the Ballard outlets were fun today with Gigi.

Mom is trying to kill me, I swear. Maybe if I cry harder she will stop trying to do such horrid things, like feed me. What a monster.

Victory lap around the ward

Well, as of Friday, Miss Munchkin was released from the hospital. Not before they ordered one more round of bloodwork and an xray to make sure her bones are the right age. Some random hormonal thing that could be the problem.

Here's where we are, we have no solid answers on what is causing her weight loss. She has had a basic, metabolic, and chromosomal bloodwork panel done, she has had an upper GI study done, she's had other labs taken and returned normal, now that xray, and 5 days of observation. So far all they've come up with is that mostly it is behavioral. She fights eating like a madwoman. She much prefers to drink her calories, which is fine with me but they seem irritated about. Also, they seem to think this is nothing, but her stomach is slow to empty. She gets that from her Buffy but it makes me understand why she has preferred grazing all this time and tells me she needs more frequent and smaller meals despite what the docs say. She lost weight every single day in the hospital. So we have a follow up next week and I have no idea what the plan is if she loses again. They said possibly a sweat test for cystic fibrosis but nothing else has come up. One of the docs mentioned a feeding tube and I am at this point completely against that. She does gain eventually, she just loses and then gains again and loses. Overall she ends up higher weight than before it's just a process. And her development is going strong so she's not having any adverse effects.

It's amazing how much study you can give an issue and then learn absolutely nothing that you didn't already know.

Doctors are mean