More Elizabeth-isms

So I'll be the first to admit that tonight's dinner (that is currently in the oven) isn't my greatest culinary achievement, it is quite a tasty dish of comfort food.

Elizabeth tells me as I'm fixing dinner that, "I want Daddy to cook dinner."

I asked her why. She said, "Because he's a good cooker."

I asked her if I was a good cooker. She said - and I quote, "Nope."

I may seriously develop a complex! It's not as if I was fixing something that ends in "roni" or "Helper"...or involve Cheese Whiz and hot dogs (that's a recipe from my youth that won't be making the Morton Family Cookbook - or will it???). It's homemade Chicken Pot Pie...and I'm actually looking forward to eating it piping hot out of the oven, even if I'm not a good cooker!

Elizabeth-isms

This evening, our little techno-geek said, "I need to text Alex and Caylin..."

I think we're creating a monster!

That, and she wants Santa to bring he an iPhone...in addition to, and I quote, "everything."

Good luck with that, kiddo. You've been pretty good, but let's not get crazy...start going to be within an hour of all of your daycare classmates and Mommy and Daddy might reevaluate!

From Santa's Elves...

A little early Merry Christmas from three of
Santa's best elves - Elizabeth, Alex, & Caylin!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

ENT visit

Well, for starters, I liked Elizabeth's ENT doctor, "Dr. Chris" (aka Dr. Christopher Tiu). But when a guy who looks at things like say...tonsils...every day takes a look down your 3-year-old's mouth and says, and I quote, "WOW! Those things are huge!" That may be saying something!

Dr. Chris said they aren't the largest ones he has ever seen, but are definitely in the top 10%. Top 10 isn't bad...if you're going to do something, do it well!

To summarize...Tonsils, HUGE. Adenoids - don't know how big they are as you can't see them because of the tonsils, which are huge. We have to get an x-ray of the adenoids so that he can get a look at how big they actually are, but he's guessing they, too, are huge - behind those huge tonsils. Both will be coming out in the near future...no date set as of yet, because...

Elizabeth still has fluid in both ears, although she isn't complaining of anything. So, she will be on a 5-day dose of a steroid. She will also be seeing an audiologist (in Moundsville...good thing for a GPS as I will be making my first ever trip to Moundsville whenever we get the appointment there!) If, when we go back on the 21st for her follow-up appointment the ear infection has not cleared up or if there is any hearing loss (which, at this age is reversible), then he will put tubes in her ears.

Either/both surgeries are out-patient. She will leave the hospital 20 or so minutes after she is awakened from the general anesthesia. She will have to be out of daycare for a week after the surgery (Grandmaaaaaa!). She will be on restricted activity (no jumping, climbing, etc.) for two weeks following the surgery (that's a good one, doc!). And, because of the slight (3-5% chance of bleeding, which is typically minor bleeding (so don't go too crazy on WebMD, NANA!), we will be "grounded" to Wheeling for two weeks following her surgery.

January looks like it will be an interesting month...I wonder what theme I should set for her birthday party now???

Is That a Frog in Your Throat?

Elizabeth, is that a frog in your throat?



Nope! Them thar is some HUGE tonsils!

They are not inflamed at the moment, they are just in their natural huge state...

Which is why she snores when she breathes, and is prone to ear infections, near continually has a cough or is clearing her throat, is a mouth breather (because if those are her tonsils and the adenoids are behind those tonsils, they, too, are likely big and partially blocking the nasal passage)...and is going to see the ENT tomorrow.

Anyone want to place bets on whether or not she gets her tonsils removed at some point in the next couple of years? Reid will set the line and take the bets...

(If you're really, really interested in a closer look - and Elizabeth isn't in your presence, you can click on either of the photos to view them at full resolution.)

Stuff for therapy at a later date

Nail polish by Elizabeth:


And this won't require therapy, but is just too cute...kissing cousins!

Thankful Thursday

Today I'm thankful to/for/about:

• My health and the health of my family members. Some times I think I take this for granted...until something happens in the real world that snaps me back into reality.
  
• That the green m&m Elizabeth thought seemed like a good idea to stick up her nose on the car ride into Webster Springs last night came out without too much drama. And that, for at least a little bit, it caused her some discomfort - not because I'm sadistic, but so that maybe next time she won't think it is a good idea to stick something up her nose! (For those of you who are curiosity seekers, it was just a plain m&m...)
• For the good news from my dear friends and conspirators in "Team 911" - Shoog is preggers, Nicole is preggers, RFKM isn't, but his wife is...Katie-Kate, who clarified that she is definitely not preggers...and the rest of the general conversation that went back and forth this week (that doesn't need detailed here)...all of which has brightened my week! Miss all y'all as we are so far over-due for a get-together! Could it really have been that it was in 2003 that nearly all of us were last together??? We must rectify this soon...so we can really do something that will cause our children (and respective spouses) to need much therapy!
• Offense! Lots and lots of offense! The Toppers won last Saturday over Edinboro (84-63). I'll be very thankful if this winning streak continues on this Saturday over Cal!!! Go Toppers!
• Things that make me laugh...like the Liberty Mutual Football Coach of the Year voting. Not so funny in DII (vote now for Coach Waialae!)...but when I was checking the Division I leaderboard...who did I see in the Top 10 (#8, actually) -- Rich Rod. Hilarious! Nearly as funny as this little nugget that Ryan Zundell altered that also caused me to laugh (also at Coach Rod's expense)...

Yeah, Toppers!

West Liberty won the second round of the NCAA DII Football Playoffs!

84-63 over Edinboro.

For those of you who aren't followers of WLU football, they were the number 1 seed, so they had a bye last week. Edinboro was WLU's lone defeat in the regular season...the first game of the season...paybacks are nice!

Elizabeth was thrilled to get her picture taken with the Hilltopper Cheerleaders! As long as the cheerleaders are at the game, she will declare, "The Toppers win!" Too bad I didn't have my camera with me - only my Blackberry. They offered her pom-pons, but she was just a little bit freaked out, not that you can't see that on her face!

We're heading up the hill again shortly for the WLU men's basketball game vs. Wheeling Jesuit. Then back up tomorrow early afternoon for the WLU women's basketball game. Can the Toppers sweep this weekend???

Go Toppers!

Thankful Thursday

Today I'm thankful to/for/about:

• Papa's (Reid's dad's) doctors - Sunday marked the 10 year anniversary of his quadruple heart bypass surgery. He had good enough doctors that caught the major blockages to his arteries - in time to prevent him from having a heart attack. I guess some times it takes more than an apple a day...
• Family - we are so blessed to have such loving, supportive, and fun families.
  
• My cousin, Hans, for getting some good (and deserved) press! He was named All-WVIAC 1st Team Men's Soccer!
• My LLBFF, Kristin...enjoyed the chat yesterday afternoon! I hate that an ocean separates us, making it impractical for a daily chat, but I do ♥ you!
• Getting to see two of my favorite AACE friends last Friday when they came to Morgantown (from Rochester & Edmonton, respectively) - Todd & Frickin' Lance. Reid was finally able to meet the infamous Frickin' Lance...who then made me thankful for the next entry...
• That Elizabeth hasn't fully picked up on any bad sayings as of yet. Lance was telling us that he got in trouble with his (4-year-old) son's daycare...and, as a result, his wife, when his son, instead of telling his teacher that he needed to "go poopy" or "go #2"...Jacob said, "I need to go squeeze a loaf!" I'm very, very thankful that Elizabeth hasn't dropped any such words of wisdom on us or the good folks at her daycare!
• Athletics! It will be a ridiculously busy (for Reid) next few days - men's basketball game tonight; football playoff game tomorrow afternoon; men's basketball game tomorrow night; women's basketball game Sunday afternoon; (Monday "off" - let's not go crazy!); basketball double-header on Tuesday night. It is an insane schedule, but oh how I do love college athletics!

Goooooo Toppers!

Thankful Thursday

Today I'm thankful to/for/about:

• Safe travels this week to & from Atlanta...and especially a score on a better timed one-way flight home (otherwise my plane wouldn't have yet departed).
• A warm welcome from my puppy...my Sweet Babboo...and my darling daughter (in order that I saw them!)
• Elizabeth who was quoted as saying at dinner tonight, "Ice cream will make me healthy." She so tickles me!
• My Sweet Babboo remembering to throw out the jack-o-lantern this week with the trash...it was quite rotten when I left for my trip, but I wasn't gonna touch it!
• Sesame Street for 40 wonderful years! What great educational fun for both young and old! (And for the free Google Sesame Street t-shirts that will be coming my way for a Christmas purchase or two for Elizabeth & Alex! Love a bonus gift!
  
• Elizabeth's teachers - she's doing so well writing some of her letters. (Darn us for giving her such a long name...some day she will have all of those letters licked...and in their proper order!)
• For all of our Veterans...and those who are currently serving our country. (Please pray for my friend Robbie Godfrey who departs for Afghanistan tomorrow - God speed, Robbie!)