Zeke-isms and Ayla teeth

In Jake's last post he alluded to "health problems and other things" keeping us busy. Thought I'd expand upon that a bit for the sake of remembering (not sure I want to remember it though...) But since this is the closest thing we keep to a scrap book or photo album, here goes...


I went in for bowel resection surgery on December 17th. I spent 4 nights and 5 days in the hospital- one day extra because I was stuck there during the snow storm where we got 18 inches. I came home Friday, December 21 and was so happy to be home with my family and ready to celebrate Christmas. I immediately found myself with shingles across my abdomen. No big deal, an inconvenience really... I could deal.

We had a really nice Christmas and I was happy with how quickly I was returning to feeling like myself. I was planning on returning to work January 7. January 5th I woke up at 2am with some rather severe abdominal distress (meaning the worst diarrhea in the history of diarrhea.) Within about a day I was flat on my back. After 5 days and a few attempts at returning to work I went to the doctor and they said I had the flu. Meanwhile I was in so much pain I also had a CT scan to make sure there was not a problem with the surgery. That test came back fine.

It was eventually determined that I had C. Diff. (as well as the flu) If you don't know what C. Diff is, google it. It's not pretty. I ended up being sicker than sick for two solid weeks, with a third tacked on where I felt, well, less awful. I finally returned to work three weeks later than expected. NOT the way you want to spend a 6 week "vacation."

Anyway, we are finally feeling like we are getting back on track. And I am so happy to be back to work, back on my feet. I am still taking medicine for the C. Diff... it's hard to get rid of.

The kids are such a delight to focus on when you are feeling awful. I am grateful we got through all this as well as we did. Thanks eternally to Jake who holds our family up. He stepped in and did everything, and I mean EVERYTHING while I was sick.

I've been wanting to post some "Zeke-isms." He has such a funny cute way of saying so many things, especially with his little lisp.

*One day he was sitting at a computer pretending to type. He said to me, "I'm just checking my oatmeal." (instead of email)
*Ayla and Zeke really like this show called Caillou. Caillou is a little boy who has a cat named Gilbert. Zeke who loves cats, of course likes Gilbert but refers to him as "Yogurt."
*Zeke loves tv. He would have the tv on all the time if we let him. Many times throughout the day he comes to you and says, "can I wathathow?" That's wha-tha-thow. Just say the three syllables together really fast like it's one word. He's asking if he can "watch a show"
*I like how he says "yellow." "leh-doe"
*He has two ball popper toys. He loves them. He is obsessed with them. He talks about them to people he doesn't know in the grocery store. He calls them the "ball poppas." One is broken. He says it's "bwoking." So if you run into Zeke somewhere he might just say to you, "the gween ball poppa. It's bwoking!"
*Words that have an A R or an O R in them, he substitutes O I. So, you have:
  Dark= Doik
  Warm= Woim
  Corn= Coin
*I think Zeke is starting to attempt to understand time. Every evening he asks, "Is is doik outside? Is it nighttime?" And then in the morning as you lift him out of his crib: "Is it daytime?" Pretty cute.
*So I think we all know how little people feel about their *ahem* parts. Come on, they do! They love 'em! They think their little naked bodies are the best thing ever! Well, Zeke made up a song about his *ahem* "tiny dingle" as we so appropriately call it. We actually usually refer to it as his tt or teetee (how would you spell that?) Well, it is not uncommon while his diaper is being changed and all is hangin' out, for Zeke to sing at the top of his lungs, "Teetee bubuBYYYYYYYYYYY SO GREAT!!" That's his tt song. It's great. And according to him, so is his tt.

Ok, on to Ayla. We were having a rather difficult time with her after the holidays when I was sick. And who could blame her, it wasn't a fun time for anyone. However, lately we have really seen a different little girl. She seems not only less frustrated, but just older and more mature in general. She is helpful and more responsible. A little more self sufficient. She is calmer in general (which has never been a strength for her.) She is sleeping better (knock on wood)

She continues to be an artist. She has taken to writing and illustrating books. She has done two so far. My favorite is "It's a great Day, It's a Bad Day." It is about two girls who are arguing with each other about whether it's a great day or a bad day. The illustrations in it are awesome.

I simply cannot keep up with the amount of artwork produced in our house on a daily basis.

One random thing I'd like to add about Ayla is her capacity to memorize songs. She hears a song at school or church a few times and can sing the whole darn thing by heart. It always amazes me.

Ayla is ready for summer and talks regularly about "when we go to Lake Ripley" as if it something we are going to do next week. The other day when it was in the 30's outside she commented that it was warmer out and then added, "not quite warm enough for swimming." I like the way she thinks.

Well, it's late and I'm tired. It seems to be a rule in our house that if you lay your head down during the 10:00 hour, someone will start screaming the second you enter dream land. I guess I'm going to bed either too early or too late in that case. Ah well. G'nite.

I have to add that before I got a chance to post this, Ayla lost her first tooth! March 4th, the bottom right one.