Breathe easy

Posted on | Friday, May 13, 2011 | No Comments

I had meant to post this yesterday but Blogger was acting up. Silly, silly Blogger.

"You don't have to brush your teeth - just the ones you want to keep."

Posted on | Tuesday, May 3, 2011 | No Comments

Let me start of this blog post by saying that Kael in no way likes to have his head touched. This includes his face, ears, mouth, and neck. The boy just doesn't dig it. Usually we can bypass this -- brush his teeth while watching a movie, make it a game to wash his hair, heavily sedate him for his haircuts. Okay, maybe not that last one.

Spring Carnival

Posted on | Saturday, April 23, 2011 | 1 Comment

Every spring just before Easter Norman does what is called Kick Butts Day, which is a city event that campaigns against smoking while offering a positive environment for children to play in. This year they had an egg hunt, bounce houses, snow cones, pizza, and popcorn free to the public. They also had a live DJ playing some pretty nifty tunes while explaining the hazards of smoking.

Shark vs. Train

Posted on | Friday, April 15, 2011 | No Comments

I'm still sicker than a dog (a two hour visit to urgent care earlier today verified that I still have a sinus and ear infection and I now have an exceedingly awful bronchial infection to boot!). I'm on new medications and with any luck that will help me heal up a bit faster. There's nothing worse than being so sick you can't even leave the house. Kael is feeling a little under the weather, too. But thankfully it's nothing near as bad as what my body is fighting off.

Intense Wind + Men in Kilts + Women in Corsets = An interesting Afternoon

Posted on | Monday, April 4, 2011 | No Comments

Yesterday Kael and I went to the Medieval Fair along with our neighbor Danielle and her daughter Elizabeth. The Fair is an annual event marked by jesters, corsets, and an excess of expensive leather clothing. I absolutely love it. So does Kael.

This is our third year attending and I still get excited about it. Even though my budget can't possibly afford the $400 leather boots or boned corsets it's still so much fun to just look at everything -- people included.

The only downside is that it seems regardless of the year some inclement weather will strike during the fair. Last year it was a horrible Artic cold front that hit midday and brought the temperature from a balmy 75* to a freezing 38* in less than three hours. This year it was wind. 45 mph wind that blew dust and sand in our faces until we were nearly blinded.

This is Oklahoma though, weather doesn't faze us. Especially not wind.

See? Wind. And totally not fazed.

Who do? Zhu zhu!

Posted on | Friday, April 1, 2011 | No Comments

Zhu Zhu Pets, that is.

I think the last video is my most favorite. There's something about my kiddo saying, "It's a DUCKIE!!" and chasing after a robotic hamster with a squeaky plastic duck that makes a huge grin spread across my face.

An adventure is simply a well planned trip gone awry.

Posted on | Saturday, February 19, 2011 | 3 Comments

Today was absolutely perfect outside. The kind of weather that only happens once in a very rare while; not too hot, not too cold, a slight breeze in the air. The kind of weather that makes you ache to be outside enjoying it. I spent the first half of the day trying to tell myself to stay inside -- my house was a wreck and I had a mountain of homework. By noon the attempt became futile; dishes and homework would still be there in the evening, this weather wouldn't.

Big things

Posted on | Tuesday, February 15, 2011 | 2 Comments

Kael received his second quarterly review from the developmental delay program last week. When he was placed in the program I met with the speech, occupational, and physical therapists as well as the director of the program to create a list of goals we wanted him to achieve this academic year. The list included Speech, Cognitive Skills, Fine Motor Skills, Gross Motor Skills, Social Interaction, and Basic Learning Skills. With his PDD-NOS we aren't sure if any of his delays or sensory issues are permanent yet, or if with the right therapy he will be able to go into normal school and adapt to a less controlled environment in the future.

More

Posted on | Friday, February 4, 2011 | No Comments

I think I may have jinxed myself yesterday when I said I was going to visit Rene this afternoon. My thought had been that since a lot of the snow would be cleared by today it would be safe to travel further than the closest Mega-Mart. I woke this morning and as I peeked out my window I was greeted by newly fallen snow. More is coming down as I type this. Looking at the Weather Channel it looks like two more storms will be coming through this area before the end of next week.

Oh, goody.

Kael:1, Snowdrift:0

Posted on | Tuesday, February 1, 2011 | No Comments

The winds have died down enough to allow going a certain kiddo to play outside for short bursts of time. Not to mention said kiddo has been attempting to sneak out the front door since a little after one o'clock. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em right?

This is the best picture ever. It's the gloves that do it.

Snoooow day!

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For the past few days Mr. Weatherman has been warning the Oklahoma populace that the "Snowpocalypse" was upon us. Since we have been told no less than five times this season that some treacherous winter storm was about to bombard us I wasn't holding my breath. That is, until the college I work for shut down last night and said campus would be closed today. I took a peek at my pantry and feeling that I could last several days locked indoors I shuffled off to bed to the sound of sleet racketing my windows.

I awoke to a little smiling face next to me. Best way to start to morning. Most mornings we don't get to spend thirty minutes snuggled under a large comforter tickling each other and having several rounds of the always fun Who-Can-Give-The-Best-Snuggle game, it was wonderful.

Yowza

Posted on | Monday, January 24, 2011 | No Comments

I've been a mom for a little over four years and in that time Kael has surprised and amazed me, however I think this might have taken the cake. Last night he randomly waltzed up to me and began reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, followed quickly by the State Pledge of Oklahoma. And although bits were mumbled he knew both entirely from memory and could repeat them at a moments notice. Color me astounded (and not a little bit proud)! I can't lie; it was freakin' ADORABLE. Thankfully Alex snapped me out of my excitable flailing long enough to grab my camera and press record.



The pledges are as follows for anyone who might be curious (or cannot fully understand what Kael is saying):

5-7-5

Posted on | Sunday, January 23, 2011 | 1 Comment

Busy busy

Posted on | Saturday, January 15, 2011 | No Comments

As the title implies this week has been busy. Very good, but busy.

Oklahoma missed out on a majority of the snowpocalypse that landscaped much of the Midwest and South last week. Or, at least it missed central Oklahoma. We got a light dusting that lasted for about a day and then was gone. I don't think I have ever seen such a mild winter in this state. Not complaining, mind you, but it is different than what we are accustomed to. Every year I have been here has had some kind of a weather disaster during the winter. Ice storms that knock out power for weeks on end, blizzards that leave hundreds of cars (and their drivers) stranded on the interstate Christmas Day, hail that demolishes cars and damages buildings... It's always left me with a looming apprehension of winter.

Eight hundred and ninety-seven

Posted on | Thursday, December 30, 2010 | No Comments

I originally had intended to blog a few times while on vacation so that I wouldn't have the dilemna of sorting through nearly a thousand pictures, but since my laptop irregularly decides to shut itself off (and Alex pointedly forgot to bring his) blogging about our adventures in Las Vegas had to wait.

I am sure you are all dying to know after me week long absence.

Getting back to normal

Posted on | Tuesday, December 14, 2010 | No Comments

The past four days have been terrifying here at Team Herbitter.

Saturday morning the cough that Kael has been fighting off took a turn for the bad. He was having a difficult time breathing and his overall complexion was looking bad. By that afternoon I knew something was very, very wrong. His breathing was shallow and labored and he was becoming hypoxic. In laymen's terms; he couldn't breathe and was increasingly getting worse.

I took him to urgent care and discovered his oxygen saturation level was 87% and dropping with a heart rate of 165. They sent us to the nearest ER and within an hour he had received his first steroid treatment, a breathing treatment and was being prepped for a chest x-ray. The good news was Kael's test results came back negative for RSV, H1N1, and the other common culprits -- but that still didn't explain why he couldn't breathe. The decision was made to keep him overnight for observation. They put an IV in his arm (which he took far better than Mommy did) and prepared him for transport.

Icing and Eggnog

Posted on | Sunday, November 28, 2010 | 4 Comments

Alex left this morning, which is always difficult for us. Although we value the time we spend together it always goes by far too quickly. On the bright side it will be only three weeks before our next visit (in Las Vegas no less!), and by that time Alex will be a college graduate. Yay!

I meant to blog about our icing (and eating) cookies, and making old-fashioned eggnog yesterday. But somehow the day ended before I had downloaded a single picture. Whoopsie.

This was my first try at making icing. Most recipes called for corn syrup in addition to the powdered sugar, milk and food coloring. As I didn't have corn syrup on hand we forged ahead with the more traditional recipe (or perhaps just the lazier recipe?). It turned out alright, although getting the perfect consistency was a challenge. If I make icing again I will try adding the corn syrup and see if it makes any difference.

Sugar, sugar

Posted on | Friday, November 26, 2010 | 1 Comment

As it is rather late, this might come out a tad bit disjointed, but somewhere in the recesses of my brain it seems logical to post about baking sugar cookies today so I have room to blog about icing them tomorrow.

Shush, my logic is not your logic.

Gobble gobble!

Posted on | Thursday, November 25, 2010 | 2 Comments

We went. We talked. We ate food.

It was glorious.

Boom de yada, boom de yada...

Posted on | Saturday, November 20, 2010 | 1 Comment

There is an excessive quantity of glee in the Team Herbitter household this week.

Why, might you ask?











































































































































































Squee face.