A Trip to the ER

So a few weeks ago, we had to make a midnight run to the emergency room....for dogs. At about 9:30 pm, Adler was attempting to throw up but couldn't. She was clearly uncomfortable when she laid down and she was drooling excessively.

Like all good moms, I did some preliminary research on the internet and watched her closely for a few hours. My research told me that when a dog is nauseous it drools excessively. But I was also concerned about bloat. The Bernese Mountain Dog is particularly susceptible to bloat and it can be fatal in a matter of hours. I did not want to go to sleep to wake up to find Adler in dire straits so I put on my flip flops and drove my dog to the emergency vet.

Two hours and more than $300 later, they tell me she is fine. She did not have bloat but she did have excessive amounts of gas in her stomach (note all those tiny bubbles in her x-ray). That's fine, I'll pay more than $300 and be sleep deprived so I didn't have to go to work the next day worrying about my dog. She's worth it to me.

The Biter

So I thought that I would get one child at least that didn't have issues with biting. Peyton went through a minor biting stage a few months ago in her infant classroom at school. But one day she bit me twice at home within a matter of two minutes so I had to give her a shot of the good old lemon juice (the remedy that stopped Austen from biting) and that ended things for awhile.

But, Friday the biter was back. She bit seven kids in her new toddler classroom at school. Six in a matter of 15 minutes! So yes, I had seven reports in her backpack when I picked her up and a warning that the teacher was going to be calling me. Now to be fair, not all of them were her fault in my biased opinion. One kid stuck his finger in her mouth so what did he expect? Can anyone say personal space? The other took her work from her. Yes, biting is not the answer but you can bet that kid won't take her work again!

I know it's her way of communicating right now but I also know that she knows it's wrong. We read a book given to Austen on biting this weekend over and over. And we practiced kisses instead of biting. Maybe it will pay off. If not, there's always the lemon juice.

More From Austen...

This week Austen has been full of all sorts of funny things to say. Here's a smattering of them...

Austen: What's that? (referring to a noise he heard upstairs)

Me: Our new neighbor moving some furniture.

Austen: Peter? (the old neighbor)

Me: No, Peter moved to a new house.

Austen: Does he have a big backyard now?

Me: (trying not to laugh) Yeah, probably bigger than when he lived here.

Can you tell Austen wants a big backyard?

Me: Austen, move your foot. (as I am trying to close the closet door in his room)

Austen: (nothing)

Me: Austen, I said move your foot.

Austen: (nothing)

Me: (I close door on Austen's foot but gently)

Austen: Mommy! You just closed the door on my foot and hurt my toes!

Me: I asked you twice to move your foot and you didn't. Your toes are fine.

Austen: No, you tried to cut them off with the door!

Me: I'll go get the scissors and cut them off if you really think I was trying to cut them off!

Austen: And, I'll go get the policeman!

Me: (Laughing) Okay, you win!

Good that he knows it's not okay for mommies to cut off their kids' toes with scissors!

Me: Looking at pictures of my friend Lisa's wedding and pointing to a photo of me and Lisa) Austen, who is that?

Austen: Lisa.

Me: And...?

Austen: I don't know.

Me: You don't know?

Austen: No.

Me: You don't know your own mommy?!

Austen: (Looking at me funny). You?!

Guess I looked either really bad or really good that my own kid didn't recognize me in a photo! Maybe it was the sunglasses?!!

Having a Big Brother Means...

You will be teased relentlessly. I was having flashbacks of my childhood one evening as Peyton sat nicely using a makeshift bottle and spoon to feed her baby doll. Something i'm sure she's seen teachers at school do with the infants. Austen wanting to be involved or takeover everything Peyton does these days, grabbed her baby and started using his jump rope to torture the doll. Peyton didn't seem to mind that so much as when Austen decided to give the baby doll to Adler who ran down the hallway with it.

Adler, hearing Peyton's cries, released the doll from her mouth but it was Austen who decided he was going to go get it and play keep away from his sister with it.

"It's only just begun Peyton!" I yelled to her as I witnessed this entire show.