POOP Resolution AND Still Waiting...

Tuesday morning we took Madelynn (our 3 year old) into the pediatric speciality clinic at the University of Iowa.  And we talked

POOP.

That's right. We finally had people who specialize in poop issues talk with us about the poop. 

We found out some great things to pass along to those parents who are struggling with poop issues and toddlers. 

Here are some of the things we found out:

1) If your toddler hides and yells at you while he is pooping, that is because he needs to focus on keeping it in and getting through the stomach cramping... leave him be...

2) Most toddlers who have held in the poop since birth, do have hard dry poop as toddlers when they finally go (their rectum enlarges, so they don't get the normal " I have to poop" trigger like most of us, and the colon is doing its work... drying it out). OH FYI the rectum will shrink back to normal size on the inside after time...

3) In order to help your child you have to give them something to soften poop (almost to runny liquid) and build it back to a more toothpaste type consistency.  The doctor told us to give Madelynn Miralax 2 times a day (starting with a larger dose the first three days, then reducing it every three days until her poop has the right consistency).

4) Solving a severe poop issue can take years and it definitely needs the assistance of a great pediatric gastro doctor.

5) Consistency with rewards and praise when your child goes!

6) Keep a schedule for your child so they try and sit on the potty three times a day just to try and poop... reward for sitting on potty for one minute, reward again for actually going... We have Madelynn sit on the potty first thing in the AM, after lunch, and before bed time.

7) Keep the child in school/ day care and have them stay on the routine all the time.

8) Enlist a great support network to help (Maddy has the most wonderful teachers at preschool that keep track of everything and are helping us while she is there).

9) Don't be afraid to have your child wear pull ups for a while while using something to soften the poop!

10) remember this too shall pass (lol, pun was SO intended)... Don't give up!

So far, Maddy is doing well with the schedule.  Phillip went and bought her a potty time log book.  If she sits on the potty she gets one sticker, if she goes poopy she gets a second sticker.  She keeps the log in her back pack and she brings it back and forth between school and home.  And we see the specialists again for the poop in three months.  I am so happy we took her in, because now we can see the light at the end of the crap tunnel.

However....

The doctors did find that Madelynn's anemia is not connected to the constipation.  So, they are running blood tests (6 to be very specific) to see what may be causing her anemia.  They are checking her for everything under the sun... The waiting is KILLIN' ME.  KILLIN' ME... I want answers NOW... but when I called yesterday (yes I am THAT mom) they told me they were waiting for a couple more tests to get back and I should call back on Friday.  That is tomorrow, people!  FOR CRY EYE! I WANT ANSWERS NOW!

Anyway, they are checking to see if she has celiac disease, kidney issues, her red blood count, production of red blood cells, plasma, and white cells and white cell production--- along with a few other things.
 

Thank you to everyone who has kept Madelynn in their thoughts and prayers!  We definitely appreciate it.

Bringin' Sexy Back

I am not 20 anymore.  I am not even 30. I am OLD.

As most moms I feel like my day just barely starts and then it is over. I feel like I don't get to unwind until 10 pm--- when every last child is in bed, and then I fall asleep while trying to watch something on TV.  I wake up at 11:30 to my husband gently nudging me to wake up, and as I wipe the drool off my chin, I slowly shuffle into the bedroom.  Last night I was so tired, I fell asleep with my glasses on and it was like mission impossible this morning to find them. I feel like a dirty mommy most of the time (not like the bow-chicka-wow-wow kind of dirty).

I am so tired.  Half of the time I feel like I look like a train wreck and it takes so much energy just to find a matching sweat shirt for my sweat pants. Then as I am making dinner my husband comes over and gently pats my tush with a coy smile as I am cooking (with flour everywhere and some goo in my hair from Maddy throwing it there as she is trying to help me cook) and I think.... "HOW could you find THIS sexy at all?"  He is always doing different things to show me he is attracted to me, but let's face it. I am not attracted to me. I look at myself in the mirror most days and I shake my head in dismay.

I need to channel my inner sex goddess and bring some sexy back.

So many times I think that as parents (moms and dads), we get so caught up in our every day routine (work, dinner, kids, family, etc) that we forget that we need to channel our inner sexy so WE feel it on the inside.

I mean, it feels so wonderful to know my husband thinks I am beautiful and sexy, but I don't "FEEL" it on the inside as I once did.  Now, my husband on the other hand is super sexy and he makes me giggle like a school girl when he tells me that I am sexy or hot. Really.  And if he thinks I am sexy, why can't I believe it and internalize it?

How many of you feel the same way? 

So, in order to get my sexy back, I have to figure out WHY I feel like I am NOT sexy.  AND THEN FIX IT.  LOL, easier said than done.

So here is my list of five things that make me feel "NON-sexy" (for lack of better term):

1) Weight.  OMGoodness, I have gained at least 20 lbs in the last year after my heart surgery.  I HATE carrying this extra weight
2) Frumpy clothes (like sweats, but they are oh, so comfortable!!!)
3) Pony tail every day or disheveled hair
4) Granny panties.  I did just type it.  I own granny panties and I love them--- but they don't scream sexy.
5) tired, Tired, TIRED!

So, how do I fix these main things so I can feel sexier? Well, I have an idea... Let me see if it works this time... I will admit this, I think there is a direct relationship between self-confidence and feeling sexy.  The sexier you feel, the more confident you are and people recognize the confidence.  Maybe I am way off, but I don't think so.  I mean, think of the last time you went on a date with your significant other.  You got dressed up, you wore the Victoria Secret panties you got for free with you card you got in the mail (you know, the ones you have been saving for a special occasion such as this), and you put on make-up, perfume, and you wore heals.  Your butt looked good in the mirror.  YOU FELT GREAT. You laughed a lot, flirted with your significant other a bit more, and I bet you even showed him a bit more PDA than normal.  All because you channeled your inner sex kitten and you were getting your cougar on, GRRR.

How I am going to challenge myself to feel sexier on a daily basis.  This is going to be hard, but I am going to try it for a week.  If you are in the same NON-SEXY boat with me, take on a challenge for yourself and then in ONE week we should all report back and see how our week went.

Here it goes.  FIVE things I am committing to doing to get my sexy back:

1) Work out every other day.  I have a membership to Sister's Health Club and I need to use it... Zumba I think!
2) Wear a nice outfit every day (even if just for myself) --- even if I have to, I am going to pick out my outfit the night before when we pick out outfits for the kids.
3) Fix my hair every day, use PRODUCT! :)
4) Pull out my secret reserve of Victoria Secret panties and wear them JUST BECAUSE I own them.  Don't save them for a date night. (LOL, that sounds so funny when I type it, but seriously.  I need to do this)... BURN THE GRANNY PANTIES!
5) Make sure I get enough sleep, make sure I am taking my vitamins every day (don't skip any) and drink more water... drink less coffee!

I think I can do this!  Its like the little engine who could... I THINK I CAN, I THINK I CAN!!!!

 

But first, I should probably get out of my pajamas....

LOL

I Would Take Her Place

In a heartbeat.  I would take her place.

Since birth, Madelynn has struggled with a huge issue. POOP.  Many of you who have read my blog since February know the battle we have had with her and the poop.  Since birth, Madelynn has always struggled with going "#2" more so than anyone I know. 

Her constipation and poop issues go back to birth.  I have talked to our doctor about it on several occasions.  Madelynn is only three but she poops like a grown man (if I can visualize a man poop in my head, it would look like hers---that is just gross. I re-read this writing and it really makes me gag). 

Although she is now going "#2" on the potty like a big girl, and at least every two or three days (sometimes every day) it is still painful. Either Phillip or I have to help her by pushing her back or tummy to get it out.  She shouldn't be hurting like this, I know. I have tried to explain this to the doctor EVERY TIME we take her in... and...

Finally... finally a doctor witnesses the poop meltdown.  In August, Maddy and I were at the doctor's office getting her physical for pre-school and she had to #2.  She started hitting, kicking, and pinching me.  We walked to the bathroom and she screamed and had a breakdown... right in front of the doctor.  The doctor asked if this happened all the time, and I said not always but when it hurts really bad this is what we deal with.  The doctor finally said, this is not normal but to monitor it to see if it gets any better.

Great.  She is three.  You would think that the pain would go away by now? This kid poops big.  You guys, her poop is so hard and big it clogs the toilet ALL THE TIME.  So, I am glad I get to "monitor" it more.

After going to the doctor, the next morning we headed over to the hospital so Madelynn could have her blood drawn for pre-school.  That afternoon I received a call from our family doctor... I will never forget it...

 

"Melissa, Madelynn's blood work came back and it looks like she is anemic." 

I said, "How is that possible? She eats well and she gets enough protein." 

The doctor said, "We should monitor it and see if her blood work comes back more normal after she has a bowel movement."

Great.  What could be wrong with my baby?

She had a bowel movement, and again the blood work shows she is anemic and most likely due to other issues besides iron deficiency. The doctor then lists off all of the things that could be wrong... words like Hodgkin's and lymphoma, and Crohn's disease, and a multitude of other things being spit out at me from the other end of the phone... and I sit there in disbelief.

The doctor scheduled us to go in and see a specialist next Tuesday in Iowa City at the University of Iowa Pediatric Specialty Clinic. 

I would lay my own life down to take the pain away from my daughter.  I would rather carry her pain thousands of miles versus Maddy to even have the pain for one more moment of her life. 

Life is so precious.  And even when our kids are arguing with us, being so disobedient, or even hurtful, they are our children and at any moment... we would take their place.  In a heart beat.  That is what a parent would do... unconditional love...

I think part of me is still in disbelief because she is silly, she dances, she laughs... but she does get tired quickly... and her eyes look darker... but she laughs and she talks up a storm (um, last night she used 12 words in a sentence... yes, she did... my little smarty pants).

So, next Tuesday... I wait... one week... Phillip and I will both take off work to take her... her biological father cannot make it for the appointment because he has to work (don't even get me started).   But for now we wait. 

I have faith.  Faith in the swiftness of the doctors at the university for finding out what is going on... faith in God above for watching over my sweet baby, Maddy... and faith that I can be calm and strong even through the scariest of storms.

Please keep Maddy in your prayers as we go on this medical poop journey. 

One lesson learned: Always trust your parent gut.  We took Maddy into the doctor a LOT on poop finding missions... finally, FINALLY someone realized that the issue was more serious than just constipation from a child who doesn't like to poop.

Carrying the Weight of the World

So, last night when I got to Bible study I was so distracted.  I had to rush through making dinner, I worked late (and worked while I made dinner), dealt with Maddy throwing her apple slices all over the floor, rushed to church to find out that the teens were at a different church last night, but someone would take Alex with them over to the other church....dropped off Maddy to her class, Kennith to his and I finally was able to sit down right before the study started to catch my breath.

I talked a minute with my friend and then the woman who opened up the study said,

"Where ever you are, you should EXPECT that God has something for you."

And I knew I was supposed to be there. Why? I don't go to Bible study traditionally on Wednesday nights.  I usually stay home.  But last night, I went because my friend was going and I wouldn't be alone... And I learned a very valuable lesson...

What made me ever think that I had to carry the weight of my world on my own shoulders? As a full time working mom, I have a few different full time jobs and it can get exhausting.  I work from home, so instead of taking a coffee break, I take a coffee break and throw in a load of laundry or start getting dinner ready and then I go back to work.  I worry about my kids, my husband, my mom, my friends, myself... finances- you name it, I worry about it.  I try to figure out a solution to everything and I internally stress.

But who said I was suppose to carry the weight of MY world on my OWN shoulders?

It wasn't Phillip or the kids, or my mom, or my boss, or even God for that matter... It was me.

I feel like I have to do everything and be everything to everyone.  I don't like to let people down, I don't want my kids to go without. I am the one who wants to make sure they have a hot meal on the table for dinner and we all eat at the table together every night.  I am the one who worries. I am the one who stresses and tries to find solutions to everything. I am the one who stresses me out.

Wait.

I am the one who stresses me out.

Yes, I said it.  I put the stress on myself. 

Revelation and my religion collide at this very moment.  I have an amazing God who will carry me through the rough times, I have a fantastic husband who is willing to help and is there for me... No where in the Bible does it say I had to carry myself through the rough times.  God is there to pick me up... matter of fact, when bad things happen we have to stand on the word of God.  He says what He means and He means what He says, can I get an AMEN?  And if HE says He will carry me through it, I best believe that He will.

I have to give up my burden and stress and get help carrying it.  People have let me down so bad in the past it is hard to give it up and have someone help me and carry the weight... but if I have faith, hope and trust I should be able to open my heart up and have help carrying the weight.

The weights of our world that are burdensome are NOT those of physical matter, they are emotional and mental.  Sharing our fears, dreams, and things that are weighing us down (emotionally and mentally) may help us expand our own understanding of the situation.

I am personally going through something that makes me worry constantly, but instead of worrying I am going to cast my faith out there and talk with my husband... stand on the word of God to see me through it. 

So, I am thinking of little things I can do to "de-stress"----
* Pray daily
* Open up to my husband and talk with him
* Hug others more often.  From last night, "You have to be rooted and grounded in love" nothing better than lots of hugs to make you feel loved (and show love to others)and know it!
* Quit seeking acceptance from others and accept myself for who I am
* Don't stop believing in myself (God never stops believing in us and He never gives up on us--- so why should I stop believing in myself?)
* Get rid of the negativity in my life
* Keep a schedule to stay on track
* Stand on faith
* Love without expectation of receiving it back
* Assign chores to the kids to help Phillip and I out around the house more

We can all make our own lists of de-stress-i-fi-cation tools.  (do you like that made up word? LOL)


You don't have to carry the weight of your world on your own either... How will you let go?

Grapic from:
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnoqR1Jh4J26xBfJGqWjdus3Ik_y-Zn_9XjnAueK9xLbwRwip3G5CM2rvQgv7-DUcFMUoKV37ZzGBKg2v5zT8S-ZagrBltw9SynPDxE8QFwk-Qr7ycfnePsABfA_MNrVy8Wy4N-DwSIeay/s400/world-on-shoulders.jpg

Confessions of an Addict

I admit it.  I am an addict.  I cannot stop.  It is so hard to admit an addiction to something, regardless of what it is, but my addiction? My addiction is serious... I wake up at four in the morning and I feel the need to surf and pin.

I am addicted to PINTEREST.

And I don't think it is in a healthy way.  See, this visual crack has turned me into a cooking-baking-musical singing monster... I see things that look good and I start singing,

"ANYTHING YOU CAN DO I CAN DO BETTER, I CAN DO ANYTHING BETTER---I CAN DO ANYTHING BETTER THAN YOU...."

As if I have started this pseudo-gang West Side Story-esque fight with a random stranger online who just shared with me (and the rest of the world) their prized recipe--- (now mind you this is ALL in my head).

It has even gotten to the point that I am pinning nail polish pictures and taking my iPhone with me into the nail salon to show the nail tech the picture so they can reproduce it on my nails. 

See, true story....

Pinterest (from the following site: http://pshiiit.com/tag/sparkling/page/6/)














My nails:


So, how do I curb this addiction? I don't think I can quit cold turkey... Maybe I shouldn't quit either because I am getting amazing ideas that really have been fun and creative and my family has loved the benefits of my addiction... but does it make it right?

Maybe I should just limit my use of the pinterest... but it just takes that one.. that one pin that gets me started.  The one piece of visual crack that leads me to hours spent on the computer looking at random stuff... visual crack.  Dreams of what I want to do to my kitchen, my yard, books I want to read, recipes that I want to try, and nail polish....

I think what I will do is this:  limit my visual crack usage to 30 minutes a day.  In the evening after the kids go to bed.  Yes, that is what I will try...

I am not sure if anyone else out there runs into the same thing.  Do any of you get stuck on websites like pinterest? I think pinning is so much fun, and I love to see what my friends pin.  It is so cool to see who has similar taste in shoes, clothes, kitchen remodels, and food.

So, that is my random thought for a Wednesday.... and YES, I did wake up at four this morning and couldn't get back to sleep so I did surf pinterest.  I admit it.

Recipe Time: Crescent Roll Pizza Casserole

Can I get a comforting HELLO?  This was an amazing casserole and another new meal at the "Wenndt" house that is a keeper!  It was a pizza but not..It was a casserole but a pizza.  It is a casse-pizza or a pizzarole! LOL

Crescent Roll Pizza Casserole

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
1/2 copped onion (and any other veggie you like on pizza--- you could add sliced mushrooms, black olives, peppers, etc here too)
1 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
Sea salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon of worcestershire sauce
1/2 bag of pepperoni slices
1 cup shredded Colby/jack cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 jar of pizza sauce (I used Classico traditional pizza sauce)
1 tablespoon of butter, melted


Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Directions:

1) Brown hamburger along with onion (and other veggies) with minced garlic, salt, pepper and worcestershire sauce. Once browned drain fat off of mixture.
2) Place hamburger mixture in a 9 x 13 pan (we used two smaller pans for two different mixtures) and add pizza sauce and stir until well blended. Top with pepperoni.
3) Add both cheeses evenly over the top of the pepperoni layer.
4) Top with crescent rolls (it is OK to leave some of the seams open to have the sauce bubble up).
5) Bake for 15 minutes until almost golden brown.
6) Brush crescent top with melted butter, and place back in the oven.  Bake an additional 5 minutes until golden brown.

This was delicious!  We served it with a side salad, grapes, and cottage cheese!  AND NO LEFT OVERS!  WHOO HOOOO!!! A definite keeper!

Recipe Time: Philly French Dip

So, on Saturday afternoon I had a hankerin' --- that's right... a hankerin' for a French dip.... Then I realized I really wanted a Philly cheesesteak sandwich with sauteed onions and mushrooms under a bunch of mozzarella cheese. But I really wanted a French dip so I could dunk my sammy in the au jus.  Then I realized it was four in the afternoon so making a really good French dip takes hours....

I decided to play around in my kitchen and I created the prefecto sammich for me...

The Philly French Dip

Now, I have eaters in my house who don't like mushrooms and/or onions so everyone could basically create their own variation of the sammich.

Ingredients:

2 cans (10.5 oz) of beef consomme
1 1/2 cup of water
1 lb of sliced roast beef (I used thinly sliced beef from the deli)
1 medium sweet onion sliced
1 cup of mushrooms (or more depending on how many mushrooms you like)
2 tablespoons of butter
Sea-salt, garlic powder and pepper to taste
8 slices of mozzarella cheese
4 hoagie buns sliced in half

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Directions:

1) Melt two tablespoons of butter in a medium sized frying pan add sea-salt, garlic powder, and pepper to taste... add mushrooms and onions. Saute over medium heat for 15-20 minutes until tender.
2) Place sliced hoagies on baking sheet- opened up and ready to fill!
3) Combine beef consomme and water in a medium sauce pan on medium heat. Add roast beef and cook in the liquid for 5 minutes. 
4) Place meat on hoagies and add sauteed mushrooms, onions and two slices of mozzarella cheese on each hoagie.
5) Bake in oven for 5 to 10 minutes (until cheese melts) and serve with a side of your own au jus (broth) to dip in.

Philly French dip served with fries on the side!