Ella Bella Salon

Ella and her BFF girl friend, Bella, are always together. Mainly because we live 10 feet away from each other. Bella and Ella are three months apart, and Joe and Jake are three months apart. Since Ella and Bella are such good friends, ( and I am sure Joe and Jake will be too)that in turns, leaves the parents to be as well. Melissa and I have either 2 three year olds or none. Depends on which house they are hoping from and to. Every night they ask for a sleep over. Three times we have tried and three times a mom gets a phone call around midnight.

Last night we were over at Bella's house hanging out and celebrating her Aunt Ju-Ju's birthday. Mel and I are rockin on the Guitar Hero and the boys, I actually do not remember what they were doing at this point. Probably dealing with our infant boys.

Ella comes down stairs and Mel asked me "Did Ella cut her hair?"

"No, they just did a really bad job last time we went."

"Heather, I think she cut her hair."

Guitar Hero immediately stops. I see what Melissa is talking about and ask Ella what happened. To which she replied "Bella cut my hair."

About that time, all parental units realize Bella is still upstairs and the last thing she said before she headed up stairs was "I want my hair like Ella's". Which she has apparently been saying for weeks. Bella has gorgeous long blond hair. Parents start running up the stairs and as I was following Melissa and Brian, I see Bella stick her head around the corner and all I can see is scraggly pieces everywhere.

I immediately turn around to talk to Ella, Brian has smoke coming out of his ears and Mel, I am sure is in shock. We have a talking with the girls and we leave. The next thing I know Melissa is texting me to meet me in the front yard. It is about 10pm by now. I am thinking "great, they are breaking up with us and our friendship is over." Melissa comes out the front door laughing. Geoff is rolling, went to bed laughing hysterically. Everything was fine but the girls were scared out of their minds. As well they should be!

So today, Mel and I took the girls to get their hair cuts. Bella lost about 6 inches and Ella's was already short. Now it is like pixie short. Here are the pics:
http://picasaweb.google.com/heather.danerescue/EllaBellaSalon#

little Jake

Just had emergency surgery. We are home but I went to the ENT expecting to have an eval and schedule for tubes at the end of the week. His RSV/Bronchiolitis is too bad and his lungs will not tolerate being put under. So when I got there, my only options was surgery. The next thing I know Jake has drops in his ears, is getting papoosed and the surgeon puts a microscpope in his ears, takes a teeny scaple and makes an insicion on his ear drum. Then he takes a vaccum and sucks all the goop out. I am tired. I am overwhelmed. I am terrified right now. THis is just to buy us some time till his lungs heal. I am now getting EK dressed so I can take her BACK to the dr because she woke up at midnight complaining of her left ear. Seriously. I am so glad my mom is here. Finacially, I do not know how we are going to keep going. I still owe our attorney several grand and now because we are having to wait, we will not meet our insurance deductable in Jan and will have to start all over. I dont mean to complain. I really dont. I am just drowning, I am beyond sleep deprived and worried about my babies.

So please, pray for us. For Jake and Ella and that we can get over this stuff. And quickly

hh

Virus Virus go away, the Hardin's do not want you to stay

It has been a long, LONG two weeks. Both kids have been sick. Jake had bronchiolitis which they thought had turned into RSV but after he went into respiratory distress last Wednesday, his RSV test was negative at the hospital. Mom flew in on Thursday and I really thought I had a handle on things. Boy, was I wrong. Jake was bad. REALLY bad. Scary bad and with his age, there is nothing we could do. Unless he went into respiratory distress again, everything Children's would do, we could do at home. I chose home.

Ella broke with this on Friday night. We are 5 days into it with her. Jake is better, still wheezing a teeny bit and we see the ENT tomorrow am to get him emergency tubes in his ears hopefully this week, if not next. Ella started running a fever. A HIGH fever and it has not improved any. Sunday night, we had to call the on call DR for the 2nd time during the weekend because her fever was being treated but had risen over 104. Jake has been on 5 different antibisotics including a roceflin shot. His GI tract was warped and he was having some poop issues. Like, it was coming out everywhere. Did not want him to get dehydrated. Vicious cycle of all of this.

Monday am, mom and I are taking both kids to the dr. I am crossing over the Custer/121 by pass and blew out a rear tire. So now I am stuck. Two sick kids, one running 104 fever, the other one coughing his head off and I am stuck. Want to just break down and cry now because I have not slept in several days. Literally, the night before I did not go to bed because we were dipping EK in baths, etc trying to get her temp to break. OK, water works wanting to come but needing to keep it together for the kiddos. THANK THE LORD Alison was literally right behind us and we did not even know it. I started to change the tire but was not prepared to do so in 30 degree weather and the wind YIKES, the wind. We pile car seats and kids into Al's car. Start driving off and Ella starts puking. GREAT!!! I have nothing with me. Her fever is so high she went thru spurts of being delirious. Funny, yet scary at the same time. She was saying some crazy stuff

I get to house and realize that my garage door opener is BACK IN MY CAR. I was so unbelievably hungry by this point there was no way I was going to make it back to my car. I remembered Alison had spare key so I went rummaging through her house and found them. By the time Geoff came home, it was 27 degrees outside, sleeting and we were changing a tire.

Ella is still running a high temp, I hope Jake is well enough to get these tubes before the holidays and momma needs a vacation. Ohh, did I mention that I had to replace all FOUR tires right before Christmas. Ella and Kait might be the only ones getting presents this year because all of my money just went to TIRES. GO AWAY you stupid virus

"Why I am wild" according to Ella

Wednesday night Geoff came home a little later than usual and was just ready to chill. I needed to go to the store and thought this would be a fun girls trip. At least I did not have to take both kids with me. Geoff and Jake could find some game on TV and could just veg. I had made a list and it was rather small. An HOUR AND A HALF later, we are leaving the store.

I was putting Ella in her car seat and I told her how much I love her and how l LOVE to do things with her but she was a bit wild tonight at the store and I did not know if I would take her next time. My quick and fun trip out with Ella left me exhausted and frustrated to say the least. Ella apologized as she is yelling weird nosies to get the guy ACROSS the parking lots attention then hiding back in her car seat so he would not see her, making it look like I was the one bringing attention to my self

I start driving off and Ella says, "Mom, God made me a child. And God made me a little wild." In which I replied, " yes honey, He did, but he also gave you the choice to listen and obey mommy." So apparently, God is the root issue here. She can not help it, because God made her that way.


Ohhh but before all of this happened, I was telling Geoff about going to play group earlier that day. The van was in the driveway and as I was opening the garage door to let the kids get in, I saw Ella running towards the car. I though, surely she sees the garage door STILL going up. THUD. Nope. She did not. That child smacked her FACE directly into the rising garage door. Not once did she do this, but TWICE. Because when I was telling Geoff this story, we were getting ready to go to the store and she did it AGAIN!!! Lordy, this child, Bless this child.

Calling all Pumpkin Doctors!!!!!!

Last night as I was rushing to get the new office finished, Ella had a rare moment and was actually playing by herself. As I am putting the final touches to the office to surprise Geoff when he comes home, Ella starts calling for me. I ignored it for a while answering her from another room hoping that would pacify whatever "issue" she had at the moment.

I hate to always dialogue our conversations, but it just goes better when I do.


"mom, something happened."

"ok Ella"

"mommy, I think there is something wrong"

Knowing Jake was with me I was not that worried about whatever it was that was "wrong" at the time

"Ok Ella, give me a min and I will be in there"

"Momeeeeeee, my pumpkin is squishy!!!!"

(what???!!!!)

Enter Ella

"Mommy come quick, my pumpkin is squishy"

I get into her play room and you can see Ella's tiny little handprint on the side of her HUGE pumpkin. I tell Ella to go straight to the bathroom and wash her hands while I took her pumpkin outside. Of course, the typical three year old that she is, did not, and followed me straight out side terrified about what I was about to do to her beloved pumpkin.

I gently set the pumpkin down and right as I do, the side of it falls out revealing some un mentionable grossness that we will skip over.

Ella looks down as it is oozing and ask what is wrong with it. I just said it was sick and we needed to go wash our hands. That is when Ella started calling. Calling for the doctor. At the top of her lungs, 9:30 at night, calling for the dr to come and give her pumpkin some medicine. Because you know that is what happens when you are sick. A Dr gives you medicine and you get better. So why wouldn't a Dr. fix this molding, leprosy looking stinky pumpkin.

Explain THAT one to her....

Judge Terminator

I got a call from our attorney today and Brandon is in default. This is great for Denise's case and obviously, PERFECT for us!!! The judge signed the termination papers this morning. I was so sick last night. I was up ALL night with tummy issues. I know it was over this. I have never been more scared or felt out of control on an issue. So helpless. But now, as I watch both the kids as we are all laying in bed together watching Little Bear before bed, I feel such a peace. Geoff is gone and I miss him terribly. But I have everything I need right here (minus Geoff) All in my little bedroom in my little bed, I have all of my little children. life is good....

Thanks for those who have been praying over this. I could barely talk about it with out crying till recently. So thank you.

hh

Two more hours

Now that this is coming to a head, I can actually talk about it with out crying and going hysterical. Jake's bio father would not sign over his rights. Not only has this cost our family financially but emotionally. I got a call from my attorney when Jake was about two weeks old and said the courts were not going to accept our attempts to terminate his rights. So we had to serve him papers. Well, first we had to FIND him to serve him with papers. Then I asked what happens if he wants rights to Jake because I had just assumed that he could get visitation or something. Ohh no. I was completely wrong. If he wanted rights, Geoff and I lost Jake, permenatly.

After hearing this news, I was hysterical. Well in an hour and 40 min, the courts will terminate his rights FOREVER and we can move with this!!! Geoff left yesterday for DC and I was sick ALL night long. Now that I think about it, I bet it was over this. I got less than two hours sleep last night and now Ella is laying in Jake's crib, kissing all over his tummy. I love watching my kids together. I just love my kids. So please pray that nothing happens over the next hour and 37 minutes!!!! :)

hh