Bits and pieces

Just a few random thoughts from me – hope y’all are having a great week!

• Vivi had her 6 month doctor’s appointment today, which I was dreading. I swear, watching her get shots is some sort of cruel and unusual punishment. I especially hate that they pin her legs down (they bend her knees over the edge of the table, and the nurse presses her body up against Vivi’s legs to hold them still). I asked if I could just hold her while she gets her shots, but the nurse told me that it’s not their policy. No, it’s not worth leaving a pediatrician who I love, but I do wish I had the option to hold Vivian.
• When she got her last round of shots at her 4 month old appointment, Vivi ended up getting hives about an hour and a half later, and we took our first trip to the ER. The doc wasn’t positive that the reaction was from the shots, but there was a strong possibility that she had an allergic reaction. Because of this, we opted to only give her one shot today instead of the regularly scheduled three shots. Right before she got her shot, however, the nurse came in to tell us that their epi-pen had expired. Epi-pens can be lifesavers – literally – in the case of severe allergic reactions. In the end, we decided to forego all shots today. We rescheduled for mid-July when they will have a new epi-pen on hand.
• Have you ever found yourself doing something totally ludicrous that seemed reasonable at the time? Pre-sleep training, I can own up to army crawling out of Vivi’s room in the hopes of evading her notice. I also find myself apologizing to the cat when I unknowingly walk up on her using the litter box. It’s just common courtesy, right? Is anyone else crazy like this, or is it just me?
• Speaking of sleep training, it is still going well here, though I guess I could say we are past the “training” part. More often than not, Vivi now goes down into her crib without any fussing or crying. The key is getting her good and tired but making sure that she’s relaxed before I put her into the crib. If she cries, I usually give her about 10 minutes before I return to her room to soothe her. Sometimes if she’s really upset, I pick her up and rock her for a few minutes. I don’t rock her to sleep – just until she’s relaxed. All in all, I feel like we have the hang of it.
• This weekend is my 10 year high school reunion. Hard to believe it’s been 10 years… but at the same time, it feels like a lifetime ago. I look back and think just how young I was. At the time, of course, you think you’re all grown up, but I was such a baby then. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone, though there is a part of me that wonders how people remember me. I hope I wasn’t a “mean girl”. I don’t think I was, but aren’t we all a little blind to our own flaws?
• I read the other day that most indoor kitties don’t live more than 15 years, and Trudy is 13 now. It made me so sad – I try not to think about losing Trudy. I got her when she was just a wee little kitten, and I was a freshman in high school. Vivi got her first scratch from Trudy this week (I wasn’t even really sure that it happened… there were no tears!), but I just couldn’t be mad at Trudy. She’s just an old kitty, and she does try so hard to be sweet with Vivian.
• I spend a lot of time at the house now, and I find myself mentally redecorating. I have some ideas for just about every room. Our master bedroom is probably the worst. I guess we figure that since no one goes in there, why decorate? And yet, even knowing that the bedroom is the least decorated room of the house, I still think I want to start in our living areas. I really want a super skinny sofa table on the wall behind our couch; since our furniture isn’t anchored by the walls, there are no reading lamps in our living room. I need more light! Plus, isn’t lamplight so darn cozy? I’m also noodling the idea of a round white table in our breakfast room. I’d love to find something at a thrift store and rework it. Do y’all know of any great spots for inexpensive furniture?
• We’ve also been thinking about redoing the floors at the house. The carpet is original to the home, which is 9 years old now. The previous owners took pretty good care of the carpet, but it’s pretty worn in the living room and foyer, and you can tell that it has a low-grade pad underneath. It’s just so flat! I’d love something cushy and soft for Vivi’s little face. The only thing holding me back – besides biting the bullet on the cost – is that I’ve read that new carpets can give off chemical vapors. I’m wondering if it might be worthwhile to wait a year or two when Vivi’s little face isn’t always inches from the floor. Anyone have any experience or knowledge about this?

In other news, I’m starting the fifth book of the Song of Fire and Ice series, so there’s a good chance you won’t hear from me again for a few weeks. 🙂 Nothing like a good read, right?