back tracking

Two weeks already since my last post? For real? It seems like Father's Day was a long time ago. Mother's Day was even longer ago, but we did get some cute pictures that you must see.

Here's my history of Mother's Days ...

2004 (Langley) - The day before Mother's Day, 7 months prego with Max.

2005 (Langley) - Max @ 10 months
2006 (Prince Rupert) - Max @ 22 months, Marty's due date - he arrived one week later.
2007 (Prince Rupert) - Max @ 2 years & 10 months, Marty @ 12 months
2008 (Abbotsford) - Max @ 3 years & 10 months, Marty @ 23 months, 9 weeks prego with Baby #3.



Other than posting pictures 6 weeks late, another "back track" I've taken is making my blog open once again. I've heard from many people who don't read it because they don't want to go through the hassle of signing in to go*gle and creating yet another online account. Fair enough. We'll see how it goes. Good news for all your with a feed reader, put me back on your list for up to the minute updates! For those of you who don't use a feed reader ... WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!

So, how about that hayfever? Anyone else about to explode like I am? This is craziness. I first started getting springtime allergies when I was 20. It was the strangest thing. Every June 1, I could count on the snifflies, sneezies, liquid running out my nose with no notice, scratchy throat, and itchy itchy itchy eyeball (usually just one). The insanity could go on for the whole month. The first summer I went to Ukraine, I had just finished the suffering here at home. Imagine my surprise when I arrived in Ukraine to see the cottonwood just starting to bloom and attack me. I sent an email to some folks still on their way there who brought me some antihistamines. For the 3 Junes that we lived in PR, I don't remember suffering nearly so much. Maybe mildly, but that fresh ocean air was such a relief. Still miss it. This June 1 came and went with no onset of misery. Of course not, because it was June-uary. About two weeks ago, it all came back to me. I thought I wouldn't be able to take anything to relieve the symptoms, but I got the okay from my midwife. Phew. Except, it didn't seem to take it away. I still feel really stuffy, often sneezy, and yes - liquid running out my nose with no notice! Early this week I splurged on some fancy pants facial tissue. With lotion! And Vick's! Don't use that to wipe your eyes, let me tell you. But it sure is soft on my tender little nose and helps to clear the passages. My friend suggested I try using those "Breathe Right" strips. What a great idea! I went out to Safeway before bedtime, but the pharmacy was already closed. And those "Breathe Right" strips? Locked. Behind the little shelf locker thing. Are you serious, Mr. Pharmaceutical law-maker man? Lucky me, sneaky me, noticed that there was one box right near the end of the shelf. Desperate, I jimmied the box out through the gaps around the cage. That's not stealing, nothing like it at all. I paid a hefty price for the GENERIC brand, because that's all I could reach. I couldn't wait to try it out. My smart friend also reminded me to slather my face with Vaseline to heal up over night. I did that, until I remembered that the "generic brand open your nose strips" likely won't stick to Vaseline. I wiped off what I could and applied a strip. Hhmmm, not so much. Didn't stay there. I decided to try another one, and then another right on top of that one. Crazy lady. Feeling somewhat satisfied, I crawled into bed, listening to the hum of the humidifier. It was distracting, trying to sleep with all the action on my face. Suddenly I felt like it was all opening up and I COULD BREATHE! Not so much. The strips were slowly starting to come off. Popped one whole side off. So much for that. I went back to the bathroom, lathered up the Vaseline, and sniffed up some nasal decongestant. Now that! That is how to sleep at night with a stuffed up nose. I'm overall feeling better, but still pretty tired and I am ready to say goodbye to my fancy pants facial tissue. Next year, I think I'm going to look into prescription antihistamines. I've tried both major brands and would like to see better results, especially considering how pricey they are! For a few days I suspected that Max might have hayfever too, although now I'm not sure if it was that or just a cold. We'll see what happens next year. Oh, and ... as I was frustrated about paying so much money for the strips that didn't stick or seem to fit well, I took them back to Safeway. There was a lot going on at Customer Service, so the lady helping me was distracted. I told her I had a return, and I even told her that I had used some of them, but I don't think she paid attention to that. She commented on how expensive they were, and handed over my cash. :)

I suppose that's enough for today. Saturday's a big day! Can't tell you why yet but there will be once in a lifetime pictures for you to enjoy! :)