Ok, non parents probably won't enjoy this post : )

Callen pooped in the potty for the first time this evening. She normally likes to hide in a corner when she's poopying, but tonite she told us during dinner she had to go poopy. The first time was a false alarm but about 5 minutes later she said it again and off we went. Yes, indeed, she did have to go this time! I was so proud : ). I'm sure one day she'll look back at these postings and not be too happy about them, but for now I'm a proud mommy! Three days dry in her big girl underwear at school and pooping in the potty tonite! I would have taken a picture but decided she might really not like that when she's older. . .

Health - NOT

The last couple of weeks have been rough around our house. Callen first came down with a fever and a really bad head and chest cold; then about the time she was getting well, Bo and I came down with horrible colds/flu/?. Bo seems to have recovered a few days ago, but Friday mine took a nose dive. I called the doctor and he prescribed an antibiotic as the head cold wouldn't go away after 8 days.

My head didn't improve and by Sunday night I was in agony. After not sleeping much, the whole right side of my face felt like pins sticking into my sinus areas around my eyebrow and cheekbone come Monday morning. I called and emailed my doctor yesterday and he called in a stronger sinus med and a steroid. I started them last night and this morning and finally about 11:00 today I started to feel some relief.

I am supposed to leave for a conference in the AM; I'm really hoping the pain stays subsided and flying isn't a nightmare tomorrow! This is the worst sinus infection I've had in years.

Please Come to Boston ...

It has been 9 years since Bo and I moved from Boston. We lived in Arlington (a suburb just outside Boston) for 1.5 years while I did my post doc. I've always liked this Dave Loggins song; thought I'd put a YouTube link to it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PX5t9VJweQ.

I go to Boston this week for a conference. While I'm looking forward to going to the conference, seeing old friends, and being back in Boston, I'm finding that it is stirring up a lot of memories in me. You see, it was 10 years ago in late July when my mother was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer. Bo and I were just getting ready to move to Baltimore; in fact, he was already there having started a new job a few weeks before we were to officially move there.

I still remember the call that evening from one of my aunts; I knew something must have been wrong because she never called me. We always heard about what was going on with each other through my mother, and we visited when I was home in NC. She called and said my mother was in the hospital and they thought she had cancer. I remember feeling like a vice was gripping my heart when she said those words.

My mother and I were very close; before we moved to Boston we talked on the phone about every day and I'd often see she and my father several times a week. My mother took care of my father who had been bedridden from a series of strokes.

I flew home the next day and went straight to the hospital. I remember thinking that this couldn't be happening. My father, who was in such poor health, should be the one in the hospital. Not my mother, the woman who had spent her life caring for other people... The next months went by in a blur with us trying to help take care of my parents from afar, coordinating efforts by others, and trying to spend as much time with my parents as is possible when 2 people have just started new jobs. How I wish I'd taken some sort of leave that year, but with a new job in academia I was oblivious as to that even being an option.

After so bravely battling cancer, my dear mother passed away less than 8 months later. While I know that at the time taking the post doc was a good thing for me to do, and it was a good experience for Bo and I to live in Boston during that time, I can't help thinking that I spent the last 2 years of my mother's life living 13 hours away and only getting to see her a few times per year. It still makes me sad to this day thinking about it.

I encourage you all to enjoy the moments you have with your loved ones; you never know when you won't have those opportunities . . .

First Time . . .

Callen didn't want to wear her pull-up to school today. She wanted to wear her big girl underwear. So, we went with the flow . . . packed extra undies and shorts and off she went. She did great! She didn't have an accident until almost 5:00 today! We were all very excited! Of course, she walks in the door tonite and then has an accident. Oh well, we're making progress! Let's hope it continues!

Cold, cold, go away!

Callen was sick last week with a fever and bad cold; she still has a little cough and runny nose at times. But, Bo and I have it full blast now! Head and chest colds for both of us. We're both miserable with head and chest congestion, but trying to work as we have lots that needs to get done this week at work.

Any home remedies? The over the counter stuff isn't doing much for us right now. Colds please go away!!!!

New Toy

My cell phone fell on the ground for the final time earlier this week. It would turn on but most of the buttons wouldn't work, I couldn't call anyone, and I couldn't retrieve any numbers. Today I purchased a new cell phone -- my first one in 5 years or so. My poor old phone wouldn't even take pictures!

If I ever had your number - whether it was your home or your cell, please email it to me as I lost the old numbers when my old phone died.

Take a look at my new toy! It takes pictures and video, has GPS, texting, email, and a lot more things than I'll probably use. I'm enjoying it so far!

Will the whining...

ever stop? Callen has been sick since Tuesday. The last couple of days it has just been a chest cold and coughing. Today has been horrible in terms of whining... Maybe it just seems worse b/c both Bo and I now have her cold.

Any suggestions for how to curb the whining?