Today we thought we might have a chance to actually listen to the adult Sunday school lesson; boy were we wrong. Kiersten was fine during sacrament, except when she started to cry when she needed to be changed, like clockwork I tell you. We took her to primary because she kept saying, “Mommy come wif.” Marcee managed to sneak out and when Kiersten noticed, I was able to calm her down. She played without looking for me or hovering around my ankles. I decided it was time for me to leave. Five minutes later, the nursery worker brought her back because she was concerned she had a cold (runny nose) and didn’t want to get the other kids sick. I took her and wiped her nose while she was screaming for her mama. Marcee took her and everything was ok. She stayed with Marcee for the remainder of Relief Society and I went to Priesthood. Kiersten was really excited to go home. I wonder what will happen next week.
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Yesterday, my mom and I went to the Moran Eye Center in Salt Lake City. I researched the retinal specialists and chose Dr. Bernstein as the doctor I would try to get an appointment with. I anticipated the appointment would take the greater portion of an afternoon. A visit to the opthamologist normally takes three hours or so when I see my opthamologist in Provo. We went to the exam room relatively quickly. I gave the nurse my background and she dilated my eyes. It normally takes about a half hour for my eyes to dilate and then the doctor has his examination. Instead of a customary half hour wait for the doctor exam, my mom and I waited an hour and a half. They were really busy. When I finally got to see the doctor, he did his exam and then addressed my concerns. I wanted to know, as did my mom, my present child or future children’s chances of having RP. Any children Marcee and I may have, have a 50% chance of having RP. Our children could not have any symptoms, they all could, or some will and some won’t . The doctor seemed to think the version of RP I have is not a fast moving type, which is comforting. There are more tests to be done, but I am comforted with this news. I hope any further digression will be minimal. Obviously, I hope none of my children get it. I suppose what I want most is research to move in warp speed from the turtle pace it is moving in now. People often ask how Kiersten behaves at church. My answer is that she is quite well behaved during sacrament meeting. She is able to be distracted enough to be somewhat quiet. She will read a book, draw, or eat some dry cereal. She gets really excited when the sacrament is passed. She cannot wait to get one of those little water cups, putting it up to her mouth and pretending to sip on it all meeting long. I think we were all at this stage. When sacrament is about to end, she usually has to be excused for a diaper change (it never fails, end of sacrament, when we are about to leave the house, or waiting to see the doctor). I, usually, take her to nursery and try to duck out before she sees me leave. I will stay in the hallway for a minute until she notices I am gone and starts to bawl. Marcee gets a seat in Gospel Doctrine class and waits for me to bring her back because she will not stay alone. Recently, we don’t even bother taking her to the nursery room and just take her to class with us or come home. Today, she started asking to go to the nursery. I don’t know if she was hungry and wanted a snack or what. I still had to stay, let’s not be silly. She kept a close eye on me for about 10 minutes. She started to venture further away from me, playing with distant toys without making eye contact as frequently. When the leaders asked for the toys to be picked up, Kiersten knew what to do and how to do it. She can thank her mother for that. She gets really excited for snack time, runs to the small table and plops down in a chair and waits patiently. She enjoys the goldfish and pretzels, while spilling the water cup on the table or herself multiple times. I am very, very sneaky and managed to disappear while she waited. I was in the hallway for some time, peaking through the door every so often. She didn’t even notice. I only made one appearance when a little girl ripped off Kiersten’s glasses. Kiersten didn’t cry or hit; she just tried to put her glasses back on. She cannot completely get them on, so I came in and put them on and snuck back out. After another while of checking on her, I decided to go to class with Marcee and let them bring her to us if there was a problem. After the class ended, I checked on her again and went to Priesthood. I was fully expecting to meet up with Marcee after church ended and find Kiersten in her lap. I was surprised when I didn’t find Marcee in the hall. I went to see if she was picking up Kiersten in the nursery room. Marcee wasn’t there either; Kiersten was though. She was quietly sitting on a carpet sample while they sang songs. The leader had cut outs of fishes taped to a poster board. Under the fish were song titles. She had a child pick one off the board and then they would sing that song. Kiersten wasn’t excited about the songs; she was excited about the fish. She was in the leader’s face every time a song was to be chosen. When they sang “Ring around the Rosie” she jumped around in excitement. She never would fall down with the rest of the kids. They sang this song three or four times, changing the way they rotated each time. One time they walked backwards, then hopping, then laterally. Kiersten hopped in the middle of the circle every time. Time ran out, the children left and Kiersten wanted the fishes. I had to pick her up and drag her out crying. I never thought I would see the day. I don’t know what changed in her. Maybe she was more entertained, maybe, the leaders made more of an effort to entertain her individually. It was a welcomed and unexpected break. Hopefully, she will remember the fishes next week. …except elderly people and now Kiersten. After two #2’s and three #1’s, Kiersten has decided she does not like her new potty. She prefers to go around and say “soggy pants,” and wear diapers. I wonder when the magical time will come where she WANTS to go in the potty. Whenever that may be it is not now. Since I have lost my jovialness, if that is a word, I will now tell everyone what made me laugh today: 1. Kiersten going to the bathroom for the first time in her new training toilet, then clapping and saying “all done.” Getting her to this point has not been a laughing matter. Marcee would try to get her to sit on a normal toilet before she gave her a bath and she would scream bloody murder. 2. My wallet took a bath in the washing machine. Yeah I could cuss and get pissed, like I did when my phone decided it wanted to go out to sea with the dead fishes, but what would that accomplish? 3. Some stupid announcer on ESPN saying the Yankees have a shot at sweeping the series against the Red Sox (at Fenway). First of all, they don’t have any chance and secondly BIG PAPI is back. 4. Kiersten saying she had lots of magnets by saying she “had lots of maggots!” 5. Perhaps the best of all, Marcee saying she doesn’t like to shop anymore! Now that I am wheezing on the ground, I have to fold my underwear. I know, I know, it’s been a while. This summer has been one of the craziest summer I have experienced. At the beginning of summer I was fortunate enough to be offered a job with the state in Adult Protective Services. APS is the state agency given responsibility to investigate claims of neglect, abuse, or exploitation of vulnerable adults (disabled or elderly). I volunteered with them a semester or two ago and was lucky enough to happen to see the job posting. The job has been really good for me, flexible hours, less strict of a dress code, looks tremendously better on my resume (because it is in social work), I have my own office, more time with Marcee, Kiersten and textbooks, etc. I am hoping it will evolve into more hours and benefits, but we will see, I suppose. The second half of summer I am taking three classes, Abnormal Psychology, Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences, and Intro. to Sociology. I’ve decided I like the quickness of the 7 week schedule. I am a notorious starter and not a finisher. I usually poop out about mid-term and scramble to get everything in at the end of the semester. This semester has flown by and I only wish I would have tried summer school sooner. Perhaps the best news of all, I am slated to graduate in April of 2009. It is about freakin’ time. I am waiting to get approval from the department chair to see if I can get Internship credit for working at my job. He said it is a probability and only requires a two page paper a week. Sounds like a good deal to me. If that goes through and I take six classes in the spring, I will be done, for now. If it doesn’t work, I will take 4-5 classes in the spring and finish in the summer. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. As for exercise and weight matters. I still run frequently, about 12 miles a week. I have plateaued recently and have began to implement weight lifting into my weekly routine. The lowest weight i reached was 178 and am holding steady at 185, but wanting to lose more. My job has also helped give me more time to exercise. I have an appointment with the “big boys” of retinal speciality. My opthamologist has been great throughout my life. He doesn’t specialize and research my retinal problems, this new doctor does. He even has a laboratory named after him. I am not expecting a cure, just some more information and ideas on heredity. Life with Marcee and Kiersten keeps me on my toes and adds some relaxing flavor to my life. I know that when I come home from the stresses of work or school, I can have the best relief in the world, baby kisses and hugs. Marcee and I have been trying to simplify our lives a bit. We decluttered the house, taking more then I expected to the DI and garbage. We have also decided where we are extravagant financially and have made steps to reduce the extras and save the money for any number of things, anniversary, doctor bills, grad school, home improvements, a down payment on a new home, etc. Overall, I am trying to live up to my 9th grade seminary teacher’s entry in my yearbook. He said I would be remembered “for my desire to be a better person.” Hopefully this can be said about us all. If your life is on the fence, you will eventually slip and hurt yourself, to put it mildly. Well Kiersten just woke up from a nap and I feel like being silly. I’ve been told I am not as much fun since I lost weight. I will have to work on my stand-up routine. Please leave a comment or I will give you a virtual “wet willy!”
A- Attached or Single? Attached B- Best Friend? Marcee, Kiersten G- Gummy Bears or Worms? Gummy Bears P-Phobias? Snakes, An Accomplishmentless Life T- Tag 4 people. Susie, Shermie, (in an email format), Bryan, and Kevin X- X-ray or Ultrasound? X- Rays? This is the coolest thing. Check out video0015 . For those of you who are interested in the life of the Phelps family, mostly Kiersten, Marcee has created a new blog for your viewing pleasure it is www.marceephelps.blogspot.com enjoy! About two weeks ago, Kiersten had surgery to correct a “lazy eye.” She was so brave. I think it was harder on me than her. The surgery only lasted about 30 mins. Kiersten had a hard time waking up from the anesthesia As you can see from the pictures, her eyes were pretty red and swollen for a couple of days. She is doing well now and her eyes don’t seem to bother her at all.
Kiersten enjoying some chocolate pudding and coloring with her new crayons. |
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