Pacifier Trade-In

This time has been coming for a long time…I have been putting it off but today we said farewell to the LAST “baby” thing that Owen was clinging on to…his dodo (what he calls his pacifier).  I’ve been saying that I was going to take it away for so long now…but of course, like the enabler that I am, there is “always” something that comes up that prolonged this day.  But after his tooth incident and with his pediatric dentist telling it to give him his pacifier to move his tooth back…I was happy to continue to give him is pacifier. BUT I knew this summer we’d have to pull the plug at some point. So he enjoyed his dodo while Nana watched him and we cruised the Caribbean…and I let him have it to transition back into our normal routine once we were home. But I started a countdown this past week…telling him the dodo was going to go.

Owen’s friend Ryland was also pretty addicted to his Pop (pacifier) and his Mommy had a good idea…she let Ryland trade his Pops in for a new toy at Toys R Us (a few months ago). So we hyped Owen up on that idea…that he could trade in his dodo’s for whatever he wanted at Toys R Us.  Everyday we colored and decorated the new countdown number and posted it on the wall…and he fully understood that he was giving away his dodo on Sunday.  So…today was the day.

We loaded up all the dodo’s (And BuzzLightyear and Bullseye) for the trip to Toys R Us. 
He was so excited!

I was shocked that he was so into it, rushing us out of the car and into the store….and the search began…we walked up every aisle in that store…and he looked and looked and looked.

I was a little nervous because he wouldn’t let me hold the ziplock baggie with the dodo’s in it…but as he got more involved with the toys he parted with it and “allowed” me to hold the bag so he could check stuff out with both hands.  He LOVED the Power Wheels…but those were a little bit out of Mommy and Daddy’s budget (and he freakin’ has one that he doesn’t ride enough).  So tried talking him into a bike…

Nope he didn’t like that. Not coordinated enough just yet for a bike (he’s not the most athletic child out there heehee).  But we came to the Animal Planet aisle and he was in HEAVEN. My child LOVES animals…especially Sea Animals. (Funny thing…when he fell and got stitches in his chin back in March…daddy brought him to pick out a toy for being so well behaved for the doctor…and he picked something from the same aisle!).  He ended up choosing a tiny $5 container of Sea Animal figurines. I felt bad…so I showed him the BIG container…and told him he could have both.

SOLD that was easy…and pretty cheap too! (Whoohooo! haha).

We waited in line and Owen handed his ziplock of dodo’s to the worker (who looked REALLY confused…I had to tell her quietly to go ahead and throw those away!).

Watching him give those to the lady made me so sad. His pacifier was his soother…when he slept, rode in the car or got upset…he turned to his pacifier for support. haha Like he was excited to get a new toy and everything but kept telling me he didn’t want to give them away…but I had to remind him that big boys don’t use pacifiers…only babies use them!  He understood…but I have a feeling that the next couple of nights could be rough.  I actually planned to trade in the dodo’s today since we had a birthday party to go to…I knew he’d play like crazy and tire himself out (hoping night time would be easier). When we were leaving the party he reached for his pacifier…and I had to remind them they were gone. As we drove home he said “Gosh I really wish I had a dodo”  How sad huh?!?  BUT he’ll be ok…We don’t have any pacifiers left in the house either…because I knew I’d be a weak-ass and give it to him if he cried enough.  Hopefully he doesn’t cry and this process is pain-less for all!!!?!? I can hope right.

So now…we are pacifier free here in the Souza house!!  

Oh my little man SOOO isn’t a baby anymore!

Holy Sh*t Balls

Yes…I cursed in the title of the blog post…sorry but that’s how much the last 4 days as sucked! haha   Actually “Holy Shit Balls” was the comment I received from a friend after I posted this picture on fb….

This is my toe 2 days after surgery.  And OH man…its been rough around here. Actually it hasn’t…except when its time to soak it in epsom salt…that hurts…like a lot. When I’m not soaking the toe isn’t that painful!

I was instructed to leave the wrap on for 24 hours after the surgery…but I was very nervous as the 24 hour limit was hitting. I DON’T do well with blood…or pain…or gauze getting stuck to cuts.  Owen was napping so Yosh started unwrapping my foot…

Once the outter bandage was off it looked like this….BLED MUCH?!?

There was so much dried blood it formed into like a hard cast…it was horrible. And to make it worse the very last piece of gauze STUCK to the wound. Yeah…I  almost fainted…it was very painful…it was horrible.

But after soaking in regular water to get the gauze off….we had to soak in the epsom salt. Yeah…have you ever seen the movie Lethal Weapon…do you remember the part when one of them has salt poured into their bullet hole wound…anyone remember….well yeah…that what soaking in epsom salt feels like and that SHIT hurts!

I’m suppose to soak for 20 minutes then cover with antibiotic ointment and a bandaid. Well…on day 1 I could only soak for like 2 minutes before taking it out and crying…yes CRYING! The stinging is sooooo intense and lasts for like 15 minutes AFTER you are done soaking.  I’ve had some pretty painful stuff…bone marrow biopsy (pain lasted 2 seconds)…contractions for 30 hours during labor (they lasted 30-60 seconds max and I got a painfree break in between)….but this lasted a LONG time.  So Saturday I soaked once, Sunday I soaked twice, Monday I soaked at my parents house and Mom cried watching me (that’s how horrible it was).  So I emailed my podiatrist and he ordered me so lidocaine…and MAN today I was able to soak for 20 minutes with NO PAIN. It was AMAZING! 

So if you EVER have this procedure done…make sure you do NOT leave your doctors office until you have the lidocaine ointment in hand!!!

My summer is gonna look like this a lot I bet…everyone in the pool having fun while I sit in the heat and watch…making sure to not wet my poor toe!

Downsizing…RIP Wally The Wart

**WARNING: NASTY GRAPHIC PICTURES IN THIS POST!**

I’ll start this post off pleasant (since its gonna end up ugly!).  The Souza family is “downsizing”…not really…Owen just got rid of some moppy hair and I’m got rid of my “growth” haha that’s sizing down literally if you ask me!  

We were trying to go for the cute scruffy hair look for Owen this summer.  You know that cute surfer/beach mop.  But after a few mornings of fighting with him to let us brush it I decided that it was kinda lookin’ to “walmartish” anyway…we were in need of a cut!!

So off it came….and now he looks so handsome!

Now….to the “good stuff”.  For those of you that have weak stomachs it’s probably a good time to sign off….

But I’m sure many of you remember the horrific pictures I posted in the blog post titled Just Say NO to Beetle Juice!  Well at that moment, I thought I was in the clear…I thought the painful treatment of the beetle venom killed my huge wart once and for all….weelllllll I was wrong!! I think the beetle juice just pissed it off….and it came back with a revengence!  I emailed my podiatrist pictures and we decided it needed to be surgically removed BUT would have to wait until after the cruise since there would be an open wound on my foot for a while…

This wart grew so big I even named him “Wally”…and I think Delta Airlines was going to make be buy an extra ticket just for him!!! It was disgustingly large…and totally embarrassing!

Meet Wally….

That was this  morning…pre-surgical removal.

I have no clue why I was so nervous about this little procedure. Seriously…I’ve given birth…a bone marrow biopsy…a port-a-cath removal (which was done with just a local anesthetic)…scar treatments…lots and lots of stuff that REALLY hurts…but I was having major anxiety about this darn thing.  I knew that warts bleed a lot (I do NOT like blood)…and I was nervous I’d feel something.  I brought my iphone in with me…to sneak some pictures…but my doc was SUPER cool and took some pictures for me!

When they got me suited up…I was shakey…haha I know I’m so pathetic.

This minor toe procedure was kinda intense! The nurse brought me in and got me all prepped.  I had a turnakit (spelling?) around my ankle to stop/slow the blood flow during the procedure…

And the Doc came in and started working…and by gosh the numbing was very sore…not he sorest thing I’ve experienced but it was definitely up there!! He was working in that toe for about 45 minutes….as he said…”this guy doesn’t want to part with you…”  (barf)

I mentioned my husband being bummed and not getting to come in and see this…so the doc said he'd take good pictures to show him (and the rest of the world! heehee).
Pulling the wart away from my toe… (BARF)

This is Wally…heading to pathology to get biopsied to make sure it was just a wart.  See the size of that thing…absolutely disgusting!

And now…I’m left with this open wound to care for…

They don’t stitch it up…they just leave it.   And I’m not back in my “designer shoes”…

I have to leave this bandage on for 24 hours…then soak it twice a day in Epsom salt, apply antibiotic ointment and a bandaid until I go back to the nurse in 1 week and then the actual doc in 2 weeks. We don’t have anything planned for this lovely Father’s Day weekend since I wasn’t sure how much pain I’m going to be. I’m actually kinda nervous to wake up tomorrow…

And I JUST noticed my bandage right now as I was crawling out of Owen’s room…

BARF.

So here’s to a “fun” week…but as long as this bad boy does NOT come back after this it’ll all be worth it! Cheers everyone…and ps. WEAR flip flops or some type of covers in the spray tanning booth…I swear that is where I got this!

Cruise Part 5–Our Anniversary

When I booked this cruise I was thinking about a vacation. A time to celebrate being cancer free…30 years old…and for finishing my Masters Degree…at no time did I even think about our wedding anniversary! Oops.  But it actually worked out perfectly…we got to be together on this amazing adventure to celebrate being married 6 years!

Lots has changed since this day…

What a whirlwind of a marriage we have had. I swear there has never been a dull moment for us…but I guess that’s just what marriage is all about.  I’ve told the story many times…but when I met Yosh and we started talking/dating, I was actually kinda involved with someone else.  So Yosh was technically “Plan B”…and man…was he the best thing that has EVER walked into my life!  Thank God “Plan A” got the boot and “Plan B” took over!!! He has been the most supportive person…he’s the person that picks me up (even when I don’t wanna be picked up)…the person that makes me laugh (even when I’m trying to be mad)…and the best friend that I’m so grateful to have in my life. I love him so much…truly love him. This trip we had a chance to reflect on ourselves, our marriage and our love for each other. When life gets busy sometimes we neglect the people and things we shouldn’t…and this trip brought that to my attention.  So we spent the morning together…and afternoon by the pool and evening with our pals.

Dinner at Johnny Rockets! *which wasn’t included…so we paid $10 for that fancy dinner!* Oh yes..very romantic! haha

Followed by the Boston vs Miami game by the pool. *romance I tell you*

And went back to our stateroom looking like this…

Althea was the best stateroom attendant ever! She rocked!

Happy 6 years babe…I loved my “sugar” gift…

Cruise Part 4–St. Maarten/St. Martin

We stopped at islands back to back…St. Thomas then the next morning at St. Maarten. I didn’t know much about these islands until we booked the cruise. And even then most of the research I did was on the Royal Caribbean website, but I found it pretty darn interesting. Most of the islands in the Caribbean were islands ran by pirates back in the day. So knowing that we were stepping food on the real Pirates of the Caribbean stuff was pretty cool!

But St. Maarten has some awesome history. If you really wanna know more about it go here.   But basically half the island is owned by the Dutch and half the island is owned by the French.  We arrived on the Dutch side…and wanted to get out and see as much as we could since our excursion for the day was bringing us to the French side for some shopping and beach time.

Hopped on a water taxi…and I was in AWE of the turquoise water…it was BEAUTIFUL!

We found a little “main strip” which was pretty quiet since we got off the boat so early. We were looking for a place to get some breakfast, but were bombarded with locals trying to get us to rent seadoo’s, beach chairs, umbrella’s, buy alcohol, get our hair braided…whatever. That was kinda annoying but apart from that…the water was AMAZING.

We found a cute hidden Inn right on the beacj..which used to be the Governor of St. Maarten’s house…so we ate breakfast there.

Our view from where we ate our breakfast…awesome huh?!?

We walked around a bit…didn’t do much…Yosh got in the beautiful water. I didn’t…and I’m not sure why…it would have been the place for my IDEAL picture…BUT…we didn’t get it.

This was my favorite beach…and oddly enough we didn’t spend much time there. IF we ever came back…I’d sit my booty on a beach chair and enjoy some sun there…next time!

But we had, what we thought would be a cool excursion…we were hoping to get to see the French side of the island as much as the Dutch side. BUT that didn’t exactly happen. Our bus guide showed 40 minutes late, our “tour” was generic and not impressive, our time on the French side wasn’t exciting since most shops were closed for lunch, and members of our group were late, which gave us less time at the beach. All was pretty annoying…BUT we tried to make the best of it and got some shopping for our family in!

I noticed that YEAH they have beautiful beaches…but most of the inland areas we saw were pretty ghetto. Just such a different kind of lifestyle!

Driving over the Dutch/French boarder…no guards, no booths…just keep on driving.

So we got to the French side…and it was very warm, humid and my Hubs wasn’t in the mood to be shopping at a swap meet…BUT hey..whadda gonna do.

We ate at a cute little French restaurant while there…and the boys decided it was an awesome time to try some escargot.  I decided NOT to…and Kyla wouldn’t dare (since she recently had an allergic reaction from them). 
The menu was in English and French…and was priced in the Euro (which we had to pay the Euro amount…was crazy expensive!)

We then got to go to another side of the island and get some beach time in. Kyla and I read out dirty romance books (Fifty Shades of Grey) and the boys tried snorkeling again.

And the French spell it St. Martin on their side…so we had to do another pic to show that!

Another beautiful island. The locals seemed a bit more pushy on this island BUT I will say the beaches were everything I ever imagined! When I picture exotic in my mind…I got to see what I pictured!