One Blogging Shelton

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Clayton's Laugh Box

I don't know how many of you are avid Spongebob viewers...OK, I know one....Rachael.  Those of you who have seen the episode where Squidward got tired of Spongebob's annoying laugh, so he fooled Spongebob into thinking that he has a laughing illness and that he cannot laugh one more time in the next day or his laughbox will break.  It's actually pretty funny...for a Spongebob show.  For those who have no idea what I'm talking about, just read the summary here before reading the rest of this post in order to appreciate the humor:

http://www.tv.com/spongebob-squarepants/funny-pants/episode/479846/summary.html

After years of ear infections and more recently, months of declining ability to hear well, we visited with an Ear Nose and Throat doctor.  After a hearing analysis, it was determined that Clayton had the hearing of an 84-year-old woman!  Apparently the fluid that was building up behind the ear drum was becoming gel-like and was prevent the ear drum from working correctly.  Clayton was inevidably going to have to have that fluid cleaned out and tubes inserted.  Also, it was recommended that the adnoids be removed too, because they were preventing the fluid from draining properly.

So the big surgery day was yesterday.  Poor Clayton was so nervous about it.  He was really jumpy at anything the nurse wanted to do.  When it came time to put the hospital gown on, he completely freaked out.  We literally had to bear hug him to get it on him amid the yelling and crying.  We finally got him calmed down and Nathan got him laughing eventually.  I blew up a latex glove and tied it off, which proved to be a handy distraction for him.

The nurses, doctor, and anesthesiologist were great and made Clayton feel comfortable, right down to when they wheeled him away from us into the operating room.  The kid never even looked back in hopes to win the anticipated "let's see who can breathe through the mask the fastest to blow up the balloon first" race.

The surgery only took about 20 minutes, surprisingly.  We had to spend about an hour in recovery, though.  It broke my heart to hear his cries as we were lead back to his room.  He was wrestling the nurse when we walked in, apparently trying to pull out his IV. I sat on the bed with him and tried to calm him, but the pain in his throat was intolerable.  They gave him another injection of morphine and that was all she wrote for about 30 minutes.  He finally came around and was able to swallow some apple juice.  Finally, we were able to head home.

Once home, he slept off and on throughout the day.  Later, my parents came by with a little gift for him and Nathan's dad had called to see how things were going.  Clayton was still kind of woozy from sleeping so long, but he talked to him and tried to explain in his words what the doctor did to him.  I couldn't contain the laughter when he explained to his Grandpa that the doctor took out his laugh box because it was broken...

He's doing great today.  Last night his throat hurt for a while and he woke up crying a few times overnight.  This morning he was up and ready to go at the crack of dawn...or so it felt!

OK, I think I'll buy a fake tree now....

http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2008/12/03/news/local/doc4936b1b658aec514919184.txt?sPos=2

I bet that was a site to see!

This will make you think....

I don't normally do these, but after reading three from other people, it made me start thinking of how I would answer the questions.  So then I thought this is just silly, why not just do the darn survey and share with everyone the crazy thoughts that run through my head for each question.

 

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?  Gift Bags!  I'm not the best at wrapping.  I tried to do origami once....no patience whatsoever!

2. Real tree or Artificial? I'm on the fence with this.  Last year we had a fake one and Fritz kept knocking all of the lower branches off of it trying to scratch his back.  We were always too afraid to get a real one fearing that he would tip the whole tree over trying to scratch and end up burning the house down! 

 

Funny story sidebar:  One evening as I was backing down our driveway, I looked up to close our garage door and noticed something funny through our living room windows.  The Christmas lights around the tree were moving...like an amusement park carasoul!  They'd move one way for almost a full rotation, then back the other way for another near rotation.  I parked the car and ran inside to find Fritz under the tree as usual, scratching his back.  The tree was moving with him as he worked his way around the trunk.  When the power cord of the light would pull tight from the rotation, he'd turn around and go back the other way.  I've never laughed so hard.  I'm really going to miss him this year!

 

So this year, since Fritzy is no longer with us (RIP Fritzynoodle), we're attempting a REAL tree! 

3. When do you put up the tree? Usually right before Thanksgiving.  One part my anxiety, 3 parts Clayton's.

4. When do you take the tree down?  Just after New Year's.  A switch flips in my head turning on the thought process that by quickly removing all Christmas/Winter reminders, Spring will come just that much sooner.  It never works, though!

5  Do you like eggnog?  I like it in small doses...large if it's spiked!

6. Favorite gift received as a child?   My first CD/Cassette player boombox!  Yeah, I said boombox.  I was finally cool...I could at last proclaim my coolness and blare Paula Abdul!  I think my parents still have it, too, somewhere in the depths of "storage."

7. Hardest person to buy for?  Nathan's parents tie for this category!

8. Easiest person to buy for?  Clayton, of course!  Remote control anything, Pirate legos, Batman legos, Indiana Jones legos, Castle legos...you see the theme... the kid likes to build!


9. Do you have a nativity scene?  Nathan's mom bought me this really cool nativity scene one year for Christmas.  It's the Demdacco (sp?) collection made of wood...you know the cute figurines without faces that you see in gift shops like Hallmark.  I love it!

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?  Christmas cards.  I usually get Clayton's picture taken for x-mas and send a photo-card, but this year I think I've found other cards that I'd rather send.  Plus, it's probably too late to get pictures back in time anyway.

11.Worst Christmas gift you ever received?  I can't say anything about bad gifts...we've all gotten them!  And I'm sure we've all given them in someone elses eyes on the receiving end.  I do have a great story about a FUNNY gift, though!

 

Funny Story Sidebar #2:  So, if memory serves, I was just out of college and about to move to Fort Dodge to pursuit my first "Real Job." Tsk Tsk.  Nathan and I were opening gifts out of the stockings at his parents house.  Everyone was gathered around, watching each other open gifts.  It was my turn to get started on my stocking.  I had gotten some really nice various kitchen items, packets of dried spices to make an assortment of dips and soups....and...electric blue spandex underwear from Victoria's Secret!  They were actually super cute, but everyone made such a hoot of it, my face burned not red...but purple all the way through the opening of everyone else's stocking gifts.  It was finally Nathan's turn.  He opened a flashlight that straps to a hat...like what miners wear, but for hunting.  His dad glances at my electric-blue spandex briefs and says the most unexpected, "Great, now you guys can play Cops and Robbers!"

12. Favorite Christmas Movies?  Shrek the Halls...does that count?

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?  I always say I'm going to get a head start on it, but I'm lacking motivation this year.  Actually, I'm lacking ideas and Christmas lists....hint-hint people!  I'm trying to prevent the gift I buy you from showing up on this list next year in the #11 spot...help me out with ideas!

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?  Uh....I would be too mortified if the original gift-giver ever found out, so I just don't regift.  I do know a couple of repeat offenders, though!

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?  Pretzels dipped in almond bark!  Or ribbon candy (not dipped in almond bark). Not a huge fan of peanut brittle (hurts my teeth), but I LOVE Peppermint bark. Fudge and homemade caramels...oh the list goes on and on...oh and the dish my Aunt Sue used to make (and that I used to know how to make but lost the recipe) that has rice, broccoli, and Cheez Whiz...is it lunch time yet?

16. Lights on the tree?  They have to be white!  On my tree, anyway.

17. Favorite Christmas song?  O Holy Night

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?  Stay home until noon!  Clayton always requests in his letter to santa that a gift be left under his bed (I don't know how that got started, honestly), so hearing him laugh at 7 in the morning and the sound of his feet running down the hall to our room is too sweet to be anywhere but home.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's?  Yes, but only in sing-song voice.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star?   Star

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Both!  Usually x-mas eve with one family and x-mas day with the other. 

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Grumpy shoppers, ungreatful Scrooges.  Rude people who forget what it's all about. Bad Drivers.  The weather.

23. Favorite ornament?   I can't really name one.  I'm not the type who has an eclectic mish mash collection of ornaments.  I'm OK with mish-mash on other people's trees, but I just like uniformity with my tree.  The ornaments don't have to be identical, but they must all look similar.  For me it's a shimmery ribbon wrapped throughout the tree.  White lights.  And the traditional very breakable ornament balls in silver and of various textures...you know the ones where you get your face really close to them and it gives you the fish-face effect.....ok, so maybe Clayton and I do get a kick out of goofy things....maybe as Clayton makes more ornaments I'll add some mish-mash for sentiment sake.  But for now....no mish-mash

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner?  Anything that makes it UNLIKE Thanksgiving dinner.  Just say "no" to turkey.  I'll allow the mashed potatoes and gravy, though.

25. What do you want for Christmas this year?  A Blackberry Storm.....and my cell phone plan DOES need to be renewed..and of course spending time with friends and family.

26. Who is most likely to respond to this?  Somebody better!

Things That Make Me Happy #2 - Mommy Clayton Days

Mommy-Clayton days.

With my crazy work schedule, Clayton has designated the days that I get to spend ALL day with him as Mommy-Clayton days.  These are days when I don't have to sleep during the day and he and I get to have fun all day.

Today just happens to be one of them!

Fashion Lady? I don't think so!

This morning Clayton and I were goofing around, as usual.  He picked up my new purse, strikes a pose, and says, "Hi my little fashion lady."

I, as usual, made him hold his pose until I could take the picture!

Thank You!!!!

Thanks to all of you who braved the cold yesterday and made it to my Bagolita party!  I had a great time and hope you did too!  For anyone who couldn't make it and still want to order, I have to close the show by Friday morning.  Call or email me if there's anything you still need ;o)

Thanks again everyone!

Twilight...my new obsession!

Who's gonna go see it with me????

One More Day!

One more day, then we can sit back and watch TV without the barrage of political advertising!

VOTE!