Doctor, Airplane Show, Erik's Bad Habit

Seems like posts are getting few and far between for everyone these days. Summer time comes and no one has time to post! In our case, summer time has not shown up yet (we've had such cold weather), but we have just been really super busy. I've been a little stressed lately with our move. Did I already mention that we're moving? Well, we're moving from the upstairs duplex to the downstairs duplex. It will be a lot easier for us, not having to climb all the stairs. We don't officially move down there for good until May 31st.

Today we took Maida in for her 12 month appointment. She is 29 inches tall and weighs 22 pounds 12 ounces. She got one shot today. Our doctor breaks up all the immunizations for her patients because she doesn't believe in giving them all at once. It's nice because when we were seeing a pediatrition when we lived in Minneapolis, I had to break the shots up myself and that was hard. So I am thankful that Dr. Wittworth (our family doctor here in Duluth) already breaks the shots up for us. She says that Maida is healthy and good to go! We did have her arrange appointments with an allergist and a different dermatologist, however. We have got to get this rash under control! You'd think after being to six different doctors, we'd have some answers! Maybe the seventh and eighth will be able to help us.

Tonight we're bringing Maida down to the Lakewalk on Lake Superior for an airplane show. I am excited to teach her what an airplane is. She was a lot younger when she actually flew on an airplane for the first time, so she doesn't remember. We'll take some pictures to post! I just hope it doesn't rain!

Erik had the day off today, so it's been nice lying around together. We had some friends over for lunch and now, while Maida is napping, we're just laying in bed on our computers! Speaking of Erik, I need some advice (and I apologize to you, Erik, if you are embarrassed that I'm bringing this up in blog-land). Do any of you have any ideas on how to make waking up easier? Let me explain... Erik has a hard time waking up in the mornings and I guess, from what Erik tells me, that his whole life, his mom would wake him up in the mornings by telling him it was time to get up, then letting him lay there for 10 minutes, then going in again and telling him to get up. Then he'd get to lay there for 10 more minutes and then she'd go in again, and this went on over and over until he'd eventually get up. So, he’s just been conditioned to ignore any urgency in getting out of bed. After nearly four years of being responsible for waking Erik up and having to sit there and tell him to get up every 10 minutes, I’d like to find a different solution. Even when I've been up with Maida all night long and I don't have to wake up for a couple hours, I still wake up just to wake him up. It's not like I just have to say, "Get up, Honey!" and he'll be fine; I have to stay awake and keep telling him to get up. So I’m asking for advice. One time, I tried pouring cold water in his ear and he JUMPED up and started frantically shaking the water out of his ear, which was hilarious (to me), but I don't want to get our bed wet every morning. My biggest fear is that our kids will be just like this! I'll have to work really hard on establishing good waking-up habits. Growing up, I was always expected to get up when it was time or I got a spanking. Morning time was one of my favorite times, though, ‘cause I got to eat breakfast with my mom and watch "Gilligan's Island" with my dad before going to school, so I was always excited to get up. Anyway, shoot me any ideas!! I would greatly appreciate it! :) And Erik is hoping that someone will write back and tell us that a pill has been invented that he can take before bed that will help him immediately get up in the mornings, refreshed and rejuvenated. Dream on, Babers!