General update on us, in which I try not to whine too much (but I'm not trying very hard)

I've spent more time in doctors offices or hospitals than at home this week, I think. Anyway, yesterday Ariana got four crowns. She was a trooper, and cooperated beautifully, but cried for at least seven hours afterward. She does not want to go back at all, but will have to for the other side. My poor baby. There was another girl about a year older who screamed non stop through her work. It was awful. The poor little girl kept screaming that it hurt and begging them to stop. Her mom was in tears the whole time. I was very disturbed, and it wasn't even my child! It brought back horrible memories of times when the anesthesia didn't take and the dentist would try to tell me that it would kick in in a few minutes or that he was almost done. It also made me very concerned about what would happen if Ariana was hurting. I plan on talking with the dentist about that more before her appointment.

As if that wasn't enough, Ariana's ped called back and said that she and the doctor she had consulted both agree that there is most likely a hairline fracture on her elbow. She is still not able to move it fully, and it hurts excruciatingly if she bumps it or gets it into the wrong position. We're supposed to go back in next week to X ray it again.

Elena met with our allergist today and had six or seven vials of blood drawn. It seemed like so much from such a tiny little one! Although she is now 18 lbs and 4 oz, so she is growing well. The phlebotomist was excellent, and was able to get it all with one try, so at least she didn't have to get multiple sticks and wriggle it around. We won't get the results back till next week for that, either. Then it will be followed up with a skin test. I am already feeling impatient to get answers, but grateful that we got in so quickly. It could have been a lot longer.

Joelito has felt a bit ignored with all the attention on his sisters, so he and I did a just-the-two-of-us grocery run yesterday. He was so proud of being able to help me choose the items and put them in the cart. It was very cute.

I think I've totaled around 12 hours of sleep since Sunday, and I can tell that my mind and body are showing the effects. I always get headaches when I am too low on sleep, and the last two nights, every time I fall asleep I dream that I am having a migraine! Yeah, normal people have bad dreams about falling, being naked in public, or tragedies. Me, I waste my sleep time with pseudo-migraines. Fortunately, once I wake up, the headaches have just been the typical kind.

So, for Mother's Day, I can skip chocolates and flowers. I just want a nap. (In reality, we're expecting about 12 guests for lunch, but at least I don't have to cook.) On second though, maybe I'll take that chocolate, after all...