Tinnocking

I love baby smiles!

Cassie and I had to run to the store this morning and Linda wanted to go with us. While we were waiting for her to get out of the shower I got to watch Tomas. He was in a great mood so I grabbed the camera and had fun getting him to smile while snappin' some pics. There is nothing in this world more beautiful than a baby's smile.

A sleeping beauty

Michele sent me this pic of Taylor sleeping. It reminded me of similar moments of when Michele, Taylor's mom was sleeping like that. I am reminded that just because they look so peaceful, cute and sweet while they are sleeping, doesn't mean that while awake they aren't a handful. One of the nicknames for Taylor is "Little Michele" she got that name because she can be bossy, noisy and very loud, Just like her mommy was at that age. I love you Michele and Taylor!

I love my digital Camera!

What a great invention! I was just passing through the living room on my way to the bedroom when I happened to glance at Linnie and Tomas chillin in front of the TV. Tomas was sacked out on Lin and Linda's eyes were sorta glazed over while watching TV. So I nonchalantly went to get my camera in the office and just walked up to them and before they could say boo, I got these cute pics.

Tomas got a new toy

Cassie and I were at Walmart (one of our favorite stores) and we picked up this cool little floor quilt and jungle jim for Tomas. Now Linda can put him down on the floor instead of on the couch. Cassie has been afraid he'll fall off.
Fisher Price make this. Tomas loves it!

Something new!

Linda picked up her new glasses today, now she really looks like her mom!

The new glasses have opened up whole new worlds to her! And she doesn't run into walls or other things now too!

Little T (Tomas) isn't feeling very well and here's a shot of him fussin'

Life in our house has never a dull moment. Someone always seems to need something, want something or is mad at someone or something.
Cassie and I seem to spend every waking moment, driving or taking care of this and that for the kids. When it comes to something we need it's like the world has come to an end. You know simple things like: Take out the garbage, clean your room, vacuum the rugs, do the dishes....
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Grandparenting is so much easier than parenting, because when you're done having fun with them, you give them back!

Sleeping Beauties II!

I took a picture a while back of Michele and one of her babies while they were sleeping so peacefully, it's such a heartwarming sight.
Here's the link.
Cassie came quietly into the office where I was listening to tunes and playing a game on the PC and said, "Quick Teddy! Get your camera and take a picture of Linnie and Tomas sleeping!" Here's the result:

Tomas looks like a little superman and he's zooming away in dreamland.

The Stomach Flu!

The stomach flu is going around and we have been hit hard. Heidi was the first. She was sick three days last week. Saturday, Kristin got hit with it. and yesterday Billy and Cassie came down with it. Linda, Tomas and me are next! This bug seems to last two to three days. Symptoms are: Stomach cramps, vomiting, joint pain, exhaustion. The only thing we can do is treat the symptoms and let it run it's course.

On the brighter side here's a coupla pics of me and Tomas!

The heart break of.....

Hemorrhoids
I was asked by a family member (who shall remain nameless) what they are and how to treat them, and since I have no shame, and a couple of them myself (I named them Mutt & Jeff).
Here is what I found. I hope you find it useful.
Yuck!

These are a mild form of hemorrhoid

This is a nasty bugger

Hemorrhoids are abnormally swollen veins in the rectum and anus. They are much like varicose veins you might see on a person's legs. When bulging hemorrhoidal veins are irritated, they cause surrounding membranes to swell, burn, itch, become very painful, and bleed. Hemorrhoids are caused by too much pressure in the rectum, forcing blood to stretch and bulge the walls of the veins, sometimes rupturing them. Listed below are the most frequent causes of hemorrhoids:

Constant sitting
Straining with bowel movements (from constipation or hard stools)
Diarrhea
Sitting on the toilet for a long time
Severe coughing
Childbirth
Heavy Lifting
There are two kinds of hemorrhoids: internal and external (see diagram).

Internal hemorrhoids usually don't hurt or itch; you can't feel them because they are deep inside the rectum. Internal hemorrhoids are pretty harmless. But since their bleeding could mask blood from a dangerous source like colorectal cancer, they should be treated.
External hemorrhoids cause most of the symptoms we commonly hear about --- pain, burning, and itching. If an external hemorrhoid becomes strangulated (cut off from blood supply), a clot can form in it and become an excruciatingly painful thrombosed hemorrhoid. Because of these unpleasant symptoms, external hemorrhoids get the most treatment attention.
Once the rectal veins have been stretched out and hemorrhoids created, they are difficult to get rid of completely and tend to recur with less straining than it took to cause them in the first place. Fortunately, good habits and simple medical treatment usually control hemorrhoids well, and surgery is only recommended in unusually severe cases.

Avoiding the causes listed in Basics will prevent most cases of hemorrhoids, but this advice is sometimes hard to follow. For example, how can you avoid sitting all day if you have a seated job? And most of us would like to avoid coughing, diarrhea, and childbirth, but that's pretty much impossible, isn't it? Here are some practical hints to help:

If your main job activity is seated, always stand or walk during your breaks. Make it a point to stand and walk at least 5 minutes every hour and try to shift frequently in your chair to avoid direct rectal pressure.
Always exhale as you strain or lift. Don't hold your breath.
Control coughing, diarrhea and constipation with early treatment since hemorrhoids may soon follow.
Make a rule: No reading or other relaxing activity while on the toilet. If bowel movements take longer than 3-5 minutes, something is wrong. If you want to keep hemorrhoids away, maintaining good bowel habits and softer stools should be your highest priority (see Treatment section).
If these preventive measures fail, you must take action right away! Hemorrhoids are one condition that can be mild in the morning and become intolerable by nightfall.

You must first find the cause of your hemorrhoids and stop it. Treating the hemorrhoids themselves is pointless if you keep re-creating them. Click here to review the causes listed in Basics. You should also read the Self Care Advisory section on Constipation, since it's probably the major cause of hemorrhoids.

Once you have eliminated factors causing your hemorrhoids, it's time to treat them. There are two treatment goals: first, take away the symptoms (burning, pain, itching) and second, shrink the hemorrhoids.

Sitz baths (soaking the rectal area in hot water, in a shallow bath) for 15-20 minutes, 3-4 times/day are a simple and effective treatment for both goals. (I have found that taking a shower with a hand held shower-head with the warmest water you can stand helps tremendously)
Pain medicine should be used for aching, but burning and itching respond best to surface-acting creams and suppositories found in the Recommended Products section.
To shrink your hemorrhoids back down to normal size, topical medications are again useful.
Cleanse the entire rectal area with warm water after each bowel movement, and use a bulk fiber laxative to soften stools. This helps eliminate straining with bowel movements.
Many people use bulk fiber supplements daily to prevent recurrences of hemorrhoids. But remember, bulk fiber may take several days to work. If you have existing hemorrhoids and hard stools are already present, you may want to use an immediate-acting stool softener and laxative to encourage elimination without straining and further aggravating your hemorrhoids.

SOME PRODUCTS THAT HELP
Preparation H topical cream (works well for me)
Aleve (naproxen sodium 220 mg). Use this quick acting anti-inflammatory for the aching discomfort of severe hemorrhoidal flare ups.
Anusol HC cream (hydrocortisone 1%). For swollen external hemorrhoids, brands containing hydrocortisone such as this one are effective at reducing the swelling, burning, and itching sensations.
Anusol HC suppositories (hydrocortisone 1%). These hydrocortisone suppositories should be used for internal swelling and discomfort.
Citrucel (methycellulose 2 grams/tbs.). Softening stools and treating constipation are crucial aspects of treating your hemorrhoids. Many find this brand of bulk fiber laxative to be less gritty than others, and it comes in both sugared and sugar-free versions.
Senokot, Senokot S (senna concentrate, various concentrations; docusate sodium 50 mg per tablet is the softener in Senokot S). The active ingredient senna is a bowel contraction stimulant. If you desire stool softening or lubrication along with the stimulant effect, Senakot S is the recommended combination.

Aggressive treatment using the above techniques should improve hemorrhoids within days, but they may need 2-4 weeks of treatment to completely calm down. If they have not resolved to your satisfaction in that time, consult a physician. Other medical problems such as inflammatory bowel disease or bowel infection can cause hemorrhoid-like symptoms. So if the problem does not clear up promptly with basic OTC treatment, see your doctor.

None of the OTC treatment methods listed above will be effective for thrombosed hemorrhoids (click here to review thrombosed hemorrhoids). These clotted hemorrhoids are always very hard, have a smooth black or purple surface, and feel like a growth coming from the anus. They are extremely painful, and a tiny incision made by a physician to remove the clot alleviates pain and bulging immediately. Don't delay seeing your doctor for a thrombosed hemorrhoid. Left alone, they take days or even weeks to go away.

Some new pics of Tomas & Linda

It's the end of the world

This reminds me of that rock song; It's the end of the world as we know it!
Guess what? Cassie and I have been getting up at six am every morning since we were married. We would make coffee we would each grab a yogurt sit in front of the TV and watch the channel three news. It is a wonderful time spent with all our favorite newscasters. We look forward to this quiet time everyday.
Today we went through our usual routine of preparing the coffee, waking the kids and then turning on channel three news. All of a sudden I hear an "AHHHHHHGH the TV is dead." "Oh no" I say. Then I try to change the channel and I discover that only three is dead. I cry "It's the end of the world as we know it!" Now the whole day is gone down the tubes and no good can come of it. Who can we turn to, who can we trust to deliver the news. And what about those cute baby pictures we've come to enjoy so much.
What will we do without the wise counsel of Ukee, Pat, and Lesley. How will we know what the weather will be unless we hear Carol's reports.
This has hit us hard, right to the very core of our being. Reluctantly I turn to channel six but it's just not the same....

A new addition to the family

Today Tomas and Linda moved in with us. Cassie and I decided to allow this because of the verbal abuse Linda was going through with her boyfriend and due to the changes and new decisions she is making in her life. Hopefully this will allow her to get her life in order and finish her education.
And besides all that Cassie and I get to spend more time with Little T!