checkup and play

I packed up the three kids and Anne into the car today.  Did I mention it's exhausting putting them into the car, and I may have negated all the safety features of our car and car seats as the seats are improperly fitted.  Tomris is in a forward facing five-point car seat, Tuana is in the middle in her small infant car seat secured only by a seat belt, and Teoman is in a high back booster seat.  I have to pull the seats out to click the seat belt and then wedge them back in.  Teoman and Tuana's car seats kind of overlap . . . Tolga has a solution to our problem: buy a seven-seater.  I'm not quite ready for a seven-seater that costs the same as a house, but I'm getting there ... fast.

We went to the hospital for myself and Tuana.  My doctor was checking my uterus to be sure it was clean.  After the birth I had lots of cramping and different pains.  She had put me on an antibiotic last week and a pill to contract my uterus more because blood was collecting and not draining.  My pains were now gone, but she did ultrasound to check and put me on the uterine contraction medicine again.

We went to the pediatrician for Tuana - her belly button was looking funky (and I have a picture that I won't post because it's gross).  It wasn't infected but I was putting antibiotic cream on it.  It had improved, but there was a piece that seemed to be a part of the umbilical cord but hadn't fallen off.  It was a nob on the belly button that was slowly retracting, but not drying up.  Our doctor sent us over to the pediatric surgeon to look at it.  He said it could be a a granuloma and referred me over to pediatric surgery.  He was a new doctor for me and offered to speak English.  He was the one who was trying to explain granuloma to me, and was having a very difficult time.  He said he would put some silver nitrate on it.
"Will it hurt."
"No," he said, "but it will burn."

Huh?

He rubbed the stuff on her bellybutton and she fussed a little, but it seemed more out of annoyance.  The bellybutton nub turned a bit gray and he showed me a red spot explaining that was a blood vessel which meant that it was part of the umbilical cord and would eventually retract or fall off.  I should just bring  her back in if it became bloody or pus coming out.

So hopefully, it will heal and heal soon.

After the hospital, we went to the mall right behind it.  It's so easy to get to, I just had to walk behind the hospital and I would be there... but I drove the car to the underground lot of the mall and brought the kids in the basement level.  The mall had recently put up a play area for kids - a free space with a climbing area, blocks, puzzles, stuff to draw, a stage for shows - its perfect for kids (and parents who want to shop).  I didn't go shopping, but nursed Tuana in a baby room while the kids played.  I had planned to sit and drink tea with Anne but between tending Tuana and helping Teoman or Tomris - there was no sitting and drinking tea.  But the kids had a little fun before we took them home for their naps.

When I'm reflecting on the day, I'm usually wishing I took more pictures.  Pictures of the hospital we have been at for once a month for the past five years.  Pictures of the doctors and nurses loving our children and spoiling them with crackers and lollipops and such.  There's my OBGYN, our pediatrician, our orthopedist - and other offices remember our kids too - pain management center woman, ears-nose-throat nurse  . . . we have spent too much time there.

But I am really really happy.  I'm nervous at how happy I am - it's like postpartum euphoria, if there's such a thing - Thank you God for our family and our health, keep us near.

I was very alert today!