Normally, if I post about Hubby here, it is a rant, or a simple post about his awesomeness, generally followed by a rant.
I realized something today, while doing some research for a project paper for school about Fat. (Yes, I am writing a brief med terminology paper about being fat). Hubby started dating me when I was roughly 160 pounds. Right about where I should be, according to the BMI, and a little less than I should be according to any reasonably sane, sighted person. Hubby has been with me when I wieghed more than 100 pounds over that (My highest recorded weight ever was during my last pregnancy, when I hit 270, roughly). He has supported me in my efforts to lose weight for my health, he has supported me when those efforts don't always work, almost always because I really, really like food, and frankly, I dislike most excersize. I am blessed to have a husband who seems o find me more attractive when I am heavy. He loves my curves, and makes no bones about it.
He supports me in school, in work, in being a stay at home mom. He is totally holding up his end of the implied sickness and health contract.
He may not be the greatest at cleaning, socializing with other people, or being as articulate as he can be. He is coarse, gruff, cantankerous, and has an off sense of humor. He is fiercely protective of me and the boys, so much so that some people assume he is controlling, when he isn't.
He is also an amazing father, a wonderful husband, and a good person. He is a nice guy, and I am admn lucky to have him.
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
April Fools blog
So, I had a choice today to right an april fool's post, a post aout my phobias, or a post about the worst hotel I have ever stayed at.
After deciding that I did not want to do an april fools post, and after deciding that I really did not want to relive the worst hotel, I am posting about phobias.
Clowns...don't like them. It was made worse by reading It in the bathtub as a teenager. It was made even worse when, 8 years ago, I am working in Downtown, during the time the circus was in town. While having a smoke on my lunch hour, a fully made up clown asked to bum one, then honked his nose at me. I am convinced they smell fear.
Things with too many legs. Can't really explain it.
Getting caught in a small, bendy, space, with occasional stepped opening that I could plummet to my death through. I know that this combines multiple phobias, but I have a recurring bad dream where, for some reason, I have to fit through a barely big enough space, that has a lot of acute turns in it, making it smaller, and then will have a 5 foot gap I have to cross, or I will plummet.
Being not right. I have always feared that there is something wrong with me. I don't mean that I have a feeling something isn't right, or even that I think something isn't right. Every now and then I will just be hit by a sudden fear that something is wrong. Maybe that something is mental, maybe physical, maybe both or neither. The feeling almost always goes away as quickly as it comes on.
Not having friends. This isn't a phobia, more of an irrational fear. I know I have friends, I cannot imagine life without them, sometimes, though, I think they are gone. They are not, it is just me.
Twilight places. Twilighty places scare the heck out of me, I don't know why.
After deciding that I did not want to do an april fools post, and after deciding that I really did not want to relive the worst hotel, I am posting about phobias.
Clowns...don't like them. It was made worse by reading It in the bathtub as a teenager. It was made even worse when, 8 years ago, I am working in Downtown, during the time the circus was in town. While having a smoke on my lunch hour, a fully made up clown asked to bum one, then honked his nose at me. I am convinced they smell fear.
Things with too many legs. Can't really explain it.
Getting caught in a small, bendy, space, with occasional stepped opening that I could plummet to my death through. I know that this combines multiple phobias, but I have a recurring bad dream where, for some reason, I have to fit through a barely big enough space, that has a lot of acute turns in it, making it smaller, and then will have a 5 foot gap I have to cross, or I will plummet.
Being not right. I have always feared that there is something wrong with me. I don't mean that I have a feeling something isn't right, or even that I think something isn't right. Every now and then I will just be hit by a sudden fear that something is wrong. Maybe that something is mental, maybe physical, maybe both or neither. The feeling almost always goes away as quickly as it comes on.
Not having friends. This isn't a phobia, more of an irrational fear. I know I have friends, I cannot imagine life without them, sometimes, though, I think they are gone. They are not, it is just me.
Twilight places. Twilighty places scare the heck out of me, I don't know why.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Meeeeee!
For the blog tour this week, I ended up deciding the topic. That topic is "What I love(like) about myself". I chose that to be the topic, because I think that women, in general, are too hard on themselves.
Now that I have made that statement, my totally self serving blog post begins now!
I love that I can laugh about anything. Often times I laugh at completely innapropriate things, which makes me laugh even more. Laughter is good for you.
I love my eyes. If you ever ask my what my best physical featuer is, I'll tell you my eyes, and I feel so blessed to see those eyes on THor.
I love that I can make things that make others feel warm and fuzzy. I knit and crochet, sew and quilt.
I really like the grown up I am becoming. I differentiate here between adult and grown up. I have been an adult since I turned 18. I only recently, even with having kids, started to grow up, and I like what I am seeing.
I like that I am someone people seem to be comfy talking to. I enjoy being able to help people, even if it's only by listening.
I really like that I can make my kids smile-nothing is better than that.
I love that I am not too old for cartoons.
That's about it for now. There is probably more, but I like the list I have.
Now that I have made that statement, my totally self serving blog post begins now!
I love that I can laugh about anything. Often times I laugh at completely innapropriate things, which makes me laugh even more. Laughter is good for you.
I love my eyes. If you ever ask my what my best physical featuer is, I'll tell you my eyes, and I feel so blessed to see those eyes on THor.
I love that I can make things that make others feel warm and fuzzy. I knit and crochet, sew and quilt.
I really like the grown up I am becoming. I differentiate here between adult and grown up. I have been an adult since I turned 18. I only recently, even with having kids, started to grow up, and I like what I am seeing.
I like that I am someone people seem to be comfy talking to. I enjoy being able to help people, even if it's only by listening.
I really like that I can make my kids smile-nothing is better than that.
I love that I am not too old for cartoons.
That's about it for now. There is probably more, but I like the list I have.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
stuff, and maybe even MORE stuff!
So, Hubby had an interview today for a much better job. He should be having is second and final interview within a week or so. Lets all keep fingers crossed.
I was supp-osed to have a phone interview today, but that had to be rescheduled, as the flu is going around that company's HR office. On the plus side, the HR director, and person in charge of all final hiring decisions, called me herself to apologize, and to reschedule, with her. Even though I am kind of nervous to be interviewing with her, I am very hopeful, as if she is taking th time to interview me herself, they want me. I would be doing customer service/billing support/data entry for a major company. I would be getting good pay, and I found out that there is a lot of opportunity for advancement, even with their part time employees. Once again, lets keep fingers crossed.
School- Yeah, I aced my rough draft assignment, and my last terminology paper. It's good to be smart, even if I don't always feel it.
Y'all will be seeing many more posting from me. On top of my weekly assignment from my blog-tour group (this weeks will be about why I love myself), I am also going to be doing a fiction blog-tour group. Many of the same people, just a chance to flex our fiction muscles.
Thor is still talking more, expecially if he an sing. We have to figure out a way to slow his speech down, as it will make him more easily understood.
Buddha is still talking more, too.
After my procedure, I will start potty training both of them. I am still working on Thor, we will just be a little more intensive. Buddha is showing many signs of readiness. How sweet would it be to have them both out of daipers soon?
Hermes is still rediculously smart. His conferences went well, and focused on that he is rediculously smart.
I still hurt. It's good to have pain meds, but it sucks at the same time. The meds that allow me to still finction don't take away all the pain, and the meds that take away the pain leave me unable to function, or even speak coherently.
I'm dealing, though.
I was supp-osed to have a phone interview today, but that had to be rescheduled, as the flu is going around that company's HR office. On the plus side, the HR director, and person in charge of all final hiring decisions, called me herself to apologize, and to reschedule, with her. Even though I am kind of nervous to be interviewing with her, I am very hopeful, as if she is taking th time to interview me herself, they want me. I would be doing customer service/billing support/data entry for a major company. I would be getting good pay, and I found out that there is a lot of opportunity for advancement, even with their part time employees. Once again, lets keep fingers crossed.
School- Yeah, I aced my rough draft assignment, and my last terminology paper. It's good to be smart, even if I don't always feel it.
Y'all will be seeing many more posting from me. On top of my weekly assignment from my blog-tour group (this weeks will be about why I love myself), I am also going to be doing a fiction blog-tour group. Many of the same people, just a chance to flex our fiction muscles.
Thor is still talking more, expecially if he an sing. We have to figure out a way to slow his speech down, as it will make him more easily understood.
Buddha is still talking more, too.
After my procedure, I will start potty training both of them. I am still working on Thor, we will just be a little more intensive. Buddha is showing many signs of readiness. How sweet would it be to have them both out of daipers soon?
Hermes is still rediculously smart. His conferences went well, and focused on that he is rediculously smart.
I still hurt. It's good to have pain meds, but it sucks at the same time. The meds that allow me to still finction don't take away all the pain, and the meds that take away the pain leave me unable to function, or even speak coherently.
I'm dealing, though.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Helping a firend deal with an impending loss
So roommate friend, also known as the Troll who lives under our stairs (which is even funnier, as the name carried over from when we had a basement) is dealing with some really heavy shit right now.
Troll's mom was diagnosed about a year ago with lung cancer. They underwent a few courses of treatment, they thought it was going away...thought.
The lung cancer was a alrge cell, a particularl agressive large cell, and it didn't go away. Once treatment was on hold, it came back, with a vengeance, and spread into her right lung, as well. About two weeks ago, she was informed that it was time to make the choice between quantity and quality. She could have more chemo, to prolong her time left, but she would be sick for a long time, or she could do nothing, manage the pain, and try and enjoy what, at the time, was looking to be 6 months to two years.
Last night, she started to have major problems breathing, and thought it may be a collapsed lung. She went into the ER, and they found pneumonia, under the tumor. She is on an oral antibiotic for the pneumonia, but it's looking grim. They cannot do any aggressive treatment for the pneumonia, as it could encourage the cancer to spread. They cannot do chemo at all, as it will weaken her immune system, and the infection in the pneumonia will spread.
Her specialist passed down word this morning that between the agressiveness of the cancer, the inability to operate, and the inability to effectively treat the pneumonia, she has anywhere between a few days, to maybe a month or so.
Troll is in his early-mid twenties. He has a younger sister, an older brother (who is being an ass) and a father with heart issues.
I don't know what. other than being a shoulder to cry on, I can do for him, but I am asking that any healing energies, prayers, good thoughts, etc.. be sent his way.
Thank you.
Troll's mom was diagnosed about a year ago with lung cancer. They underwent a few courses of treatment, they thought it was going away...thought.
The lung cancer was a alrge cell, a particularl agressive large cell, and it didn't go away. Once treatment was on hold, it came back, with a vengeance, and spread into her right lung, as well. About two weeks ago, she was informed that it was time to make the choice between quantity and quality. She could have more chemo, to prolong her time left, but she would be sick for a long time, or she could do nothing, manage the pain, and try and enjoy what, at the time, was looking to be 6 months to two years.
Last night, she started to have major problems breathing, and thought it may be a collapsed lung. She went into the ER, and they found pneumonia, under the tumor. She is on an oral antibiotic for the pneumonia, but it's looking grim. They cannot do any aggressive treatment for the pneumonia, as it could encourage the cancer to spread. They cannot do chemo at all, as it will weaken her immune system, and the infection in the pneumonia will spread.
Her specialist passed down word this morning that between the agressiveness of the cancer, the inability to operate, and the inability to effectively treat the pneumonia, she has anywhere between a few days, to maybe a month or so.
Troll is in his early-mid twenties. He has a younger sister, an older brother (who is being an ass) and a father with heart issues.
I don't know what. other than being a shoulder to cry on, I can do for him, but I am asking that any healing energies, prayers, good thoughts, etc.. be sent his way.
Thank you.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Odd vacation
So, the request has been made that, at semi regular intervals, I will post on any given topic. I know what this topic is, but you do not know until I tell you. Also, others will be writing about this topic, too. I bet if you check out my "Look! Sites I Read!" thingy, over there =====>> you may be able to read others views on the same topic. I will always let y'all know when I am writing about a topic that has been given to me, like I am now.
Strange or weird or odd vacations:
When I was living in Iowa, land of excitement (ok, not really), a group of us decided that we were going to go to AdventureLand for the day, and then camp for the rest of the weekend, somewhere. We decided this at about 6am, and we were heading out at about 6:30am, the same day.
It rained, all day. We never thought to check the weather. We never though to check who was packing what, either. Between a group of five of us, we had three sleeping bags, a few loose blankets, the clothes we grabbed before we left, and a tarp. No tent, no cook stove, nothing to cook with, nothing to do.
We ended up making it work, somehow. We hit a gas station and got some rope, so we could sling up the tarp. We made 'nests' out of the blankets, and luckilly, my mom taught me how to make awesome fires (Goddess of campfires..yeah, that's my mom, in human form-sometime I'll tell y'all about a ranger coming and telling her to make her fire smaller). We had to drive from our campsite into town every day for the three days we camped, in order to get food. We ate a lot of hotdogs, marshmallows, and chips that weekend. We also drank a lot of really warm soda.
We survived the weekend, and headed home, We stopped at a sit down restaurant to eat, halfway home, and realized that for 3 and a half days we had been out in the rain, the mud, sleeping outside, with no shower, perfume, deoderant, not even washing our faces. Denny's manager, we are eternally sorry.
Strange or weird or odd vacations:
When I was living in Iowa, land of excitement (ok, not really), a group of us decided that we were going to go to AdventureLand for the day, and then camp for the rest of the weekend, somewhere. We decided this at about 6am, and we were heading out at about 6:30am, the same day.
It rained, all day. We never thought to check the weather. We never though to check who was packing what, either. Between a group of five of us, we had three sleeping bags, a few loose blankets, the clothes we grabbed before we left, and a tarp. No tent, no cook stove, nothing to cook with, nothing to do.
We ended up making it work, somehow. We hit a gas station and got some rope, so we could sling up the tarp. We made 'nests' out of the blankets, and luckilly, my mom taught me how to make awesome fires (Goddess of campfires..yeah, that's my mom, in human form-sometime I'll tell y'all about a ranger coming and telling her to make her fire smaller). We had to drive from our campsite into town every day for the three days we camped, in order to get food. We ate a lot of hotdogs, marshmallows, and chips that weekend. We also drank a lot of really warm soda.
We survived the weekend, and headed home, We stopped at a sit down restaurant to eat, halfway home, and realized that for 3 and a half days we had been out in the rain, the mud, sleeping outside, with no shower, perfume, deoderant, not even washing our faces. Denny's manager, we are eternally sorry.
Why enunciation is important
Hermes, as you all know by now, is a very smart child. He is also a very curious child. He also does not speak quite as clearly as he should, nor as clearly as he is able to. I think this comes back to the whole "being smart enough to know to hide it around people who will inevitably freak out over how smart he is" thing.
Anyways, we have learned over the past few weeks a few valuable lessons. One is the importance of monitoring what your almost 6 and three quarters year old child is watching in his bedroom. We knew he was watching cartoons, and educational television. What surprised the heck out of us was that he was watching adult things...things like the news, and more news, and political shows, and unbiased news! Damn, I wasn't ready for that. We also learned the importance of making sure we understood what he was saying before making sure he understood. Let me explain- Hermes will mimic things he hears adults, and other people he cinsiders smart, say. He will also quote, verbatim, passages from books, television, movies, and commercials, if he thinks that it will work in a conversation. He will ask if he knows he doesn't know what it means, but if he thinks he knows, he will not ask. Since he doesn't always speak clearly, this leads to some interesting conversaitons.
I believe I posted previously about the whorehouse. If not, I will give a brief recap of the conversation that, in the five minutes it occured, redced me to tears as I was laughing so hard once I understood what he was asking. What he said: Mom, what's a warhorse? What I thought I heard-Mom, what's a ho'house? What I assumed I heard-Mom, what's a warehouse.
You can imagine the hilarity that accured when I thought he said whorehouse, and was trying to figure out where in the heck he heard that word. Imagine my surprise when he said at school! A school that has no students above the fourth grade!!!
Thankfully, he and I figured out what he was saying before the conversation got too heated.
Yesterday, though, while I was on painkillers at that, he sprung another one on me. "Mom, why is it, that if I need to talk about something I need to know whether or not it is impotent."
IMPOTENT people, my baby asked about impotency when he isn't even old enough to have to deal with being potent, let alone impotent! I asked him to repeat himself a few more times, and then I realized that he was asking about something being important! Ohhhhh!
The benifit of having a smart and very vocal child, is that you have a smart, vocal child. The downside is that you have a smart, vocal, child. I never know what's going to come out of his mouth, and I never know if what's coming out of his mouth is what's in his brain.
In related news, Thor has taken to saying nipple and boob. It started a few weeks ago when he spent about five minutes singing the word nipple, over and over and over. I was certain that I had to be hearing wrong, so aside from giggling at the three year old angelic voice saying nipple, I let it slide.
The other day, we got the sone of nipple, nipple, nipple,(whispered oh so quietly) boob, nipple, followed by a fit of giggles. I don't know if he even knows what nipples and boobs are, but at least he talking, right? Right?
Anyways, we have learned over the past few weeks a few valuable lessons. One is the importance of monitoring what your almost 6 and three quarters year old child is watching in his bedroom. We knew he was watching cartoons, and educational television. What surprised the heck out of us was that he was watching adult things...things like the news, and more news, and political shows, and unbiased news! Damn, I wasn't ready for that. We also learned the importance of making sure we understood what he was saying before making sure he understood. Let me explain- Hermes will mimic things he hears adults, and other people he cinsiders smart, say. He will also quote, verbatim, passages from books, television, movies, and commercials, if he thinks that it will work in a conversation. He will ask if he knows he doesn't know what it means, but if he thinks he knows, he will not ask. Since he doesn't always speak clearly, this leads to some interesting conversaitons.
I believe I posted previously about the whorehouse. If not, I will give a brief recap of the conversation that, in the five minutes it occured, redced me to tears as I was laughing so hard once I understood what he was asking. What he said: Mom, what's a warhorse? What I thought I heard-Mom, what's a ho'house? What I assumed I heard-Mom, what's a warehouse.
You can imagine the hilarity that accured when I thought he said whorehouse, and was trying to figure out where in the heck he heard that word. Imagine my surprise when he said at school! A school that has no students above the fourth grade!!!
Thankfully, he and I figured out what he was saying before the conversation got too heated.
Yesterday, though, while I was on painkillers at that, he sprung another one on me. "Mom, why is it, that if I need to talk about something I need to know whether or not it is impotent."
IMPOTENT people, my baby asked about impotency when he isn't even old enough to have to deal with being potent, let alone impotent! I asked him to repeat himself a few more times, and then I realized that he was asking about something being important! Ohhhhh!
The benifit of having a smart and very vocal child, is that you have a smart, vocal child. The downside is that you have a smart, vocal, child. I never know what's going to come out of his mouth, and I never know if what's coming out of his mouth is what's in his brain.
In related news, Thor has taken to saying nipple and boob. It started a few weeks ago when he spent about five minutes singing the word nipple, over and over and over. I was certain that I had to be hearing wrong, so aside from giggling at the three year old angelic voice saying nipple, I let it slide.
The other day, we got the sone of nipple, nipple, nipple,(whispered oh so quietly) boob, nipple, followed by a fit of giggles. I don't know if he even knows what nipples and boobs are, but at least he talking, right? Right?
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
my arguement against inteligent design theory, and a personal update
I have formulated an arguement against inteligent desing. this has nothing to do with fossils, proofs of evolution, or science. This has to do with manufacturer's warrantees.
Seriously, folks, if we were designed by an all knowing, inteligent creator, don't you think they would have tossed in a warrenty? Just a stamp or a peice of paper that we could turn in and have defective parts replaced, free of cost, at any time, or at least during that parts standard operating timeline? Seems like the inteligent thing to me.
So I had my Drs appointment on Monday. On April 10, I go on for a hysteroscopy, a resectoscopy, and a d&c. Hopefully, after getting a better look at what's going on in my uterus, removing the polyp, scraping it out so they can biopsy the fibroids, and getting a good look at the mass that's growing at the top, my body will reset itself, with the help of an oral, triphasic birthcontrol, or the Drs will figure out what is going on so we can fix it. If neither of these things happen, I am looking at a hysterectomy. If the fibroids or the polyp or the mystery mass end up being anything other than benign, I am looking at a historectomy, or ifthere is damage done to the uterine wall, I am...well, you get the gist.
I have at least one polyp, at least two or three definate firbroids, and a mass at the top cavity of the uterus. The fibroids are groing in an odd location (in between the uterine wall and the endometrium), and the appear to be growing rapidly.
I have a lot to wrap my head around right now, but I am working on it, and I have an excellent support system
On the totally geeky side, though, if I do have to have the uterus removed, it will be done by ROBOT!! My clinic owns their own DaVinci surgical robot.
On the plus side to all of this, my ovaries look beautiful, so know matter what, I should be able to keep them.
Seriously, folks, if we were designed by an all knowing, inteligent creator, don't you think they would have tossed in a warrenty? Just a stamp or a peice of paper that we could turn in and have defective parts replaced, free of cost, at any time, or at least during that parts standard operating timeline? Seems like the inteligent thing to me.
So I had my Drs appointment on Monday. On April 10, I go on for a hysteroscopy, a resectoscopy, and a d&c. Hopefully, after getting a better look at what's going on in my uterus, removing the polyp, scraping it out so they can biopsy the fibroids, and getting a good look at the mass that's growing at the top, my body will reset itself, with the help of an oral, triphasic birthcontrol, or the Drs will figure out what is going on so we can fix it. If neither of these things happen, I am looking at a hysterectomy. If the fibroids or the polyp or the mystery mass end up being anything other than benign, I am looking at a historectomy, or ifthere is damage done to the uterine wall, I am...well, you get the gist.
I have at least one polyp, at least two or three definate firbroids, and a mass at the top cavity of the uterus. The fibroids are groing in an odd location (in between the uterine wall and the endometrium), and the appear to be growing rapidly.
I have a lot to wrap my head around right now, but I am working on it, and I have an excellent support system
On the totally geeky side, though, if I do have to have the uterus removed, it will be done by ROBOT!! My clinic owns their own DaVinci surgical robot.
On the plus side to all of this, my ovaries look beautiful, so know matter what, I should be able to keep them.
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
been a long time since I've rock and rolled
So I haven't updated for a while. It happens, sometimes real life gets in th way.
Totally TMI woman issue warning, men, avert your eyes, I warned you!!!!!!
So I have fallen, once again, into the incredibly irragular period cycle again. It's who whole nasty shebang this time.
After years of being brushed off, being told there is nohing wrong with me, and lord only knows what else, I finally have an appointment with a Dr who is going to try and help. It will be with a male,, wich is odd, as even though all of my babies were delivered by men, I gnerally prefere a female doctor for female issues. I do not mind, though, as apparently this guy is the House of MN odd gunecology issues. Quote one of the women on his team, there may not be anythin wrong with me, but there definately isn't anythign right, and they are going to figure it out.
11:15 on St patty's day, I get to have the first appointment and start figuring out what is going on. I am thrilled, a little aprehensive, but thrilled. Maybe, just maybe, i can get to a point where I only menstruate regular amounts at regular intervals with the regular discomfort, instead of bleeding almost constantly for weeks on end, with huge amounts of pain, only to be told nothing is wrong.
Finally, I may have an answer.
Totally TMI woman issue warning, men, avert your eyes, I warned you!!!!!!
So I have fallen, once again, into the incredibly irragular period cycle again. It's who whole nasty shebang this time.
After years of being brushed off, being told there is nohing wrong with me, and lord only knows what else, I finally have an appointment with a Dr who is going to try and help. It will be with a male,, wich is odd, as even though all of my babies were delivered by men, I gnerally prefere a female doctor for female issues. I do not mind, though, as apparently this guy is the House of MN odd gunecology issues. Quote one of the women on his team, there may not be anythin wrong with me, but there definately isn't anythign right, and they are going to figure it out.
11:15 on St patty's day, I get to have the first appointment and start figuring out what is going on. I am thrilled, a little aprehensive, but thrilled. Maybe, just maybe, i can get to a point where I only menstruate regular amounts at regular intervals with the regular discomfort, instead of bleeding almost constantly for weeks on end, with huge amounts of pain, only to be told nothing is wrong.
Finally, I may have an answer.
Saturday, February 02, 2008
hot
Thor and Buddha are feverish. they are both running about a 102 right now. They have had colds, and been generally icky for the last few days, but the fever, and Buddha's being lethargic came from no where at about dinner time.
We couldn't find our thermometer at all, so I had to drive up to the local store and buy one. Three guys, big burly, scary looking, guys saw what I had to purchase, and let me go in front of them. As I was leaving, one mentioned that sick babies had priority over babies who just needed daipers and jiuce. Never judge a book and all that.
In about an hour, I'll go and check them again. By then, if not asleep, they will be more relaxed, and the tylonal will have had a chance to work.
I hate it when any of my babies are sick, but two at once sucks.
We couldn't find our thermometer at all, so I had to drive up to the local store and buy one. Three guys, big burly, scary looking, guys saw what I had to purchase, and let me go in front of them. As I was leaving, one mentioned that sick babies had priority over babies who just needed daipers and jiuce. Never judge a book and all that.
In about an hour, I'll go and check them again. By then, if not asleep, they will be more relaxed, and the tylonal will have had a chance to work.
I hate it when any of my babies are sick, but two at once sucks.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
mental health, it's a good thing!
You know, as I get older, and have more on my plate, I really think that therapy is a good thing.
I have long felt that, though a useful and good tool for others, it just wasn't for me. I had nothing wrong, really! I also sometimes think that my general opinion of meds for everyone but me might be flawed.
I seem to suffer from superwoman syndrome. No matter how much I do in a day, or how well I do it, it's never enough for me. I often times take an "all or nothing" approach to things becasue of this, which ultimately results in nothing getting done. That's not good.
Yesterday, Hubby and Roomie cleaned the livingroom. Cleaned. Moved all the furniture out of the room and scrubbed, clean. I in turn, spent the first half of the day driving MIL to all of her doctor's appointments for her six week post op followup. She is doing fabulous. I then tackled the kitchen. It isn't CLEAN yet, but the dishes are done, the stove and counters have been scrubbed. I also got to thaw the pipes and drain for the shower, and clean that room, since it's been out of commision since saturday.
I kept telling myself that the dining/computer room and the bedroom needed to be clean. They weren't, the kitchen should have been more clean. The case in the living room was organized, but not clean. Hubby eventually forced me to sit down when I grabbed Roomie's empty dinner plate, from his hands in order to wash it. He was finished, and on his way to the kitchen sink, but not moving fast enough.
I am very pleased with how I did this term in school, of my two classes, I finished one with an overall 95.10 percent, and the other, harder class, with a 96.67 percent. I know that this is good, I know I should be happy, I am also beeting myself up for not doing better. I know I could have done better. Yes, they are A grades, but the could have been better A's!
I know I need to get these things under control, no matter what.
Add to this the funkiness I get a few times a year that I can only attribute to my Dad nad his families shittiness. Add to this something of a family history of mental health issues, add to this not sleeping well, being tired, beating myself up inside for not doing more, then not just doing something, etc.etc.etc. and maybe it's time I did something about it.
I realized that therapy scaresme. Talking to someone else about my issues, out loud, makes them real. I always try to be the strong one. I try to be the stable one, and admitting that I am not scares me. Hearing that I moght not be "all right" scares me.
Hubby and I have talked. he supports my decision to do this, and is actually encouraging me. He has sensed that things have not been %100 good with me for a while, and is glad that I started talking to him about it some, but he also knows that there are things from my past that I just don't feel like discussing with him, frankly. He is fine with that as well. After we get our tax returns, and I have an idea of how many hours a week I will be doing at my work from home job (I am retraining on my infomercial operator line), I will budget my mental health copays in, and make an appointment.
In some ways it sucks that I have to budget mental health, but then again, it's par with the course.
I have long felt that, though a useful and good tool for others, it just wasn't for me. I had nothing wrong, really! I also sometimes think that my general opinion of meds for everyone but me might be flawed.
I seem to suffer from superwoman syndrome. No matter how much I do in a day, or how well I do it, it's never enough for me. I often times take an "all or nothing" approach to things becasue of this, which ultimately results in nothing getting done. That's not good.
Yesterday, Hubby and Roomie cleaned the livingroom. Cleaned. Moved all the furniture out of the room and scrubbed, clean. I in turn, spent the first half of the day driving MIL to all of her doctor's appointments for her six week post op followup. She is doing fabulous. I then tackled the kitchen. It isn't CLEAN yet, but the dishes are done, the stove and counters have been scrubbed. I also got to thaw the pipes and drain for the shower, and clean that room, since it's been out of commision since saturday.
I kept telling myself that the dining/computer room and the bedroom needed to be clean. They weren't, the kitchen should have been more clean. The case in the living room was organized, but not clean. Hubby eventually forced me to sit down when I grabbed Roomie's empty dinner plate, from his hands in order to wash it. He was finished, and on his way to the kitchen sink, but not moving fast enough.
I am very pleased with how I did this term in school, of my two classes, I finished one with an overall 95.10 percent, and the other, harder class, with a 96.67 percent. I know that this is good, I know I should be happy, I am also beeting myself up for not doing better. I know I could have done better. Yes, they are A grades, but the could have been better A's!
I know I need to get these things under control, no matter what.
Add to this the funkiness I get a few times a year that I can only attribute to my Dad nad his families shittiness. Add to this something of a family history of mental health issues, add to this not sleeping well, being tired, beating myself up inside for not doing more, then not just doing something, etc.etc.etc. and maybe it's time I did something about it.
I realized that therapy scaresme. Talking to someone else about my issues, out loud, makes them real. I always try to be the strong one. I try to be the stable one, and admitting that I am not scares me. Hearing that I moght not be "all right" scares me.
Hubby and I have talked. he supports my decision to do this, and is actually encouraging me. He has sensed that things have not been %100 good with me for a while, and is glad that I started talking to him about it some, but he also knows that there are things from my past that I just don't feel like discussing with him, frankly. He is fine with that as well. After we get our tax returns, and I have an idea of how many hours a week I will be doing at my work from home job (I am retraining on my infomercial operator line), I will budget my mental health copays in, and make an appointment.
In some ways it sucks that I have to budget mental health, but then again, it's par with the course.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
rememberance, part 1
Just over 13 years ago, two brothers set fir to a duplex in Minneapolis, in the middle of the night. The resulting fire had flames shooting over three stories above the two-level home's roof. In the upstairs, was the home's owner, a friend of my dad's family, a bachelor, and his two dogs. In the basement, was pictures and memorabilia of my dad's family's life. In the main level, my aunt, and my grandma, and memories and relics from my grandfather, like his flag encased in a frame, with five bullets-a memory of his time in the service.
My Aunt had just gone into her room, at the back of the house, after making toast. My grandma had been in her room, in the center of the hosue, for a few hours, and was sound asleep. The fire was set at the front corner. The house was old, with wooden siding, wooden floors, a wooden framed front porch. the front porch had an old couch, an old wicker chair, and lamps, with old papaer and cloth shades. The other side of the front porch had piles of newspaper, ready to be brought to recycling the next day.
The fire spread quicvkly, for even though it was the winter, it had been very cold that year, and there wasn't much snow to act as a damper. My aunt recalls hearing a crackling noise, and smelling burnt toast. When she left her room, and entered the kitchen, the house was full of smoke. She panicked, she thought that the toaster had shorted, and set the house on fire. The house was on fire, but not due to the toaster, no, it was started by two people who had never met anyone who lived in the home.
My aunt was not able to get to my grandma. Someone outside the home saw the flames, and dialed 911. Emergency vehicles were on their way.
The man who lived upstairs was not home that night. His dogs, however, perished in the fire. They believe the smoke got to them before the flames. My aunt, sitting in a bus that arrived to offer shelter, had very bad frost bite on her toes.
The firefighters were able to enter the home, and get out my grandma. She was very badly burned. It was found at the hospital that she had third through fifth degree burns over 85% of her body. In some places, the burning was so bad, you could see charred bone. She was unconcious, at the time, they didn't know if it was from shock, or smoke inhalation. They were grateful for her unconciousness, however, and administered drigs in the way to the hospital to keep her that way. My aunt still though that the fire was caused by her making toast.
By the times the flames were put out, there was really nothing left. Because it was so cold, some of the items in the basement, like the pictures, were encased in ice from the hoses. There was water damage, and some are gone forever, but some still exist. The pictures of my grandfather, of my uncle who passed before I was born, and of my great gramma were all on the main level, and are gone forever.
At the hospital, my aunt found out that the fire was not her fault, that it was arson.
At the hospital, we found out that gramma had severe brain damage. That even if she survived the treatments for the burns, she would probably never function again, and if she did, she would be in constant pain, in a wheelchair, more than likely unable to communicate. Ultimately, the request to stop treatment, and to not allow lifesaving measures was made. We know she wouldn't want to live this way.
Thirteen years ago, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, she was buried, in a closed coffin ceremony. I had never personally seen a funeral so large before. Everyone whose life she touched was there. MY mom, my aunt, her sister, and my maternal gramma were even there. At this point, my mom had been divorced from my dad for 14 years.
My aunt needed years of therapy. She needed to learn that it was not her fault. She needed to learn how to live on her own. It took almost 8 years before she could make toast, or smell burnt toast, without becoming physically ill.
Shortly after Hermes was born, the brothers who seet the fires finally had their day in court. It took six and a half years for the system to provide any sort of justice. It was found out that they had set fires before, It was found out that the older brother, shortly before burning my grandma's home, had set fire to the trailer where his ex girlfriend and toddler daughter lived. They were charged with the federal offense of arson in the first, and premeditated homicide. They argued that they didn't know anyone was in the home, but legally, if you set fire to a residence, it is believed that the assumption it is occupied is present.
withen the year following, well the six months following, the fire, is when I first lost contact with my dad. I do not know if it was truly a series of miscommunications, if it was the Step-mom's influence, or if losing his mom finally caused him to flake completely.
A month and a half after burying my paternam grandmother, my maternal gramma died in her sleep.
Every now and then, especially around this time of year, it still hurts. I still miss my paternal grandma deeply. I have no way of knowing what her lifespan shuld have been. I have no way of knowing if she would have lived to see her first biological grandsons, or what she would have thought of them.
I still miss her. I still love her. Occasionally, I drive past where the house was. It's a parking lot, now. Much of the old neighborhood has changed, but there are still some people, who if they see me, when I get out of the van, can peg me as being her granddaughter. They all make a point oftelling me how much she loved me, how proud sahe was of everything I did, and that she always knew I would grow up to do great things.
I wonder, if she is looking over me, sometimes. If she sees how smart her grandson's are. If she is disappointed in her son, for letting me go. If she knows that I crochet and knit, like she did, or if she knows that I can make her ham gravy, and goulash. Would she be proud?
My Aunt had just gone into her room, at the back of the house, after making toast. My grandma had been in her room, in the center of the hosue, for a few hours, and was sound asleep. The fire was set at the front corner. The house was old, with wooden siding, wooden floors, a wooden framed front porch. the front porch had an old couch, an old wicker chair, and lamps, with old papaer and cloth shades. The other side of the front porch had piles of newspaper, ready to be brought to recycling the next day.
The fire spread quicvkly, for even though it was the winter, it had been very cold that year, and there wasn't much snow to act as a damper. My aunt recalls hearing a crackling noise, and smelling burnt toast. When she left her room, and entered the kitchen, the house was full of smoke. She panicked, she thought that the toaster had shorted, and set the house on fire. The house was on fire, but not due to the toaster, no, it was started by two people who had never met anyone who lived in the home.
My aunt was not able to get to my grandma. Someone outside the home saw the flames, and dialed 911. Emergency vehicles were on their way.
The man who lived upstairs was not home that night. His dogs, however, perished in the fire. They believe the smoke got to them before the flames. My aunt, sitting in a bus that arrived to offer shelter, had very bad frost bite on her toes.
The firefighters were able to enter the home, and get out my grandma. She was very badly burned. It was found at the hospital that she had third through fifth degree burns over 85% of her body. In some places, the burning was so bad, you could see charred bone. She was unconcious, at the time, they didn't know if it was from shock, or smoke inhalation. They were grateful for her unconciousness, however, and administered drigs in the way to the hospital to keep her that way. My aunt still though that the fire was caused by her making toast.
By the times the flames were put out, there was really nothing left. Because it was so cold, some of the items in the basement, like the pictures, were encased in ice from the hoses. There was water damage, and some are gone forever, but some still exist. The pictures of my grandfather, of my uncle who passed before I was born, and of my great gramma were all on the main level, and are gone forever.
At the hospital, my aunt found out that the fire was not her fault, that it was arson.
At the hospital, we found out that gramma had severe brain damage. That even if she survived the treatments for the burns, she would probably never function again, and if she did, she would be in constant pain, in a wheelchair, more than likely unable to communicate. Ultimately, the request to stop treatment, and to not allow lifesaving measures was made. We know she wouldn't want to live this way.
Thirteen years ago, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, she was buried, in a closed coffin ceremony. I had never personally seen a funeral so large before. Everyone whose life she touched was there. MY mom, my aunt, her sister, and my maternal gramma were even there. At this point, my mom had been divorced from my dad for 14 years.
My aunt needed years of therapy. She needed to learn that it was not her fault. She needed to learn how to live on her own. It took almost 8 years before she could make toast, or smell burnt toast, without becoming physically ill.
Shortly after Hermes was born, the brothers who seet the fires finally had their day in court. It took six and a half years for the system to provide any sort of justice. It was found out that they had set fires before, It was found out that the older brother, shortly before burning my grandma's home, had set fire to the trailer where his ex girlfriend and toddler daughter lived. They were charged with the federal offense of arson in the first, and premeditated homicide. They argued that they didn't know anyone was in the home, but legally, if you set fire to a residence, it is believed that the assumption it is occupied is present.
withen the year following, well the six months following, the fire, is when I first lost contact with my dad. I do not know if it was truly a series of miscommunications, if it was the Step-mom's influence, or if losing his mom finally caused him to flake completely.
A month and a half after burying my paternam grandmother, my maternal gramma died in her sleep.
Every now and then, especially around this time of year, it still hurts. I still miss my paternal grandma deeply. I have no way of knowing what her lifespan shuld have been. I have no way of knowing if she would have lived to see her first biological grandsons, or what she would have thought of them.
I still miss her. I still love her. Occasionally, I drive past where the house was. It's a parking lot, now. Much of the old neighborhood has changed, but there are still some people, who if they see me, when I get out of the van, can peg me as being her granddaughter. They all make a point oftelling me how much she loved me, how proud sahe was of everything I did, and that she always knew I would grow up to do great things.
I wonder, if she is looking over me, sometimes. If she sees how smart her grandson's are. If she is disappointed in her son, for letting me go. If she knows that I crochet and knit, like she did, or if she knows that I can make her ham gravy, and goulash. Would she be proud?
Friday, January 11, 2008
Hey Folks!
Greetings to my loyal readership, of which I could count on my fingers!
Seriously, I had my first weigh in after starting my Jenny Craig program, and I lost 5 pounds!! GRanted, it's my first week, and I will see a larger drop the first few weeks, most of which is water weight, but still, 5 pounds...80 ounces. Next time you are at the grocery store, pick up a 5 pound bag of fruit...I lost that.
Thor is starting to talk more, and mroe clearly, every day. Somehow, after we got his routine set again after christmas, it got all wonky on us. We are working on dealing with it, but it's really tough on me. Hubby has been home sick most of the week, thankfully he has sick time, and Thor and Buddha seem to have picked up his cold, which is going to make the whoe getting back to normal thing that much harder.
What is totally awesome, though, is that Thor is realizing that if he wants something, and asks for it by name, he is mroe likely to get it. It's awesome. At lunch I'll get "Momma, more ap-ploo Juicy-Juice...puh-le-ase? Yeas?"
When he is having his "quiet time" in his room I'll get "Momma, Iceh Age Mo-Veeee, puh-le-ase?Yeas?"
What is really cracking Hubby and I up is his tendancy to ask "Yes?" immediately after asking for something. It's like, in his mind, if hesays yes immediately after asking, we will say yes.
On the down side, with more talking and active communication, he is starting in with "No!" Not the drawn out no of the past, that could mean any number of things fron no, to yes, to oh, look, there's a butterfly on the window, but an actual, sharp, childlike 'no!'. Take the good with the bad.
Buddha, well, he's a little pick pocket. He can take something from you, while you are looking dead at him ,and you don't even realize. He is talking much more now. Apparently, he was one of those kids who waited till he could break out the full sentances. Apparently, he is also a teenage girl. The bulk of what he says currently is "I don't know", "I'm cute, yeah?", "I want it", and, my personal favorite, even though I try not to show it "Oh Shit! What was that!"
He also loves to make people laugh, and if you walk up to him and say "Buddha, monkey?" He will do an AWESOME monkey impersonation. He can also count to three, tell you who and what things are, and in general, is pretty much where he should bne for a kid who's 21 months old.
Hermes...Hermes, Hermes, Hermes, Hermes. He is smart. This is causing some issues. When he gets bored in school, because he already knows what their doing, and he finished his work, he talks. When I picked him up last night, after King Fu, I had a few mnutes to talk with his school director, think principal. She let me know that they've had a few problems with his talking this week,. They understand it's because he's, and I quote, "Much smarter than most kids his age, if not in the school", but she also let me know that his teacher is very smart as well, which is why Hermes is in her class. They are going to work more on coming up with things for him to do, and I am working with him more and the importance of not talking out of turn. I explained to him that when he is talking when he isn't supposed to, it makes it harder for other kids to learn. He doesn't want that, so he will work on it. We are also practicing being quiet when there is nothing to do at home. As long as he has something to work on, he is good, but it's getting hard to find busy work for him at school. They really don't want to have him skip a grade, yet, as he still needs to work on socialization, and he's already the youngest in his class (june birthday) and the shortest in his class...heck, alot of the kindergarten kids are bigger than he is.
His Kung Fu instructor let me know last night that Hermes is the smallest and youngest in his particular group, and that Hermes could take down any one of them. The kid is strong, and actually has really good control. Hubby and I are thinking that, come spring, we will start working on budgeting in the money to keep Hermes in Kung Fu over the summer, and maybe add a class outside of school during the school year. We do not want to overload him, but he enjoys it, and it is something we can use to help him behave. If he doesn't behave, no Kung Fu that week, outside of school.
Seriously, I had my first weigh in after starting my Jenny Craig program, and I lost 5 pounds!! GRanted, it's my first week, and I will see a larger drop the first few weeks, most of which is water weight, but still, 5 pounds...80 ounces. Next time you are at the grocery store, pick up a 5 pound bag of fruit...I lost that.
Thor is starting to talk more, and mroe clearly, every day. Somehow, after we got his routine set again after christmas, it got all wonky on us. We are working on dealing with it, but it's really tough on me. Hubby has been home sick most of the week, thankfully he has sick time, and Thor and Buddha seem to have picked up his cold, which is going to make the whoe getting back to normal thing that much harder.
What is totally awesome, though, is that Thor is realizing that if he wants something, and asks for it by name, he is mroe likely to get it. It's awesome. At lunch I'll get "Momma, more ap-ploo Juicy-Juice...puh-le-ase? Yeas?"
When he is having his "quiet time" in his room I'll get "Momma, Iceh Age Mo-Veeee, puh-le-ase?Yeas?"
What is really cracking Hubby and I up is his tendancy to ask "Yes?" immediately after asking for something. It's like, in his mind, if hesays yes immediately after asking, we will say yes.
On the down side, with more talking and active communication, he is starting in with "No!" Not the drawn out no of the past, that could mean any number of things fron no, to yes, to oh, look, there's a butterfly on the window, but an actual, sharp, childlike 'no!'. Take the good with the bad.
Buddha, well, he's a little pick pocket. He can take something from you, while you are looking dead at him ,and you don't even realize. He is talking much more now. Apparently, he was one of those kids who waited till he could break out the full sentances. Apparently, he is also a teenage girl. The bulk of what he says currently is "I don't know", "I'm cute, yeah?", "I want it", and, my personal favorite, even though I try not to show it "Oh Shit! What was that!"
He also loves to make people laugh, and if you walk up to him and say "Buddha, monkey?" He will do an AWESOME monkey impersonation. He can also count to three, tell you who and what things are, and in general, is pretty much where he should bne for a kid who's 21 months old.
Hermes...Hermes, Hermes, Hermes, Hermes. He is smart. This is causing some issues. When he gets bored in school, because he already knows what their doing, and he finished his work, he talks. When I picked him up last night, after King Fu, I had a few mnutes to talk with his school director, think principal. She let me know that they've had a few problems with his talking this week,. They understand it's because he's, and I quote, "Much smarter than most kids his age, if not in the school", but she also let me know that his teacher is very smart as well, which is why Hermes is in her class. They are going to work more on coming up with things for him to do, and I am working with him more and the importance of not talking out of turn. I explained to him that when he is talking when he isn't supposed to, it makes it harder for other kids to learn. He doesn't want that, so he will work on it. We are also practicing being quiet when there is nothing to do at home. As long as he has something to work on, he is good, but it's getting hard to find busy work for him at school. They really don't want to have him skip a grade, yet, as he still needs to work on socialization, and he's already the youngest in his class (june birthday) and the shortest in his class...heck, alot of the kindergarten kids are bigger than he is.
His Kung Fu instructor let me know last night that Hermes is the smallest and youngest in his particular group, and that Hermes could take down any one of them. The kid is strong, and actually has really good control. Hubby and I are thinking that, come spring, we will start working on budgeting in the money to keep Hermes in Kung Fu over the summer, and maybe add a class outside of school during the school year. We do not want to overload him, but he enjoys it, and it is something we can use to help him behave. If he doesn't behave, no Kung Fu that week, outside of school.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Happy new years, and all that
First, a very happy new years to my massive readership...my counts place you at maybe just into the double digits, w00t!!!
Tonight I have my first appointment with my Jenny Craig advisor, Melissa. We will not only weigh me, but get my body fat percentage (boo), discuss my weightloss goals, and get my menu for the first week or two. I am really excited about this. I was talking with a friend who is also in the weightloss study, and is in the Jenny Criag over the phone group, and after talking with her advisor, going over the amount of weight she has to lose (which is in the ballpark of mine) and everything else, she found out that it is possible to be at our goal weight come christmas next year. It would be amazing to be back where I belong for the major picture taking holiday of the year!
Tonight I have my first appointment with my Jenny Craig advisor, Melissa. We will not only weigh me, but get my body fat percentage (boo), discuss my weightloss goals, and get my menu for the first week or two. I am really excited about this. I was talking with a friend who is also in the weightloss study, and is in the Jenny Criag over the phone group, and after talking with her advisor, going over the amount of weight she has to lose (which is in the ballpark of mine) and everything else, she found out that it is possible to be at our goal weight come christmas next year. It would be amazing to be back where I belong for the major picture taking holiday of the year!
Thursday, December 20, 2007
This is me, doing a happy dance.
I started the process a little ways back of trying to qualify for a weightloss study. It is a really unique study, as it is a clinical, university sponsored study, but it is being backed by Jenny Craig. The studdy will unltimately involve 440 women over 4 states, some using Jenny, some with a nutritionist.
I just got the call letting me know that I am in!!!
I am so excited.
I will be in the group that does Jenny Craig with an actual advisor, in person, instead of over the phone.
TWO FREE YEARS of Jenny Craig for doing this study.
YAY!!!!!
Wish my luck. I will have a clinical every 6 months at the U, and I am going to have Hubby take some baseline before pics for me tonight, then I will have them done after every clinical. The pics are just fo my use, but I'm a very visual person, so for me, will better represent my change over pounds on the scale.
WOOT!!!!
I just got the call letting me know that I am in!!!
I am so excited.
I will be in the group that does Jenny Craig with an actual advisor, in person, instead of over the phone.
TWO FREE YEARS of Jenny Craig for doing this study.
YAY!!!!!
Wish my luck. I will have a clinical every 6 months at the U, and I am going to have Hubby take some baseline before pics for me tonight, then I will have them done after every clinical. The pics are just fo my use, but I'm a very visual person, so for me, will better represent my change over pounds on the scale.
WOOT!!!!
This is me, doing a happy dance.
I started the process a little ways back of trying to qualify for a weightloss study. It is a really unique study, as it is a clinical, university sponsored study, but it is being backed by Jenny Craig. The studdy will unltimately involve 440 women over 4 states, some using Jenny, some with a nutritionist.
I just got the call letting me know that I am in!!!
I am so excited.
I will be in the group that does Jenny Craig with an actual advisor, in person, instead of over the phone.
TWO FREE YEARS of Jenny Craig for doing this study.
YAY!!!!!
Wish my luck. I will have a clinical every 6 months at the U, and I am going to have Hubby take some baseline before pics for me tonight, then I will have them done after every clinical. The pics are just fo my use, but I'm a very visual person, so for me, will better represent my change over pounds on the scale.
WOOT!!!!
I just got the call letting me know that I am in!!!
I am so excited.
I will be in the group that does Jenny Craig with an actual advisor, in person, instead of over the phone.
TWO FREE YEARS of Jenny Craig for doing this study.
YAY!!!!!
Wish my luck. I will have a clinical every 6 months at the U, and I am going to have Hubby take some baseline before pics for me tonight, then I will have them done after every clinical. The pics are just fo my use, but I'm a very visual person, so for me, will better represent my change over pounds on the scale.
WOOT!!!!
Monday, December 10, 2007
This is me, not writing a paper
I have a paper due tomorrow in medical law and ethics. I have it roughed out, but I still need to write it. I cannot do that properly until I have my APA manual from the future SIL, in a few hours. I thought I would just write it, using my previous paper as a ghuide on what, and what not, to do, formatting and citation and reference wise. My professor did an awesome job of marking it up for me, and explained why I got the grade I did. (Queck aside, the difference between Hubby and I thinking wise-he thinks that a 89.64% is an awesome grade for my first ethics paper, I am pissed that I didn't do better.) All of this was before she put word out to the class that she graded our first papers leniently.
Yeah, she'll be grading this one harsher, and now panic has set in. I need to be perfect, damnit!
I am at a 96% or better in both of my classes right now, and I just feel that I can be doing soooo much better. Hubby teases me that I am not living up to my full potential by less than four per cent. He is only teasing, I need to make that clear. He is trying to point out how rediculous my need to be perfect is.
The worst part about this paper is that I know full well I could get an extensuion on it if I wished, since my MIL is having surgery tody. Instead, I will stay up late, working on it today, and proofing it tomorrow, so it can get turned in on time.
I am totally rediculous. I don't have this problem in my other class, just this one.
Also, I turned 29 yesterday...woohoo!
Yeah, she'll be grading this one harsher, and now panic has set in. I need to be perfect, damnit!
I am at a 96% or better in both of my classes right now, and I just feel that I can be doing soooo much better. Hubby teases me that I am not living up to my full potential by less than four per cent. He is only teasing, I need to make that clear. He is trying to point out how rediculous my need to be perfect is.
The worst part about this paper is that I know full well I could get an extensuion on it if I wished, since my MIL is having surgery tody. Instead, I will stay up late, working on it today, and proofing it tomorrow, so it can get turned in on time.
I am totally rediculous. I don't have this problem in my other class, just this one.
Also, I turned 29 yesterday...woohoo!
Monday, December 03, 2007
Frightening conclusion:
Either I am much smarter than I give myself credit for, or a cast majority of the populace is painfully stupid.
If I am actually smarter than I give myself credit for, okay...I can deal with this. It will probably make my schooling easier, and maybe I will find that, after a few years on the job, Iwant to further my education in the medical field. I don't want to work with actual patients, but there are a ton of jobs that deal with medical records, all of which I think would be interesting. There are also the opportunities, even in medical transcription, for research, to be published in journals, etc.
If, on the otherhand, other people are as stupid as it appears, by looking at my classes, and random discussions, I fear for society. I am thankful to have smart kids, to hopefully counteract the vast wave of stupidity that is trying to drag us down.
Is it so hard to come up with answers to people that are not "I agree/Disagree", or "You are wrong/right"? Why do you think that way. how do you know this, could you share your information with me?
Politics, don't just bitch, get involved. Don't like a referendum, get out there and find out why, how to change it, and vote against it...don't just sit and whine.
Cannot figure out why tort reform is a good thing? Have you actually looked into what needs to be proven or disproven to sue a doctor? Do you realize that it is virtually impossible to hold a medical assistant responsible for their actions, but instead, you can sue the doctor?
I am in an age bracket, and in a lifestyle bracket( stay-at-home, late twenty-something female, with kids) where it seems like the majority of my peers are more concerned about what others will think about their beliefs, actions, reactions than what their beliefs/reactions/actions actually mean. If I hear one more woman say that she is supporting or going to vote for ____ because that is what her husband says to do, I am going to scream. Don't do what your husband says is right, do what you think is right! Do your research. You tell me that Universal Healthcare is bad, why? Have you looked into what it means for you, your children, or are you just parrotting your man and your parents.
I am going to make a point of raising my kids to question things, to learn, to try and chnge things they think are wrong. We have been doing this since day one. We are not raising Anarchists, but maybe we are raising Revolutionairies!!!
If I am actually smarter than I give myself credit for, okay...I can deal with this. It will probably make my schooling easier, and maybe I will find that, after a few years on the job, Iwant to further my education in the medical field. I don't want to work with actual patients, but there are a ton of jobs that deal with medical records, all of which I think would be interesting. There are also the opportunities, even in medical transcription, for research, to be published in journals, etc.
If, on the otherhand, other people are as stupid as it appears, by looking at my classes, and random discussions, I fear for society. I am thankful to have smart kids, to hopefully counteract the vast wave of stupidity that is trying to drag us down.
Is it so hard to come up with answers to people that are not "I agree/Disagree", or "You are wrong/right"? Why do you think that way. how do you know this, could you share your information with me?
Politics, don't just bitch, get involved. Don't like a referendum, get out there and find out why, how to change it, and vote against it...don't just sit and whine.
Cannot figure out why tort reform is a good thing? Have you actually looked into what needs to be proven or disproven to sue a doctor? Do you realize that it is virtually impossible to hold a medical assistant responsible for their actions, but instead, you can sue the doctor?
I am in an age bracket, and in a lifestyle bracket( stay-at-home, late twenty-something female, with kids) where it seems like the majority of my peers are more concerned about what others will think about their beliefs, actions, reactions than what their beliefs/reactions/actions actually mean. If I hear one more woman say that she is supporting or going to vote for ____ because that is what her husband says to do, I am going to scream. Don't do what your husband says is right, do what you think is right! Do your research. You tell me that Universal Healthcare is bad, why? Have you looked into what it means for you, your children, or are you just parrotting your man and your parents.
I am going to make a point of raising my kids to question things, to learn, to try and chnge things they think are wrong. We have been doing this since day one. We are not raising Anarchists, but maybe we are raising Revolutionairies!!!
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
why are all the stupid people in my classes?
Academic strategies-we are discussing critical thinking. The Prof asks us to define crtitical thinking without using the following words- thought, thinking, wondering, critical.
The first person to respond stated: Thinking about things all the way though.
Can we find the issue with that statement?
In Medical Law, Ethics and Bioethics, it took twenty minutes to explain to someone the difference between a summons and a subpeona. What so hard to understand about " A summons demands someone presence in front of a judge to stand as a defendant in a criminal or misdemeanor case. Failure to replyu will result in a default judgement against the defendant. A subpeona commands the presence of a person or document in front of a judge or grand jury in order to provide information in a case in order to support a claim made by the defendant or plaintiff. failure to appear could result in being fined, and held in contempt of court." They are different-Summons means you've been bad, subpeana means you have information. AAARRRGGHHH.
The first person to respond stated: Thinking about things all the way though.
Can we find the issue with that statement?
In Medical Law, Ethics and Bioethics, it took twenty minutes to explain to someone the difference between a summons and a subpeona. What so hard to understand about " A summons demands someone presence in front of a judge to stand as a defendant in a criminal or misdemeanor case. Failure to replyu will result in a default judgement against the defendant. A subpeona commands the presence of a person or document in front of a judge or grand jury in order to provide information in a case in order to support a claim made by the defendant or plaintiff. failure to appear could result in being fined, and held in contempt of court." They are different-Summons means you've been bad, subpeana means you have information. AAARRRGGHHH.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Well, that was certainly an adult way to present your case...not!!!!
We were having a very civil discussion on a board I frequent. The discussion was about children on the autism spectrum and church services.
Thor, as you all know, lives somewhere near the happy, somewhat normal, end of the spectrum. Just odd enough to be on the spectrum, just normal enough to not be considered autistic by parents with severely, like Rhett's syndrome, autistic children.
This civil conversation is where a parent of a severely autistic boy decided to anounce that she felt that autism was the new "fad" diagnoses, like ADD was in the 90's. She also went on to say that the issues with high functioning kids, like mine and many other parents involved in the discussion, were sufferring from bad parents who wanted to lable their kids instead of own up to being lazy.
Oh yes, she went there.
I am the first to admit my laziness. I am the first to question my parenting skills. I have also spent litterally hundreds of hours sitting in various and sundry doctors offices while they tested Thor, watching them try and tell me that it could very well get worse as he gets older, that we do not know what is wrong, that he is freakishly strong, so many of the techniques for calming and coping won't work.
I am the one who went with him to class twice a week for 4 months, trying to make him socialize.
I am the one who is always wondering if he is getting better, getting worse, if it's my fault, etc.
I fully understadn that she has it harder than I do, in the behaviour from a special needs kid department, but just because I have it 'easier' does not mean that there isn't a problem, does not mean that it ismy fault, and does not mean that her words didn't hurt like effing hell.
Thor is doing awesome, by the way. He is talking more daily, and almost playing with other kids that are not related to him. Unfortunately, as this is happenning, we are getting more meltdowns, less eye contact, and more stimming and hand flapping. No one ccan tell me what, if anythign this means, and all I can do is hope for the best.
Thor, as you all know, lives somewhere near the happy, somewhat normal, end of the spectrum. Just odd enough to be on the spectrum, just normal enough to not be considered autistic by parents with severely, like Rhett's syndrome, autistic children.
This civil conversation is where a parent of a severely autistic boy decided to anounce that she felt that autism was the new "fad" diagnoses, like ADD was in the 90's. She also went on to say that the issues with high functioning kids, like mine and many other parents involved in the discussion, were sufferring from bad parents who wanted to lable their kids instead of own up to being lazy.
Oh yes, she went there.
I am the first to admit my laziness. I am the first to question my parenting skills. I have also spent litterally hundreds of hours sitting in various and sundry doctors offices while they tested Thor, watching them try and tell me that it could very well get worse as he gets older, that we do not know what is wrong, that he is freakishly strong, so many of the techniques for calming and coping won't work.
I am the one who went with him to class twice a week for 4 months, trying to make him socialize.
I am the one who is always wondering if he is getting better, getting worse, if it's my fault, etc.
I fully understadn that she has it harder than I do, in the behaviour from a special needs kid department, but just because I have it 'easier' does not mean that there isn't a problem, does not mean that it ismy fault, and does not mean that her words didn't hurt like effing hell.
Thor is doing awesome, by the way. He is talking more daily, and almost playing with other kids that are not related to him. Unfortunately, as this is happenning, we are getting more meltdowns, less eye contact, and more stimming and hand flapping. No one ccan tell me what, if anythign this means, and all I can do is hope for the best.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
conferences
We had Hermes' conference this morning. It went rather well. His teacher gave us the bad-he needs to work on fine motor skills, he needs to talk less out of turn- both of which we already knew. She requested that we work with him more on his responding in Mandarin in classroom discussions. We will talk to him about it, and remind him that it is OK to get words wrong, that his teachers will help him. We know he has an exceptional understanding of the language, and his pronounciation is spot on.
The one thing she really wanted to realy was that he is smart. Very smart. Smart smart.
In her broken english she explained that Hermes is a good student to build on, education wise. He aced his "hard all in chinese math test", and she is excited to teach him. She also said that he would probably go on to get his PH.D no problem.
Yay, smart kid. We know what to work with him on, and where to encourage him, and he loves science!
The one thing she really wanted to realy was that he is smart. Very smart. Smart smart.
In her broken english she explained that Hermes is a good student to build on, education wise. He aced his "hard all in chinese math test", and she is excited to teach him. She also said that he would probably go on to get his PH.D no problem.
Yay, smart kid. We know what to work with him on, and where to encourage him, and he loves science!
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
doin' fine
Well, peoples, I am three weeks into my school, and currently holding up pretty well.
I am holding a perfect score in my Med law and bioethics class, and one point shy of perfect in my Accademic strategies for the medical professional class. I lost a friggen point to formatting in discussion posts =(
I plan on doing my most to keep my grades as high as possible, throughout my schooling career. I figure as long as I am smart about time management, and starting in on essays with enough time to have them proofed before they are turned in, I'm all good. Luckilly my future sister in law is a TA for a writing class, and has had to do all of her 4 years of papers in the APA format. She will proof my work for me, if I ask, and be brutally honest, wich I need.
The weight is slowly coming off, and I might be in a UofM weightloss study, which would be pretty awesome. I have almost finished shaking the resp. infection, and shouldn't need another round of antibiotics. After the new year, when we are under the new insurance plan for huuby's job, I am also going to bo looking into braces, for me...the new dental policy covers a large chunk of adult orthodontia, rending two refferrals, and I have had random dentists tell me I need braces, so that shouldn't be a problem. I'll probably wait till the spring, when Hubby will have tons o' overtime again, so it won't hit our current budget.
The Pantheon is doing awesome, and we have sonferences for Hermes in the morning...I'll keep you loyal readers posted.
I am holding a perfect score in my Med law and bioethics class, and one point shy of perfect in my Accademic strategies for the medical professional class. I lost a friggen point to formatting in discussion posts =(
I plan on doing my most to keep my grades as high as possible, throughout my schooling career. I figure as long as I am smart about time management, and starting in on essays with enough time to have them proofed before they are turned in, I'm all good. Luckilly my future sister in law is a TA for a writing class, and has had to do all of her 4 years of papers in the APA format. She will proof my work for me, if I ask, and be brutally honest, wich I need.
The weight is slowly coming off, and I might be in a UofM weightloss study, which would be pretty awesome. I have almost finished shaking the resp. infection, and shouldn't need another round of antibiotics. After the new year, when we are under the new insurance plan for huuby's job, I am also going to bo looking into braces, for me...the new dental policy covers a large chunk of adult orthodontia, rending two refferrals, and I have had random dentists tell me I need braces, so that shouldn't be a problem. I'll probably wait till the spring, when Hubby will have tons o' overtime again, so it won't hit our current budget.
The Pantheon is doing awesome, and we have sonferences for Hermes in the morning...I'll keep you loyal readers posted.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
blatant overachiever when it comes to multitasking.
I have been busting my butt for the last few weeks to get the house as clean as possible before I start school. I have been juggling dishes, laundry, and kids like it were an olympic medal event.
Multitasking fears me.
Since I have multitasking down to an artform, it makes sense it would spill into the rest of my life.
I just got back from the doctor. I woke up feeling like crap after being perfect for a while on sunday.
I have the killer combo of an upper respiratory, and a sinus infection, all rolled into one!
Luckilly, they take the same antibiotic and OTCs to cure, but man. On the plus side? No strep!
Multitasking fears me.
Since I have multitasking down to an artform, it makes sense it would spill into the rest of my life.
I just got back from the doctor. I woke up feeling like crap after being perfect for a while on sunday.
I have the killer combo of an upper respiratory, and a sinus infection, all rolled into one!
Luckilly, they take the same antibiotic and OTCs to cure, but man. On the plus side? No strep!
Sunday, October 21, 2007
hourglass figure
So, I was taking measurements earlier today. As I lose weight, I plan on making some more of my own clothing, so it fits right, as I am oddly proportioned. People will argue that with me, but I am. I have really wide shoulders, really wide hips, a really high, and oddly small for my size, natural waist, and i big ol' ribcage.
After taking my measurements, though, I realized that the ratio is really rather 1940's Vargas Girl, hourglassy.
I have determined that I have the hourglass figure, it just holds a wee bit more sand is all!
After taking my measurements, though, I realized that the ratio is really rather 1940's Vargas Girl, hourglassy.
I have determined that I have the hourglass figure, it just holds a wee bit more sand is all!
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Awesome!
We ordered some books for Hermes through the scholastic orderforms. These things have been sent home with students since the dawn of time, I swear.
Anyways, since Hubby and I had the money, we ordered a couple of things. We held off on the Shel Silverstien, as we think those are going to be 'gift' books, books for christmas, or birthdays, We did, however, get a twelve pack of Magic Schoolbus books, a four pack of Flat Stanley books, 1001 pirate things to spot, the SuperHero ABCs, When A Pig Eats A Pancake, a hotwheels story, and Transformers: Optimus Prime Versus Megatron (early readers edition). All these books came to less than fifty dollars. all these books came home today. All these books, with the exception of the Transformers, are currently sitting nicely on Hermes desk. The transformers is currently being read, from cover to cover, by Hermes, who is on the couch. I had to give him a pass on homework until after dinner, instead of right when we got home, because he is so happy, reading.
Awesome!
Anyways, since Hubby and I had the money, we ordered a couple of things. We held off on the Shel Silverstien, as we think those are going to be 'gift' books, books for christmas, or birthdays, We did, however, get a twelve pack of Magic Schoolbus books, a four pack of Flat Stanley books, 1001 pirate things to spot, the SuperHero ABCs, When A Pig Eats A Pancake, a hotwheels story, and Transformers: Optimus Prime Versus Megatron (early readers edition). All these books came to less than fifty dollars. all these books came home today. All these books, with the exception of the Transformers, are currently sitting nicely on Hermes desk. The transformers is currently being read, from cover to cover, by Hermes, who is on the couch. I had to give him a pass on homework until after dinner, instead of right when we got home, because he is so happy, reading.
Awesome!
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Grrr...'Alternate plans" *Updated already*
Hermes school offers an extensive enrichment program after school. One of the things they offer is Kung Fu, one day a week, beginners level. This year they decided to split it, so that kindergarteners and 1st graders were in a class on wed, and 2nd & 3rd grade in a class on thursday.
I just got an e-mail from the enrichment coordinator letting me know that the wed class was full, mostly of Kinders. They are trying to move the first graders to thurs, as the thurs class does not have enough kids.
I told her, frankly, that I don't care how it happens, my boy wants to do this, and if that means working with older kids, so be it. I cannot see the instructor deciding to drop a class for not enough kids when the other class has too many. Common sense would dictate that the first graders will work with the bigger kids. They will not be sparring, and since it is a new instructor this year, everyone is at a beginer level, this was ade very clear in the materials they sent home.
I should know by the end of the day...I really do not want to tell Hermes he cannot do this, as it's the first after school program we've signed him up for, and it is too late now to sign up for anyhting else until the next tri.
Sigh...why can't anything ever be easy.
UPDATE
Immediately after posting this, I got an e-mail from Enrichment lady saying that she was able to transfer Hermes into the Thursday class no problem. Mr Sensai, who is also their gym instructor, feels that it will be better for Hermes anyways, because the older kids have better focus, so there will be less distraction and more learning.
This cracked me up. It amazes me that Hermes is so good at maintaining focus and self moderating at school, but at home it's all "Hermes gone wild, after school edition"
I swear the boy isn't even in the house for five minutes before we've lost the pants.
I just got an e-mail from the enrichment coordinator letting me know that the wed class was full, mostly of Kinders. They are trying to move the first graders to thurs, as the thurs class does not have enough kids.
I told her, frankly, that I don't care how it happens, my boy wants to do this, and if that means working with older kids, so be it. I cannot see the instructor deciding to drop a class for not enough kids when the other class has too many. Common sense would dictate that the first graders will work with the bigger kids. They will not be sparring, and since it is a new instructor this year, everyone is at a beginer level, this was ade very clear in the materials they sent home.
I should know by the end of the day...I really do not want to tell Hermes he cannot do this, as it's the first after school program we've signed him up for, and it is too late now to sign up for anyhting else until the next tri.
Sigh...why can't anything ever be easy.
UPDATE
Immediately after posting this, I got an e-mail from Enrichment lady saying that she was able to transfer Hermes into the Thursday class no problem. Mr Sensai, who is also their gym instructor, feels that it will be better for Hermes anyways, because the older kids have better focus, so there will be less distraction and more learning.
This cracked me up. It amazes me that Hermes is so good at maintaining focus and self moderating at school, but at home it's all "Hermes gone wild, after school edition"
I swear the boy isn't even in the house for five minutes before we've lost the pants.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Oh, the joys of motherhood
Hermes was out of school last week in it's entirety. He had Norwalk Virus, a nasty gestroentiritus virus. Achy, poopy, and generally a pleasure to be around. He is back at school now, and has been feeling better since friday. Monday was off for a teacher devolopment day.
Sunday, Thor started showing some early symptoms, and by monday, he, too, was chock full of poop. Thor is also dealing with his allergy issues. When his sinuses drain, they gointo his tummy. This in turn gives us an amazing horkage factor. Vomit everywhere!!! He did manahe to get a spiffy new haircut last nght, though, with few ill effects.
Buddha is the latest to hop on the Norwalk train. He started with the massively impressive displays of shitting ability this morning. Namely, right as I was lifting him out of the crib. As I was stripping his bedding down to be washed, I noticed some holes in the incredibly soiled, fittif, crib sheet. When I removed the sheet, I realized he has jumped his mattress to it's untimely demise. The holes in the sheet are from the springs poking through the matress. I patched it with duct tape to carry through until I can get it replaced tonight.
Thor has four more days of this, with tomorrow starting the achy painy portion of the virus, and we are looking at about 6 days with Buddha, three till the achy painies.
Joy.
Sunday, Thor started showing some early symptoms, and by monday, he, too, was chock full of poop. Thor is also dealing with his allergy issues. When his sinuses drain, they gointo his tummy. This in turn gives us an amazing horkage factor. Vomit everywhere!!! He did manahe to get a spiffy new haircut last nght, though, with few ill effects.
Buddha is the latest to hop on the Norwalk train. He started with the massively impressive displays of shitting ability this morning. Namely, right as I was lifting him out of the crib. As I was stripping his bedding down to be washed, I noticed some holes in the incredibly soiled, fittif, crib sheet. When I removed the sheet, I realized he has jumped his mattress to it's untimely demise. The holes in the sheet are from the springs poking through the matress. I patched it with duct tape to carry through until I can get it replaced tonight.
Thor has four more days of this, with tomorrow starting the achy painy portion of the virus, and we are looking at about 6 days with Buddha, three till the achy painies.
Joy.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Surprisingly tasty!
Zatarain's, maker of boxed and premade cajunesque food now has instant rice pouches. You know the type, you just open the corner of the pouch, pop 'em in the nuker, and Voila-a rice side or meal.
Generally, I am leary of totally instant, add nothing, rice pouches, but I saqw that they have a red beans and rice WITH sausage added, and figured I would try it.
I'll be honest-it smells a little weird, and it ain't all that pretty. The sausage resembles peperonis past their prime, and the overall color is muddy. Tastewise, though, it is surprisingly good. There is moe rice than if I were to make it myself, but for a 60 second microwave gig, it's really not all that bad. It will definately sate the craving for red beans and rice till I'm up to making it from scratch, and with a little salsa or hotsauce sprinkled in, it even has enough kick!
Generally, I am leary of totally instant, add nothing, rice pouches, but I saqw that they have a red beans and rice WITH sausage added, and figured I would try it.
I'll be honest-it smells a little weird, and it ain't all that pretty. The sausage resembles peperonis past their prime, and the overall color is muddy. Tastewise, though, it is surprisingly good. There is moe rice than if I were to make it myself, but for a 60 second microwave gig, it's really not all that bad. It will definately sate the craving for red beans and rice till I'm up to making it from scratch, and with a little salsa or hotsauce sprinkled in, it even has enough kick!
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
obsessed
OK people, I now that someone out there in internet land can help me. Does any one, any where, including Eddie Vedder know what all the lyrics to "Yellow Ledbetter" are? The only definable lyrics that seem to be in any version of it he plase are "Leave it alone" "Leave it there" and "In a box or a bag" which many people interprate as "In a boxer a bag" for some reason. This is driving me nuts. It's almost as bad as trying to figure out the very middle of the 'spoken' part of Soul to Squeaze, until I saw a few different recording where I realized that Keidis doesn't actually say anything intelligable.
Yellow Ledbetter, people, work on it, I'll figure out a prize or something to the people who can some up with the most reasonable suggestions.
Yellow Ledbetter, people, work on it, I'll figure out a prize or something to the people who can some up with the most reasonable suggestions.
Sunday, September 09, 2007
Dinner
We did a family dinner at a restaurant last night. I am really pleased with how well the kids behaved. No meltdowns, no tantrums, no random screaming/shrieking. It gives me hope that we can actually go out more often with the kids.
Thor is doing alot better about learning how to keep himself calm. Every now and then throughout dinner he would do a little dance in his chair, it was part of how he kept himself in the here and now. He did fabulously until he hit some hot mustard, but calmed down as soon as he drank some milk and got cuddled.
Buddha was Buddha, and Hermes was just plain cute.
Thor is doing alot better about learning how to keep himself calm. Every now and then throughout dinner he would do a little dance in his chair, it was part of how he kept himself in the here and now. He did fabulously until he hit some hot mustard, but calmed down as soon as he drank some milk and got cuddled.
Buddha was Buddha, and Hermes was just plain cute.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Wet
Hubby, myself, and a few friends went to Fest yeasterday. We left half an hour before the closed it down for the weekend. The weather was deamed so bad, they closed fest. This happens maybe once every ten years or so. They've kept it open through tornado warnings, lighning strikes, and most all other weather...What is the weather that closed site then? Flash flood high warning. Fest is smack dab in the middle of a flood zone, and that's something they won't mess with. The powers that be even evacuated the campgrounds and buildings, making sure the circiut people had safe places to be.
We only spent a few hours out there, but thanks to a BIL who traded in all of his promo points for comp tickits, we will be able to head out at least two more times, if not three, depending on who all comes with, and if they charge for Hermes or not.
Now posting that we will be looking for people to take some kids coming up here soon!
We only spent a few hours out there, but thanks to a BIL who traded in all of his promo points for comp tickits, we will be able to head out at least two more times, if not three, depending on who all comes with, and if they charge for Hermes or not.
Now posting that we will be looking for people to take some kids coming up here soon!
Friday, August 10, 2007
they are amazing
School is starting soon. This has Hermes all sorts of excited. He knows we are going shopping in a while (read: after payday) to get all knew things! We need a new backpack for him, as last years barely survived through the last day of school, new supplies-which lists for were conveniently mailed out, maybe some new uniform clothes, but I won't know that till I go through all of his old uniforms, to see what still fits, and pre-shrink his new uniform pants to see if they can be worn yet, even with a belt, or if they have to wait. Hermes is surprisingly short, but he is also lean, and has long legs. This gives him the illusion of being tall. This also makes buying pants and jeans a bitch. I will be soooo happy when he is finally big enough to go by waist and leg as opposed to the mystery sizes of 5, 6, slim, long, tall, boys XS and the like.
He has been practicing his Chinese daily, and as school gets closer, is working in his workbook regularly. I am unsure if this is because he wants to learn, or if it's because he wants an award and his name mentioned at the fall assembly.
Buddha is once again living up to his name. Not that those horrid teeth all have at least a corner through, he is once again all serene and gigantic smiles. He loves to sit cross-legged on the couch and just beam at you. Something about it seriously wants to make you rub his belly, and give him exotic gifts. There are days where I am certain he is actually a secret evil overlord, but most days, he is just an eerily, studiously normal, 16 month old.
Thor is talking more and more every day. On top of that, he is using his words correctly. He also overpronounces them in the most endearing of manners. There are times when we can tell that it is hard for him to talk-he will turn his head in a manner to block out as much noise as possible, shut his eyes, wrap himself up tightly in a blanket, and then get four, very determined, words out. Then there are times when he is just Chatty Cathy.
Now that he is moving farther off the autism spectrum,, the Sensory Integration Dysfunction is becoming much more obvious. Thankfully, this should be our biggest challenge, and through the right "sensory diet" it will be controllable. This may mean that he wears heavy bracelets, shoes, and necklaces. Or that we squish him into a little ball every now and then. We still do the gentle deep pressure massages, but they are becoming less effective. I will be making him a new weighted vest soon. One of his favorite things is being roughly toweled down. Give him a bath or a shower, and when he is down, dry him off with a soft towel, but using the amount of pressure you would to...oh...sand granite? Something about that feeling just brings him to the here and now, and gives him something to focus on that seems to last.
The more that Buddha does, the more that Thor does, and th more that Hermes either helps, or whines.
All said and done, they are fairly amazing.
He has been practicing his Chinese daily, and as school gets closer, is working in his workbook regularly. I am unsure if this is because he wants to learn, or if it's because he wants an award and his name mentioned at the fall assembly.
Buddha is once again living up to his name. Not that those horrid teeth all have at least a corner through, he is once again all serene and gigantic smiles. He loves to sit cross-legged on the couch and just beam at you. Something about it seriously wants to make you rub his belly, and give him exotic gifts. There are days where I am certain he is actually a secret evil overlord, but most days, he is just an eerily, studiously normal, 16 month old.
Thor is talking more and more every day. On top of that, he is using his words correctly. He also overpronounces them in the most endearing of manners. There are times when we can tell that it is hard for him to talk-he will turn his head in a manner to block out as much noise as possible, shut his eyes, wrap himself up tightly in a blanket, and then get four, very determined, words out. Then there are times when he is just Chatty Cathy.
Now that he is moving farther off the autism spectrum,, the Sensory Integration Dysfunction is becoming much more obvious. Thankfully, this should be our biggest challenge, and through the right "sensory diet" it will be controllable. This may mean that he wears heavy bracelets, shoes, and necklaces. Or that we squish him into a little ball every now and then. We still do the gentle deep pressure massages, but they are becoming less effective. I will be making him a new weighted vest soon. One of his favorite things is being roughly toweled down. Give him a bath or a shower, and when he is down, dry him off with a soft towel, but using the amount of pressure you would to...oh...sand granite? Something about that feeling just brings him to the here and now, and gives him something to focus on that seems to last.
The more that Buddha does, the more that Thor does, and th more that Hermes either helps, or whines.
All said and done, they are fairly amazing.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
when good ankles go bad!
I have tendonitis. I have been dealing with it for a good twelve years now. It's the Achilles tendon, to be precise, and it has it's good friend Plantar Fasciitis running around with it. They are both chrinic conditions, which means the chances of them deciding to go away are slim to none. Normally, they are well behaved, only one acts up at a time, and it's generally not bad, but every now and then, I will get an acute flair up. Acute means sharp, sudden, out of the blue, hurts like hell.
Once again, though, they generally decide that only one of them needs to be bad at any given time. Generally, I live with a constant low, dull, easily ignorable pain.
For some inexplicable reason, they ganged up on me. i guess they were conspiring against me when I was taking walks in sandals instead of my good tennis shoes, and not wearing any of my ankle braces, which I should be doing most of the time. The tendon decided it would swell, and constrict, the facii decided it would tense up. The end result is a rather unique, rather painful, pain.
I am gleefully counting down the time till my next big ol round of ibuprofin, and Hubby is out finding an ankle brace that will not pinch with the swelling.
Tennis shoes are my friend. My braces are my friend.
My foot right now? not so much my friend.
Once again, though, they generally decide that only one of them needs to be bad at any given time. Generally, I live with a constant low, dull, easily ignorable pain.
For some inexplicable reason, they ganged up on me. i guess they were conspiring against me when I was taking walks in sandals instead of my good tennis shoes, and not wearing any of my ankle braces, which I should be doing most of the time. The tendon decided it would swell, and constrict, the facii decided it would tense up. The end result is a rather unique, rather painful, pain.
I am gleefully counting down the time till my next big ol round of ibuprofin, and Hubby is out finding an ankle brace that will not pinch with the swelling.
Tennis shoes are my friend. My braces are my friend.
My foot right now? not so much my friend.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Thor intensive post.
Generally, I try very hard to mention at least something small about all of the Pantheon in each post. This isn't going to be like that, this is going to be a very Thor intensive post.
Sometime in the last week or so, a part of Thor's brain unlocked itself, or came out of hibernation, or woke up, or whatever you want to call it. We have been getting new words, in context, left and right, we have been getting appropriate, pretend play, unprompted, and we have been getting helping/showing/doing behaviour.
Normally, a breakthrough like this can be traced to something, a change in diet, schedule, routine, or medication. There haven't been many changes in Thor's world, so we are all at a loss.
Last night, when I told him it was bed time, he grabbed a blanket, climbed into my lap, and pretended to sleep, complete with fake snoring noises. I didn't tell him it was play sleep time, he did it on his own, completely unprompted. You could have heard a pin drop in the room, if not for the "kwaagh-shooo" noise Thor decided was snoring. Whn I have asked him to hand Buddha a sippy cup, he does, making a HUGE production out of it, but the cup gets directly to Buddha. If I ask Thor to go get Hermes for me, he does. Thor will try to say Hermes name, and if that doesn't work, he grabs his hand and says 'come'. He has also been telling us good job, calling us by names or titles, playing nice with the WonderDog, and letting me know that Butter is 'sure good, yep". Thor likes to try and eat sticks of butter-he likes the flavor and the texture, I guess.
Parts of me are thrilled, parts aprehensive, and parts scared. I am thrilled that all of a sudden, something is happening. He still isn't on par with other kids his age yet for speech and reactive listening, but it is getting closer. It is happening in leaps and bounds, almost all at once, a little overwhelming.
The aprehensive part is worried I will toss too much at him at once, and that he will shut down.
The scared part understands that, statistically, this won't last. He might not progress further, but then he might.
Autism spectrum disorders are one of the few disorders that people can sometimes 'snap out of'. It doesn't happen often, but every now and then, the affected person will just...well...be mostly normal. They still have to catch up from where they were, but they no longer have stimming, repetition, and are no longer vacant.
Thor was only two when he was diagnosed. This gave us a much larger 'what if' zone than if he were diagnosed at three. We never really knew where he was on the spectrum, other than at the higher end. We know he has sensory integration issues, and will probably have them his whole life, but as he gets older, we and he will learn more coping techniques. It may be as easy as tinted glasses, and heavy, thick bracelets-He may be forced to be trandy-Oh noes!!!!1 We know he is PDD/NOS-Pervasive developmental disorder-this is because, frankly, he has developed in the wrong order-and is continueing to do so. Things he should have been doing a year ago, he is just starting, heck, somethings that should have happened 18-24 months ago are just starting, but at the same time, his fine motor skills are off the charts, always have been, and when he uses is, his orginazation and labeling skill are off the charts. PDD will eventually even itself out, with a few really awkward periods. It's the NOS part that has always niggled at us. Not Otherwise Specified. They know he is different, they don't know why. He isn't autistic enough to be have autism, but he is to autistic to not have autism.
The doctors have always been honest with me-it could get better, or it could get worse-with his age it wouldn't be stable. I must be ever vigilant for signs of depression, bipolar disorder, and even schizophrenia as he gets older, as no one knows how his brain will protect itself from the sensory issues, and being trapped in itself until the speech develops.
I was cationed, time and again, to not hope for him to get better, because if e didn't, it could be crushing. And even if it is getting better, to look for 'lost' words and activities. If he is gaining at the loss of things he already possesed, it isn't any better.
It seems, right now, that it is getting better. He is starting to seem more and more like a 'normal' kid every day. It'll take time, and lots of work, and we will need to get him into a physical activity-probably gymnastics and martial arts-so he realizes he is stronger than most, and hyper flexible, but also learn control and restraint.
There is a chance that he may lead a somewhat normal life, and I can let myself honestly embrace that hope now.
Sometime in the last week or so, a part of Thor's brain unlocked itself, or came out of hibernation, or woke up, or whatever you want to call it. We have been getting new words, in context, left and right, we have been getting appropriate, pretend play, unprompted, and we have been getting helping/showing/doing behaviour.
Normally, a breakthrough like this can be traced to something, a change in diet, schedule, routine, or medication. There haven't been many changes in Thor's world, so we are all at a loss.
Last night, when I told him it was bed time, he grabbed a blanket, climbed into my lap, and pretended to sleep, complete with fake snoring noises. I didn't tell him it was play sleep time, he did it on his own, completely unprompted. You could have heard a pin drop in the room, if not for the "kwaagh-shooo" noise Thor decided was snoring. Whn I have asked him to hand Buddha a sippy cup, he does, making a HUGE production out of it, but the cup gets directly to Buddha. If I ask Thor to go get Hermes for me, he does. Thor will try to say Hermes name, and if that doesn't work, he grabs his hand and says 'come'. He has also been telling us good job, calling us by names or titles, playing nice with the WonderDog, and letting me know that Butter is 'sure good, yep". Thor likes to try and eat sticks of butter-he likes the flavor and the texture, I guess.
Parts of me are thrilled, parts aprehensive, and parts scared. I am thrilled that all of a sudden, something is happening. He still isn't on par with other kids his age yet for speech and reactive listening, but it is getting closer. It is happening in leaps and bounds, almost all at once, a little overwhelming.
The aprehensive part is worried I will toss too much at him at once, and that he will shut down.
The scared part understands that, statistically, this won't last. He might not progress further, but then he might.
Autism spectrum disorders are one of the few disorders that people can sometimes 'snap out of'. It doesn't happen often, but every now and then, the affected person will just...well...be mostly normal. They still have to catch up from where they were, but they no longer have stimming, repetition, and are no longer vacant.
Thor was only two when he was diagnosed. This gave us a much larger 'what if' zone than if he were diagnosed at three. We never really knew where he was on the spectrum, other than at the higher end. We know he has sensory integration issues, and will probably have them his whole life, but as he gets older, we and he will learn more coping techniques. It may be as easy as tinted glasses, and heavy, thick bracelets-He may be forced to be trandy-Oh noes!!!!1 We know he is PDD/NOS-Pervasive developmental disorder-this is because, frankly, he has developed in the wrong order-and is continueing to do so. Things he should have been doing a year ago, he is just starting, heck, somethings that should have happened 18-24 months ago are just starting, but at the same time, his fine motor skills are off the charts, always have been, and when he uses is, his orginazation and labeling skill are off the charts. PDD will eventually even itself out, with a few really awkward periods. It's the NOS part that has always niggled at us. Not Otherwise Specified. They know he is different, they don't know why. He isn't autistic enough to be have autism, but he is to autistic to not have autism.
The doctors have always been honest with me-it could get better, or it could get worse-with his age it wouldn't be stable. I must be ever vigilant for signs of depression, bipolar disorder, and even schizophrenia as he gets older, as no one knows how his brain will protect itself from the sensory issues, and being trapped in itself until the speech develops.
I was cationed, time and again, to not hope for him to get better, because if e didn't, it could be crushing. And even if it is getting better, to look for 'lost' words and activities. If he is gaining at the loss of things he already possesed, it isn't any better.
It seems, right now, that it is getting better. He is starting to seem more and more like a 'normal' kid every day. It'll take time, and lots of work, and we will need to get him into a physical activity-probably gymnastics and martial arts-so he realizes he is stronger than most, and hyper flexible, but also learn control and restraint.
There is a chance that he may lead a somewhat normal life, and I can let myself honestly embrace that hope now.
Monday, July 09, 2007
I know it will get old fast, but...
One of the bain of any parent-of-a-toddler's life is the word 'No!' or the expression 'No! Mine!'
for the last,mmmm, just about year now, I have been praying for those words. Personal pronouns are very important, and many kids on the autism spectrum do not have them. Thor did not have them, recently they would flit in and out of his vocabulary, but never anything concrete, and we never knew that he realized that mine and me meant that this belongs to me, and me is the person who is talking.
In the last few days, no has become a part of the vocabulary, even the crowning phrase, no mine! followed by grabbing the contested item, and holding it to one's chest.
I verified today that Thor understands that no is not affermative, that it is the oppisite of yes, a word he understands, and says, well. We tested this when I was getting Buddha a sippy cup. I asked Thor is he wanted one, and he gayly stomped around the kitchen singing "No nonono No" So I told him I was putting the milk away. He said NO! I asked if he did want a sippy to drink, and he said yes, brought me the sippy, and the lid. I asked if I should give the Sippy to Hermes, he said no, and I asked if Thor wanted it, he held out his hands and said yes.
This exchange is huge. We were on one topic for over a minute. He only used to words, but he had the appropriate actions to go with them. He responded when asked something, and when he didn't have the words he needed, he showed me, and brought me, what he wanted.
We are working on 'Please' and 'Thank you' as well. Thank you is pretty good. It comes out more like sank uu, but it is good. We are realizing, though, that by having him say please. apple. plant, and pineapple and pan and pot that Thor has an issue with the "PL" sound. He can do the 'puh' p noise fine, but the 'pl' feels wrong in his mouth. As much as I don't want him to say the words wrong, I am debating teaching him words the wrong way, and working on the pl combination after he has more practice. He is pleased to say pease for please and be understood. He is frustrated to go pl pl pl, and not be understood.
As happy as I am for new words, I am certain that in about two weeks, I will be sick of No! and Mine!, but for now, they are pure heavenly music.
for the last,mmmm, just about year now, I have been praying for those words. Personal pronouns are very important, and many kids on the autism spectrum do not have them. Thor did not have them, recently they would flit in and out of his vocabulary, but never anything concrete, and we never knew that he realized that mine and me meant that this belongs to me, and me is the person who is talking.
In the last few days, no has become a part of the vocabulary, even the crowning phrase, no mine! followed by grabbing the contested item, and holding it to one's chest.
I verified today that Thor understands that no is not affermative, that it is the oppisite of yes, a word he understands, and says, well. We tested this when I was getting Buddha a sippy cup. I asked Thor is he wanted one, and he gayly stomped around the kitchen singing "No nonono No" So I told him I was putting the milk away. He said NO! I asked if he did want a sippy to drink, and he said yes, brought me the sippy, and the lid. I asked if I should give the Sippy to Hermes, he said no, and I asked if Thor wanted it, he held out his hands and said yes.
This exchange is huge. We were on one topic for over a minute. He only used to words, but he had the appropriate actions to go with them. He responded when asked something, and when he didn't have the words he needed, he showed me, and brought me, what he wanted.
We are working on 'Please' and 'Thank you' as well. Thank you is pretty good. It comes out more like sank uu, but it is good. We are realizing, though, that by having him say please. apple. plant, and pineapple and pan and pot that Thor has an issue with the "PL" sound. He can do the 'puh' p noise fine, but the 'pl' feels wrong in his mouth. As much as I don't want him to say the words wrong, I am debating teaching him words the wrong way, and working on the pl combination after he has more practice. He is pleased to say pease for please and be understood. He is frustrated to go pl pl pl, and not be understood.
As happy as I am for new words, I am certain that in about two weeks, I will be sick of No! and Mine!, but for now, they are pure heavenly music.
Friday, July 06, 2007
Cereal in the washer.
As any parent of small children know, odd things will appear in random areas, and no one knows how they got there. Sandwich under the bed? Must be the monsters are hungry again. Spiderman in the toilet? His web must have broke. Hotwheels in the kitchen sink? They must need to be washed. Anything whatsoever in the vacuum? Just wanted to see what it would and wouldn't eat.
No one knows how this happens. Apparently, there are imps whose sole purpose in life are to put things where they don't belong.
Knowing this, I should have checked the washing machine this morning before I put in laundry. I figured, at worse, a toy would be tunbled with the towels and kids clothes. It could be worse, really. Kix cereal has this amazing ability to disintegrate, then reform into some type of super cement. Kix cereal in the washer, with clothes, that I had sincerely hoped would come out cleaner than they went in? Forget it. The clothes and towels are now on their third pass through. I am fairly certain that all the sloppy, wet, the spin dried ceral has been removed, and that this might be the pass it takes for the clothes to get clean. Otherwise, I will have to dry, then shave, everything.
Note to self-always check the washer.
No one knows how this happens. Apparently, there are imps whose sole purpose in life are to put things where they don't belong.
Knowing this, I should have checked the washing machine this morning before I put in laundry. I figured, at worse, a toy would be tunbled with the towels and kids clothes. It could be worse, really. Kix cereal has this amazing ability to disintegrate, then reform into some type of super cement. Kix cereal in the washer, with clothes, that I had sincerely hoped would come out cleaner than they went in? Forget it. The clothes and towels are now on their third pass through. I am fairly certain that all the sloppy, wet, the spin dried ceral has been removed, and that this might be the pass it takes for the clothes to get clean. Otherwise, I will have to dry, then shave, everything.
Note to self-always check the washer.
Friday, June 29, 2007
The somewhat spiffy slowly shrinking woman
I have been on my "eating plan" for two and a half weeks, now. I haven't weighed myself yet, so I don't know how much weight, if any I've lost. What I do know, however, is that I own a fabulous broen summer top, a top that I bought at a sale for plus-sized woman, that didn't quite fit right. I am wearing the shirt now, and am looking fabulous! WOOT. I am wearing smaller jeans, belting things, and just feeling better! YAY ME!!!
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
excitement
Today, when I went out to bring the garbage can to the curb, I almost tripped over a box that was stratigically placed right inside my fron porch door. I was rahter upset, because, honestly, who in their right mind would place a box right inside the front door! Why, the UPS man, of course! Hermes summer activity book arived today! YAY!!! I've looked through it, and my innitial thoughts on the book were correct. Unless I ration the pages and science activities to him, he will have it completed in near record time. It is a good refresher of what he learned in Kindergarten, and more importantly, it will hemmer home some english reading and writing skills. I figure we will start in on Monday. Monday we will also start at the Better Chinese website, so he will have daily review of his Mandarin...cannot send him back to school rusty now, can we?
We will be waiting until Monday to start, because we have much activity and excitement in the house right now. On friday, Hermes leaves for a two night camping trip with the FIL. Getting ready to go camping is taking much time and energy. We must pack just the right clothing for any possible weather conditions, swim trunks, fishing clothes-and how those differ from jeans and a t-shirt is beyond me. Light weight pyjammies, heavier weight pajammers-just in case it's cool out, you know. And yes, Hermes does differentiate between pyjammies and pajammers-I have no clue the difference, again.
Depending on the weather, and since Hermes is doing something fun, the MIL, myself, Hubby, and our friend NavyBoy might take our combined kids to Como or the Children's Museum. Frankly, I would be content to just sit around the house and watch the Toddler Death Match Royale, but, no...if one is doing something fun, they all must do something fun...damn fairness.
Possibly, a trip to the drive-in might happen. With Hermes gone, it will leave us with just the younger kids...the kids who don't need to use the potty every fifteen minutes if the movie gets a little scary, the kids who wil be asleep shortly after the movie starts, if not before. Devious, quite possibly, the only way I get to see movies, affordably, without rangling child-care? Most definitely.
We will be waiting until Monday to start, because we have much activity and excitement in the house right now. On friday, Hermes leaves for a two night camping trip with the FIL. Getting ready to go camping is taking much time and energy. We must pack just the right clothing for any possible weather conditions, swim trunks, fishing clothes-and how those differ from jeans and a t-shirt is beyond me. Light weight pyjammies, heavier weight pajammers-just in case it's cool out, you know. And yes, Hermes does differentiate between pyjammies and pajammers-I have no clue the difference, again.
Depending on the weather, and since Hermes is doing something fun, the MIL, myself, Hubby, and our friend NavyBoy might take our combined kids to Como or the Children's Museum. Frankly, I would be content to just sit around the house and watch the Toddler Death Match Royale, but, no...if one is doing something fun, they all must do something fun...damn fairness.
Possibly, a trip to the drive-in might happen. With Hermes gone, it will leave us with just the younger kids...the kids who don't need to use the potty every fifteen minutes if the movie gets a little scary, the kids who wil be asleep shortly after the movie starts, if not before. Devious, quite possibly, the only way I get to see movies, affordably, without rangling child-care? Most definitely.
Friday, June 22, 2007
Behold, information from the Palace of Learning.
We recieved Hermes report card late last week. No surprises there, he's smart. I am hoping we will be sent out a copy of his test results, but i won't frest it if they don't. He is doing well enough that they felt the need to tell us he is doing very well.
In the mail today, we recieved a CD of all the songs he learned in kindergarten, so he can review them over the summer. They also let s know that they set up a "homeowrk" account with "Better Chinese Books"-one of the best litteral translations of a company name...EVAH! This will allow us to access the 32 'first words' books, online, that he did over the school year. It will also allow us access to the "beginner story library". I am really excited about this. The program has chinese stories, read in Mandarin, with the words in the caligraphy characters, as well as english, so I can actually know what is going on.
They also suggested that we get the "Summer Bridges Activities" workbook. It is designed to give schoolkids something to do over summerbreak, to remind them of what they already learned, and introduce them to concepts they will be learning. Any student who completes all of their summer "homework" will be given a little award and recognition at the fall assembly. The k-1 bridge book is 150 pages, so if I'm lucky and smart about how I give him the work, I might maybe get a full months worht of work out of him. If I give it to him all at once, it'll be done in no time. I am rather pleased that the book is in english, as it's geared towards any student, not just those in a chinese immersion school, and there appear to be workbooks from the preschool level on up.
I would just like to take a moment to state that I ordered the book today from Amazon.com
How did I do that, you may ask?
I went to www.jazzpolice.com and clicked on their link to Amazon. Why did I do it that way, you may ask? Because when anyone clicks to Amazon or itunes through Jazzpolice, CoolJazzDad'a business makes a wee, tiny bit more money, and I'm all for that!
I should have Hermes workbook mud-next week. I figure I'll wat till July 1 to start on anything, being that's when we'll have access to the Better Chinese Books site, as well.
Thankfully, I now have a plan on what to do with Hermes, other than tie him to the tree in the backyard.
In the mail today, we recieved a CD of all the songs he learned in kindergarten, so he can review them over the summer. They also let s know that they set up a "homeowrk" account with "Better Chinese Books"-one of the best litteral translations of a company name...EVAH! This will allow us to access the 32 'first words' books, online, that he did over the school year. It will also allow us access to the "beginner story library". I am really excited about this. The program has chinese stories, read in Mandarin, with the words in the caligraphy characters, as well as english, so I can actually know what is going on.
They also suggested that we get the "Summer Bridges Activities" workbook. It is designed to give schoolkids something to do over summerbreak, to remind them of what they already learned, and introduce them to concepts they will be learning. Any student who completes all of their summer "homework" will be given a little award and recognition at the fall assembly. The k-1 bridge book is 150 pages, so if I'm lucky and smart about how I give him the work, I might maybe get a full months worht of work out of him. If I give it to him all at once, it'll be done in no time. I am rather pleased that the book is in english, as it's geared towards any student, not just those in a chinese immersion school, and there appear to be workbooks from the preschool level on up.
I would just like to take a moment to state that I ordered the book today from Amazon.com
How did I do that, you may ask?
I went to www.jazzpolice.com and clicked on their link to Amazon. Why did I do it that way, you may ask? Because when anyone clicks to Amazon or itunes through Jazzpolice, CoolJazzDad'a business makes a wee, tiny bit more money, and I'm all for that!
I should have Hermes workbook mud-next week. I figure I'll wat till July 1 to start on anything, being that's when we'll have access to the Better Chinese Books site, as well.
Thankfully, I now have a plan on what to do with Hermes, other than tie him to the tree in the backyard.
whole-wheat cinnamon rolls
so, yeah.
Whole wheat cinnamon rolls, though tasty, just are not a fitting substiture for 'standard' cinnamon rolls. Then again, I wouldprobably like them more if I could frost them, but that would ad an entire net carb to the works...this sucks.
Whole wheat cinnamon rolls, though tasty, just are not a fitting substiture for 'standard' cinnamon rolls. Then again, I wouldprobably like them more if I could frost them, but that would ad an entire net carb to the works...this sucks.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
subjectivity
Serving sizes must have been figured out by the densest person on earth!
They are entirely subjective. A serving of small, easy to measure croutons? 2 tablespoons. A serving of large, hard to measure croutons? 2tablespoons.
Rice, pasta, and the like is roughly 1/3 of a cup. A serving of popcorn is 3 cups popped. Everyone keeps telling me, rather cheerilly, that 3 cups of popcorn is a lot...no...it isn't.
A serving of salad greens/babyspinach/and the like is TADAAA 3cups. People keep trying to tell me that even though 3 cups of popcorn is a lot, that three cups of greens isn't a lot. WRONG!!! Three cups of baby spring lattuces and baby spinach is a shite-ton of food!!!
They are entirely subjective. A serving of small, easy to measure croutons? 2 tablespoons. A serving of large, hard to measure croutons? 2tablespoons.
Rice, pasta, and the like is roughly 1/3 of a cup. A serving of popcorn is 3 cups popped. Everyone keeps telling me, rather cheerilly, that 3 cups of popcorn is a lot...no...it isn't.
A serving of salad greens/babyspinach/and the like is TADAAA 3cups. People keep trying to tell me that even though 3 cups of popcorn is a lot, that three cups of greens isn't a lot. WRONG!!! Three cups of baby spring lattuces and baby spinach is a shite-ton of food!!!
Friday, June 15, 2007
borderline
Last thursday, that would be eight days ago, I went in for the first "yearly" physical I have had in quite sometime. Having multiple kids in a relatively short timeframe can really mess up your timeframes, especially with all the tests that are run before, during, and after a pregnancy.
My Dr pulled a rediculous amount of blood, to run a rediculous number of labs. She knew I was concerned about three things in particular, my weight, diabetes, and thyroid issues. We also scheduled an appointment with the clinics dietician. My results were not in when I saw the dietician on wed, but she put me on the same plan as she would is I were diabetic, overweight, had a thyroid issue, or was just trying to be preventative.
I am now in the land of counting carbs and fat, and measuring my food. I really had no concept of portion size-period, I need to eat ergularly, and I need to journal my food. I am not to be weighed any more than once every other week, which is fine, since I don't own a scale. I figure one weighing a month will be at the clinic, for the other one, I will go to the in-laws an use their awesomely accurate digital scale. My first goal is 7 percent of my body weight. That will drastically reduce anyones chances of becoming diabetic, or pre-diabetic.
I am sooo glad that this was my goal, and that this was my diet, being my test results came back yesterday. A fasting blood glucose between 110 and 125 is prediabetic, anything over 125 is diabetic. I was at a 109. Yep one-oh-nine. I am right on the borderline for pre-diabetes. As long as I follow my eating plan, excersize, and lose weight-I should be okay. We seem to have cought me just at the edge of the precipice. I am sooooo totally motivated right now, and being my co-pay is only 20 per visit, and I see her once a month, my dietician is ultimately cheaper that WW or any other programs.
On the plus side, my choloesterol is awesome, my thyroid hormone is lower-normal, but good, and I posess a ludicrous number of platelets...I am the QUEEN of clotting!!!
My Dr pulled a rediculous amount of blood, to run a rediculous number of labs. She knew I was concerned about three things in particular, my weight, diabetes, and thyroid issues. We also scheduled an appointment with the clinics dietician. My results were not in when I saw the dietician on wed, but she put me on the same plan as she would is I were diabetic, overweight, had a thyroid issue, or was just trying to be preventative.
I am now in the land of counting carbs and fat, and measuring my food. I really had no concept of portion size-period, I need to eat ergularly, and I need to journal my food. I am not to be weighed any more than once every other week, which is fine, since I don't own a scale. I figure one weighing a month will be at the clinic, for the other one, I will go to the in-laws an use their awesomely accurate digital scale. My first goal is 7 percent of my body weight. That will drastically reduce anyones chances of becoming diabetic, or pre-diabetic.
I am sooo glad that this was my goal, and that this was my diet, being my test results came back yesterday. A fasting blood glucose between 110 and 125 is prediabetic, anything over 125 is diabetic. I was at a 109. Yep one-oh-nine. I am right on the borderline for pre-diabetes. As long as I follow my eating plan, excersize, and lose weight-I should be okay. We seem to have cought me just at the edge of the precipice. I am sooooo totally motivated right now, and being my co-pay is only 20 per visit, and I see her once a month, my dietician is ultimately cheaper that WW or any other programs.
On the plus side, my choloesterol is awesome, my thyroid hormone is lower-normal, but good, and I posess a ludicrous number of platelets...I am the QUEEN of clotting!!!
Sunday, June 10, 2007
2 days till utter and total chaos.
If anyone has any ideas of things I can do with multiple children, aged 6 and under, over the course of two and a half months, please, let me know. Hermes' last day of school is tuesday, and I am at a loss for how to keep everyone occupied. Tv, computer, naptime and running in the yard only go so far. HEEEELLLLPPPP!
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Momma pride!
Hermes' school director let me know this morning that he scored "Rediculously high" on the reading test they gave him yesterday. I am very pleased. We have been reading to and with him from the hospital when he was born, and always tried to read books to him that he was interested in, but were above his intended reading level. Yay for Hubby and I doing something right!!
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
2 weeks post surgery
It's been two weeks and a day since Thor had his tonsils and adnoids yanked. At this point, he is recovered nicely, getting used to sleeping less and feeling better. He is also talking more, but at the same time, less. He jams a little less than he used to. He is more aware that words have a distinct noise to them, and that he isn't making that noise. He becomes very frustrated when I cannot tell if he is saying Cheerios or Cereal, though the two are interchangeable for him, and he doesn't understand why I am soooo giddy when he says either (cereal has a softer start, and a not quite 'o' sound where the L should be, cheerios has a harder start sound, and an exagerated OOO at the end, btw). A month ago, if he wanted cereal, he would hunt down the box, and dump it on the floor. He can say good, now, and Doggie and Cocoa. Generall in a string of Hi Cocoa, Good doggie! Some personal pronouns are slipping, but they are still here. In the fall he will be in a 20 hour a week program, with other kids on the spectrum. 4 hours a weekday, not counting travel time. It will be the longest that he has regularly been away from me, and I worry.
I sometimes think that I pinned a false sense of hope on the surgery magically fixing everything. It is helping some, but making other areas all the more apparent. He is young, yet, and because of this no one can tell me if he's stabil, spectrum wise, if he'll move up and off, or if he;ll backslide.
I sometimes think that I pinned a false sense of hope on the surgery magically fixing everything. It is helping some, but making other areas all the more apparent. He is young, yet, and because of this no one can tell me if he's stabil, spectrum wise, if he'll move up and off, or if he;ll backslide.
Sunday, May 27, 2007
feel so grown-up
Hubbyand I now officially own a home, and a puppy. Married, three kids, property...man, I feel like an adult.
We are going out sometime in the next two weeks to set up an house account. We will set it up to direct deposit mortgage and major bill money directly into-out of sight, out of mind, at least until I write and send out the checks.
No more renting, no more landlords, no more stupid maintenance men-but we have to do our own maintenance now. I just came infrom mowing and weed whipping the yard. I love yard work, and am lookinf forward with a mix of excitement and dread to having to rake all of the leaves our giant friggen tree in our back yard drops.
Hubby's at manards with the FIL right now, being all manly and getting some replacement boards for the deck, and some various tools we didn't already posess.
I am HOME!
We are going out sometime in the next two weeks to set up an house account. We will set it up to direct deposit mortgage and major bill money directly into-out of sight, out of mind, at least until I write and send out the checks.
No more renting, no more landlords, no more stupid maintenance men-but we have to do our own maintenance now. I just came infrom mowing and weed whipping the yard. I love yard work, and am lookinf forward with a mix of excitement and dread to having to rake all of the leaves our giant friggen tree in our back yard drops.
Hubby's at manards with the FIL right now, being all manly and getting some replacement boards for the deck, and some various tools we didn't already posess.
I am HOME!
Monday, May 21, 2007
*whew*
Thor is doing well, recovering nicely, you wouldn't even know he had surgery last tuesday. We are waiting for the 7th day crash. The body is off antibiotics by then, and is tired from healing, so generally wipes out for a day or two about then.
We managed to move, just fine, our water pressure is picking up nicely, everything is slowly finding a home, thow some is in the trash, and we might be closing as early as this friday. Finance guy wants it to be no later than next tuesday, but as long as it's before next thursday, it's all good. We are waiting on the underwriter to approve one little thing, then we are good to go!
tired and hectic, write more later.
We managed to move, just fine, our water pressure is picking up nicely, everything is slowly finding a home, thow some is in the trash, and we might be closing as early as this friday. Finance guy wants it to be no later than next tuesday, but as long as it's before next thursday, it's all good. We are waiting on the underwriter to approve one little thing, then we are good to go!
tired and hectic, write more later.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Ohhhh Yeah!!!!
We just got the conditional approval on our mortgage, all the conditions we can meet, on monday, our finance guy is calling the closers to schedule CLOSING!!!!!!!
Monday, May 07, 2007
T&A
Ah yes, T&A, not what you are thinking, I bet.
Thor goes in tuesday of next week for a tonsilectomy & adenoidectomy. Fairly routine, will make his life much easier, and is causing no end to the mommy nerves.
I know he will be fine, but I do feel a little guilty that he will be in enforced couch potato mode for the first week or two of having his own big ol' private back yard to run in.
The official wait to here from the underwriter's on the mortgage started one hour ago. Realistically we will have an answer in the next three days on approval, approval with conditions to close, or denial. Wish us luck!
Thor goes in tuesday of next week for a tonsilectomy & adenoidectomy. Fairly routine, will make his life much easier, and is causing no end to the mommy nerves.
I know he will be fine, but I do feel a little guilty that he will be in enforced couch potato mode for the first week or two of having his own big ol' private back yard to run in.
The official wait to here from the underwriter's on the mortgage started one hour ago. Realistically we will have an answer in the next three days on approval, approval with conditions to close, or denial. Wish us luck!
Friday, May 04, 2007
did I mention it was wee tiny?
So our information for the potential mortgage is starting to be sent to the real live underwriters. It is nervewracking. We were approved by the electrinic underwriting at Fannie Mae in almost record time (and I understand how FannieMae works now, after my nifty first-time-homebuyers class, a class I strongly recomend anyone looking at buying a house,ever! to take, and soon. $35 per household, three nights, it was awesome, I learned so much!). At this point, we get to hope that the general percentages work for us. 98-99% of people who were approved by electonic underwriting are approved by the actual flesh and blood underwriters. Hubby and I were incredibally honest with FinanceGuy about all of our financial stuff because A) who would want to risk being forclosed on almost immediately or not getting approved because you fibbed about what you make and can afford, and B) it never dawned on us to be anything but.
This is in our favor, because if we can get FannieMae saying we are a good risk, and the will comealong in their secondary capacity to buy up our mortgage and invest it to make more money for more mortgages to buy, as they are want to do, the Lender knows that someone thinks we are worthwhile.
I am in the midst of packing and cleaning and getting rid of stuff so we can fit on our wee tiny house, that will be ours, even if we don't get financing now. The owner set it up with us that we will do a 12 month lease to own if our financing falls through, and our finance guy already gave us a list of things to do if we are approved to biuld credit(me), and clean up credit (Hubby) Finance guy said if we are not approved this time(for some nutty reason), doing these things will pretty much approve us next time, six months to a year down the line, as long as Hubby's job is secure, which it sooo is!
On the side of things that are not wee-tiny
Thor has whopping big tonsils and adnoids, and is having them removed on the 15th of this month. They think it mights help his speech greatly, and at the least, he will sleep less, and have more restful sleep, and breath quieter, and not snore.
I know it is fairly routine, the recovery is gonna suck for me, and all, but I am glad to get it out of the way now, while at the same time worried it will be too much for him.
This is in our favor, because if we can get FannieMae saying we are a good risk, and the will comealong in their secondary capacity to buy up our mortgage and invest it to make more money for more mortgages to buy, as they are want to do, the Lender knows that someone thinks we are worthwhile.
I am in the midst of packing and cleaning and getting rid of stuff so we can fit on our wee tiny house, that will be ours, even if we don't get financing now. The owner set it up with us that we will do a 12 month lease to own if our financing falls through, and our finance guy already gave us a list of things to do if we are approved to biuld credit(me), and clean up credit (Hubby) Finance guy said if we are not approved this time(for some nutty reason), doing these things will pretty much approve us next time, six months to a year down the line, as long as Hubby's job is secure, which it sooo is!
On the side of things that are not wee-tiny
Thor has whopping big tonsils and adnoids, and is having them removed on the 15th of this month. They think it mights help his speech greatly, and at the least, he will sleep less, and have more restful sleep, and breath quieter, and not snore.
I know it is fairly routine, the recovery is gonna suck for me, and all, but I am glad to get it out of the way now, while at the same time worried it will be too much for him.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Moving on up....to the eastside....
It looks like Hubby and I will be the proud owners of a teeny tiny house. We looked at it orginaly as a lease-to-own, and discussed all the things we could do to turn it into the perfect home. It will take time, blood, sweat and tears, but we were willing to put that in.
The person selling the house asked if we mined him having a finance person get in touch with us, just to see, and we said sure, but we doubted anything could be done.
Finance Dude looked at our info, and doubted anything could be done, but got the required stuff together to run it and see-as he said, his job is to try, and he don't make money by keeping people out of homes. Surprisingly enough, we qualify for a FannieMae Flex100-which, btw is not sub prime-it is all on the up and up, and all things looking like the lender will approve us, and we'll be homeowners.
Honestly, the house is ultry tiny-it is a wee little home, but addinf dormers in the upstairs bedroom will open the space up alot, redoing the bathroom setup will help alot, and eventually, we could biuld up a full second level, and even about ten to fifteen feet out into the HUGE back yard. Yeah, that's right, a big ass fenced in back yard!!
So, faithful readership of family and maybe three other folks, watch here for updates on the homeownership!
The person selling the house asked if we mined him having a finance person get in touch with us, just to see, and we said sure, but we doubted anything could be done.
Finance Dude looked at our info, and doubted anything could be done, but got the required stuff together to run it and see-as he said, his job is to try, and he don't make money by keeping people out of homes. Surprisingly enough, we qualify for a FannieMae Flex100-which, btw is not sub prime-it is all on the up and up, and all things looking like the lender will approve us, and we'll be homeowners.
Honestly, the house is ultry tiny-it is a wee little home, but addinf dormers in the upstairs bedroom will open the space up alot, redoing the bathroom setup will help alot, and eventually, we could biuld up a full second level, and even about ten to fifteen feet out into the HUGE back yard. Yeah, that's right, a big ass fenced in back yard!!
So, faithful readership of family and maybe three other folks, watch here for updates on the homeownership!
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
patience is a virtue....
...that I do not readily posess.
We are looking at new places to live. We have a place we're looking at on Saturday, but to have that place, we would be living with Hubby's Uncle, and having three more kids around on occasion, Granted, it is a remodeled duplex, with six bedrooms, two baths, two kitchens, 2 livingrooms, porches and whatnot, it's still iffy if it's gonna happen. Soooo, I keep looking, I am waiting for a call back from a guy about three different properties-he manages all three, all three are three bedroom houses, all three are much (like 150 or moree) less than we are paying now, all three have their own yards...and I'm waiting and waiting and waiting. I know that it has been less than two hours since I called, he manages a lot of property in St Paul, and feasibly, at least on of the three or four I want will still be available, but I want him to call now!!(insert childish whining and foot stomping here)
I've never quite been this excited about having to move before. Part of it is that a lot of the single family rentals in St Paul and WestStPaul are rather easy to buy, after you've proven you're a good renter, maybe it's because Bloomington has lost it's charm, maybe it's the weather...I don't know, but I'm getting really impatient, I'm starting to think I drank waaaayyyyy too much coffee this morning, and I'm bored!
GGAARRGGHHH!
We are looking at new places to live. We have a place we're looking at on Saturday, but to have that place, we would be living with Hubby's Uncle, and having three more kids around on occasion, Granted, it is a remodeled duplex, with six bedrooms, two baths, two kitchens, 2 livingrooms, porches and whatnot, it's still iffy if it's gonna happen. Soooo, I keep looking, I am waiting for a call back from a guy about three different properties-he manages all three, all three are three bedroom houses, all three are much (like 150 or moree) less than we are paying now, all three have their own yards...and I'm waiting and waiting and waiting. I know that it has been less than two hours since I called, he manages a lot of property in St Paul, and feasibly, at least on of the three or four I want will still be available, but I want him to call now!!(insert childish whining and foot stomping here)
I've never quite been this excited about having to move before. Part of it is that a lot of the single family rentals in St Paul and WestStPaul are rather easy to buy, after you've proven you're a good renter, maybe it's because Bloomington has lost it's charm, maybe it's the weather...I don't know, but I'm getting really impatient, I'm starting to think I drank waaaayyyyy too much coffee this morning, and I'm bored!
GGAARRGGHHH!
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Playdates and summer break...Oh my!!
I just got off the phone with J__, the mother of Hermes' absolute and possitive bestest friend from school!!! Sh has noticed, as have I, that our sons spend a considerable amount of time talking about each other, and play together almost every school day. She was calling to set up a play-date for next weekend, and so we could figure out some sort of summer schedule with the boys, so they can play regularly.
This will be tons easier since we will be moving soon, to St paul. We are still on the HRA list for Bloomington, but, at the same time, are keeping our options open. Hubby and I realized that his Uncle is still looking for a place-granted, his uncle also has three kids, but once he is no longer living at my in-laws, will only have them every other weekend, and once a week for an evening. We are looking at renting a large, 6 bedroom, house, roughly in-between where my in-laws live, and where my BIL and his fiance live. It would end up being cheaper than where we are now, after rent is split. We will have plenty of space for everyone, and it has a fenced in yard!
So much going on, I'll catch up later.
This will be tons easier since we will be moving soon, to St paul. We are still on the HRA list for Bloomington, but, at the same time, are keeping our options open. Hubby and I realized that his Uncle is still looking for a place-granted, his uncle also has three kids, but once he is no longer living at my in-laws, will only have them every other weekend, and once a week for an evening. We are looking at renting a large, 6 bedroom, house, roughly in-between where my in-laws live, and where my BIL and his fiance live. It would end up being cheaper than where we are now, after rent is split. We will have plenty of space for everyone, and it has a fenced in yard!
So much going on, I'll catch up later.
Thursday, April 05, 2007
saturday saturday saturday nigh-igh-ight
This saturday, Buddha, my babiest of babies, turns one year old, and officially enters the age of toddlerhood.
Thor is speaking more and more daily.
Hermes is awesome, and really, very smart. He'll tell you so-often.
When Buddha turns the age that Hermes is now, Hermes will be going on ten...that's DOUBLE DIGITS PEOPLE!!!!
I cannot believe it has been a year, already. I can hardly believe that at this exact moment, one year ago, I was crying on the phone to Hubby, because they were going to make me wait two more whole days before they'd induce.
You still have your Yoda ears, and every now and then, I wonder if you'll for stilted, slightly awkward sentances when speaking you start doing...yes.
I am going to start working on the weekends soon, and wonder if somehow you'll know I was home more with your brothers at this age, and resent me. Then I tell myself it's all hogwash.
Happy first, Buddha, may you remain healthy, happy and strong, and hopefully go basck to being peacefull and serene again. I would much prefer that over the excited shrieking at four in the morning becase Ohmygod!! You're standing, and drinking...at.the.same.time!!!
Thor is speaking more and more daily.
Hermes is awesome, and really, very smart. He'll tell you so-often.
When Buddha turns the age that Hermes is now, Hermes will be going on ten...that's DOUBLE DIGITS PEOPLE!!!!
I cannot believe it has been a year, already. I can hardly believe that at this exact moment, one year ago, I was crying on the phone to Hubby, because they were going to make me wait two more whole days before they'd induce.
You still have your Yoda ears, and every now and then, I wonder if you'll for stilted, slightly awkward sentances when speaking you start doing...yes.
I am going to start working on the weekends soon, and wonder if somehow you'll know I was home more with your brothers at this age, and resent me. Then I tell myself it's all hogwash.
Happy first, Buddha, may you remain healthy, happy and strong, and hopefully go basck to being peacefull and serene again. I would much prefer that over the excited shrieking at four in the morning becase Ohmygod!! You're standing, and drinking...at.the.same.time!!!
Thursday, March 29, 2007
morning
It's 7:30. The older two are sitting at the table, eating cereal. Hermes is ready to go to the Palace of Learning and Knowledge-rather excited that it's just today and tomorrow, then spring break. He wonders if he'll get extra homeowrk, since he'll be out of school for a week. I assure him that if he runs out of work, I'll be able to find something for him.
Thor is being very quiet right now. He is picking up more understandable words every day, and slowing down when he talks-the combination os stunning. He still asks "Can you hear me?", every now and again. A friend of mine who has an adult son who is much like Thor said that her boy could never quite tell if he was thinking, speaking aloud, or yelling-might be something to look into with Thor. He is doing amazing at eating cereal with milk and not spilling...we can also see that he is this close to finally mastering drinking rom a standard cup.
Buddha is being rather serene at the moment. His moments of serenity are far and few these days-as he is learning and discovering new skills, he wants o try them. He gets frustrated that his meager words cannot describe everything, he is excited by the food he is getting now, and the mobility! If he had the skills, he would write an ode to walking, standing, and jumping. He is also trying to not sleep, unless he is in the crib, so no more convenient for me naps in the playpen, but now I can do things in the main floor while he's napping, without fear of waking him.
Me? I'm good. I put in an application to waitress on the weekend, bring in a little extra cash, get me in a little better shape, all in one fell swoop. Hubby thinks it's great-as it will also force alone time for him and the pantheon. All three boys are at an age where Poppa is the center of their universe, and he wants to milk it for all it's worth, as he knows it wont last long. Granted, it will come back again, but to have all three want him at the same time, though frustrating, is noce, for both uf us.
Thor is being very quiet right now. He is picking up more understandable words every day, and slowing down when he talks-the combination os stunning. He still asks "Can you hear me?", every now and again. A friend of mine who has an adult son who is much like Thor said that her boy could never quite tell if he was thinking, speaking aloud, or yelling-might be something to look into with Thor. He is doing amazing at eating cereal with milk and not spilling...we can also see that he is this close to finally mastering drinking rom a standard cup.
Buddha is being rather serene at the moment. His moments of serenity are far and few these days-as he is learning and discovering new skills, he wants o try them. He gets frustrated that his meager words cannot describe everything, he is excited by the food he is getting now, and the mobility! If he had the skills, he would write an ode to walking, standing, and jumping. He is also trying to not sleep, unless he is in the crib, so no more convenient for me naps in the playpen, but now I can do things in the main floor while he's napping, without fear of waking him.
Me? I'm good. I put in an application to waitress on the weekend, bring in a little extra cash, get me in a little better shape, all in one fell swoop. Hubby thinks it's great-as it will also force alone time for him and the pantheon. All three boys are at an age where Poppa is the center of their universe, and he wants to milk it for all it's worth, as he knows it wont last long. Granted, it will come back again, but to have all three want him at the same time, though frustrating, is noce, for both uf us.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
numbers and personal pronouns!
Thor has finally decided to open up his big bag o' tricks and pull out the numbers up to ten, personal pronouns, and some verbs! It's not consistant yet, he still get quite with transitions, but words are a-comin!
Speaking with his main SHEILD therapist, we know that the sensory integration/seeking issues are going to be a lifelong battle-he'll learn ways to cope, but will never quite process everything the way you and I might, but with words to help us...it will be easier, and in this case, the easier way is the better way!
Speaking with his main SHEILD therapist, we know that the sensory integration/seeking issues are going to be a lifelong battle-he'll learn ways to cope, but will never quite process everything the way you and I might, but with words to help us...it will be easier, and in this case, the easier way is the better way!
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Happy spring, and other things
7:07 pm-vernal equinox. Happy Spring, everyone. If the weathermen can be trusted, we might actually warm up a bit, mid fifties and rain in just a few days! Granted, there's a;ways the 'Easter Squall' to watch for, as my grandma would put it.
All of the kids are doing fairly well. We are pretty sure that Thor has started saying 'No', and 'I'mmmmm' both of wich are majorly huge breakthroughs. We'll see if the loquaciosnous carries on. Buddha is becoming more and more self-sufficient every day. More mobile, more stable, more gabby. We have conferences for the oh so modest (I'm very smart, you know!) Hermes on wednesday...Hubby and I are really looking forward to it!
I'm in the process of drinking rediculous quantities of water for an ultrasound I am having in just shy of an hour. They want to check for polyps, cysts, and fibroids...on the thirtieth I go in and get the US results, as well as results from the rediculous quatities of blood they took a week and a half ago---hopefully, it will be an issue with my Thyroid-that would wrap everything up in an easily treated package that explains everything. Otherwise, it's more testing...woohoo!
All of the kids are doing fairly well. We are pretty sure that Thor has started saying 'No', and 'I'mmmmm' both of wich are majorly huge breakthroughs. We'll see if the loquaciosnous carries on. Buddha is becoming more and more self-sufficient every day. More mobile, more stable, more gabby. We have conferences for the oh so modest (I'm very smart, you know!) Hermes on wednesday...Hubby and I are really looking forward to it!
I'm in the process of drinking rediculous quantities of water for an ultrasound I am having in just shy of an hour. They want to check for polyps, cysts, and fibroids...on the thirtieth I go in and get the US results, as well as results from the rediculous quatities of blood they took a week and a half ago---hopefully, it will be an issue with my Thyroid-that would wrap everything up in an easily treated package that explains everything. Otherwise, it's more testing...woohoo!
Saturday, March 10, 2007
what can, and cannot, be flushed
Thor is at the age where, like most kids, he is discovering what can, and cannot, be flushed down the toilet. So far, he has discovered that plastic cups, himself, shampoo bottles, toothpaste tubes, himself, large toys, towels, himself, washrags, and hairbrushed cannot be flushed...did I mention himself? For some reason, he seems rather keen on trying to flush himself down the toilet, and always seems rather sad that it doesn't work. I do not know where, how, or why he picked up the need to try this, but at least once a week, he will have sopping wet jammies or socks and pants, because he STOOD IN THE TOILET trying to flush himself. Maybe he thinks it will be a fun ride.
He has discovered that toilet paper flushes really well, both if you put in one sheet at a time, and if you put in a large portion of the mega-roll at a time. He has also realized that you can put just the end of the roll into the toilet, flush, and watch the paper go flying off the roll, at high speed, down the drain. I remember doing this last one, myself, as a kid. It was rather entertaining.
It is suggested, by the expert, that the interest in flushing things is one sign of petty training readiness. This might be so, but when you have a child who cannot tolerate the way his bare butt feels on the potty, training is alittle harder.
Some autism experts feel that they like the spiral motion objects make while being flushed. This, too, makes sense, but does not bring us any closer to having Thor out of daipers.
Hermes was not fully potty trained until right after he turned four. He could use the potty, and would, but it took a little bit for him to grasp that he was supposed to, regularly, even if he was having fun playing. For the most part, he was three and a half when he had it down good, but if the legos, magnetix, or trains were out, we would have to remind him, regularly, to use the potty, and to make sure that he was all the way done before we got off the toilet.
I will be pleased when Hermes finally decides to use the potty. We have so far tried letting him run around naked, supossedly this is supposed to be a fool proof method. What we have found, when trying this, is that he will just find a corner in which to pee. Not my idea of a good time cleaning.
Sometimes I worry that Buddha will be trained before Thor, but I understand that it will be more dificult to train Thor than a standard kid. I have to make it routine, easy, not scary. I might have to start parking the potty seat in the living room to start, so he has easy access. I don't want to transition him out of pull-ups and into training pants until we have the basic concept down, but maybe that is what he needs to get the concept.
Either way, he is still shy of two and a half, we have plenty of time to work on this.
Hopeefully, he won't try to flush his brothers.
He has discovered that toilet paper flushes really well, both if you put in one sheet at a time, and if you put in a large portion of the mega-roll at a time. He has also realized that you can put just the end of the roll into the toilet, flush, and watch the paper go flying off the roll, at high speed, down the drain. I remember doing this last one, myself, as a kid. It was rather entertaining.
It is suggested, by the expert, that the interest in flushing things is one sign of petty training readiness. This might be so, but when you have a child who cannot tolerate the way his bare butt feels on the potty, training is alittle harder.
Some autism experts feel that they like the spiral motion objects make while being flushed. This, too, makes sense, but does not bring us any closer to having Thor out of daipers.
Hermes was not fully potty trained until right after he turned four. He could use the potty, and would, but it took a little bit for him to grasp that he was supposed to, regularly, even if he was having fun playing. For the most part, he was three and a half when he had it down good, but if the legos, magnetix, or trains were out, we would have to remind him, regularly, to use the potty, and to make sure that he was all the way done before we got off the toilet.
I will be pleased when Hermes finally decides to use the potty. We have so far tried letting him run around naked, supossedly this is supposed to be a fool proof method. What we have found, when trying this, is that he will just find a corner in which to pee. Not my idea of a good time cleaning.
Sometimes I worry that Buddha will be trained before Thor, but I understand that it will be more dificult to train Thor than a standard kid. I have to make it routine, easy, not scary. I might have to start parking the potty seat in the living room to start, so he has easy access. I don't want to transition him out of pull-ups and into training pants until we have the basic concept down, but maybe that is what he needs to get the concept.
Either way, he is still shy of two and a half, we have plenty of time to work on this.
Hopeefully, he won't try to flush his brothers.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Momma can fix ANYTHING!!
Hubby and I discussed, at great lengths, the double-standard of adults being sick, in our home. When he is ill, I try to make a quiet space for him, encourage the kids to leave him be, and generally get him better as fast as I can. When I am ill, well, they try, they honestly do, but it just doesn't quite work that way. I am Momma, and apparently, Momma means that I am the glue that holds everyhting together, and the wheels that keep it all moving, all rolled into one giant life giving package. When I am ill, the only way to keep the kids from bothering me is to have them somewhere else-they know that when Momma cuddles them, they feel better, so shouldn't it work the other way? I still generally end up cooking, cause that's what I do, and I still drive everyone araound. Hermes looked at me last night, as I was tucking him into bed, and after thanking me for tucking him up, asked why I wasn't better ye? I tried to explain that sometimes it takes longer to get better, but he wouldn't buy it. Hermes insisted that I am Momma, and I can fix anyhting, make anything better, make it all be good.
I love that he has such faith in my abilities, but I also know that the day when I am hated for ruining everything cannot be terribly far off.
Thor knows that something isn't right, he keeps trying to cuddle, to rub my back and hair..once again, the things I do for him, but he cannot sit still long enough, and he forgets to let go of my hair before he walks away.
Buddha will sit quietly and cuddle if I hold him, but he and I are at oppisite ends of the virus lifespan, and I don't want to start his over, being it's mutated between us...
Ah Well...time to bring Hermes to the Palace of Learning and Knowledge, now with tai chi!
I love that he has such faith in my abilities, but I also know that the day when I am hated for ruining everything cannot be terribly far off.
Thor knows that something isn't right, he keeps trying to cuddle, to rub my back and hair..once again, the things I do for him, but he cannot sit still long enough, and he forgets to let go of my hair before he walks away.
Buddha will sit quietly and cuddle if I hold him, but he and I are at oppisite ends of the virus lifespan, and I don't want to start his over, being it's mutated between us...
Ah Well...time to bring Hermes to the Palace of Learning and Knowledge, now with tai chi!
Sunday, March 04, 2007
it figures
you'd think, that after a virus that came into the house, most likely through me, has run it's course through everyone in the house, that it would go away. No. The virus mutated juuuust enough, while being passed from me to hubby to Hermes(who mixed it with soemthing from school), to Thor (who had it worst), to buddha, that it would be gone. No. It has decided to take up a malingering residence in me. Not as bad as before, but somehow worse for it. It used to have a definitive schedule of suckiness, whereas now, even thoughit is not so severe in it's intensity, it is not leaving. I am truely miserable, but at the same time, I have periods of feeling fabulous, just to be shot down all dizzy and clammy like twenty minutes later.
Ghrrrr
Ghrrrr
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
gesundheit!
Thor has learned how to fake sneeze. This came about a little while ago, when we were at the in-laws, he sneezed, and MIL told him 'Gesundheit!", the next time he sneezed, I said 'Bless you". He gave me a look, then walked around making sneezing noises until someone said gesundheit again. Something about the word he likes, so he makes his sneezy noises to hear it. This is actually a really good thing, devolopmentally, as he is learning that certain sounds get certain responses...a prequel to speaking, if you will.
I am finding myself speaking to adults the way I speak to Thor, when someone gets something I request, I reply with "That was good listening. That was good doing. Great job! Thank you!", and get a strange look. We have to break down everything he does into catagories, and when he does good, praise him. If he follows a request to its logical conclusion, he is praised for every step.
Hermes was home ill yesterday. I had him off the computer, and in his room, to rest. He came down at one point to ask to play, and I said no...he replied, "But that's not faaaiiiir!" I was so shocked to hear this, my baby's growing up!
I am finding myself speaking to adults the way I speak to Thor, when someone gets something I request, I reply with "That was good listening. That was good doing. Great job! Thank you!", and get a strange look. We have to break down everything he does into catagories, and when he does good, praise him. If he follows a request to its logical conclusion, he is praised for every step.
Hermes was home ill yesterday. I had him off the computer, and in his room, to rest. He came down at one point to ask to play, and I said no...he replied, "But that's not faaaiiiir!" I was so shocked to hear this, my baby's growing up!
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
well, he's stopped.
I called the Dr about Thor's issues. Dr asked that I document for a week or two, then call back and give a rundown/schedule and appointment. Of course, as soon as I try to document it, the vomiting stops. This is fabulous, but means that if it starts up again, we are back at square one.
Thor has also decided, out of the blue, that butterred bread is an acceptabvle texture again. Pleasing to eat, and tasty, too.
Buddha is becoming more and more mobile daily. Good, yet frieghtening. It is much easier to keep track of the wee ones when they cannot run or walk, even if it is only about four steps.
Hermes is still doing awesome at school, I cannot wait until mid-late march, for his conferences.
I still need to get more sleep, but maybe after my next Dr appointment, we canfigure out why I have been so tired.
Thor has also decided, out of the blue, that butterred bread is an acceptabvle texture again. Pleasing to eat, and tasty, too.
Buddha is becoming more and more mobile daily. Good, yet frieghtening. It is much easier to keep track of the wee ones when they cannot run or walk, even if it is only about four steps.
Hermes is still doing awesome at school, I cannot wait until mid-late march, for his conferences.
I still need to get more sleep, but maybe after my next Dr appointment, we canfigure out why I have been so tired.
Friday, February 16, 2007
probably don't want to read this before, or right after, dinner
Thor's been vomiting, semi-regularly, for a while now. Only once per day, and generally only two or three times a week, but for the last few months, a pattern has emerged. For a while, we thought naybe it was dogs, as there was often a dog around when it happened, then maybe dairy, then maybe being sick, then who knows what. I realized, though, that there is a fairly definate pattern to the occurances that happen when he is not obviously sick.
Did you know that there was a link between vomiting and autism? Yeah.. me neither. I knew that kids with autism were more likely to have digestional issues, but never kenned to the vomiting. It can be treated, it can go away, sometimes it's fairly permanent. I'm going to schedule a Dr's appt for him for monday to rule out any illnesses or allergies, but it might be symptomatic of the autism. Fun.
Did you know that there was a link between vomiting and autism? Yeah.. me neither. I knew that kids with autism were more likely to have digestional issues, but never kenned to the vomiting. It can be treated, it can go away, sometimes it's fairly permanent. I'm going to schedule a Dr's appt for him for monday to rule out any illnesses or allergies, but it might be symptomatic of the autism. Fun.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Finally!
Finally, something we need is going to be on sale when we actually have the moneys to pay for it!! Our stzate return showed up in our bank this morning, still waiting on the fed (Mom, you will get your check as soon asthe fed shows up, should be less than two weeks.) Menards is having a slae starting tomorrow with shelving units. Units the right size and material to modify in order to make the critter condo! Yay! This will make my life much easier, my house much easier to clean, and much safer for the wee Buddha to crawl around and practice walking in, and in general be a good thing!
Thor is doing amazing! He is starting to use some words regularly again, and is trying to help Buddha with saying things like 'Momma' and 'Poppa' and 'Bottle'. Car rides right now sound like this-
Thor "Mommmmmmmaaaa, pooooppppppaaaa, booootttllllle"
Buddha " Momamomamomamomamoma, pabapabapabapabapaba, bababababababa.phhhbbbllllltttt!"
Thor "Phphphllllbbtt!"
Buddha "Momma!"
Thor "Mommmaaa, gud baayyyybee! Liammmmmmmmm!"
repeat as needed to fill the drive.
Hermes is awesome. I am so pleased with my little man. He had his math placement test at the Palace of Learning last week or the week before, I cannot recall, and out of all the questions on two pages only got 1 wrong. The only one he didn't know how to do! I cannot wait until conferences so we can discuss which classroom he will be doing math in, and with wich teacher. His handwriting is improving daily, as is his motor control with writing and coloring implements. The only concern right now-according to the person who did the vision and hearing checks at school, Hermes might have weak eye muscles, so when I schedule my next exan, which will be as soon as I get the vision card, if I don't decide to go sooner and make the ins. company reimburse me, I need to get him in too. The optometrist needs to check him out, fill out a form for school stating wether or not their is a problem, and wether or not it is correctable/can affect his learning/he'll grow out of it/whatever. It sounds like if there is an issue, it is easily correctable, so no worries!
Thor is doing amazing! He is starting to use some words regularly again, and is trying to help Buddha with saying things like 'Momma' and 'Poppa' and 'Bottle'. Car rides right now sound like this-
Thor "Mommmmmmmaaaa, pooooppppppaaaa, booootttllllle"
Buddha " Momamomamomamomamoma, pabapabapabapabapaba, bababababababa.phhhbbbllllltttt!"
Thor "Phphphllllbbtt!"
Buddha "Momma!"
Thor "Mommmaaa, gud baayyyybee! Liammmmmmmmm!"
repeat as needed to fill the drive.
Hermes is awesome. I am so pleased with my little man. He had his math placement test at the Palace of Learning last week or the week before, I cannot recall, and out of all the questions on two pages only got 1 wrong. The only one he didn't know how to do! I cannot wait until conferences so we can discuss which classroom he will be doing math in, and with wich teacher. His handwriting is improving daily, as is his motor control with writing and coloring implements. The only concern right now-according to the person who did the vision and hearing checks at school, Hermes might have weak eye muscles, so when I schedule my next exan, which will be as soon as I get the vision card, if I don't decide to go sooner and make the ins. company reimburse me, I need to get him in too. The optometrist needs to check him out, fill out a form for school stating wether or not their is a problem, and wether or not it is correctable/can affect his learning/he'll grow out of it/whatever. It sounds like if there is an issue, it is easily correctable, so no worries!
Friday, February 02, 2007
Unholy cold!
For the last few years, the Winter Carnival had issues with the weather being too warm...people grumbled. How are you supposed to have a winter carnival when the ice is melting?? Well, people are starting to grumble again this year, but for the oppisite reason. It is so cold, that they might have to cancel some events this weekend. It is not going to be above zero at all tomorrow, probably not again until tuesday. Wicked cold, bitter cold, call it what you will, it's just COLD.
Hermes is being picked up from the palace of learning by his Gramma today. Last weekend he was able to spend time with Grammy, this weekend it's Gramma and Dad-dad. They decided to take Hermes overnight tonight, and pick up Thor tomorrow, and take them to the children's museum once again. Behold the power of the Yearly Pass in all it's splendor. An adult might become bored with the display of the season, but not children. Two little boys running around the Bob The Builder display, all the other hands on stuff...they'll be in heaven! The main reason they are going is the unholy cold. Little kids need to burn off energy, or they ddrive everyone around them nuts! Grammy takes Hermes through the skyway, his favorite thing to do with her next to going to the park or a jazz event. Gramma takes them to the museum, his favorite thing next to the park or camping/hiking/fishing to do with them.
We are very lucky to have two sets of awesome grandparents who love their grandkids, and spend time with them having fun.
Buddha is going to have some peacefull time tomorrow, time to crawl/saunter around and explore the house without fear of being run down by an older kid. He will also be having a nice, warm, uninterupted bath, something he rarely gets. The norm for him is to be washed down as quickly as possible, so his brothers don't annoy him/jump in the tub.steal his towel.
Wicked cold outside, but nice inside.
Hermes is being picked up from the palace of learning by his Gramma today. Last weekend he was able to spend time with Grammy, this weekend it's Gramma and Dad-dad. They decided to take Hermes overnight tonight, and pick up Thor tomorrow, and take them to the children's museum once again. Behold the power of the Yearly Pass in all it's splendor. An adult might become bored with the display of the season, but not children. Two little boys running around the Bob The Builder display, all the other hands on stuff...they'll be in heaven! The main reason they are going is the unholy cold. Little kids need to burn off energy, or they ddrive everyone around them nuts! Grammy takes Hermes through the skyway, his favorite thing to do with her next to going to the park or a jazz event. Gramma takes them to the museum, his favorite thing next to the park or camping/hiking/fishing to do with them.
We are very lucky to have two sets of awesome grandparents who love their grandkids, and spend time with them having fun.
Buddha is going to have some peacefull time tomorrow, time to crawl/saunter around and explore the house without fear of being run down by an older kid. He will also be having a nice, warm, uninterupted bath, something he rarely gets. The norm for him is to be washed down as quickly as possible, so his brothers don't annoy him/jump in the tub.steal his towel.
Wicked cold outside, but nice inside.
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