My computer died, we are super busy, and I have a lot of cooking to do. We will soon have a million people staying with us (exaggerating slightly, obviously). Despite all of that, I am thankful for so many things. I am thankful for my friends (thank you for stopping by Kim and Steven, it was such a great break for me with all the chores I was doing, and my daughter loved talking to you! My other daughter was mad at me for not calling her in when you were here. She didn't believe me that you already were here until I showed her the cookies, which by the way were awesome and a great treat! My youngest has eaten all the butterscotch ones and I may need the recipe since they were such a hit! And Maya misses Steven...next time she is all wild and out of control I am going to call him over to calm her down), my family, and am thankful that I am so busy because it means I have a lot of people in my life who want to spend time with me. Sometimes it feels stressful, but the love makes it all worth it.
Last night my daughter had a sleepover with 2 of her friends. They were very funny. My oldest and I were watching the music awards and they kept "spying" on us from upstairs. I told them many times that they could come down and watch with us but that wouldn't have been nearly as much fun as the spying was. Later I told them they would make terrible spies since they giggled so much and we totally knew they were there. I started calling them the giggle girls and we all laughed our heads off. Everyone finally settled down and we went to bed.
Today we will be dropping off another soldier package at the post office. My oldest asked me last night how many soldiers we are going to send things to. I think she is tired of writing letters for me to include in the boxes. I reminded her that she didn't have to include letters from herself, I could just continue it on my own and include letters from whatever kid wanted to help each time. I showed her the website, reminded her that there are tons more soldiers that did not sign up there and then asked her how many she thinks we should send things to. For me (and I am not judging anyone who doesn't feel this way) if I can, I should. I can so I do. And I am thankful that I can.
Happy Thanksgiving. I hope yours is as filled with love and family as mine is. Hopefully my new computer (pink!) will be here soon so I can get back to reading more and not have to sneak it in when my daughter isn't using her computer! If any of this makes no sense, it is because I have been constantly interrupted while writing this because my kids have no school today. I was going to try and read it over to make sure it makes sense but I give up. Happy Thanksgiving!
Monday, November 23, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Tooth Holes
Kids are really funny sometimes. Especially when they don't mean to be.
I am pretty sure I have mentioned before that I never really had any loose teeth because I got most of them pulled. I think that is why whenever any of my kids has a loose tooth I beg them to let me wiggle them. (My oldest lost her last baby tooth the other day and I almost cried) I don't find their loose teeth gross, I don't really think anything of wiggling their teeth with clean hands. They don't like it though so I rarely get to wiggle them. My youngest is completely grossed out by loose teeth and has told me that when he gets a loose tooth he is not going to wiggle it at all, he will just wait until it falls out. He doesn't even care about the tooth fairy money, he would prefer if they just all stayed in and never fell out.
Today my daycare kid lost a tooth. She has been playing with it all week, I have had to remind her several times that it isn't polite at the table and it finally fell out. And I was totally grossed out. When she was wiggling her tooth and pulled it out, I literally felt sick to my stomach. My son described his feelings about this with this: "it's just that I have very sensitive eyes and when I see things like that it makes my tummy so sick I feel like I'm gonna puke". I felt the same way.
Obviously I took care of it and did my best not to gag and make her feel like she did something wrong. I congratulated her on losing a tooth and put it in a safe place so she can show it to her mom when she picks her up. Later, when we were waiting for the bus to come, I was telling her about when my 9 year old daughter lost her first tooth. She (my daycare girl) loves to hear my stories from when I was little (because she is so much like I was, not a girly girl and sort of into bugs and stuff) and also loves to hear stories about my older kids when they were younger. When we were talking about the lost tooth, she said something about how she lost one of her loose teeth but the tooth fairy still came anyway. That made me think about how my oldest also lost a few teeth...lost lost them, not just that they fell out. After I thought about that, I thought about the first tooth my now 9 year old daughter lost (fell out, not lost lost).
She was in bed with her wiggly tooth. I kissed her goodnight and went downstairs to clean up. A few minutes later I heard her screaming like she was dying and ran up to see what was going on. She had lost her tooth (fell out, not lost lost). She was extremely upset, like out of her mind upset about it. She was holding her tooth and when I finally calmed her down enough to tell me what was upsetting her she said this: "my tooth fell out and now there is a hole because the next tooth isn't there. I can't drink anything until my tooth comes in and I am really thirsty". I had no idea what she was talking about so I gently asked for clarification. She then explained that there is a "tooth hole and the tooth hole goes up to my brain and if I drink water the water will go up the tooth hole and I will die". I have no idea where she got that from but I had to talk to her for hours before she believed me that this would not in fact happen and that the hole did not go up to her brain and that drinking water would be just fine.
She is the same girl who at the age of less than 2 freaked out one day and made me take the crib (the "cage") out of her room. She slept in the hallway on a mattress for months...actually until we moved because I remember when our house was for sale every morning I had to move the mattress back on the bed in her room so people looking at our house would not think we were insane or torturing our children or something. She then proceeded to sleep walk every night for several months and end up all over the house. My husband once almost stepped on her because she had fallen back asleep outside our bedroom door. When she started sleepwalking we put several extra locks on our doors to outside because we were afraid she would end up in the street or at the park or something.
My youngest also sleep walked (slept walked? what is the right way to phrase that? sleep walked sounds wrong but slept walked sounds even more wrong) but he had night terrors as well. I got used to them and forgot how abnormal they were until we had a friend over and I was calmly continuing to play whatever game we were playing holding a freaking out screaming and kicking sleeping child who kept punching me and yelling that he wanted his mommy and that I should put him down because I was not his mommy. I think our childless friend may never have kids because of how traumatic he (the friend) found the whole experience.
Anyway, this post is all over the place. Moral of the story: My kids are strange and they got it from me, I am sure.
I am pretty sure I have mentioned before that I never really had any loose teeth because I got most of them pulled. I think that is why whenever any of my kids has a loose tooth I beg them to let me wiggle them. (My oldest lost her last baby tooth the other day and I almost cried) I don't find their loose teeth gross, I don't really think anything of wiggling their teeth with clean hands. They don't like it though so I rarely get to wiggle them. My youngest is completely grossed out by loose teeth and has told me that when he gets a loose tooth he is not going to wiggle it at all, he will just wait until it falls out. He doesn't even care about the tooth fairy money, he would prefer if they just all stayed in and never fell out.
Today my daycare kid lost a tooth. She has been playing with it all week, I have had to remind her several times that it isn't polite at the table and it finally fell out. And I was totally grossed out. When she was wiggling her tooth and pulled it out, I literally felt sick to my stomach. My son described his feelings about this with this: "it's just that I have very sensitive eyes and when I see things like that it makes my tummy so sick I feel like I'm gonna puke". I felt the same way.
Obviously I took care of it and did my best not to gag and make her feel like she did something wrong. I congratulated her on losing a tooth and put it in a safe place so she can show it to her mom when she picks her up. Later, when we were waiting for the bus to come, I was telling her about when my 9 year old daughter lost her first tooth. She (my daycare girl) loves to hear my stories from when I was little (because she is so much like I was, not a girly girl and sort of into bugs and stuff) and also loves to hear stories about my older kids when they were younger. When we were talking about the lost tooth, she said something about how she lost one of her loose teeth but the tooth fairy still came anyway. That made me think about how my oldest also lost a few teeth...lost lost them, not just that they fell out. After I thought about that, I thought about the first tooth my now 9 year old daughter lost (fell out, not lost lost).
She was in bed with her wiggly tooth. I kissed her goodnight and went downstairs to clean up. A few minutes later I heard her screaming like she was dying and ran up to see what was going on. She had lost her tooth (fell out, not lost lost). She was extremely upset, like out of her mind upset about it. She was holding her tooth and when I finally calmed her down enough to tell me what was upsetting her she said this: "my tooth fell out and now there is a hole because the next tooth isn't there. I can't drink anything until my tooth comes in and I am really thirsty". I had no idea what she was talking about so I gently asked for clarification. She then explained that there is a "tooth hole and the tooth hole goes up to my brain and if I drink water the water will go up the tooth hole and I will die". I have no idea where she got that from but I had to talk to her for hours before she believed me that this would not in fact happen and that the hole did not go up to her brain and that drinking water would be just fine.
She is the same girl who at the age of less than 2 freaked out one day and made me take the crib (the "cage") out of her room. She slept in the hallway on a mattress for months...actually until we moved because I remember when our house was for sale every morning I had to move the mattress back on the bed in her room so people looking at our house would not think we were insane or torturing our children or something. She then proceeded to sleep walk every night for several months and end up all over the house. My husband once almost stepped on her because she had fallen back asleep outside our bedroom door. When she started sleepwalking we put several extra locks on our doors to outside because we were afraid she would end up in the street or at the park or something.
My youngest also sleep walked (slept walked? what is the right way to phrase that? sleep walked sounds wrong but slept walked sounds even more wrong) but he had night terrors as well. I got used to them and forgot how abnormal they were until we had a friend over and I was calmly continuing to play whatever game we were playing holding a freaking out screaming and kicking sleeping child who kept punching me and yelling that he wanted his mommy and that I should put him down because I was not his mommy. I think our childless friend may never have kids because of how traumatic he (the friend) found the whole experience.
Anyway, this post is all over the place. Moral of the story: My kids are strange and they got it from me, I am sure.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Blue Screens and Islands
Waking up to find the blue screen of death on your computer is awesome. Well, if by awesome you mean it is horrible and makes you feel all jittery to realize what you have lost then it is.
We sent our package to a soldier. We got an email which made all the kids (and me!) super happy. Obviously we never expect a reply and this is only the second one we have ever gotten after all the packages we have sent. That is totally fine but it is super exciting to get an email to let you know the person got it and to make more of a personal connection. Our soldier sent us some pictures. I printed out 2 of them and hung them up in the kitchen. I was planning to print the rest later because I could do it whenever I wanted to, there was no rush. Now they are gone. I lost his email address, all of my email addresses, etc. (Yes, I realize I should have backed it all up...no lectures please, I feel bad enough!)
Right now I am using my daughter's computer (the one with the dyslexia/dysgraphia). She needs the computer for homework and will be home in a short while so I am trying to hurry. If this doesn't make sense it is because I am rushed and super busy right now. I am also addicted to the computer. I realized that when I felt how upset I was without mine.
Other things I have been up to:
1. I passed my DCFS inspection today and should have my renewed license in a few weeks. The lady was very nice and at the end she said "I can tell you are really good with kids. I can tell by how you treat your son and your answers to my questions". That made me feel really good to hear.
2. They finally put the counter top on our island. It has been several weeks with naked cabinets that are sort of useless. I couldn't use them yet because I knew when they put on the counter they would make a mess (I was right) and it was sort of in the way. It looks great, even better than the pictures. I was sort of annoyed about the seam in the middle when they originally told me it would all be one piece but at this point I am so happy it is in before Thanksgiving that I will accept it.
It looks great but there won't be any more cartwheels or jump rope in the kitchen which is kind of a bummer.
Also, the shelves in the cabinets are attached with the strangest clips I have ever seen. I can not seem to move the shelves. I hate to admit how dumb I am but I really can't figure them out. They have this clip you have to squeeze and then pull the shelf up. Except there are 4 clips and if you let the shelf slip back down onto one after you release it, it snaps back in. How can I get all four unclipped while also holding the dumb shelf up high enough that they don't snap back in? I got one out but then can't get it back in. Possibly I am stupid or making this more difficult than it has to be. They can't possibly be as difficult as they seem but I can't figure out any other way to try. Instead of asking someone in real life (because that would be embarrassing to admit I can't figure them out) I am telling the entire world. Because that makes a lot of sense. But I will have to ask someone soon so I can get things organized before Thanksgiving.
3. Speaking of accepting things when you probably shouldn't, I have mentioned my leaking dishwasher several times before. Guess what? It still leaks. I was about to just buy a new dishwasher even though this one is not very old at all...it is the second dishwasher we have bought since we lived in our less than 6 year old house. I called the company and demanded that they replace it. I kind of thought I was offering my high offer and then would come down to whatever they said they would give me for it. They are going to give me a huge credit and let me choose a new dishwasher. Hooray!
4. The dishwasher guy was super nice. He told me his entire life story while he was waiting for his boss to approve things. People tend to do that a lot with me. I hope that means I am easy to confide in.
5. I am freaking out that Thanksgiving is next week and I haven't even figured out what we are having. Normally I have a list and am all set. Lately I have been sort of disorganized and much more relaxed about things. That is good (the relaxed thing) except I really need to get planning or we will end up with a houseful of people and nothing to serve them! Well, probably we would have some cookies and that would make a fine Thanksgiving meal, right?
6. We got new blinds on two windows. My husband's cousin owns the store and came and installed them for us. He left the bubble wrap and the kids have been having a wonderful time popping it all. Maya freaks out and hides in the place she hides when she thinks she is in trouble. It isn't funny, but it sort of is.
We sent our package to a soldier. We got an email which made all the kids (and me!) super happy. Obviously we never expect a reply and this is only the second one we have ever gotten after all the packages we have sent. That is totally fine but it is super exciting to get an email to let you know the person got it and to make more of a personal connection. Our soldier sent us some pictures. I printed out 2 of them and hung them up in the kitchen. I was planning to print the rest later because I could do it whenever I wanted to, there was no rush. Now they are gone. I lost his email address, all of my email addresses, etc. (Yes, I realize I should have backed it all up...no lectures please, I feel bad enough!)
Right now I am using my daughter's computer (the one with the dyslexia/dysgraphia). She needs the computer for homework and will be home in a short while so I am trying to hurry. If this doesn't make sense it is because I am rushed and super busy right now. I am also addicted to the computer. I realized that when I felt how upset I was without mine.
Other things I have been up to:
1. I passed my DCFS inspection today and should have my renewed license in a few weeks. The lady was very nice and at the end she said "I can tell you are really good with kids. I can tell by how you treat your son and your answers to my questions". That made me feel really good to hear.
2. They finally put the counter top on our island. It has been several weeks with naked cabinets that are sort of useless. I couldn't use them yet because I knew when they put on the counter they would make a mess (I was right) and it was sort of in the way. It looks great, even better than the pictures. I was sort of annoyed about the seam in the middle when they originally told me it would all be one piece but at this point I am so happy it is in before Thanksgiving that I will accept it.
It looks great but there won't be any more cartwheels or jump rope in the kitchen which is kind of a bummer.Also, the shelves in the cabinets are attached with the strangest clips I have ever seen. I can not seem to move the shelves. I hate to admit how dumb I am but I really can't figure them out. They have this clip you have to squeeze and then pull the shelf up. Except there are 4 clips and if you let the shelf slip back down onto one after you release it, it snaps back in. How can I get all four unclipped while also holding the dumb shelf up high enough that they don't snap back in? I got one out but then can't get it back in. Possibly I am stupid or making this more difficult than it has to be. They can't possibly be as difficult as they seem but I can't figure out any other way to try. Instead of asking someone in real life (because that would be embarrassing to admit I can't figure them out) I am telling the entire world. Because that makes a lot of sense. But I will have to ask someone soon so I can get things organized before Thanksgiving.
3. Speaking of accepting things when you probably shouldn't, I have mentioned my leaking dishwasher several times before. Guess what? It still leaks. I was about to just buy a new dishwasher even though this one is not very old at all...it is the second dishwasher we have bought since we lived in our less than 6 year old house. I called the company and demanded that they replace it. I kind of thought I was offering my high offer and then would come down to whatever they said they would give me for it. They are going to give me a huge credit and let me choose a new dishwasher. Hooray!
4. The dishwasher guy was super nice. He told me his entire life story while he was waiting for his boss to approve things. People tend to do that a lot with me. I hope that means I am easy to confide in.
5. I am freaking out that Thanksgiving is next week and I haven't even figured out what we are having. Normally I have a list and am all set. Lately I have been sort of disorganized and much more relaxed about things. That is good (the relaxed thing) except I really need to get planning or we will end up with a houseful of people and nothing to serve them! Well, probably we would have some cookies and that would make a fine Thanksgiving meal, right?
6. We got new blinds on two windows. My husband's cousin owns the store and came and installed them for us. He left the bubble wrap and the kids have been having a wonderful time popping it all. Maya freaks out and hides in the place she hides when she thinks she is in trouble. It isn't funny, but it sort of is.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Introspection and Manners
Why do I never believe people will remember me? Why do I always think I make so little of an impression that people couldn't possibly even realize I exist? Why do I always doubt myself over everything and feel like people are just waiting for me to screw up?
I have been thinking a lot about that ever since I read an email from my twins' teacher. She went on and on gushing over how awesome she thinks I am. She named several things I have done for the class and for her personally and was very thankful. So why, when I read that, do I think inside my head "right but if she really knew me she wouldn't like me so much". Or "she only likes me so much because of the things I have done". Why do I think that is true? Why do I always think much less of myself than other people do? I don't think it is low self esteem because when I think about myself I think I am a pretty awesome person. I can name tons of strengths and tons of good things I do. But when I think of other people thinking of me I think much more negatively. It's like I expect people to not be nice and think the worst of me or even get things completely wrong about me. It's like I am wanting to apologize or at least be ready to before something happens just in case. In case of what???? What do I think will happen????
I think I need to be nicer to myself and think of others thinking of me like they do and not how I think they would. I think it has a lot to do with the way I was raised and the fact that nothing was ever good enough. (It still isn't actually, no matter what I say there is always the message that there is something else I should have done instead and what I hear is "you suck as a human you don't know how to be right" What is right? Is there normally a right way to do something? Just because the way I would do something is different than what that person would choose, why do I think my way is "wrong" and theirs is "right"?)
No matter what I did growing up there was always a backhanded compliment. Something like "that was great, but..." and then the negative about whatever it was or what I could have done differently. That isn't a very nice way to parent (or to treat other people in general). I know this, and because of this I try really hard to never do that to my kids (or anyone). I try (and think I succeed) in making my kids (and friends) know I love them no matter what they do, who they are, or anything. I think they know I love them just because they exist and that although I may not love some things they do, that never changes what I think of them, the person.
This is a boring/introspective post so I will tell you something my 5 year old has been doing lately that cracks me up. We were outside when I noticed it but when I thought back I realized he has been doing it for weeks (at least). When you ask him something, instead of just saying "yes" or "no", he says "yes, yes it does" or "no, no we didn't". He repeats the yes or no part in a different way after he says it plain. I also noticed recently that he has also taught my daycare kids better manners. When I asked one of them something and the answer was no, he said "a nicer way to say that would be no thank you. In my house we always say no thank you or yes please". Since then, she has been saying it like he told her to. Maybe I should have him be a parenting coach? Or teach a manners class?
I have been thinking a lot about that ever since I read an email from my twins' teacher. She went on and on gushing over how awesome she thinks I am. She named several things I have done for the class and for her personally and was very thankful. So why, when I read that, do I think inside my head "right but if she really knew me she wouldn't like me so much". Or "she only likes me so much because of the things I have done". Why do I think that is true? Why do I always think much less of myself than other people do? I don't think it is low self esteem because when I think about myself I think I am a pretty awesome person. I can name tons of strengths and tons of good things I do. But when I think of other people thinking of me I think much more negatively. It's like I expect people to not be nice and think the worst of me or even get things completely wrong about me. It's like I am wanting to apologize or at least be ready to before something happens just in case. In case of what???? What do I think will happen????
I think I need to be nicer to myself and think of others thinking of me like they do and not how I think they would. I think it has a lot to do with the way I was raised and the fact that nothing was ever good enough. (It still isn't actually, no matter what I say there is always the message that there is something else I should have done instead and what I hear is "you suck as a human you don't know how to be right" What is right? Is there normally a right way to do something? Just because the way I would do something is different than what that person would choose, why do I think my way is "wrong" and theirs is "right"?)
No matter what I did growing up there was always a backhanded compliment. Something like "that was great, but..." and then the negative about whatever it was or what I could have done differently. That isn't a very nice way to parent (or to treat other people in general). I know this, and because of this I try really hard to never do that to my kids (or anyone). I try (and think I succeed) in making my kids (and friends) know I love them no matter what they do, who they are, or anything. I think they know I love them just because they exist and that although I may not love some things they do, that never changes what I think of them, the person.
This is a boring/introspective post so I will tell you something my 5 year old has been doing lately that cracks me up. We were outside when I noticed it but when I thought back I realized he has been doing it for weeks (at least). When you ask him something, instead of just saying "yes" or "no", he says "yes, yes it does" or "no, no we didn't". He repeats the yes or no part in a different way after he says it plain. I also noticed recently that he has also taught my daycare kids better manners. When I asked one of them something and the answer was no, he said "a nicer way to say that would be no thank you. In my house we always say no thank you or yes please". Since then, she has been saying it like he told her to. Maybe I should have him be a parenting coach? Or teach a manners class?
Monday, November 09, 2009
Random (and boring?)
1. This is the stack of homework my 9 year old son had to do to make up the work he missed when he was sick all last week with the swine flu.
(Can you read that note from his teacher? Super adorable!) Oh and yes my twins are in the same classroom and no I do not want to hear why that is wrong. It is right for my family and my kids and that is what I know.
I felt like I was being punished with all that homework! I was stressed out and cranky because in addition to taking care of sick kids (my 9 year old daughter stayed home one day because of an awful headache and my 5 year old son didn't go back to school until Wednesday) I had to make him do all that homework. Of course since he hadn't learned how to do any of it because he hadn't been at school I had to teach him the lessons first without any kind of guide as to how they would teach it at school. I was so thankful when we were done yesterday! I would not make a good homeschooler because the thought of all I need to get done stresses me out. As a perfect example, I am homeschooling my kids in religion (with the church curriculum) and since we have the entire years worth of work at the beginning, I make my kids work on it so much to get through it that we finish about half way through the year. I hate to have things hanging over my head and I always finish all my chores before I will let myself relax. That also pertains to school type stuff if I have the ability to work ahead.
2. I made a few sales at my shop which was a very nice way to cheer me up.
3. We packed up some boxes for soldiers.
4. I went to the grocery store and have a story about that but I don't want to share it because I feel like it makes me sound like I am patting myself on the back for something nice I did that I feel is no big deal or is something everyone would/should have done. I want to know what other people would have done in the same situation since people went sort of crazy about how generous I was for doing something I really don't think was that generous, but I don't want to post a "I'm such an awesome person" post which is how it comes off sounding. My husband would have done the same thing I did, but his reason for doing it is so different it seems like it means something totally different about him and then I wonder what other people would have done and why. I did love that it happened in front of my 11 year old daughter because I think it is way easier to teach kids to be good people by example than with words.
5. I "crocheted" this bag. In quotes because I actually don't know how to crochet for real. I mean now I do, but when my 11 year old daughter asked me to teach her I had no idea. I took the leftover square scraps from when I was trying to learn and put them together to make this bag. No idea what I will do with it, but I LOVE it. It isn't "right" but who cares.
6. We also went to the circus over the weekend. My mom bought us the tickets for my husband's birthday. I have mixed feelings about the circus but we did have a good time. The funniest part was that when we got there, my 5 year old started crying and said he didn't want to go. I finally figured out that he had no idea what to expect and he really hates that (as do I). We got a little program booklet and looked through it and he said he still didn't want to be there. After it was over he said "I didn't want to be here, but I did like it". He is so funny and doesn't even mean to be. I was so nervous for the performers the entire time that I sort of didn't enjoy it. Is this a mom thing? Because I never remember being so worried about them before!
7. I feel very boring lately. I have all these stories and then as soon as I sit down to write them out, I completely forget what I was going to tell you. So instead of what I want to write since I can't remember, you get these lame updates today. Everyone is back at school today and everyone (but me) is healthy so hopefully soon I will be feeling back to normal and be able to remember things.
8. I have some weird cold that is giving me low fevers. I dislike this for two reasons. Reason number one is that (obviously) having a cold constantly kind of sucks. Number two (ha...number two) is that right before my thyroid cancer was diagnosed I had all these colds that ran into each other (just like this) and was stuffy, lost my voice and had a low fever for a long time. This is exactly what it was like and now that I have had a cold for almost a month I am getting a little tiny bit worried. I am sure it is nothing, I really am, but it is just so similar to what happened before that I worry. Call me paranoid, which I hope I am, but it just doesn't feel right. Obviously if it doesn't get better soon I will call my doctor. I just hate to be a hypochondriac so I am waiting.
One last thing. I was talking to someone recently who said something about how cancer is something a person makes or causes themselves because they have something to work out (or something like that). I just want to say for the record that I think that is bullshit. And as much as I believe in karma, I do not believe that people get cancer because of something bad they have done. That would just be stupid. Even if I did something horrible to deserve this what could my kids have done to deserve having to deal with that? I just don't believe it is true. (And also for the record I can't think of anything awful I have done anyway).
(Can you read that note from his teacher? Super adorable!) Oh and yes my twins are in the same classroom and no I do not want to hear why that is wrong. It is right for my family and my kids and that is what I know.I felt like I was being punished with all that homework! I was stressed out and cranky because in addition to taking care of sick kids (my 9 year old daughter stayed home one day because of an awful headache and my 5 year old son didn't go back to school until Wednesday) I had to make him do all that homework. Of course since he hadn't learned how to do any of it because he hadn't been at school I had to teach him the lessons first without any kind of guide as to how they would teach it at school. I was so thankful when we were done yesterday! I would not make a good homeschooler because the thought of all I need to get done stresses me out. As a perfect example, I am homeschooling my kids in religion (with the church curriculum) and since we have the entire years worth of work at the beginning, I make my kids work on it so much to get through it that we finish about half way through the year. I hate to have things hanging over my head and I always finish all my chores before I will let myself relax. That also pertains to school type stuff if I have the ability to work ahead.
2. I made a few sales at my shop which was a very nice way to cheer me up.
3. We packed up some boxes for soldiers.
4. I went to the grocery store and have a story about that but I don't want to share it because I feel like it makes me sound like I am patting myself on the back for something nice I did that I feel is no big deal or is something everyone would/should have done. I want to know what other people would have done in the same situation since people went sort of crazy about how generous I was for doing something I really don't think was that generous, but I don't want to post a "I'm such an awesome person" post which is how it comes off sounding. My husband would have done the same thing I did, but his reason for doing it is so different it seems like it means something totally different about him and then I wonder what other people would have done and why. I did love that it happened in front of my 11 year old daughter because I think it is way easier to teach kids to be good people by example than with words.
5. I "crocheted" this bag. In quotes because I actually don't know how to crochet for real. I mean now I do, but when my 11 year old daughter asked me to teach her I had no idea. I took the leftover square scraps from when I was trying to learn and put them together to make this bag. No idea what I will do with it, but I LOVE it. It isn't "right" but who cares.
6. We also went to the circus over the weekend. My mom bought us the tickets for my husband's birthday. I have mixed feelings about the circus but we did have a good time. The funniest part was that when we got there, my 5 year old started crying and said he didn't want to go. I finally figured out that he had no idea what to expect and he really hates that (as do I). We got a little program booklet and looked through it and he said he still didn't want to be there. After it was over he said "I didn't want to be here, but I did like it". He is so funny and doesn't even mean to be. I was so nervous for the performers the entire time that I sort of didn't enjoy it. Is this a mom thing? Because I never remember being so worried about them before!
7. I feel very boring lately. I have all these stories and then as soon as I sit down to write them out, I completely forget what I was going to tell you. So instead of what I want to write since I can't remember, you get these lame updates today. Everyone is back at school today and everyone (but me) is healthy so hopefully soon I will be feeling back to normal and be able to remember things.
8. I have some weird cold that is giving me low fevers. I dislike this for two reasons. Reason number one is that (obviously) having a cold constantly kind of sucks. Number two (ha...number two) is that right before my thyroid cancer was diagnosed I had all these colds that ran into each other (just like this) and was stuffy, lost my voice and had a low fever for a long time. This is exactly what it was like and now that I have had a cold for almost a month I am getting a little tiny bit worried. I am sure it is nothing, I really am, but it is just so similar to what happened before that I worry. Call me paranoid, which I hope I am, but it just doesn't feel right. Obviously if it doesn't get better soon I will call my doctor. I just hate to be a hypochondriac so I am waiting.
One last thing. I was talking to someone recently who said something about how cancer is something a person makes or causes themselves because they have something to work out (or something like that). I just want to say for the record that I think that is bullshit. And as much as I believe in karma, I do not believe that people get cancer because of something bad they have done. That would just be stupid. Even if I did something horrible to deserve this what could my kids have done to deserve having to deal with that? I just don't believe it is true. (And also for the record I can't think of anything awful I have done anyway).
Monday, November 02, 2009
At Least I Don't Have to Find the Swine Flu Vaccine Now
So, as the title implies, my two boys have the swine flu. My 5 year old had the rapid test last Thursday which was negative but it was a false negative because the longer test showed it to be positive. My 9 year old son went to the doctor today and had the rapid test, which was positive. My thoughts? Well, I knew they were really sick so at least I am happy that I now do not have to try and find that swine flu vaccine. I'm sure my girls will either get it soon or I won't worry about getting them the vaccine anyway because they are so close with their brothers that if they don't catch it from them, I can't imagine them catching it from anyone else. There isn't anything to do for the flu besides rest and tylenol/motrin. It feels sort of yucky to be the mom watching your kids be so sick and know there is nothing you can do to make them better. Fevers of 104.8 are scary, even when I know the boys take after me and tend towards high fevers in general.
Because my youngest couldn't go trick or treating over the weekend (I sent my 9 year old because he wasn't yet sick and I didn't know he would get sick. He was probably the most contagious kid but I had no idea) the older kids did something special for him. I planted the idea by saying "wouldn't it be awesome to trick or treat inside the house? You wouldn't have to get cold and you would get all the candy you liked and none of the yucky stuff". My older kids went to work decorating their bedroom doors with doorbells and windows.
I was really proud of my kids for making this so much fun for him. They went all crazy giving him treats, pretending they were neighbors who made a big deal about how cute he was in his costume, and generally made the day so fun I think next year he might request to go indoor trick or treating instead.
Maya is worried about the boys. She has been taking turns sitting by each boy while they sleep on each couch. She sits with one boy for a while then moves to the other. When one of them cough, she looks at me like she's mad and barks. I imagined she was yelling at me for not doing anything to make them better. My 11 year old isn't quite as nice with her thoughts as I am and thinks it is because she was annoyed that they were waking her up. Either way, she is a very sweet loving dog to "take care" of them.
Because my youngest couldn't go trick or treating over the weekend (I sent my 9 year old because he wasn't yet sick and I didn't know he would get sick. He was probably the most contagious kid but I had no idea) the older kids did something special for him. I planted the idea by saying "wouldn't it be awesome to trick or treat inside the house? You wouldn't have to get cold and you would get all the candy you liked and none of the yucky stuff". My older kids went to work decorating their bedroom doors with doorbells and windows.
I was really proud of my kids for making this so much fun for him. They went all crazy giving him treats, pretending they were neighbors who made a big deal about how cute he was in his costume, and generally made the day so fun I think next year he might request to go indoor trick or treating instead.
Maya is worried about the boys. She has been taking turns sitting by each boy while they sleep on each couch. She sits with one boy for a while then moves to the other. When one of them cough, she looks at me like she's mad and barks. I imagined she was yelling at me for not doing anything to make them better. My 11 year old isn't quite as nice with her thoughts as I am and thinks it is because she was annoyed that they were waking her up. Either way, she is a very sweet loving dog to "take care" of them.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Neurotic But Not Quite
Watching the daycare kids is going awesome. Except for when one of them comes down with the flu (actual diagnosed flu) and the baby has explosive diarrhea and then my son has a high fever, probably flu too. Today we cancelled them coming because all of those situations occurred yesterday.
Right now I have a sleepy little man who is super pissed off that he is missing his Halloween party at school. It was going to be his first year in the school parade (lame, but to him it looks like the most amazing thing ever and he has been waiting to be in it for 5 whole years). I am trying to explain to him that kids with temperatures of 103.4 after taking Tylenol can not attend the parade but since he is sort of unreasonable with the fever and all, he was stomping around and mad. He fell asleep just now so hopefully he won't remember any of that when he wakes up. He doesn't know yet but I don't think he will be trick or treating tomorrow either. Possibly one house if he stays way back and away from everyone, but I feel like that might make me a horrible mom. If someone else said they were going to do that I would think they were crazy and maybe sort of rude to expose people needlessly just so their kid could be less mad about missing trick or treating.
When I took my son to the doctor yesterday I was actually hoping it was the flu. His test came out negative but the doctor is pretty sure he has the flu anyway. He said the test is not completely accurate and has a chance of false negatives. I was hoping it was the flu because he is sick anyway and hasn't had a flu shot. If he has the flu, he wouldn't need one and I could stop trying to find a place that has his dosage. Plus, since the daycare boy definitely has the flu he was definitely exposed. I can't imagine him getting the flu on top of whatever he has right now if he doesn't have the flu.
The one bright side to this (tons of negatives: he is sick, I missed my kids' performance at school yesterday because my husband is out of town and you can't really find someone to watch a very sick kid while you go see your kids in a play, today I am missing the Halloween parade, etc.) is that he was home when I got the mail yesterday and in the mail was a letter to the parents of him from his school. We opened it up together. It was an invitation to the special Hard Work Award Ceremony because he got an award for "showing individuality". I am so not surprised about that. He is such a cool person, and so different from most kids that it is the perfect award for him.
You know what is funny? When I get a letter like that from school addressed to "The parents Of..." one of my kids I always panic for a second. My heart beats faster and I wonder if they got in trouble for something. That is ridiculous because every teacher they have had has said that each of my kids is the best behaved kid they have and that they would love an entire classroom of each of them. My kids are good kids at school. (Mostly at home too, but not nearly as perfect as they are at school). I guess I always sort of expect something awful whenever any letters come home. I don't know why since it has never happened before and most likely won't in the future. Plus I highly doubt the school would send a horrible letter home without me having some kind of knowledge about whatever bad thing it could be before the letter came. I'm pretty sure the teacher would call or email me and tell me what was going on before a letter was sent home.
(That last paragraph is completely neurotic and is exactly how my brain works. I can turn anything, no matter how unlikely, into something that could happen and then create entire scenarios about what would happen if... I think I may have some kind of problem with living in an imaginary world inside my head or something. I can separate reality from my craziness so I think I am good for now, no help required)
Moral of the story:Sick kids are no fun and also that I am crazy.
P.S. I actually just looked up the word "neurosis" before hitting publish to make absolutely sure that is what I meant. It isn't quite exactly describing the word I mean but close enough that I won't change it. That is definitely another sign of it right there, isn't it?
Right now I have a sleepy little man who is super pissed off that he is missing his Halloween party at school. It was going to be his first year in the school parade (lame, but to him it looks like the most amazing thing ever and he has been waiting to be in it for 5 whole years). I am trying to explain to him that kids with temperatures of 103.4 after taking Tylenol can not attend the parade but since he is sort of unreasonable with the fever and all, he was stomping around and mad. He fell asleep just now so hopefully he won't remember any of that when he wakes up. He doesn't know yet but I don't think he will be trick or treating tomorrow either. Possibly one house if he stays way back and away from everyone, but I feel like that might make me a horrible mom. If someone else said they were going to do that I would think they were crazy and maybe sort of rude to expose people needlessly just so their kid could be less mad about missing trick or treating.
When I took my son to the doctor yesterday I was actually hoping it was the flu. His test came out negative but the doctor is pretty sure he has the flu anyway. He said the test is not completely accurate and has a chance of false negatives. I was hoping it was the flu because he is sick anyway and hasn't had a flu shot. If he has the flu, he wouldn't need one and I could stop trying to find a place that has his dosage. Plus, since the daycare boy definitely has the flu he was definitely exposed. I can't imagine him getting the flu on top of whatever he has right now if he doesn't have the flu.
The one bright side to this (tons of negatives: he is sick, I missed my kids' performance at school yesterday because my husband is out of town and you can't really find someone to watch a very sick kid while you go see your kids in a play, today I am missing the Halloween parade, etc.) is that he was home when I got the mail yesterday and in the mail was a letter to the parents of him from his school. We opened it up together. It was an invitation to the special Hard Work Award Ceremony because he got an award for "showing individuality". I am so not surprised about that. He is such a cool person, and so different from most kids that it is the perfect award for him.
You know what is funny? When I get a letter like that from school addressed to "The parents Of..." one of my kids I always panic for a second. My heart beats faster and I wonder if they got in trouble for something. That is ridiculous because every teacher they have had has said that each of my kids is the best behaved kid they have and that they would love an entire classroom of each of them. My kids are good kids at school. (Mostly at home too, but not nearly as perfect as they are at school). I guess I always sort of expect something awful whenever any letters come home. I don't know why since it has never happened before and most likely won't in the future. Plus I highly doubt the school would send a horrible letter home without me having some kind of knowledge about whatever bad thing it could be before the letter came. I'm pretty sure the teacher would call or email me and tell me what was going on before a letter was sent home.
(That last paragraph is completely neurotic and is exactly how my brain works. I can turn anything, no matter how unlikely, into something that could happen and then create entire scenarios about what would happen if... I think I may have some kind of problem with living in an imaginary world inside my head or something. I can separate reality from my craziness so I think I am good for now, no help required)
Moral of the story:Sick kids are no fun and also that I am crazy.
P.S. I actually just looked up the word "neurosis" before hitting publish to make absolutely sure that is what I meant. It isn't quite exactly describing the word I mean but close enough that I won't change it. That is definitely another sign of it right there, isn't it?
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