Mom to the Screaming Masses

Time to catch up with the Masses

Since there are so many questions, and so many little things to share, I thought I'd do it in one major fell swoop.  You guys don't mind if I'm scatterbrained, right?

• Point of interest #1 - the heart pains and flutterings that The Hubster has felt are not heart related.  They do, however, point to the fact that he's hypothyroid.  His levels were way scary off.  Which, really, explains a lot - he's always cold, hair is getting a bit thin (don't tell him, he can't see it up top), and he never gains weight.  He's now on meds, and will still follow up with the cardiologist.
• Emma got her glasses.  Isn't she cute? And, holy cow, doesn't she look OLD?

What would the Internets do?

This will (mercifully) be brief.  Three days of late to bed, early to rise, and poor diet choices, combined with less exercise than I'm accustomed to, have left me with a migraine.  So, it's 8:15 and I'm in my pj's, with my face washed and the Tylenol PM at my elbow. 

But I've got a dilemma.

One of my daughters was invited to a party next week, and in the invitation was tucked this piece of paper: 

At the bottom, which I don't think you can see, it says "Or, just cash!  Whatever is fine!"

Needless to say, I was less than thrilled.  My first action was to explain to her why this type of greed was wrong.  My daughter understood that aspect, but she still wants to go to the party.  I don't want to even think about sending her.  I feel like I'd be playing into this girl's hands.  My son thinks we should definitely send my daughter, but have her give a different gift, like, say, a gift certificate to the pet store or the grocery store.

What say the Internets?  How would you handle this?

A day no doctors were harmed

And that's saying something, right there.

Emma had her eye appt today.  Remembering back with me, the reason that she went was due to the fact that sometimes she squirrels up her left eye when she's looking at me.  I explained myself to the nurse, and she agreed with me that it was wise to have her eyes checked out, just to be certain  After all, Gabe needed glasses at the age of four.  I wear contacts/glasses with a big, strong prescription, and Nik and Allegra wear glasses.  So it stands to reason that there would be a slight possibility that she just might need glasses. 

The preliminary work up was completed, and the lovely doctor came in.  After a brief history, she commenced with the exam.  It was kind of frustrating, since Emma doesn't know all of her letters, but when we switched to shapes, she did better.  She dilated Emma's eyes, and we waited in the exam room.  Finally, we were done with the exam, and the doctor gave me her opinion.

"Well, it appears that she might need glasses for correction.  She's kind of borderline, so we could wait.  Of course, you didn't say that she had any problems, so I think I'd wait.  Incidentally, her left eye is worse than the right, but I think that's just coincidence." 

Oh, ok.  Maybe she didn't remember the first part of the visit, when I told her about the eye squinting, so I reminded her.  She shook her head and said, "No, what I mean is that you didn't say that she sits too close to the tv, rubs her eyes a lot, or puts the book too close to her face.  That's the type of problem that I mean."

Topic Tuesday: The first day of the rest of your life

Note:  Topic Tuesday is normally up to you, the readers.  If you want to suggest a topic to me, I'm all ears.  Leave it in the comments. 

Today was the actual, official first day of school.  Since it's MY blog, and I can talk about whatever I want, I'm sticking with the return to school topic. 

Today would have gone better if I'd gotten a better start.

To begin with, I stayed up way late watching TV with The Hubster.  I clicked on the television, and a movie was on that I had Netflix'ed and yet never watched.  Drumline.  It was really pretty good, especially since I'm a sucker for marching bands and percussion in particular.  When the movie was over, we were both pretty comfy on the couch, and lazy, and so we stayed for the next show.  Which turned out to be even better than the first - The Ron Clark Story.  I had forgotten to take my contacts out, and was so mesmerized that I didn't realize it was 1:40. A.M.  Horrified, I turned off the tv and ran to bed, but it was too late. 

Mission Monday

Today is a great day.  As you all know, it's the first day of school!  Yippee, skippee!

My kids return to school has me thinking about my own school years.  The good, the bad and the ugly.  I'm not sure what I'd classify as the good - although there were many years when absolutely nothing happened, I don't remember anything stellar.  I'm sure, though, that someone will probably correct me on this.

I do remember some things about my school years that were less than stellar.  Like the time in fourth grade that I passed gas in the hallway, during study period, in front of a dozen other kids. Or the time in fifth grade that I went to do an errand for my teacher and I got locked out of the school.  I remember in sixth grade, at a new school, when one girl decided that I was the scapegoat for the year and she bullied me all year long.  She teased me mercilessly in the bathroom, and, as a result, I avoided the bathroom for the year.  Sixth grade was the worst year for me.  I didn't fit in at all.  Once, that girl tripped me and I dropped my clutch purse - remember those?  the wooden handle purses that you could button different fabrics onto? - in the hallway and everything spilled out.  Including my foil wrapped maxi pad, which the boys proceeded to play catch with.

Ready for school: breakfast edition

Yay me!   I made it to the end of the summer!  In just about 36 hours, I'll be getting up to get my kids ready for school.  Oh, happy day.  Thrilling times, indeed.

Except.

Before I get them off to school, I've got to get them fed.  Studies have shown that kids who eat breakfast perform better in school, pay more attention, and sharpen their memory.  Getting the food into the kids is sometimes easier said than done.  Mornings are crazy and chaotic, and the next thing you know, you are running out the door, lucky to grab a piece of bread. You've got to get somethings into their bellies.  There are many ways to get this done.  I'd like to share some of them with you.

Weird is the new burglar?

FINALLY, today, we got to the root of the internet woes that have been plaguing me for lo these past six seven ten months.  I've had technician after technician out - secretly, I think that they were coming here to get the free sodas I give to repair people - and all of them have given me various answers.  Most often, they'd take one look at my close enough to brand new to count modem and pronounce it "no good".  As in, "That brand is no good.  We have nothing but trouble with that brand."  As well as, "I just spent two hours at a guy's house who has this brand, and he had the same problems as you.  We gave him a new modem - for our low price of $40 - and he never had another problem." You know, I'm not sure I buy this scenario.  Although, I did buy a new modem. Not from them, but on my own.  I STILL had very intermittent connection.

Ready for school: lunch edition

So, it's back to school time.  Yeah! 

Here I am in my cheerleader outfit, showing you exactly my feelings on the return to school.  HA!  I only wish I looked so good.

Along with the backpack, crayons, and paper, the kids need to bring lunch.  I'm here to give you my ideas.  Let's chat about what our options are, shall we?

The anxiety is a claw around my heart

Driving down the highway today, I felt a pain in my upper back, between my shoulder blades.  I made a conscious effort to relax my shoulders, which were in hibernation somewhere around my ears, and pull the shoulder blades together in the back instead of trying to make them meet in the front.  I took a deep, cleansing breath.  My cell phone trilled and I answered, narrowly avoiding the semi on the my left with a death wish.  It was my favorite nurse at the pediatrician's office, calling to help me with my problems.

Let me back up.  School starts for my kids in five days, and I have a heavy case load ahead of me.

Take me out to the ballgame

I loaded up the van.  Five kids of my own, two friends, and my father in law.  Who has a bad leg and trouble hearing.  We backed out of the driveway and immediately drove back in.  We'd forgotten diapers, and by WE I mean ME, since I'm the only one who should remember them.  We left again, and drove to The Hubster's work to pick up Allegra.  When he works on Sunday, one of the bigger kids is allowed to go with him and spend time.  Since we had this picnic, and he was working, I thought it would be more fun for her to be picked up and go to the game with us. 

Oh stupid, stupid me. 

What it was, was TORTURE for all of us.  She was grumpy and annoyed, and picked on each and every other person in the car.  I sat in the front and made small talk with my father in law, who was unable to hear 70% of what I was saying.  Between the escalating noise in the back, which I was trying to avoid, and the conversation up front, I was losing my mind.  We arrived at the ballpark, and I gave my speech.  "We are here to represent your father with his job.  You are to be polite, and answer all questions asked of you in a grown up manner, especially you and you (pointing to two extremely guilty parties.)  You don't have to eat everything offered, but what you take, you eat.  There is to be no fighting, no pushing, no hitting, no biting.  Everyone clear?"  Nine heads nodded, including my father in law. Perhaps I had been too hasty in my orders.  I counted to nine to make certain everyone was with me, and we hiked across the parking lot.