tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321373602024-03-07T02:18:01.665-06:00Watching Paint DryGreat, now I'm gonna have flashbacks.Sylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11437557860571803908noreply@blogger.comBlogger596125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32137360.post-59168001018795573172011-11-08T14:50:00.003-06:002011-11-08T14:59:30.147-06:00Adventures in ADHDIt turns out all 4 of us have ADHD Inattentive. <div><br /></div><div>Kitten and I are diagnosed. The Hammer is headed down the same path - we're getting a similar vibe from her kindergarten teacher that we had from Kitten's last year. And Pants - well, he talked to his doctor about a referral but has yet to set up his appointment for an evaluation. True to form. </div><div><br /></div><div>I've started a new blog to specifically address our lives with ADHD - ADD-Libbing (addlibbing.blogspot.com). We've struggled as a family for a long time and I've personally struggled with some issues for decades. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's been a comfort to know what we're up against, but finding our way forward will be interesting. We're not like other families. </div>Sylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11437557860571803908noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32137360.post-89573658342764048782011-06-23T12:06:00.001-05:002011-06-23T12:06:35.365-05:00Free e-BookSmart School-Time Recipes offered free in iTunes and anywhere else you can find it. Compiled from multiple bloggers and uses mostly whole foods. Includes multiple dairy-free, gluten free, nut-free options and substitutions.Sylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11437557860571803908noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32137360.post-58478074116421730882011-04-01T19:40:00.001-05:002011-04-01T19:40:44.909-05:00long<br/><br/><img style="margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgupqxscC9DB1GOnP8n-BWxzMjYch4Nw7P4wMx5Uj0B_568fTtODQgHoXuqEer-6oIhre0oqJ1BOz0gZ9en1WJUmWmlsxXPpHavmSNZwUpLiQSRbHDd-22b_a_8tGfoXiLxQNA5og/s288/My%20Uploaded%20Photos.jpg" border="0" alt="" />Sylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11437557860571803908noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32137360.post-78405213656050305552011-03-27T15:10:00.002-05:002011-03-27T15:14:29.722-05:00CrowPants: ...and then I told him he should be careful, he would have to eat his words.<div>Kitten: Why would you do that?</div><div>P: What, hon?</div><div>Syl: She wants to know why you would "eat" your words. It's a figure of speech dear. </div><div>P: It means you say something but you find out later that you do the exact opposite of what you said.</div><div>Hammer: I DO NOT LIKE GREEN EGGS AND HAM! I DO NOT LIKE THEM SAM I AM!</div><div>P: Exactly! And then he likes them at the end and he has to eat his words. </div><div>S: Yes, like everything your father and I ever said about parenting before we had children. </div><div><br /></div>Sylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11437557860571803908noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32137360.post-17642075696997800582011-03-11T18:56:00.001-06:002011-03-11T18:56:13.590-06:00Rub it<br/><br/><img style="margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgErpYUOBD_8v9Kp5J4lGE5zj5jj5Cu4Ay8Pzhc_xGUw6O2yVP7Fdjw9cz6ICUJyJT55QhSXPqYJDu_GTenVakkE8P1za2G_4XinVx-6nCZgDHxSY1CjRvec7QEE4xzX4rA-uts_A/s288/My%20Uploaded%20Photos.jpg" border="0" alt="" />Sylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11437557860571803908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32137360.post-18799027950176744292011-03-10T18:07:00.001-06:002011-03-10T18:07:18.491-06:00Irish?Kitten: Did you know Irish people have St. (unintelligible)?<br/>Syl: You mean St. Patrick's Day?<br/>Kitten: Yeah, but it's only for Irish people. <br/>Syl: Do you know you're Irish?<br/>Kitten: No, they don't have eyes and they do bumps.<br/>Syl: Actually, that's blind people.Sylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11437557860571803908noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32137360.post-64995424227975431872011-03-05T18:24:00.003-06:002011-03-05T20:02:13.947-06:00Generational differences<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">Answer these questions:<br /><br />Your boss tells you that you will be transferred to headquarters, which is in a city 1500 miles away. Your reaction:</p> <ol start="1" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="">You will do whatever is required of you; you go without a second thought. </li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">What a great opportunity! They must really like you to send you to headquarters. </li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">What did I do wrong? They can't just move me across the country.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">I will go wherever the team needs me. It could be an adventure.</li></ol> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">You want to get together with a friend. You:</p> <ol start="1" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Call them or email them to set up a time and a date. </li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Text to ask where they are right now so you can meet them. </li></ol> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /><br />This year and last year, my work has provided a training program (voluntary, but not voluntary, if you know what I mean) and one of the speakers last year was kind of cool. Claire Raines is one of the authors of Generations At Work: Managing the Clash of Veterans, Boomers, Xers, and Nexters in the workplace. Sometimes, you hear an explanation that immediately resonates - you know as soon as you hear it that it's true and you know you have seen the signs and wondered what it meant. This one was about generational differences and it went far beyond the workplace for me.<br /><br />The theory on generational differences is that children begin to process world and national events and how they impact them around the ages of 11-13. Because a generation becomes aware of the world outside themselves during a similar time and environment, generations tend to share some general traits as a group.<br /><br />The generations were broken out into four groups - Traditionals, Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Gen Y. The commonalities were:</p> <ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><b>Traditionals:</b> because they came of age during the depression and the years leading up to World War II, they place great value in belonging to groups. They tend to be active in churches and social groups. They are patriotic and feel successful when the group is successful.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><b>Boomers:</b> The overriding feature of boomers is a competitive nature. As they grew up, there were not enough spaces for everyone. They had to compete for top positions in sports, theaters, classrooms, everywhere. With the events of the 60s, they are also distrustful of the government. Boomers want to raise good children. At work, they tend to want to excel in one area, to become an expert and rise to the top of their field. They are quite mobile, moving as much as they need to in order to reach the top of their field. They usually measure success more in monetary terms. </li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><b>Gen Xers:</b> Gen X came of age during the 80s, a time when the job market was difficult, employees were being laid off, and the economy was harsh for many. Mothers were joining the workforce in large numbers but the culture to support children was not yet in place. As a result, Gen Xers tend to be distrustful of organizations. They are tribal and rely on their social group, which can include any mix of family and friends, since this is how latch key children learned to get by. They are extremely loyal to their tribal group and are much more rooted to the place they have set up their home than their parents were. At work, they require more autonomy in decisions and often want to learn more than one function. Becoming proficient in several areas makes them feel more secure in their job and more marketable - a reaction to the joblessness and insecurity of the 80s. They also are highly interested in being good parents (different from raising good children) and will usually choose family or their tribe over their job. </li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-weight: bold;">Gen Y:</span> Several events have defined Gen Y, most notably the attacks on 9/11 and the rise of school shootings, particularly Columbine. Gen Y tends to live in the moment and not be as concerned about the future. Gen Y plans a lot less and coordinates more - they find out where people are right now and go meet them, even if where they are right now changes before they get there - they simply change course. They are more spiritual than either the Boomers or Xers. They are also incredibly closely tied to their parents. Gen Y is also the first generation to grow up with technology like cell phones and texting. Boomers and Xers use technology to replicate functions they did before, like writing a letter or networking with colleagues - Gen Y uses technology in a way that is original - they create new ways to use it instead of replicating old tasks.</li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal">Ms. Raines pointed out that the Army has done an excellent job in defining the generations and marketing to them. </p><ul><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Traditionals:</span> I Want You posters - appealing to the need to join and succeed as a group.<br /></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Boomers:</span> Be All You Can Be - appeals to the Boomers need to the be the best</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Gen X:</span> An Army of One - appeals to autonomy of Gen X</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Gen Y:</span> We'll Make them Army Strong - actually appeals to the parents of Gen Y, as they are so close to their parents that they will most likely make the decision on with their input. The Army actually has a section for parents on their website.<br /></li></ul>If you look back at the questions at the beginning, you can see how the generations value different ideals and where your own might fit. Of course there are differences in individuals that generalities can't begin to cover, but this discussion was eye-opening for me. It helps explain some of the differences with my parents and bosses, as well as some of those in the younger generation.Sylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11437557860571803908noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32137360.post-13122569813665812252011-02-09T21:02:00.004-06:002011-02-09T21:16:37.607-06:00Just stop itI received an email this week, a piece of crap illustrating several "scenarios" and the 1957 reaction and 2009 reaction - supposedly showing how overbearing and stupid we've become. Many of the examples are ridiculous and unnecessarily inflammatory.<br /><br />Included was this little gem:<br /><u><span style="color:red;"><span style="color: red;">Scenario 3: </span></span></u><b><span style="color:red;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: red;"><br /><br />Jeffrey will not be still in class, he disrupts other students.<br /><br /></span></span></b><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">1957 - </span></b>Jeffrey sent to the Principal's office and given a good paddling by the Principal. He then returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again. <b><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />2009 - </span></b>Jeffrey is given huge doses of Ritalin. He becomes a zombie. He is then tested for ADD. The school gets extra money from the state because Jeffrey has a disability.<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></span><br /><br />This little missive caught me in the wrong week. This was from a friend and a teacher and I did not feel I could let this go. My response:<br /><br />I am the wife, daughter, sister, friend, and mother of people with ADD. It is real. Paddling does not relieve the symptoms. I've sure been tempted with Caragh, but it had so little effect on my brother.<br /><br />The statement made about medication was factually incorrect, as you cannot medicate a child until there is a diagnosis of ADD/ADHD. The diagnosis is made with a behavioral evaluation completed by the parents and the child's teacher and a discussion with the physician. Drug choices are made after a complete history is taken, including conditions surrounding pregnancy and birth of the child. A prescription is written for 30 days and we are required to return to the doctor for each new prescription so the doctor can review several physical factors and behavioral markers before giving us another 30 days of pills (ours last longer because we don't medicate her on the weekends). Because the drugs are stimulants and highly regulated, we will have to physically pick up a prescription and drive it over to the pharmacy for the foreseeable future.<br /><br />And while it may be true that schools receive extra money because of a child with ADD (I don't really know), I doubt it would be simply from a diagnosis of ADD/ADHD. I believe parents would need to file an IEP with the school for accommodations before the school would be eligible for additional funds. They wouldn't really know about the diagnosis otherwise.<br /><br />Additional funding, if it is received as the result of an IEP, may be due to the accommodations used to assist the child's attention and reduce the need for medication or the dosage needed. My daughter has a cushion on her chair that allows her to wiggle her butt around a bit and get some energy out, rather than constantly chewing on her clothing as she used to do. We will also be working on an IEP that allows her to have a weighted lap blanket in class with fidget items buried inside it. It will keep her hands busy and her brain stimulated without her being able to see it, which is a huge distraction for her. Studies have shown that weighted blankets, vests, or neck rolls can help children with attention problems or sensory issues, although I'm not really clear why. These things are provided by the school to improve the success of the student, but therapy items are often not cheap (I've researched them). Our school is also working to install microphone and speaker systems in every classroom because they have been shown to assist in learning for all students. The district is funding this for all schools and all classrooms over the next several years, but our school is starting the installation in classrooms where the need is greatest. I certainly hope they are using some of the special education funding, including funding for IEP plans, to help with the cost.<br /><br />I am so grateful for the options my daughter has today to help her overcome her ADD in the classroom, where it is most debilitating. My brother was labeled as a trouble-maker early on, although we started to discover he was a classic case of ADD just before he died. He was very smart, probably smarter than me in a lot of ways, but he was disruptive in class, had difficulty finishing his work or focusing on tasks, and had trouble with spelling and handwriting. Some of these made it look like he was stupid and I think he certainly felt that way. He certainly felt "different," as he once told me he smoked pot because it slowed his brain down and made him feel like he thought other people must feel. I can't even imagine what he might have achieved if he was evaluated for ADD and given appropriate accommodations.<br /><br />And this is the difference between now and 1957. I can't imagine what kids in 1957 with ADD went through when they literally COULD NOT pay attention. Apparently they were beaten for it. As late as the 80s, Eric was shamed and dismissed because of ADD. He absolutely hated school and dropped out in the 10th grade. Fast forward to 2011 and Caragh, his neice, is diagnosed in kindergarten, medicated early so we can work on her dosage before school gets more intense, and her love of school and herself is still intact. She truly loves learning and feels good about herself and now that I understand the challenges we face, I will not allow that to be beaten out of her. But I will have to advocate for her at every turn until she learns to advocate for herself because of the opinions out there about the way her brain works and taking medication for it.<br /><br />There is still a huge stigma attached to ADD/ADHD and an even bigger one for treating it with medication. Emails like this are one of the reasons my daughter will continue to face judgements from her peers, teachers, and other parents for taking medication. Judgements like this are one of the things that made it so difficult for us to even put her on medication, which she absolutely needs. Many people think it should be manageable through natural remedies and that taking drugs is just the easy way out - I certainly felt that way because. While dietary changes and natural remedies certainly can help and are worth a try, they don't help every kid enough to go without medication.<br /><br />I refuse to call ADD/ADHD a disorder. It's not as if the brain doesn't work, it just works differently than the majority of the population and schools and teaching methods were built by the majority for the majority. There is some excellent research about the evolution of the ADD/ADHD brain and why it exists, if you're interested. There is also quite a bit of research showing that a very large percentage of CEOs have ADD/ADHD. New studies show that people with ADD/ADHD are both highly intelligent and also often very socially intuitive - they have an ability to read people in a way others can't. If they are properly supported, they often achieve great things. Thomas Edison and Albert Einstein most likely had ADD/ADHD - neither finished school. My grandfather Charlie Schnetzler, who attended MIT and Oxford and worked for NASA for 40 years, also suspected he had ADD (and I'm quite sure Rob has it). His eulogies, delivered both by family and by colleagues from Goddard Space Center, centered not on his intelligence (which was a given) but on his ability to put people at ease, build consensus, and talk to anyone young or old as if they were the only person in the room that mattered.<br /><br />Please think before reinforcing this kind of stereotype regarding ADD. Many of the people I love have a brain that works this way and it's been a privilege and an education to know them. Flippant statements like the one below only make their lives and mine harder and move us farther away from understanding rather than closer together.Sylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11437557860571803908noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32137360.post-9287583789555576192010-12-17T21:21:00.002-06:002010-12-17T21:36:53.644-06:00Odds and EndsAlong with everyone else, we have also been ill the past week. Stomach ill. I'm hoping this means a sick-free holiday, but I'm not sure I can be that lucky.<br /><br />We have discovered that we have mice. A few other things we've discovered:<br /><ul><li>Those stupid sound-emitter things that supposedly will drive rodents out of the house DO NOT WORK.</li><li>Traps built to hide the mouse body after it dies DO NOT WORK.</li><li>Mice never travel alone.<br /></li></ul>Three days ago, Pants purchased a pack of "old trusty" mousetraps and a pack of glue strips. He also gave me crap for how much I spent on the other two methods that had not caught even one mouse. It did not help that his "old trusty" caught one within an hour. AN HOUR. WHILE WE WERE ALL STILL UP. But it's not the snap-traps that bother me - it's the glue traps. They work like gangbusters but I hate listening to the mouse struggle in the cabinet for so long. Pants hates that they are still looking at him, pleading, when he takes them out to the trash. We both prefer the quick snap/immediate death approach.<br /><br />I don't have a Christmas tree up yet, nor do we have stockings or anything else up. It would be much easier if we weren't sick every year from October 31 through the new year.Sylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11437557860571803908noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32137360.post-77111928949479910652010-11-19T21:38:00.002-06:002010-11-19T22:04:44.858-06:00Second opinionWe got our diagnosis on Kitten and she has ADHD. The doctor immediately prescribed medication.<br /><br />I asked if this was the first line of treatment. She said yes, for the kinds of numbers on her assessment.<br /><br />I asked if there was additional behavioral therapy we could get in addition to the medication. She said no, she only referred people to behavioral therapists if their children had disciplinary problems.<br /><br />I said that she gets so frustrated that she routinely melts down at the slightest provocation and can't seem to pull herself out of it. She said that Kitten was probably just frustrated throughout the day and was releasing that at home, maybe it would get better if the medication could help her focus during the day and not get so frustrated.<br /><br />I filled the prescription with a lump in my throat. I didn't give it to her over the weekend.<br /><br />And then Monday she threw up. And Tuesday I couldn't find it.<br /><br />By Tuesday, I had decided to try it. ADHD medication is fast-acting - you don't have to let it build up in your bloodstream over a couple of weeks, it works on the first day. It is active for 8-10 hours in the bloodstream and then wears off. Most are psycho-stimulants that excite the nueron receptors to work harder, better. While it sounds counterproductive to give a hyperactive kid a stimulant, there is science behind it. Because it works for a specific period of time and then moves out of her system, I'm willing to give it a trial. We can always go off it.<br /><br />On Wednesday, over Pants' strenuous objections, I gave Kitten the medicine. The doctor prescribed one in a capsule that we could break open and dump into a small amount of applesauce for her to eat. The drug won't lose it's efficacy by taking it this way, as long as it is not chewed or dissolved in the mouth.<br /><br />Kitten's teacher emailed me at the end of the school day and said that, while it didn't solve all of her issues (Kitten still stood in the classroom in a daze until she had to be told to put away her things), she was able to focus all day and finish all of her schoolwork. Success!<br /><br />Whem Kitten came home on Wednesday night, she was absolutely bouncing off the walls. Flying around like she was on crack. Swimming lessons were terrible - she flailed around like she couldn't control herself or forgot what she was supposed to be doing. She stayed up a bit later than usual, but nothing horrible.<br /><br />Thursday night was better, not quite so manic, but the coordinator at the after-school program had noticed her hyperactivity that afternoon. I had given her the meds a half hour earlier that morning. It appears she has a period of intense hyperactivity when she is coming down.<br /><br />Friday night, tonight, her third day on the meds, and she has been a complete basket case. I can't say in the short time we've used the drug that the meltdowns are really worse, but I'm watching. Other than that, it appears that her appetite at home has been fine (some kids stop being hungry) and she is only staying up a little bit past bedtime, not anything serious. The bonus side affect seems to be regularity, something she's struggled with for years.<br /><br />But I can attest that the drug is not a cure-all. Kitten still needs some help expressing herself, recognizing inattention and correcting it, and I need some advice on helping her with daily routines. After only a few days, I know I need some behavioral therapy.<br /><br />I have asked another mom how her child was treated and if there was any therapy in addition to medication. We talked for a bit and when it was clear her doctor's theories matched mine, I called to make another appointment. I want another opinion, another approach.<br /><br />I won't necessarily take her off the medication. It definitely seems to be helping at school and she is on the lowest dose possible. But I want some more tools for the inattention, the inability to break down a task into smaller actions, the difficulty with concepts of time and other abstract concepts. I want to get her some help with her emotional outbursts and her anxiety issues. The medication-only approach does not work for me - I want more.Sylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11437557860571803908noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32137360.post-9477777705460246332010-10-20T20:08:00.004-05:002010-10-30T22:07:56.352-05:00The end of lazy parentingSchool conferences a couple of weeks ago. Nerve-wracking. It's hard not to take it as a judgment on your parenting skills. And you know it's not going to be all sunshine and rainbows when the papers have been coming home from school with "Late" and "had to stay in from recess to finish."<br /><br />So yeah, some very measurable and disturbing behaviors going on in the classroom:<br /><ul><li>Kitten has trouble following instructions, especially if they involve multiple steps. She quite clearly gets through one or two steps and loses it.<br /></li><li>The teacher consistently has to address her specifically when it's time to start an assignment. She is usually off in her own world.<br /></li><li>Kitten is the first kid in the classroom in the morning, but almost always the last kid to get her coat and backpack off. She usually just stands there and watches the other kids.<br /></li><li>Kitten often loses things, leaves the cap off her glue sticks, has papers and other things stuffed in her cubby, and just generally has difficulty keeping track of things. She has lost her coat/jacket/sweatshirt, left her water bottle at school, lost her glasses, and numerous other items.<br /></li></ul>So we had an assessment done this week with a doctor that specializes in ADHD. We haven't reached a diagnosis yet, but it's pretty clear that there is some kind of issue that needs to be addressed so she can focus on her school work.<br /><br />I think we both secretly knew there would be an issue. She's bright, she's personable, but she can't stay on task to save her life. I can't send her to her room to clean it - she doesn't know what to do or where to start. We can't get out of the house without a crying, screaming melt-down most days.<br /><br />We're not sure where we are going with this. We don't think we're ready to medicate our kindergartner, but I don't know where else to find help making the appropriate behavioral and environmental changes so she can learn. I've read that medicating children doesn't teach them how to develop the skills they'll need, but these grades are also the foundations of reading, writing, and mathematical skills and I feel like I can't allow her to get behind, either.<br /><br />I have no fricking clue what we're going to do from here.Sylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11437557860571803908noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32137360.post-74621283894836448232010-09-29T21:10:00.003-05:002010-09-29T21:44:58.485-05:00To unfriend or not to unfriendOccasionally, I take to my blog to write about my in-laws because they don't know I'm here.<br /><br />Pants' brother and his wife got a divorce very recently. Pants insists the papers are signed and its done, but it's so soon I'm not sure that's true. There is no child support, no alimony, no muss, no fuss. She moved him into a nearby townhouse that she pays part of the rent on and they can't sell their house because they got the First Time Home Buyer's credit and have to stay there another 18 months or pay back the $8000. But whatever yanks your chain.<br /><br />My problem is the overshare. I'm FB friends with her, with their kids, and now with him because he just joined up for unknown reasons (so very unlike him). It's nice to keep tabs on the kids and it's always been easy to share pictures, say hi occasionally, etc.<br /><br />But she's been posting song lyrics for a few months and, knowing what I know, I can't help but read into them. It only became uncomfortable, though, when she changed her FB relationship status to single the day he moved out. I read all of the comments running the gamut from congratulations to WTF. I don't think you should announce your divorce on FB, but I'm not sure how else one navigates this type of thing.<br /><br />But it was so much worse when she switched her status on Monday to "in a relationship." It's not my place to judge but I am SO JUDGING HER so I've just chosen to keep my trap shut and not comment and just monitor the situation from a comfortable distance.<br /><br />Then she sent me and Pants' sister a (joint) direct message, dragging me into the fray. It's all about how she loves us and she totally gets that we might unfriend her on FB because of the divorce and she's lost some people on there since then and whatever we decide is totally fine with her and she'll understand. It does not feel genuine, it feels like I am being asked to choose, like she is tallying her belongings after the tornado and am I staying or going, I would like to put you on the list in the right column please.<br /><br />Aside from this message directed at me that seems specifically designed to create drama where there wasn't any, the only thing that actually makes me want to unfriend her is not that she's "in a relationship," but that she felt the need to announce it to the world. A world that includes her 12 and 13 year old daughters who had no inkling any of this was coming just two months ago.<br /><br />Maybe it's the wanton selfishness, destruction, and ignorance of that destruction that I'm having a tough time swallowing. She may think she's been "divorced in her mind" for a long time, but the girls were in an intact family two months ago. Maybe she could cut them a little slack before trotting in a new man? Because it's not just about her wants and needs this time through the dating pool?<br /><br />Do I tell her that she might be hurting her kids, since they are part of my family and as an adult, I should try to protect their interests? Or do I continue to keep my opinions to myself, since that's all they are?Sylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11437557860571803908noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32137360.post-23249000995471747162010-08-09T21:44:00.005-05:002010-08-10T22:15:12.618-05:00I vaccinateI may be opening a can of worms here, but I vaccinate my kids. For everything.<br /><br />I just watched the PBS documentary Frontline: The Vaccination Wars (you can stream it on Netflix) and it's a subject that is close to me. I didn't really realize why until I watched it.<br /><br />They made the distinction that the vast majority of parents of young children today don't have personal experience with the devastation of polio, small pox, mumps, measles, or pertussis. Previous generations didn't have to be sold on vaccines - they saw the proof growing up. Our generation grew up without most of these diseases and it's easier to be concerned about what the vaccines are doing than what they are preventing. When you don't see it, it's more like the boogey-man - it just doesn't seem real.<br /><br />These diseases are real. My grandmother had polio as a child. Her life was severely shortened, and she had a huge hump on one shoulder, affecting her gait, her height, everything. Her body was destroyed by the disease. I saw first-hand what polio can do to a person. Polio has lived endemically for centuries, but began to become epidemic in the late 1800s in Europe and was the most feared childhood illness of the 20th Century in America, as it is highly contagious through basic contact. Factors affecting the severity of the disease include tonsillectomy and pregnancy. 90% of those infected show no symptoms at all, but the remaining 10% of cases can have the virus attacking motor neurons which causes paralysis and the deformities we see in pictures. Polio is one of two diseases marked for global eradication through vaccination, but there continues to be around 1000 infections per year worldwide. Polio survivors are one of the largest disabled groups in the world.<br /><br />A friend of mine recently told me that she would not be vaccinating her child because the diseases we vaccinate for don't occur in the US. But people in the US travel abroad all the time and anyone can bring something home. The Hammer's daycare center recently had to report that a child in the center, who chose to remain anonymous, had a case of Pertussis, or whooping cough. In fact, there was an outbreak in MN. Frontline had a video of a 6 week old baby with Pertussis and it was horrifying - she literally could not get a breath in because of the fluid in her lungs and you can see the panic in her face. It's human instinct to fight for air when you can't breathe, even when you're 6 weeks old.<br /><br />Most parents today had chicken pox as children - I did. It was seen as a rite of passage, something your parents exposed you to so you could get it out of the way. I was very sick when I had mine, lethargic, feverish, barely ate. Apparently, most children who die from chicken pox, however, die from an infection that enters where lesions have been scratched, usually staph or strep. Chicken pox infections are severe for adult males and pregnant women, and the virus can reactivate at any time, causing shingles. Shingles causes an extremely painful rash resulting from the toxin becoming active again in the nerve tissues it continues to inhabit for the rest of your life if you have had chickenpox.<br /><br />Many of us don't know what happens when some of these diseases take hold. We know that the mumps will make your throat huge and sore, but it can also make a child deaf or cause nerve damage. If adolescent or adult males are infected with the mumps virus, about 30% will see their testicles infected, which is extremely painful and can cause atrophy or infertility. Pregnant women in the first trimester who contract mumps will miscarry around 27% of the time. There was an outbreak of over 6000 cases of mumps in 2006 attributed largely to young university students.<br /><br />Measles is actually a respiratory infection that also causes a rash and it's highly infectious - 90% of people with no immunity will contract it if they are in regular contact with someone who has it. One of the reasons it is so contagious is that it can be transmitted days before the rash appears. Although usually not fatal, complications are common and can be severe. Indiana experienced an outbreak in 2005.<br /><br />Rubella, or German Measles, is relatively benign, unless contracted by pregnant women. Rubella in pregnant women can kill the fetus, or, if it survives, <span style="font-weight: bold;">will</span> cause many severe and irreversible defects. There was a pandemic of Rubella in 1964-65 that affected 1% of all births in New York alone. The vaccine was created in the 1970s and the CDC declared this disease eradicated from the US in 2004, but continue to vaccinate for it due to foreign travel.<br /><br />Diphtheria can make you seriously ill and cause death. Cardiomyopathy occurs in 20% of cases and peripheral neuropathy in 10%. It can also cause paralysis. Swelling in the lymph nodes during the acute illness can necessitate intubation. It has been nearly eradicated in the US but continues to infect hundreds of thousands every year overseas. The Guinness Book of World Records has named Diphtheria the "Most Resurgent Disease."<br /><br />Tetanus can cause extremely painful muscle spasms and 11% of cases are fatal in the US. Complete recovery can take months. There are no blood tests to diagnose a tetanus infection - diagnosis is based on the symptoms alone. Tetanus is widely known to come from contact with metal puncturing or slicing the skin, but any cut, wound, or injury that opens the skin can become infected with Tetanus. There are approximately 100 cases of Tetanus in the US annually. Tetanus infects around a million people worldwide each year and kills approximately 30-50% of those who contract it.<br /><br />Meningitis comes in many forms, it's a name given to inflammation of the meninges, the protective tissues covering the brain and spinal cord, usually due to infection. Four vaccines are given to prevent various causes. Diagnosis of the condition is done by lumbar puncture (they stick a needle into the fluid around your spinal cord and extract some for testing). The doctor's usually won't know exactly what infection caused it, though, so they'll just throw everything they have at you - antibacterials, antivirals, and maybe a corticosteroid to reduce the inflammation. The infection may cause sepsis in the body. The swelling may damage brain or spinal tissue. Mortality is high for infants, low for older children, and oddly, highest of all for adults. In survivors, deafness and cognitive impairment occur in more than 10% of victims.<br /><br />And finally, the Hepatitis vaccines. Hepatitis is basically an inflammation of the liver caused by a virus. About a third of the world's population has been infected with the HepB virus, including the approximately 350 million chronic carriers that can spread the disease at any time through bodily fluids. Infection can either be chronic or self-limiting, meaning it goes away on it's own. Only 30% of young children will be able to clear the infection and the rate drops to 5% of newborns infected by their mothers at birth. Those with chronic infections have a 40% chance of death due to cirrhosis of the liver or liver cancer.<br /><br />Hepatitis A is spread fecal-to-oral. It also causes inflammation of the liver and although it is rarely fatal in the US, the illness is severe (vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, fatigue) and can last 1-3 weeks in children and much longer in adults. Up to 10% of people can experience relapses up to 40 weeks after the initial illness. The most widespread US outbreak occurred in 2003, when over 600 people were infected from tainted green onions served in a restaurant in Pennsylvania.<br /><br />Growing up watching my grandmother struggle with the after-effects of polio formed my opinions on vaccines. Not everyone has the personal experience I had with her and it's easy to think these diseases don't exist here or aren't dangerous. They do. They are. Consider your choice to vaccinate carefully.Sylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11437557860571803908noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32137360.post-22904888555344362072010-06-30T09:29:00.003-05:002010-06-30T09:57:54.473-05:00Ah, daytime TV, how I have missed the crazyFor reasons I won't go into right now, I am sitting on the couch watching Steve Wilkos with a father and mother accusing their son's girlfriend of killing him (as opposed to him committing suicide). Oh, and they don't think the child involved is their son's biological child.<br /><br />Let's watch what happens:<br />Girlfriend: "I had nothing to do with his death! I'm sorry, but your son had mental problems."<br />Dad: "Just because he was on one 72-hour hold doesn't mean he had mental problems!"<br /><br />Dad: "Five glasses of vodka ain't nothing! People drink that all the time."<br />Steve: "Um, that's actually a lot to drink."<br />Dad: "Maybe for some people, but some people could take that."<br /><br />Steve: "For that portion of the lie detector test, your answers were truthful."<br />Dad: "I don't know how you did it, but you beat the test."<br /><br />Oh, and the kid was the son's child and the parent's would now like to help raise the boy. The mother is insisting the girlfriend go back to school and get on with her life, which is the first sensible thing I've heard from these parents.<br /><br />Hopefully the dad will get off his boat of denial and figure out that if he wants to be angry, he needs to be angry at his son, not make up stories about other people so he can divert his anger elsewhere. Sometimes people think crazy things after someone they love dies because they can't stand the truth or need to run away from their grief and anger. It's easier to blame someone else and jump into a crusade than to feel all the sadness and pain. But that's all getting a little more serious than a discussion of daytime crazycakes.Sylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11437557860571803908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32137360.post-71879219508331850622010-06-26T18:48:00.004-05:002010-06-26T19:28:44.413-05:00Random ThoughtsI got my first perfume oil from <a href="http://www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com/">Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab</a>, one of the Sins and Salvation set, Envy. I picked it blind by the description that sounded cool, so I immediately put some on to try it and I kinda dug it - what luck! Now, at the end of the day, I realize what it smells like on me - Ralph Lauren Safari. I have managed to blind-select a perfume oil that will make me smell exactly like my mother.<br /><br />My car has been leaking water from under the dash for almost 2 weeks. At first, I couldn't figure out why my pant leg was getting a little damp in the front - did I spill something? Lean against the car? Then it dribbled out when I was wearing sandals. It was clearly water. After a few days, it started pouring out every time I turned right. When I finally got it in three days ago, they said the drain hole for the AC was clogged and they drained half a gallon of backed up water when they cleaned it out. But now my car is musty and stinky.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.huggies.com/en-US/promotions/jeans?WT.mc_id=HGG&WT.srch=1">Jean diapers</a>? Really?<br /><br />Seeing a commercial with Tom Bosley makes me realize how young he and Marion Ross must have been when Happy Days was filming.<br /><br />The new Twilight: Eclipse album is out and it rocks. Seriously, The Black Keys are my new find off it - dirty and funky, a bit of late 60s beatnik feel to it. Hot. Also try Florence + the Machine, UNKLE, or Bat For Lashes (they do an awesome duet with Beck for the movie). Yes, the movies may suck, but the music kills.<br /><br />I read somewhere that using an antiperspirant in your pits will make you sweat more elsewhere. As I have again encountered my annual summer athlete's foot infection, which I usually can't seem to get rid of, I trying deodorant in hopes that my feet don't sweat as much. First I picked up the JASON Tea Tree deodorant, which was ok, but I found the crystal deodorant, which rocks (excuse the pun). You no longer have to buy a giant rock, you can buy a giant rock in the shape of a roll-on deodorant bottle. And I don't stink! Nor am I really sweating that much more, so no antiperspirant needed. And it's unscented, so no pitty rash for me! Super bonus.<br /><br />I'm going to be trying some alternate methods for eradicating my athlete's foot this time too, as my kind (moccasin-style that covers the whole foot bottom) is the hardest to get rid of. So here it is - hydrogen peroxide rinse at night, thorough drying and Lamisil AT. I will also be washing all my socks and shoes with Borax to kill the infection there.Sylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11437557860571803908noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32137360.post-51066766041995911072010-06-12T10:13:00.002-05:002010-06-12T10:51:02.883-05:00Random ThoughtsFlushing the toilet does not mean you have cleaned the bathroom.<br /><br />I hate tuna helper. So, apparently, do the children.<br /><br />The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl who Played with Fire, and The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest are highly recommended.<br /><br />AT&T and Apple have conspired to screw me out of an iPhone until November of this year, even though I now have familial permission and funds to buy one.<br /><br />Pants and I have figured out why they will be allowing iPhone users to upgrade immediately if their upgrade is scheduled anytime this year - they want them to sacrifice their unlimited data plan for one of the slightly cheaper data plans that cap out at 2GB per month.<br /><br />I am highly attracted to the metallic turquoise nail polish I bought and put on my toes.<br /><br />The Hammer slept in her underwear for the first time last night. And woke up dry. She has also decided that pooping in the toilet is not a sign of the apocalypse, and it's actually a fabulous way to get M&Ms (or, num-a-nums).<br /><br />We have not canceled the satellite TV yet, as the cable thieves want to charge us for "activation" per outlet to turn on cable channels in the house. Isn't it just, like, turning on the whole house? We're already wired for cable TV. So we've been sitting on it and haven't pulled the trigger yet.Sylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11437557860571803908noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32137360.post-67717753904969444762010-05-22T22:39:00.004-05:002010-05-22T23:12:38.741-05:00Trashy Diva, where have you been?Oh right. I could never fit in your clothes before...<br /><br />So, I have a couple of "dress casual" type events this summer to attend and I have no clothes to wear. I've been searching for attractive dresses for my anniversary for weeks and nothing.<br />And lo, I suddenly catch a link from Jezebel comments that leads me to <a href="http://www.trashydiva.com/site/indexSHOP.html">Trashy Diva</a>. And I am in HEAVEN. So now I'm just trying to decide between a couple of options and figure out what size I'll be then.<br /><br />Option 1: More of a 70's classic styling and probably more versatile in my wardrobe, but made in silk and definitely more expensive:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYrMFpwQmsj_CURLnGfRxTwvlc3apgjH5qknWFCi9L8unSmkezz2TmRUqXdqzroZIGDSQX_nZIOkfZ5311xE_XF29ixrAMXCrJvdhKuqn3Y-BNlsq-igtaaDBHF9A8FFTegnFuVQ/s1600/MODKIMO1.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 202px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYrMFpwQmsj_CURLnGfRxTwvlc3apgjH5qknWFCi9L8unSmkezz2TmRUqXdqzroZIGDSQX_nZIOkfZ5311xE_XF29ixrAMXCrJvdhKuqn3Y-BNlsq-igtaaDBHF9A8FFTegnFuVQ/s400/MODKIMO1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474305863381884018" border="0" /></a><br />Option 2: Classic Audrey Hepburn styling with a V back -<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdoYizG7d1WrJCo6pHJPrti0ufwm4HiLrdviP1mHbAogzdzCX_xgvC-jrx0v0veEntTIOgbIdYbfQIa_z72K3HeZV_4wDrFP_t_pdWql2WTqJSnH0ifSHBku1HuQ40cz9qOxkUfA/s1600/AUDREYFULLmidcentury1.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdoYizG7d1WrJCo6pHJPrti0ufwm4HiLrdviP1mHbAogzdzCX_xgvC-jrx0v0veEntTIOgbIdYbfQIa_z72K3HeZV_4wDrFP_t_pdWql2WTqJSnH0ifSHBku1HuQ40cz9qOxkUfA/s400/AUDREYFULLmidcentury1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474306978661023298" border="0" /></a><br />Option 3 - 40s style that falls below the knee -<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgalDK5xVxnH4pTqESvEeYExzzkigWq2tGL85b2whVERSyEXj3PYu2iMMZ0cQ-OKksg2jvUAtaOZQYy3aZso_6X5Pn8q4sJL_F6vlsoBRcHc0j2S5lNangtlIxtDuSYS4BLPfjX7w/s1600/obi1GREENMUMS1.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 162px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgalDK5xVxnH4pTqESvEeYExzzkigWq2tGL85b2whVERSyEXj3PYu2iMMZ0cQ-OKksg2jvUAtaOZQYy3aZso_6X5Pn8q4sJL_F6vlsoBRcHc0j2S5lNangtlIxtDuSYS4BLPfjX7w/s400/obi1GREENMUMS1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474308334026872482" border="0" /></a>Option 4: My absolute fave, hints at retro with a modern feel, but only available up to a size 12 and I'm not sure I can get there from here in time -<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-dT5IMl6lxDzW0NlB8ggK_rgUt-bD05q3il1-hBNqLHPaPJU8GjW-HTrWoL-LpgrW-qopbSy3oMKYcaMaqMbOaIAAb29Xj3ScYhogibKx6wGC6EItT75yyOXFortdQ8legZrj8Q/s1600/ALISONbutterflies1.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 184px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-dT5IMl6lxDzW0NlB8ggK_rgUt-bD05q3il1-hBNqLHPaPJU8GjW-HTrWoL-LpgrW-qopbSy3oMKYcaMaqMbOaIAAb29Xj3ScYhogibKx6wGC6EItT75yyOXFortdQ8legZrj8Q/s400/ALISONbutterflies1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474308923983489298" border="0" /></a><br />Option 5: Classic summer 50s style -<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi17EfIM6NqM2xG3zg20G7y9Fq2vQj4irES0X0Pkji_eeHBMTz3W9Dz6-ugxOlFil51DFfMP790Xt0KpDK3yCSzgeIKSqhv4ZoeT3pfd7ZwZgD0n-Zjs08VRwv_gDoJQNr03GV-UQ/s1600/TRIXIE2cherries1.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi17EfIM6NqM2xG3zg20G7y9Fq2vQj4irES0X0Pkji_eeHBMTz3W9Dz6-ugxOlFil51DFfMP790Xt0KpDK3yCSzgeIKSqhv4ZoeT3pfd7ZwZgD0n-Zjs08VRwv_gDoJQNr03GV-UQ/s400/TRIXIE2cherries1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474309670734175890" border="0" /></a><br />So - which print and which style (some styles are available in multiple prints, like options 3 and 5)? And if I'm a 16 today and it took 6 weeks to get here from 18, and I'm losing 1-2 lbs per week, can I get to a 12 by July? I'm thinking no, 14 is probably what I'm looking at, but maybe you know something I don't.<br /><br />Ooh - late entry - this is from their clearance section and is still available in L/14. Still somewhat pricey because it's silk crepe de chine, but the clearance price puts it in range of the non-silks above.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAe_TYz6MY6tuE4EvupMBZu134wTaOE9AtPeW15MVQfacwzZGh_CyJCxAD7g7T39FmB6mbfcii4GJdTy7XXSzOHkLWnHawnzHIj0HXAireV5oaJoCbREGnGNh_IdeHqJN3YcJxbg/s1600/DORIEDRESSchocolatefloral1.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 157px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAe_TYz6MY6tuE4EvupMBZu134wTaOE9AtPeW15MVQfacwzZGh_CyJCxAD7g7T39FmB6mbfcii4GJdTy7XXSzOHkLWnHawnzHIj0HXAireV5oaJoCbREGnGNh_IdeHqJN3YcJxbg/s400/DORIEDRESSchocolatefloral1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474313167805468194" border="0" /></a>Sylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11437557860571803908noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32137360.post-76067789929397446022010-05-13T22:18:00.002-05:002010-05-13T22:19:41.661-05:00ConversationsPants: So what are we having for dinner? Did you order a pizza?<br />Syl: No, I told the girls to ask you what you wanted to do for dinner.<br />P: You know what they said when they came downstairs? "Lunch is on it's way!"<br />S: This is the worst game of telephone <span style="font-style: italic;">ever</span>!Sylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11437557860571803908noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32137360.post-14061848098531660232010-05-04T22:09:00.002-05:002010-05-04T22:27:10.980-05:00DoneWell, it will probably never really be done. But I have had my last required appointment with Dr. Pittman (who was even hotter than I remembered him in khakis and a navy blazer).<br /><br />He's happy with my progress, didn't think it could really have gone better, and laid out my options and left them in my court.<br /><br />I can have the hardware taken out if I want. BUT. It would put me back on the couch for a while, require another surgery, and it might be hard to get to the plate in the back. Plus, I already have some numb places on my lower leg, which I assume is a result of nerves being cut during surgery - do I really want more scars, more weird dead spots, more time on the couch and time away from my family?<br /><br />There are less drastic options. I could have just the outer plate taken out. I can leave all of it in. Or I can come back to have just the top screw taken out, which has backed its way out about an eighth of an inch already. At this point, I'm not considering any surgeries - I'm leaving it all be. If that top screw comes out any more or becomes an issue, I'll talk to him about it.<br /><br />As far as my activity levels, I have no restrictions except what I place on myself. I bent it and straightened it for him and we talked about my activities and if there was anything I couldn't do. We talked about running, which I can do but which still looks pretty disabled. I told him I tend not to kneel on that knee, it just feels weird. He said that I should keep trying whatever I wanted to do and that I was too young to rule anything out for the rest of my life.<br /><br />So nothing is out. Not rock climbing (although Pants will have kittens if I try it again, I think), not skiing, not even running a marathon. I am medically allowed to do whatever I am comfortable doing and I should continue to try things, even if they haven't worked out well so far.Sylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11437557860571803908noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32137360.post-51610889023110500872010-04-30T20:41:00.002-05:002010-04-30T20:59:27.059-05:00UpdatesI did alright for the remainder of the week. My eating was much better, although not perfect. I exercised, although not as much as I had planned. I had to buy a new belt today so my pants wouldn't keep falling off while I walked.<br /><br />Kitten is completely potty-trained and her constipation problem has cleared itself up. She now poops pretty much daily, as I'm sure you were dying to know. I wish I could tell you how we did it. It seems to have gotten better when we had that stomach virus in February...<br /><br />The Hammer is, well, not so potty trained. I think we'd be doing really well if peeing was the only bodily function going on. It's not, and we'll leave it at that.<br /><br />I have my six month follow up on Monday with Dr. Pittman for my knee. It's mostly ok now, with some occasional limping if my shoes suck or I haven't been active enough.Sylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11437557860571803908noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32137360.post-20418063247726354872010-04-27T21:50:00.002-05:002010-04-27T22:02:44.988-05:00Needing a boostThis is my third week on Weight Watchers and I'm down almost 10 pounds. The first two weeks were good, easy, no problems, I felt committed and motivated.<br /><br />This week I'm only 3 days in and I'm falling apart. Of my 35 "flex points" for the week, I have 10 left. The last 2 days have not gone well.<br /><br />So here is my plan for the next few days to get back on track:<br />Tonight - I will do a short arm workout.<br />Tomorrow - We will take the kids for a walk after dinner. I will stay within daily points by bringing my lunch and I will drink all 6 glasses of water. I will do a short ab workout.<br />Thursday - I will bring lunch and stay within daily points. I will do another short arm workout. I will drink all 6 glasses of water.<br /><br />So here in front of all of you, I am saying I will get back on track and make this work. I am doing well and I can continue to do this. I want my cholesterol to come down. I want to be a healthy weight for my kids. A healthier weight is better for my knee, my asthma, my life.Sylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11437557860571803908noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32137360.post-18806414524563132262010-04-23T22:54:00.002-05:002010-04-23T22:56:27.919-05:00I love Twilight snark<a href="http://jezebel.com/5523146//gallery/gallery/2">http://jezebel.com/5523146//gallery/gallery/<span>2</span></a>Sylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11437557860571803908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32137360.post-87021350574473932010-04-11T20:10:00.002-05:002010-04-11T20:13:23.669-05:00It's ok, I have an orthopedic surgeon on speed dial.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTWRTkmGNa3euGttmQmzs-B7vceV_6fplI4MzIVHi7ZgQaIf5sijMlsK8-5aXQuV8ov0wbOFTGv7qWXD3heIDcHISNP0yQPyBCeRoTlDS5E720ROXHzBP1lsjeFogYNd0r6k9Pbw/s1600/kids040310+051.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTWRTkmGNa3euGttmQmzs-B7vceV_6fplI4MzIVHi7ZgQaIf5sijMlsK8-5aXQuV8ov0wbOFTGv7qWXD3heIDcHISNP0yQPyBCeRoTlDS5E720ROXHzBP1lsjeFogYNd0r6k9Pbw/s400/kids040310+051.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459052860283366498" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnm4HXU5bzZRYpe2IhCs0U9TN4-yMpd3MUlC2ih6lMswXeJmh1bIJMZuYqCUkIpos4M-RGfV7pWnxwgus2pqTS753SxIwnLGxS6vgmlAjFmomgthaMUySd0ttg0pdd4oRmW_L3xA/s1600/kids040310+046.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnm4HXU5bzZRYpe2IhCs0U9TN4-yMpd3MUlC2ih6lMswXeJmh1bIJMZuYqCUkIpos4M-RGfV7pWnxwgus2pqTS753SxIwnLGxS6vgmlAjFmomgthaMUySd0ttg0pdd4oRmW_L3xA/s400/kids040310+046.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459052643631371554" border="0" /></a>Sylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11437557860571803908noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32137360.post-80215655410551375202010-04-06T21:06:00.002-05:002010-04-06T21:23:48.420-05:00Night of WTF?Scene: bedtime.<br /><br />Syl walks by the bathroom where Kitten is claiming loudly that she is going to go to the bathroom. Syl stops about 3 feet past the door and turns around, nearly running back. Kitten is standing in front of the toilet, lid up, pants down, facing the stool. It looks like she is about to pee. STANDING UP.<br /><br />Syl: What are you doing?<br />Kitten: Peeing.<br />S: You need to sit down.<br />K: No.<br />S: Put the seat down right now and sit down. That is how girls pee.<br />K: No, I want to stand up.<br />S: Honey, boys pee standing up, but girls have to sit down. Girls don't have penises, they don't have anything to aim. You need to sit down. Pants, would you like to explain to your daughter why she can't pee standing up?<br /><br />A 10 minute fit ensues wherein Syl tries to explains the physics of urination equipment and gender.<br /><br />_______<br /><br />Scene: 90 minutes post-bedtime. The Hammer is still whining in her room.<br /><br />Syl: What is the matter?<br />The Hammer: I want my tent down. I don't want it up anymore.<br />S: Ok, we can take it down.<br />TH: I don't want it to get broken.<br />S: It's fine honey, it's not broken. [Proceeds to take down bed tent.]<br />TH: You're breaking it!<br />S: No honey, these are tent poles and they are made to come apart. See? [Demonstrates the technology of shock-cord poles and takes the whole tent down.]<br />TH [as S folds tent]: Mom, I want my tent back up.<br />S: Ok. [Sighs. Puts bed tent back up.]<br />TH: Mom, I want to sleep on the floor.<br />S [turns back and walks out]: Goodnight.Sylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11437557860571803908noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32137360.post-53931738085417128952010-03-25T20:27:00.002-05:002010-03-25T21:17:26.351-05:00A good parenting weekWe are having a good week here in el Casa del Pants. Normally, I assume that I am probably an average parent at best, at worst, well, I'll try to help pay for therapy.<br /><br />Kitten has been dry at night for 5 nights. It's been a very organic move that was set forward by Kitten herself, when she was ready. Kitten has also been identifying letters, connecting them to sounds, and connecting letters and sounds to words. She has made huge leaps forward in the 2 months she has been in the new daycare. It's absolutely amazing to hear her what she comes up with some days and know how far she has come.<br /><br />We attended kindergarten roundup today and I absolutely love her school and the district. Kitten confidently walked off with the other kids to the classrooms and the bus ride and I got a little misty as she walked away from me. I'm not usually that mom, the one getting all weird about their babies growing up. I'm usually the one wanting them to grow up faster. So I'm going with the urge for tears being a result of my overwhelming pride.<br /><br />The Hammer had kindergarten screening this morning and thank god, she passed. By the lowest number possible, but passed none the less, so no retesting or special sessions for this one. Still a little embarrassing when the colors are all wrong and she can't identify a button, but most of the errors were from nervousness - she knows these things, I think. The inability to stand on one leg though, she comes by that honestly.<br /><br />The Hammer goes on the potty one or two times a day at school and always when she isn't wearing anything at home. We may have finally convinced her to try underwear this weekend, but we'll see when the moment actually arrives if she is willing to do it.<br /><br />So, aside from the morning fits we've had this week (because SOMEONE has been staying up in her room until 10 or 11 at night, I am looking at you Hammer Pants), it's been pretty good.Sylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11437557860571803908noreply@blogger.com3