Wow, it's been about two weeks since I last posted?? Sheesh... Since I am so fond of lists, here's a list of things that happened these past two weeks that kept me from posting:
1. LB rode a bike, without training wheels!! I was so proud. I ran alongside him, to catch him when he inevitably tipped over. He LOVED it- that kid is so friggin' cute when he's happy and proud of himself!
2. Hubby is still in daily physical therapy. Apparently, after his session today, they are thinking about the possibility of back surgery. I don't like the fact that he might have surgery, but whatever makes him better is good, right? And who knows what's going on with his career- a lat transfer might be in the cards, but we'll see what the neurologist says.
3. Busy as a bee with SOSA. Socials, Oktoberfest, and auctions, oh my!
4. Seeing some friends. I babysat for friends of ours while the wife had surgery (yikes... what's with all the surgery talk? I guess I'm just at that age where everyone I know is falling apart?). I went out to dinner with a good friend of mine and met a new friend. And, we've spent some good times with our neighbors on a lake, swimming and swinging on an abandoned rope swing. All fun times.
5. I've been playing the piano again. I finally realized that I can plug my earbuds into the keyboard and play without bothering sleeping children or other people. It's great- I've missed it terribly. And I'm really out of shape! But it's definitely therapeutic to let my muscle memory take over and hear the melodies flow from my fingers. It's a beautiful sense of accomplishment.
6. Potty training JC. Oh man.... nothing like LB. LB was content to sit in his own pee and poop. JC freaks out when he pees his pants. I guess that's kind of a good thing, but it seems like he screamed all day about wet pants. Well, I guess he'll learn much sooner than LB, at least.
7. Another fucking UTI. I'm so sick of this crap- I have a new PCM, and once she starts her schedule at the clinic, I'm making an appointment. I've been scaring the crap outta myself on Google... apparently, it could be totally benign, or it could be bladder cancer or chronic kidney disease. I need to get off this computer...
8. Something in particular has made me feel great and changed my life. I don't yet feel comfortable talking about it, but I do want to share that I am in a much better place than I was just a few months ago. It's amazing what simply speaking up for yourself can do, and I feel like a better wife, mom, and person.
When I realized that it had been weeks since I last posted, I thought, "Well, what's my problem? Not much has been going on!" But after making this list, there are certainly some big things that have been going on!
8/23/12
8/10/12
Boys vs Girls
I spent yesterday afternoon with my friend's two little girls. They are the same age as LB & JC, but that's just about where the similarities stop. And maybe I'm just comparing my boys to someone else's girls (let's face it- kids are always worse around their parents), but I definitely noticed some big differences.
1. The Noise Factor. Little boys make a lot of noise. All. Day. Long. Little girls make noise, but it's gentler, less harsh. There's more quiet sulking than angry screaming. There's quiet tea time & jewelry time & dress up time. There are no trucks smashing into each other, superheroes defeating every single imaginary bad guy, and no wrestling to the point of either of them crying. And most of all, girls typically don't make sound effects for everything.
2. Their Interests. Little girls (and I'm speaking in very broad, general terms here) love dolls and dressing up and princesses. Little boys (also, very general) love trucks and robots and action figures. I can do the little boy stuff, but it was nice to have some time to wear plastic necklaces and twirl in a tulle skirt, too.
3. Their General Energy Level. I know some girls are bouncing off the walls, but my boys run all day long, circling the kitchen, around and around and around... when they're not running, they are hitting something. When they are not running or hitting, they are jumping. And when they are not running or hitting or jumping, they are pretending to punch and kick. They MOVE, all day.
Then, there are personal differences. The older girl had way better communication skills than LB, naturally. It really gave me a feel for what neurotypical kids his age are like. I remember teaching kids this age, but being able to remind myself of a 4 year old's typical progress gives me an idea of where LB stands and what he needs to work on.
Overall, the afternoon was easy-peasy. Of course, I'm sure the girls give their parents hell! Don't all kids? But it was a nice change from my very loud, very boyish household. And I'm sure when the kids are teenagers, the tables will have turned, ha!
1. The Noise Factor. Little boys make a lot of noise. All. Day. Long. Little girls make noise, but it's gentler, less harsh. There's more quiet sulking than angry screaming. There's quiet tea time & jewelry time & dress up time. There are no trucks smashing into each other, superheroes defeating every single imaginary bad guy, and no wrestling to the point of either of them crying. And most of all, girls typically don't make sound effects for everything.
2. Their Interests. Little girls (and I'm speaking in very broad, general terms here) love dolls and dressing up and princesses. Little boys (also, very general) love trucks and robots and action figures. I can do the little boy stuff, but it was nice to have some time to wear plastic necklaces and twirl in a tulle skirt, too.
3. Their General Energy Level. I know some girls are bouncing off the walls, but my boys run all day long, circling the kitchen, around and around and around... when they're not running, they are hitting something. When they are not running or hitting, they are jumping. And when they are not running or hitting or jumping, they are pretending to punch and kick. They MOVE, all day.
Then, there are personal differences. The older girl had way better communication skills than LB, naturally. It really gave me a feel for what neurotypical kids his age are like. I remember teaching kids this age, but being able to remind myself of a 4 year old's typical progress gives me an idea of where LB stands and what he needs to work on.
Overall, the afternoon was easy-peasy. Of course, I'm sure the girls give their parents hell! Don't all kids? But it was a nice change from my very loud, very boyish household. And I'm sure when the kids are teenagers, the tables will have turned, ha!
8/2/12
Another Navy doc failure
Well, Hubby has a herniated disc. And it's not bulging posterior or anterior, but off to the right. Odd.
What kills me is that he was sent to sea like this!! The doc he was seeing had three months to determine what was wrong and never ordered an MRI. Instead, Hubby was told that it would heal on its own and just needed time. Then, he was told he was fit for sea duty and sent on deployment.
Wow.
Very disappointed. But at least we're working with some docs who have their heads on straight.
In the mean time, Hubby is getting seriously anxious about not being able to work out. And we'll be selling the golf clubs, dirtbike, kayak, and anything else he won't be able to do again.
Ugh. I'm just glad we finally know what's going on!
What kills me is that he was sent to sea like this!! The doc he was seeing had three months to determine what was wrong and never ordered an MRI. Instead, Hubby was told that it would heal on its own and just needed time. Then, he was told he was fit for sea duty and sent on deployment.
Wow.
Very disappointed. But at least we're working with some docs who have their heads on straight.
In the mean time, Hubby is getting seriously anxious about not being able to work out. And we'll be selling the golf clubs, dirtbike, kayak, and anything else he won't be able to do again.
Ugh. I'm just glad we finally know what's going on!
7/26/12
My new role as Florence Nightingale
Yesterday morning, Hubby took his motorcycle to the gym to get an early, light work out. As he stood up from a crouched position, his back seized up. He hobbled to medical, where they shot him with morphine and gave him some pain pills. When I came to pick him up from medical, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I've never seen him in that much pain... I've never seen anyone in that much pain. He managed to walk, hunched over, to the truck, and I brought him home. He promptly laid on the floor and stayed there all day.
Around dinner, he decided the pain pills he was prescribed were not strong enough because he could no longer move anything. He tried rolling over on his side, and even just moving his legs, and couldn't. We decided that the only way he was moving was on a stretcher, which meant he needed to go to the ER. It was a spectacle when an ambulance and fire truck showed up! Fortunately, our boys were already asleep, but the neighborhood kids were all about it. They loaded him into the ambulance and took him to the naval hospital.
He came home very late that night and has been in bed since. He can barely make it to the bathroom. I've been giving him food, water, and his pills, but there's nothing else I can do for him. Our future in subs is a big question mark. His MRI is scheduled for several weeks from now, but what is he supposed to do in the meantime? It's been five months now that he has had back pain, with each visit to the ER being worse and worse.
Anyway, so that's what's up with us. He's in bed 24/7 and I'm his candy striper.
Around dinner, he decided the pain pills he was prescribed were not strong enough because he could no longer move anything. He tried rolling over on his side, and even just moving his legs, and couldn't. We decided that the only way he was moving was on a stretcher, which meant he needed to go to the ER. It was a spectacle when an ambulance and fire truck showed up! Fortunately, our boys were already asleep, but the neighborhood kids were all about it. They loaded him into the ambulance and took him to the naval hospital.
He came home very late that night and has been in bed since. He can barely make it to the bathroom. I've been giving him food, water, and his pills, but there's nothing else I can do for him. Our future in subs is a big question mark. His MRI is scheduled for several weeks from now, but what is he supposed to do in the meantime? It's been five months now that he has had back pain, with each visit to the ER being worse and worse.
Anyway, so that's what's up with us. He's in bed 24/7 and I'm his candy striper.
7/24/12
PIWTPITT
THIS lady.
Apparently, she bought into some gimmicky diet pill that Kirstie Alley was hawking, then sued her because she claims the pills didn't work, and that Kirstie Alley actually lost those 100 lbs by diet and exercise.
Um....
So, let me get this straight... this lady buys the diet pills, knowing that no other diet pill ever has lived up to its claim to lose weight without proper diet and exercise. She also was gullible enough to believe the advertisement that these pills, and these pills alone, would help her lose weight, when (if you look at the Organic Liaison website) the company's program also includes 1 hour of exercise per day. I understand that there was some false advertising- I'm sure the commercials left out that "1 hour of exercise per day" thing. But can you blame a company for trying their best to make money? Aren't all companies hiding something to make sure they turn the most profit possible?
Instead of researching what is in these pills (which are mostly vitamins, minerals, and fiber), she blindly took the advice of a paid celebrity, who is also just trying to make money, and she's now blaming Kirstie Alley because she couldn't do a little research and make an informed decision about a product she is putting into her body??
Wow...
And, um, no offense to Ms. Alley, but is she really the best person to take diet advice from? Really???
Apparently, she bought into some gimmicky diet pill that Kirstie Alley was hawking, then sued her because she claims the pills didn't work, and that Kirstie Alley actually lost those 100 lbs by diet and exercise.
Um....
So, let me get this straight... this lady buys the diet pills, knowing that no other diet pill ever has lived up to its claim to lose weight without proper diet and exercise. She also was gullible enough to believe the advertisement that these pills, and these pills alone, would help her lose weight, when (if you look at the Organic Liaison website) the company's program also includes 1 hour of exercise per day. I understand that there was some false advertising- I'm sure the commercials left out that "1 hour of exercise per day" thing. But can you blame a company for trying their best to make money? Aren't all companies hiding something to make sure they turn the most profit possible?
Instead of researching what is in these pills (which are mostly vitamins, minerals, and fiber), she blindly took the advice of a paid celebrity, who is also just trying to make money, and she's now blaming Kirstie Alley because she couldn't do a little research and make an informed decision about a product she is putting into her body??
Wow...
And, um, no offense to Ms. Alley, but is she really the best person to take diet advice from? Really???
7/21/12
7/18/12
Yes? No? Maybe?
The local symphony is holding auditions for flutists. I've been toying with the idea of going... after all, the worst they can do is kick me out and tell me I suck (which I seriously doubt any respectful person would do). But it's been a long time since I really played. Most of my practicing goes like this:
*Toot toot toot*...
"LB, stop putting your fingers in the printer."
*Toot toot toot toot*...
"JC, really, stop screaming, for the love of God, stop screaming."
*Tooooooot tooooooot toooot*....
"Boys, get out of here and let me PRACTICE!!!"
So the serious playing hasn't happened. I'm rusty on my scales. I'm downright abysmal on my arpeggios. And the level that I attained for my senior recital in college seems completely out of reach. Bach sonatas are riddled with cuss words and self-deprecating words ("Hey stupid, it says F sharp!"). Berbiguier is punctuated with squeaks and wrong octaves.
But at the same time, it's just an audition. If anything, it'll be nice to go in there, by myself (aka, NO KIDS) and see where I'm at. And maybe there will be other auditions, if I suck at this one.
I want to do it. I really do. I just don't know if I can be ready in a month.
*Toot toot toot*...
"LB, stop putting your fingers in the printer."
*Toot toot toot toot*...
"JC, really, stop screaming, for the love of God, stop screaming."
*Tooooooot tooooooot toooot*....
"Boys, get out of here and let me PRACTICE!!!"
So the serious playing hasn't happened. I'm rusty on my scales. I'm downright abysmal on my arpeggios. And the level that I attained for my senior recital in college seems completely out of reach. Bach sonatas are riddled with cuss words and self-deprecating words ("Hey stupid, it says F sharp!"). Berbiguier is punctuated with squeaks and wrong octaves.
But at the same time, it's just an audition. If anything, it'll be nice to go in there, by myself (aka, NO KIDS) and see where I'm at. And maybe there will be other auditions, if I suck at this one.
I want to do it. I really do. I just don't know if I can be ready in a month.
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