Look Who's 12!!!!

Happy 12th Birthday to the best most fantabulous young man in the world today!!  We love you to pieces Scott!!

Volleyball Girl!!!

I can't believe I haven't posted this yet but we HAVE been pretty busy!!  Sara made her Middle School Volleyball Team!!!  She was so happy!!  She worked so hard to get there and we could not be more proud of her efforts!!  Go Lady Gators!!

Happy Birthday to Sara!!

This month my wonderful daughter turned 12 years old.  12 years!!  Oh my gosh!  She's getting soooo grown up and we are so proud of her!!  So in her honor, I am going back into the archives and sharing an old post.  It still speaks to my heart and I expect it always will.  I hope you enjoy Just Like Me.

Wordless Wednesday

Anxiety

Yup, anxiety.  Everyone has it at some point or another.  And we all handle it differently.  My son and I tend to get that sick feeling in the pit of our stomachs.  My daughter, well, she just gets mean! 

And she showed us today.  She is going to volleyball camp this week.  She’s never been to this facility before and she won’t know any of the campers.  I understand the anxiety.  At her age I would have been sick as a dog in that situation.  I saw it coming too.  She couldn’t fall to sleep last night staying up until after midnight and then waking again at 4am.  She’s tired.  She’s anxious.  She’s CRABBY!!! 

Please God, help her to enjoy the day, make new friends, sleep well tonight and have a better attitude tomorrow!!

I Ate That Frog!!

Have you heard the story about eating a frog? You are given a task to eat a frog. It's a disgusting looking, foul smelling frog! It's HUGE!! And you just don't want to do it. So you put it off. But you keep looking at it and getting sick to your stomach. As the day wears on, it follows you around getting dirtier. It gets hot and sweaty and stinks even worse. And it's doubled in size!!!! Now, you REALLY don't want to eat that frog!! And most of the time.....you don't. You just let it keep following you around getting bigger and dirtier and more disgusting as ever.

Now you realize that if you had started your day with a quick frog gulp, it would be over. Would have been unpleasant? Probably. But would it have been better than eating that nasty, dirty, disgusting frog it's grown into.

So today, I decided to eat my frog. I needed to talk to the school about Scott's placement for 3rd grade. I was putting it off because he'd had a rough year last year and I just really didn't want to face the administration. But the school called yesterday with questions about Sara's placement. I tried to eat the frog then. But they didn't have the time to discuss Scott then and asked me to call back in the afternoon. I had time in the afternoon.....but I didn't call. That frog just looked way to gross to eat!! But this morning, I realized that it had to be done and it was in his best interest and I just needed to get over it and do it.

So I did. And it wasn't near as bad as I expected. They appreciated my input and agreed with me on the environment he needed. So I feel good about his upcoming school year. And I'm so glad I made that call. It's over, done, finished!!!

One frog down!! Next frog please!!!

He skipped the Motocross? He MUST be sick!!

Scott is apparently still sick. He and Hubby went to hockey practice today and were to go on to a freestyle motocross show tonight--both events Scott was very excited about. Hubby called about 6pm to say that Scott was really sick again. I could hear him wailing in the background. Apparently, once he got dressed out for practice, he started feeling ill again and refused to even hit the ice. And then, he didn't want to go to the motocross event. OK, this boy is obviously sick--a 7yo would NOT miss a Motocross show unless something was REALLY wrong!!

So they are on their way home now. He still has yet to vomit. Ok, probably TMI but he DID have a huge BM but it didn't seem to help. He's fallen asleep and they should be home soon. He's had a history of mysterious stomach ailments but a lot of it has been related to constipation. This time he showed where he hurts and it is definitely his stomach area. Gastritis? I guess we'll be visiting the doctor very soon! Poor guy!

Return of "the Bug"

Stomach bug that is. Or is it? Scott's teacher called this morning to say he wasn't feeling well. He is not one to "fake" at school (although at home may be another story), but I will say that since he had the bug a few weeks ago, he's been a bit super sensitive to slight feelings of tummy unrest and seems to confuse nausea with the simple need to "go".

His teachers felt it best he come come home since we was very upset and kept running to the bathroom so here we are at home. We've been here for a while now and have yet to get sick, so I'm not so sure it's a real bug. But he does still seem out of sorts, not that typical "fake it till you get home and then miraculously recover". Guess we got an early start to our weekend!! Hope he feels better soon! And if it IS a bug, hope he doesn't SHARE!!!

Coming around?

So…..this morning, I laid out Scott’s jeans for him to wear. He whined asking, “why do I have to wear those?”. I replied, “because it’s cold and I said so.” And he put them on without another word.

He's just not ready...

Nope, he doesn’t care that it is 20 degrees outside. So what if it’s only going to be 40 degrees today. We’ve been struggling to get Scott into long pants for over a month now. The teachers in carpool line are always exclaiming, Oh, my gosh, he’s in shorts!!

We compromised with jacket and shorts but the time has come. I even bribed him with an extra marble for his incentive rewards jar. That excited him but when the time came to put those long pants on………………..

BOOM!!!!

It was like World War 3 in my living room!!!! A tantrum ensued reminiscent of the terrible twos. Stomping, screaming, falling on the floor and flailing around. And it did not end well. Oh, he DID wear his jeans. But in the process he lost his video games for a week and TV for tonight.
Hubby said he whined all the way to school. When he got out at carpool, the teacher said, Son, where’s your coat? Scott’s reply? A scowling "HHHUMMPHHHHH!!!!"

Kid Fears

It began earlier this summer. Our neighborhood had a rash of break-ins. It was a hot topic with the neighbors. Little ears are very perceptive. We began to arm the security system during the day while we worked and at night. Our family changed.

The children who used to play easily in the living room while I did housework in the bedroom now scream and come running when I walk more than 3 feet away from them. Thankfully, Scott has not become afraid at bedtime. He is so active that he pretty much goes to sleep once his head hits the pillow. Sara, however, is a different story.

She's terrified to be in her room alone. She will start telling us she is scared before she even gets to her room. All our attempts to help fail. She can't seem to verbalize her fears. Sometimes it noises she can't describe. Sometimes it's her closet. Sometimes it's just "stuff". It's maddening. We want to help her and understand she is truly afraid but it ultimately culminates in frustration on both sides.

She begs me to lay with her which we will not do. We try to monitor her TV as she is at the age now where the fears are not "monsters under the bed" but REAL fears like fire, tornados......someone breaking in. And it is worse when Hubby isn't here at bedtime. She's always been less secure when he isn't here. We try not to make a big deal of it.....acknowledge her fears and reassure her she is safe but then change the subject and try to get her to think happy thoughts. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. Many nights she finally gives it up based on shear exhaustion.

The really heartbreaking parts are like the night she told me she wished she could just go to sleep like Scott does and that she wished it was the way it was a few months ago when she just called me back a couple of times and then went right to sleep. That makes THREE of us!!

And then she was 8!!

My little red-headed one is growing like a weed. She’s almost as tall as I am. Of course, I’m only 5’1” so it’s not going to be hard to pass me up! She’s a big 3rd grader now. She’s gotten her ears pierced. She loves to wear leggings and babydoll tops. She loves Hannah Montana/Mylie Cyrus, the Cheetah Girls, Hillary Duff and the Jonas Brothers.

She’s not my baby anymore. She’s 8!! Happy Birthday, Sara!!!!!

School Days.......

School days, school days
Dear old golden rule days
Readin' and 'ritin' and 'rithmetic
Taught to the tune of the hickory stick
You were my bashful barefoot beau
I was your queen in calico
Those were the days I loved you
When we were a couple of kids

Yes, it's that time of year. Yellow buses on the roads in the mornings. Car Pool lines. Book bags and lunch money. Another school year has begun.

Sara is in the 3rd grade this year. She has a first year teacher again this year but so far so good. Sara likes her so that's half the battle. The homework is definitely a step up this year but she's doing very well with it.

Scott is in 1st grade and has a really good teacher. She's been teaching for 15 years and relates well with Scott. His goal this year is to earn the conduct medal at the year-end awards ceremony. He was so disappointed that he didn't get one last year. It has proven to be a great motivator for his conduct this year. He is excited to do his homework each night and is doing great with reading and spelling. Hopefully we won't have the conduct concerns we had last year!!

Here's to a great year!!

That Can't Be My Child!!

My kids tried swim lessons last year. We’d only been to the pool once or twice before that so they didn’t have much experience with the water. Scott started out gung-ho but stopped dead in his tracks when he realized the water was over his head (bad experience getting in over his head at a pool party). Sara didn’t want anything to do with it but she grudgingly submitted, frowning and scowling the entire time. She’s a really strong swimmer but she refused to put her head in the water so they wouldn’t pass her. Of course the very next week, she put her head in!!

Now it’s almost a year later. With hockey all winter, we didn’t have time to get to the pool so we are basically starting all over. I took them to the indoor pool last weekend to try to re-acclimate them. Sara got in but really didn’t want to put her face in the water. Scott wouldn’t get off of the steps. Looks like we’ve got our work cut out for us again this year.

This holiday weekend, of course the pools all opened so we braved the crowds and went to the outdoor pool on Sunday. It turned out to be not so crowded but the daytime temps haven’t been that high so the pool was very…….VERY COLD!!! Scott again would get off the steps but Sara was amazing!!

We had gotten some diving sticks to help them get their heads in the water. Sara brought them all into the pool and Hubby worked with her. At first she just kept saying she couldn’t do it, but a friend from school came over who could swim and that seemed to help. She started putting her face in and coming right back up. Then she worked up to really going under and trying to reach the sticks. She just couldn’t seem to get to the bottom of the pool. She really wanted to do this and was frustrated that she couldn’t, so Hubby held her hand and pulled her down low enough to reach and she got one!!!!!! She was so proud of herself!!! She kept working on it and soon she was just holding onto him so she could pull herself down and she was picking up 2 or 3 sticks. By the time we left (and we were only there 2 hrs), she was going under and STAYING under long enough to pick up all EIGHT diving sticks!!!!!!

We were so amazed!! Hubby said when she started staying under for so long, he wasn’t even sure it was her!! She’s come soooo far from last year! We may be looking at the swim team soon!

Interview with a 6 year old

April 24, 2008. 7:30am

Mom: So how old are you now?
Scott: {{holds up five fingers on one hand and a thumb on the other}}
Mom: So how old is that?
Scott: {{draws a “6” in the air}}
Mom: So how old is THAT???
Scott: Six!!!!
Mom: Wow!! Six years old? How does that feel?
Scott: BBWWAHHHHH!!!!! {{does a crazy dance}}
Mom: So what does THAT mean?
Scott: Good!!!
Mom: Tell me what you can do now at 6 that you couldn’t do at 5.
Scott: Go to the Sunshines. (that’s the next afterschool class up at our daycare)
Mom: Well, tell me how you are going to celebrate being 6.
Scott: TRANSFORMERS PARTY!!!!!!!!
Mom: You know what?
Scott: What?
Mom: I love you!!
Scott: I knew that!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday Scott!! We love you lots!!

Calapitters 2008

Yes, we have "calapitters" again! I’m still amazed that Sara will pick them up and play with them and Scott won’t touch ‘em!! They each have two that they have collected. Every day they ask to keep more but I think four caterpillars is a gracious plenty to keep on my kitchen counter top!

Let me tell ya, those little things are eating and pooping machines!!! They are eating a heavy diet of maple leaves and making complete pigs of themselves. One of Scott’s has already make a webby cocoon. One of Sara’s made what looked more like a chrysalis. I wanted to keep it but she said it was gross and threw it away. LOL!!! I will try to get some pictures of the little guys before they all get to the cocoon stage. Hopefully, they will emerge this year. The one we had last year didn’t do anything. Look for pics!!!

A good night

Sara has definitely been a challenge in recent months. Her attitude leaves much to be desired. She is defiant, impatient, whiney and most times downright ugly. I was dreading dealing with this when she hit 10 or 11 yrs. I didn’t expect to have to address it at 7 ½. She didn’t used to be like this but this school year has really brought about some changes in her. I don’t know if it is her friends that are influencing her or even sadly, us being poor role models, but I really hope we can turn her around.

Last night started out poorly with lots of attitude and picking on Scott. I tried to prepare for the worst. But after homework and dinner and showers, she came to me while Scott and Hubby played video games. “I want to read a book”. Unfortunately it was very late. “As much as I hate to say it, honey, it’s just too late.” She then climbed into my lap and snuggled. Now, Scott is the world champion snuggler, but Sara has never been much a snuggler. So I relished in the rare opportunity to be close to her and love on her. “Can we go to my room and talk?” Wow!!! What an opportunity! Again, a rare occasion to spend wanted one-on-one time with my daughter. “Yes! Yes, we can”.

In her room, I brushed her hair and we talked. We talked about school and how she thinks it’s boring. We talked about her favorite subjects and those that were hard for her. We talked about her friends—who she likes, who she doesn’t like and why, how some of her friends don’t play with her any more and how that makes her feel. It was a perfect opportunity to discuss her attitude and how she relates to others. She was very open to my advice and shared honestly with me—something that hasn’t happened in a long while.

But all good things must come to an end. It was, after all, a school night and we all needed our rest. I hugged her tight, gave her a huge kiss, told her how much I loved her and said “Good Night”. Yes, it was definitely a “good night”.

Stage 2?

I have finally given up on denial and moved on to acceptance. Scott has always been a “spirited” child. Even as an infant, he would wail for hours inconsolably. I had strangers offer to hold him in stores so I could do my shopping. He had separation anxiety to the point of throwing full-out tantrums at daycare drop-off. When we moved and had to switch daycares, it was hell on earth.

We had hoped that the structure of Kindergarten would help him to settle down but it appears to have done the complete opposite. He is very smart and learns quickly but he can’t keep still and he can’t keep quiet. His teacher has said on some days it’s like he drank a 2 liter bottle of Mtn Dew right before school and he has no control. ADHD was mentioned actually by me but I just didn’t think that was it because he CAN focus and settle. He’s not always “on”.

Well, I did some web surfing on ADHD and saw quite a few signs and symptoms in his behavior—namely hyperactivity and impulsivity—and found out that they aren’t always “on”. We also talked with family members as 2 of our nephews have ADHD and Hubby says that Scott acts just like he did when he was a boy. So now I’m moving from denial to acceptance. Even if it isn’t ADHD, there is definitely something amiss.

We have an appointment with a counselor for Monday to review his background and behavior and will hopefully have his evaluation in January. Now that I’ve admitted he most likely has a problem, I want to fast track it and get him some assistance. But as those of you already in the system know, it is NOT a quick process. So my frustration level is mounting. But I have a good friend who has been through it and is being a great source of support. Scott’s teacher is also wonderful. She is willing to do anything we can to help him. Thank you so much, Mrs. Wall!!

It just breaks my heart to see his behavior page from school on those bad days--especially now, understanding he may not be able to control it. He’s such a sweet boy. I just want to help him so that the rest of the world can know the sweet boy that I know.

Perspectives

Saturday morning I was gently awoken by the lovely sound of birds singing outside. I’ve recently noted a small finch or wren on the back porch banister most mornings and I assume that was the one. I love to listen to the birds singing. It’s such a wonderfully gentle way to wake for the day. I lay there and listened for about 10 minutes……Until I heard Sara calling me from her bedroom. I went to her to see what was up. She told me in her most dramatic voice that she wanted to sleep late and couldn’t because those silly bird’s singing kept waking her up. Different strokes, I guess?

Happy Birthday, Sara!!

Seven years ago, it was midnight and I was anxiously sitting in a hospital bed to see if they were going to let me stay. I was 1 week overdue and Group B strep positive. I’d been having contractions about 2 minutes apart and was ready to stop being pregnant!!!! They started an IV for the antibiotics, Yay, I get to stay!!!! I labored through the night……walking, sitting, standing, rocking, on a ball, on the edge of the bed…….no relief. The nurse said, you’re doing great, about 7 cm!!! Cool!!!! The doctor came in at 7am and said, nope, maybe 4 cm. NOT COOL!!! I want an epidural!!!!

So I got my epidural and it was heaven. I relaxed, I watched TV, I slept. Hubby went home to grab a shower and feed the dog (we had Misha then). While he was gone, the epi started to wear off. I was having to breathe through the contractions. The nurse had me change positions and that helped a little but not much. So we went with epi #2. DEFINITELY NOT COOL!!! It did nothing for the pain and only made me dizzy and nauseous. So bring on #3, which only helped a little again. We were contemplating epi #4 (which, btw, the Nurse said was NOT the record!) but the Nurse said I was complete and could try pushing.

So now we start to push. It’s now about 4pm. I pushed for about 2 hours but wasn’t getting anywhere. Baby was big and her shoulder was caught on my pelvis. Dr decided a vacuum assist was the way to go. So with a few more pushes and lots of pulling by the Dr, Sara came into the world weighing 9lbs 2oz. She was beautiful!!!! Her skin was a rosy pink, her fingers long and thin and her head was covering in copper/red hair. They handed her to me and she hardly made a sound as she nuzzled close to me and went to sleep.

Happy Birthday, Sara, sweetie!!! We love you so much!!!!

Confession time: I’m a day late, since Sara’s birthday was actually Wednesday. Sorry, sweetie!!!