Scientist baby

A few blogs ago, I mentioned that I noticed Blue Eye's eyes not matching up correctly. After meeting with the opthamologist, we were given the diagnosis of intermittent exotropia. Because he did not specialize in pediatric opthamology, we were referred to a doctor in a city nearby. Today, we went to the pediatric opthamologist and he was able to test BE. He found an astigmatism which (from what I believe he said) could have been the reason why BE never developed the single vision using both eyes. Blah, blah, blah, a bunch of medical information, and we were given glasses.

Curious J has named her Scientist Baby. Doesn't she look beautiful! There is a chance that the glasses will correct the issue. Blah, blah blah, percentage of success. Blah, blah, blah, if not, here's what happens next.

We will check back in 6 weeks to see how it goes.

By the way, I did pay attention during the blah, blah, blahs. But passing on the information from my non-medical degreed brain to my readers would just be disastrous.

After two hours at the clinic, we did go to Chuck E Cheese. Curious J was very patient and helpful. So he got to play some rockin' fun games with dad.

The Art of Honesty

You know what is great about kids - they are honest without filter. If you ask their opinion about something, they will most likely give it to you. "Do you want to play with so-in-so?" "NO," they may reply. Part of you is embarassed. Part of you is envious. Part of you is flustered but what you are going to do next. Curious J has done this to me a good number of times. And he is excellent at doing this in front of the parent or child. And sometimes, he doesn't need asking. Sometimes he just gives his opinion freely. He called a nurse "old" when she was taking Blue Eyes' blood once.. She was elderly, but did he really have to say it out loud? Fortunately, she laughed at it and said to me, "I bet this is an embarassing moment for you."

There are a few people I am happy to say I can be brutally honest with. A handful. And while they end up getting my honest answer, which they may or many not like, they are also aware of what I really think. No second guessing. And sadly, they get the shaft because I can tell them what you really want or feel. Whereas with others, I have to put my happy face on and lie. In laws, parents, friends, hair stylists, servers... it comes at any level. And why do we have to be so polite to the point of bending over backwards or sacrificing our own comfort. We choose living with unhappiness over living with guilt of rejection or honesty. When a server brings you the wrong side, do you say anything? When your MIL gives you a gift you don't really care for it, and she asks your opinion, do you tell the truth? When you just don't feel like going out with a friend, but you know saying no will likely lead to a conversation or harassment, do you go just to avoid confrontation? When you child has a birthday party coming up with only so many children allowed invited, do you allow your child to invite the kids he wants? Do you add to the list even if you didn't budget for the increase? (Yeah, we are getting close to that issue.)

Are you feeling awkward reading this? Knowing that you are guilting of some of these things. And yet, I hate that I can't be honest. Not rude. Honest. Because there is a difference between hurting someone's feelings and potentially hurting someone's feelings because you know what you are giving them in your appeasing lie isn't benefiting them or you. You will just end up with resentment

So, I will say this to you. If you find me being honest, please don't take it as wanting to hurt your feelings, but as a compliment for trying to have a real relationship with you.

She's an eater

I wanted BE to start getting use to real solid food. Not the kind in the jar, the kind you have to chew. So I bought those Gerber puffs to practice her fine motor and her chewing. Well, a few weeks later, here we are having to give her some kind of bread or pasta or puff in between the spoonfuls of Stage 3 jars of food, because she refused to eat them without incentive. So today, I tried bananas. A no go. Tonight I tried blueberries and grapes (no skin, don't worry). Still a no go. (Since she was completely exhausted at the time, I will try again during a wakeful period). She will eat ziti, spaghetti, bagels, bread, and, for the first time today, a sugar cookie. Oh yeah, and part of a fry. But I really am trying to find foods she can gnaw on with her two little teeth that are nutritious.

The downfall to this is that she is waking up hungry at about 3-3:30am. So I have a choice: Feed her or hold her to sleep (because when I set her down she will wake up screaming). Since she was a couple months old, this little girl has not had a middle of the night bottle. But now, she is starting to demand it. I do not want to start a feeding in the middle.

This is what happens with a cognitively intelligent girl. She kicks my ass. ;)

Goodbye Geraldine

Today marks the passing a woman who will remain in my memory for my entire life. Geraldine Ferraro. For those of you who do not know, she was the vice presidential nominee for the Democratic party in 1984 running with Walter Mondale. Yeah, I actually remember something about history. This is it.

Now, BDR does not remember her, probably because for a boy growing up, seeing a male president or vice president was everyday. For us little girls, the possibility of being a person in such an important position as a female was awesome. And because of this, I wanted to be the first female President of the United States. Now, here I am as a SAHM being no where close to running for office, but the dream was alive for me because of her.

Thank you, Geraldine. Rest in peace.

Oooooh, Witchy Woman

My little girl is getting a reputation in out house as someone who is excellent at aggressively communicating when she is not happy. It's funny. At first it was the fact that she didn't feel well, but now she is just pissed. A lot. In the night, she wakes up hourly screaming, and then once picked up she falls back asleep immediately. Instead of attempting to mobilize herself, she screams at laying on her back on the floor for too long. She screams when she is put on her belly. She. likes. to. scream. And cry.

As her DT says, it's a battle of the wills. And I am not going down without a fight. A quiet fight in order to not wake Curious J up in the night.

Today we were at breakfast (yes, outside our home) and she started getting upset sitting on my lap. She started getting vocal. But we must have been the only ones to notice because this nice elderly woman told me as we were leaving that I had the happiest baby. HAHAHAHAHAHAH!

I love her. And when she is happy, she lights up an entire room. But when she is pissed, she takes the entire house down. This is going to be a very very interesting relationship.

In the meantime, look how cute she is. :) I know. How could someone who looks like this be so angry.



I mean, is she screaming or laughing. :)

My baby's growing up

Well, that's true, but I'm not nearly as devastated as I made it sound in the title. I am like the normal parents: concerned about Curious J adapting to the new environment. But I have a feeling that just like preschool, he will acclimate just fine. Our preschool did an amazing job of getting J out of his shell.

Speaking of acclimating, Blue Eyes is kicking it with her therapy. Her grasping and inspecting objects has improved greatly. While her gross motor is going a bit slower, her therapists are awesome at pointing out the positives of how she is doing. I think because the use of her hands improved so quickly, I was expecting the same with her rolling and crawling. But the therapists said they were pleased with the strengthening of core. I have to buy her these spandex "hip helpers" to keep her legs in (http://www.hiphelpers.com/), which will ultimately help her get into crawling position. Yeah, she going to love that. She has not been please with the last two sessions. But I know it's good for her.

And some of you will appreciate this. The DT said she was cognitively very aware. That's right, bitches, #2 is smart, too. Genius. ;)

My little goldfish

I am not a good particularly swimmer. And that is being generous. Since I am not, I have not gone to the pool very often with the oldest child of mine (as well as the fact that for years, I had a phobia of sharing a public space with people. Yes, I know there is chlorine, but phobias aren't about logic. Blah, blah, blah prozac. Blah, blah, blah better now.

Curious J has been apprehensive about the pool, but I have still taken him. And when you look at his parental options of being taken to the pool, I am the most likely, as long as I am not pregnant and on bedrest. Finally this winter, he was open to the idea of swim lessons. Well, if you know kids, you know their ability to change their minds at a moments notice. But he's been consistently approving of going. So I signed him up about a month ago.

On Saturday, I sent BDR (yes, not me) to the first lesson. Having my issues, I wanted J to start off on a good foot. BDR has an ability of deescalating anxiety. I think that's why I'm attracted to him. Anyway, J did great! He played in the water. He practice moving his arms (at times, not enthusiastically). He did great. And that makes me happy.

My sister's a WHA?

My sister is a Reverend. Officially. I dragged Quigs to Florida with me to go to my sister's ordination. I had this beautiful thought that it would be fun and what a great thing to share with her. But seriously, it was crazy busy. And crazy.



Highlights (in no particular order):

* Running from one section of the airport to the other to make our flight to Tampa. All we needed was music, and we would have been in a movie.

* An irrate passenger who made a huge scene. Best part of the flight to Tampa from Atlanta.

* Making friends with the flight attendants.

* Making friends with the hotel front desk person.

* Driving the wrong way on a 6 lane street at night.

* Getting a cool new pair of sunglasses.

* Talking to a little boy during my sister's after ceremony reception. He was the best person to talk to of the night.

* Being called a pot-stirrer by a pastor I just met, who also happened to be Pastor M's former boss.

* Listening to Quigs be called "a delight" by the same pastor.

* Seeing my family, some of whom I haven't seen in two years or more.

* Transporting the cake without messing it up.

* KARAOKE.

* Quigs, very "happy" after a couple of drinks. Totally deserving of it after a crazy day.

* The beautiful Florida weather. I think I got a burn on my neck.

* Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, and Butterbeer.



* Quigs, having to get her bag checked by security in the Orlando airport.

I got to see a completely different side of Pastor M that I have never seen before. I hope I see a lot more of it. I'm very proud of her.

Thanks to both Quigs and Mr. Quigs for letting her come with me. I owe them craploads of money and baked goods. Oh, and diet coke and babysitting.

And another big thanks to Mr. Rogers who took care of our two kids flawlessly while I was away. We're trying to figure out which one of us hard the harder job. I missed my family like crazy while I was gone. And BE said mama for the first time while I was gone.

Lovefest

I love them.

Don't be stupid, kids. Don't have sex.

Or at least be smart and protect yourself.

It's funny. I love the holy crap out of my kids. Seriously. My heart, my life would be broken without them or my husband. But as many parents will tell you, it's really hard work. Today was one of those really "hard work" days. And so, I appeal to you youngster who are itching to surge those hormones with someone else... be smart. If you are going to do it, use every form of protection that will work together well to ensure that conception does not occur. Because once you have that baby, you will need all the patience in the world to handle when your youngest is waking up every three hours at night, and your son is the anti-listening champ of the world. Because you can love the holy crap out of your kids, but you don't get any more "me" time. Not really. Not 100% freely. They can be away from you, but they're still your kids. You still worry about them. You still wonder if you have brought them up right. You still wonder if they are safe or if they have hurt feelings. You still wonder if you have given them the tools to survive. You still miss them.

And those first few years? They are like being a medical resident: Perform on as little sleep as possible. I am amazed that there aren't more car accidents from the number of parents who are't sleeping well at night and then falling asleep behind the wheel. Because there are some days that the radio is blaring, and I am hopped up on sugar just to make it to school.

So kiddos. Don't be stupid.

IMARogers is not a licensed anything, nor does she play a doctor on tv. She is however, a very tired parent who should be in bed right now, but really needed some relax time. She is stupid for that.