Is there a doctor in the house?

3boyzdad is at the emergency room right now with Lucas. I've learned not to worry because this is 3boyzdad's habit. He has taken Lucas to the emergency room for a number of symptoms in the past, including a stomach ache and one imaginary rash. It was so funny one evening when Lucas was a baby and my mom fed him a strawberry. 3boyzdad ran Lucas to the hospital for fear he would swell up and stop breathing. Lucas was actually having no reaction at all.

I don't remember what it was we took him for one day when Lucas just would not stop crying. Persistently, he cried for over an hour in the ER until one of the nurses blew up a rubber glove and drew a face on it. Then, he was fine. Clearly, some treatments just can't be administered at home. A couple of years ago we took him for a stomach ache and he was diagnosed with constipation. That's what I got when we had to pay that bill!

Then there was the dog bite on Lucas' nose. That was when Daniel was just home from the hospital and we all ran to the ER in a panic. The doctor taped the wound shut and told us whatever we did, DO NOT REMOVE THE TAPE. Yes, that lasted about 30 minutes.

So, I wonder what the outcome of tonight's visit will be. I predict a spastic colon brought on by ER waiting room sufferage and the treatment will include losing some weight (in the pocket book area) and don't call anybody in the morning...no one cares. Oh, that diagnosis was for 3boyzdad. I bet Lucas has a 24 hour stomach flu and the doctor is going to say drink lots of water and get lots of rest.

But, when it rains, it pours, you know. Daniel is scheduled to get tubes in his ears this Friday morning. A study recently came out saying that no long term benefit in terms of speech or development were documented as a result of having tubes put in. That made us pause before scheduling this surgery, but I think there are short term benefits. We've has six back to back ear infections and Daniel has been on some kick-butt antibiotics over the last 8-10 months. I'd really like to see that trend broken. I'll post how the procedure goes.

And as long as we are seeing the ear, nose & throat doc for Daniel, I went ahead and scheduled a consultation for Aaron's deviated septum. It will require surgery to correct, I'm sure. So, tomorrow is just a look-see and talk over what the surgery would entail. I know Aaron wants to have it done because he has spent many years now with his nose not looking quite right. Sometimes you look and think maybe its dirty, but its not ( or it's "snot" ha ha). But, he is also a little scared and intimidated by the thought of having a surgery.

Caramel Apple Bliss

You have to try the caramel apple cider at Starbucks...it is so good.

I've just been so busy lately. I've been getting settled in at my new job, learning the mechanics of how everything works. I will say I'm so lonely at work. It is such a small office and everybody comes and goes freely. Plus, I'm not too friendly with anybody, yet, so I often go to lunch alone and even end up alone in the office for much of the day. So, if my regular lunch pals see this, yes, I will be calling for lunch dates regularly!

I started school this week. This class could be interesting or it could be a flop, we'll see.

I took Aaron for a physical today so he can play golf at school. He had to "drop 'em and cough" as they say. He was sooooo embarrassed! He said, "Mom, she TOUCHED me!" I sang, "Touched for the very first time...."

Today is the first day of the rest of my life

Whew, finals ended.

The house is decorated for Christmas and I have to get all my shopping done this week. Which won't take long because it only takes so long to spend the certain amount of money we have allotted for this yuletide season!

Three companies I interviewed with last week are supposed to make a decision this week. I'm on pins and needles. One would be almost exactly like the work I did before, so there is a comfort level there. One would be working with our downtown. That one could be super fun, plus I would feel much more involved with my city and events, etc. The other one is for a produce company in another city. Their office is dingy and it smells like onions.

Alas, none of them may choose me, which is fine. I'm still applying. Still looking, honing the interview skills. I won't panic for a few more weeks.

I also recommitted myself to a diet today. 1500-1700 calories per day. I'm done with the krispy kremes on the counter, the kids will have to finish those off. Also, I made coconut, pineapple, cream cheese balls just yesterday, but no more for me. I started a list last night of all the foods I will allow myself and another one of foods I won't allow myself. The second one is pretty short because I don't think it's a good idea to just deny yourself a bunch of stuff. If I said I'm never going to eat ________ again, it wouldn't be long before I just had big binge of that very item.

I hope you are all ready for the holidays in whatever way you celebrate. Take time to slow down and really enjoy something or someone you've put off for a while. You won't regret it.

Bullies

Aaron has been bullied by the same boy for , oh, I'd say a good two years now. This big bad bully has done everything from taking pencils away from Aaron to stealing books from him to punching him in the stomach for "bumping into" another student. Last year, in junior high, we talked with the principals and Mr. big bad bully was brought in for a conference. Aaron said things improved for a long time after that. But, now we are back to the same problems in high school with the same boy. Aaron tip toes around the school trying to avoid b.b.b. (bid bad bully), but there is no avoiding him on the bus ride home.

Yesterday, Aaron came home reporting that b.b.b. hit him in the back of the head over and over on the bus. This is where I recommend the entire world always assume you are being watched, because we are! In this case, I'm glad, because it was all caught on video tape and b.b.b is suspended. Frankly, I hope it puts a terrible hardship on his parents and he gets in big trouble...I mean learns how to treat people kindly.

I found a couple of websites that might be useful for other people in the same situation:

http://www.bullystoppers.com/

http://www.stopbullyingnow.com/

The final crunch

It is almost over! How long have I been saying that? Well, it's true. One more, single solitary class for the spring semester and I am done. Well, unless I decide to get my master's. But, done, really.

I'm officially looking for a job now. It is funny because I spent the last 8 months scared I would get a job. Now I'm terrified that I will NOT get one. Ugh. Life.

This is how Kiki and I finally compromised and shared the mouse tonight.

Just a blurry pic of Daniel and Lucas in their room playing. They play together really well. Daniel imitates EVERYTHING Lucas does. This is their "house", it is really supposed to be bunk beds with the bottom bunk being perpendicular to the top one. I think it is cooler this way. Lucas sleeps on top and Daniel still sleeps in his crib. He hasn't figured out how to climb out, yet. :-0

The very long weekend

This weekend started back on Thursday when we had our first snow, a doozy, which closed down my school, Aaron and Lucas' school, and Daniel's daycare. It felt more like the twilight zone, a terrible joke played on a frazzled mom and the punch line never came. Oh, not that bad, but I swear the dishes are alive and they secretly multiply behind my back so that I will never have a chance of getting them all clean.

Furthermore, I can't seem to ever have enough of the right kinds of foods on hand. Lucas, who used to eat pretty well rounded meals, now declares all but pasta and ice cream "YUCKY!" Daniel doesn't want to sit at the table anymore, opting instead to eat on the run, that being around the living room furniture.

But, alas, it is Sunday evening, I'm blogging instead of studying all is well.

Yesterday was Daddy's birthday. We ate at the Cheescake factory:

Then, we mosied around the mall while we waited for the movie. Here he is with his feet stuck in a foot/calf massager at Brookstone. It was squeezing his feet:

He was such a hoot hanging on for dear life while I pushed the buttons making it squeeze more and more. By the way, that thing is awesome. I used it, too, it vibrates and massages. Our feet felt completely revived after just a few minutes.

I entered this pic in an online baby photo contest at LandsEnd.com/baby.

Today...

~ I found out one of my professors is pregnant, this after my law professor died last weekend
~ My family did not see me all day long because I was at school
~ During the critique of my mock interview I found out I have a "soft" handshake
~ There was a police chase on my street. Apparently the suspects did not realize they turned onto a cul de sac...must move.
~ I baked two cakes for the school carnival tomorrow, after 11:30pm
~ I ate frosting out of the container

I went to the library to study today and recognized so many people. It makes me realize how long I've lived here and how rooted I am in this community.
-My neighbor across the street was there with her two kids. She didn't say hello, but her kids did. She is a little stand-offish. Don't know why, because anytime we have ever talked she was super nice.
-The doctor at an after hours clinic where I took Daniel just yesterday was there reading. Now, what a catch he must be. Nice, young doctor with nothing to do but sit in a library reading, seemingly for enjoyment. He wasn't hunched over his material like I was!!
-A girl that grew up across the street from my grandmother works at the check out counter and always says hi and asks how my mother is.
-A mother of three girls that go to the same school as Aaron and to whom I've been waving hello since 1998 was there.
-The Carls Jr manager that I go to for a jelly biscuit and a coke was there using the internet. Why can't he hook up with the book checker-outer that I know? Assuming, of course, that he is single.

The library is a very small one and they have recently intalled more internet-accessible computers for public use. That is great, people really use them a lot. The bad thing is the computers got put on some of the precious few tables and right among the other available tables where people like me are studying our hearts out. The internet users are often just surfing and wearing headphones listening to music. The music, even through the headphones, is just absolutely unbearable. The library powers-that-be really need to work out a better solution.

Meet Ace and Derrick. Ace is the sold white rat, fancy rat, that is. Aaron was given Ace by a friend. It took a lot of convincing for us to let him keep him. Then, I read that rats are much better off when they have a cage mate. So, I took Lucas to the pet store where he picked out Derrick. And, hey, I had nothing to do with picking the names.

I'm selling stuff on e-bay again. Just thought I would supplement the ole student loans with some cash.
Here is Daniel's PJs listed at $.99. Such a bargain!

I started this book yesterday and it is off to pretty good start. It's about a busy mom in England that also has a pretty demanding job. She is a hedge accountant, which means she manages risk associated with foreign currency investments. We just covered this topic in my advanced accounting class, so it will be interesting to see if I have any insight throughout the story.

Aaron's Smoking and my blog is messed up

After that last tacky post, I'm sure I had this coming. Aaron has been so curious about smoking lately. Everytime he gets mad at me, he spitefully retorts, "I'm gonna start smoking!" Oh yeah, he knows how to get to me! I came home yesterday to find him sitting pretty on the couch, all freshly showered, cologned, combed and calm. I asked him why he showered in the middle of the day...no reason, he says. But I knew. I knew in my gut he had been smoking. And he admitted it to me. This has to stop pronto. 3boyzdad and I have discussed what we should do, but we don't know. Do we make him smoke a pack, one after the other and hope it turns him off? I'm opting for showing immense disappointment in his choice.

My blog is going through puberty right now. That's why the side bar is messed up. I upgraded it to beta---whatever that means, and I deleted the annoying Hurricane Katrina ad at the top and ever since, the sidebar hasn't cooperated.

I'm about to be mean here.....

On the topic of school and the funny people you meet there, there is another person in a couple of my classes that is noteworthy. This is an older lady with a smoker's hack to beat all smoker's hacks.

I'm all for going back to school to better one's self, mind, job enrichment, etc. And all under the banner of you-are-never-too-old. It's true, you absolutely can't start to improve your mind or body too late. No matter what you choose to do, it will improve your overall life, I believe. So what makes this person any different? Well, my guess is she is too far gone, lung-wise, for much improving to be cost effective. And it's not like she 'used to' smoke. Oh no, she comes into class with a cloud of smoke enveloping her. Her poor voice sounds like it's been raked over bed of knives. 'Nuff said. And you know how we end a blog that rags on somebody? .....Bless her heart!

Happy Birthday Lucas!

6 Years Old!

This just happens to be his cake-tasting finger!!

Warning! Please read before considering having children!

Just beware. That's all I'm saying. It may not happen to you. I didn't think it would happen to me when I was young and naive, thinking I wanted lots of children to love all day.

Me, before children:




And after:


So sad!

This is a picnic....not a tea party!