Random Monday - September 1, 2014

First of all, Happy Labor Day!!  We didn't have any plans today which was good since Princess woke up throwing up this morning (apparently, she didn't get the memo about not getting sick the day before the first day of school), and Little Dude hasn't been doing well lately.  His cough and wheezing have been getting worse over the last few days, and he's miserable and unable to relax for more than a few minutes at a time.  He cries if he can't see me and it breaks my heart because I can tell that something's not right with him right now.  I'm watching him closely and hoping he doesn't have to go in to the doctor before his three appointments next week.

I froze sweet corn from my in-law's farm on Saturday.  The two littlest munchkins "helped" me. 
 


My mom let me and my siblings get a library card after we'd read 10 books on our own.  I realized last week that I'd kind of dropped the ball on that one since Princess has been reading for a while now.  So while we were at the library for storyhour on Wednesday, she got her very own library card.  She insisted on carrying it home before giving to me to keep in my wallet for safekeeping.


I can't believe school starts tomorrow already!!  I'm hoping Princess feels better in the morning because it's no fun to have to miss the first day of school.  Little Man's preschool class doesn't begin until next week so at least we have a week to adjust to having Princess at school before throwing another one in the mix. 

Princess went with my mother-in-law on a trip this weekend to visit Hubby's grandma and sister.  She had a blast, especially since they got to go shopping.  On the way home from picking her up on Sunday, she sighed happily in the backseat and said, "It's good to get away from your family once in a while."  Word.

I asked Princess if she missed me while she was gone.  She thought for a few seconds before answering, "No, I don't think I missed you."  *sob*  Well, at least the other kids still love me, lol. 

I belong to a closed group on Facebook for parents of children with feeding disorders, GERD, feeding tubes, etc.  The group is a place for parents to ask questions, vent, and support each other as we care for our special needs children.  So, imagine the horror when it was discovered that a question and picture asked by one of the moms had been anonymously screen shotted and sent to a site where it had gone viral making fun of the "stupid" mother.  There are several things wrong with this.  First of all, the group is closed for a reason-because most people can't understand what it's truly like to have a child with a feeding disorder and parents need a safe place to ask questions from others who are walking the same path.  Secondly, it may seem like a "dumb" question to some, but honestly, when you're dealing with special needs, medically complex children, every little thing could possibly mean something big so parents tend to be extremely vigilant with noticing every change in their children.  And yes, there are rare skin conditions that can cause changes like that.  It's better to ask a seemingly silly or obvious question and be reassured that everything is okay than to wonder and worry.  This to me, looks more like a concerned, observant mother than a stupid one.      

Random Monday - September 9, 2013

When I say or do something that Little Man doesn't like (i.e. tickle him when he's done playing), he'll cry out, "You hurt my feelings!"

I found a Piddle Pad at Goodwill the other day for a dollar and snatched it up.  I hadn't put it away yet when I saw Princess laying on her stomach on the floor with the Piddle Pad on her head.
"Why are you wearing that on your head?" I asked.
"Because it wanted to be on my head." was her reply.

I almost died laughing when Princess asked if she could watch "Diarrhea Princess".  What she was really asking to watch was Princess Diaries.

Little Man: "Mommy, can I have my scissors?"
Me: "Yes, but before I give them to you, what are you going to cut up?"
Little Man: "Oh, nothing."
Me (instantly suspicious): "Really?  So what are you going to do with them?"
Little Man (nonchalantly): "Just cut the lid off that black thing in the kitchen.  That's all."
Me: "Oh, you mean cut the lid off the canister of raisins I just got done telling you that you couldn't have, right?"
Little Man (still nonchalant): "Yup.  That's all.  Can I have my scissors?"
Me: "I appreciate your honesty, but no."

All the back-to-school pictures I saw from my friends on Facebook had happy, smiling children posing with new backpacks.  This is what I got while we were waiting for the bus.

Way to break your mom's heart, kid...

The bus shed forgot to call us that morning to tell us that they were changing the bus route.  Instead of stopping at 7:10 like we were originally told, the bus came at 7:45.  We spent almost an hour total waiting outside for the bus.  And then, when it finally came, it drove right past us and went to my in-laws' house because most people don't know about that a second family with the same last name lives on our road.  What a wonderful start to the school year...  

Why I'm Not Looking Forward to the Start of School

Princess's first day of kindergarten is tomorrow *sob*.  It seems that every time someone hears that she will be going to all-day every-day kindergarten, they immediately tell me that it's so nice that I'll be getting a break.  

Let me clear this up.....I am not getting a break!  I will still have two small children at home.  Princess is good at helping me clean the house and keeping the two little ones entertained.  When she's not here, Little Man places all of his attention on me which means that he follows me around all day talking nonstop so I can't get anything done.  I'll also be getting up 45 minutes earlier to get her ready for the bus at 7:15.  Not only am I not getting a break, but it will be harder to not have her here.

For the rather insensitive people who pointed out that I must be happy that I'm "getting rid" of one of my kids (their words!) for approximately 9 hours a day, 45 hours a week....I enjoy my kids' company, and it saddens me that my little girl will spend most of her awake time away from me and her siblings. 

Oh, and Princess still needs naps a few times a week.  Yes, they have a 15 minute rest time in kindergarten, but she's going to be worn out from kindergarten which will make her crabby.  So for the 3 hours a day I do get to spend with my child, she'll be cranky and not her usual sweet self.  I don't know one single child who has made the transition to kindergarten smoothly, and I know my daughter well enough to know that the transition will be rough and not pretty. 

And there's that whole spending-time-with-your-peers thing.  I think socialization is the dumbest reason for sending kids to public school ever.  Period.  What happens when you put a child with a group of children the same age?  Let's just say that they don't exactly encourage each other to act mature and make wise choices.  In fact, behavior goes downhill when a group of children get together.  Plus, there's all those lovely things she'll learn from children whose parents are a little less strict than we are.

"Many people now recognize that the social environment of many (if not most) schools is actually one of the most compelling reasons to home school.  These negative social experiences can include bullying, foul language, unbiblical world views, lack of values, and increasing cases of emotional and physical abuse."  

Quote from Learning By Grace

So yeah.  That pretty much sums up how I feel about this school year.  The next person who tells me what a great break I'll be getting by having Princess gone all day just might have to listen to this entire blog post being read out loud to them.