Festive Family

Despite much washing, my eyebrow hairs are remaining quite dark.  Made the kids nap this afternoon.  GENIUS!  Much better night, fewer tears, than usual.  Hope everyone had a safe and fun Halloween.

Sad Bed

Owen had a terrible nightmare last night.  He is now afraid of sleeping in either his bed or even Cole’s top bunk.  Last night, nap today, and again tonight, he gets in bed and then freaks out.  I know this needs to be dealt with but right now it is sad and traumatic so he’s sleeping like a tiny grownup in the middle of the king sized bed.  It is insanely cute.

I listened to the same monotone presentation from the academic librarian tonight.  Twice in a row.  Two hours.  Her voice never once modulated or raised above a stage whisper.  I’m very very tired.

Hey, Let’s Make Fun of People to Start the Week Off Right!

Saturday Is a Special Day

I was insanely productive from 9am till 3pm on Saturday.  Getting things done all over the place.

Then I got my long awaited copy of GONE GIRL from the library.

We took a dinner walk to bad tacos from 5 till 7.  Other than that, I read my book from 3 till midnight when it was done.

Bad parenting, perhaps.  There was another adult here though.  Good book.  Not great.  But very compelling and better writing than most similar books.  I just had to finish.  And so I did.

I can move on with my life now.

Prizes from School

Wednesday

After 430 miles of driving yesterday, an Owen doctor update.  We are adding another epilepsy drug since one is not all the way working.  This one, tegretol, is more targeted specifically to partial seizures.  It has weird side effects, of course.  AWESOME!  There are additional concerns from O’s neurologist.  The fact that he is constantly sick, for example.  We are doing oodles of blood tests–they actually took so many vials that we had to stay around to have juice and crackers to make sure he didn’t pass out.  Also she is concerned that he has fallen off the growth curve.  Essentially there might be a different, larger issue where all of these things plus the seizures are a sign of something else.  We will see.

 

In good news, we have found a Cafe Rio and Trader Joe’s near the doctor’s office and a large park just a block away.  These things all make out bimonthly visits more pleasant.  On our drive home I saw my first coyote.

A slightly annoyed sidenote: I got home about 9:30 last night.  Todd was playing a video game.  The kitchen a mess.  Laundry on the couch waiting to be folded.  I was able to control myself but just barely.  Argh.

A Thing That Is Wrong with Education

Last year I had to pay $58 to get a new MMR vaccine before I was allowed to volunteer at Cole’s school.  If my parents loved me and stuff, my mother would have had my childhood shot record.  Instead she says that she gave it to me at some point and I have no idea what she’s talking about.  Because I couldn’t prove that I had been immunized, I had to get a new shot.  This despite the fact that every child at the school has to be immunized.  Don’t think about it too much or it will make your head hurt.

This year I have proposed to start a creative writing club at Cole’s school.  I am an English professor and all…I worked up a lovely proposal, including funding issues and whatnot.

I’m getting worked up even writing about this.

To do the club, I will have to get a NEW fingerprint clearance card.  It cost $50 when I got one 13 years ago so I don’t know how much it is.  This is despite the fact that I am a certified teacher in Arizona and California.  Despite the fact that the FBI has my prints on file and has approved me to be with children many times, including when I became a certified foster parent.

In addition, the superintent has to think about what he thinks of this idea and give approval.

I am trying to be mature, but I am super annoyed at how hard it is to be involved with schools.  Seriously?  A professional says she wants to help your students do something and you are like, ‘maybe, we will see.’  I am annoyed.

New Child Terror

I only vaguely remember it, but I pretty much had no idea how to take care of a child once I had one.  Everything was a crisis.  I’m so glad that phase is over.  So when I read this on Babble, my sympathy heart opened wide.  How do any of us survive that first part?  It is so hard and confusing and real and exhausting.

Best Foods

We love green papaya salad.  There is ONE little Asian store (the store is small, not the Asians therein) that sells it.  The store, wisely, moved much nearer our home recently so we’ll probably be eating a lot more of it.  Todd is a skilled Thai chef, despite his non-Thai manliness.  This is a recipe he’s using tonight if you are interested.  So good.  With this recipe you can vary the spiciness.  Or you can buy a packet of seasoning that our store doesn’t carry anymore.  So I can’t show you a picture.

Go forth and eat deliciously.

My So Called Life

I got my legs waxed for the first time.  I should have done it twenty years ago.  You may not know this about me, but I have an exceedingly high pain threshhold.  It didn’t bother me a bit.  I’ll be continuing.

I am applying for a writer residency.  I have to write a personal statement.  Blerg.  I’m in need of one more letter of recommendation as well, so if anyone is interested in being nice, let me know.

I’m teaching three classes this semester instead of my regular two.  It seems like thirty times more papers to grade somehow.  All I do and all I think about is grade.

Unless I’m playing soccer with my children that is.  Owen got his first pair of non-sandal shoes because of the soccer situation.  We also now own a tiny cute portable goal.  Cole is improving much, though his running skills are still unfortunate.

Cole also got a very unfortunate haircut yesterday.  This is when it is good to be a boy.  That and every time you have to pee somewhere.

Busy week ahead, Owen doctor in Phoenix on Wednesday.  Lots of changes at church today–new congregation, new building.  And I’m so good at meeting new people!  Super!