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To follow up the Bully on the Bus post... As you can imagine, the bully continued tormenting the girls. The final straw: I came home to find out that he had kicked little K in the stomach. As the details emerged, however, it didn't sound as dramatic. Rather he kicked her hand which she put out to protect herself, which jabbed her own stomach. "And it really hurt!" So, I sent an email to the guidance counselor who asked me to call her. Which I promptly did. Turns out our little troublemaker bus buddy is apparently well known to the guidance counselor. Should I be surprised? Dr. Counselor had a little chat with him yesterday.
I feel like such a tattle-tale. But, tough shit.
And, to follow up the pediatrician visit, little K has grown, thankfully. In case of low blood sugar episodes, we should have some runner's gel on hand to give her a quick sugar boost if we can't get food in her. As far as the celiac panel that came back weakly positive twice? We're going to retest in about six months. And just as an fyi, going gluten-free for a week tells you nothing. In case you ever wanted to try it. We won't be trying it with K because the calories lost in her diet would not bode well for our little 40 pounder.
And there you have it. Now I must rest. My brain is tired.
Jim Thorpe, PA - A Visit
Categories:
Photos,
travel
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As I'm editing my photos and working on my post about my girls weekend in Jim Thorpe, PA, I thought you might enjoy some of the iPhone photos I shot, all done in the Hipstamatic app (and, yes there is one photo shown twice).
How do you know when to be concerned?
The girls had a well-visit with the pediatrician today. Many times I don't examine the girls before we leave the house. I'm too preoccupied with getting OUT the door. Generally, I notice if they're wearing shoes and if the outfit isn't a Garaminals mix and match gone bad. This oversight, however, means they will inevitably have a milk mustache and/or toothpaste dribble in several trails down their shirt. This morning was no different. E promptly "cleaned" off her dribble by spitting onto her finger and smearing the dribble into her shirt. Little K had dog snot and hair plastered to her pants. But, I've got priorities people. It was a lost cause.
So, as most well visits go I'm pretty anxious to see if Little K has grown. She's little to begin with. Just barely 40 pounds. She also has autoimmune hypothyroidism and vitiligo, and because they are autoimmune she is predisposed to other autoimmune diseases. If you've ever researched any illness or symptom online, you are familiar with the range of diseases you or your child could fall victim too. Usually we're a week away from our death bed. But we're especially on edge about anything out of the ordinary for K.
K is highly emotional. Say no to her and it's instant tears and tantrums. The kind where you're left thinking, "Jeezus! She's in first grade, will this shit ever end?" She also needs to eat on a regular basis, not one for big meals. And if she doesn't eat enough she has a tendancy to have low blood sugar episodes, which makes it even harder to get her to eat. She's a grazer, they say. But, is she? Are her mood swings something else we should be concerned with? How can we know what's simply her personality and make up, or something serious?
E looked tired this morning, except that she went to bed close to 8pm and was up around 7:30. Yet, the dark circles were still under her eyes. She confessed to the doctor that sometimes she has a hard time falling asleep. This was news to me. Do I have another child with thyroid issues? Probably not. She has little white spots on her body. Could it be the beginnings of vitiligo? Maybe.
The unknown sucks.
So, as most well visits go I'm pretty anxious to see if Little K has grown. She's little to begin with. Just barely 40 pounds. She also has autoimmune hypothyroidism and vitiligo, and because they are autoimmune she is predisposed to other autoimmune diseases. If you've ever researched any illness or symptom online, you are familiar with the range of diseases you or your child could fall victim too. Usually we're a week away from our death bed. But we're especially on edge about anything out of the ordinary for K.
K is highly emotional. Say no to her and it's instant tears and tantrums. The kind where you're left thinking, "Jeezus! She's in first grade, will this shit ever end?" She also needs to eat on a regular basis, not one for big meals. And if she doesn't eat enough she has a tendancy to have low blood sugar episodes, which makes it even harder to get her to eat. She's a grazer, they say. But, is she? Are her mood swings something else we should be concerned with? How can we know what's simply her personality and make up, or something serious?
E looked tired this morning, except that she went to bed close to 8pm and was up around 7:30. Yet, the dark circles were still under her eyes. She confessed to the doctor that sometimes she has a hard time falling asleep. This was news to me. Do I have another child with thyroid issues? Probably not. She has little white spots on her body. Could it be the beginnings of vitiligo? Maybe.
The unknown sucks.
Just some cool stuff for Friday
Today I am stealing these from my friend and coworker, Fredo. They are too cool to be missed.
Link to see more
Totally entertaining.
We no speak Americano from Paul & Julie Eyler on Vimeo.
Link to see more
Totally entertaining.
We no speak Americano from Paul & Julie Eyler on Vimeo.
Bully on the Bus
With good reason, there has been a lot of attention on bullying lately. Obviously I have an issue with this, as would any empathetic person. But I can't help my thoughts which immediately go to the parents of the bullies. And I wonder, what part of being nice did they forget to teach their kids? Just because someone is different doesn't make them wrong or odd or bad. Different is just different than you. Aren't we all as parents trying to teach our kids to be kind and respectful and not mean? At least I'd like to think we all are.
The reason I bring this up is because there is a particular boy on the girls' school bus who invaribly sticks out his foot in the aisle to trip them as they walk by. No big deal, right? He's just being a kid. Except that he keeps doing it. Could you consider this a light version of bullying? I don't know. The beginnings, perhaps? We've talked to E about how to handle it. At first when I thought it was only happening to E, I thought maybe he just wants her attention. So I told her to sit next to him and pay some attention to him. In an obnoxious, evil kind of way. That would throw him off. Instead, she handled it her own way and simply asked him why he kept tripping her. As you would expect, he just shrugged his shoulders. Then, he tripped little K, who nearly fell over. Course, now the hubs is getting pissed and ready to rip this kid's head off. Don't mess with his little girls.
So what now? Do we mention it to the bus driver? Or go right to his parents? Are we making too big a deal out of it?
Then E told us he does it to others. If we say nothing, then it continues to happen and the obnoxious kid learns nothing. Maybe he gets some laughs from his friends and is enouraged to do something worse. I don't know what that could be, but it starts somewhere, right?
What would you do?
The reason I bring this up is because there is a particular boy on the girls' school bus who invaribly sticks out his foot in the aisle to trip them as they walk by. No big deal, right? He's just being a kid. Except that he keeps doing it. Could you consider this a light version of bullying? I don't know. The beginnings, perhaps? We've talked to E about how to handle it. At first when I thought it was only happening to E, I thought maybe he just wants her attention. So I told her to sit next to him and pay some attention to him. In an obnoxious, evil kind of way. That would throw him off. Instead, she handled it her own way and simply asked him why he kept tripping her. As you would expect, he just shrugged his shoulders. Then, he tripped little K, who nearly fell over. Course, now the hubs is getting pissed and ready to rip this kid's head off. Don't mess with his little girls.
So what now? Do we mention it to the bus driver? Or go right to his parents? Are we making too big a deal out of it?
Then E told us he does it to others. If we say nothing, then it continues to happen and the obnoxious kid learns nothing. Maybe he gets some laughs from his friends and is enouraged to do something worse. I don't know what that could be, but it starts somewhere, right?
What would you do?
The Path of Least Resistance
Someone I work with quit. This is not news. This situation happens weekly. But he's one of many that are leaving a secure full time job to pursue something he really loves to do. Something he's been doing on the side and finally wants to put his heart and soul into. His future is uncertain, but he's not committed to anyone other than himself. He has the freedom to take his life anywhere.
Do you ever wonder if you're where you're supposed to be? If you followed the right path? I can look back at certain events and pinpoint exactly where my life could have gone in a different direction.
I spent much of one summer in New York City. I loved it. I wanted to live there. In fact, I couldn't imagine not living there. After that summer, I never made it back.
When college graduation was approaching and I wasn't ready to deal with "real" life, I applied to the Peace Corps. I even taught ESL to two Haitian girls so I could help myself get accepted. I wanted so badly to go to Africa. I pictured my future career as a photojournalist for National Geographic. What better way to kick it off then in the Peace Corps. But I didn't get accepted. Liberal Arts majors focusing on writing and photography aren't cut out for overseas volunteer work apparently.
Then there was the time that I lived in Paris. I got home sick and left after nine months.
Or the time when Hubs and I took a long break from dating to see if "we were right for each other" and I briefly met someone else. You know how that ended.
And most recently, when we decided to sell our house in the city and move to the 'burbs.
I wonder what those lives would have been like. Where would I be living? Would I have kids? What would I be doing?
I've always gone the path of least resistance. Just following along, trying not to disturb things too much. Clearly I'm not much of a risk taker. Yet I want to do things that require taking risks. And also winning the lottery. So I guess neither will happen.
When I get old, really old, like on my death bed old, will I regret not taking more chances?
Are you taking chances? How do you get over your fear of failure?
Do you ever wonder if you're where you're supposed to be? If you followed the right path? I can look back at certain events and pinpoint exactly where my life could have gone in a different direction.
I spent much of one summer in New York City. I loved it. I wanted to live there. In fact, I couldn't imagine not living there. After that summer, I never made it back.
When college graduation was approaching and I wasn't ready to deal with "real" life, I applied to the Peace Corps. I even taught ESL to two Haitian girls so I could help myself get accepted. I wanted so badly to go to Africa. I pictured my future career as a photojournalist for National Geographic. What better way to kick it off then in the Peace Corps. But I didn't get accepted. Liberal Arts majors focusing on writing and photography aren't cut out for overseas volunteer work apparently.
Then there was the time that I lived in Paris. I got home sick and left after nine months.
Or the time when Hubs and I took a long break from dating to see if "we were right for each other" and I briefly met someone else. You know how that ended.
And most recently, when we decided to sell our house in the city and move to the 'burbs.
I wonder what those lives would have been like. Where would I be living? Would I have kids? What would I be doing?
I've always gone the path of least resistance. Just following along, trying not to disturb things too much. Clearly I'm not much of a risk taker. Yet I want to do things that require taking risks. And also winning the lottery. So I guess neither will happen.
When I get old, really old, like on my death bed old, will I regret not taking more chances?
Are you taking chances? How do you get over your fear of failure?
I sewed a tote bag!
I didn't plan to spend time sewing today, but I did. Course, I didn't plan for little K to be sick either, which kept me housebound on a precious Sunday. Good and bad. So I finally finished this...
I'm not ashamed to admit that I am just now learning how to sew, thanks to my Home Ec online class. Of course, I also thought that by taking an online, sew-at-your-own-pace, available-for-a-year class that I'd be a little further along than project #2, three months in. There are 26 projects. About two weeks ago, I realized I better start printing these assignments. When the year runs out, that's it. No more access.
I underestimated how busy I am. So what if it took me at least a month, or 6 weeks, to finally find the time to finish this bag. But it was so easy that when I was finished, I realized I had enough fabric, and wherewithall, left to make another. So I did! In less than two hours! Now I'm thinking about all the fancy grocery tote bags I can make. I'm drooling just thinking about the fabric potential. My new Etsy business. What else can I sew? Bring it!
Pet Peeve Alert: Walking the Stairs
Attention multitasking people who walk and text, and walk and dial. You can't. You think you can. But you can't. Especially on the stairs. When I get off the train at the end of the day, I'm not looking for a leisurely stroll behind some douche bag who can't put his phone down to walk down the steps. It's a measly 15 steps. Give it a damn rest. You are moving at a snail's pace. Not only are you walking painfully slow, you are walking down the middle and holding up 50+ people anxious to get home. No one can pass you.
Get a clue and be aware of your fucking surroundings. Walking down the stairs and texting your boyfriend that you just got off the train and you'll be there in 3 minutes is not do or die information. Put the phone away or move the fuck out of the way!
Also, people who stop right at the entrance? Seriously? You don't realize there are people behind you?
Where did all these oblivious fucking people come from?!
Get a clue and be aware of your fucking surroundings. Walking down the stairs and texting your boyfriend that you just got off the train and you'll be there in 3 minutes is not do or die information. Put the phone away or move the fuck out of the way!
Also, people who stop right at the entrance? Seriously? You don't realize there are people behind you?
Where did all these oblivious fucking people come from?!
Moving on up
Categories:
Work
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friends have something to say...
So I got a promotion at work. Yay! I've been working for it so it was a relief to get the official news and see the increase in my bank account. When I started working with this agency, my manager was talking early on about moving me up. I always thought I would want to keep moving up the career ladder. Where else would you go? Except that I soon saw the kinds of hours he was putting in. Me moving up was me moving up into his role. Would I have to put in those hours? Of course not. I'm more efficient. I can manage my time better. I can delegate. Or I can just stay where I am. With manageable responsibility and no late hours.
Well, here I am. Moved up. And guess what I'm doing on Sunday? Working. Guess who came home Wednesday to her kids in bed nearly asleep? Me. Guess who wants a life outside work? Yeah.
Be careful what you wish for.
Well, here I am. Moved up. And guess what I'm doing on Sunday? Working. Guess who came home Wednesday to her kids in bed nearly asleep? Me. Guess who wants a life outside work? Yeah.
Be careful what you wish for.
Dog Walk Photo Diary #1
I don't walk the puppybaby. The hubs walks her. He made us get her after all. I don't walk her, not because I don't want to, although I don't like to because it's truly a chore, the timing just hasn't fit with my schedule. Conveniently. She's 4 months old and still timid. Once around the block could take 45 minutes. If it could be considered exercise, I would be happy. There's a lot of sniffing. A lot of sitting. A lot of stubbornness.
This weekend the hubs was away. So it's me and the dog.
An attempt at an early evening walk.
And, we're off...
She's a dog. You think she would be excited about this.
Many distractions hold us up. Rocks for instance. We like to eat these.
Slowly making it off the driveway.
Sniffing. She thinks if she does this long enough I'll just give up and go home. But I am more stubborn then she is.
Still only one house away from home, we've got a long way to go.
She's having none of it. Trying to turn back...
Now, it's a battle of the wills. She pretends to be distracted by neighbors across the street.
Ignoring me.
Digging in.
Who knows what's going on here. It's getting dark. I'm ready to drink wine. Dogs should walk. Can I get a hell yeah?
And now we're walking. Notice, the darkness...
The home stretch. Halleluyah!
Only to begin again early next morning...
This weekend the hubs was away. So it's me and the dog.
An attempt at an early evening walk.
And, we're off...
She's a dog. You think she would be excited about this.
Many distractions hold us up. Rocks for instance. We like to eat these.
Slowly making it off the driveway.
Sniffing. She thinks if she does this long enough I'll just give up and go home. But I am more stubborn then she is.
Still only one house away from home, we've got a long way to go.
She's having none of it. Trying to turn back...
Now, it's a battle of the wills. She pretends to be distracted by neighbors across the street.
Ignoring me.
Digging in.
Who knows what's going on here. It's getting dark. I'm ready to drink wine. Dogs should walk. Can I get a hell yeah?
And now we're walking. Notice, the darkness...
The home stretch. Halleluyah!
Only to begin again early next morning...
No Hitter Phillies Game Photo Diary
I am inspired by an old acquaintance who recently starting making bike ride photo diaries and posting them on Facebook. While the pictures weren't great composures of art, the story of her trip was documented in an amusingly raw sort of way.
So...off we go.
To the Phillies first playoff game of the post season. Starting at 5 pm. Not convenient for those of us who work. But I managed to finagle my way out the door at 4.
We arrived at the stadium to find a closed off street of (bad) beer vendors, a cover band, pulled pork sandwiches and 46,000 fans in their finest Phillies garb.
I knew I shouldn't ask my sports-fanatic, diehard-fan, season-ticket-holder husband who are the Phillies playing. I mean, I should know this. It's a playoff game for God's sake. But I asked anyway. I just wanted to see his reaction. And here it is.
I'm sure you can imagine what he's saying. Plus, there was some head shaking. In disgust.
Oh well. I'm just me.
Once we got through the hordes of fans, we made it to our favorite beer stand. The only stand in the entire stadium that sells Yards.
People. Were. Everywhere. There was a buzz in the air.
Although we have season tickets, our post season seats could be anywhere. For this game, we were here. We were not happy to be under the overhang. Until the rain came.
I was also not too thrilled to be sitting in the last row, in front of the standing room only ticket holders. Even though it wasn't, it kind of felt like separation of the classes.
Really, the seats weren't horrible. It just felt like we were far away and removed from the outside.
See what I mean?
My phone started to die so I held off on taking photos. They would have all been the same anyway.
The Phillies won. Made history, actually. We high-fived strangers. We headed home on public transportation.
I guess everyone else went out for a celebratory beverage after the game.
This was the the second to last picture I took. The last one did my phone in completely. That Hipstamatic app really sucks your battery dry.
So what do you think of my Phillies Game Photo Diary? I did miss some good photo opps on the way into the stadium, but I couldn't get to my phone fast enough.
I think a Dog Walk Photo Diary might be next.
Wordless Wednesday - Rotten Apples
Visit other Wordless Wednesdays and add yours! Wordless Wednesday, 5 Minutes for Mom and A Beautiful Mess.
Kickin' off Fall
Categories:
Photos
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friends have something to say...
I love Fall. Have I mentioned that? I also love the traditional trek to the nearest orchard to embrace the traditional Fall activities. I mean, what is Fall without going on a hay ride (even though the tractor driver tours the million acre orchard and sells you on all the other actitivies which you can come back and pay to do. We just paid $36 to be advertised to.)? What is Fall without picking apples (even though finding the ones you want are near impossible, it smells like vinegar and you're paying to do the hard labor of picking and carrying). It does offer some great photo opps. (Now that's free!)
What is Fall without pumpkins? Well, for one thing, my friendly squirrels would miss out on feasting on $20 pumpkins that I decorate my porch with specifically for their dining pleasure.
Did I mention the millions of people who have the same idea, on the same day, at the same time? Yeah.
Without all that? Fall wouldn't have so many great memories.
I love Fall!
Friday Photos with my iPhone
The puppybaby continues to grow at alarming rates I never thought possible. When standing on her hind legs she is now nose to nose with little K. Which isn't saying all that much, but in reality the puppybaby is 4 months old and could take K down.
She has recently discovered the alluring scent of toilet paper.
When she wants some alone time, she tip toes upstairs and lounges on my bed.
Little K is not a big fan of this.
The puppybaby is really trying to explore her world now. (Read: all off-limit areas of our house). She keeps me company while I shower, making herself comfy on the towels and eating drawstring shorts.
She has recently discovered the alluring scent of toilet paper.
When she wants some alone time, she tip toes upstairs and lounges on my bed.
Still, she's cute and the girls haven't gotten tired of her yet.
In unrelated news, in a matter of a few days, I will be celebrating the last year of my 30s. Or mourning it. I'm not quite sure how I feel about that one.
Happy October!
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