Getting Nervous

Tomorrow morning we go to the Urologist for Baby A's appointment to checkout her girl parts. I'm just hoping they can do something then or if not get us a surgery appointment ASAP. I'm tired of worrying about this and my imagination is in over-drive. Plus if she barely has an opening for urine to pass......that can't be good on her kidneys, etc.

Paybacks are a B-I-T-C-H

I'm finally Mom-ee in the eyes of the T-man.........and so is Dad-ee!!!! Bwaaaahahahahahaaaaa!!!!

Parent-Teacher Conference ! ! !

Last Thursday we had our first Parent-Teacher conference. To say I was nervous is a serious understatement. Between the recent move, custody issues and of course his ADHD I was soooo worried that we'd get an okay report or even a bad report. That was sooooo not the case!!

Basically he got 3's on everything (on a scale of 1-3 with 3 being the highest) on his report card. The only thing he's lacking is knowing the sounds letters make and since that is related to verbal understanding as far as I was concerned that was acceptable. He got a 2 and knew about 50-60% of the sounds - which I think is good for a non-verbal learner.

Mrs. P. did say that his drawings are incredible and that he's extremly creative. She showed us one pictured that had she not told us he did it himself I would've thought she had helped him on it, it was that good. Heck - it was much better than I could've and have drawn. As soon as it's sent home I'm scanning and then framing it.

So the good news is that he's doing great and she said if he keeps up this progress towards the end of the year she'd like to have him tested for the "gifted" class. I knew he was a bright/smart kid, but just didn't think we was "gifted". Only "bad" news is that he does exercise poor choice in words when he's mad/frustrated. So we get to work on that, but overall I'm sooooo relieved that all of the stress and work over the last 3 years has paid off.

Maybe he's right (for once)

I'm beginning to wonder if K may actually be right for once. You see I have 3 or 4 boxes of memoriabila and in one of those boxes are pictures from DSSD and I's wedding. He says I should just trash them and keep only a few for S should he want them, but not all of them.

It's not that I still love the man. It's not that I need to preserve the memory for myself. I've realized that the reason I'm keeping the whole album, etc is that it's a Creative Memories album. I, let me rephrase that - I created that album and there's a lot of hard work in there. I just can't throw away my hard work and effort. Not only that but the monetary cost of that album -between the album, stickers, price paid for photo's, etc.

I think this weekend I'll go through the box of crap and just keep the photo album......and trash all the other stuff. I'm thinking this is a good compromise even if K doesn't think so.

"Elp mom-EE, Elp!!"

Note: For those of you who do not speak toddler that's "Help Mommy, Help"

This is the pharse my adorable yet cunning 2yo has uttered the last 3 nights when "dad-EE" carries him off to bed. Not only is this hearbreaking as he utters these words with a look of sadness and pleading - his little arms outstretched towards me, but it's quiet funny as well. It also has us concerned that at 2 years old he's already figured out if he doesn't like what one parent says or does, go ask the other.

And in a way it's frustrating......I can't get that boy to say "mom-EE" any other time during the day, but wait until "dad-EE" starts to pick him up and put him in his crib and from the multiple utterances of "mom-EE" you'd think it was the only word he knew. See to T this is a game. When I start asking him who everyone is he'll tell me until I say "Who am I" and the response???? "dad-EE!!" said with glee and an ornery grin on his face. He knows who I am - just refuses to call me "mom-EE".

My baby will be 6!

Here he is the day we brought him home from the hospital. This is the "Pope" picture. Born 16 days early he still weighed in at 8lbs 13oz and 21 inches and a head full of black hair. I'd guessed he'd be 8lb 14oz......I was close. How little I knew him then, but we soon got to know each other well. He was my little buddy. Now he's this rambuncious soon-to-be-6-year-old that is a typical little boy. Obsessed with trains, likes to play computer games, enjoys digging for worms, has a love/hate relationship with his big brother role, and gives some of the best hugs/kisses in the world.

I'm proud to call him my son, and hopefully as time goes on and he gets older I can call him a friend. I hope he understands about the divorce (his father and I) and realizes I've only ever had his best interest at heart. I love you Poopie Bear!!

Either I'm crazy or this is true devotion

Last week as I'm sitting in the bathroom stall hacking up a lung while blowing my nose pumping breast milk I thought to myself either I'm just down right crazy or truely devoted to keep up with the breast feeding this time. I'm thinking a little of both.....unfortunately this may be the beginning of the end. My supply has decreased and since I've been fighting this cold/sinus crap for the last 3-4 weeks it's hard to get it back up where it was. That's okay....as long as I can make it through to the end of November and I'll have 6mos under my belt....again. Plus we've got a plethora of free formula samples so we're good on that front.

DSSD = Dip Shit Sperm Donor

That's what I'm calling my ex-H from now on. After making my life hell for 10 days with his restraint order now he's telling me he can't afford his lawyer and the courts will side with me any way. Well - duh......get a clue you dip-shit. I do everything for that boy and you're just "Fun Daddy".

Anyhoo - I told him e-mail with what he'd like to see in regards to a custody schedule. You know - days he wants each year (his birthday, father's day, etc) and I'll send him my thoughts. We verbally agreed that my lawyer will get everything typed up, and submitted to the courts in time for our Dec 13th court date. Sounds simple enough doesn't it.....apparently not. This is the e-mail I got instead "I will be more flexible with the custody schedule if you will put in writing that you don’t want child support anymore. The original purpose of the child support, as stated in the divorce papers, was for “work related daycare expenses”, which obviously, you do not have anymore, nor have you paid daycare for over a year. I think that’s fair, but it’s up to you. "

Okay - NOT you F-ing moron!! Doesn't matter that he only paid me $500 in two years while unemployed, oh, and that I need $$ to put a roof over S's head, feed him, clothe him, etc. Yes, K does stay home with the kids and I don't have daycare expense for Stephen, but I figure the money he's paying now is making up for not paying anything for two years.

What's ironic is that I've told DSSD (remember that's Dip Shit Sperm Donor) that all he needs to do is contact the District Court and request a re-evaluation of child support, and viola - child support will be lowered, etc. No lawyers, just the DC office gathering data etc and going in front of a judge with their recommendation. Never mind that in a year it's automatically recalculated as S will be in first grade and in school all day. Okay, the boy is in full day K now and should be adjusted, but I'm not telling unless I hafta. :)

Oh well, once again I get to take the high road, ignoring DSSD comments and respond with what I think is far in regards to visitation/custody, etc. I'm also very tempted to state that as long as he gives up his parental rights then of course I'll put in writing that I don't want child support any more.

It's great when they punish themselves!!

And it's cute. Not sure that T was in trouble, but I did need to remind him several times to sit at the table to eat his lunch. Next thing I know he just walks over to the naughty corner and stands in timeout. Occasionally when S has been in timeout T will go stand next to him, and when T has been sent to timeout usually I or K stand next to him to keep him there.

Honestly don't know what he thought he did to deserve timeout, but it sure was cute.....and even after telling him he could get out he stayed right there. After that I had no more troubles getting him to stay at the table and eat.

Baby A's 4mo Check-up

Everything went great. Really like the new doctor, and Janis (person who referred us) is right he is cute! She's up to 13lbs 8oz (50%) and in the 60% in height.

Only problem is that she's been referred to a urologist. Apparently some of her girl parts are fused shut. The doctor couldn't even see an opening - not even one big enough for urine to pass through. Oh, and as I explained it to K - basically there's no opening to put a tampon.

Doc said it could probably be fixed with just an estrogen cream, but since she was new patient he wanted to err on the side of caution and referred us to a urologist just in case she'll need surgery. Could have been like this since birth, or it could've developed over time.

Great - I love a pro-active doctor.....but it's been 3 friggin' days and the urologist has yet to call and set-up an appointment. Don't they know they have a mother here with an over active imagination....who has yet to research on the internet 'cause there's no way what's out there could be as bad as what she's imagining?!?!?

Turtles, Fish and Snakes - Oh MY!

Well - apparently I've gone completely insane as I've agreed to get Stephen a snake for his birthday coming up. There are two reasons for this: (1) K already has all the equipment we'll need so we just need to buy the snake, and (2) the kids already have enough toys.

I guess there is a third - Stephen really would like one. I've been doing a little research and I'm thinking we'll go with a Corn Snake. They don't get very big, but do live for up to 20 yrs though. Best of all they're not poisonous. Believe it or not, Stephen really wants a rattle snake - no way in hell.

So the next step is to find some place or someone that is willing to have an instructional session with myself, K, and S on how to care for a snake. 'Cause the last thing I want is for it to die a week after getting it or for it to get out.

T's butt is green - no shit!

Apparently when one gives your not yet potty trained toddler toooooo much sugar free grape kool-aid in one day not only with his poop be dark green, but so will his butt!!! After a day the greenish tint faded, but still - how much of this stuff has K been feeding the boy for this to happen??

You'd think after him freaking out about the red poop (from too much sugar free cherry kool-aid) that he would realize not to give the boy sooooo much of the grape. Oh well - live an learn, and learn and learn in this case.

"Emma" by Jane Austen

I just finished this book after a month. Not that it's a slow read, but that's how long it has taken me to read this book on the bus to and from work. And during my three to four 10-15 minute pumping sessions at work.

I have to admit had I not seen the movie I probably would not have choosen this book out of the blue to read, but like "Sense and Sensibility" I loved the movie so I decided to read the book. Another confession is that thanks to the movie I did have a much better understanding of what was going on, as occasionally I would get lost or misunderstand the meaning of a phrase. But I always have this problem with period pieces.

I normally don't recommend seeing the movie first then reading the book, but in this case the movies sticks pretty close to the book and it did heighten my enjoyment of reading the book.

Anyhoo - off to find something else in my bookcase that I bought long ago to read but just haven't found the time. Irnoically all those years of driving I missed actually sitting down and reading a book that I started listening to books-on-tape, and now that I'm communting via public transportation I kinda miss the books-on-tape. Go figure.

Major meltdown last night

Me - not one of the kids.

You see K stays home with the kids. During the day he'll do the basics - dishes, load of laundry and feed the kids. No real cleaning and refuses to put laundry away. He uses the rest of his time playing WOW (World of Warcraft). That's all fine and dandy - I understand it's his stress reliever.

However, once I get home and changed he goes back to the computer to play some more and leaves me with everything. This includes: making dinner, feeding Baby A, myself dinner, S's reading homework, bath, make S's lunch (if needed), make my lunch, read books, feeding Baby A, help S get his clothes out for the next day, get clothes out for Tyler for the next day, get my clothes out for the next day, go through S's backpack, put dinner away, read books, brush teeth, and finally get the kids to bed. Oh, did I mention the whole time I'm usually feeding Baby A? At the breast? Or sometimes she's fallen asleep in her sling but I'm still carrying her around with me.

As everyone knows not everything goes according to plan. Example would be last night: not only was T poopie before bath, but during bath he got sick and threw-up a little in the tub. So I had to drain ALL the water, clean it up, and then get a fresh bath going for S.

My point is there are 2 - count them one, two - of us. Why shouldn't he help? Yes I understand he needs a little break from the kids - but damnit I want to rest and relax as well. Haven't I been working all day? Don't I deserve the same consideration?

All, ALL I have ever wanted is for him to help in the evenings so that I'm not yelling at the kids and we both then can spend some quality time together after the kids goto bed. Rather than me doing everything, get the kids in bed, and then listen to him whine that I don't spend time with him 'cause I still got shit that's gotta get done before I can goto bed.

If you haven't guessed I finally had enough (again) and told him everything that needed to be done. Of course 90% of it was done by the time he actually came up for air from the computer to help. He didn't help his case when I had first asked him at 7pm to help me and he didn't make it around to helping until 7:45pm. Better yet, told him I doing what's best for me and kids, and if he wants some love and attention then he better start helping.