I had no relief from headaches (well, that's a tiny lie--I had some relief of the severity, but still had every day headaches that affected my functioning, so not any relief that counted for much) with the two medications I have been on the last couple of months. So, considering I was losing half my hair and gained half the weight of a three-year-old, my doctor decided to bag the drugs I was on and put me back on one that helped the head a little better. A little. And, lucky me, it's the one that makes me not sleep well at night. In the past five nights, I've slept a combined total of 26 hours, which I'm pretty sure is not quite enough.
But, I'm feeling fine. And, really, baking soda in muffins and dishwasher soap in a load of dishes could be considered a little overrated, right?
June 10, 2009
June 8, 2009
Bring Your Own Nebulizer--A Tip for Visiting Us
Well, what a weird weekend. We liked having K and her kids here. I really shouldn't say 'here', though. I really mean 'in the hospital in our town'. Hospital stays are generally an unfortunate event, and having one the entire time you are on vacation is really not the best idea. Well, unless you happen to like an overabundance of Hannah Montana and Scooby Doo videos, bland macaroni and chicken soup, and lots of nurses and interns waking you up all night--all things which are generally not on a thirty-something mom's list of vacation ideals. Poor K endured these and the trauma of dealing with it while her husband was in a different country and her Baby was at an unfamiliar house. What a bummer of a vacation for them. I wonder when the next time they'll visit us will be...
Baby K did great at our house while her mom was at the hospital with S, though. My girls had a blast watching Baby K run around our house spewing such fabulously toddler phrases like 'mine!' and 'no!'. She was so cute at being a toddler that when I told Baby K she shouldn't throw her food on the floor, my three looked at me incredulously and accused me of child abuse. How could I offend the perfect baby girl by suggesting such things as manners and nutrition? I wonder how they think they learned it wasn't the best idea to throw your food on the floor if you wanted to eat it. They were just as cute as Baby K, yet somehow I managed to teach them what manners to use at the table. Not that they always choose to use them now. But, that's a whole different phase than toddlerhood.
S was released from the hospital two hours before we needed to leave for the airport to catch their flight home. At least her lungs cooperated when they really had to. :)
A word to the wise: pack your inhaler, allergy meds, and nebulizer when you come visit us. We've had enough of the hospital to last us for the next several visitors. But, if you're as cute as these two, we'll endure it if we have to.
Baby K did great at our house while her mom was at the hospital with S, though. My girls had a blast watching Baby K run around our house spewing such fabulously toddler phrases like 'mine!' and 'no!'. She was so cute at being a toddler that when I told Baby K she shouldn't throw her food on the floor, my three looked at me incredulously and accused me of child abuse. How could I offend the perfect baby girl by suggesting such things as manners and nutrition? I wonder how they think they learned it wasn't the best idea to throw your food on the floor if you wanted to eat it. They were just as cute as Baby K, yet somehow I managed to teach them what manners to use at the table. Not that they always choose to use them now. But, that's a whole different phase than toddlerhood.S was released from the hospital two hours before we needed to leave for the airport to catch their flight home. At least her lungs cooperated when they really had to. :)
A word to the wise: pack your inhaler, allergy meds, and nebulizer when you come visit us. We've had enough of the hospital to last us for the next several visitors. But, if you're as cute as these two, we'll endure it if we have to.
June 7, 2009
Visiting Hours
For our first weekend of summer, we got visitors: my friend K, and her two girls, S, 6, and K, 2. They are adorable girls. My girls are completely enamored, wishing they had real little sisters!
When they arrived, poor S was coughing and feeling lousy because of allergies from dogs that were in the house they were staying in before us. We went to get ice cream-- she didn't want any, she just wanted a nap. We took her to the urgent care, and they sent her to the hospital. She'll be there a couple of days, which may require a change in flight plans and a much different night out than K and I planned. Somehow oxygen and breathing treatments are not as fun as dinner and a movie. Poor S--she's such a trooper and pleasant as can be. I'm pretty sure it will be a while before they want to come visit us again!
When they arrived, poor S was coughing and feeling lousy because of allergies from dogs that were in the house they were staying in before us. We went to get ice cream-- she didn't want any, she just wanted a nap. We took her to the urgent care, and they sent her to the hospital. She'll be there a couple of days, which may require a change in flight plans and a much different night out than K and I planned. Somehow oxygen and breathing treatments are not as fun as dinner and a movie. Poor S--she's such a trooper and pleasant as can be. I'm pretty sure it will be a while before they want to come visit us again!
June 4, 2009
Summer Begins
Today was the first official day of summer break. I told the girls they got one free day of lying about being lazy bums. I even made them some not-healthy-at-all coffee cake for a late breakfast. I'm pretty sure after nearly nine hours of TV and computer games, their brains are part mush. The easier to brainwash them all, I suppose. I think I'll start with telling them that the words, "okay, Mom, I'll do it right now" are magic and get you just about anything you want in this castle. But, since I've tried this approach before, I'm not expecting it to make many changes around here.
Not counting on the brainwashing to go well, we have come up with a plan for the summer. It involves daily chores earning summer "money" that can be cashed in for items I have on hand, lunch or dessert dates with dad, or computer/TV time. All required chores must be done for the day before any summer money is cashed in. For at least the next two weeks, these are the required chores:
Of course, it won't be all work and no play. We also plan on having them enjoy their summer break. That's sort of the point of this whole money system. I have limited energy and "good headache hours" each day, and I don't want to spend those hours nagging about chores. I want to spend those hours making memories that last forever. The dishes will always be there, but the girls won't be this young forever. Pretty soon, (too soon, I'm afraid) they won't want to spend time with mom at all. I mean, how long can it really be cool to sing Air Supply and Celine Dion at the top of your lungs as you drive to the library?
Not counting on the brainwashing to go well, we have come up with a plan for the summer. It involves daily chores earning summer "money" that can be cashed in for items I have on hand, lunch or dessert dates with dad, or computer/TV time. All required chores must be done for the day before any summer money is cashed in. For at least the next two weeks, these are the required chores:
- Bathroom Chore (Sink, Floor, or Toilet)
- Kitchen Chore (Sweep Dining, Sweep Kitchen, or Wipe Table)
- Vacuuming Chore (Living Room, Family Room or Hallway)
- Empty Dishwasher
- Read 30 minutes
- Practice Piano/Dance
- Schoolwork (Math or Language)
- Help with Dinner (1 X per week)
- Folding Laundry
- Mopping Floor
- Hand Dishes
- Pulling Weeds
- Reading longer than 30 minutes
- Extra Schoolwork
- Getting Rid of Mom's Headaches
Of course, it won't be all work and no play. We also plan on having them enjoy their summer break. That's sort of the point of this whole money system. I have limited energy and "good headache hours" each day, and I don't want to spend those hours nagging about chores. I want to spend those hours making memories that last forever. The dishes will always be there, but the girls won't be this young forever. Pretty soon, (too soon, I'm afraid) they won't want to spend time with mom at all. I mean, how long can it really be cool to sing Air Supply and Celine Dion at the top of your lungs as you drive to the library?
June 3, 2009
Things That Make You Go "Hmmm"
I decided to check out the public library's summer reading programs. With Cinderella's entrance to middle school, she also entered the "young adult" reading program. The first two classes for the young adults (grades 6-12) are about coffee art and graffiti art. Coffee is available to drink and the kids will have a chance to create creamer art and graffiti art of their own. My question is: Don't we have enough wound-up hoodlums spreading graffiti? Does the public library really have to create more?
I'm just sayin'.
(update: Ooooh-lucky me. For the adults, they have a tattoo class.) Are you kidding me?
I'm just sayin'.
(update: Ooooh-lucky me. For the adults, they have a tattoo class.) Are you kidding me?
June 1, 2009
Benefactor of the Retractor
Dear Pediatric Dentist,
It was a pleasure to see you today. It is with regret that I announce to you that I will not be paying you exorbitant amounts of money to pull a tooth of Cinderella's again. With today's extractions, we end our career of paying for your summer cottage with each stubborn tooth's extraction. She no longer has any baby teeth! And, because of you, she'll only have braces for three years instead of for eternity (although it feels like eternity for her!) Thanks to you, her permanent teeth grew only halfway instead of all the way behind, in front of, or beside her baby teeth. We're confident the whole middle school/braces/awkward phase would be a lot worse had she had a set of stubbornly set baby teeth and her permanent teeth to contend with. Nobody likes a shark mouth. Yikes!
We'll miss visiting you each time she needs a tooth pulled. However, we are sure that with the pile of fruit snack and granola bar wrappers I found stuffed under her bed this afternoon that we will be seeing you very soon to fill cavities. You may not want to put the cottage up for sale quite yet. Although, since I did spend a small fortune on new-fangled braces floss and tiny bracket cleaners there is a chance those cavities will be avoided. Just in case that does happen, you may want to recruit another patient or two with stubborn baby teeth and a penchant for late night snack sneaking.
Best Regards,
The Queen @ Terrors in Tiaras
It was a pleasure to see you today. It is with regret that I announce to you that I will not be paying you exorbitant amounts of money to pull a tooth of Cinderella's again. With today's extractions, we end our career of paying for your summer cottage with each stubborn tooth's extraction. She no longer has any baby teeth! And, because of you, she'll only have braces for three years instead of for eternity (although it feels like eternity for her!) Thanks to you, her permanent teeth grew only halfway instead of all the way behind, in front of, or beside her baby teeth. We're confident the whole middle school/braces/awkward phase would be a lot worse had she had a set of stubbornly set baby teeth and her permanent teeth to contend with. Nobody likes a shark mouth. Yikes!
We'll miss visiting you each time she needs a tooth pulled. However, we are sure that with the pile of fruit snack and granola bar wrappers I found stuffed under her bed this afternoon that we will be seeing you very soon to fill cavities. You may not want to put the cottage up for sale quite yet. Although, since I did spend a small fortune on new-fangled braces floss and tiny bracket cleaners there is a chance those cavities will be avoided. Just in case that does happen, you may want to recruit another patient or two with stubborn baby teeth and a penchant for late night snack sneaking.
Best Regards,
The Queen @ Terrors in Tiaras
May 30, 2009
Whistle While You Work
What did you do Saturday? This is what we did:
Needless to say, I was a lot happier than the girls were that I didn't have a bad headache all day and spent no time in my bed! It wasn't all work and no play, though. We also went to lunch, and half of us biked there. The girls didn't have the stamina to make it back home on their bikes, so I had mercy on them and gave them a ride home.
Of course, then they had to go grocery shopping with me which was almost as bad to them as the aforementioned chores. However, this did provide them opportunity to whine in public for pudding, cookies, fruit snacks, ice cream and cheesecake. Which made them lose the computer time they had earned doing chores. Yes, their lives are rough. I know it's no way to treat a Princess, but I'm pretty sure it beats leaving them homeless on the doorstep of the grocery store.
Needless to say, I was a lot happier than the girls were that I didn't have a bad headache all day and spent no time in my bed! It wasn't all work and no play, though. We also went to lunch, and half of us biked there. The girls didn't have the stamina to make it back home on their bikes, so I had mercy on them and gave them a ride home.Of course, then they had to go grocery shopping with me which was almost as bad to them as the aforementioned chores. However, this did provide them opportunity to whine in public for pudding, cookies, fruit snacks, ice cream and cheesecake. Which made them lose the computer time they had earned doing chores. Yes, their lives are rough. I know it's no way to treat a Princess, but I'm pretty sure it beats leaving them homeless on the doorstep of the grocery store.
May 29, 2009
Bad News
I think my girls may all work in the billing department of a doctor's office someday. I know I told them several times last night to hang their towels up but somehow the message did not get through to them. This morning two towels are on the floor and one is on the bed. I rest in the hope that they will at least be employable by someone if they can't get a grasp on the English language sometime in the next two years.
May 28, 2009
Really? Seriously?!
Today I spent a good amount of my morning on the phone with the Billing Department at my Dr.'s office, where I am sure that they employ only those individuals that did not graduate from 8th grade. That, or they are all aliens who have not quite grasped the concept of our English language. I'm hoping for the alien thing.
Me: (after ten minutes of stating and restating the obvious and not so obvious, I sum up)....So, I'd like you to resubmit that claim to my insurance company.
Her: But, your insurance won't cover two mammograms in one year.
Me: I just told you that I called my insurance and they will pay for it if you resubmit my claim with the records that show I do not and did not ever have a lump in my breast. It was a follow-up routine mammogram.
Her: Well, have you ever had a lump?
Me: No. Never. I actually just said that.
Her: Really? Hmmm. But, your insurance won't pay for two mammograms.
Me: Normally they wouldn't, except in this case this is my first one, and the Dr. needed clear baseline pictures. We talked about that and my insurance said they wanted you to resubmit the claim.
Her: Just resubmit it?
Me: Yes. With my records from my appointment with the doctor that day.
Her: Oh. Well, we usually don't do that, because they won't pay it anyway. Did you have a lump?
Seriously? Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! And she's the fourth person I rehashed the story with.
I really would rather have a mammogram than talk with any of them again. Really, truly. And you could even add in a Pap Smear. Sign me up (but, please, not until next year...)
Me: (after ten minutes of stating and restating the obvious and not so obvious, I sum up)....So, I'd like you to resubmit that claim to my insurance company.
Her: But, your insurance won't cover two mammograms in one year.
Me: I just told you that I called my insurance and they will pay for it if you resubmit my claim with the records that show I do not and did not ever have a lump in my breast. It was a follow-up routine mammogram.
Her: Well, have you ever had a lump?
Me: No. Never. I actually just said that.
Her: Really? Hmmm. But, your insurance won't pay for two mammograms.
Me: Normally they wouldn't, except in this case this is my first one, and the Dr. needed clear baseline pictures. We talked about that and my insurance said they wanted you to resubmit the claim.
Her: Just resubmit it?
Me: Yes. With my records from my appointment with the doctor that day.
Her: Oh. Well, we usually don't do that, because they won't pay it anyway. Did you have a lump?
Seriously? Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! And she's the fourth person I rehashed the story with.
I really would rather have a mammogram than talk with any of them again. Really, truly. And you could even add in a Pap Smear. Sign me up (but, please, not until next year...)
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