Sunday, March 27, 2005

Hello all...

My computer is broken. We got invaded by a nasty worm, Norton Syst works picked it up, but not before it corrupted some of our windows files.
I am actually writing this from my father's house, we cannot even get our computer to boot properly anymore. A very good friend of ours is going to look at it tomorrow, he actually works for the local cable company, as an internet tech, so cross your fingers.

Hope to see all of you soon! I am going throught major blog withdrawl

Friday, March 18, 2005

Cookie Mom, cookie mon, who needs you?

I am not the troop leader. Also, I am not the cookie mom, though you never could tell by watching, even closely.
The first three years, my good friend Kelly and I shared 'cookie mom' duties. We had a blast. We collected the girls' forms, sat in one of our kitchens, drank tons of coffee, ate coffee cake, and figured out boxes sold, cases, multiplied by three, laughed, gossipped and griped.
Last year, Kelly's daughter dropped out of the troop, so I was to do it alone. No biggie, right. OH NO, here comes Caroline, Mrs. "6 thousand dollah hahdwood flawers' herself. Oh GOD if I have to listen to the story of the g-dmn 6 THOUSAND DOLLAH HAHDWOOD FLAWERS one.more.time. I will kill myself.
This woman is so freakin' clueless. She wants to help. She wants to be 'THE cookie mom.'
okay, no more responsibility for me, right?

WRONG!!!! (yes that is 4 exclamation points- OF FRANCE!!!!)

I, of course, have to hold her hand. I have to CALL HER AND REMIND HER OF EVERY STEP SHE MUST TAKE. ARRRRRGGGGGHHHHH.

Two years in a row now I have done this. This year, I have actually done EVERYTHING myself, because I cannot let Sally, my fantastic troop leader, have to do this too. She did not show up at the booth sale. She did not call any of the moms to get their money. This morning, and the money is due today or the kids don't get their extra 10 cent-per-box bonus, I had to CALL HER and tell her 'GIMME THE PAPER WORK YOU LOSER' and count all of the money (that I collected) fill out the deposit slip (that I collected) and now I am off to the bank to make the deposit.

Today, I told Sally to FIRE HER ASS.

grrrrrrrrrr


okay, I didn't actually call her a loser, I just wanted to sooooooo strongly.

Thursday, March 17, 2005

Pretty Pretty Please?

okay, I just tried to plead with Blogger, please stop losing my posts into the ethernet, please let me comment on my LOVELY FRIENDS SITES', and it keeps auto-posting ONLY THE TITLES.

Oh Blogger, dear blogger, I am sorry I got bitchy with you. Could I pretty pretty please have regular access for posting and commenting? Please?

If not, maybe I could just read the comments on my own blog? please?

Wednesday, March 16, 2005

Tuesday, March 15, 2005

Mommy Rage, interrupted

Don't you just hate it when you spend and entire weekend preparing a thoughtful, intelligent yet strongly-worded SMACK DOWN against your child's teacher for a very big mistake he/or she made on Friday, only to have the very crafty mo-fo completely cut you off at the knees and take the wind out of your sails?

(Sorry for the multiple metaphors, and pleased be advised that thankfully there has been no lasting or overwhelming damage done to the Bookworm)

On Friday afternoon, Bookworm's usually lovely teacher SCREWED.UP.ROYALLY. She allowed the class to play in the forbidden zone of the schoolyard during recess because they had done such a great job at their 'Mock Trial' presentation the night before. (another post coming on that evening soon..) This particular area is currently forbidden because of the remaining snow and ice piles scattered here and there. Safety issue, y'know. The kids were bored with the 'safe area', so she let 'em loose. First thing she did was warm them NOT to run, jump or act idiotically on or near the ice patches. Most of them complied.

My Bookworm, of course, did not. The jungle gym entrance was mostly blocked by a smallish ice pile. ALL of the other kids who played there stepped carefully around it on the way back in. MY daughter decided it would be much more fun to leap over it. Of course, she caught the very back of her foot on the ice, and went flying.

She landed HARD on her butt and then fell back onto her back, giving herself quite a jarring fall. I can't say I blame the teacher for being angry with her, but still...

Bookworm complained to her when they got in that her chest was hurting. The teacher told her "too bad, your own fault, you should have listened. Do you really want me to get into trouble and the other kids to miss out on future recess because you ran on the ice?"

OH MY GOD. That was at ONE O'CLOCK. Bookworm sat at her desk and suffered in silence, because she was embarassed, until 2:30. Did I get a phone call? NO. At 2:30 she asked to go to the nurse again, her chest really hurt. The teacher, realizing that maybe she really was hurt, was now stuck. Bus time was in 5 minutes. She gave my kid the choice of going to the nurse and missing the bus, or coming home to tell me when she got here. The bookworm, of course, came home. Again, NO PHONE CALL.

DUH!? WTF?

The Bookworm is okay, x-rays are clear. She landed on her tailbone, smacked down on the bottom of her ribcage in the back, which put too much strain on her ribcage. Luckily she did not break any ribs, she did, however, pull sympathetic muscles and possibly separated cartilage around her sternum. All is mostly okay, she is just in pain. We now have chiro appts 3x a week for a while, and we need to buckle her shoulder belt in the car - she can't do it herself. I am thankful.

BUT PISSED. I sent in a note, explaining that I needed the teacher to call me. I was soooooooo ready to really rip her a new orifice or two. My mamma bear self-righteous rage had been building all weekend. The phone rang...

Teacher : Hi Mrs Bookworm's Mom.
Me: About Bookworm's accident on Friday...
Teacher : First, let me say, I AM SO SORRY. I made a bad judgement call on not sending her to the nurse. I was angry, you know how impulsive she can be, and in anger I used poor judgement. I honestly kept thinking about this all weekend. I apologized to Bookworm this morning. I NEVER should have made her feel responsible for the class, and I truly did not realize there was a true injury. I thought she was being a little dramatic, but I made a mistake and I am sorry.
ME: Uh, but, (pause) okay, I hope this never happens again.
Teacher: Absolutely, Bookworm is not a chronic complainer, I should've known better, and if she sneezes twice in class again I will send her to the nurse no matter what.
Me: Um, okay. I would however have appreciated a phone call about the incident as well, without having to write you a note (still hoping for even a little rage-venting)
Teacher: You sent me a note? Bookworm didn't give it to me.

SO MY RAGE ESCAPE VALVE WAS BLOCKED! GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Sunday, March 13, 2005

Okay, back to non-disgusting topics

Heh, I guess I don't have Dooce's flair for entertaining poop posts. Oh well. We are right now taking things one day (or one hour) at a time with Kiddo.

I got a little bit of a break from her yesterday. I am a helper with the Bookworm's Girl Scout troop, and yesterday was the dreaded 'booth sale'. As Girl Scouts USA now discourages door-to-door selling, we now need to order CASES of cookies extra for the troop, and set up a table at local businesses, such as grocery stores, Wal-mart, etc.

It is through the troop, however, that I became aware that I am not nearly so tolerant with other people's children.

One of these girls in particular, has a death wish. These girls have been together since kindergarten, and are now in 5th grade. This one devil child does not grow on you. What wasn't even cute in kindergarten is now unbelievably annoying in a fifth-grader. She is rude, obnoxious, selfish and mean. the rest of the troop can't stand her either. GRRRR> They moved out of otwn, to the next town over, and I really thought she would leave the troop. Our sainted leader, my very dear friend, took pity on her mom and said sure, she can stay in the troop.

Ick

Good thing I'm not the leader, huh? I'd have said SUCK IT!

The girls raked it in in four hours at ShopRite. nearly 500 dollars! Incredible.

Saturday, March 12, 2005

The Bookworm and Kiddo in Wales


DSCF0015
Originally uploaded by Broken Bindings.

I FIGURED IT OUT! GOODBYE HELLO AND PICASA2

YAY FLICKR
1

Friday, March 11, 2005

CAUTION! a post about control, and POOP coming up!

I have GREAT kids. They are beautiful girls, smart, funny, and really cute. Mostly.

Lately, we have run into some problems with control with Kiddo. She has always been a little stubborn. I look back now and realize how easy the Bookworm was to deal with at this age. Over the past few months, the Kiddo's behavior has become quite a problem.

When I say she throws tantrums when she doesn't get her way, I don't mean little squalls that blow over if you wait long enough. I mean SCRU-HEEEEMING battles, over literally everything. She yells, throws toys, (not at anyone, just at the floor), refuses to do what we want, and sobs so hard sometimes I think she is going to throw up.

Kiddo is not a toddler going through the 'terrible two's.' She is five years old, very articulate, and very strong willed.

To some extent, she always has been. Friends and family always say to me "but she's so cute!" She is, just spend a day with her and sometimes the cuteness wears off.

I could use some advice. These past few weeks, she has kicked her behavior and control problems up a notch or two. My beautiful little girl has begun to lie. Blatantly. She has suddenly decided that she no longer wants to eat whatever it is we are having for dinner. She will sit at the table for a very long time, crying and yelling that she doesn't want it, although I know she likes the food, and she is hungry. Last week, she fed her meat to the dog THREE DINNERS IN A ROW, while our backs were turned. We knew what she had done, but she bald-faced lied about it, claiming that she ate the food. Yes, she was punished, and we had long fights about that, but I do not want to have to sit with her at the table for hours after dinner is over every night. We have adjusted our responses to her, and she now knows she cannot get away with this, and we're taking it one step at a time.

The next big problem is one that I know is common with toddlers. She is not a toddler. She is suddenly trying to retain her 'poop'. For days.To the point where she cannot hold it well, and has stomach aches, gas, and skid marks in her panties, but continues to lie to us, saying she doesn't need to go. Over the past 6 weeks, I have had to resort to suppositories twice, and I refused to do it this week. I don't want to have her need it in order to be able to go. Apart from her dinner-time issues, she has a very varied diet. She loves oatmeal, fresh fruit and veggies, including raw celery for crying out loud, but she will hold the movements in until she is blue in the face.

I am now at a loss. I spoke to her preschool teacher again today, trying to find out if something has happened at school to set this off. Nothing has changed a home, no issues that may have started this. I think she is really trying to be in charge. I just don't know what to do now. We are punishing her for lies, and for the messes in her pants when we are sure she was actually trying to hold it in. What next?

Does anyone have any ideas?


P.S. She did actually let go and get it out this week, by the way. Several large movements over the past two days, after holding it in for nearly a week. How do I stop it from happening again?

Wednesday, March 09, 2005

Bloggers and inhumanities

Wow. What a war zone the web log world has become lately. I am new to this posting thing, but I have been an avid reader, and commenter, on some very excellent websites.

One of my favorites is the website of Heather B. Armstrong. In her renown as a blogger fired for her website, she has been called on to give opinions and interviews to many news agencies about the dangers of blogging too close to home, (or work, as the case may be). Yesterday, she posted a spiteful, horrible, illiterate and misogynistic email she received. She and some of her friends had gotten together to respond to the jerk's accusations and ignorance.

It was quite funny, really. Heather's typical sense of humor shone through, even through her righteous indignation at being attacked by said reader. Yes, she posted the email address the sender used. That is her right. And it is not our to judge her for that.

The comments last night got downright ugly. I had expected nastiness directed toward the email sender, and even some stupid troll-posts directed at Heather, but I did not expect some of her regular commenters' attacks on one another. It got so nasty that it kind of freaked me out. Name calling, shaming, and hating. It was a little scary people.

Do people think that they are not going to hurt anyone when they type such things? In my past life as a dispatcher, we were trained about a phenomena called 'the disembodied voice'. This is where callers to 911 or any other emergency-type service don't always get it at first that they are actually talking to a person on the other end of the phone. They don't always treat you like a human being. Sometimes you are just a voice.

As of this writing, that website has not had a new post. Also, comments have been turned off. I hope the voice doesn't get turned off too.

Monday, March 07, 2005

Kristine, as if I needed another reminder to be thankful...

Kristine
made me cry today. She is a gifted writer, and an awesome mother. If you get the chance, read her post today titled " I Know."
After I dried my face, I cuddled Kiddo up for a little extra time, and we headed out to get some shopping done at Costco.
Kiddo was pretty good. As a rule, she does not walk in Costco. She gets a choice between the front seat or the cavernous back area of the cart. The carts are so big, and people are not careful enough with them, in my opinion, especially around the free samples. She continues to ask to be let out, but she really knows that the answer will not be the one she is hoping for.
She didn't whine too much, or plead incessantly for whatever toy/book/movie caught her eye. It was really amazing. Could be why when she asked again at the checkouts, I gave in.
We finished up and headed out into the blinding sunshine, enjoying the great spring-like temperatures. Glorious weather, really.
She , incredibly, continued listening as we entered the parking lot. She needed only gentle reminders to stay close to me, and to keep herself between the cart and the parked cars. I was really impressed. And then...
The glare was pretty intense. I guess it blotted out a person's ability to see brake lights and/or backup lights. Just as we ambled behind a giant SUV, the driver started backing up.
All intelligent thought left me brain instantly. My child was between me and the reversing SUV. All I could seem to do was shove the cart forward, reach for her and scream " WAIT WAIT WAIT" over and over. Why "WAIT ", I dunno.
The lady driving slammed on the brakes as I screamed. Poor Kiddo had no idea what was happening. One second she was walking along, the next her face was smashed into my belly, and she lost one of her 'clog' sneakers behind her. Neither one of us was hit. Thank God.
The poor lady jumped out of her truck to check on us. We were both shaking, and lucky for her she was apologizing over and over, and making sure we were alright. I am sure she missed us in the sun, and it was truly accidental, but had she given me the littlest bit of attitude, I would have pummelled her. But she was very very nice.
I calmed Kiddo down, put her shoe back on, and then we made it safe and sound to the car. I stopped her before she got into her booster to give her an extra hug and kiss, and to tell her how proud of her I was for listening so well. As I put the Costco booty into my trunk, I whipered prayers of thanks over and over.
Thank You again God. I know the lady wasn't going very fast yet, and Kiddo would probably not have been run over, but I wouldn't have liked to find out.
Kristine, here is another mom who will be taking those cuddle opportunities for granted a lot less.

Saturday, March 05, 2005

About Us

This will be a long one, sorry.
Amazing how theraputic it has been writing in this blog already, only the second day.
First, my girls protested about their names. Henceforth, I decree, at their insitence, that lil one shall now be known as "Kiddo" and eldest will be known as "Bookworm."
A former creative writing major at Douglass College, Rutgers, I decided to take a year off from college. As I then needed benefits, I took a "for a while" job as a police/fire/EMS dispatcher with Edison Twp. I had been a volunteer EMT with the first aid squad for several years, and they were in need so it seemed like a good move. I did not count on a very cute English guy moving in to the apartment downstairs, nor did I count on falling head over heels in love with him. Hence, my 'year off of college job' became my career.
We married in 1990. I was only 19 (what was I THINKING!) at the time, but I got lucky in my choice of a husband. He is a doll, and luckily as I continued to grow up, we grew up together, rather than apart.
The bookworm came along in 1994, and I stayed at my job because Edison has KICKASS benefits, so good that my hubby doesn't even take his from his job. We moved eventually to Howell, to be closer to his job (IT Specialist and Systems Engineer, he makes the real bucks in the family) and upon 'christening' our new home, I got pregnant with Kiddo. Literally on the night we moved in - must've been.
As we settled into our new neighborhood, with two kids and a commuting mom, I thought my schedule must be wearing me down, I was sooooo tired all of the time. Then I lost the sight in my right eye.
Turns out, I wasn't just tired. On Valentine's Day, 2002, I was diagnosed with Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis.
My day-to-day life changed COMPLETELY. Please, DO NOT PITY me. I have a wonderful life, a wonderful family, kickin' friends, and my life is really good. The disease may have changed some things, but I am fine, and life is all about rolling with the changes and adapting. Making the most out of things. I share this here only because I may have MS, but it doesn't have me! I am very pro-active, badgering doctors and researchers, organizing my daughter's girl scout troop to raise money and provide refreshments at the annual MS Walk, and many other events. I have now become a Resource Specialist volunteer at my local MS Society, and take client calls and dish out sympathy, empathy and advice twice a week. It ROCKS!
Luckily, when I began having fatigue and balance problems, I was able to take disability retirement from my job, complete with a teeny-tiny pension and , yes thank GOD, benefits for life. I jumped at it, and became a stay-at-home-mom, or as Dooce calls it, a Sh-t Ass Mo-fo - censored in case my bookworm finds her way here!
I love my life, mostly, but never appreciated how tough it is raising two very active and smart girls. Whooo they are tough. The bookworm is SCARY smart, in the accelerated program at school, and she can think circles around us. Kiddo is very smart too, but in a sneaky, little liar kinda way. heh heh.
The name for this blog came about because the other day I realized that we all read so much, and share our favorites, like Tolkien and the Harry Potter series or Stephen King, so much so that most of the books we have are beginning to fall apart. They mostly all have broken bindings.

Welcome!

Ahhhhhh

Amazing what a great night of sleep will do for one's outlook isn't it?

As I write this, the hubby is making my girls' favorite breakfast, 'thin pancakes', lil one is actually setting the table, and kiddo is playing playstation, all while the coffee is perking away. In a few hours, my very grateful sister, who also happens to be a cosmetologist, will be here to cut our hair, and then kiddo will be off to play at a friend's house.

then it will be quiet

only the sound of the rinse cycle might intrude on my restful Saturday.

Ahhhhhhhhh

Thanks for all of the welcoming thoughts guys!

Friday, March 04, 2005

Whew

Kids.

Running me absolutely ragged.....

Lil one is just 5, so she is still in preschool, next town over. Next year, I won't have to drag her into the car, and drag her out of the car, and up the preschool steps, and into her class, with her HANGING ON TO THE BACK OF MY COAT hiding from her teacher and her friends every day. The bus will come right to the door.

whoopee. Funny what little it takes to make me happy nowadays.

Fridays are rough in this family. After the alarm goes off it is non -stop motion. Get the big one (kiddo) out of bed, get the lil one out from hers, start coffee, get kiddo out of bed again, start breakfast, let the dog out, get kiddo up again, etc. After the bus gets kiddo, it's the rush-hour traffic race to preschool, where we are invariably late and get the evil eyebrow look from the assistant director. I swear if she tells me class starts at 9 am ONE.MORE.TIME. I will throttle her. After I peel lil one off of my leg and make my escape from her class, I have a WHOLE HOUR to myself, minus commute time. Of course, since I discovered this whole blog world that I really didn't know about, I do nothing but suck down coffee and read.

Ah, breathe, time to hit the road again. After dragging lil one out of her classroom, because by now she has remembered that she likes school and will protest that she doesn't want to go home yet, we now get to race to the chiropractor's office, where my sis has just gotten a part-time job, and pick up my ADORABLE 1 yr old nephew to baby-sit. When we finally get home, lil one will want SOMETHING, ANYTHING, in order to get my attention, while I try to keep a one year old boy happy. breathe
Oh, then Kiddo gets home and the real fun begins. She is very much like me, a constant reader, and I will continue whispering at her to get her dance stuff, get her dance stuff, get her dance stuff (because the nephew should be napping by now) as she ignores me and continues reading. By four, she must be ready for her ride to dance, and she never is. Grrrrrrr. breathe
After she leaves, I have oh, maybe a half-hour to get lil one and the baby ready to go BACK to the doc's office, so my sis doesn't have to drag her butt all the way to my house to get her son.
I am a very good sister
By the time we get home, my darling husband will be nearly home, and though he doesn't expect June Cleaver, he will be wanting to at least see some sort of preparation for dinner going on. HAH. I am lucky to get lunch some days.

I just read this over, and I cannot believe I actually managed to get this page started today. I really don't feel as pissy as this post sounds, by the way.

I will attempt to figure out why picasa2 is seizing up on me tomorrow, after about 14 hours of sleep, and maybe actually post pics.

chilly Posted by Hello

Confession time

Since Colleen shamed me into starting this blog, I will need some more time to get things posted. :)

ARE YOU HAPPY NOW COLLEEN?!?