Meet Whiny McWhinypants

Abby has been sick all... week... long. On Saturday, our pediatrician said she had one infected ear. On Wednesday (after she and I both had about three hours of sleep AND we ran out of Motrin) the doctor said she had TWO infected ears.

What have I learned during this window of illness you ask?

That my middle name is not "patience."

I'm tired of wiping slick noses and squeezing cheeks to force medicine in an unwilling, clenched-jaw mouth... only to have it spewed back at me. I'm tired of staying up late and getting poked in the ribs ever time I doze off. I'm seriously thinking about changing my name to Daddy, since no one wants him when they're sick. (He pointed out to the girl that if she wasn't nice to Mommy and was stuck with him, well frankly, she's in the deep stuff with no paddle). I'm tired of the yogurt vs. ice cream argument and the 50 millionth load of sheets, pillows, towels and blankets. The hyperactivity of a child amped up on both antibiotics AND antihistamines is overwhelming.

But... what are you gonna do? She's sick and she needs her Mommy. So here I am, whining to YOU instead of locking myself in my room with my 30 Rock Season 3 DVD and a box of chocolate chip bunny grahams and letting Daddy (who is also sick) cope on his own.

School Life

Both kids are off to a rip-roaring start at school this year. We have reached Fall Break with the 3rd grade boy making A's and B's, though I could conduct the parent-teacher conference on autopilot at this point. "Great student, helpful, sweet, bright... but the daydreaming..." At which point I say, "We keep working on it. As long as he continues to make good grades we feel it is unnecessary to consider any type of medical intervention." Which is fine with his teachers. If I have to repeat the put on yours shoes/brush your teeth/comb your hair cycle 36 times everyday of every week for the foreseeable future, I might need medication myself.

The preschool darling is learning to read. That's right! I said, learning to read!! It helps that she has a Fall birthday and is one of the older kids in her class. With the exception of naptime, she adores school and her little schoolmates. Our afternoons are a litany of letter sounds as she works on this newfound reading talent. "M-m-mouse! B-b-book!"

There is a little girl in her class with some developmental challenges. I have struggled to explain what this means and to encourage my child to offer friendship and caring, but five is an age of little gray area. Trying to increase understanding of why the little girl still wears pull-ups, even though she is a "big girl" and why her favorite word is "NO!" and she is "mean" and not friendly has been a big challenge.

So it is Fall Break and the kids have the entire week out of school. We had planned to do the annual Fair bit tomorrow night, but there is a 100% chance of rain, so Fair night has been bumped back to Thursday. The grown-ups have hatched a plan to get there early, see the animals and craft exhibits, do a run-through of the rides and escape with our wallets and sanity somewhat intact before the larger crowd arrives. Fingers crossed.

P.S. Our Camera, our eighteen month old camera, has cracked under the pressure of use by clumsy me and even clumsier children. Oops. So no fair pictures this year. Unless I can figure out how to work the camera feature on my new, in-law purchased, phone. The one they included on their plan. Ask their SON if he got a free phone...

Mwaa ha ha!

Close Your Eyes

It's October. Hints of Fall are peeking at us. So close your eyes and picture this, remembering that I live in the deep south, and Fall is but a flash before a brief Winter and an early Spring.

Even so, the sun is high in the sky, the full moon hangs low at night. Leaves are edged with the beginnings of autumn color. Just a tiny touch of red, yellow, orange or brown. The barest hint of cool is in the evening breeze. Mums are beginning to dot the porches and store fronts and pumpkins are on display at the market. Today it has rained... slow and steady and a little cold... all day long. The cotton is budding in the fields. Puffs of white as far as you can see. The scent of freshly mown hay floats through an open window.

Mmmmm. Nice.

Hey! You can't read with your eyes closed, can you?