Introducing Mittens the Wonder Kitten!

Hope you all had a lovely Christmas, or whatever holiday it is that you choose to celebrate.

Ours was pretty good. #1 was quite happy with her gifts and #2 was over the moon about her new best friend that she has decided to name Mittens.

Our Christmas was rather eventful. Mittens unfortunately sucumbed to a respiratory infection that was going around the humane shelter. We had to make a trip to the emergency vet Christmas day as she was not doing to0 well. Fortunately some antibiotics, force feeding special food and some water have helped her out and she is doing much better now. We were pretty worried. She is only about 6 weeks old, so illness is pretty scary this kitten was not moving around, nor was she eating or drinking. She was playful today, eating and drinking on her own so all should be well.

Mittens met the dog tonight and apparently thinks that she is a new toy, as there was much chasing of the dog's tail and batting at her very long and floppy ears. The dog was very patient and didn't so much as growl at the baby. I think it was because she was afraid of her. Mittens hasn't met the senior cat yet. We have to keep them separated until the illness has passed.

Now how about a picture of #2 and her new best friend?

Of course we need a close up of the cutie in all her snot-nosed glory!

Oh yeah! I got a present too! One of these.....

It is tiny! So amazing that something so tiny can do so much!

Now on to the New Year!

I kept calm

So we got some snow here in T-town today. A big fat 9 inches of snow supposedly. Along with some blizzard like conditions. There was thunder and lightning during the snow too which was pretty spectacular. I have not experienced a thunder snow in many many years.

What was not so spectacular was attempting to drive in it today. We were trying to deliver gifts to the family we adopted and it required highway driving. Now why we didn't turn around when we could barely see to do the in-town street driving I will never know. I can say that a short while after we got on the interstate I strongly suggested that we turn around and go back home. BH responded with a "but we're halfway there already." Fortunately I did not have to get loud and insistent, and after missing the first available turn around exit because we couldn't see it, we got off and turned around. We had a very scary moment as we were on the entry ramp and despite the slow pace we hit a slick spot and spun completely around and appeared to be headed down an embankment. Thankfully we came to a stop before that happened, and were able to get back on the road without any further excitement. I was able to keep remarkable calm. The spinning around seemed to go on forever and the children were beginning to get scared and vocal about their fright. As we spun I just kept repeating in my most calm and motherly voice that we were ok and everyone is fine. Now in my head I was thinking, nay... screaming "OH MY GOD WE ARE GOING TO DIE!" (I can be dramatic when the occasion calls for it!) At the same time I remember thinking that if we went down the embankment it would be ok as long as we did not flip the car, and then began the praying that we would not flip the car. That was a lot for what was probably 10 seconds of spinning around. Needless to say we decided to get off at the first available exit and go through town to get the rest of the way home. Not that it was any picnic either. Couldn't see more than a few feet ahead. We camped at home for the remainder of the day.

Not going down as one of our better decisions. Both BH and I agreed that we have never been in such terrible driving conditions ever. He also admitted that he was glad I was in the car to override his testorone thinking that he could make the trip becuase he is MAN! BH is nothing if not reasonable most of the time.

Now we have 9 inches of glorious snow to play in! We have been hoping for a really good snow and it is finally here. We don't usually get amounts like this from one snow. 1-3 inches isn't uncommon, but 9!! That is something. So it looks like we may have a white Christmas this year. I can not remember the last time that happened. Wait! I think it was actually ten years ago, about three weeks after #1 was born. I could be wrong, but that is the last one I remember.

I do think that Mother Nature needs to be informed that after the holidays my tolerance for such weather will be gone. Unless it is weather significant enough that we close businesses and I get to stay home from work! That I will put up with.

Yay For ALI!!!

Ali FINALLY had her baby! He weighed in at 9lbs 6 oz, and is about 22 inches long. Both are doing well. I will let her fill you in on the name, my conversation with her was fast and I forgot to ask if she wanted the child's name all over the internet. Or you can e-mail me and I will be glad to pass on the information that way. Congrats to Ali and Family!!

Silly

This is completely dumb and silly, but it makes BH and I laugh and laugh every Christmas.



By the way... I AM ON VACATION!!!!! WOOO HOOOO!!

Crazy in more ways than one

Good Lord, I am beginning to feel that this week may never end.

Right before Christmas is not the best time to be a professional in the field of children's mental health.

I will just leave it at that.

I have two appointments to make it through tomorrow, a scary amount of paperwork (if it is all done on computer and never printed out can we still call it paperwork? If not then what do we call it? These are the things that plague me late at night.) to be completed, phone calls to make, e-mails to return, AND an office to clean then.... I am OFF WORK UNTIL JANUARY 2!!!!!

Of course I may be there until 10:00 tomorrow night, but really who is keeping score here?

We have no plans during our time off here at Chez Us and I am mightily glad about that. Nuthin' but playing with children, sleeping in, and maybe MAYBE a small household project or two. Nothing major and if we don't do it...eh!

Oh yeah! We got our teeny weeny kitty today. Oh my goodness is she cute. Grammy and Poppie are having a lot of fun with her, and apparently they were reluctant to let her go at the vet's office today. Our vet's office is really good about the making goo goo eyes over our animals. That's why we like them. Hopefully the grandparents will relinquish her when the time comes. If she doesn't use the litterbox, I think it will help. Not that I am hoping for this mind you...I am just saying. She is only about 6 weeks old(and I can not get over how TINY she is. Really I could fit her in my coat pocket!!) so I am not at ALL confident that she is litter box trained. That will be fun.

What are your plans for the holiday?

Oh F@&%#

Hmmm...if your child comes complaining to you that their eye has been hurting today and you take a gander and see that it is red and goopy it probably doesn't mean good things. I am waiting to see what things look like tomorrow, but we may be in for the next chapter of "The House Where Germs Live and Attach to Young Children Every G-D Week."

I was really hoping for an illness free holiday season this year. If you go back to the holiday time postings on this blog, you will get the history of sickness on Christmas for this family. Apparently it is our tradition.

I for one am really looking forward to Christmas this year. I hope that this doesn't come off as me being a commercialized Christmas person because I am not...but a big reason that I am excited is that for once we have managed to decide on gifts that will be meaningful to nearly every person on our Christmas list and make them happy I think. In particular our children and parents will be very pleased.

I am really excited to give people their gifts and I am having a hard time keeping quiet about it.

So maybe if I put it out here it will get me by until the big day.

The gift I am most excited about is the kitten we have just adopted for #2. She has been wanting a furry lovey pet that is hers (we have the old lady cat, we got the dog for #1) and she was all geared up for a Guinea Pig as some of you may recall. Well when it came down to it, BH and I just could NOT bear the thought of another rodent in the house (#1 also has a hamster). However we had kind of already said that she could get it if she had the money. Well she will after Christmas and we do the annual "see how much we have in the savings bank each child has and let them spend some if they wish" day. My response to BH when we talked about how much we don't want a Guinea Pig I said that I would far rather have another kitten before getting a GP. BH agreed and it was decided that a kitten would be procured for Christmas. We went to the shelter yesterday and found a teeny tiny 6 week old mostly black kitty with a white nose and mouth. Oh is she cute! I could expire from the cuteness. We finished the adoption paperwork today and will pick her up from the vet Thursday afternoon. She will spend the weekend with Grammy and Poppie and we will go get her Monday night after the kiddies are in bed. Can't Wait. #2 loves kitties more than anything and is constantly talking about the cats she will have when she grows up. This child is going to be over the moon. I wish I had a digital video camera so that I could show her reaction. Wait! My camera takes short videos!!! If it goes like I think I will try and post it here. At the very least I will post pictures of our new baby.

Speaking of pictures we are way excited about the gifts we chose for our parents. They are eternally disappointed in our lack of sharing/taking pictures of the children. So this year we got 4 digital photo frames and are loading them up with pictures of the kiddoes. This will be especially nice for my dad who is on the road and away from home from October through June.He gets pretty homesick and we hope this will help him out a little. My mom hopefully will stop harassing me about how she has no new pictures to put up at work. It will be easy now!

We also adopted a family this year. The girls each have a bank that they put a dollar a week from their allowance in to for charitable donations. We have said that we will match any donation they make from their bank. We all decided to use the funds to adopt a family. That delivery happens Saturday and we are very excited about it. I am glad that the kids for a change will get to see directly the recipients of their generosity. Past donations have been to organizations and I think that it is too abstract concept-wise for them to really understand what they are doing.

All in all our house/family has been bursting with Christmas surprises.

As always I am interested in the surprises that others are keeping this season!

A little psychology humor for the holidays

I am not much of one for forwarding the e-mails unless they are the kind that are so funny it makes me laugh so hard that I snort. Those are pretty rare indeed. This one while not laugh-snort inducing does give me a chuckle whenever I see it. You have probably seen it too, but I don't care I am gonna post it any way!

Christmas Carols for the Psychologically Challenged
1.) Schizophrenia---Do You Hear What I Hear, the Voices, the Voices
2.) Amnesia---I Don't Remember If I'll Be Home for Christmas
3.) Narcissistic---Hark the Herald Angels Sing About Me
4.) Manic---Deck the Halls and Walls and House and Lawn and Streets and Stores and Office and Town and Cars and Buses and Trucks and Trees and Fire Hydrants and..........
5.) Multiple Personality Disorder---We Three Kings Disoriented Are
6.) Paranoid---Santa Claus is Coming to Get Us
7.) Borderline Personality Disorder---You Better Watch Out, You Better not Shout, I'm Gonna Cry and I'll not Tell You Why
8.) Full Personality Disorder---Thoughts of Roasting You on an Open Fire
9.) Obsessive Compulsive Disorder---Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells
10.) Agoraphobia---I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day but Wouldn't Leave My House
11.) Senile Dementia---Walking in a Winter Wonderland Mile from My House in My Slippers and Robe
12.) Oppositional Defiant Disorder---I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus so I Burned Down the House
13.) Social Anxiety Disorder---Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas While I Sit Here and Hyperventilate
14.) Attention Deficit Disorder---We Wish You....Hey Look! It's Snowing!!

My personal favorites are 12 and 14. That is likely due to the whole working with emotionally disturbed children thing.

Oh my stars and garters I need your help!

I am a bad Room Mother.

The holiday party is a week away and I am just now sending out requests for help. That sumbitch snuck up on me. I swear to all that is holy I have some kind of calendar reading disorder, because I am forever off by a week when it comes to deadline sorts of things.

Hopefully people will be responsive and this won't end up being a solo gig for me. I have earned my stripes in previous years doing the solo class party and it ain't fun. (Not because of last minute preparation on my part, but because of a lack of parental involvement.)

I think I have mentioned before that this school has a healthy party snack policy, and I just am not coming up with healthy and fun snack ideas this time. There are tons of really cute ideas out there for holiday party snacks, but for the kiddie crowd those tend to be of the cupcake and cookie variety which helps me not at all.

So I am putting out the call for assistance to all you mommies out there. I need healthy and fun holiday party snack ideas STAT!

#1 and #2 say, "BE PREPARED!"

We have had one or two power flashes today, which is not surprising given the amount of ice on the power lines and trees.

A short time ago we had a pretty good flash and that sent #1 and #2 into action.

They have prepared a pillowcase filled with things needed if the power should suddenly go out.

The pillowcase includes:

What is left of #1's blankie (literally a few scraps) loving placed in not one but TWO small boxes for safekeeping.
#2's infamous snowbear
Numerous flashlights
#1's 20 questions game

They asked to put snacks in there, but I was able to assure them that we would be able to find the food if the power went out.

Now...they are practicing getting the "power's out sack."

This involves them placing the pillowcase on the edge of our bed, one of them being in another room, yelling "Oh no! Power's Out!" Then they run and grab the bag on the go.

In case you were wondering #1 is an expert in the best way for this to happen and is offering detailed instruction on how #2 needs to 'Gracefully run to grab the bag", as well as helping her with her curve. #2 just assured us that we don't need to worry because she is going to save the world.

Good to know we are in such caring and expert hands.

Views from my front porch

So....we got some ice. Not nearly as bad as it could have been.

Looking down the street

Tree in our front yard

There is an identical tree next to it on the left that I obviously did not include in this photo. For some reason it does not look quite as pathetic as this one. Those trees always look awful when we get ice like this, but somehow they manage to bounce back once the ice melts.

Clarification

When I said that the skies could open up once I was done traveling this weekend I did not mean that the skies could dump up to an inch of ice. I was really looking for just enough wintry weather to maybe spark a snow day tomorrow...but that much ice we are talking snapped power lines and other assorted serious inconveniences.

Apparently that is what is in the plans beginning tomorrow evening.

I am trying to counteract that statement by being all prepared to hunker down in the even that we do get an inch of ice..groceries bought, flashlights, candles at the ready, replaced the sad tires on the car...

Because if we prepare then it won't happen, or at least it won't be as significant right??

Unless I have just undone what I was trying to counteract by making bold statements about it.

Crap?? How do I fix this??

Quick! I need a chant or sage to burn..something!

I guess at least an inch of ice is not as bad as 52 inches of snow out near Hatchet's neck of the woods!

Apparently there are no Folding Fairies

If there are then I need to know what to do to make them visit my house.

All classwork is done. HOORAY!

Now...I need the fairies that make ice/sleet/snow go away while I travel to and from KC the next two days.

As soon as I am home for the weekend Saturday evening the skies can open up, I just want it all to hold off while I am among crazy drivers on the interstate.

That isn't asking for so much is it?

Update

Because I need to say it I guess:

• Infant toddler paper- completed!
• Assessments to adapt-yet to be completed
• Basket of socks and unmentionables-I am hoping that the folding fairies will pay me a visit tonight and fold them while I sleep.

YAWN!!!

I am a practicioner in the art of procrastination

I think I am gearing up to receive a Ph.D in procrastination.

What I should be doing right now:

• Finishing my paper on infant and toddler mental health for my play therapy class
• Making up assessements for the above mentioned class
• Folding a basket of socks and unmentionables

What I am doing right now:

• Farting around on the internets
• Procrastinating through blogging

What is really dumb is that it won't take me all that long to do any of the tasks I should be doing, and I will feel so much better once they are done and over with. Of course now I won't get all three done because it is getting late and I need my beauty sleep and I will be tortured for another evening tomorrow because I have to have all this stuff done by Friday AM.

So what have I learned?

A lesson I know well...procrastination is stupid and I am always sorry when I engage in it.

OK. I think I can write my paper(s) now.

a bullet dodged and a comfy night's sleep awaits

Tonight I thought I just might be calling 15 or so sets of parents to inform them that we had accidentally exposed their child(ren) to Chickenpox while they were here for the birthday party(ies). Thankfully I didn't have to do that because the weird pimple looking bumps popping out all over #2's body were from a bacterial infection that she got from taking a dip in grandma and grandpa's hot tub on Saturday. Apparently such infections are not at all uncommon, even if you take good care of your hot tub and bathe immediately afterward. (All factors in this situation). I certainly never thought I would say, "Thank goodness it is an infection!" today however it was true. It is a mild case and we have started antibiotics to cure it. #2 has had two doses of the varicella vaccine and I have to say that I felt ripped off when we thought it was chickenpox. I was informed however that even getting the now recommended booster is no gurantee against the disease, but does generally ensure a mild case. So I am not sure if it is worth the booster after finding that out, but I guess I should not have been lazy and done my research before getting the second one. Then I would have had to have been even less lazy to fight the Department of Health and Environment who sent me a nice letter at the end of the school year last year telling me that #2 had to have the booster or she would not be able to attend school the following school year. That would have been a battle for sure.

So I can rest easy tonight beacuse my child is chickenpox free AND because we got our new mattress today!!! No more waking up with aching back, hips, and necks!!!!! WOO HOOOO!
If I do you had best believe the rant will be heard across the nation beacuse we did not go cheap for this mattress. Two cheapies in 12 years time and we have learned our lesson. Shop around, research, try out many mattresses and go for preferred comfort versus price. We started this process a few months ago and today our decision was delivered. A lovely Tempur-pedic mattress. I did get the opportunity to nap on it today with #2 and we both rated it top-notch comfy. We have a special base coming in a few weeks that will let us adjust the head and foot of the bed AND it has a massage feature too.(That makes me giggle. Kinda like staying at the Motel 6 or something!) Can't WAIT!!!!!

Wish I had taken video of the process of getting that monster of a mattress upstairs to our bedroom. I feared for several minutes that it was not going to happen. Apparently the memory foam gets pretty rock solid when it is cold, and the mattress had been in a cold delivery truck for most of the morning. That baby had no give. It was like a cement slab when I laid down on it after they finally got it up the stairs. I hope the base comes in pieces or we are in for a world of hurt. Rather the delivery people will be. I will just stand and wring my hands nervously.

I think I shall retire early tonight.

Sweet Dreams!!

#1 is 10!!!

Yes folks 10 years ago today at about this time I was being checked out of the hospital so that I could go across the street to the other hospital in order to finally get a really good look at my first born who unfortunately had to stay a week and a day in the NICU before coming home. She was a cutie. Still is for that matter. But don't tell her I said that, she prefers being referred to as cool instead of cute. I have tried to find a way to combine the two words so that both of us are happy, but I just haven't hit on an acceptable combination yet.

#1 is something. She sure has come a long way after having such a rocky and absolutely terrifying beginning to her life.

Let me tell you a little bit about her....

She is S-M-A-R-T Smart! Straight A's since she has begun to receive letter grades. She loves to learn that one! Her intelligence is noticeable right away. People who don't know her usually comment about her intelligence after only a few minutes of conversation with her.

This is a child that is almost never without a book in hand to read. Even if it is a five minute trip to the grocery store, she's gotta have something to read for the drive. Her current reading obsession is Harry Potter. She began the series this summer and I honestly can not tell you how many times she has read them all. I would guess we have reached double digits. We gave her all four movies for her gift today, so now she can obsess over those. She is also following in the footsteps of her father and developing a love for those things geeky, like comic books. Current favorite is Spiderman. (Only appropriate ones of course!)

#1 is no girly girl. No pink. No Barbie. No Bratz. (Thank the dear baby Jesus!) Absolutely positively NO DRESSES!! My girl likes spy gear, anything to do with science, bugs, and most especially butterflies. She can tell you a LOT about butterflies.

This dear child loves animals more than anything. If I would allow it she would have even more pets than she already does. Her room currently houses a hamster, three fish, and two frogs. The dog and cat enjoy spending time in there as well. Soon she will be the proud parent of an undetermined number of Sea Monkeys. She plans to be a vet someday, and I can absolutely see it happening.

Oohhh the imagination. I can not even put it in to words. Thankfully she does and who knows...perhaps she will write novels in between taking care of sick animals.

She loves her younger sister and they can play happily for impressively long periods of time and develop long complicated pretend games that I don't even pretend to try and follow.

She is a Daddy's girl....but has her special things that only Mommy can do.

She is a kind and patient child, and has often befriended those that others will not.

#1 is a complex kid...we like her that way! It is hard sometimes to realize how quickly time is passing, but we look forward to discovering the person she will become.

Now I present the birthday girl!

One down one to go

Birthday party #1 for #1 was a great success today. Though I feel I must mention that 10 fourth graders together and hyped up about a party are L-O-U-D. Really truly brain searing loud. They are also fast. They blew through the party activities in record time, leaving us tapping our watches absolutely certain that they must (GOD PLEASE PLEASE!) be telling the wrong time.

I did make the cupcakes for the party from scratch. They turned out OK. Not raving about them by any means, but fairly tasty. (However it should be noted that #1 felt it her duty to tell me right after the treat eating was finished that her cupcake was dry and as such she did not eat all of it. We had a little tete-a-tete away from the guests about rudeness, and you will be glad to know that I kept my voice at a conversational level for this mini meeting.)

Right now the cake for tomorrow's family party is baking away. Different recipe from the cupcakes and hopefully it will be at the correct level of moistness so as to please the birthday princesses delicate palate.

So here are my Wizard Hat Cupcakes, because the theme of course was Harry Potter!