VEISHA 2011

We got home last night from a three day trip to IA where we attended VEISHA events, went swimming in the hotel pool, and wandered around my hometown.  The girls had a good time seeing everyone.  Ella was the most outwardly excited.  The week leading up to VEISHA contained multiple updates from Ella on how many days were left on the calendar until VEISHA.  Unfortunately when we got there, she came down with a cold and the weather was just above freezing, rainy, and wind gusts were enough to blow semi-trailers back and forth on the highway making driving a bit nerve wracking. Sunday, of course, was the nicest of the days with sun and less wind.  There's always next year....

Paisley, our 12 year-old boxer, collapsed last week.  She was put on some meds for an infection and a pancreatitis flare, but it looks like there is probably some sort of underlying liver disease.  She has bounced back, but we weren't too sure if this would be our last time seeing her so we made sure to get pics.  Andi loved Paisley.  By Sunday, I found Andi sitting with Paisley, showing her a stuffed animal, talking to Paisley, then putting the toy on Paisley's back for a ride.  Paisley just laid there.  I'm not sure why we gave Paisley away to my mom and dad when Mocha is the biting dog who dislikes children. 

 The girls love staying in a hotel and Sophia felt the need to pose for a pic.  Below, Ella posed and Andi followed in monkey-see, monkey-do fashion.

 The wind was gusting and despite bundling in our best winter gear, we were all still chilled to the bone.  Ella, who had great dreams of collecting a lot of candy at the parade, left for the car with daddy after 10 minutes, her hands empty of any candy.  The rest of us stayed another 30 minutes -- just enough time to see one authentic fraternity-made VEISHA float -- before we called it a day.

 No ISU parade would be complete without a souped up tractor-pulling club showing off it's work.

 Cy made an appearance

 On the way home from the parade, we drove by Edwards Elementary -- where mommy spent her grade school years.  Peeking in at my kindergarten classroom, it looks so much smaller than I remembered it.

 After we thawed out and had some lunch, we headed to the Vet Med building at ISU for their open house.  The girls got to pet a bunny, puppies, goats, baby sheep and cows, a donkey, and stare eye-to-eye with a couple of owls and a huge hawk.  Andi loved the cats.  I'm not sure where she gets her love for cats, but she is drawn to them.  We got to pet a vet student's 5 month old puppy.  That puppy was huge and is estimated to weigh 180 lbs once full-grown.  And no, I don't have a picture of that beast. 

Andi had hoped to visit the donkey without it looking at her.  When it turned towards her she yelled, "Oh! I'm scared!" and took off running....

 After the parade and time at vet med, we hit the downtown area for Stam Chocolates and a visit to the jewlery store.  Andi was exhausted and took a nap in the chocolate store.

 Ella busted eating her chocolates.  She is holding a geode the jewler gave to her.  The jewler told the twins he was so impressed with their polite behavior that he wanted to reward them and got out his box of geodes and let them choose one.  Talk about a great reinforcer for good behavior.  Way to go girls!

 Everyone is cozy warm with fat, happy tummies full of chocolates. 

 Because we still had energy to spare after freezing at the parade, attending vet med, and shopping downtown, we hit the pool before dinner. 

Okay, so most of us had energy...somebody was missing her nap....

Gross

Sophia didn't like the organic, spicey-hot doritos I bought.  Ella was eating the chips and called to Sophia, "Sophie! Come here! I have a chip for you.  I got all the hot stuff off it."

I told Ella I didn't like her rubbing all the "hot stuff" off the chip and onto the clean floor and as she handed the chip to Sophia, Ella responded,

"I didn't rub it off.  I licked it off."

Gross


I am afraid of worms. I mean, to the point of a panic attack.  I can vividly remember three things from childhood which I believe play a role in my phobia of worms today.

• Gardening with mom and her chasing me with a worm, "touch it! touch it!"
• When mom and dad had a pool put in their backyard, I sat watching the men dig the hole with their equipment. I felt something cool sliding across my foot and looked down to find a worm on my sandalled foot and when I shook my foot, the worm didn't immediately come off.  Oh god. 
• After a rainstorm, all of the second-graders were sent out to the playground for recess, myself included.  One of the bully-jerks decided he would pick up worms and throw them at people.  T-E-R-R-I-F-Y-I-N-G.  One landed in a good friend's hair and became tangled in her hair.  She ran inside screaming to the teacher who was also hesitant to touch it and pull it out.  By the time I caught up with her, they had found the janitor to pull the worm out. 

This past wknd it rained.  The worms came out. It got sunny.  The worms then dried up and died.   Ella carried the dead worms around.  I did not know she was into touching worms and as I was about to touch her arm, I realized she was holding worms.  I screamed automatically which sent Dave running out to find out why I, then the girls were all screaming.

"Don't teach them it's ok to be a pansy-girl."

Pffft.  Whatevah.

Dave will be happy to know that their preschool teacher brought in a tub of live worms to the preschool classroom today so they could pet them, hold them, talk to them -- whatever floated their boats, they could do.

This was all the inspiration my twins needed to un-do the "Don't touch the worms" policy I have at my house.  The twins came home and happily dug in the dirt piling worm upon worm and chatting happily.

It took all I had not to run screaming and crying. Then every whisper of the wind, every brush of fabric on my skin as I moved seemed to be a worm touching me.  My nerves are shot. 

Really. I'm not making that up.  Any of it.  I will cry, scream and run at the sight of a toad, snake or worm.  Can't help it. 

Signed,
Happy to be a pansy

Good Buy on Craigs List -- Just Pictures

Fell off the Damn Wagon

So I had been doing really well at avoiding technology -- FB in particular.  But for some reason, I clicked on FB tonight and was irritated by reading another friend's blog when he discussed being bullied around by a relative.  That kind of stuff really stinks.  And it gets messy and it's a huge energy suck.

Speaking of energy sucks, then I clicked on FB and read about the damn fool conservatives here in town doing power plays with a more liberal, but still fiscal minded politician and it only renewed my sense of "I don't belong in this fucking stupid suburb that I live in -- I wanna go home."  I didn't notice it so much when I was working and around other social workers and psychologists.  We were pretty like-minded and it never occurred to me how terribly annoying I'd find it to live where I do.

I'm also coming off an annoying visit to watch Ella at ballet class.  One of my favorite (NOT!) moms from their preschool was there.  And then I got to listen to the other moms talk/compete about who was building the biggest most expensive house and whose child was youngest when they took them out of the country on a luxury vacation for the first time. 

Then there's the whole Wednesday morning annoyance I've gotten myself into -- ECFE class where all the moms are first time moms and they freak out over taking ONE baby to the store.  They freak out over their child not eating the right amount of veggies, and god forbid the baby cry EVER, so they let the baby sleep on them at nap time and then complain that they "don't get a break and can't get anything done." 

Really?  Have you heard of a crib????? 

Dave pointed out that if you only have one, you can get locked into the smaller things -- with multiples you just have to survive, so that's probably why there is such a difference on the things these moms get stuck on and the things I get stuck on -- and I get they are first time moms.  But still, if I didn't feel like this was a good thing for Andi to do, I'd never go back.  I'm fine working with parents who ask for help in re-shaping their family lives -- I like doing that -- so I don't know why I find it so irritating to go to this class. Maybe it's because it's like being put in a kindergarten class when you are really meant to be in first grade.  I've been there done that times two and I just. want. my. life. to. move. on.

The only light in all this darkness of today is that I had my crown put on.  Which means I got to see Dr. Hottie Patottie.  

And for his fans, yes, he was doing well.  We talked running and exercise -- he liked my Polar watch (heart monitor/calorie tracker).  We have so much in common -- I'm sure there is going to be a second date -- it'll probably be for a root canal, but I'm fine with that since I have little to no self-esteem, I'll take what I can get.  Oh, he also has a brother (Kirstin!!! you are in luck) who is also a triathlete.  They compete together.

Lighting Fires -- The Last Week in Review

I've gotten a bit behind with blogging -- well hell -- with everything including maintaining my private practice and moving it forward -- except I have been more present for the girls.  I've been boycotting technology lately and turning the computer on less and less.  I have not figured out how to stay caught up with everything in life and I am still trying to do too much in one day, which then makes me feel like a grumpy failure.  You'd think I'd move on and quit this power struggle I have going with myself and focus on the things I HAVE done, such as:

• Setting a small fire and burning my thumb while making headband holders for the girls:  (Do not try heat setting a ribbon so it won't fray while your hands are trembling from too much coffee -- ribbon is highly flamable, as are thumbs) 

I'm not bitter about paying more to make them myself than buying them off Etsy because -- getting back to the stuff I HAVE done --

• I got a new set of pots and pans for $26.  Original Price:  $300.  Thank goodness for finding the last set of pans in the discontinued line, having a 30% off coupon, a merchandise credit, and $60 in Kohl's cash from when I spring shopped for the girls clothes. 

•  Finished the classes for my parent coach certification.  Two more papers to write then I'm done.  In instituting the Family Meeting last night, I had to wonder what the girls were thinking.  Turns out Ella liked it.  Today she requested another, "Let's have a family meeting tonight."  She then turned to her playmate and explained what a family meeting was.  Her playmate stood and stared at her.  It can be an odd concept to get used to, so I can't blame the vacant stare. 

• Cleaned the house.  Which meant I wasn't watching Andi.  I walked into my room and found her jumping on the bed.  "Don't watch me!" She commanded as she did a seat drop onto the bed. Such a sneaky little girl.  

• Watched the girls in their first two sets of swim lessons.  We switched swimming schools and so far it is going better. This time the instructor hasn't turned her back leaving Ella in deep water, fully submerged and scared for her life.  

• Gotten a little bit of sleep.  On the final day of antibiotics for Andi's ear infection, she started running a 103 degree fever.  She ran it for 3 days, then came the coughing/congestion and visit to the pediatrician -- which, by the way, involved her throwing a tantrum that included
• kicking the metal exam table rapidly and repeatedly
• screaming so loud that it echoed off the metal exam table
• falling to the floor in limp-noodle fashion when the doctor offered her a sticker -- the S.O.B. -- and resuming her kicking and screaming
• Happily galloping down the hall when I told her we could leave.  I wish I could switch moods so quickly and easily. 

A 103 degree fever did not keep her from climbing and scribbling on her own face.

• Made Goldilicious cupcakes while simultaneously getting ripped off by the plumber who charged over $500 to replace my disposal.  When I told the girls the plumber was on his way, Ella let me know that she had overheard my opinion of our last plumber, "Mommy!  He's going to take all your money!"

• Took all three girls spring shoe shopping at Stride Rite -- as did every other mom on the face of the earth -- which would not have been such a problem except that Stride Rite only had ONE EMPLOYEE WORKING.  This was a problem on many levels:
• The girls are all shoe whores and need to try on multiple pairs
• Andi has the patience the size of an ant, as do I.  
• Ella picked shoes with laces (oh for the love of God, really?)  which left me having to tie them which left Andi to her own devices which included:
• Running out the door multiple times shouting "let's go mama!"
• Pulling her pants down while I wasn't watching, "I have go potty. I have go potty."
• In the end, we left with 2 new pairs of shoes that light up and Andi's blue sandals.  The twins forced me to take pictures of the shoes -- which flash -- and wanted me to capture the lights lit up.  Luck smiled on me and I got both pics on my first attempt:

 

• Took the girls mini-golfing for the first time -- as did every other parent in the twin cities.  BTW, did you know that children 5 and under can mini-golf for free at MOA?  So when Ella asked me after the game if we could go everyday, but for the sweat and tears I shed, it really isn't a bad idea.
• Sweat.  I say sweat because when you are playing golf in the top level of MOA surrounded by a lot of other bodies, it is hot as hell.  At one point, both twins were laying on the green, "I'm hot."  "I'm tired."
• Tears.  I say tears because I had a flashback to my oh-so-painfully-awkward childhood phys ed days. Attempting to speed things along, I tried to help Ella and turned around to find the 35 year-old jock-dad behind me laughing his ass off.  By "help" I mean swung at the ball numerous times and missed.  Then, finally, hitting the ball so hard it flew threw the air, pinged LOUDLY off a metal grate and boomeranged back to me. 

•  And last, but certainly not least, burning a total of 1500 calories between the two zumba classes I attended.  I have now grown used to the gyrating, chest pumping, hip-hop-latin dance and might just be forming an addiction.  But who cares.  It makes me smile -- most of the time with embarassment, but still, I'm smiling.  Which is something given that winter is like a stalker -- it just.won't.go.away.