This morning while waiting for Allie at her Pony Club, Boo and I hit the bike trail for a long walk (we had a 2 hour wait). We hear an unexpected “HI” from a therapist Boo used to work with for OT.
Rather than spending the two hours alone on the trial, Boo and I had unexpected company. Which turned into a lunch out with her and her fiancee after Allie was done.
What a great, unexpected way to spend a Saturday morning.
The pity party is over. Because it is Friday. And we are hosting our first autumn girls night in!
What is Girls Night In? Allie and I devised it last year. Husband/Daddy works a lot. Because it is so hard for me to go out and reconnect for some girl time, and because most of my friends have children and childcare issues, instead of going out they come to our house.
The rules? Simple:
Last year we had so much fun, it became a monthly event. We realized as moms that it is important to reconnect, to just be laid back and to just have a drink! The under-21 crowd play, run around the house, watch movies, eat. The ages range from Boo (almost 4) to 15. The over-21 crowd ranges from 30-ish to 50-is. The friends that come do not always know any one but me, but at the end of the night new friendships are born.
At one Girls Night In two mutual friends showed up and I found out they went to high school together. That is how small the world is.
Girls Night is is a great, CHEAP, way to get together and just have a good time. Sure, it’s not fun in an Irish Pub. But hey I take my fun times where I can get them.
I hope you have a great Friday night!
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Yesterday I took Boo on a field trip with her class. We went to a local farm and visited their pumpkin patch and apple orchard. There is a reason why I have never volunteered for one of Allie’s field trips. Yesterday’s torture solidified my stance.
Boo’s field trip was utter chaos. First of all, there were about 25 3-5 year-olds. Some (sane) parents just dropped their children off and ran as fast as the could to the nearest Dunkin Donuts. These children are all running around like the crazy preschoolers they are supposed to be. Except Boo, who cannot run and was overwhelmed by all the nature and noise of 24 children running around like crazy preschoolers.
I started getting stressed immediately. As we all started walking towards the pumpkin patch Boo was crying ‘all done’ and ‘no like’, wanting me to pick her up. I was making her walk because 1) I believe if I am being tortured she should be too 2) I was trying to give the impression that I was paying attention to all the ABA therapies they have been doing at school.
At this point (only 10 minutes into the field trip) I am so thankful for sunglasses that hide the tears I am trying to hold back. Because it is slaps me in the face again that she is NOT like the other kids. In this class half the kids are supposed to be ‘special’. And they are, there is one with Down Syndrome, a host of varing degrees of children on the autistism spectrum, and whatever else. But none have her degree of delay. At least to my overwhelmed eyes. As the children ran to the pumpkins it took so much time for Boo to walk that far and then to finally get her to realize that the pumpkins were not “broken”. She was just starting to walk around the patch when she trips over a vine. OH NO her hands are dirty!!!!
I swear by the time we got thru the patch and finished with the apple orchard my hair was straight. And had a couple more grey hairs.
It wasn’t all bad. We did have some funny moments. Like when Boo thought she heard a bus and started to scream for Allie to “ome here”. I finally gave up trying to explain that Allie wasn’t here. I distracted her with a shiny apple.
But the trip was heartbreaking for me. When they all posed for a class picture and Boo was just standing there. Not looking at the camera, not realizing she was supposed to be standing up, just not realizing period. And then when they all sat on the grass for story time. Sidebar–who makes kids with sensory issues sit on wet grass? Boo had her back to the class the entire time. As the kids acted out 5 Little Pumpkins Boo just sat there.
One mom asked me how Boo was in this class. After all don’t you have to be almost 4-5 years old? She thought Boo was only 2. I briefly say that Boo is almost 4 but has a global delay.
I want to kick my own ass, quite frankly. Because I should be over it by now. It shouldn’t bother me when I see kids that are “typical” or non-typical but without the severity of delay that Boo has. I know there are children (and parents) who have it so much worse. I should be so utterly grateful that she is alive, healthy and growing.
But I am not. I am fine in our own little bubble. It is when we venture out that it slaps me again and again that she is not “typical”.
Exactly when does the hurt stop?
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| You cannot see the tears, but she was so upset and so was Mom |
I’m wicked tired. Today I have been on a field trip, taken Boo to see her pulmonologist made it back to get Allie off the bus and to the family night Book Fair at her school. At this point I can only pour a glass of well deserved wine and show you a couple of pictures from Boo’s field trip. Preschool teachers should be paid a lot more money!
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| Holy crap there are pumpkins in this dirt! |
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| You want me to touch what? |
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| Look at me, I held a pumpkin! |
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| Put it right THERE |
How tired am I? I gave Allie ice cream for dinner and then sent her to bed. I think I remember having her brush her teeth. But it’s not something I would swear to!
Trying my best to participate in…..
Our crazy pup, Bailey, just turned a year old. I think he has puppy dementia! He is still awesome with Boo. But he is terrorizing Allie. This morning he broke into her room and well, Barbie-ville was demolished. Other than that, it has been a fabulous year. So happy birthday Bailey!
We are so happy that you made us your forever family. Although I could do without all the dog hair….
My name is Kerri and I suffer from Superwoman Complex.
Do you or some mom you know suffer from this rarely talked about syndrome? It’s when you think you can and must do everything. For everyone. But yourself. So you are going along taking care of everything and everyone and BAM out of no where you are hit will a killer migraine.
Your husband, of course, is not home. You are driving home with two girls who need lunch, like NOW. You crawl into the driveway, give them cheese & crackers & fruit for lunch. You throw the crazy puppy outside and pray he comes back. You try the over the counter medication because you are afraid to take the heavy duty stuff when you are responsible for the girls. And because you think you must be Superwoman you decide to make banana bread and start the laundry. An hour later, you crumble and take the prescribed medications. Lay on the couch only to have Boo think you are a trampoline and crazy puppy (he came back) wants to play catch.
Thankfully husband walks in the door at the exact moment and proclaims:
You look like crap. You should go lay down somewhere.
Because he is telling the truth and is finally home so you can hide in a dark room you don’t say THANK YOU CAPTAIN OBVIOUS! But instead crawl upstairs to the peace and relative quiet.
A couple hours later when the medication has worked and the migraine has transitioned to a low-grade (manageable) headache you realize the hard truth: You are not superwoman. But you feel human so that’s okay.
This is how I spent Saturday afternoon. When the migraine had lifted later in the night and I could function again, my husband innocently asked: What are you stressed out about?
Yes, he lives. Guess I am superwoman after all!
Fall is here. Time for apple pie, apple cake, apple sauce…if we get the apple out of Boo’s hand!
In New England we have an expression, if you don’t like the weather just wait a moment because it will change.
Last week it was still summer. Yesterday it was spring (Allie wore shorts to school). Today it is freaking freezing! As sure sign that summer is over? Boo woke up this morning with blue hands and feet. Thankfully, not the first time, so no worries. We have battled this for the past couple of winters. Right on contact, they pinked right up.
The bad news? I had a mad scramble to find her fleece. The good news? I didn’t have to check the weather report this morning. Boo is more accurate anyway!
Last night Boo had an epic meltdown. Not just last. Her entire day was off. It as my fault, really. I posted recently about the weekends with company, then going to see the grandparents, then having to go to her appointments rather than school. So she was already not up to her best. She fell asleep on the way home from school yesterday, exhausted. Boo had been waking up crying in the morning and crying herself to sleep. Not her normal. I know she is constipated and is going to take a couple of days to get back to sleeping on her own. Boo loves her routine, she just needs time to get back to it.
So, why oh why did I decide that today was the day for her to wear new shoes?
Boo wears sneakers (when she is not throwing them in the fire or out the window). Boo does not like to wear shoes at all on her left foot. So why would I, when we were already late for school, decide to not only put her in a dress but new shoes?
Because I’m an idiot. That’s why!
Needless to say the morning was not fun. Boo was screaming and banging her head uncontrollably. She threw the shoes at my head. I finally got her calmed down and Allie proclaimed:
(Un)Diagnosed and still okay 