My children's little preschool is a religious one and the reason they go there is; because it is close to where I work and the price was right. I hadn't really discussed religion with them previously. Recently my daughter has stumped me with the following.
MM - Do you know God?
ME - Not personally, I've never met him?
MM - Do you know where he lives?
ME - No, where does he live?
MM - Up there on that cloud!
ME - What that cloud?
MM- Yep, that cloud right there!
MM - "Cheese-us" (Jesus) loves all the little children. "cheese-us" loves them all the time - said in a sing song voice! (I wish I had an audio clip).
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Beach Lesson 1
Beach Lesson 1 - always watch the waves when paddling, they may knock you over subjecting the human child to a full body wash!
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Scatty me
You know how at that time of the month ladies, you become a little scatterbrained (or is it just me)? Well today I
- Got out a dining plate and poured cheerios on it. I didn't even realize until I poured my desired amount of Cheerios.
- Then I went to put the Cheerios in the fridge. (Isn't that where they are supposed to be kept)?
- I parked at work and dropped my coffee in the car in that great spot where you keep all your small change, your sunglasses, lip salve, your phone, your phone cord - you know all the stuff you don't want to get covered in coffee!
It's not even 8.30am yet and I have the whole day to look forward to - what's next? Is it just me?
Sunday, July 19, 2009
An Eye for an Eye
If you are like any of my friends with kids under the age of 5, probably only 1 out of 10 of you have taken your child to see an optometrist. With our family it is a given that I would take my kids to see the optometrist, both my father and my father-in-law are optometrists (by coincidence) and my sister followed in the same career, I know how important our 1 set of eyes are. There is a program here in the US that is free for parents with kids under the age of one, called infantsee. Both my children took part in the examination around 9 months and both did pretty well. I found a local Dr through the locater and I really liked her, she told me to bring Molly-Mae back at the age of 4 because it wasn't unusual but she wasn't responding to the light as well as she liked.
In January this year I took MM back to see her. Molly-Mae's vision was amazing she could see really well compared to me (I am blind as a bat), so I was really shocked to find out that she would need glasses because she is long sighted. The Dr told me she needs to wear them for reading, drawing, any close work etc. I was really, really surprised as I thought her eyes were great.
In May she started Pre-K and after about 3 weeks, one day she looked at me and I had to do a double take, her right eye was turning in. I put it down to the fact that she had had a late night the night before, an hour later her eyes were back to normal. But slowly and surely this eye was drifting in more and more, I truly began to think I was paranoid because by the time my husband got home or I could ask someone else's opinion it was back to normal. Eventually I spoke to both my sister and my father-in-law and they persuaded me to take her back to my Dr who referred me to a Paediatric Opthamologist. The outcome - my daughter has strabismus, and will have to wear a patch for 3 months and now has to wear her glasses all the time.
I felt so sad for her, even though her patches are totally girly and have flowers on them, because I myself went through the patches when I was little and I absolutely HATED IT! I hated wearing glasses, (I still do), I hated people making fun of me saying I was a pirate and I hated being stared at. I have tried to not make a big thing of it with her, and told her mummy went through it, and it is to help her see better.
Why am I telling you all this? Because I want you to get your kids eyes tested. My paediatrician does not do a visual test. Lately I have seen 2 kids in my daughters school who have slight turns in their eye, I can see it and I don't know what to say to their parents. Will I be the meddling parent if I say something? I can ask my sister to guest blog if you have any questions but I know we as parents have a limited time before the eye muscles set and you get one chance to try and help your child if they have a problem. If you think that it is too expensive shop around, the place where I bought my daughters glasses from do an eye exam for $59, it could be the best $59 you have ever spent. I went back to my original infantsee Dr for her eye test and it was $120 and then took the prescription to a cheaper large chain to buy the glasses. If you taker your child and nothing is wrong just think of it as a learning experience and it will set a guide for the optometrist for their next appointment, BUT if the optometrist finds something you have everything to gain. I will ask my sister to answer any questions or comments you might have, but please I am imploring you, if you have a child under the age of 5 get their eyes checked out.
In January this year I took MM back to see her. Molly-Mae's vision was amazing she could see really well compared to me (I am blind as a bat), so I was really shocked to find out that she would need glasses because she is long sighted. The Dr told me she needs to wear them for reading, drawing, any close work etc. I was really, really surprised as I thought her eyes were great.
In May she started Pre-K and after about 3 weeks, one day she looked at me and I had to do a double take, her right eye was turning in. I put it down to the fact that she had had a late night the night before, an hour later her eyes were back to normal. But slowly and surely this eye was drifting in more and more, I truly began to think I was paranoid because by the time my husband got home or I could ask someone else's opinion it was back to normal. Eventually I spoke to both my sister and my father-in-law and they persuaded me to take her back to my Dr who referred me to a Paediatric Opthamologist. The outcome - my daughter has strabismus, and will have to wear a patch for 3 months and now has to wear her glasses all the time.
I felt so sad for her, even though her patches are totally girly and have flowers on them, because I myself went through the patches when I was little and I absolutely HATED IT! I hated wearing glasses, (I still do), I hated people making fun of me saying I was a pirate and I hated being stared at. I have tried to not make a big thing of it with her, and told her mummy went through it, and it is to help her see better.
Why am I telling you all this? Because I want you to get your kids eyes tested. My paediatrician does not do a visual test. Lately I have seen 2 kids in my daughters school who have slight turns in their eye, I can see it and I don't know what to say to their parents. Will I be the meddling parent if I say something? I can ask my sister to guest blog if you have any questions but I know we as parents have a limited time before the eye muscles set and you get one chance to try and help your child if they have a problem. If you think that it is too expensive shop around, the place where I bought my daughters glasses from do an eye exam for $59, it could be the best $59 you have ever spent. I went back to my original infantsee Dr for her eye test and it was $120 and then took the prescription to a cheaper large chain to buy the glasses. If you taker your child and nothing is wrong just think of it as a learning experience and it will set a guide for the optometrist for their next appointment, BUT if the optometrist finds something you have everything to gain. I will ask my sister to answer any questions or comments you might have, but please I am imploring you, if you have a child under the age of 5 get their eyes checked out.
Monday, July 13, 2009
The Attention Span of a 4 year old
This is the exact conversation today driving home. Talk about a short attention span!
MM - Who does Granny live with?
ME - No-one, but she used to live with Grandpoppy!
MM - Grandpoppy was your daddy right?
ME - Yes he was!
MM - I wish I saw him.
ME - Me too!
MM - Oh look there's a llama.
ME - Oh yes.
MM- Did I come out of your tummy.
ME - Yes you did.
MM - Did daddy come out of your tummy.
ME - No he didn't he came out of nana's tummy.
MM - Why?
ME - Because Nana is daddy's mummy.
MM - But she's not dead.
ME - No she is not dead.
MM - Is she as old as you because you are getting old!
ME - No! She is much older than me, thanks!
MM - Why did you say thanks?
ME - Because I was being sarcastic!
MM - Oh look there's a cow!
ME - Is daddy as old as you?
MM - Almost.
MM - You have a daddy right?
ME - I do, it was grandpoppy and he died.
MM- But daddy's a daddy!
ME - Yes but he is your daddy not my daddy.
MM - Oh!
MM - Oh look there's some horses!
MM - Who does Granny live with?
ME - No-one, but she used to live with Grandpoppy!
MM - Grandpoppy was your daddy right?
ME - Yes he was!
MM - I wish I saw him.
ME - Me too!
MM - Oh look there's a llama.
ME - Oh yes.
MM- Did I come out of your tummy.
ME - Yes you did.
MM - Did daddy come out of your tummy.
ME - No he didn't he came out of nana's tummy.
MM - Why?
ME - Because Nana is daddy's mummy.
MM - But she's not dead.
ME - No she is not dead.
MM - Is she as old as you because you are getting old!
ME - No! She is much older than me, thanks!
MM - Why did you say thanks?
ME - Because I was being sarcastic!
MM - Oh look there's a cow!
ME - Is daddy as old as you?
MM - Almost.
MM - You have a daddy right?
ME - I do, it was grandpoppy and he died.
MM- But daddy's a daddy!
ME - Yes but he is your daddy not my daddy.
MM - Oh!
MM - Oh look there's some horses!
Monday, July 6, 2009
Who?
Molly-Mae was super excited this morning as she put her jacket in her cubby in preschool.
MM - Look mummy there's a card in my cubby, who is it from?
ME - I don't know!
MM - Can I open it? (Before I could even answer she was ripping that envelope open like a pro). OOOOHHHH, its Cinderella! Is it an invite mummy? Its Cinderella, is it a birthday card. Read it mummy, read it? (All this time she is jumping up and down with excitement).
ME - Its an invite to a birthday party.
MM - A PARTY - YEAH!
ME - If you give it to me, I can read who its from.
MM - I'm going to a party, I'm going to a party (said in a sing, song voice)
ME - To Molly, Please come to my party, etc. etc. from Lena
MM - Stopped jumping up and down, looked at me as if I was talking crazy and said "Who's Lena"
It was classic.
Apparently British me pronounced it "Len-ah" and she is actually called "Lea-na" not the first time I have done this. I have called someone "Jesus" and not "hay-seus" and "Jaime" instead of "hi-me". Seriously, whats a girl supposed to do, I read the name as it is written. Jesus has always been Jesus in my book!
MM - Look mummy there's a card in my cubby, who is it from?
ME - I don't know!
MM - Can I open it? (Before I could even answer she was ripping that envelope open like a pro). OOOOHHHH, its Cinderella! Is it an invite mummy? Its Cinderella, is it a birthday card. Read it mummy, read it? (All this time she is jumping up and down with excitement).
ME - Its an invite to a birthday party.
MM - A PARTY - YEAH!
ME - If you give it to me, I can read who its from.
MM - I'm going to a party, I'm going to a party (said in a sing, song voice)
ME - To Molly, Please come to my party, etc. etc. from Lena
MM - Stopped jumping up and down, looked at me as if I was talking crazy and said "Who's Lena"
It was classic.
Apparently British me pronounced it "Len-ah" and she is actually called "Lea-na" not the first time I have done this. I have called someone "Jesus" and not "hay-seus" and "Jaime" instead of "hi-me". Seriously, whats a girl supposed to do, I read the name as it is written. Jesus has always been Jesus in my book!
Sunday, July 5, 2009
I just want him home
My husband has been in Monaco and Marseilles and touring France for work, while I am home feeling more than a little hostile. I don't understand why parenting has to be so hard! Nic has been gone for 10 days, 3 months in total since the beginning of the year. Its been 10 days here, 16 days there. I am trying really hard to be positive and to tell myself think of all those people that don't have a significant other to help them raise their children, but lets just say, "I am over his traveling".
I don't want to be the one that is the meanie mum that won't let them watch tv, I don't want to take out the trash and fill the car with engine oil. Even when he is here I am the one that takes the kids to preschool, gymnastics, swimming, Dr's appointments, birthday parties, blah, blah, blah.
I want him home, I want to go to bed and sleep deeply, I want to have a shower without wondering what trouble Charlie is getting into. I don't want to be the only one having to deal with the nightly "go back to bed routine" which goes on for an hour each night. I want to feel him breathe into my hair at night and the touch of his body and hear his voice in the next room instead of the end of a phone. Plus just as an added bonus I seem to go on self destruct mode when Nic is gone and eat anything and everything, you know the typical comfort food trick.
I know I should be damn grateful he has a job and I am. It is a job he loves, he gets to travel the world in a career that is a hobby as well as a job. Who gets to do that? Not too many people I know. Its just there are times when I feel so exhausted and almost a single parent. At this time of year I drive 100 miles a day, taking the kids to preschool in one direction and to swimming lessons 4 days a week, in the other. I have had to go to bed at 8PM, three nights this week because I am so tired. Charlie wakes up at 5.30am and still will come into our bedroom more than 2 nights a week. When Nic is here he will carry him back to bed, when he is gone I let him get into bed, because I am just too tired to do anything about it and Charlie is a leaner, he has to lean on you and touch you while sleeping next to you.
Everything becomes a chore, getting the kids into the car, grocery shopping, even cleaning teeth seems to be such hard work when Nic is away.
Charlie especially seems to punish me when Nic is gone. He always seems to be extra naughty, or is it me being extra tired, either way we seem to clash much more when daddy is away. When Nic left this time, Charlie cried for half an hour, he was totally devastated, his heart was broken and so was mine.
Wow, this is quite the moan, but for all those parents that have done this on their own even for a few days, I am sure you know what I mean. As for any single parents out there, my heart goes out to you and I salute you.
I don't want to be the one that is the meanie mum that won't let them watch tv, I don't want to take out the trash and fill the car with engine oil. Even when he is here I am the one that takes the kids to preschool, gymnastics, swimming, Dr's appointments, birthday parties, blah, blah, blah.
I want him home, I want to go to bed and sleep deeply, I want to have a shower without wondering what trouble Charlie is getting into. I don't want to be the only one having to deal with the nightly "go back to bed routine" which goes on for an hour each night. I want to feel him breathe into my hair at night and the touch of his body and hear his voice in the next room instead of the end of a phone. Plus just as an added bonus I seem to go on self destruct mode when Nic is gone and eat anything and everything, you know the typical comfort food trick.
I know I should be damn grateful he has a job and I am. It is a job he loves, he gets to travel the world in a career that is a hobby as well as a job. Who gets to do that? Not too many people I know. Its just there are times when I feel so exhausted and almost a single parent. At this time of year I drive 100 miles a day, taking the kids to preschool in one direction and to swimming lessons 4 days a week, in the other. I have had to go to bed at 8PM, three nights this week because I am so tired. Charlie wakes up at 5.30am and still will come into our bedroom more than 2 nights a week. When Nic is here he will carry him back to bed, when he is gone I let him get into bed, because I am just too tired to do anything about it and Charlie is a leaner, he has to lean on you and touch you while sleeping next to you.
Everything becomes a chore, getting the kids into the car, grocery shopping, even cleaning teeth seems to be such hard work when Nic is away.
Charlie especially seems to punish me when Nic is gone. He always seems to be extra naughty, or is it me being extra tired, either way we seem to clash much more when daddy is away. When Nic left this time, Charlie cried for half an hour, he was totally devastated, his heart was broken and so was mine.
Wow, this is quite the moan, but for all those parents that have done this on their own even for a few days, I am sure you know what I mean. As for any single parents out there, my heart goes out to you and I salute you.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
I should be...
- I should be taking my kids to a 4th July party...
- I should be enjoying the Califonian weather...
- I should be tidying the house...
- I should be making lunch...
- I should be spending time with my kids...
- I should be walking my dogs...
- I should be drinking more water...
- I should be taking a shower...
- I should be catching up on emails...
- I should be doing laundry...
What am I doing on this glorious 4th July?
NOTHING!
Why?
Because I never, ever get to do nothing.
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