Roald Dahl
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: Books
I was in desparate need of a new chapter book to read to Lauren. I had had my fill of Stuart Little, Charlotte's Web, and the Trumpet of the Swan. Not that they aren't great books but after three or four readings, I was definitely ready for something different. Even the Elmer and The Dragon Series by Ruth Stiles Gannett, very quick reads by the way, wears on you when you read it too many times. So while walking through the library I spied James and the Giant Peach on the shelf, grabbed it, and asked the librarian (who to our delight was a 2006 recipient of the New York Times Librarian Award) if she thought Lauren could handle it. She thought it might be a bit above Lauren until I mentioned that Lauren likes Edward Gorey and Timothy Burton. Then she said it would be fine. Well, this was right up Lauren's alley. She so enjoyed James and the Giant Peach that I promptly picked up various other works by Roald Dahl. The BFG, The Magic Finger, and The Enormous Crocodile. Lauren didn't really care for the speaking style of the giant in the BFG so we returned that one unfinished. The Magic Finger and the Enormous Crocodile were hits though. I think our next reads will be Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator. 

Give Me Something To Work With Kid
Mood:  rushed
Topic: Lauren

Unfortunately I think this is Lauren's year to be disappointed in childhood characters. First it was the tooth fairy, now it'll be Santa.

Remember the days when, as a child, you would gather up the toy catalogs that had come in the mail and go through each and every page marking the toys you wanted? All our parents had to do was to pick up one of those catalogs and there would be a huge list for them to work off of. Well, that good old fashioned Christmas greed just doesn't exist in my child and while I am happy about that, I'm also a little disappointed about it. Last year Lauren asked Santa for two things...a kitty and checkers. This year she asked him for a white stuffed elephant named Ellie. That's it. One elephant. Nothing else. Now kitty and checkers are pretty generic and I could at least work with those, but a stuffed white elephant named Ellie? Way too specific.  When I tried to get more information all she could tell me was that she had seen him on tv. So, not only do I not know what it is, but I don't know where to get it either. It was certainly looking as if Lauren would be disappointed in a second character in one year because this Santa didn't know a thing about a stuffed white elephant named Ellie. I hate to admit it but I proceeded to do what any parent who can't bear to see the disappointment on his or her child's face come Christmas morning would do. I tried to salvage the ruined morning to come by pressing Lauren to have a little more of that Christmas greed. Ask for more stuff kid or you'll be sorry! Ask for a hopscotch pad or tickets to Sesame Street Live (things Santa is already bringing to her). Nope... she would have none of that. All she wanted was that elephant.

What the heck is Santa suppose to do now?

Morning Ritual
Mood:  crushed out
Topic: Lauren

Rituals are big in our house. Most of them are of Lauren's making, but they're cute so Tony and I go along with them.

Ritual #1

Every morning Lauren gets up with me, even though she's clearly tired and needs more sleep. She gets up with me, has breakfast with me, and then waits by the door to watch me drive off to work. And before I leave she says "Call me at lunchtime. Wave to me. Even if you can't see me, wave to me when you leave." After I've left, she climbs into bed with Tony and talks about how she misses mommy already and wishes she were there.

Ritual #2 

Later in the day, Lauren and I have a little phone ritual of which she reminded me in the morning - the lunchtime call. We talk for maybe two minutes and then we say goodbye. Our goodbyes go something like this:

Lauren: See you when you get home.

Me: OK

Lauren: Bye Bye

Me: Bye Bye

Lauren: Love you!

Me: Love you too!

Lauren: See ya

Me: See ya

and then Lauren waits for me to hang up first. If I don't we have to start all over. Want to know a little secret? Sometimes I don't hang up right away because I want to hear it all again.

This Is Getting Ridiculous!
Mood:  irritated
Topic: Yours Truly

Spanish class...one of Lauren's classmates...another kindergartener.

"Are you Lauren's grandma?"

Out of all the comments, I can understand this one the most. She's a kindergartener, her mother is of the younger variety which makes her grandmother around 40. But for the rest of them... 

I do not  look like a Grandma!!

Again With The Grandmother Stuff?!
Mood:  quizzical
Topic: Yours Truly
Two weeks ago there was this. Now it's happened again. We attended a birthday party for the three year old down the block. The parents of this boy hired a puppeteer and Iwas talking to her before her gig started. After discussing how she got into puppeteering and how she met our friends, she asked if I was Z's grandmother. I was stunned. This woman had to be losing her sight because there is no way on earth I could be the mother of either of the parents - they're the same age as me!

Oh Come On...
Mood:  incredulous
Topic: Yours Truly

During a quick stop at the grocery store this afternoon I heard the young, high-school aged cashier ask Lauren if she was out shopping with her... grandma!! Lauren didn't answer so the girl looked at me and said "No?" I shook my head and replied "I'm the mom". Of course, then she stepped all over herself trying to make an excuse saying she had never seen me in there with Lauren before. Well, you know, she'd never seen Lauren in there before either because she would have been with me or with Tony. I rarely go to that particular store and Tony goes there even less than I (and then only during the day while the cashier would be in school). She looked toward the bagger for help, but received none. I'm sure that bagger is still teasing her about it and well she should because she deserves to be teased. That'll teach her never to assume anything and even if she does, for Heaven's sake don't make a comment about it until you know for sure whether your assumption is correct! 

A few words about my looks...Puhleeease! I have always looked younger than my age. In fact, when I was 21, a friend of my grandmother, who knew my mom and that she had three kids, asked my mom if I was her 13 year old. Not long after that a flight attendant asked my mother if I would be traveling alone because they could have an escort for me during my layover in Chicago.  And at the State Fair, when I was about 25, I had the carnie guess my age...15 and I walked away with a huge stuffed animal. I realize I may be looking more my age these days, but I certainly do...not...look...like a grandma!

On the way to the car, I said to Lauren, "She thought I was your grandma!" to which Lauren replied, "You're way too young to be my grandma." <smile> That's my girl! <smile>

Tooth Fairy Meltdown
Mood:  incredulous
Topic: Lauren
Oh my, the meltdown that occured first thing this morning. All because of that darned Tooth Fairy - she just didn't get it right. She was supposed to leave a present not that shiny, new Sacajewea dollar coin! When I pointed out that the coin was the present, I was immediately and adamantly informed that a present cannot...be...a...coin! This tooth fairy is one surprised little lady. Especially when after a trip to the dentist to check why the tooth was coming out in such an odd fashion and appearing as if the gum was disintegrating around it, this first tooth is worth about $45! Next time she'd better accept the dollar coin and like it!

Smile For The Camera
Mood:  special
Topic: Lauren
One down...eleven to go.

Oh, Those Pearly Whites
Mood:  hug me
Topic: Lauren

My baby has a loose tooth. Not just a little bit loose, but way loose. I'd say that thing should be out within a week. Of course I'm making it out to be so totally exciting that Lauren won't think of it as losing something and hopefully won't mind the blood when it does come out. That reminds me...note to self: 1. have a chat with Lauren about how it might bleed a little bit, and 2. buy a red washcloth.

While it is a bit exciting for me as well, I’m also feeling a bit saddened by the loss of that little tooth. All along I've been able to handle most changes easily because they've pretty much been emotional and intellectual, but this one is physical and it's not going to be easy. I remember the same type of feelings hitting me once before when at about 5 months, Lauren grabbed my finger, put it in her mouth, and bit down - her first baby tooth! I knew then that her delightful, adorable, cute little open-mouthed gum-baring smile was going to be forever lost and I was sad.

Now there's going to be another change and it's going to be another big physical change. She will be getting her permanent teeth, she will forever look different, and I am sad all over again. 

So Much For Easy
Mood:  down
Topic: Yours Truly

Ding Dong, the gallbladder's out, the gallbladder's out, the gallbladder's out. Ding Dong, the Gall Blad Der Is Out!

No, it's not the drugs. It can't be the drugs because the drugs made me sick. I stopped taking them a number of days ago and I'm flying by with Extra Strength Tylenol and Ibuprofen. No, that little ditty is courtesy of my current read, Wicked.

The title is really quite fitting for the second surgery of my life. My c-section was certainly easier than my lap choley. I'm not sure why. Maybe because the pain meds made me sick or maybe something about being put under vs having a spinal. And speaking of being put under - everyone who told me it was easy, relaxing, drift off to sleep calm...you LIE! All I felt, after walking into the operating room (yes...same day surgery patients get to walk into the operating room), hopping up onto the table, and having the IV inserted, was extremely dizzy. Coming out of it was not so dreamy either. Lots of teeth chattering and shaking, which a shot of demerol took care of, along with nausea which the med thay gave me for that didn't even touch. The nurses had me dressed and in a wheel chair within 20 minutes of waking. It was another 15 minutes getting post-op instructions and then I was heading home. The following three days were spent in Vicodin hell. I needed the pain relief but the price was nausea. At one point I even thought maybe I wasn't taking enough so I took 2 (the bottle said 1-2 tablets every 4 hrs) and let me tell you, I thought I just might be heading back to the hospital. While my resting heart rate is a nice low 60, after two Vicodin, it dropped down to 54. That, along with feeling out of it and dizzy and nauseous, had me worried. You can bet big money on the fact that you'll never catch me at an NA meeting saying "Hi, I'm Joy. I'm an addict and Vicodin was my drug of choice." Let's see...oh yes, I also developed a hematoma under one of the incisions - quite painful.  According to the dr, warm compresses should have caused the blood or fluid to "spew out", but not so in my case. It's still there and it looks like I'll be one of those for whom it is slowly, slowly reabsorbed by the body.

I haven't been brave enough yet to try out some fatty foods, so I don't know for sure, but everything points to it being the solution. All in all, I'm glad I had it out and I can also honestly say I've had my fill of surgery!