Persistence pays off......I hope.

Last night I coughed for most of the night and ended up sleeping in an upright position on the couch. This post nasal drip is chipping away at my sanity. Since I barely slept,I decided not to go to work today. I wasn't on the schedule but I said if I could,I would come in.I was barely coherent so I didn't go in. Instead,I marched myself back to the doctor.

I was just there 4 days ago but the allergy med hasn't helped. In fact,I am much worse than I was on Monday. I saw the nurse practitioner that I saw 4 weeks ago and this time,she said since nothing else has worked,I should be on Prednisone for 6 days.She is hoping that this will do the trick. I hope she is right because my nerves are frazzled from all this coughing and I have to work all weekend. Talking for hours and hours makes me cough so this Prednisone had better kick in soon.

I hope that my persistence pays off. The allergy med didn't work and I just want to be cured.I wouldn't have been such a nag if we weren't flying in a few days but come on....I've been sick for 6 damn weeks already. Enough is enough.

Let's hope that this med will work.

Cooking up a remedy

Last week when Rich was sick, I made him my famous chicken soup.This soup is just a simple,ordinary soup but for some reason,it helps to cure whatever ails us.
Lillianna and I stayed home yesterday because we were both sick and we don't feel any better today. I told her we have to run to the store for soup fixins' because we need to get well.....Fast! Disney is just one week away.

I am hoping this soup,which is called Mommy's magic soup (the magic is love)will speed up our recovery. I have to go to work tomorrow and Lillianna has to go to school so this had better work! Wish me luck!

What makes you feel better when you are sick?

I hate holiday cartoons!

Rich and Lillianna are in the living room watching It's The Great Pumpkin,Charlie Brown. I am in the bedroom hiding. They asked me to snuggle up on the couch and watch it with them but I have never enjoyed these movies.

Most people will tell you that they love the Peanuts characters. I don't have any feelings for them one way or another. I used to watch their holiday specials when my sister Kara was younger but I never enjoyed them. It was like having a root canal without the novacaine.

Christmas cartoons are the worst.Rich came into our marriage with every holiday cartoon on video. He watches them religiously every year. Rich and Lillianna like to talk along with each cartoon since they know all the words. I cringe and walk away. I am glad Rich has his cartoon buddy but I don't want any part in it.

On the one hand I am sad that I am not a part of their holiday joy but on the other hand I absolutely hate these cartoons and can't make myself sit through them.

Am I the only one who doesn't like holiday cartoons?

Congestion for two

Lillianna and I are both home sick today. I barely slept all night because I couldn't breathe.I still can't breathe through my nose,swallow or hear completely. My ears are blocked. I feel like I'm in a tunnel and people's voices seem to be very far away. Every so often I have a coughing fit which just exhausts me.

Lillianna is lethargic and keeps looking at me with her tired eyes and asking me to snuggle her. I know how she feels. I want my Mommy too! There's no chance of that. My mother won't come near us because she is going to Florida in a few days and she doesn't want to be sick. Neither do we!

So here we are,congested and cranky. I hope that by staying home from work tonight and tomorrow morning,that I will be better on Thursday. I can't afford to lose the money from not working but I do want to be well for Disney next week.

Lillianna just came in and announced she needs a nap. Sounds good to me. I can barely keep my eyes open.

She can't be sick! We're leaving on vacation next week!

I have had this cough for over six weeks and I am really tired of it. I went to see the doctor again today and this time I saw a pulmonary specialist. I have seen him before and I like him even though he is really old fashioned. Apparently all my recent problems,sore throat,cough,congestion and ear pain is all caused by post nasal drip. I have had that for as long as I can remember. I hate it!

Luckily my problem can be solved with adding Claritin to my Flonase every day and taking a cough medicine with codeine at night. I love easy solutions. I was in a happy mood when I picked Lillianna up from school today because I thought,"Good,I won't be sick for our vacation."

Lillianna did not look so happy when I got to school. She had to drag herself into the car.She looked exhausted.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I'm sick," she said.

Sick? She's sick????? We're going to Disney World next week! She can't be sick!!
She was all sniffly and her eyes looked like they do when she is sick,kind of grayish pink below the lids. She felt hot but her temp was 99. I gave her Motrin along with Pedia-Care for allergies. She asked if she could sleep with me tonight and stay home from school tomorrow. This is a child who cries on no school days. She hates to miss one single day so if she is asking to stay home,something isn't right.

The bad part is that my Mom takes care of Lillianna on Tuesdays so that I can work at 4:00pm but since Mom is going back to Florida this Saturday,she doesn't want to be exposed to what Lillianna has. I will have to wait and see how Lillianna is in the morning and then make my decision about work.

I just want us all to be healthy for our vacation. Is that too much to ask?

Crash!

I hate the drop off/pick up circle at Lillianna's school. Parents in giant SUVs double and triple park when the area is made for single vehicles. The process should be that the parent pulls up to the walkway,the child gets out and the parent drives away.That's quite simple,isn't it? Well not the way these parents do it.

Many parents pull up to the walkway while another vehicle parks next to the first one blocking the way. Then the parents get out of their vehicle to help their child/children get out with their back packs which weigh more than they do. Then they get back in and drive away. This ties up everything!!

I get very frustrated with this procedure and people are quite nasty and impatient. This adds heat to an already volcanic situation.

So this morning,I had Lillianna and Allison in the car ready for drop off. (Allison is our 6 year old neighbor who comes to our house Monday and Tuesday mornings.) There were 2 SUVs ahead of me. The front vehicle was parked and the father got out,held up the one finger "just a minute" sign,and helped the kids out. The SUV right in front of me had already dropped his kids off and wanted to leave. Even though there were only 6 inches separating us,he backed up......and hit my car.

I had beeped as he came too close to my car but that didn't stop him. He got out of his car and said he was sorry and that it was only the front light that was damaged. I sat there,stunned. He immediately said he would pay for the repairs and that he'd prefer not to have it go through insurance. He said he owned the liquor store down the street and all I had to do was bring him the bill and he will pay it. I got his name and said,"ok." He drove away.

None of the teachers who were outside guiding the kids into school came over to see what had happened or if anyone was hurt. Nice! I was going to call the principal because she has to change the drop off/pick up procedure. It's chaotic and dangerous. Rich said it was a good thing a child hadn't been crossing in front of my car. They would've been crushed!

When I told my sister,Kara,about this she said not to call the principal because she won't change anything. Sadly,she is right. Knowing my personal experience with her and the stories I have heard from other moms,nothing will be done.

In kindergarten,when Lillianna's teacher made the kids get in a circle and stare at one student as a punishment,I was horrified. The teacher said,"This is a boy who wants attention. Let's all stare at him and give him what he wants." Lillianna was uncomfortable doing this and felt bad since this was a boy she knew from our apartment complex. When I had a meeting with the principal she said,"You should be so lucky you have Mrs. T. She almost didn't come back after maternity leave. You are very fortunate!" Hello!!!!!!! She had the class stare at a student. I don't feel lucky at all!Lillianna was horrified that she made her friend cry by staring at him.

So you see,calling the principal is not going to work and I will probably end up yelling at her. I think I will write a letter and just get this off my chest.

What would you do?

Underage Drinking

Were you allowed to drink alcohol in your house when you were under age?
Do you allow your children to do it?
Today's post Underage Drinking is posted at DotMoms.

Idiots are protesting the American Girl Dolls

I couldn't believe it even after I read this article.
I am all for empowering girls. I thought that meant that you taught young girls that they could be anything and that they could do anything that they set their minds to. You know,giving them power.You can see the word power right in the middle of the word empowerment.

I would think that empowering young girls would include helping them to make the right choices in their young years and when they are older.You know,giving them the tools and the confidence to say,"This is my life and I can decide for myself." Shouldn't this include all choices?

Apparently,it doesn't.The protestors don't like the fact that American Girl supports abortion and homosexuality. I am not pro abortion but I am pro choice. My decision may not be your decision but we are each entitled to make the choice that is right for each of us.

What's wrong with being a lesbian? If Lillianna tells me she is a lesbian one day,will I love her any less than I do now? Hell no!! That's my baby and I love her unconditionally!

I am all for GIRL EMPOWERMENT. In my opinion,these protestors need to go get a life or maybe play with a doll or something.

Call her Charlene

Lillianna and I were chatting over breakfast about my Nana. (Lillianna is named after my Nana and Rich's Nana who were both named Lillian.)Lillianna said,"I wish I could've met your Nana." With tears in my eyes I said,"I wish you could've too. She would've loved you." Then I thought for a moment and said,"But then, if she were alive when you were born and if Daddy's Nana was still alive,you wouldn't have been named Lillianna. In the Jewish tradition,you can only be named after someone who has died."

"Then what would my name have been?" she asked. "Well," I said,"I would've named you after my Dad so you would've been Charlotte or Charlene after my Dad,Charles."
Lillianna's face lit up. "I love the name Charlene. I like it better than Lillianna."

She just about broke my heart. She always says how much she loves the name Lillianna.Now she prefers Charlene? I love the name Charlene too but....her name is Lillianna!!!!!

You just can't win!

Feeling BLAH

I'm tired....not the kind of tired where I have to take a nap,although that would be splendid,but tired like I've given all I have to give.I totally get that life is not easy for anyone. I should be grateful and happy for the goodness in my life......and I am. I really am. And yet mentally,I'm all washed up.

Our Disney trip is only a few weeks away.I have to add an extra morning in to work for 2 weeks to make up for 2 of the 4 days I will miss at one job.For those other 2 days,I just lose the money since I'm per diem and don't have any benefits. I dread working those extra days.I really do.

I know I will have a fun vacation to look forward to but then I have to return to reality. Reality exhausts me.

Sometimes I just want someone to take care of me. Rich cleans the house and does the laundry while I am at work all weekend so it's not like he is sitting around eating chips and scratching himself. He does a lot.And yet,I need more.

I'm just cranky today.Cranky and tired.

Living in 2005

My friend Liane emailed this to me and I thought it was so funny.....and true,that I decided to post it.

YOU KNOW YOU ARE LIVING IN 2005 when...

1. You accidentally enter your password on the microwave.

2. You haven't played solitaire with real cards in years.

3. You have a list of 15 phone numbers to reach your family of 3.

4. You e-mail the person who works at the desk next to you.

5. Your reason for not staying in touch with friends and family is that they don't have e-mail addresses.

6. You pull up in your own driveway and use your cell phone to see if anyone is home to help you carry in the groceries.

7. Every commercial on television has a web site at the bottom of the screen.

8. Leaving the house without your cell phone, which you didn't have the first 20 or 30 (or 60) years of your life, is now a cause for panic and you turn around to go and get it.

10. You get up in the morning and go on line before getting your
coffee.

11. You start tilting your head sideways to smile. : )

12. You're reading this and nodding and laughing.

13. Even worse, you know exactly to whom you are going to forward this message.

14. You are too busy to notice there was no #9 on this list.

15. You actually scrolled back up to check that there wasn't a #9 on this list.

AND NOW U R LAUGHING at yourself.

No fashion sense

Yesterday,Lillianna and I went through the clothes that a friend of mine gave us from her daughter. She always buys the best of things and Lillianna loves to see what "new" clothes Maggie has sent her. One pair of jeans was a little too long and the butt was tighter than I would've liked. Of course Lillianna shrieked,"I love these jeans!"

I didn't feel like they were appropriate. Who thinks an 8 year old needs to be wearing tight jeans? Not me! She said she'd only wear them in the house. I told Rich that they were never to be worn outside.....ever.
Then today,she tried on a cute shirt. Well,it was cute until she put it on. The neckline was way too low. Way too low.

I could see by the look on Lillianna's face that she knew it wasn't a keeper. She immediately pulled the shirt up so that it wasn't so low. "It's fine," she said. I shook my head and said,"Sorry babe. It's gotta go." Lillianna pulled the shirt up again. "MOM! It's fine. It's not too low." I laughed and said,"Tell me the truth. You knew it was too low before I said anything,right? I could see it in your face." She smiled and confessed,"Ya. I knew. Ok mom." She took it off and threw it in the "donate" pile.

This happened a few more times with shirts that just didn't fit right. After the third shirt that Lillianna wanted to keep but I said no to,she sighed and said,"Sometimes I think you don't know anything about fashion!"

That may be true,but I do know what is inappropriate for an 8 year old to wear. Those clothes will not be hanging in my child's closet.

What fashion limits do you set for your children? How do they react to that?

The impatient mom

Today's post,which is actually yesterday's post is over at DotMoms.

Happy Birthday Lillianna

I wrote a happy birthday post on Lillianna's blog so if you would like to wish her a happy 8th birthday, please go here.

Our 12 year jellybeaniversary

Ok,so jellybeaniversary isn't a word.......until now. I just made it up!
Today is the 12 year anniversary of the day Rich and I met in Kristy and Jerry's kitchen. Wow! 12 years seems like a life time ago. October 2nd was also my due date for Lillianna...4 years to the day that Rich and I met. When the midwife told me that date,I nearly fell off the table. How could two magical things happen on the same day? Fate is a funny thing.

If you haven't read it before,now you can read Our Cotton Candy Jellybean Story.
It was those pink little beans that got us together.

Happy jellybeaniversary,Rich!!