Another Meet

Madison and Davis relaxing in the shade

Madison had another track meet yesterday.  Again, they were required to chose two running events and one field event.  The field event options for her age group were the softball throw and the standing long jump.  She's not really good at either but settled on the standing long jump.  She chose to run the 200m, the 400m which were the two longest runs for her age group.  She ran her guts out and placed third in both the 200m and the 400m.  

It really is awesome to see her run.  She puts everything she has in it.  She is amazing.  I think Michael got some video of her, so I might post it later.

When it was all said and done she went to the awards table to collect her 3rd place ribbons and found that she had placed 4th in the standing long jump.  FOURTH!  I immediately started bragging about it.  Fourth!  In the long jump!   How cool is that?  She's tiny!  TINY!  I continued to brag all this morning when she finally said (in sort of a "you're getting on my nerves" kind of way), "Mom. Only four girls competed in the long jump."  Complete with eye roll. 

Oh.  Right.

Fluency

Last month the boy got his school's WOW (Westridge Outstanding Wildcat) award for having "great expression and fluency when he reads."  When he would tell people about it he would ask them if they knew what fluency meant.  Almost everyone would say, "Yes, but do you?"  to which he would respond, "It means I read at the appropriate speed and pause properly at the punctuation."  

Fast forward to this morning. 

While talking about the friendship bracelets she has been making to sell to the other third graders at Market Day, Madison says, "I'm glad I made 16 pair instead of 15 because [insert something incomprehensible]"

She had to repeat herself several times before I finnally understood what she was saying.  If you're curious it was because that way she can make 2 even rows or 4 even rows, which for some reason is more appealing than 3 even rows.  Don't ask me, this comes from Michael's side of the family.

Anyway, the boy looked at her and said, "Madison, when  you talk it is important to talk at the right speed--not too fast and not too slow.  If you had better fluency people would be able to understand you."  See that?  The smart ass gene? That comes from my side of the family.  

Nothing Like a Holiday . . .

. . . to get a few things done.

We aren't finished with the kitchen, but we've made some significant progress. It all very exciting.

We have been meaning to put wainscoting up in the kitchen for about a year now. Remember when my friend Jessie helped me paint the kitchen?

We were going to paint it black and then install it, but it rained all weekend. It wasn't a lot of rain, just enough to make it impossible to paint. So no paint yet, and we still have to put the molding on the top.

Here it is so far.


close up . . .


Oh and we came across a nasty looking spider. I don't know what kind it is yet, but I plan on going to What's That Bug to find out.

Test Results

I got a call with the test results for the boys today.

Davis-- everything came back normal so what we are doing seems to be working. We just need to keep giving him cornstarch at bedtime and monitor his blood sugar if he starts acting strange.

Kai-- he tested negative for celiac. She still thinks there is some sort of problem with nutrient absorption so he will need start seeing a gastroenterologist. He is also scheduled for a cystic fibrosis test on the 1st, though they are fairly certian he doesn't have cystic fibrosis. They just want to rule it out.

Everyone Loves a Cupcake

I love this picture. I took it at the elementary school's story telling festival last week.

On an unrelated note . . .

If you need a good laugh go check out this blog about my friend's son.

Scheduling Difficulties

I hate it when stupid people waste my time.

Yesterday I called UVRMC to schedule a test for the boy. First I was transferred from person to person because they couldn't figure out if I really needed an appointment or if I could just walk-in. After deciding I really did need an appointment they transferred me to the chemistry lab.

lab person (lp): "Chemistry."
me: "Hi, I need to make an appointment for my son to take a sweat test."
lp: "How old is he?"
me: "six."
lp: "oh . . . I don't think we can do that . . . um . . . well . . . just a second."

For the next several minutes I hear the lab person talking to another person

lab person (lp): "Hey, this lady wants to make an appointment for her six year old to take a sweat test."
other person(op): "so, schedule it."
lp: "I don't think we can do that test on six year olds."
op: "What does the computer say."
lp: "It just says pediatric."
op: "That's fine then."
lp: "No. I think they have to be 5 and under. It's age specific."
op: "Really? Does it say that?"
lp: "No, I just remember that from somewhere."
op: "Then I think it's fine."

Did I mention that I had to sit and listen to this insanity for several minutes?

Even though everything in front of her said that he qualified for the test, they all started debating about whether or not to schedule him for it. She isn’t sure, but she thinks she remembers reading or hearing something about the test not being given to children older than five. Apparently there’s some question about whether or not a six year old qualifies as a pediatric case. Of course, the whole reason that they want to do the test in the first place is because he has the body of a three year old. I wanted to yell, "Let's just say he's three and schedule the appointment!"

Finally she gets back on the phone and says, "Just call back tomorrow and talk to someone else."

Really? She is so concerned about his age that she won't schedule him and her solution is to call back tomorrow? We all know that when I call back tomorrow I'll talk to someone who didn't hear or read whatever it is she heard or read and will schedule the test. So why not just schedule it now? Why? WHY? Am I the only one who finds this ridiculous?

I called back this morning and talked to a different lab person.

lab person (lp): "Chemistry."
me: "Hi, I need to schedule an appointment for my son to take a sweat test."
lp: "Okay . . . how about June 1st at 10am."
me: "That works."

The new lab person got the boy's name, age, all that jazz, and told me we're all set.

me: "So it isn't a problem that he is six?"
lp: "No. It's a pediatric test."
me: "Right, but when I called yesterday they told me that you might not be able to do the test because he was over the age of five."
lp: "That doesn't make any sense. It's a pediatric test. I mean sometimes we get poor results when we test adults, but I'm pretty sure six still qualifies as pediatric."

Yeah. I kind of figured as much.

Health Update

I keep getting questions about the various things going on with the Davis and Kai right now. So . . . I guess its time for an update.

Davis and Kai finally saw the endocrinologist this week. Kai has grown about a quarter of an inch in two years and hasn't gained any weight. Apparently he has young bones. This is good because that means he has the potential for growth in his bones. All of his hormone levels came back great so by all accounts he should be growing like a weed, he just isn't. She doesn't think he is just a slow grower for various reason I won't get into. She thinks it is more likely that he has celiac. He has taken a blood test for it but we don't have the results back yet.

Basically we are back at square one with Davis. The endocrinologist said she isn't sure Davis has ketotic hypoglycemia, which is what he was diagnosed with earlier. She is redoing all the blood tests because the ones that were done last time weren't done when he was fasting and so they don't really tell her anything. She said that he may have something where his body doesn't know how to use his stored fat as energy. So she is testing for that. She also said that there may be nothing wrong with him and it was just a freak incident. Kind of like how last year when he all of the sudden had no white blood cells was just a freak incident. Anyway he also did a whole round of blood tests (fasting this time) and we are waiting for those results too.

I promise to post more when I get the results. I'm generally bad about that . . . .

Track and Field

I've been trying to write this post about Madison for a while now, but life keeps getting in the way. Anyway, here goes . . . .

This spring Madison joined the Provo city track and field team. You may not believe me, but she has some advantages over the other runners.

First, she is skinny. She is nine and might weigh 45 lbs. soaking wet. It takes less energy to move skinny than it does to move fat. For that matter it take less energy to move skinny than it does to move not quite as skinny.

Second, she practices more than the the allotted three hours a week as she is constantly running away from the torment of three little brothers. Unfortunately, distance rarely removes you from the torment of brothers. Not that I would know, my two brothers are and always have been absolute gems. That being said, I'm pretty sure I was the best sister a couple of boys could ever hope for.

Third, Madison never lets anyone get in the way of something she's worked for. She's timid but determined.

Last Thursday (the 14th) was her first ever track meet. She was a little nervous. "Mom," she said, "The 14 year old girl on my team is way faster than me." She felt a little better when she heard she wouldn't be competing against the 14 year olds.

She competed in the 100 meter, the 200 meter, and the standing long jump. She did well enough on the long jump and the 100 meter, but her crowning moment was the 200 meter.

They put her in lane 6. Now I know that all the lanes are the same distance. I learned that from cyberchase (that link takes a long time to load by the way. At least it does for me . . . if it doesn't for you, try not to brag). Madison also knows that all the lanes are the same distance (who do you think I was watching cyberchase with after all? If I'd had my druthers we'd have been watching Judge Judy. But try as I might she's never been that interested in law).

Even though all the lanes are the same distance Madison still felt like she was starting out in first place and was willing to fight to keep it. She held strong until a boy (yes she was racing against boys) started coming up on her. So she ran faster, so he ran faster, so she ran faster, so he ran faster, and so on and so forth. You'd be amazed at how much back and forth there can be in 200 meters. She. Was. Awesome.

In the end he barely one, but I'm sure it was only because he didn't want to be humiliated by being out run by a 45 lb girl.

Watch out though little boy, there's another track meet next week and she's coming for you.

I Hate It When That Happens!

The boy walks into my room wearing only a t-shirt and underwear.

Me: "What the Hell? Why aren't you dressed?"
Boy: "I'm getting dressed right now!"
Me: "But you were fully dressed five minutes ago!"
Boy: "Oh ya . . . I forgot . . . I guess I'm just getting dressed again!"

Business In The Front Party In The Back

I am disappointed to report that Davey-Baby's curls never returned. Which means it's that time of year again.

I say that time of year because that is about how often I succumb to peer pressure and cut Davis's hair.

This was the situation . . .

It was very full and mushroom like.

When you have such fantastic hair it is important to stop in the middle of the hair cut to take a "business in the front and party in the back" picture.

The fact he has the attitude to match the mullet means it doesn't stay long.

Ta-Da!!

Happy Mothers Day

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY

This is still one of my all time favorite pictures. 

originally posted here

Sticky Situation

There are reasons I shouldn't try to make jam alone.

The Dave

Why is it that my house seems to be falling apart?

Oh . . . wait . . . it's all coming back to me now.

The Nerd Gene

Apparently Michael's nerd gene didn't skip the boy like we had hoped.

I found this essay in his pile of classwork he brought home.

Where I'ed Like To Play

by MacKay 

I'ed like to play at mathematics.

First I'ed see math hach from eggs! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

Sencent I'ed see math! That would be so so so so so so funny!

Third I'ed see flours that would be math!

Fourth I'ed see houses that would have alive math in them!

Fiinlley I'ed like to be math! That would be asom! Thats why I want to play at mathematics!

I think it is interesting which words he spelled correctly and which he didn't. He may have gotten Michael's nerd gene, but unfortunately he got my spelling gene.

As if you needed more proof, I give you Ned No Idol

How Big Is Your Mama's Truck?

Michael's parents were stupid enough kind enough to volunteer to watch our kids for the weekend. Of course we took advantage of their stupidity kindness and took a belated anniversary trip.

On our trip we visited the Blue Moon Alpaca Ranch (you can read more about that here), stayed at an old farm house that is now a B&B, and had a steak at the Claim Jumper.

Shortly after we ordered our steaks three men were seated at the table next to us. They promptly began discussing the size of their girlfriend's mama's trucks. The size of their girlfriend's . . . mama's . . . trucks. They even had pictures.

When the waitress came to take their orders she asked guy number 1 where she knew him from. Guy number 2 said, "Maybe you fell out of my truck into his." "No," she said, "I did fall out of a guy's truck once, but it wasn't yours or his, it was my boyfriends. I got hurt pretty bad too."

After discovering they used to work at the same place several years ago guy number 1 ordered a 36 oz prime rib. I'm pretty sure Michael would have ordered this also but it wasn't on the menu. Guy number 2 ordered the teriyaki chicken. Maybe this is my naivete but don't you think a guy who orders a 36 oz steak would beat up a guy who ordered teriyaki chicken? Though, maybe if your girlfriend's mama has the biggest truck you can order teriyaki chicken and still be manly.

Knitting on the Brain

Right now I'm trying to perfect some of my patterns so I can list them in my etsy shop. My Etsy shop has been empty for a while now. I have big plans for it though.

I am almost done with the pattern for the Davis Cardigan. I just finished knitting it a second time and made a few changes. Now it is a seamless, top down sweater. I want to knit it once more with a different yarn and have someone else do a test knit (let me know if you're interested).

I am also trying to make a pattern for some fingerless gloves. Mostly that is for me though because I'm addicted to fingerless gloves and still haven't recovered from losing my favorite pair. I know, it's all very sad.

So here is a picture of my most recent Davis Cardigan. It looks a lot like the first Davis Cardigan because I used the same colors, but I tried a different yarn this time.


If you are interested in making your own patterns I'd suggest getting these two books

The Harmony Guides: Knit & Purl: 250 Stitches to Knit and
The Harmony Guides: Lace & Eyelets: 250 Stitches to Knit