Gray Pants to Summer Shorts

This summer Madison and I have decided to try our hand at making clothes.  Today was the first day of summer vacation so we decided to celebrate by making a pair of shorts to wear to a memorial day bbq this afternoon.

We took a pair of my old slacks (from when I used to have a real job) and cut them down.  Unfortunately we were so excited about  the project that we forgot to take a before picture.  BUT we did take some after pictures.







They are far from perfect, but not bad for our first try.

Tis The Season

 Madison's Standing Long Jump

Madison signed up for track and field again and participated in the first round of the Hershey Track Meet last night.  She did the standing long jump and ran the 100m and 200m.  She came 4th in both her races which I think is awesome, but she was disappointed because you have to place at least 3rd to move on.  We don't know where she placed in the long jump because they hadn't tallied the results by the time she finished her last race and I wasn't willing to stick around for several more hours to find out. 

Fortunately I only had the boys with me for the first half and my mom was able to watch them after that.  But I have to say while they were there, they were very well behaved.

For example, look at Chase.  Though he is slightly apprehensive, he seems okay with the fact that he is sitting about 5 bleachers up, next to a chain link fence.  This is a BIG deal for us.  Chase won't go up staircases that have open sides.  And by open I mean anything he can see through, bars, fence, metal railing,etc.  In fact he practically had a heart attack two weeks ago when we used the elevator at the library.  He literally screamed in terror until I took him back down to the main floor.  So like I said, this was a big deal.

Lesson Learned

Chase and Davis are constantly fighting.  Davis is usually the instigator but lately Chase has taken to ending it by biting.  And yesterday Chase did a number on the little guy.  I told him because he bit Davis he'd have to go to bed early.  He cried and cried and cried.  Finally he offered Davis a teary eyed apology and then said, "do I still have to go to be early?"  I told him I was glad he apologized, but he still had to take his punishment.

This morning he woke up and said, "Mom.  I won't ever ever ever bite Davis again."  Then he paused, "but sometime I might have to pinch him."

I Get it. I'm Short.

I give you fair warning-- this post is full of  whiny complaints.  If you don't want to read whiny complaints I suggest you move on.  Don't say I didn't warn you.

Yep.  Its true.  I'm short.

Kai stopped growing when he was 4.  The pediatrician first noticed that Kai's height wasn't increasing the way it should at his 5 year check up.  He said it probably wasn't a big deal because I'm short so the boy is probably going to be short too.  Besides kids drop off their curve all the time and they jump back on soon enough.

A year later he referred us to an endocrinologist who at the first appointment said, yes his growth (or lack there of) was concerning but wanted to make sure that I understood no matter what, he'd probably be short.  Uh.  Yeah.  I get that. 

Six months later the endocrinologist referred us to a gastroenterologist. We went over it again.  Yes I'm short but yes he should be growing. 

About six months later she and my pediatrician referred us to a geneticist.  We got on a list and waited 6 months to get an appointment to see the geneticist.  We saw him today.  He said that he plotted where the boy is on the growth chart and because the boy is the same distance from the bottom curve as I am there isn't really a problem.  And maybe if his growth (or lack there of) continues I could send him an email in 3 years.   When my 11 year old child is still the size of a 4 year old I'll be sure and send a note his way. 

He then went on to insinuate that I'm just upset because he's not going to be tall,  as if I have grandiose dreams of raising a basketball player.  He obviously hasn't spent a lot of time with Michael.  He said that kids stop growing all the time.  Mike said, "for FOUR years?"  "Well," he said, "that is a little long and the fact that he's only grown 3 centimeters in 4 years is a little alarming.  But it isn't like he's in and out of the hospital all the time so just enjoy him." 

I find it very insulting that a doctor would think I would put him through all this just because I don't like the fact that he's short.  Maybe my concern (as well as the other doctors that referred me to him) is that his lack of growth is obviously being caused by something.  That something needs to be figured out in case there are other things it is also causing that we don't know about yet. 

There I'm now officially done with my whiny complaints.  Though the endocrinologist does have the boy scheduled for a growth hormone stimulation test as well as whole battery of other tests on Monday.  So stear clear I may be in a bad mood then too.

Lessons in Frugality

This year I started freezing left over fruit before it spoils and goes to waist.  I've been very pleased with myself and how I've filled the freezer full of trays of cut up strawberries and bananas that otherwise would have gone in the garbage.  Now we have frozen fruit Madison can use to make smoothies all year long.  She's really into smoothies right now.  It made me feel very frugal.  Frozen fruit can be expensive and we throw out a lot a fruit the kids decide not to eat.  However, my savings were slightly offset this weekend when two of my strawberries got stuck together and I decided to pry them apart with a butter knife.  I'm pretty sure the trip to instiCare to glue and steri-strip my finger closed cost more than a couple bags of frozen fruit.

Insanity

There are so many things I need to blog about right now.  Like how Chase is starting Kindergarten, and how summer is coming.  Oh and how I bought a spinning wheel this week.  But life is crazy right now and I just can't seem to find the time.  Hopefully next week will be better.  Did I mention that I bought a spinning wheel?

Madison is 10

I've been trying to write this blog for three days now but it just doesn't seem to be working.  I'm not sure I'm okay with Madison turning 10.  She's growing up way too fast and don't feel prepared for the challenges I see in the future.  Fortunately and unprepared as I may feel we are talking about Madison.

Madison who thinks everyone walks and reads at the same time.  Who with tears in her eyes she tells me every time she gets in trouble at school. She's been in trouble twice this year.  The first time her teacher asked her to put her book away because they were getting ready to start math and then a few weeks ago her teacher reminded her that she probably shouldn't run in the hall.  Basically she is nice and sweet and kind and I have to be careful what I say and do around her because don't want to mess any of that up. 

Sunshine and Lollipops

Because I know you're all dying to know how the potty training is going I'm going to give you a run down.

As long as he remains commando he remains accident free.  When he wears underwear he pees in them.  However, when he pees in them he takes off the wet underwear, puts it in the hamper and puts on clean underwear all by himself.  If he is in a diaper he does whatever he wants when ever he wants and expects me to take care of it. Obviously I let him go commando as much as possible.

This is major progress and I'm excited about that.

Other things I'm excited about:

Summer (or rather not having to deal with school for a while)
Madison turning 10 tomorrow (we are entering double digits.  This is a big deal)
The possibility that we might keep the dog (that's right Becca, he might stick around while longer)