2010 - Page 8 of 9 - Forever In Mom Genes

Better

Mar 30 2010

My god I’m a useless sack of skin when I’ve had no sleep. Honestly. My brain don’t work so good. If I were smart, which I’m not, I’d go to bed instead of writing this. The thing is, I’m on “full alert” right now. Avery had two small seizures on Saturday and since she has a cold and is feeling unwell, I’m afraid that a “big one” is brewing. So I watch, with toothpicks propping open my lids. Last night, after going to bed at a sensible 12 am (see, told you I was dumb) Avery woke up at 2:45 am. And not just roused, but was UP and ready to rock, going full tilt until nearly 5 am. Being woken from sleep and forced to stay awake when your body is begging for rest is nothing short of torture. So today was a hazy blur. I went through the motions and managed to run some errands, get groceries and make new recipe for dinner. All pretty impressive considering my eyes were shut the entire time. When DS asked what was for dessert, I responded “Listen. Give me a minute. I’m doing my best okay?” To which he replied honestly[…]

Mar 21 2010

I laughed when I opened the cupboard to dose out Avery’s meds for the day and discovered my husband had put one of the medicine bottles in a beer cosy. He reasoned that if one of us dropped the glass bottle the foamy sleeve would protect it. The irony of the statement inscribed on the cover did not go unnoticed however. I’ve been so consumed by the threat of seizures that I haven’t been focusing on the myriad of medical, genetic and developmental concerns. Now that we’re experiencing a bit of a reprieve ( six weeks seizure free), my attention has returned to researching and planning and of course, worrying. I know it’s futile to worry about the future and things which are out of my control, but with kindergarten looming, it’s hard not to fret. It’s also futile (and stupid) to make comparisons. I know this, but yet I can’t seem to help myself. I took Avery to a play date over the March Break and I was looking forward to a morning with three lovely girlfriends with whom I’d spent my last maternity leave. Our children are the same age and I’ve watched them grow from babies to[…]

Mar 14 2010

It’s difficult being a juggler, keeping the balls and swords and flaming batons up in the air all at once. Lately, I’ve dropped most of the balls, been stabbed in the neck by an errant sword or two and my hair is currently aflame. It’s difficult being a parent on the best of days. Is my child eating well enough, gaining enough, drinking enough, pooping enough? Sometimes I just have enough of the enoughs. It’s difficult being the stay at home parent. I miss my job. I miss my old life. I feel guilty about that every day. It’s difficult making time to do the things that are not mummy related. To set aside the toys, to put down the dust cloth and to take pleasure in something that makes you feel like someone other than a cook/housekeeper/nurse/playmate/teacher/safety officer/mother. When I started this blog, its purpose was to document the birth of a home business – custom art for childrens’ rooms… PolkaDotGrove was a passion that both Sarah and I shared. She, because she is a true artist, in vision, talent and skill. Me? Mostly the vision part. I have ideas coming out the ying-yang. It’s the talent and skill[…]

Feb 25 2010

Parenting a special needs child is challenging sometimes. Fortunately most days are rewarding and lovely. Yesterday was not one of those days. Yesterday was the first time in my history as a parent that I both raised my voice at my child and also slapped her hand. Not hard, but a slap nonetheless. I felt sick afterwards and still do. I’ve written about Avery’s recent diagnosis of Epilepsy and how frightening her seizures have been for our family. Because they often require medical intervention to stop them, they can be dangerous. This is why my husband and I take turns sleeping beside her in her room in case of an episode in the night. Needless to say, we come by the dark circles under our eyes honestly. Shortly after her last trip to the ER due to a particularly bad seizure, Avery came down with bacterial pneumonia. Call me crazy, but I’m convinced she picked it up at the hospital. She woke up one morning with a raspy voice and runny nose. No fever. I kept her home from preschool just in case. By 4 pm she was listless, had a temp of 104.6 and a respiration rate of 70[…]

Feb 09 2010

I come from a long line of fools who value a silly practical joke more than water or air. Growing up, my parents were always joking and getting their silly on; like the time my mom secretly sewed bells into the inside of my dad’s bowling pants. He made it as far as the front door when his jingly nethers stopped him in his tracks. I still have no clue what that was all about, but I do know my parents laughed until they cried. At teacher’s college, I lived in a dorm with a fabulous group of chicks who knew how to execute a prank and there were pranks aplenty let me tell you. Looking back now at our dumbassery, I find it hard to believe that today we’re teachers. My friend Jen was a frequent victim. She herself is a prankster-savant and is the type of person who can make you laugh and keep you laughing until you literally fall down. I know this from experience. She’d been to Florida over the term break where she borrowed some random guy’s coke bottle glasses to use as a prop in a ridiculous photo. Why? For a laugh of course.[…]

Archive - 2010

Better

Medicine Cosy

Juggles The Clown

“Heeler”

Pranksta