Talkative Tuesday

I just wanted to check in and give some updates:

Allison has just 6 weeks left of 1st grade. She's doing so well, as evidenced on her report card and her daily papers that come home. I couldn't be more proud of her in school. She did get a little cold while we were at Kalahari, and I knew she wasn't herself when she fell asleep on the couch the day we got home...she never just "falls asleep" anywhere!

She's now feeling better and hasn't had any cramps or "growing pains" in almost a week, so he must be through that growth spurt. She had tap class last night, and the girls got their costumes for their upcoming recital in June. So cute!! This is her being the DIVA that she is. (Imagine the costume without the pink leotard and tights underneath). I can't wait to see her up on stage!

Preston is doing very well being at home. I think he does get bored, but just loves when his sister comes home from school. Last week at the counselor appointment, the counselor basically told me I was wasting my $70 per hour as he doesn't think Preston has any ADHD or ODD (oppositional defiant disorder). He put Allison and Preston in a room by themselves, and we observed them playing on a monitor from another room. They played nicely and spoke nicely. Preston followed all the counselor's rules while in his office and was very surprised to hear some of the school stories. He believes that Preston is just being a normal boy. Yes, he is hyperactive and sometimes impulsive, but it doesn't lead to a dangerous situation anywhere but at school, not even at latch-key, just with the preschool teacher, Ms. Rebecca. The counselor believes that with the way she treats Preston, her inconsistency, and his boredom, he is acting up to get more one on one attention from someone at school. He also said he believes there may be too many kids, with mixed ages, in this particular class and recommended we just keep Preston out of the situation, which we had already decided on. The counselor asked me if I thought Preston needed counseling. I said no, as I am just astounded with our situation. I told him basically I was taking Preston for counseling to prove to the school that it's them and not Preston. He gave me an evaluation form for the teachers to complete (on a scale from 1-4 on certain behaviors) and also one for David and I to complete. Once he gets those back and evaluates them, he will determine IF there is any need for Preston to be tested for anything else. The counselor said that ADHD is too overly diagnosed these days and Preston is too young for any medication. He said most kids are just being kids, and that people try to "fix" the behavior. I TOTALLY agree and am going through with the evaluation, again, just to prove that Preston is just being a 5 year old boy. I think my new goal in life is going to be to try to get Ms. Rebecca fired. No kid should have to go through this.

Here are some shots of Preston, just being Preston....I think he's so cute!

Mason: Well, nothing really new with him. He's been laughing out loud more this week. He's now two months old. His symptoms of what I believe to be Acid Reflux have just about all subsided. As you know, I have been taking Zantac, by the suggestion of Donna, my loving midwife. From what I've read about Zantac, it passes through breast milk as do many drugs. So, I decided to go ahead and take the medication in hopes it would help Mason. At about a week and a half on the Zantac, I started noticing big differences in Mason's behavior. Last Wednesday was two full weeks on the medication, and I realized this past weekend that Mason is a different baby lately. He's much happier, hence the laughing more, he's not projectile vomiting anymore and he doesn't scream after he burps anymore. He has normal baby spit up and is rarely cranky these days, unless he's really tired or really hungry. I can not wait to see the pediatrician"s reaction when I tell her. He does fight sleep a lot, but I just hold him really close to me and rub his face while rocking him and he usually falls asleep after a few minutes. So, I think Donna's advice was right on. This is exactly how things happened back when Preston was diagnosed with reflux and started on Zantac directly, only, his symptoms went away after a week; I figured it would take longer for Mason, having to go through my system and then the breast milk. I do notice, though, when I drink caffeine, he gets very gassy and somewhat cranky, so no more caffeine for me anymore...I've already gone through my withdraw now...so, now I'm just tired all the time...but it's worth it to have a happy baby....see?

David is still not working steady. There are lots of potential things coming up, but how many of those jobs he will actually get or do is a whole other story. We have 8 more weeks of unemployment and then I just don't know what we'll do. I may have him babysit kids over the summer, while staying home with ours...might work out with not having to pay childcare...I can't imagine him being a stay-at-home dad. Yeah, right..I'd have twice as much housework to do when I got home!

And, speaking of David.....Tomorrow, David and I will be celebrating 9 years of marriage! I can't believe it's been 9 years. That will be it's own post, tomorrow! I will even try to scan in some pictures of the big day...back when we got married, there weren't digital cameras, just film! ha-ha!

As my friends know, I worked part-time waitressing the past two summers. I loved doing it, and I loved making the extra money. I liked getting out of the house, being with adults and doing something different every shift (as opposed to sitting at the same desk day after day). Plus, like I said, the extra money. Well, Al, my general manager, called me about 2 weeks ago and asked me if I was ready to come back for the summer. I told him I'd think about it and would get back to him. Now, at the time, I had no intention of doing it. I certainly cannot work another job while nursing/pumping. Especially waitressing; there's no opportunity for me to pump there. And, I'm not ready to put Mason on formula; I'm so very proud that he's 2 months old and my milk is still coming in strong and steady. But, if David doesn't start bringing home some steady income, I may have to consider working the summer again. It kills me, though. I would never see the kids, maybe for a half-hour a day when I work; just enough time to come home, change, and scarf some dinner down. And, I think it would really kill me with Mason; we're supposed to be bonding right now, and if I was never home, he'd take to David more and that would break my heart. So, for now, I'm just keeping this on the back burner and will consider if we get desperate. It is nice to know that I'm wanted, though. I feel that I have always been a very good waitress (7 years experience) and I think this just proves it for me. This is the 2nd time Al has called me back...at least I'm good at something (besides birthing beautiful children of course). HA!

This week, I am just exhausted...being back to work and not getting a full night sleep is just killing me. It's only Tuesday! My first week back I was SO drained come Friday. I was so glad to have last week to recoup from the week before. I don't have that to look forward to now, though. It's going to be a long year since I only have 5 days of vacation left and need to be very smart on how and when to use them. I'll probably just save them in case anyone gets sick. Both soccer games got cancelled tonight due to the weather, thank God!! Tonight is the monthly PTO meeting; I wasn't sure how I was going to handle two soccer games and the meeting. But, now I'm not sure I even want to go to the meeting...they are having a guest speaker on nutrition. She just spoke at January's meeting, so why does she need to repeat herself already? I love going to these meetings and keeping up to date with what's going on in the school and being around the other parents; but I don't want to keep hearing about nutrition...I do what I can in that area and feel that I'm setting good examples for the kids and their eating habits. Anyhow, just wanted to vent for a second.

Ok, so I think I've updated you on everything going on in our lives...more to come soon.

Until then,

Michele