So Proud of Patty

Patty and I had to have a blood test to check for allergies.  Who knew there was such a thing?  Sounds so much easier than those skin tests I've heard about.  Still, I wasn't looking forward to the test because Patty hadn't had a blood test since she was one.

I let the tech draw my blood first hoping it would make Patty at ease if she could see what was going to happen.  Not sure it helped, she was pretty upset just at the idea of getting a "shot". 

As a backup, I also brought Grammie (my mom).  All things are better when grandmothers are involved.  I speak from personal experience.  See, when I was a kid, I had to have weekly blood tests to keep a check on my arthritis.  My Grandmomma often went with us and would sit in the chair and hold me on her lap.  It made all the difference.

So imagine my warm and fuzzy when Patty wanted Grammie to sit with her.  I think I could have cried, really.  It just brought back so many memories from my childhood.  Obviously the blood tests were not a good memory, but the thoughts of my grandmother are happy ones.

I was able to hold myself together since Patty is a strong kid and I worried she'd have a fit and make it really difficult to get the needle in her arm.  Thankfully the lab staff was wonderful and I'm guessing they've had many troublesome patients over the years.  One tech had a death grip on her arm while the other carefully wielded the needle.  Another woman kept talking to Patty, trying to distract her.  it was such a team effort.  It was like once Patty started crying everyone came out to help.  They were great.

Once the initial shock was over, Patty was actually really calm.  I am so proud of her.  She got a pink band on her arm and a Cinderella sticker.  Such a champ!  But, I hope we don't have to have any more blood work anytime soon!

Kids Say...

JT and I were sitting on the couch and the conversation went something like this...

"Mom, are you gonna sleep in my bed tonight?" he asked in that all too sweet voice of his.

"I slept in your bed last night," I replied.  And I slept for all of three minutes the whole night, I thought.

"But, I can't sleep in my bed all by myself!"

Seriously, why didn't we just buy a stinking king size bed?  If you've never tired to sleep on a twin sized bed with a five year old, let me just tell you, it is not comfortable.  I feel like I'm an inch away from falling off the edge all night long.  Definitely considering pushing their twin beds together just so I can sleep in the middle!  And don't you know how much I hate to sleep in the middle?

Sequester Me This

I read somewhere that the sequester is going to impact special education.  I didn't read anything specific and I can't recall where I read it.  But, I am definitely frightened by any future that includes a loss in special education teachers.

I fear a tighter budget will cause many kids to miss out on special education services for the sake of saving money.  If that's the case, I know Patty will be okay because I won't let a lack of services affect her performance.  Patty will be college ready at graduation if it kills me getting her there.  But, I do worry about the other kids who don't have me to come home to at the end of the day.

Do you have any sequestration fears, or is it just me?

Bicycles for Easter

I think I'll put first aid kits in the kiddos Easter Baskets this year.  Nestled right next to a giant box of band aids.

Why?

Because the Easter Bunny is bringing them new bicycles.

I'm ashamed to admit this, but JT has never had a bicycle.  I know, it's horrible!  At least Patty received a tricycle for her second birthday.  My poor kids.  That should tell you how much time we spend outside. 

Well, that wrong will be righted in a little more than a week and my nerves will most certainly be shattered.  Now I just have to sneak to Walmart for helmets and all the other edible goodies to fill their baskets. 

I did learn a few important things this morning, though.  First, never start shopping for something for the kids when they are home.  It's like they have radar telling them "mom's looking at toys!".  Second, I don't  know my kids as well as I thought.  And third, there seems to be absolutely no rhyme or reason for the pricing of kids bicycles.

I was all set to order a Toy Story bike for JT this morning when he woke up and found me at the computer.  He very quickly informed me that he did not like Toy Story anymore.  So glad I didn't buy that Toy Story bedding for the bed he won't sleep in!  He picked out a bike with brakes, he could see the wire in the picture.  And that's the only thing he was concerned about.  Not really the color, just the breaks.  Boys!  Go figure.

Patty got in on the action too, and fell head over heals for the blue Cinderella bike.  I had been eyeing a pink Barbie one for her.  She loves most things Barbie and really hasn't gotten into Cinderella so I am very surprised at her choice.

Let's hope they haven't changed their minds by Easter morning!

It's World Down Sydrome Day, So Change Your Socks

Kerri has the most amazing post about World Down Syndrome Day.  Head over and take a look!  Then, go change your socks and your shirt!

My House Stinks

Yes, you read that right.  My house stinks.  Like spoiled milk.  About now you're probably wondering why does my house smell like spoiled milk, right?  As JT would say, "Duh, someone spilled the milk."  I get "duh-ed" a lot lately.  Anyhoo.  We have several plastic cups with the plastic straws that Patty drinks out of.  You know the ones I'm talking about.  Walmart has a new variety for every season lately.  All but one of our cups came from Walmart.  The troublesome one came from the Dollar Tree.

I think it's probably just a coincidence, but that one cup has gotten tipped over twice after I've gone to bed for the night.  It's the only pink cup, but I can't see how that would make any difference.  Both times the cup was sitting on the coffee table.  You'd think I'd learn not to leave the cup on the coffee table since the house smelled of spoiled milk the first time it was tipped over.  Who is tipping the cup?  I haven't caught her in the act, but my money is on Daddy Kitty.  She is our playful, mischievous cat.  And, yes, she is a she.  That's a story for another day.

So, our house smells terrible right now.  And I am so glad that we haven't invested in new carpet yet!

International Samoas

I don't know if the title of this post is fitting, but I did ship a box of Samoas from right here in Kentucky to a blogging friend in Germany!  I was so tickled to pull up Joy's website this morning and read her post about the cookies!  Joy had mentioned there are no Girl Scout cookies in Germany, so I knew I had to send her a box.  The world wide web really does make it a small world, doesn't it?

I kind of worried about sending these highly addictive cookies to Joy in case she really loved them.  I mean, is there anything worse than a craving for something you just can not get?  But, like it was fate or something, Patty's troop got to see photos of Girl Scouts from around the world as part of World Thinking Day.  A German troop was featured in the presentation so I did a quick search and found that there are overseas Girl Scout troops!  Not sure how far Joy is from a US Military installation, but next January, that would be the place to look for more cookies!

I'm so happy to know the cookies made the trip, that Joy liked them, and that hopefully she won't have to go without cookies any longer!  Joy, if you find a troop with cookies over there, you have to try the Tagalongs!