Troopers!

Three-Fourths of us are on amoxicillin, and the strep, ear infection and sinus infection seem to be a bit more under control....so I thought we had turned a corner. But we've had a few more battles this week. On a good note....Sophia was back at school the entire week! Things seemed to be getting back to normal.....until we hit a sour note on Wednesday... the DENTIST. This poor girl just had an all around BAD day. After a tantrum induced scratch from the dog.... we headed off to the dentist....it was a visit to "check" her palate appliance ( I was told). I could tell she was incredibly nervous all afternoon.... as she HATES going to the dentist....and ever since I allowed the dentist to put this contraption in... I have felt nothing but guilt. She seemed too young. But not having a degree in dentistry or orthodontics.... I decided take the advice of our dentist and go ahead with it.

Before her dreaded appointment, I assured Sophia that the dentist would just be "checking" her. But I could sense that my words were not reassuring enough. When we were driving there... I commented on this crazy number of birds flying together in the sky...and her response????

"I wish I could be in the air with the birds... "
"Yes...it would be fun to be able to fly like that," I said.
"No....I want to be in the air with them...because then I won't have to go to the dentist."

Oh my.... after hearing this... I knew our trip to the dentist would not be a quiet one....and oh my....it certainly was not. Turned out that the appliance had to be removed, tweaked, and replaced back in the mouth. She screamed...she refused to open her mouth....she had to be held down. I tried to hide my tears......as I heard the dentist telling her he was not hurting her....because I knew that it did hurt. Why do doctors tell children things don't hurt? Just because they are children does not mean they are not human!!!! It does hurt and they know it....so let's not play games here. I'm all for having straight and beautiful teeth....but let's be compassionate!!! Did I mention the dentist has never had children of his own...hmmmm

Anyway... I knew I had to have the talk with Sophia about acting more "grown-up" when in public, and the whole talk about how sometimes things are not comfortable but you just have to try your best to get through it. I know it's my job to teach her these things....but at the same time I'm thinking....she's only five....isn't life supposed to be carefree and comfortable at that age? Should we really have to be worrying about narrow palates before she has even lost her baby teeth??? It's hard being a parent. I wonder every day if I'm making the right decisions for my children. I have a hard enough time making my own decisions.... let alone making decisions for these two little ones who can't always do so for themselves!

So with a little motrin... Sophia was almost herself again. Next battle....h1n1 vaccine. I have been going back and forth about whether or not I should get the vaccine for the kids. I had a feeling that the kids may have already had a bit of the virus anyway....but my doctor convinced me that I definitely should get the vaccine if it was offered. On Thursday, Blue Valley district offices offered a vaccination clinic for the wee ones....and after much deliberating and feelings of guilt that I would be a bad parent if I did not get the vaccine, I decided to take Joseph to get his shot. We only waited outside for a few minutes before the line got through the doors... and the actual wait was only about an hour....not too bad (despite the fact that Mr. J was pretty darn unhappy that I "forced" him to stay in his stroller the entire time). Anyway... after we got through the tears....things were fine.... I thought.... But by the afternoon... Joseph had developed a pretty high fever and became awfully cranky. Where had my sweet baby gone???? Oh my... immediately I was on the internet researching the side effects of the vaccine. I do think he probably felt crummy as a result of that. And he hasn't been quite himself ever since. But I guess if the mild form of this is all he gets....that is better than the alternative of getting a more serious form of H1N1, right? Hmmmm....again... I'm hoping I made the right decision for this little guy!

Whew! So we made it through a few more battles this week. And now... .it is the WEEKEND....and believe it or not... it is November 7th and it is forecasted to be 77 degrees today! Notice the summer-like attire on the kids today!!!!





Wow! Hard to believe Thanksgiving and Christmas is just around the corner...but of it is...and our preparations are already beginning! Our bulletin board looks fallish with Sophia's contribution of a scarecrow.



We made this same one last year....but this year as I was getting ready to cut the pieces for her to glue... I decided I should try letting her cut the pieces herself. Wow... I can't believe I have missed what an excellent cutter she has become despite the fact that I keep forgetting to buy her lefty scissors! But guess what? She cuts with her right...probably because her negligent mommy has made her use the wrong scissors for so long!!!! Oh my....this girl just keeps impressing me....her artwork and school work just gets better and better every day!!!

And Thanksgiving... here we come!! Already having fun with these little guys....(well, I guess I'm having more fun with them than Sophia!)