I am so achy today that it hurt to take a shower!  The drops hitting my body actually hurt.  Dammit.  I turned the spray down as gentle as possible and the heat up high and it was better. But still.  A cold that takes away the pleasure of a hot shower has been forged in the depths of hell itself.

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It came to pass that we now own a toy toaster.  And the children began fighting over the toaster as soon as it was removed from the packaging.  I began to hear things like “Kieran won’t let me have my turn on the toaster!” as though it is a pony or a bicycle.  This is not something I ever imagined when I thought of what it would be like to be a parent.

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I have a new addiction.  Since I did the Rockstar Meme I’ve been spending some time looking at all the awesome photos on Flickr’s page that shows random interesting photos that have been uploaded in the past week.  This picture was my favourite of today’s stalking browsing.

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 I’m feeling crappy and sick today. I managed to add pinkeye on to the cough and cold.  But taking these pictures was the one highlight in my day.

  

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Our pediatrician is the only doctor working out of his home turned office.  He has one nurse assisting him and a receptionist.  I have very few complaints, overall (except for the fact that my doctor waited until this winter to send my son for a hearing evaluation instead of doing it last spring when I asked).  All three of the staff are extremely friendly and capable.  I never have unreasonably long waits and if I call to make an appointment they can usually get me in within a week or less. They also have a walk-in option for their patients only, every day from 12:00pm to 2:00pm, so if my kids have an urgent problem I can go any day of the week.

Last summer the office was renovated.  The building is probably about a one hundred year old house. He uses the main floor for his office but it needed some updating. I noticed (in the many times I’ve taken my sick kids there in the past six months) that after the renovations they never replaced the few toys that had been in the waiting area.  No toys. No books for kids. Maybe two magazines for adults. I thought maybe they had plans to get some new ones as the few toys that used to be there were very old and ratty looking.  But, after six months with no hint of new toys coming, I had an idea.

I have a couple garbage bags of clothes/household items/toys sitting around waiting for me to find a place to donate them.  I thought maybe my doctor’s office could use some of the toys for their waiting room.  Most of the toys I’m getting rid of are still in very good condition. We just needed to downsize in order to upsize when all the Christmas loot arrived.

So while I was waiting at the doctor’s office this week I asked the receptionist if they would like a few toys for their waiting room.  She said “NO!” so fast and forcefully I almost expected her to pull out a shotgun and order to me to back away slowly.  She informed me that they have noticed their office has been able to stay on schedule more frequently since they removed the toys from the waiting room. Also, there is less noise in the waiting room and they don’t have to deal with kids who don’t want to leave the toys in the waiting room to come into the exam rooms.

I have to say, I was really surprised.  I mean, it is an office dedicated to the care of children.  And while I can understand their reasons for not wanting a lot of toys, I’m not sure I really agree.  Because this practice is small they are never terribly behind.  And isn’t a little noise to be expected with children?  Coming to the doctor’s office is often precipitated by an illness or some other unpleasantness.  Shouldn’t children be allowed to play a little to distract them from why they are there? Don’t parents deserve a little bit of help to keep their kids busy? Waiting rooms are torture enough (especially if you have a sick kids) without any kind of amusement.   Personally, I think the practice should be willing to sacrifice a little bit of peace and quiet for the peace of mind for parents of their patients if it makes the waiting easier.

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I don’t know if anyone who reads this every checks out my shared google reader items (see the right sidebar).  I usually just click share and leave it at that, rather than posting links here like I did before I switched to this new format. But my friend Jessica posted some good quotes yesterday and I really liked them (particularly the one by Unamuno) so I am linking to that post today.

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It’s been just over three weeks without illness of any kind (not counting mental illness) so we were due. I should have seen it coming. But no, I was blissfully unaware that the SNOT was about to pounce on us in all its runny glory.  And here we are, back at square one again.

I took Kieran for his 18 month shots again today. I took him in December when he actually was 18 months.  At that appointment the doctor discovered a raging ear infection which was shocking to me as my boy had not been unusually cranky or had any symptoms to speak of other than a runny nose.  So the shots were postponed. Then, with all the snot and the fevers and the vomiting that went on for the better part of December, the immunizations slipped my mind. And then I was too busy enjoying people being healthy to worry about puncturing my little guy.

So it really should have come as no surprise that the second I finished making the appointment a few days ago, that my kids should both come down with another Goliath of a cold with the coughing and the Old Faithful of runny noses that just keeps gushing.  By the time we arrived at the office today, the doctor once again discovered a double ear infection of epic proportions.  You know it’s not a good sign when the doctor looks in your child’s ear for approximately 0.0003 seconds and exclaims “My God, that’s bad!”.

We are now scheduled for a hearing test as soon as the antibiotics are done.  Following that we may finally get in to see a Ear/Nose/Throat specialist.  What an inspired idea! If only someone had thought of that at this time last year!  Oh wait. Someone did.  I believe it was my family doctor back in Saskatchewan.  In fact, I remember telling our current pediatrician, when we first met him last spring, that I would like a referral to an ENT for the little guy on the advice of the doctor we had just left in the prairies.  But he dismissed my concerns and the instructions of a colleague.

What do those prairie doctors know, anyway? Ain’t they too busy birthin’ cattle and plantin’ turnips to worry their heads about them young’uns an’ their hear-holes?

Seriously though. I wouldn’t be surprised if Kieran does have some hearing issues due to the fact that his entire head if FULL OF MUCUS.  There are certain sounds he seems unable to understand or reproduce. Not in that toddler “I just don’t want to” or “I’m trying but it’s coming out kind of gibbled” way.  But when we ask him to say certain words he looks at us with a puzzled expression, as though he has no earthly idea what we are asking him to do or how to go about it. Like “Hey buddy! Can you go ahead and grow some antlers?”

Another fun game we’ve been playing with him lately is The Question game.  It seems he will say yes to almost any question, unless it involves going “Ni-night”.  Come to think of it, perhaps we are mocking his possible hearing disability, but I’ve got no immediate problems with a giggle or two at my kids’ expense.  So we ask him “Do you want purple dots on your face?” or “Can I stick cheese up your nose?” or “Should I slap you upside the head?” and he grunts out a cheerful “Uh!” (for “yes”) every single time. It’s quite hilarious.  Good times, my friends. Good, snot-filled, handicap mocking times.

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Today Plain Jane Mom linked to the Rockstar meme on another blog which I totally couldn’t resist. Because I am a meme-whore. This is how it works:

1. Click this link. The first title on this page is the name of your band.

2. Now click this link. The last four words of the very last quote is the name of your album. If it doesn’t work at all, click the “New Random Quotations” button for more.

3. And finally, click this link. The third picture on this page will be your album cover. Add your band name and album title, and you’re done! (Please remember to give credit for the original picture.) *I totally cheated because I wasn’t sure if it was the third image going horizontally or vertically and if I change the size of my browser it is different and then I just picked one and then I didn’t save the link to the person who put that picture up and then I was trying to search for it and then I decided to try opening it up again and just picking a new “third” picture. But that was of something that looked very much like a wedding bouquet and I felt that it wasn’t nearly angst-y enough for my band. So then I just randomly searched through pictures on that page and found one I kind of liked and felt wildly inferior to everyone on Flickr because damn! There are a lot of cool pictures out there and I guarantee that none of them are my daughter in drag dressup clothes.

And behold! My very first rock album. The band is Scarborough Beach Road and our first album is Too Dark to Read because our album cover is, you know, too dark to read. Or designed by someone who is too impatient to spend a whole hour evening week designing an imaginary album. Because that’s how long it would take me to make it pretty. In fact, I’m pretty sure it would still look crappy at the end of a week. I’d need to hire someone. But first I’d have to start making some rockstar money. And I’m pretty sure that’s not happening any time soon. I think SBR is going to be a one hit wonder. Thanks for all the love, folks!

Image by hurtingbombz

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Dear Texas,

Who do you think you’re fooling? Grow up, already!

Sincerely,
Everywhere Else

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We rented some old school Mr. Dressup shows on DVD from the library this week. I hadn’t really watched it at all but was listening to the one Avery was watching as I made dinner tonight and discovered something that really delighted me. Mr. Dressup was teaching girls that they don’t need men to take care of them (rescue them) before it was trendy to do so.

I observed this in a scene where Mr. Dressup and Casey (the muppet of ambiguous gender) are performing a puppet show. Casey is performing the part of the girl (aka mini ragmop puppet) and Mr. Dressup is two different characters, both apparently male, with superhero complexes (made out of wooden spoons and other household paraphernalia as only Mr. Dressup can do)….

Casey the muppet of ambiguous gender: Oh, what a lovely day for a walk! Lala la la la!

Mr. Dressup as a wooden spoon with a hero complex: Don’t worry! I’ll save you.

C: Save me from what?

MD: Haven’t you heard of the Thing?

C: The thing? What thing?

MD: The Thing that makes a terrible roaring sound.

C: I haven’t seen any thing.

MD: Well you will if you continue down that road.

C: Well, I don’t think I’m afraid of something that makes a roaring sound. (continues walking)

*roaring*

MD (as a new male spoon-character): I’ll save you!

C: What makes you think I need saving?

MD: Well, for one thing, you’re a girl. And girls always need saving in stories.

C: Well I don’t need any saving. I’m not afraid of a roaring sound.

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See what I mean? Mr. Dressup was encouraging girls to be self-sufficient and empowered long before kids shows had really jumped on that bandwagon. Way to be ahead of your time Mr. Dressup! Come to think of it, maybe Casey’s uncertain gender was Mr. D’s way of giving a nod to the transgender community? You gotta give the guy credit for costarring with a puppet and managing to refrain from using gender specific pronouns for years. Although Wikipedia says Casey is a boy, I really feel like I never heard Mr. Dressup refer to Casey as “him” or “he” in all the years I watched the show. Did you?

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The scene: Avery and Daddy are playing Hide & Seek. Avery is counting.  When she opens her eyes she runs straight to the place where he is hiding. The following conversation ensues…

Avery: I found you!

Daddy: Did you look?

Avery: No! (indignantly)

Daddy: Then how did you find me so fast?

Avery: I had a little hint. (Demonstrates “little” with two pinched fingers.)

Daddy: Oh? What hint did you have?

Avery: I peeked a liiitttle bit through my hands.

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