Parent Thread

[DorkyDisneyMom]

I'm late to this party, can I still come in?

I'm a mom to two....my daughter is five and a half and my son is three and a half. I was a "mature" mommy, so in other words, I'm old as dirt now. I work full time and live about 45 miles from my work so I have a long commute. My son goes to day care on-site and my daughter started Kindergarten this year.

Welome and come on in.

I love that crab in your signature.

 

[jwsqrdplus2]

Hi, I'm Tricia.

I'm 41. I have two sons, 6 and 2.5. I never fit in anywhere, it seems.

DS6 gave us quite a scare last week. I got a phone call from school (he is in Kindergarten) and he had a seizure. They had called 911 and he was in the ambulance when I got there. We were transported to the hospital, where he had 5 more seizures over the next 12 hours. They finally got him on Dilantin, which is an anti-convulsive medication, and he hasn't had another one since. They asked all those questions... Any head trauma? No. Any history of seizures? No. Did he have a fever? No. Nothing that would give us a reason for why they happened. We're on a waiting list to see a Pediatric Neurologist at Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta. It could be months before we get an appointment, however, so I guess for now we just watch and wait.

Tricia. I know your pain with the seizures. DD1 (9) was diagnosed with epilepsy when she was 4. We have been through 5 very trying years of getting the right balance on meds, improvements, set backs, more improvements, finally getting the right balance of meds, going seizure free in Oct 05, 24-hr stomach bug that sends us to the ER because she can't keep anything (inlcuding meds) down, weaning off of 1 med, still doing OK, waiting on results of EEG to see if we can wean off 2nd med and be done with this (wow 5 years packed into 1 run-on sentence!).

From experience, I would bug the h$#* out of your Ped Neuro practice until you get an appt. Stress that seizures are the reason for the referral. By making a nuisance of myself, I got DD into the neuro about 6 weeks before the "original" appt.

on finding a new church family soon.

We are on a waiting list for the Ped Neurologist. I've been told to expect 2 to 3 months before we are given an appointment. It is a very specialized field and there just aren't that many doctors to go around.

I'll just reiterate my previous comments. I agree that it is extremely specialized. In our town, there is only one practice with 3 Drs. They actually quit taking new patients under my insurance plan 9 months after we moved here, but grandfathered all of us that were already patients. Please feel free to PM me if you want a shoulder to cry on! Also, the epilepsy foundation has a great ecommunity called Parents helping Parents. There are parents just like me who deal with epilepsy day to day and share experiences both good and bad. Here is the main website: http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/. Just go to ecommunities to find the forum.

Oh, and for those of you who don't already know me -- you can call me Steve, not Bob.

Hi Steve!

I have DS'5s bday party on Fri at a moonbounce place. Tomorrow is the deadline that I put on my RSVP. About half the class has responded, if the rest dont by tomorrow, what do you all suggest should be my next move, an email reminder, a call I have to pay by the head and I have to know what size cake to order and how many goody bags to make. SUggestions please????

Not RSVPing...one of my major pet peeves. Our school has an all or none policy if invitations are handed out in class (I'm so anal about RSVPs that a friend knew she messed up on the invitations when I did not respond to her regrets only invite!). But they will not put out an address book for the school. I understand privacy issues, but when my DD is in a class of 14 boys and 8 girls, and the genders rarely cross, why do I have to invite 14 boys who will not show or RSVP (this happenend for her b-day in Oct; the 7 other girls RSVPed and showed; none of the boys RSVPed)? And to top it off, my girls have friends at dance that they would like to invite that they cannot until I get an idea of who will be showing from school!

But I may have just put my foot in my mouth today. DD2's BFF is the daughter of one of the PTF officers, and I mentioned it to her. And I also said it would be easy to put together. So I may have just suckered myself into putting together the address book.

Life in the parent lane!

 

[babytrees]

Tricia. I know your pain with the seizures. DD1 (9) was diagnosed with epilepsy when she was 4. We have been through 5 very trying years of getting the right balance on meds, improvements, set backs, more improvements, finally getting the right balance of meds, going seizure free in Oct 05, 24-hr stomach bug that sends us to the ER because she can't keep anything (inlcuding meds) down, weaning off of 1 med, still doing OK, waiting on results of EEG to see if we can wean off 2nd med and be done with this (wow 5 years packed into 1 run-on sentence!).

From experience, I would bug the h$#* out of your Ped Neuro practice until you get an appt. Stress that seizures are the reason for the referral. By making a nuisance of myself, I got DD into the neuro about 6 weeks before the "original" appt.

on finding a new church family soon.



I'll just reiterate my previous comments. I agree that it is extremely specialized. In our town, there is only one practice with 3 Drs. They actually quit taking new patients under my insurance plan 9 months after we moved here, but grandfathered all of us that were already patients. Please feel free to PM me if you want a shoulder to cry on! Also, the epilepsy foundation has a great ecommunity called Parents helping Parents. There are parents just like me who deal with epilepsy day to day and share experiences both good and bad. Here is the main website: http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/. Just go to ecommunities to find the forum.



Hi Steve!



Not RSVPing...one of my major pet peeves. Our school has an all or none policy if invitations are handed out in class (I'm so anal about RSVPs that a friend knew she messed up on the invitations when I did not respond to her regrets only invite!). But they will not put out an address book for the school. I understand privacy issues, but when my DD is in a class of 14 boys and 8 girls, and the genders rarely cross, why do I have to invite 14 boys who will not show or RSVP (this happenend for her b-day in Oct; the 7 other girls RSVPed and showed; none of the boys RSVPed)? And to top it off, my girls have friends at dance that they would like to invite that they cannot until I get an idea of who will be showing from school!

But I may have just put my foot in my mouth today. DD2's BFF is the daughter of one of the PTF officers, and I mentioned it to her. And I also said it would be easy to put together. So I may have just suckered myself into putting together the address book.

Life in the parent lane!

actually the biggest problem is getting the database together the first year....past that it's not as hard.

But I do understand the foot in the mouth....You should have seen the happy dance yay: is kind of what it looked like) I did last spring when after 13 years I knew I was done with PTO/PTA groups. At the girls middle school and high school the PTO meets in the afternoon...kind of excluding the working parents....not that I mind horribly....sometimes the PTO was worse than High School ...plus I put my time in....I feel like I am on parole right now.

 

[LaraK]

actually the biggest problem is getting the database together the first year....past that it's not as hard.

But I do understand the foot in the mouth....You should have seen the happy dance yay: is kind of what it looked like) I did last spring when after 13 years I knew I was done with PTO/PTA groups. At the girls middle school and high school the PTO meets in the afternoon...kind of excluding the working parents....not that I mind horribly....sometimes the PTO was worse than High School ...plus I put my time in....I feel like I am on parole right now.

So all PTO's are like that? I went to the first meeting and was so turned off by the power plays (and wasted time) I haven't been back. (it also is really hard for me to get there by 6)

I already do scouts, so one more night out of the house is really hard.

 

[Mkrop]

So all PTO's are like that? I went to the first meeting and was so turned off by the power plays (and wasted time) I haven't been back. (it also is really hard for me to get there by 6)

I already do scouts, so one more night out of the house is really hard.

Our doesnt seem too bad. I am a worker bee, no committe work for me but my next door neighbor is secratary this year and he works and there meeting start at 7. They seem pretty welcoming but I am always afraid of suggesting something new bc I dont want to get cauhgt in doing somethng I really dont have the time for. I put in my time for the event and then I am done.

Two more RSVPed last night. We will see today.

Bothe preschool and grade school provide a list of kids directory which is nice. You can choose to opt out but no one does.

 

[PlutosFriend]

Good morning everyone

I forgot to introduce myself yesterday.

I'm a single mom who just turned 40 last Thursday
My son(an only child) is 16.

My biggest issue right now? Dealing with the fact that my baby will be heading off to college next year.

Thanks for starting this thread. Happy belated Birthday!!
I turned 40 last May....how exciting!

Does you son have a college in mind already?

 

[PlutosFriend]

I am a working mom with stay at home Dad. We have 5 children- Bryson and Holden 11 year old twins in 5th grade, Jackson 10 in 4th grade, Logan 7 in first grade and Hannah 5 in Pre K 3 days per week 1/2 days. Life gets crazy at our house especially with extra actvities for 5 kids! Lori

I bet it does! Love your kids names

 

[PlutosFriend]

One good thing about Pokemon is that they seem to stay so busy when they're into it. DS was never all that enthused about it but I saw some of the other boys going to the events and things.

DS loves wrestling and is big time into the amateur end of it. I just hope that he doesn't turn into another Hulk Hogan.

My ds 9, is into it, and so are his friends! Not the cards or the shows, but the video games. I am the one that had that crazy sleep over on Friday night. They all battled on their DS's and with the WII. No one got much sleep......

 

[PlutosFriend]

DS6 gave us quite a scare last week. I got a phone call from school (he is in Kindergarten) and he had a seizure. They had called 911 and he was in the ambulance when I got there. We were transported to the hospital, where he had 5 more seizures over the next 12 hours. They finally got him on Dilantin, which is an anti-convulsive medication, and he hasn't had another one since. They asked all those questions... Any head trauma? No. Any history of seizures? No. Did he have a fever? No. Nothing that would give us a reason for why they happened. We're on a waiting list to see a Pediatric Neurologist at Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta. It could be months before we get an appointment, however, so I guess for now we just watch and wait.
!

Oh man that is scary! I hope he is OK. Keep us posted on this!!

 

[PlutosFriend]

We let DS do the same thing for his 7th birthday. As soon as they got there, DW conveniently "had" to go shopping, so it was just me with the 4 boys (fortunately, our 2 year old went to spend the night with MIL that night).

It wasn't too bad overall -- heck, I think it was easier than a lot of birthday parties we've had elsewhere.

I finally get a little downtime this afternoon. DW had to go into work this morning (and tomorrow morning, in fact), so I had to drag Ryan (our 2 year old) along to Cameron's (our 7 year old) basketball practice, then swimming lessons. When we finally got home, Ryan fought for a half an hour over his nap.

Oh, and for those of you who don't already know me -- you can call me Steve, not Bob.

I have seen you around on the DIS and always assumed your name was Bob! Guess not? Who is Bob?
Your dd is a smart woman She had the right idea going to the mall

 

[PlutosFriend]

What is winterguard?

Thanks maybe I will ask the teachers if I can do that. I dont know if this will mess up any other kid though.

I have DS'5s bday party on Fri at a moonbounce place. Tomorrow is the deadline that I put on my RSVP. About half the class has responded, if the rest dont by tomorrow, what do you all suggest should be my next move, an email reminder, a call I have to pay by the head and I have to know what size cake to order and how many goody bags to make. SUggestions please????

UGH! Why don't people RSVP??? Drives me nuts! In my experience, you can pretty much figure that if you don't hear from them, they aren't coming. I usually pack a couple extra goody bags just in case, but usually don't need them. Good luck!

 

[PlutosFriend]

I'm late to this party, can I still come in?

I'm a mom to two....my daughter is five and a half and my son is three and a half. I was a "mature" mommy, so in other words, I'm old as dirt now. I work full time and live about 45 miles from my work so I have a long commute. My son goes to day care on-site and my daughter started Kindergarten this year.

I am curious how old your dirt is? I feel like an older Mom too, but maybe more average. I am 40 and my kids are almost 8 and 10.

 

[DorkyDisneyMom]

My ds 9, is into it, and so are his friends! Not the cards or the shows, but the video games. I am the one that had that crazy sleep over on Friday night. They all battled on their DS's and with the WII. No one got much sleep......

I see you survived and so did the boys.

I have this bad cold coming on. My 3yr old has had it for about 2 weeks. I thought I was out of the woods. Nope. My thoat is so sore.

 

[PlutosFriend]

My kids school puts a new one out every year. You have to OK it to have your names and addy's in there. I can't imagine not having this. Drives me nutes when certain families aren't in there It really comes in handy for many things!

 

[PlutosFriend]

I see you survived and so did the boys.

I have this bad cold coming on. My 3yr old has had it for about 2 weeks. I thought I was out of the woods. Nope. My thoat is so sore.

We all survived, and those boys were so proud of themselves for getting little to no sleep Wait til they get my age, and you won't think that is such a cool thing! My ds crashed after lunch yesterday. I knew he would!!!!
Hope you feel better

 

[LUVMYTINK]

We are on a waiting list for the Ped Neurologist. I've been told to expect 2 to 3 months before we are given an appointment. It is a very specialized field and there just aren't that many doctors to go around.

I remember when DD had to see a Ped Neurologist in '06 how long it took to get an appt..
She had gone to a sleep clinic per her ENT's request before he decided to take her tonsills & adenoids out to rule out sleep apnea, big snorer since an infant. Well there were some abnormal readings on her EEG so the ENT wanted her to see a ped. neuro. just to make sure nothing was seriously wrong be fore surgery. Long story short ( I know too late ) Our referal from our health insurance (military, have to get oks to see civilain drs.) would not be able to see anyone till Dec. & this was June Luckily I was able to call the insurance company & they said if I could find another dr. that is on their list they would approve it. Found one that could see her in Aug. & was an hour closer to where we live.

 

[Tuffcookie]

BIRTH ORDER OF CHILDREN

1st baby: You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as your OB/GYN confirms your pregnancy.

2nd baby: You wear your regular clothes for as long as possible.

3rd baby: Your maternity clothes ARE your regular clothes.
_______________________________________________________

Preparing for the Birth:

1st baby: You practice your breathing religiously.

2nd baby: You don't bother because you remember that last time, breathing didn't do a thing

3rd baby: You ask for an epidural in your eighth month.
__________________________________________________ _____
The Layette:

1st baby: You pre-wash newborn's clothes, color-coordinate them, and fold them neatly in the baby's little bureau.

2nd baby: You check to make sure that the clothes are clean and discard only the ones with the darkest stains

3rd baby: Boys can wear pink, can't they?
______________________________________________________
Worries:
1st baby: At the first sign of distress--a whimper, a frown--you pick up the baby.

2nd baby: You pick the baby up when her wails threaten to wake your firstborn.

3rd baby: You teach your three-year-old how to rewind the mechanical swing
______________________________________________________

Pacifier:

1st baby: If the pacifier falls on the floor, you put it away until you can go home and wash and boil it.

2nd baby: When the pacifier falls on the floor, you squirt it off with some juice from the baby's bottle.

3rd baby: You wipe it off on your shirt and pop it back in.
_______________________________________________________


Diapering:

1st baby: You change your baby's diapers every hour, whether they need it or not.

2nd baby: You change their diaper every two to three hours, if needed.

3rd baby: You try to change their diaper before others start to complain about the smell or you see it sagging to their knees.
______________________________________________________

Activities:

1st baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics, Baby Swing, and Baby Story Hour.

2nd baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics.

3rd baby: You take your infant to the supermarket and the dry cleaner.
______________________________________________________

Going Out:

1st baby: The first time you leave your baby with a sitter, you call home five times .

2nd baby: Just before you walk out the door, you remember to leave a number where you can be reached.

3rd baby: You leave instructions for the sitter to call only if she sees blood.
________________________________________________________

At Home:

1st baby: You spend a good bit of every day just gazing at the baby.

2nd baby: You spend a bit of everyday watching to be sure your older child isn't squeezing, poking, or hitting the baby.

3rd baby: You spend a little bit of every day hiding from the children.
______________________________________________________

Swallowing Coins (a kid's favorite):

1st child: When first child swallows a coin, you rush the child to the hospital and demand x-rays.

2nd child: When second child swallows a coin, you carefully watch for the coin to pass.

3rd child: When third child swallows a coin you deduct it from his allowance.
______________________________________________________

Pass this on to everyone you know who has children . . . or everyone who KNOWS someone who has had children. (The older the mother, the funnier this is!)

GRANDCHILDREN: God's reward for allowing your children to live!
TC

 

[#1hockeymom]

I love having new hair. I always change mine. Nothing can make me feel better about myself than new hair.

WTG take that tree down. How is your daughter feeling?

We're home from the great white north and DD is doing much better. She's had so many tests done this week and all the weirdness seems to be due to a herniated disk? pinching some of her nerves so they're firing wrong and giving her brain the wrong information. The docs originally thought it was appendicitis and now its probably a pinched nerve. They have her on anti seizure meds till they see what happens or what is causing the nerves problems.

 

[RVGal]

Hey, I'm still here! Just hard to find time to sit for very long. You know, real life can really interfere with my fun.

As soon as I have the name of the Pediatric Neurologist, I will be sure to bug the crap out of them. I try to be one of those "proactive" parents without crossing over into the pain-in-the-butt range.

I never imagined I'd be dealing with anything like this. When I talked about having kids with my husband, there was never a "so when you take them to the hospital" clause. When I went to the hospital, it was like a Perfect Storm moment too. My sister had surgery the day before DS6s seizures, so my mom was at the hospital with her. My FIL had outpatient surgery done the day he had his seizures, so he and MIL were housebound. So, everyone we would have normally called for babysitting were unable to help. My husband had to keep our 2 year old and spend most of that time at home. Even in the pediatric wing of the hospital, DS2 couldn't handle more than a couple of hours. Oh, well. We got through it. I know there are worse things.

Were we talking cliques and PTOs? There is a mom clique at my son's primary school. They get all dressed up/decked out and show up an hour or so before it is time to pick the kids up. They park their cars along the pick up curb and then get out and gather at the door to chat, gossip, whatever. I happen to arrive early myself these days because DS2 wants to nap about 1:30pm, so I put him in the car and let him sleep while I sit and read a book for half an hour (sitting in my car). Other moms and dads do what I do. Also, some people inevitably park along the curb just to pick their kids up early and then leave.

Here's where it gets interesting. Because the clique park their cars and walk away from them, they can't move them along when some of the parked cars pull out. Some of us got tired of these huge gaps with cars scattered along the curb, so we started pulling around them. I did that not that long ago. The leader of the clique, I call her Fluffy (don't know her real name but she does that "fluff" thing with her hair...), marched over to my window and informed me that I was breaking in line with, "I was here first!"

I looked her up and down, smiled, and said, "No. You were back there first. (pointing to where her car still sat parked) If you bothered to move your car with the line, you would be here first. (pointing to the ground beside my car) If you want to tell on me, go ahead. I'll gather up the other parents sitting in their cars and we'll just have a good old fashioned sit down with the school about it."

She huffed and muttered her way back to the front door Fluffy Club. I'm sure they spent many a minutes discussing what a horrible person I am.

 

[#1hockeymom]

I love the name "Fluffy"! That gives a great picture of quite a few moms I remember having to pull around when picking up DD from cheer practice years ago!