The DDA Trouble Free Zone Part 3

[Eeyorecln]

Good night DDA. I don't know if I'll check in tomorrow or not. I have autograph pages to finish. Got quite a bit more done tonight. Also packing, etc. because we leave Friday afternoon. I have to go pick up Katrina from college tomorrow night as well. I will probably pop in once or twice before I leave (if I pop in more than that, remind me I should be doing something to get ready).

Marti & Paul, I will have a dole whip float in your honor. I have some graduation ears to look for and some Fairy Godmailer postcards to send? Anyone else need anything while I'm there? If so, send me a PM. Vicki

Have a fun trip.

 

[bethbuchall]

Thanks for the pixie dust for Phil. Yesterday I was asking him if there was anyway he could pick a different doctor that could see him sooner than next month. He found another general practioner in the area who's interests are anxiety and depression (sounds right up our alley, huh). At first they said the next available appointment was April 17. After a second though the receptionist said that was unless he wanted to come in Thursday. So...Phil is headed in tomorrow afternoon. I am so relieved that we could see some improvement in the next few weeks instead of having to wait a month to even get started.

So...if there is some spare prayers and pixie dust out there we could use it. The doctor will also be starting from scratch on his blood work, possibly liver and spleen ultrasounds, and maybe even some lymph node biopsies this time around. I would love if we could finally get to a point of answers (or even actually ruling out things) instead of just being told to "wait and see" and "test again in six months."

Thanks, everyone. Sorry that I started running off at the fingers there. This just gets so frustrating, but I don't feel like I can say much to Phil since he already feels so bad about it. Plus, I know that he feels like no one (read "his family") believes him that something is wrong just because there have been no 100% conclusive tests. I probably come across that way too sometimes, but for me it's that I don't want to believe something is wrong and by not having answers for us the doctors are just making it easier for me.

Okay, no I am really going. It's been a stressful week at work and that isn't helping me either. Good night.

Prayers and pixie dust for Phil and for you!

Beth

 

[bethbuchall]

Okay - DDA

I need pixie dust - this is so queer but believe me it is a HUGE deal here
Nick just came down stairs saying pillow wet - bed wet - and something else that I was not sure what he was saying - I got upstairs and realized he was saying poop wet - poor little guy has diarhea - and it got on his pillow -

no big deal EXCEPT - Nick has a pillow that he uses all the time - it goes everywhere with him - it is like his favorite stuffed animal - it is a regular pillow but no pillowcase - he takes one off if I try to put it on - I have tried to substitute another pillow in before and he gets mad - so this is the pillow that the poop got on - and I had to go put it in the washer - he came downstair so sad and see pillow mommy? so I showed him it in the washer and you can not believe the sad little look he got on his face - pillow bye bye? I seriously do not believe he will be able to go to sleep without it - this could be a long night!!!!!

Pixie dust for you and Nick! I hope that he had a good night and is feeling all better. It's so sad when you can't give them what they want to be happy.

Beth

 

[krdisneybound]

Good Morning everyone:

Am getting ready to go see the KING TUT Exhibit in Ft. Lauderdale this morning.

It should be very interesting. Have had the tickets over 3 months. They were very hard to come by.

Hope all have a good day

 

[Tammi67]

Thanks for the pixie dust for Phil. Yesterday I was asking him if there was anyway he could pick a different doctor that could see him sooner than next month. He found another general practioner in the area who's interests are anxiety and depression (sounds right up our alley, huh). At first they said the next available appointment was April 17. After a second though the receptionist said that was unless he wanted to come in Thursday. So...Phil is headed in tomorrow afternoon. I am so relieved that we could see some improvement in the next few weeks instead of having to wait a month to even get started.

So...if there is some spare prayers and pixie dust out there we could use it. The doctor will also be starting from scratch on his blood work, possibly liver and spleen ultrasounds, and maybe even some lymph node biopsies this time around. I would love if we could finally get to a point of answers (or even actually ruling out things) instead of just being told to "wait and see" and "test again in six months."

Thanks, everyone. Sorry that I started running off at the fingers there. This just gets so frustrating, but I don't feel like I can say much to Phil since he already feels so bad about it. Plus, I know that he feels like no one (read "his family") believes him that something is wrong just because there have been no 100% conclusive tests. I probably come across that way too sometimes, but for me it's that I don't want to believe something is wrong and by not having answers for us the doctors are just making it easier for me.

Okay, no I am really going. It's been a stressful week at work and that isn't helping me either. Good night.

Tia, this sounds very promising. Good luck to all of you. (insert pd smilies here, they are not working for me)

 

[Tammi67]

In the midst of the "thin" around here lately we got some great news(at least for Cassidy)....Cassidy has been accepted into the International Baccalaureate program at the HS she will be attending next year. (I am WAAAY too young to have a high schooler !)

The IB is something Cass has worked hard for since 6th grade and if she makes it through all 4 years of the program she will be graduating with 2 diplomas in her hand!! I have some misgivings about the lack of freedom in the program but she is thrilled, so I am too!!!

That is wonderful news! We have the IB program here at a few of our high schools so I am familiar with it. It is very challenging. I hope she excels!!

 

[Tammi67]

Okay - I have made two posts today that did not post

UGH!!

I just typed out a really long response sending congratulations, welcomes and pixie dust - I can't remember everything now!! So I am sending you all pixie dust, congrats and welcomes!!

I do remember that i was a little distracted b/c I was watching Ace sing on AI - sigh!!!

Speaking of AI, what is with all the mellow songs everyone is picking? Let's get some upbeat kind of stuff going!!

 

[Tammi67]

Okay - DDA

I need pixie dust - this is so queer but believe me it is a HUGE deal here
Nick just came down stairs saying pillow wet - bed wet - and something else that I was not sure what he was saying - I got upstairs and realized he was saying poop wet - poor little guy has diarhea - and it got on his pillow -

no big deal EXCEPT - Nick has a pillow that he uses all the time - it goes everywhere with him - it is like his favorite stuffed animal - it is a regular pillow but no pillowcase - he takes one off if I try to put it on - I have tried to substitute another pillow in before and he gets mad - so this is the pillow that the poop got on - and I had to go put it in the washer - he came downstair so sad and see pillow mommy? so I showed him it in the washer and you can not believe the sad little look he got on his face - pillow bye bye? I seriously do not believe he will be able to go to sleep without it - this could be a long night!!!!!

OMG, I can only imagine how traumatic that must be for him. I hope that it washes up nicely and can be used again. Is he coming down with something or was it a one-time thing? Now that is it morning I can ask, how was your night??

 

[Tammi67]

Good night DDA. I don't know if I'll check in tomorrow or not. I have autograph pages to finish. Got quite a bit more done tonight. Also packing, etc. because we leave Friday afternoon. I have to go pick up Katrina from college tomorrow night as well. I will probably pop in once or twice before I leave (if I pop in more than that, remind me I should be doing something to get ready).

Marti & Paul, I will have a dole whip float in your honor. I have some graduation ears to look for and some Fairy Godmailer postcards to send? Anyone else need anything while I'm there? If so, send me a PM. Vicki

Have a great trip Vicki!!

 

[Tammi67]

Good Morning, DDA!!!

 

[marcij]

Vicki -- I hope you get a lot done the next couple of days and the trip to get your daughter goes smoothly.

Lindsay -- I hope you are feeling better today and not as overwhelmed about getting ready for your trip.

To you both (and any other DDAs leaving):

Have a wonderful MAGICAL trip!

 

[my3princes]

Favorite items can be tricky. Hunter's baby blanket was a knit weave that he liked because he could poke his fingers through it. When it began to fall apart we went to the store together and purchased a "big boy" blanket of the same material/weave. He had no difficulty transitioning to it. He has had a couple more new ones since then as they tend to fall apart pretty easily. I made Colby several blankets when he was born. 2 of them were blue, though different patterns. He has to have both of those blankets to sleep. Mind you he has at least 5 more that are the same materials, just different colors. I usually just wash them one at a time and he doesn't panic. Lately we have been having issues with him wetting through during the night, even doubling the diapers haven't worked. On those days I was washing his entire bed including his 2 favorite blankets first thing in the morning, and sometimes again after nap One of them is starting to get tiny rips, so it is time to patch it before it gets out of hand. My recent solution to the wetting through is to put vinyl pants on over the diaper at bed time. No wet blankets since. . I also just made him a new blanket with the same bunny and ducky as one of his favorites. I'm hoping that he will become attached to that too, that way if something happens to one of the originals he'll be able to cope.

Deb

The same happened with Katrina so when I had Becky, I bought two of the same blanket. I switched them regularly so that they would wear similarly. She realized that there were two of them after she got to be 3 or so but by then she was ok since they looked the same as long as she had one at all times! Katrina's blanket is in shreds (we had to keep the pieces, of course). Both of Becky's still resemble a blanket (kind of).

 

[sconnell]

I need pixie dust - this is so queer but believe me it is a HUGE deal here
Nick just came down stairs saying pillow wet - bed wet - and something else that I was not sure what he was saying - I got upstairs and realized he was saying poop wet - poor little guy has diarhea - and it got on his pillow -

no big deal EXCEPT - Nick has a pillow that he uses all the time - it goes everywhere with him - it is like his favorite stuffed animal - it is a regular pillow but no pillowcase - he takes one off if I try to put it on - I have tried to substitute another pillow in before and he gets mad - so this is the pillow that the poop got on - and I had to go put it in the washer - he came downstair so sad and see pillow mommy? so I showed him it in the washer and you can not believe the sad little look he got on his face - pillow bye bye? I seriously do not believe he will be able to go to sleep without it - this could be a long night!!!!!

OH, how sad! My DS 17 months had his first real bout with a stomach bug this week. (Both ends! ) But last night I got 5 1/2 hours of sleep! (Not normally enough for me, but more than I've been getting. )

 

[my3princes]

I am having a very stressful morning and could use a little advice from my DDA family. Nick and Hunter's Elementary School has invited in a lady that teaches dance. They have broke the student body into groups and she is working with each group to teach them a dance that they are apparently expected to perform in front of the entire student body and an evening performance for the parents. The lessons started yesterday. Nick has been talking about how much he didn't want to do this for days now. We told him that he had to do it as it is part of his school day. He came home yesterday so upset. He had obviously been talking to Hunter on the bus as he was trying to come up with ways to not have to go to dance. Hunter said he was planning to go to the nurse sick. I need to give you a little background before I go further. Nick is a very nervous child and stressful situations make him physically sick to his stomach. We went through the entire school year last year going back and forth to the doctor's trying to figure out what was causing him to be sick everyday, including weekends and vacations. The stress stayed with him as he knew that he would be going back to school in a few days. We discussed everything with him and could not put our finger on what was causing him to be sick. I even got the guidance counselor involved and she was absolutely certain that it was nothing that was caused by school. Fast forward to this year, no stomach aches, not fighting us to stay home. It has been an amazing year for him. After the first couple of days of school he made a comment to my Mom that he really likes his new teachers. It turns out that while he liked last year's teacher she was his stress point. She was a younger teacher with no children of her own and lacked the nurturing that he needs. He has 2 teachers this year, one in the morning and a different one in the afternoon. One is a mother, the other is a grandmother. Their teaching styles work for Nick and all his issues disappeared. Until this week that is. He is a 4th grade boy dealing with the issues of peer pressure and puberty. He is very confident and will get up in front of his class or the school to perform on his drum, tell jokes and even do oral presentations. He has no difficulty in doing so, but for some reason he is paralysed by this dance thing. He is sick to his stomach, doesn't want to go to school and it is last year all over again for him. Our policy has always been to stick with whatever you start, but I really don't feel that dance is an important part of his education. I don't want him to revert to all the issues that we had last year. Apparently his group is being taught the Can Can. The hoopdee doo comes to mind. I don't think that the choice was a great one for 4th grade boys to begin with. I have talked with other parents and the 4th boys are pretty much opposed across the board. So I called the principal this morning to discuss my concerns. She turned the whole conversation around into how short minded I was as it was only the first day and I need to make him do it a few more days before I have the right to make an opinion. I then talked with his teacher who wants him to continue as if he doesn't have to do it none of the boys will want to and it will become a real issue for her. I am encouraging his behavior that if he doesn't want to do something he can just "pretend" to be sick and I won't make him do it. My stand is that I know what we went through last year and never want to put him or us through that again. I normally do not let him "drop out" of anything (this will be the very first time). I am really afraid that if he has to do this it could effect him acamdemically for the remainder of the year. I need him to know that I am on his side and will stand up for him. So DDA. What would you do? I am letting (making) him participate today and will reevaluate tonight, but do you think that I am making a big deal out of nothing? By the way, Chris, as well as my Mom, Dad and SIL all agree that we should not make him do this as they already see the stomach aches and not wanting to go to school as a problem that could persist. I really need your advice.

Thank you for reading my rantings.

Deb

 

[Steffy]

I noticed the same thing. I would be diligently keeping up with a thread and all of a sudden someone would be responding to something that I hadn't seen. After it happened a couple of times, I realized it wasn't me losing my memory because of my age! That was when I realized that it was people posting the same time as me.

ETA: Actually, I almost missed this post of yours but since I found this "feature", I usually refresh and scroll back everytime I post to make sure I haven't missed anything.

I can't believe I didn't know this!

Oh well, my eye is killing me but I think I better get to work....

 

[KMH1]

Today is Matt's birthday (Marti's and Paul's son), so I created a thread for him. Here's the link: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1045598

Amy

 

[KMH1]

(insert pd smilies here, they are not working for me)

Whenever the smilies aren't working for me, I hit where it says [More] and then I copy and paste them in. Does that make sense?

Amy

 

[KMH1]

In the midst of the "thin" around here lately we got some great news(at least for Cassidy)....Cassidy has been accepted into the International Baccalaureate program at the HS she will be attending next year. (I am WAAAY too young to have a high schooler !)

The IB is something Cass has worked hard for since 6th grade and if she makes it through all 4 years of the program she will be graduating with 2 diplomas in her hand!! I have some misgivings about the lack of freedom in the program but she is thrilled, so I am too!!!

Wow, this is great! I never taught IB, but many of my yearbook and Key Club members were in the IB program, so I am well-aware of how rigorous this program is. I wish Cassidy the best of luck in her studies...the rewards are going to be tremendous!

Amy

 

[UP Disney]

I am having a very stressful morning and could use a little advice from my DDA family. Nick and Hunter's Elementary School has invited in a lady that teaches dance. They have broke the student body into groups and she is working with each group to teach them a dance that they are apparently expected to perform in front of the entire student body and an evening performance for the parents. The lessons started yesterday. Nick has been talking about how much he didn't want to do this for days now. We told him that he had to do it as it is part of his school day. He came home yesterday so upset. He had obviously been talking to Hunter on the bus as he was trying to come up with ways to not have to go to dance. Hunter said he was planning to go to the nurse sick. I need to give you a little background before I go further. Nick is a very nervous child and stressful situations make him physically sick to his stomach. We went through the entire school year last year going back and forth to the doctor's trying to figure out what was causing him to be sick everyday, including weekends and vacations. The stress stayed with him as he knew that he would be going back to school in a few days. We discussed everything with him and could not put our finger on what was causing him to be sick. I even got the guidance counselor involved and she was absolutely certain that it was nothing that was caused by school. Fast forward to this year, no stomach aches, not fighting us to stay home. It has been an amazing year for him. After the first couple of days of school he made a comment to my Mom that he really likes his new teachers. It turns out that while he liked last year's teacher she was his stress point. She was a younger teacher with no children of her own and lacked the nurturing that he needs. He has 2 teachers this year, one in the morning and a different one in the afternoon. One is a mother, the other is a grandmother. Their teaching styles work for Nick and all his issues disappeared. Until this week that is. He is a 4th grade boy dealing with the issues of peer pressure and puberty. He is very confident and will get up in front of his class or the school to perform on his drum, tell jokes and even do oral presentations. He has no difficulty in doing so, but for some reason he is paralysed by this dance thing. He is sick to his stomach, doesn't want to go to school and it is last year all over again for him. Our policy has always been to stick with whatever you start, but I really don't feel that dance is an important part of his education. I don't want him to revert to all the issues that we had last year. Apparently his group is being taught the Can Can. The hoopdee doo comes to mind. I don't think that the choice was a great one for 4th grade boys to begin with. I have talked with other parents and the 4th boys are pretty much opposed across the board. So I called the principal this morning to discuss my concerns. She turned the whole conversation around into how short minded I was as it was only the first day and I need to make him do it a few more days before I have the right to make an opinion. I then talked with his teacher who wants him to continue as if he doesn't have to do it none of the boys will want to and it will become a real issue for her. I am encouraging his behavior that if he doesn't want to do something he can just "pretend" to be sick and I won't make him do it. My stand is that I know what we went through last year and never want to put him or us through that again. I normally do not let him "drop out" of anything (this will be the very first time). I am really afraid that if he has to do this it could effect him acamdemically for the remainder of the year. I need him to know that I am on his side and will stand up for him. So DDA. What would you do? I am letting (making) him participate today and will reevaluate tonight, but do you think that I am making a big deal out of nothing? By the way, Chris, as well as my Mom, Dad and SIL all agree that we should not make him do this as they already see the stomach aches and not wanting to go to school as a problem that could persist. I really need your advice.

Thank you for reading my rantings.

Deb

Katrina had the same issues in 3rd grade. She had stomachaches all the time. With the help of the teacher, we realized it was her "best friend" causing her stress level. She has had it off and on through the years as well for different reasons but when it starts to come on, we know it is stress related. Anything new for her was very stressful.

Like you, I also did not believe in letting her out of things. However, what we ended up doing is telling her that she had to participate for a certain period of time. We told her that after that amount of time, we would consider letting her out of it if we really felt that she had tried to participate and work through her issues. We would do everything in our power to make that time very enjoyable for her. Practicing at home, watching videos of the same type of activity, etc.

Sometimes, it worked and she would really end up enjoying whatever had been causing the stress. Sometimes we would have to pull her from the activity. She is now 20 years old and only this last couple of months has learned how to relieve her own stress and stick through on everything she starts.

I guess I would do the same thing in your situation. Give him a timeframe that he has to give it a true try. Let him know that if he is still truly stressed about it that you will approach the principal and teacher about not making him participate. Make sure he understands that in the mean time, he has to give it 100% effort. Practice the steps, participate in class, etc. If at the end of the week, it is still really stressing him out. Go to the principal and teacher again.

For kids like this, I don't feel that one day is truly enough time to measure whether they can get through it. Katrina would make herself so physically sick worrying about it before hand that it took several days of participating before she would relax enough to find out whether it was just her "worrying" about the unknown or whether it was going to be a continued stresser.

for him and you in the mean time!

 

[ReAnSt]

This was so cute I just had to share, especially with all of the stories of crazy things that boys do. This is not mine but it is from one of the Chicken Soup books.

Becky


The Littlest Girl Scout
By Erica Orloff

I admit it. I'm not cut out to be a soccer mom.

I'm not class mom material, either.

I don't bake homemade chocolate chip cookies. I don't even boil water. In
fact, when my daughter, Alexa, was in kindergarten, as part of a "Why I Love My
Mommy" Mother's Day project, her teacher asked her to name her "favorite dish"
that Mom cooks.

"I don't have one," she said.

"Oh sweetheart, there must be something your mother cooks that you love; a
special dinner; your favorite dessert?"

"My mommy doesn't cook."

"She must make something," her increasingly desperate teacher insisted,
"Jell-O?"

After lengthy consideration, my daughter listed "cereal."

So it was with much trepidation that I recently learned Alexa wanted to be a
Brownie.

I am a mom who is great at making up stories, singing off-key songs at bedtime
and remembering the names of every Pokemon. But with three kids, a dog, a
rabbit, a parrot and a veritable aviary of finches, life in our household is
disorganized at best. Dinner is a haphazard affair, clothes always need ironing
and shirts missing buttons are given safety pins in their stead. I flunked home
economics in high school. Clearly, I did not have the makings of a
Brownie-badge-earning mom.

"Are you sure?" I asked, trying to mask my dread. Her delighted "yes" sealed my
fate.

I made it through the camping trip, even through crafts - though our potholders
were decidedly ragged-looking. Then came the year's highlight: the cookie
sale. Mentally, I counted my immediate family. I figured they were good for
about ten boxes. I'd buy a few as well. That brought Alexa to a total of
fifteen boxes or so - not too shabby.

Her dad picked her up after the cookie sale meeting. Horrified, I watched as
they struggled through the door with six CASES of cookies. Cases!

After coming to, I managed to sputter, "What's all this?"

"Her cookies," my husband answered. "Each girl is assigned six cases to sell."

"But what if we can't sell all these?"

"We bring them back," he said. "No big deal."

"Oh no, Mommy!" Alexa cried out. "We have to sell them all. We just have to!
The troop will make fun of me if I don't. One of the other Brownies told me that
last year, not one girl brought back any cookies."

Apparently, we were going to be hitting up Grandma for a lot more than the four
boxes I had mentally sold to her.

After ten days of ferocious selling, we had managed to sell a case and a half.
Cookies were stacked in my home office from floor to ceiling - or at least
that's how I remember it. I dreamed at night of Thin Mints chasing me down dark
alleys.

After four more days of selling, we still had four cases of cookies.

Then came one of those days that happen to moms like me - moms whose kids never
have matching socks and whose kids' toothbrushes end up being chewed by the dog
or falling into the toilet.

On that particular day, the dog jumped in the lake after a duck. The duck
escaped, but my dog resembled the Creature from the Black Lagoon. One dog bath,
one muddy mom and thirteen towels later, the dog was clean. But my two-year-old
son had been suspiciously quiet during the whole ordeal. In fact, all the hairs
on the back of my neck were standing on end. Even more than kitchen
pot-banging, TV blaring and loud bickering, all moms dread "the silence."

You know . . . that silence.

"Alexa," I said, emerging from the bathroom, mud clinging to my hair, "where's
your brother?"

"I dunno."

I went tearing through the house. Was he coloring on my bedroom walls again?
No.

I raced to the kitchen. Spilling cereal on the floor? No.

He must be in his room. Was he climbing on top of his dresser pretending to be
Superman again? Not there.

"Nicholas!" I called out. Then, fearing my computer keyboard was being covered
in apple juice, I ran to my office.

There sat Nicholas, surrounded by sixty-one opened boxes of Girl Scout cookies.

In fact, he had the cellophane for the next pack in his teeth, attempting to
bust open another box. Thin Mints, Peanut Butter Buddies and Shortbread Dreams,
or whatever the heck they're called, were splayed from one end of the room to
the other. Cookies were crushed beneath his chubby little feet, and crumbs
covered his rosy cheeks.

"Cookies!" he squealed.

As I wrote out a check for over $250 dollars worth of Girl Scout cookies, I came
to the realization that I am most definitely not a Brownie mom.

But my son? He's the hero of Troop 408.