We’ve had a little daycare-related drama recently. Last Thursday, when I picked Max up from school, there was a note on his daily sheet saying “Max was hitting a lot this afternoon.” I was not pleased. We had a talk about how we treat our buddies and being nice on the way home. I hoped that was the end of it. Sadly, no. On Friday, we were told he had bitten one of his friends. I was heartbroken. My sweet little boy wasn’t being sweet anymore. What gives? When we got home, I burst into tears, much to Max’s alarm.
“Mom? What happened?”
“Mom’s sad, baby.”
“Why you are sad, Mom?” (sic)
“Because it makes me sad when you get in trouble.”
Needless to say, I showed up at school on Monday feeling very anxious. Turns out, he was good. Ms. Tara said he was perfect all day. I told her we’d had a big talk about it, which he’d evidently told her as well.
“Did he tell you I cried?” I asked.
“No, but he said he was going to be good so his mom would be happy.”
Little sweetheart.
Archive for April, 2008
Why I’m not selling Max to the gypsies
Tuesday, April 29th, 2008Sick of the sickness
Thursday, April 24th, 2008Theo and I are home today, not because the powers that be awarded me a much-deserved day off, but because he got booted from daycare for a 103 temp yesterday and can’t go back for 24 hours. I’m definitely enjoying our time together. We’ve cleaned the house a great deal, including getting the basement picked up for Aunt Emmy, who’s moving in tonight, and pulling up the dead stuff in my windowboxes in preparation for spring planting. He also helped me buy the perfect sundress for Costa Rica. The young man’s taste is impeccable. However, I’ve just about had it with the Sheldon family being sick all the time. We had a hell of a winter, culminating when Theo’s eardrum perforated and snotty pus stuff oozed out, so I was really looking forward to spring and the advent of healthier times. Then last week, Max climbed to the top of the playground structure at daycare, laid down and went to sleep. When his greatly alarmed teacher (unresponsive 2 year old on the playground, you’d wig out, too) checked his temperature, it was 102. He looked like a dishrag when we brought him home, but never developed any symptoms besides fever. I even sent him to the doctor the next day for a throat culture, just in case it was strep, but it was just a virus. A virus he gleefully passed on to his baby brother. Unfortunately, Dan is out of town this week, so I stayed home with the T-Bird. He’s still his sweet little self, perhaps a bit sleepier. I’d like to think that this is it for a while on the boys getting sick, but at this point that doesn’t seem likely.
What’s New?
Sunday, April 13th, 2008First off, not me. While back in Boston for Theo’s baptism and the Otherworld benefit ball, I received a very powerful reminder of who the old me is. Kristi had put together a presentation featuring quotes from staff members regarding what we love about each other. The one about me mentioned my contagious enthusiasm and consistent good nature. Oh yeah, I remember that girl. The one I haven’t been for about nine months now. Then Pastor Pam instructed us in her sermon on Sunday to “remember who you are.” Finally, on returning to work Monday morning, the church sign at 93rd and Pulaski that I always check for its pithy quotes said “Attitudes are contagious. Is yours worth catching?” Message received. So my current priority is on being the old me. My soul just got a makeunder, because the new, toxic, cranky me was not panning out as well as one might have expected.
As for my babies, they’re growing fast and furious. Theo can now stand on his own for as long as he cares to, though he hasn’t taken many steps yet (just one as far as I know). He was proud enough of this accomplishment to climb onto one of the kid-sized chairs in the living room and stand up on that. Showoff. He looked kind of like a prairie dog popping his little head up high to look around. We promptly ushered him off the chair, and then I tried to recreate the scene to take a picture of it, safety be hanged! In other news, Max has now peed in his potty twice! Both times I invited him to sit on his potty and then busied myself with other things, so I think he prefers to go when the pressure’s off. The first time, he went into the bathroom by himself and came out a few minutes later announcing “I’m done!” Sure you are, thought I, on to the next activity. It was only half an hour later when I went to use the bathroom that I discovered he truly had done something. There was much celebration and rewarding with jellybeans, topped off with a call to Grandma and Granddad (his idea) to leave a message on their voicemail, “Hi Grandma Daddad I peed the potty got a jellybean. I love you. Bye.” Thank God the end of diapers is actually starting to come into view. I thought we’d never get there.
Also in other small tidbits: I got a new treadmill in the hopes of getting some exercise on a regular basis. It’s shiny and fancy and I like it a great deal.
We’re going to Costa Rica in May, which will be my first vacation since September. I cannot wait. I really need the break, and I will not make the mistake of spacing my vacations so far apart next year. Also, the boys got their passports, which are too cute for words, particularly Theo’s “you’re taking me where?” face in the photo.
I’m almost a senior resident. This intern year has flown by, and I can’t wait for it to be over. I don’t kid myself that being one step up from the bottom of the totem pole is going to solve all my problems, but I’ve been assured that quality of life goes up with the onset of second year. July 1st, everybody. Just keep me in your thoughts until then.
Finally, if you’re reading this, you’re most likely a loved one of mine. Please know that you are in my heart all the time. Updates with news, recommendations, or random thoughts are always appreciated, even if I don’t write back as much as I’d like. I would love to hear from everybody, and hopefully you’ll be hearing more from me as the sun comes out, both literally and figuratively, here in Chicago.