And so it begins

Today is the first day of school for Max. He was pretty excited about going to school today. In fact, he was so excited that he didn't go to sleep last night until around 9:45 pm, so I'm sure you all know how he responded to the 6:30 am wake-up attempt. Not very well. I kept trying to get in his face, so he could read my lips, to remind him that it was the 1st day of school. But it was hard with the dog wanting to also get in his face to lick him, he wouldn't open his eyes for any length of time to get in close. I finally just had to stick the coil on his head announce that it was the 1st day of school AND THEN he was ready to get up. I don't know why my kids are so gung ho about this school stuff.




I give Emily exactly one more day and Max two more school days before they refuse to get out of bed and be in a good mood. Sure they're in high ho spirits now, everything is new: new teachers, new rooms, new classmates (except for Max who is still a master in his harem of females), new backpacks, lunch boxes all new. A few more trips and it will soon become just as old and boring as it was last year. Then they will remember my griping and complaining that school shouldn't be starting yet, that the pool is still out there and summer finally got here last Friday. They'll be wanting to sleep in, stay in pajamas until we put on bathing suits and stay in bathing suits until we put pajamas back on. I don't think any school should open their learning doors until after Labor Day. That's what they did when I was in school and I turned out fine, didn't I? Anyway, when I literally have to drag them out of bed at 6:30 every morning and throw clothes on them and force feed them breakfast, then they'll remember my sad, sad school is starting days and how I griped and complained that it was too early for school.




And so it begins, the 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 hour drive everyday, the gas, the traffic, the freakey drivers, the lunches, the homework, the rush of dinner, the rush of backpack packing, dragging people out of bed, trying to force Miley to do her thang (the outside thing) so I can lock her up before we leave, and the prayers that my children are safe and let their light shine to others. Can you Hear me?



(Believe it or not, this was the mileage on the car when we left the house this morning. I'll have to post the ending mileage on the last day of school.)

I'm MAD at you!!!

I really didn't think this was going to happen but it has. I don't know why I didn't think it would happen with Max, maybe because he was a boy, maybe because he is the baby or maybe because he would feel so indebted to me for giving him life. But he did.

We took Emily to school for her first day yesterday. We (Max and I) then traveled to Wal-Mart to get in some desperately needed grocery shopping since I went to a conference over the weekend. Like everyone else, I don't like taking my kids to the store. They whine and complain and about going, then ask for everything from clothes, to toys, to cereal I would never buy, to candy as the last final hurrah at the checkout. I am more inclined to buy them something when they are not with me as I feel guilty for going without them!!!! Anyway, I only had Max and we went straight to the food section and there it begins. He wants yogurt. O.k. and I pick up the big container of Wally world brand yogurt but no, he doesn't want that yogurt, he wants the little yogurts. Ummmm, no, this yogurt is cheaper and there's a lot more. We get this yogurt or none at all. He then wants string cheese. O.k. string cheese has good nutritional value. He wants Sponge Bob, again no, we will get Cheese Head, more and cheaper. Moving on.........we get to Yogurt Bites. Yogurt bites are bits of yogurt in a crunchy sort of shell like thing. Tastes and reminds me of candy. Max wants yogurt bites. No. I am not buying yogurt bites, we have yogurt. He keeps asking. I keep denying. At this point he hollers, "I AM MAD AT YOU!!!" and storms off. Not too far, just about a 10 foot difference between us.

This shocks me even though I'm thrilled that he is able to tell me specifically what type of emotion he is feeling. So, I tell him, join the club buddy. Your sister's been getting mad at me for awhile too. Can you hear me?

Easter Eggs

The good thing about those plastic easter eggs, is they are great for putting things in and shaking and asking your child to identify which eggs have something in them a' la' Listening Therapy. The bad thing about those easter eggs is you will find them everywhere, you will step on them, your dog will be chewing on them, and they will be hidden around your house until Halloween and you get the Halloween deco out. Can you hear me?

Big Boy Ear vs. Baby Ear, is it working?

O.k. so Max is being a little obnoxious about the newly implanted ear, but only with me. For instance, he has refused to let me work with the new "baby ear". He will however, let his teacher and therapist work with "baby ear" and gives them no problems whatsoever. When I try, he flat our refuses, messes with my head. How does he mess with my head you ask? Picture this. I finally get him to work with me on "baby ear", Hurray! The next morning as we arrive at school he says, "baby ear" not working. Hmmmmm, I look at the processor, yep it's on and the P4 is there, looks good, no flashing lights, etc. I ask him, "Is it working?" He tells me, "not working". Ok. so we go next door to the audiologist. Our audiologist isn't in today, neither is the other cochlear audiologist, soooo someone else gives it a go. She is unable to determine if it is working, other than it appears to be working. After a half-hour, she comes back and says that she thinks it is working and we put it on his ear and remove "big boy ear". I start asking Max questions, nothing. I start doing the ling sounds, nothing. She says his name from behind, nothing. We don't know if it is working or not. Knowing that his teacher checks both processors every morning I haul him over to the school and explain things to her. We take off "big boy ear" and she starts through the ling sounds with just "baby ear" and with her mouth covered. Max repeats all the lings sounds. She asks Max where his dad is and he tells her that his daddy is at work. O.k. "baby ear" is working.

Flash forward to getting home. I ask Max if "baby ear" is working, no response. We take off "big boy ear" and start to go through some pictures in his class book and when I ask, "where's the cat?" he points to something different so fast I can't tell what's going on. We do this a couple of times and then his sister says his name and he looks at her. So I try again, nothing. She says his name again and again he looks at her. I finally give up.

So this morning I ask Max, if "baby ear" is working. "Nope, not working." Luckily, hubby is there and says, "is "baby ear" working?" Max responds, "Yep, "baby ear" working." Hubby asks him a few other questions with "big boy ear" off and Max answers every single one of them. So it is obviously apparent that my son is out to put me in the psych ward for a bit of a vacation. Can you hear me?

First Things First

I know we've been missing lately, blame it on technology with my wonky computer. All is well now, since I have new little mean machine, although I still don't have all my stuff on it.

First things first. We have news!!!!!

Some time ago, I really can't remember when (you really shouldn't expect such things from me) I submitted some funnies for a possible book. Way back in March I received an e-mail stating that "the book" was done and ready for sell. I kind of passed over that e-mail but the next morning went back to get a closer look. Not only was it the book with one of hilarious stories, but Max was on the cover!!!! I have to say I was shocked and surprised!!!! So first things being first, this book needs to be ordered. Here is the link to I Don't Believe My Ears All proceeds from the book go to the Deaf Research Foundation so you might consider ordering one for all your friends too.

O.k. now that the book is out of the way, I want to say that Max is doing fine. New ear is still not caught up with old ear but we're working on it. We are having a little blip in the road, but I'll try to post more about that later when I can wrap my brain around it a little better. One thing that is bothersome and perplexing though, is why he has to put holes in the knees of every single pair of jeans. Can you hear me?