think healthy!!!

I havent had time to write too much lately, wanting to write things that were big or thematic or cohesive or poignant has seemed well, exhausting!

The kids---well we have all had a run of illness, with Casey being the one who finally got all of us out to the beloved 20 miles away doctor with five kids Monday on proclaiming his ear hurt "so so bad". (I am babysitting my 11 month old niece this week and we brought her too, obviously)

So Casey got amoxicillin, Charlies ears were checked and pronounced to be fine, and I REALLY needed her to check me too but after we were so rudely and foolishly and I would venture cruelly ordered out of the fun waiting room with toys and space and dump trucks and a film playing, into the miniscule examination room with two strollers, 3 walking kids and a sick overheated mama--then all went downhill and by the time the good doctor arrived (at LEAST 15 minutes) Charlie was screaming in my arms, and anybody checking me was long forgotten)

But i digress.

Mickey has been cheerful and active lately, playing outside alot, reading with more fluency and comfort, I would say at pretty much an adult speed and comfort level, he fusses and balks at writing stuff but he does do it and I do not have much trouble finding clever ways to get this practice in, hand writing practice that is.

Greta has gone from a kid who did not know what a text or a chat was, to an honest to goodness online girl seemingly overnight thanks to a game called MapleStory. She is all about using the little shortcut words like LOL and THX and BRB as well as a million others. She enjoys the image manipulation and the communication with other kids more than the fighting or leveling up---her favorite thing is to have these long "dilemnas" over which hat or armor or pet sidekick to choose, which will seem cool, which will represent herself to these other kids as cool, its all very interesting. Very much socalization---and yeah I am HEAVILY monitoring all of the chatting, and we have had extensive talks about what info is ok to give out (Age 9, country USA is all we allow) and have had to have more talks about "bad people" who pretend to be kids, etc....it has actually been a good segway for that stuff and she appreciates the info and the grown up undertones of all of it.
She has a kid that lives in England she talks to on the game and one in Toronto. She named her online pet a name from Harry Potter and that was a hit, apparantly. I really like the fact that she is getting to lightly mess with the natural desire to forge her own identity and present it to somewhat of a mixed peer group but in such a "safe" setting, meaning, if you go to school with the "lame" hairdo, it might be over for you literally for the rest of your days...but if your little cyber character wore orange and everyone knows orange is way uncool this week, then hey no harm done, right? Click on green and be done with the whole silly thing. I dont know if this is making sense but to me, 99 percent of my life from age 8-17 involved intense stress over image management and hoping I would survive another day in fashion and beauty heaven and hell whilst trying to live and grow and learn and get an education and be a good daughter and sister and friend and man o man did most of that stuff suck and well....i wish i could have just had the option to be a real girl in my home and read the books i wanted to read and wear the clothes i wanted to wear and form the thoughts that were true to my heart and only had to look hot hip cool supermagehappyluckyawesome when i wanted to---like when i was online choosing to be a 3 inch tall sprite character. But we didnthave this kind of stuff when i was a kid, and the luddite in me is so surprised i am saying this but i think it is great. Great for nowadays. I still think kids *should be* sitting by the creek reading the classics and catching thier own fish with hickory rods they made, sleeping under the stars and knowing how to pump water and follow a compass and befriend the constellations and I can only say that is all still coming for our family...but compared to the mtv hell that most little kids live in right now, i think we are having a good appropriate life.

Casey had his first soccer practice of the season tonight and although it was 47 degrees it felt like 27. My hacking harrowing cough and blue hair did not make me any big mom pals but I did get to talk to a nice Dad who was named Casey and the coachs wife was really nice, too. The coach himself was EXTREMELY nice--i daresay even more upbeat, kid freindly and cheerful and kind than the last coach, whom we adored. Hooray! (Casyes team from fall got dispersed throughout the league when their coach moved away over the winter and we were worried he would get a sucky boring cold new coach but he didnt!!)

Charlie is getting to be more and more like baby Greta was each day---he adores stuffed animal kitties and anything that looks like a cat he will just squeeze and kiss and hug and saw "awwwww teedee (kitty)" and just hug and kiss and pet and love on for long interludes! He also sits and draws and colors---a seveteen month old? He even cares about letters and numbers---he is so gentle and easy and calm...so after 5 or 6 years of recinding all of my utopian (?) ideals about "boys and girls are the same it is how we raise them that makes them evil and wild or gentle and literate".......now I dont know again. I would have to say that people are people again. I hated the idea that boys were wild and wiggly and semi violent until I had two of them who made me sit back and go holy cripes the people werent kidding! "Boys are such and such its all true"but now....here I have a Charlie who is as gentle and tender and artsy and people-focused as the sun is hot----
SO
i will say i have 2 kids that are one way and two kids that are another way and one way is much easier to manage indoors ;) but all are legit and normal and loveable and wow do i really really need a babysitter here and there pretty soon!!!

We need to breakdown and find one in the newspaper. Been saying it for years.

Well so I finally went to an urgent care last night because I have sinusitis and bronchitis and am gonna keel over and i got on Augmentin. I have taken 4 of them now and am waiting to feel better. As of now I cannot walk or talk without intense coughing spasms in which the top of my head feels like it is going to blow right off and i am overcome with dizzyness, a fear i will pop a blood vessel or vomit or worse. So it has been really kind of a wreck lately but what can i do? (this is an actual question and all suggestions will be considered:))

When I am better we will go out again and get more germs...I am sincerely hoping it will break 50 degrees since it is 2 weeks until May....

Tomorrow is the last regular girl scout meeting until the bridging ceremony picnic---how this year flew! Greta's best friend is going to do the driving which Iam eternally grateful for with the sickness and the babysitting I was DREADING this huge trip. Greta is going to be spending Saturday and sleeping over their house, too, it looks like! Im so happy for her!

Friday is campfire scouts field trip to one of our fave local small nature centers but I dont know if i will be well enough to take the five kids if it is cold outside...it could go all smooth and sweet, but if both the babies start pooping and screaming and dont want to ride in the stroller, etc etc I am screwed. (This was me at the humane society field trip, and I dont want to repeat it anytime soon....8 month old, 13 month old, neither can walk, both have poo diapers, both crying, Mickey telling me it smells it smells it smells Casey chatting quietly and incessantly about who knows what, Greta thinking somehow that we are shopping around for a dog or something ?!?!?!?! no elevators so no double stroller ma'am so i CARRIED the 2 babies in my arms....no no no no no)

ok
I think this will all be much more amusing when i am no longer so sick so i will log off and hit the hay for tonight.

I dedicate this entry to my beautiful husband and all his fantastic homecooked meals (him and Casey and Mickey made croutons for the salad--made in the oven---last night--that just blew me away) and cheery energetic attitudes and speedy amazing cleaning powers while I have been recooperating. His wonderful attitude has breezed into this house every night and been so good for the children. Thank you!!!!!!