This Just in (or Would That be Out?)

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Shoes

This afternoon I received a call from the school nurse.  She quickly assured me that everything was fine (the first words out of anyone’s mouth from the school when they call.  It only took one time of them calling and not first saying that for me to freak out and immediately assume they were calling because Cody had a seizure.)  Cody was in the nurse’s room and asking to be parent pick-up at the end of the day.  His tooth was loose and he was worried that it would fall out on the bus.

The tooth in question has been very loose for over two weeks.  He lost his first front tooth  on his birthday two weeks ago while we were on vacation in Tucson.  The Tooth Fairy was prepared and had brought a golden one dollar coin in anticipation of said event.  She was not, however, prepared for two teeth to fall out while we were out of town and lucky for her that was not to be.

So today, I put away my math homework a little early and drove in to pick up Cody.  He was home for less than an hour when it fell out.  The first thing he did, after we got the blood flow to stop, was to practice saying words with the “th” sound.  He could pronounce them just fine.  I think he was a bit disappointed.

Tonight he is going to put the tooth under his pillow.  He has written a letter to The Tooth Fairy telling her that this time, for the first time ever, she is allowed to take his tooth.  I wonder if he is expecting to get more than just one golden coin since he is parting with his tooth.  I suppose that may be worth two coins.

His smile, while lacking in teeth, is that of a boy who is healthy, happy, and beautiful.  I love it.  I love him.  My seven year old with the double gap in his smile.

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Snippets of Life

Posted on April 26, 2013 by Shoes

I am tired and my mind is not really wanting to do this writing thing.  I fear that if I don’t push myself every now and again to create something more than math homework and history papers I will forget how to be creative.  So…

I write snippets – fragments of conversations, silly phrases, and moments of shining brilliance – that come out of Cody and Carter’s mouths.  I write them on strips of paper that reside next to the phone on the kitchen counter.  I keep telling myself that I will come up with a clever way to make a blog post out of them but instead they get splattered with bacon grease, splashed by wayward milk that has more important things to do than get poured into a glass, or simply lost in the shuffle of the other bits of paper that I occasionally scoop up in a fit of cleaning and toss in the recycle bin.  There are only a few remaining and I thought that perhaps I should share them with you, and at the same time preserve them for the future, before they too end up lost to a pancake batter catastrophe or an exploding yogurt container.

1 – Cody:  Excuse me!  I give him a funny look and ask him if he had burped or farted.  He shakes his head and says, It was a silentbadeenah (when pronounced it rhymes with ” Silent I seen ya”  which I know is not proper English but that is really nether here nor there in this discussion.  Also when he said it, he ran all the syllables together so it was one big long gibberish sounding word.)  I asked him to repeat himself at least three times but just could not get what he was trying to tell me.  Finally, exasperated, he says, You know, a fart that is quiet but nasty.  A silentbadeenah.  Oh.  Yes.  A silent but deadly.  Got it.

2 – me:  Cody, why do you have your hand in your pants!  I know this is really a question that one day I will not want to hear the answer to but at this point, I think it is still a relatively safe one to ask.  He answers, I have an itch on my bladder.

3- I was making Carter a peanut butter and honey sandwich the other day (his favorite) and asked what kind of peanut butter he wanted.  (At our house you are in one of two camps when it comes to peanut butter, that of the deliciously smooth or that of the nasty chunky type.  Except for Carter, who likes both.)  He thought about my question for a little while and then said, Momma, I would like the flat peanut butter, not the lumpy one.

4- Carter:  Momma, momma!  I am being an even bigger boy.  I’m not even using the seat when I sit to go poop!  What?!?  I walk into the bathroom to discover Carter perched on the toilet, the lid and seat both up and Carter proudly taking care his bathroom needs “big boy style”.  (This one was a while ago, at the end of the seemly never ending potty training days.)

5- And one last one in the form of a poem that Cody devised one weekday morning several months ago.

Poppa’s coffee begins to perk,
And Poppa will soon be leaving for work.

There you go.  In between our family trip to Tucson, registering for my graduate classes, writing a history paper about the Jack Benny program, studying for the state required WEST-E test, the planning of both Cody and Carter’s birthday parties, and the writing of my third article for the newspaper, I give you this.  Snippets of our lives.

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The Worst Day of My Life

Posted on April 16, 2013 by Shoes

Today is Cody’s seventh birthday. I wrote last year about his birth story, of being born way too early, of doing so much more than surviving, and of changing my life forever. If you have not read it, please do. It is, he is, a little piece of my soul. In the post, simply replace any references to his age of six, with seven. Time. It marches on.

Shoes's avatarShoes On The Wrong Feet

Six years ago today our first child was born.  It was an emergency C-section.  I was twenty-six weeks pregnant.  We ended up at the hospital because I had spotting and intense lower back pain.  The nurse on the phone did not sound too concerned but told us we should go in and be seen.

I was almost fully dilated, forty minutes later when we arrived at the hospital.  Fetal monitors were hooked up and while the nurse went off to find someone to catheterize me (to get a blood free urine sample) my water broke.  Only I did not know what had happened, I just knew it was not good.  I grabbed Husband’s hand and in a voice filled with fear and panic I told him something happened!  Husband ran out into the hallway and called out something happened! and the fear and panic that was in my voice was…

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Posted in Random Thoughts | 4 Comments

Simple Sunday – Catnip, a Gateway Drug?

Posted on April 14, 2013 by Shoes

Earlier this week I splurged and bought the cats an all natural catnip filled hemp mouse.  Delilah chewed on it, batted it around, and then went and took a nap.  Bleu, however, just would not stop.

Catnip Induced Collage 2

I hope I have not opened the door to full on drug use by introducing him to catnip.  I fear that one day I may walk into a room and find him hunkered over a ripped apart catnip toy, its contents neatly lined up on a mirror, and Bleu with a straw up to his nose.

Posted in Furry Feet (and fish) | Tagged , , , , , | 17 Comments

Bioluminescence and a Badge for Beating up a Hippo

Posted on April 9, 2013 by Shoes

Over a lunchtime bowl of mac and cheese, Carter and I got to talking about what he wanted to be when he grew up.  It was a toss up between a botanist and a garbage man.

The conversation started with him asking me if glowing seaweed was indeed real (he had watched an underwater themed Scooby Doo episode earlier in the morning while I finished reading chapter 23 in my US History textbook).  I informed him that, it was not so much the seaweed that glowed but tiny organisms like plankton or algae on the seaweed that glowed and that it was called bioluminescence.  He was awestruck at the thought of it so I went on to tell him stories from my childhood, stories about his Grandpa who studies marine biology and taught middle and high school science classes.

I told him about the large salt water tank in the back of my dad’s classroom that was usually filled with flora and fauna from the Puget Sound that he and his students collected, observed, and released throughout the school year.  I told him about the octopus my dad was called in to save.  It had gotten itself stuck in a tide pool and some lady walking by saw it and was worried it could not make it back to the water.  My dad filled up a large garbage can with water and keep that multi-legged fellow in the front of his classroom for a day or two before releasing it back into the water near where it was found.

Carter ate and listened.  Then he asked if there were people who studied plants.  I went on to tell him way more than he probably ever wanted to know about botany.  He perked up when I told him that when a scientist finds a new plant or animal, sometimes they get to give that newly discovered form of life a name.

carter:  If I find a new flower I will name it Carter Family Flower.  Or maybe Crazy Head Flower, I don’t know which one!

We talked about how he would have to go to school to learn all about plants so he could be a well informed botanist.  He thought about it a moment and then told me that, no, he would rather be a trash man.  I told him that was a very important job too.

carter:  I am going to be the best trash man ever!  I am going to clean up the whole entire universe!! (Insert grandiose hand gestures here to express the vast size of the work he has chosen to do.)

I nodded solemnly and told him that the universe needed someone like him to clean it up.  Then as an after thought I asked him why he wanted to be a trash collector.  He told me that when trash men do a really good job they get a badge.  And he wanted a badge.  So much for altruism.

A badge.  Really?  The wheels in my head started turning as I thought of what this could mean.  I don’t like the idea of bribing Carter to do his chores, he is part of the family and is expected to help out, but he does have a very quick temper and sometimes gets destructive or physical.  It is something he (and I) have been dealing with, mostly unsuccessfully, for quite some time.   Maybe if he got a Better Behavior Choice Badge for when he hits his stuffed hippo and not his brother or rips up some newspaper instead of tearing apart his wall calendar, he would be able to get a handle on his temper.  I would be happy and he would be happy.

And he would get that coveted badge.

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Simple Sunday – Happy Birthday to Me!!

Posted on April 7, 2013 by Shoes

Thirty-nine years.

Happy Birthday to Me

All the moments
All the people who have been a part of them
All the ups
All the downs
They all have made me who I am today.

And for that I am glad.

Posted in Simple Sunday | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments

College and Columns

Posted on April 1, 2013 by Shoes

Today is the first day of school.  I need two classes (US History and Mathematics for Elementary Teachers) and must take one more big scary test before I can officially breath, knowing I will indeed be able to start the Master’s of Education coursework this summer.

In less than a week I will boldly be staring down the last year of my thirties.  Some days I feel too old to start over, to recreate myself.  Some days I am beyond excited by this new chapter in my book of life.  Some days I simply wonder where the time has gone.

Routines will change for everyone.  I hate the idea of not being there for the boys.  I have lined up daycare during the two days I have class this spring.  For Cody there will be little change, he will get on the bus at a different stop once a week.  But for Carter I will see little of him during those morning and he will be getting on the bus for preschool at a friend’s house.

Our awesome babysitter, who is a Junior in high school this year, has decided to take on the task of watching both boys for the long summer days, Monday through Thursday, when I will be on campus immersed in the master’s program from 8-4.  Fridays I imagine I will have papers to write and tests to study for so she may have them on those day too.

I have not figured out how Cody will get to his physical therapy, perhaps Husband’s work can be flexible.  Swim lessons may have to sink.  Meal planning will have to be the rule and I doubt I will have time to make muffins or cookies.

I can not even think about Cody having a seizure somewhere while in the care of someone else.  Just the act of typing that brings me to tears and makes my throat choke up.  I can barely get through one of his episodes while I am there to comfort him, how will I get through not being there at all?

Today is also the day my second article runs in The News Tribune.  I never thought this exciting opportunity to be published in the pages of a black and white paper, would take second stage.  At this point in my life it has.  And that makes me more than a little sad.  (Here is the link to my first article, in case you missed it.)

I hate to even tell you this but I have even briefly considered telling the newspaper editor that I can’t hack it, that it is simply too much.  But no, I will not do that.

I will take that newspaper column and I will use it as my playground, my space to express my creativity.  I will use it as a place to keep my writing style mine for I fear that all those numerous papers I will be required to write for one class or another will chip away at my writing style.  I don’t think my professors will want poetics and imagery in papers about learning styles or diversity in the classroom.

So I will press on and try not to panic.  I will work hard and accept that not everything will get done in the way it used to get done.

Please remember that I want to keep my blog and identity hush-hush.  I love comments and shares on the newspaper’s website (thank you to those of you that did so on my first article!) but try and refrain from calling me Shoes or mentioning ShoesOnTheWrongFeet.

Posted in Blogging/Writing, On Becoming a Teacher | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 31 Comments

Simple Sunday – Robot

Posted on March 24, 2013 by Shoes

The boys have been wanting to build a robot for quite some time now.  Carter had grand plans for the robot, it would do all his chores and even some of mine.  Cody was more interested in the various components that would go into the creation.

I gave them a large paper bag and told them to fill it with robot parts.  They collected things:  bits of ribbon, empty toilet paper rolls, pages from our day by day calendar, bubble wrap, an old party hat.

Saturday, the day of the robot, Husband and I added a few boxes to their collection and prepared ourselves with rolls of tape.  And then we built.

Robot building 1

The body of the bot was a box from Costco, one of those they put all your items in to make it easier to carry.  Carter wanted rocket boosters, i.e. toilet paper rolls, attached to the back of the robot so Husband carefully cut some slits in the box while the boys supervised.

Robot Building Collage 1

As per Cody’s request, I taped the robot’s heart, i.e. a pizza box, inside the body.  I was also directed to attach floppy ears to either side of the robot’s head.  The boys were quite pleased with the results and took their robot off down the hall to play as if it were their long lost sibling.

When it was lunchtime, the robot was brought over to the table to watch us eat.  It was a little creepy to be stared at by the robot while eating.

Robot Building Collage 2

The robot has not yet been give a name so feel free to chime in with your name ideas.

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Simple Sunday – How to Almost Catch a Leprechaun

Posted on March 17, 2013 by Shoes

It was Carter’s idea.  He wanted to set a trap.  Cody was not as sure, being the big first grader that he is, that Leprechauns even existed but he did not want to be left out of the fun.

Step One:  Locate an Amazon box (Leprechauns are big fans of Amazon and will sometimes catch a ride in an Amazon box to conserve their magical powers of transport.)

Step Two:  Cut the flaps off the box and set them aside to be used as ramps.

Step Three:  Turn the box upside down and cut a smallish hole in the top.  Save the piece of cardboard you have cut out; this will be the trapdoor.

Leprechaun Trap 1

Step Four:  Write something on each flap to alert the Leprechauns that on the top of the box they will find delicious and/or free food.  Place the flaps around the box to make ramps for the little fellows to walk up.

Step Five:  Use magical Leprechaun food to make a trail up the ramps, in this case we used some sort of rather stale breakfast cereal Carter brought home from his preschool class.  There were colorful marshmallows in the mix so if I had to guess, I would say that it was Lucky Charms.

Leprechaun Trap 3

Step Six:  Carefully replace the circular piece of cardboard you reserved as the trapdoor over the smallish hole in the box.  With the greatest of care, place an extra special piece of Leprechaun food on top of the trapdoor.  We used a green marshmallow.

Leprechaun Trap 2

Step Seven:  Go to bed and dream Leprechaun filled dreams.

If all goes according to plan a Leprechaun will sneak into your house, see the trail of food going up the ramp and follow it.  When it gets to the top, it will notice the lovely green marshmallow and rush over to eat it.  The weight of the Leprechaun will cause the trapdoor to fall taking the Leprechaun down with it.

The boys woke up this morning and checked on the trap.  They noticed the food had been eaten and the trapdoor had fallen in.  They ran into our bedroom to tell us that they had caught a Leprechaun!  Unfortunately that was not quite true – our trap had failed.

What we did not expect to happen, but what had happened, was that the Leprechaun built a ladder out of toothpicks and dental floss and escaped.

Leprechaun Trap 4

He must have been in a hurry for he left behind not only his ladder but his small green hat of felt and green glitter.

Happy St Pattys Day

While we did not catch a Leprechaun this year, the boys were pleased that we had captured evidence of the Leprechaun’s existence.

Hope you all have a Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

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Taking Things Too Far

Posted on March 12, 2013 by Shoes

Earlier last week I had the pleasure of taking Carter to the doctor.  He was in need of a couple immunizations before we could get him registered for kindergarten over the weekend.  I explained why Husband and I felt the shots were necessary and that while they hurt a little it was quick and would soon be over.  For a child I don’t think shots are ever quick enough.

It has been quite a while since Carter needed a shot and, while he acted nervous and played the part of a scared child, I think it was mostly for show.  I don’t think he really knew what a shot was.  That is until the first needle went in.  His eyes went wide and he looked at me, startled that I could allow this to happen to him.  Then he got the second shot and the tears started.  The nurse and I had to practically hold him down so as to put the band-aids on.

The nurse murmured her goodbyes and left the room.  Carter did not want hugs nor did he want words of comfort.  He kept his distance from me and did not want to talk about it.  I tried to give him his space which was not all that hard for he stormed out of the room, stomped down the hallway, and outright refused the typical consolation prize of a temporary tattoo from the basket by the door.

He was a storm cloud in size twelve Jedi Sith shoes and a blue puffy jacket.  He refused to hold my hand across the parking lot, yanking his hand out of mine and gripping my jacket sleeve when I told him he needed to hold on to me for safety.  We got to the car, I buckled him in, and took a couple deep breaths before getting in myself.  As soon as I turned the key and the engine came to life, Carter started talking.

carter:  Stanley?  (Stanley is the name of our Subaru and he can only talk while his engine is running, of course.  I should state at this point that for the past several weeks Carter and I have played a game with a troll statue who stands on our fireplace mantle under the cover of leaves of a large potted plant.  The troll and Carter have had wonderful conversations about an array of topics.

Carter and the troll

Here is Carter reading a story to Troll while Troll sports his paper party hat.

For the record, I am the voice of the troll.  I am also the voice of Sock Monkey and, most recently, Stanley the car.  I have been getting a complex about this lately for Carter is quite comfortable talking to Troll, Sock Monkey, and Stanley about things such as Dexter, our dog’s, death, and how he misses Dexter, Rosy and Grandpa, but he rarely talks to me about these things.)

stanley:  Yes?  (Stanley’s voice sounds suspiciously like Sock Monkey’s voice but Carter has not noticed this).

carter:  My arm hurts!  I got two shots and it hurt and it made me sooo mad!  I have two band-aids, one is orange and one is yellow.  Stanley do you get shots sometimes too?

stanley: Nooo, I don’t get shots but just yesterday I hit a pothole in the road and hurt my wheel.

carter:  Immediate sympathy.  Stanley?  Which wheel hurts you?

stanley:  My left front wheel.  It sure does hurt.  I wish I had a band-aid like you.  Did the band-aid make your owie better?

Carter went on to tell Stanley of all that transpired behind the closed door of the doctor’s office.  He confessed that the band-aids did help him to feel better.  Carter then asked me, not Stanley, if when we got home we could put a band-aid on Stanley’s left front wheel.

Carter and Stanley bandaid Collage

And that is how I ended up driving a car around town with a band-aid on the left front wheel.  I have to admit that the band-aid on the wheel came in useful when it was time to remove Carter’s two band-aids.  Stanley was quite brave during the removal (perhaps because his engine was off and therefore he could not scream), making for a good role model for Carter.

I really am all about play and imagination but sometimes I wonder if putting band-aids on car wheels is taking it a bit too far.  What do you think?

Carter and the two bandaids

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