A TRIP TO THE ZOO

We went to the zoo yesterday and took my nephew Logan with us. My lower back was absolutely killing me but I don't like breaking promises to my children so I grinned and beared it. Elijah cracks me up. He is the kid that would rather watch National Geographic, Animal Planet or the Discovery Channel and he learns so much it is almost scary!! We'll walk to an animal and Logan would ask something and Elijah would start a small speech about each animals "natural predators", eating habits, habitat....and the list could go on and on. He says he wants to be a zookeeper and "a" Steve Irwin one day. Guess we'll see!

PRIMPING TO RENEW MY LICENSE

Some people get all dressed up for work. Some people prepare long hours for school tests. Me, I am preparing to renew my license tomorrow. I went to get the tags for two of our vehicles last Friday when the tag agent woman (I don't really know what else they are called) informed me my drivers license expired the 31st of March and there is no grace period. It was Friday and I was off work and running late as usual so I looked like hell and there was no way I was getting my picture taken then. I mean really the license last years I am going to have to look my best! You all know how people make fun of license pics - not mine!! So for about 3 weeks I've been driving with no license without even realizing it. I probably wouldn't have noticed for months if she hadn't pointed it out. Surprisingly I haven't been pulled over which is so unreal with my crazy luck. I would be the one to not get a ticket until I have no license and then be hauled off to jail! I shouldn't be saying this since I still have to actually drive the kids to school and to the tag agency in the morning. I've been trying to decide which of my outfits make me look my smallest and my best. Anyway I was laughing at myself which I do quite often because I am making a whole lot more out of this than is needed. BUT then I had a really funny thought. Last year I had lost my license and had to go get a new one. They asked if all the info was still correct and I said yes. I mean don't I look like I weigh the same as I did when I was 20!!! Umm.....NO!! This is where the funny thought comes in: Imagine I work at a tag agency and a large 400lb woman comes in to renew her license which says she weighs 160lb. I ask the woman if all the info is still correct and she says yes. My reply would HAVE to be "Girl you know you do NOT weigh 160lbs. We might be able to pull off about 240lbs here but I can't in good conscience say 160lbs. Come on now!" This is when I would lose my job!!! I was literally laughing at myself - they say laughter is healthy I must be the picture of health (HA). Then comes the point where I wanted to cry. What if they really said that to me? I would absolutely die. So do I reveal the magic number tomorrow or stick with my 20 yr old weight. The weight on my drivers license now is about 60 lbs less than what I weigh and I've recently lost 20lbs so it was more than that. What if the attendant doesn't feel she can pull off the lie? I would die of embarrassment! What if she calls me on it? Now I have got to find the outfit that makes me look the absolute smallest I can look! I am going to search now and practice my smile! Just kidding well about the practicing the smile part I have that down! Man I crack myself up!! So watch the news in case they have a story about a mad fat woman who killed a tag agent worker for a smart remark about her weight - that would be me!!!

MY CHLAMYDIA?!?!

This crazy Oklahoma weather is about to just drive me nuts. I am so ready to plant flowers and I can't yet. Well if I want them to live I'll wait. I have also been upset that my chlamydia haven't returned this year like they are supposed to. WHAT? Yes I thought these really pretty plants I planted last year were called chlamydia. No I do not have nor have I ever had chlamydia or any STD for that matter. My hiding or I guess dead plants are actually caladiums. But I bet the people I've told about my chlamydia are rather concerned or think I am a complete idiot! Imagine my friends' reactions when I've told them I am UPSET my chlamydia hasn't returned because I thought it was supposed to come back each spring! HAHAHAHA!

SANJAYA

Just a little note to all the boy crazy little girls who consistently voted for Sanjaya:
Thank you for finally realizing although Sanjaya seems lovable, the boy can not sing and American Idol is after all a SINGING competition!!! And thank you to the hairstylist that chopped his mop, well at least part way!! Sanjaya is gone - Oh happy day, O happy day......!!!!
Did you all know Melinda Doolittle went to Union High School? One of her best friends is Elijah's Spanish teacher so we get to see the "Vote for Melinda Doolittle" van everyday!!! She really brings tapes of Melinda's performances to show the kids so now Elijah calls Melinda "My Spanish teacher's brown friend".

INTUITION

You know the feeling down deep. The one voice every human has. We've all heard it. We've all ignored it. Now is the time to follow your heart, your intuition. The doctors don't always hear our voice but we must make ourselves heard. Too many times we are told everything is ok, just wait it out, your just being over protective, he's a late bloomer........ Make them listen. I recently watched the Oprah show about autism based off a documentary from Autism Speaks and it really brought to light how important a mother's intuition is and how we shouldn't give up. All too often instead of looking deeper into the problem it gets put off until it can no longer go ignored. This is true about many things in life but when it comes to our children we have to be their advocate. For instance for months and months I thought my son should see an ENT not only because of the constant ear infections but because I didn't think he was hearing me like he should. I switched pediatricians (for a completely different reason) and I really like the new one and trust his judgment. I do not blame him but I will blame myself if he ends up with permanent hearing loss for not following my mother's intuition. The sinking feeling in my stomach, the constant voice in my head telling me to just take him to an ENT and get another opinion. I know everyone will tell me it isn't my fault but it is my fault for not making my concerns heard. I am trying to be positive and hoping and praying for the best outcome possible but seriously how could I not be partially to blame. I know three people with Autistic children and they kept telling the doctor something wasn't right (I know my son getting tubes and his hearing loss is nothing when compared to parents raising children with autism or other disorders but just stick with me here!). They always got the cookie cutter responses and it took several doctors to finally get a diagnosis. Now they all play the what if game and man let me tell you it is the hardest game you will ever play in life. Everyone says get past it and move on with your life which we all must do but when your child is the one that's suffering let's see how well you deal with it. Autism Spectrum Disorder is such a broad disorder and so little is known about it like the cause, a definate treatment, or a cure. Just because I know people affected by the disorder I have recently been trying my hardest to learn about it and get involved like I never thought I would. Autism Speaks is an amazing organization trying to find answers to all the unanswered questions. They have a documentary out called Autism Everyday that I think everyone should see. You get to see how common Autism is but how it affects each family in a different way. You can see it at Autismspeaks.org. They also have letters to congress you just fill out your personal info and it sends letters to request support for EPIAA and funding for the Combating Autism Act. It is really easy just enter the information and click on submit. The letter is already written for you. How easy is that!! Wish school papers were that easy! Don't get me wrong I love my new pediatrician and there are amazing doctors out there that will listen to patients or their parents. There are plenty of doctors that really care about the people they treat BUT it is your job to find those doctors for your family and don't settle for less!!! If you don't get the treatment you think you deserve then move on and this doesn't apply to when you just don't get what you want - don't be psycho mommy just wanting drugs for your baby!! FOLLOW YOUR INTUITION! And if you don't believe me but you'll believe Opray she says FOLLOW YOUR INTUITION! Great minds think alike! Haha! Love ya'll! This is White Oprah signing off - I think I need my own show! You think this was bad wait till I get started on welfare reform. J/K

DUH!!!

We've been searching for new health insurance so tonight we met with a very nice but not so bright gentlemen about health insurance and I HAVE to tell you something he said. This is NO joke! He was asking about recent surgeries for an example of the coverage with his insurance and get what he said. Ok so I tell him I had my appendix removed in January (I didn't mention the ovary and tumor they also removed so as far as he knew at the time it was a simple appendectomy) and he SERIOUSLY asked me what he thought MY odds were for having that surgery REPEATED. WHAT??? I said, "My odds would be NONE since humans only have one appendix and now mine is gone!!" And everyone who knows me knows I said it really snotty! Seriously dude get a clue! NEXT!

COCOON

Well because of his new obsession, bugs, Elijah got a bug house for Easter. He has about twenty rolie polies and six caterpillars. Saturday he started yelling at me to come in his room because there was a fuzzy white thing growing on one of the leaves. I told him it was a cocoon and he was excited about the upcoming butterfly even though with our luck it will be a moth. I told him we needed to look on the internet to see if we needed to do anything special for the cocoon and his reply was "Yea we need to go to bug.com". Isn't that cute! He thinks you just type in whatever you want then "dot com". Anyway we searched the internet to no avail and found absolutely nothing about what to do just how to identify your caterpillar. So we went out to eat and when we returned the second caterpillar was starting to make his cocoon. It was very exciting for us so we filmed it. He called it "never before seen rare footage". I told him Animal Planet would love it which I never should've said because now he wants to go there with the video. It was very interesting we could actually see him making the cocoon! I eventually went cross-eyed and got tired of the 25 minute "exciting" footage so we stopped. I told my mom we taped it for two hours and she can't wait to watch the intriguing dvd I am preparing for her! Payback! Well we now have three cocoons and no idea what if anything we need to do with them and how long before they turn into a moth or butterfly but you all know I'll let you know unless Mommy gets tired of hearing about it!!!

IN HEAVEN

Yes it is yet another Elijah story but it is REALLY sweet. The other day my mom took the boys to the park and was pushing them on the swings when Elijah said, "Meme you are the greatest meme in the whole wide world!" She said modestly but happy "Thank you!" He continued to talk like always, "When you die don't worry because you will always live in my heart!" My mom started to cry and then he said, "And when you get to heaven don't worry just wait I'll meet you there and we can be together for always!" My mom was crying harder now and thought it was the sweetest thing ever. How sweet is that! Sometimes I wonder if he loves her more than me or maybe she is just better at spoiling him! I worry how he would be if something actually happened to her. It sounds bad to think about but I don't know what I would do and he has seen my mom almost everyday since he was 6 mos old. They are VERY attached!! My mom is the greatest mom on Earth and my only hope is that my boys love, admire and appreciate me as much as I do her because that would be the greatest gift. If he only knew how much he has taught me about life when it's really my job to teach him. I was told when I was 21 that I would not be able to have children and that was a very difficult thing to swallow. So imagine my "surprise" when I found out I was pregnant the first time and then the second. God gave me the two most precious gifts a woman can have and I need to think about that when they drive me nuts!! Seriously they make my day and I love watching them with their father but I wish I could show them to the doctor who said I couldn't have kids but he has since moved out of state. Things that make you say hmmmm.! This cute story got kinda long and off track but that is true Angie fashion.

THE BUNNY DOESN'T FALL FAR FROM THE TREE

This will only be humorous if you read "The Devious Easter Bunny" first. We planned a no black jelly bean Easter! Sad but true! My mom searched for them with no luck!! But like my mother I had a plan of my own to get my favorite Easter candy. I bought Elijah a solid chocolate Easter bunny and sadly I will have to eat it because he totally hates chocolate. Too bad - haha! We had a really good but crazy Easter. We went to two church services, family lunch at my mom's and had our Easter egg hunt that we love!! It was a long day! We ended up with 10 grandkids and about 350 easter eggs to hide because everyone showed up with eggs this year. Where do you hide 350 eggs? You don't! Eventually we had to just throw them in the yard because we ran out of hiding places in the front and back yard. Elijah was proud of all the hidden treasure he found but he doesn't eat candy. Sometimes we wonder if he is truly our child because he just won't eat candy. I guess it is a good thing just rather odd that a child of ours doesn't like candy or any sweets for that matter. Isaiah on the other hand will eat absolutely anything in sight so we know he is ours!! Isaiah was really into the egg hunt this year so that made it even more fun! And of course I couldn't wait to get home and do the myspace Easter slideshow. How pathetic and addictive is that??!?!?!

FINALLY!

Isaiah got RSV when he was 9 mos old and ever since then it has been just one thing after another with that boy - things that aren't even related but that is when everything began! In the past 11 mos, Isaiah has had 10 ear infections and they are getting harder and harder to cure and of course he gets diarrhea with all antibiotics so then he gets diaper rash. I feel sorry for the poor kid because I am sure he is more sick of it than I am. Well today we went to see an ENT named Dr. Vaidya and he was an amazing doctor. He was great at explaining everything and really good with Isaiah who by the way has screamed at every doctor since he went through the whole RSV deal. I do mean scream!! Isaiah didn't even wimper there even at the hearing test and ear pressure test (I don't know the actual name!). Isaiah will be getting tubes in his ears and his adenoids removed on May 1!! I know it may sound odd to want your child to go through that but I can't wait for my baby to feel better. It makes me sad to think that all this pressure in his ears has been causing him pain even if it isn't infected! He has significant hearing loss that the doctor "hopes" will be recovered! On the ear pressure test his line was completely flat which to my understanding means his ear drum is not even vibrating enough to register because of all the fluid in his ear. He said his hearing test results were right on the verge of what will normally be recovered and that which is often permanent. However he said he would be worried about it more if he was older because hearing test results are not as reliable at his age because they may not turn their head when they first hear the noise instead they may wait until it annoys them which totally fits his personality. He said we won't know for sure until he gets the tubes and gets a little older for some other hearing tests. I've wondered for awhile if he might have trouble hearing especially when he has an ear infection. If he isn't facing me then I can call his name about ten times before he turns around but again he is very stubborn so he could just be ignoring me and that is what I want to believe right now! Plus when he has an ear infection he doesn't speak as clear which could be the case for any child but he doesn't talk as well as Elijah did at this age but then comes the fact that each child is different. He is also a REALLY loud child which he said is because everything sounds muffled to him so he has to be loud to hear himself - how sad is that. Basically I am trying to be hopeful that he has no permanent damage but I always have my best friend in mind because her son had the same problem with the doctor sending her to an ENT much later than he should have and he still has some hearing loss. I am trying really hard to be hopeful because right now I could easily go the other way! The funny part is every parent wants their kid to do their best well I was doing just that in the hearing test like it was some kind of competition. He was sitting on my lap and I heard the noise when it started. He wouldn't turn his head until it was kinda loud but the whole time in my head I was thinking "just turn your head, come on turn your head, please hurry". For now I am believing everything is going to turn out for the better and hope the doctor's prediction for better sleep in Isaiah's future will come true!!!

He missed me!

My sister and her husband went to Las Vegas this past week and my mom watched their 3 yr old son Logan for four days. After the first night my mother seriously requested Elijah stay with Logan to make him more comfortable since he was asking my dad to drive him to Las Vegas unless Elijah stayed, so I obliged! After the first night Elijah didn't seem to care one bit but he has spent one night at Meme's before and loves it. I thought surely the second night he would miss me and it was kind of awkward without him. It was REALLY quiet!! I starting missing him though. It was weird only taking one child to run all my errands and poor Isaiah just looked for Elijah all night long. So I decided to call and make sure he was missing me. NO such luck! We talked for a minute then ended our conversation because he had to go play! I said, "I love you!" He said, "I love you too mommy!" I said, "I love you more!" And he said hastily, "I love you more!" I said, "What happened to 90, 60, 14, 19, 7, 8 20 millions?" He said, "Mo-om I love you a lot!" sounding really annoyed. I was crushed my baby didn't miss me a bit and had only ever been away from me for one night at a time in 5 yrs and now he didn't care not to see me for almost three full days!! What is with that? He is and always will be my baby boy! For about a year out of the blue he will say "Mommy I love you 90, 60, 14, 19, 7, 8, 20 millions! Is that a lot millions?" I always reply back "Yes, but I love you 80, 100, 55, 2, 15, 17, 5000 trillions!" and he says "Wow that's a lot!" Now he didn't even care! Literally I was crushed!! My husband was even upset that he didn't really want to talk to us! Anyway the third day he was mine and on the way home he says "Mommy will you watch a movie with me and let me sit in your lap? I had fun at Meme's but I sure missed you guys! Were you upset there wasn't anyone rotten at the house?" Awwww my boy was back! Isn't life grand!! But after about 3 hours of the NONSTOP talking I was ready for him to go to bed!! We will be going to Nashville for a wedding the end of May for four days without the boys and he BETTER miss me however I think he'd live with my mom if we'd let him!

The Devious Little Easter Bunny

It is that time of year again! Time for my mom to manipulate the easter eggs. When we were little we used to give my mom all the black jelly beans and black licorice. It took a really long time for us to realize why there was always so many eggs filled with black jelly beans. She bought extra because she knew we would give them to her. Well she is at it again. Sad but true she has cast her devious plot onto the naive grandbabies. Last year she even filled eggs completely full of black jelly beans and hid them. When the unsuspecting grandkids would find the eggs filled with the nastiness Meme calls candy, they would try the candy, make an awful face and hand the egg back to her. She would try to act all concerned saying "It's okay baby Meme will eat them!" Last year I even found her participating in our easter egg hunt to find the rotten eggs and she would say "Well look this one is full of black jelly beans I guess I'll keep it!" WHAT! She is the one that filled the eggs and helped hide them. She also filled some eggs with money. My brother and sister-in-law hid some of the eggs last year and they are devious too! She was leading her son directly to all the eggs with money! I think I will put some coal in a couple of eggs, hid them and see how my mom likes the "big black jelly bean"! My mom is the sweetest person I've ever known so I guess this is her one time each year to be a little devious.

THE DALMATION MOMMY

My friend from work has been tanning and her son asked her why and she kept telling him she wanted to be darker. He didn't understand this so eventually she just told him she wanted to be black. He looked really confused. A week later he said, "Mommy why are you still tanning?" She again told him she wanted to be black and he said "I don't think this will work mommy". He said, "We are white and I don't know if I want a black mommy." She explained to him that her sister dates a black man and she is white and he still loves both of them. And he said, "I know mommy but I've been thinking. Black people are born that way and I'm scared that if you try to turn black it may not work and you will end up looking like a dalmation." I just had to share this because I thought it was so cute!

ROLIE POLIE OLIE

Elijah is really into catching bugs now mainly crickets and rolie polies. He creates "habitats so they have their natural environments" made of dirt, sticks and rocks. (His words not mine) He can't quite figure out why they all die but we have a cricket and rolie polie cemetary in the backyard. At least he has started "releasing them into the wild (my flower bed) so they have a better chance of survival". He must get all the big words and phrases from the discovery channel and animal planet since that is all he watches now. Anyway I am writing this to tell you about the funny thing he said last night. I was edging the yard with the weedeater for the first time this year which I will add the first time is always the hardest and yes I wore pants this time no blood involved. Elijah kept stopping me to show me his amazing new pets. He had caught two rolie polies a big daddy one and a baby one named Rolie Polie Olie. He always says he "caught" them like rolie polies are quite a feat to catch. Anyway he has one rolie polie in each hand between his thumb and index finger because they are rolled up into balls and he says to me "Mommy, which rolie polie has bigger balls?" Thank God he had no clue why I was laughing.