The Perfect Day

Yes, it does happen once in a great while. I had the perfect day today. First off, Robert gave Tyler his "long" breathing treatment this morning, and that went perfectly. My little angel just sat through it with no problems whatsoever. We put on Little Bear, and he breathed in his medicine and watched the show very calmly. Then, I got ready, packed up a bunch of stuff, and headed to Paul's house to set up his new Dell computer that I helped him order on-line a week or so ago. Everything went perfectly. The initial registration went well, then all the software installs that I did for him, and setting up his email, and his dial-up connection. All went perfectly. Tyler was pretty good. Thank goodness Mother was there to keep an eye on him while Paul and I busily worked on getting his computer set up. Tyler was a good boy at Paul's and even took his other breathing treatment with no problem. He even *leaned* towards the inhalation mask as I started it up, which I was very surprised about. It was almost like he *wanted* it - as if he knew that it's helping him. Then, it was close to 2:00, and we were headed back home. I planned on taking Mother back home, then heading to my house to give Tyler his long-overdue nap, then we were talking about it, and we decided that it was time to try to indoctrinate Tyler into napping at Nana's house (or anywhere besides his own crib). So, we decided that today was as good a day as any to try this. So off to Nana's house we headed, rather than me heading home just to give him a nap, then heading to her house later anyway, which was already in the plans. So, we got to Mother's house, and I put him in his new "big boy" toddler bed that we've had in "his" room for some time now, and he's only played on until now. I told him before we got there that he was going to take a nap at Nana's house today rather than going home (we were trying to "prep" him for this big experience). For those of you that have children who sleep anywhere, this is probably not something that is a big deal to you. You probably won't understand my elation in telling you this story, but for me (us) it was an EXTREMELY big deal. So we got to Nana's house, and I put him in his toddler bed, and I told him it was time for a nap. I said all the things I say to him at home, and I left the room, pulling the door almost closed. Then, I listened, and sort of peaked through the crack in the door. He got up the first time and started playing with his new Weebles Treehouse that Nana got him for Christmas. I came back in, and said, no, it's time for a nap. He jumped back up into the bed. This happened a couple more times where I had to go in and tell him that it wasn't playtime, that it was naptime, and he would immediately jump right back into the bed. He obviously knew exactly what I was telling him. He just didn't understand completely that it wasn't playtime. Usually when we go to Nana's, he plays and has fun, but has never slept there. One time, he came all the way out into the living room. Grandma (his great-grandmother) was in her chair, and she said, "Hi Doll!" like she always says to him, and I said, "Tyler, you need to get back in your bed!" and he turned around very quickly and ran back to his room and back into the bed. So I followed him back in there, and had a "talk" with him again, telling him that he needed to nap, and that if he didn't go to sleep here, that I was going to take him home and have to put him down for a nap in his crib. I hated even saying that because I know that you have to carry through with this sort of thing, or they will start to realize that your statements (threats) mean nothing. And I didn't want to have to do that since I planned on being there for dinner with him that night anyway. So after I told him that, he layed on the bed and didn't get up again! I peaked in on him several times more, and each time he would be laying there in the bed, not asleep, but not getting up to play either. Finally, I peaked in on him again, and he had finally fallen asleep! I came out to the living room, and Mother and I did high-fives to each other. This was such a MAJOR milestone for him to sleep there. Unless you have a child who only has slept in their crib, you probably don't understand how happy we were today. He slept for 2 solid hours. Then he got up and wanted to play. We all praised him for "napping at Nana's house" and then I gave him his next breathing treatment, which went extremely well, and then he ate a good dinner (which he hasn't been eating well lately due to being sick), and then he played, and it was just a fabulous day. He is such a good boy. I have the perfect child. I really do. I am so proud of my boy right now. He is handling everything so well. And I know he understands everything I was saying to him today about napping there. And the breathing treatments.... well.... talk about a night-and-day difference between today and yesterday at the doctor's office. He is just the sweetest thing. I really couldn't ask for a more perfect child. I love him dearly.

Breathing Treatments

Well, Tyler has been coughing for a little over a week now. I had emailed the pediatrician last week, thinking he might have the croup again, and the doctor didn't want to prescribe any steroids again unless he saw him. And the cough wasn't really that bad or frequent then--maybe 4 times a day, he'd cough. So, the doctor just said keep an eye on it, and give him some of the previously prescribed cough medicine. Well, in the last few days, his cough changed from that barky seal sound of last week to a more deep, gutteral-sounding cough. Plus, when he coughs, it is like he is having a coughing fit sometimes. So, I took him in today, thinking he would just get the pink stuff (Zithromax antibiotic), or that he would say he had the croup and give him steroids again. No such luck. He heard wheezing deep down in his lungs. The wheezing was something that concerned him because when you wheeze, it means you are having trouble breathing. So, he figured a virus of some sort (he said it doesn't matter what kind) might've started it last week, and now he probably has a bacterial infection down in his lungs, making him go into these coughing fits. (Do I have the bacterial vs. virus thing backwards?) He said it could even be the RSV virus, which I guess can get really bad. Apparently, if you don't get this cleared up, they can actually DIE from something like this. The nurse explained it more later (during the breathing treatment, which I'm about to get to.) She said it's like the air going through your lungs into your bronchial tubes is restricted, making the wheezing sound, which makes it hard for him to breath. And as you know, if it's hard to breath, you can die. When she said that, I listened.

So, on to the breathing treatments. Like I said I thought I'd be in there and out with a prescription. Nuh-uh. The first nurse brings in a nebulizer, which is an air compressor that you hook a tube to, and it has a cup for medicine, then it connects to a mask which you place on their face. The mask then gives out a mist of medicine which they breath. A harmless contraption, really, at least to an ADULT. For a child Tyler's age (almost 2), it had to be one of the most frightening things. Especially, when she showed me how to use it, then turned it on, and it sounded like an, ummmm, air compressor. Then, this mist started coming from the face mask. (By the way, see previous post on how fond Tyler is of face masks. Yes, a different type, but a mask nonetheless, which he didn't like when Mother put it on her face one night to try to show him there was nothing to be afraid of.) At this point, she had already shown me how I must HOLD my child (read: restrain) in order to be able to keep this mask on his face for FIFTEEN MINUTES. I had to have him in my lap facing left, his left arm behind me, my right arm around his back holding his right arm, and the face mask in my left hand, and as he struggled with his head frantically going back and forth, I was supposed to hold the face mask on his face. At this point, he starts screaming of course. Loud noise, mist, being held down, no way! That's when the second nurse came in and in the middle of all of this, starts giving me advice, and telling me all this stuff I really needed to know (I'm not kidding). I finally just took the face mask off of him (like it was being real effective anyway) and said that that just WASN'T the time to be telling me all this stuff. I said I could only hear about half of what she was saying anyway, with him screaming, plus, how could I concentrate. So, the compressor got turned off, and that's when she gave me a very good education and a long dissertation on why this treatment was necessary (see previous paragraph), and I was really impressed with how she explained all of it. You don't want to stop in the middle of it because then they will realize that if they cry, you will stop it. She said that "most" kids will calm down after the first few treatments and won't struggle anymore. She said to find a comfy spot, put on a video that comforts him, or whatever, and eventually, he would just calm down and breath the medicine.

So, Robert and I did a treatment tonight. I put on Little Bear. I got in my rocking chair with him on my lap. Tyler did succumb pretty easily. It was nothing like in the doctor's office today. I think it will be fine.

Here's the kicker though. This has to go on for TWELVE DAYS. 4 times/day for 3 days, then 3 times/day for 3 days, then 2 times/day for 3 days, then 1 time/day for 3 days. There are two separate liquid medicines that get put into this thing. Different ones at different times. Luckily, only the doses with both medicines are the 15-minute treatments. The other ones with just one of the medicines is only around a 7-minute treatment.

I think it will be fine, but I swear, I had my doubts in the doctor's office today. Try holding a struggling child down, forcing something like this on them. It just breaks your heart. He was screaming. I was crying. It was horrible. I know it's necessary though, and it will be fine.

This parenting stuff just doesn't get any easier, does it?

Family Christmas Pictures

Tyler with his new toolset!


The flash failed to work on my non-BAMF camera, so I removed most of the hue and saturation to make this a sepia-toned picture. Whatever works. I thought this was a good picture of Mother.


And I did the same with this one of Tyler. A little blurry, but I love his poised stance. He was posing for the camera! :)


Tyler in his new wagon that Nana (Awa) got him. He loves it!

And here he is playing with his new treehouse.

I took way more video than I did pictures. It is hard to try to open presents, get Tyler to open presents, take pictures, AND take video at the same time. And of course, I'm in very few of them. I think Robert got some video of my underwear as I was leaning to grab another present for Tyler to open. I'm sure Tyler will appreciate that when he's older. Oh, look! There's a crotch shot of Mama! Greaaat. How come it seems like I'm the only one that can take decent camcorder footage? And how come I always have to ASK for someone to shoot the terrible footage (namely, Robert). Actually, he is getting a little better. When he first started using the camcorder, he would jerk around so much that when you'd watch it back, you'd get dizzy.

Professional Pics

Ok, since I can't get these pictures to post any other way, I'll post some of them here. These are a few of the professional pictures we had taken this year.

Thank you Wal-Mart for centering this one so nicely. This is my Mother, Tyler, and I. It was such a good picture though, I still had to buy it.


Tyler with his little hands just going.


Me and Robert.


Me and Tyler. Ain't we adorable?


And I love this one of Tyler. What a handsome boy!


Oh, and here's Tyler's crying Santa picture. I guess all kids have to have one of these? I wonder why we torment our children into doing this.


And of course as soon as Mama Extraordinaire stepped in, he calmed right down. If I'd have known I was getting MY picture taken that day, I would've done something with my hair. Anyway, he still doesn't look happy, but at least he isn't screaming.

More Fred Thoughts

Perhaps Fred was mad because I gave a Christmas list (like I always do) even though we had all said it was going to be a "frugal" Christmas. "Frugal" doesn't mean we aren't buying ANYTHING - it means we are not buying AS MUCH. And so I made the list, which is a list of small, inexpensive items. And the last 3 on the list were jokes, for real, like the Porsche that I used to put on my Christmas list. PLUS, a list doesn't mean buy everything on it. It is a list to CHOOSE from. At any rate, he can kiss my royal ass. Tyler's Christmas "gift" from him was the plane ticket. That has nothing to do with MY Christmas "list", and I am paying for my plane ticket anyway! Actually, ROBERT is paying for MY plane ticket. That is what I asked Robert to get me for Christmas, which means, I'll probably get a gift-wrapped wad of money on Christmas Day.... so the $250 check I wrote Fred tonight was only to help his ass out. I had planned on doing that tonight anyway, even though I won't be getting my "gift" from Robert until Christmas.

And lastly, if he had a problem along these lines AT ALL, why not DISCUSS it with me? Why not try communication instead of yelling. I'm so sick of his ass, I could just scream. I didn't do a damned thing wrong tonight, and I got yelled at, and my son had to hear it. I don't appreciate it one damn bit.

Jerk.

Another Fred Meltdown

For several months now, we've been discussing how it would be nice for Tyler and I to be able to go to Acapulco with my Mother and Fred (and Paul, friend of the family). They all usually go in Oct/Nov, and again in Feb. I have gone many times in the past, but Tyler has never been. So, Fred decided he'd give Tyler a Christmas/Birthday present and he'd buy HIS plane ticket. I'd pay for mine. Sounded like a reasonable deal to me. And of course, he and my Mother have been SO excited about us going, especially to see "Bubbles" (that's what Fred calls Tyler) in the pool. Bottom line is, Fred has been exceptionally excited about the whole trip and really wanted for us to go, so he bought Tyler's ticket, and that should be the end of it. No. He has to continually bring it up to me. Like I owe him something. Or like I should bow down to him and thank him for doing it over and over. I've already thanked him (them) for buying his ticket. I do owe him for mine, and I planned on paying for it.

Tonight, we weren't even discussing this, but somehow in his mind, it was time to really come down on me and stick his finger in my face. We were talking about how the presents that everyone had gotten for Tyler could easily be divided between Christmas and Tyler's birthday which is at the end of January. Mother agreed. Fred pipes up about how this was supposed to be a "frugal" Christmas, and then brings up the plane ticket thing again. I said how WE knew about the plane ticket, but that TYLER didn't understand that, so of course we have to get him gifts too. Then the "tone" in his voice started. I knew we were headed down a wrong road. Frankly, at this point, I really don't know exactly what went wrong. Next thing I know, I'm telling him he's throwing a guilt trip at me. Then he jumps off the stool and sticks his finger in my face, and says, "Don't you turn this around on me!" and says how I'm doing this because "I just can't stand it..." Mother, can you clarify? Because, really, I just did not understand any of this. I was thrown for a loop. All I know is he's telling me I'm a pain in the ass, and yelling like a wild man at the top of his lungs, IN FRONT OF TYLER AGAIN (which majorly pisses me off). I packed up and got the hell out of there as fast as I could (like I always do). That was after calmly telling him to "think about Tyler and get out of my face." as he went on the back patio and slammed the sliding glass door really hard.

He gets his panties in a wad over the craziest of things. I still don't know exactly what happened. Perhaps my Mother can clear it up on her blog.

I did tell him that I'd planned on writing a check to him tonight for part of my plane ticket. And I did. I wrote it for half of my ticket. Then he throws the check back at me saying he doesn't want it. WTF? He was saying something about how I had said I had bills to write (which I do). Specifically, I have the big end-of-the-year bills to write (City of Garland, Property Tax, and that other one they kill you with). But this wasn't even being discussed tonight. Mother and I were trying to ask him where all this was coming from and that we weren't even talking about all that! Then he says how I brought it up to him TWO WEEKS ago! SO??? Did he think that just because I said I had the BIG BILLS to write that I wasn't going to pay him for MY PORTION of the plane ticket? Of course not! And besides, what the FUCK did that have to do with our discussion of halving up Tyler's Christmas/Birthday presents?

The way I see it is if you give a GIFT to someone, it's just that. He had wanted to buy Tyler a Christmas/Birthday gift of a plane ticket for Feb. to Acapulco... which they did. Then he has to throw it in my face at every opportunity. If you're going to get a gift, don't make the recipient feel like they owe you something at every turn. And, certainly, don't throw another whole conversation into the mix, just to get out some frustration that has APPARENTLY been building in your brain. If he wanted some money for MY portion of the plane ticket, he could've just asked. Was that what that was all about? I have no clue. I just know he needs killin'.

When I left, my Mother was out back telling him to SHUT UP! I just hope there isn't a huge argument between them.

The shame of all this is that this means I probably won't be going over there for awhile. And Tyler SO loves going over there. And believe it or not, I so much like taking him over there. It has been so refreshing lately to see what a difference he has made in everyone's lives, most especially Fred's. Mother and I always talk about how much Fred LOVES Tyler. They dance around the living room, and just have the best time! It is such a shame that I can love Fred so much in one minute, and want him dead in the next. He is just that type of person.

Helluva Mess

I'm in a helluva mess. I don't think I got any real sleep last night. I was up with cramps from hell. Plus, the last week or so, I've had this itchy rash on my back and stomach--same thing Tyler has (his is clearing up with putting lots of lotion on him and not bathing him but every other day). It's this damn hell hole they call Texas that's doing it. Paul H. has something similar. And Mother has also some sort of itchy rash she's been dealing with. We have one of the dryest years on record. There's like NO humidity in the air. It's also killing my sinuses. I have a perpetual sinus infection anyway, then with the dryness, it is killing me. Last night I was spraying some of Tyler's saline spray up my nose just to get some moisure in my sinus cavities. I also usually put vaseline up my nose at night with a q-tip. This place just sucks. Might as well be living in the desert. So between the itching from the rash, the cramps, and the dry sinus cavities, last night was awful. Today I have cramps from hell too. Robert has to work. He left, then came back because Steve got tied up somewhere. Now he's gone again. No rest even when he was here for like that 1/2 or 45 minutes. I could hear everything that was going on. Then I had to get up to tell him it was time for Tyler to eat (he should know the schedule by now. Men are so helpless sometimes). Then I had to get up to give him some ideas on what to feed him because I could hear Tyler raising a fuss. Tyler also has the croup again, I'm pretty sure. He has been doing the barking seal for 2 days now. Not real bad thank goodness, but I did send an email to the pediatrician to see if they might want to refill the prednisolone.

Fun fun fun. Someone shoot me please.

Scared of Faces

So, for years now, I've had these "faces" that I've purchased from time to time when I'd visit New Orleans. They are Mardi Gras faces. I have had them on the wall since, like, forever. Even before moving to Texas which has been over 10 years ago. So, bottom line is, Tyler has seen them. Or at least they've been there since he was born, and way before that. All of a sudden, since yesterday, he is now scared of the faces. I couldn't figure it out at first. He would point to the hallway. I would think perhaps he was seeing "someone" there that I couldn't. (I am a big believer in the fact that children can "see" things that "we" can't see, like maybe ghosts or something.) (I need to post about that..... oh wait, I already did. See my 12/4/05 post "Pics of Tyler.")

So anyway, here are the faces that Tyler is now scared of, dust and all.



He will stand in the living room, point to the hallway, and give this pathetic whiny crying sort of thing. I literally have to take his hand, console him that it's ok to walk through the hallway, and then he'll go. He won't go back and forth in the hallway anymore without me holding his hand and telling him it's ok.

Cute, huh? I think so. :)

STILL pissed about this "holiday" crap

I just wanted to make a few things clear here. I am not a religious fanatic by any means. Heck, I haven't even been to church since I was a kid, but I just want what's right for my child, and that is to have some of the great memories that I had as a child. I don't think it's fair for the majority to be being "outvoted" or pushed to the background because of the minority of folks. Heck, I'm all for freedom of religion, and for everyone believing what they want. But does that mean that we have to give up OUR rights and OUR celebrations? I just don't think it's fair that the majority are getting pushed out. I mean, Christmas is our time of the year. Yes, there are other religions who celebrate this time of year too, but don't go changing our traditional songs, and don't go re-teaching our children altered lyrics to those songs, and don't go trying to tell us that we can't say, "Merry Christmas." I swear, it's getting to the point where it's almost a dirty phrase, and I think that's sick. Again, I think everyone has the right to choose what they want as their religion, and how they want to celebrate it, but don't go trying to put the main celebration (which is Christmas) on the back burner.

Pissed about this "holiday" crap

Tonight at my Mother's, an ad came on tv (one of the main networks, don't remember which) that played Brenda Lee's old song "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" only it had CHANGED the lyrics (I am talking DUBBED) from:

"Rockin' around the Christmas tree at the Christmas party hop..."

To:

"Rockin' around the holiday tree at the holiday party hop..."

I am NOT kidding you. I heard it with with my own ears. Is this ridiculous? When are we, the MAJORITY, going to stand up and stop this madness? This is OUR country. Not theirs. I don't mean any disrespect for other religions, but why are WE succumbing to other religious beliefs to the point where OUR beliefs are being pushed completely out. I swear, it is just getting so out of hand. When I hear this "Happy Holiday" crap, I usually say back to them, "Merry Christmas." I even asked one of the cashiers in Target the other day when she wished me "Happy Holidays" if she had been told by her management to not say "Merry Christmas." She was a trainee, and her trainer quickly popped up and said that she hadn't been in any meetings that had told her to do so. I am sorry, but I just didn't believe her. I think she was trying to cover for what the trainee cashier might have said. I could be wrong, but.....

It just pisses me off that this is OUR country, and why are we so damned scared of offending other religions? Are we that scared of the Muslim community? I mean that is really when all of this strange crap started... after 9/11. Yes, we had some rather annoying "political correctness" crap before then, but it has since then gotten really out of hand.

I just wish that the majority would stand up and say something.

I think I will send an email to the network that sponsored that ad. I'm pretty sure it was the station that aired the Dallas football game tonight because that is what we were watching at the time. I was literally astounded to hear that this song, which I've heard for years, would have the words dubbed like that. Who are they trying to impress? And it wasn't like it was someone else singing it. It was the ORIGINAL Brenda Lee song, with the lyrics changed. Is she still alive, and did she give permission for them to do that? Or did her relatives who have rights to the song give that permission?

REALLY, I am so pissed off about this.

Robert was telling me the other day about this, where they changed the "Silent Night" lyrics to this:

Cold in the night,
no one in sight,
winter winds
whirl and bite,
how I wish
I were happy and warm,
safe with my family
out of the storm.

Now, is that ridiculous or WHAT?

I'm so pissed right now, I'm going to just leave it at that. Typing more would just be redundant and make me more angry..

UPDATE:
Here's what I just sent to CBS:
"We had just gotten done watching the Dallas Cowboys game Sunday night when an ad came on that had Brenda Lee's old song "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" song playing in the background. I don't remember what it was advertising, but apparently the lyrics had been changed to "Rockin' Around the HOLIDAY tree at the HOLIDAY party hop." I don't know who has done this to an age-old song, but I, as a Christian, was extremely OFFENDED by the fact that the lyrics to this song had been changed. We are the majority here in this country. Christians deserve some respect too. I am tired of us succumbing to all the other religions, and in the process, many Christians are put out. I am so sorry to hear that CBS has succumbed to the pressure of this "political correctness" as well. It is a sad state of affairs when we have to change every little thing to exclude the words "Christmas." I'm very disappointed."

Every Effin Night

Yep, this is the typical thing most nights. Here is Robert falling asleep on the couch. And he wonders why we never "do it."


Notice the remote in the hand.



Yes, the head is farther back now, and the mouth is wide open. Still has the remote. Don't want to lose the remote.



About 10 minutes before I shot this picture, he actually came into the computer room and told *me* that I should go ahead and come to bed. Now who's the one who is falling asleep here?

Homicide Detective Needed

The last two days Robert has been at home due to this "snow event" (which is another story, see previous two posts). He has been mostly playing computer games and sitting on his ass, while I do my usual thing of taking care of Tyler. I had thought that with him being home that he'd want to spend a little more time with Tyler. He has spent *some* additional time with him, but not a lot more than if he hadn't been home at all. Most of the last two days has been me telling him to get off the damn computer. He's been playing Poker tournaments on-line (which means he CAN'T get off the computer because he has "real" money invested), or Mah-Jong, or some other word game he found today which I hadn't seen before. It's just a real pain in the ass. I can't wait for him to go back to work. He is driving me nuts. I thought maybe I'd get a little break. Yeah right. So tonight, he says let's watch something together on tv. I said ok, but first we need to clean up some of these toys scattered all over the living room. I proceed to start picking them all up (like I do continuously throughout the day every day), and he sits on his ass and watches me. I said why can't you help? (I'm not using quotes because it's faster to type, even though I know how to correctly use them.) He says he's on vacation. I said oh really, so that's been the deal the last 2 days, you're on vacation? I asked when do I get a vacation? He says February (meaning when I go to Mexico). Then he mentions Wisconsin (I went and visited my Dad in August I think it was - and it was no vacation - I refer you back to the posts of that timeframe. I mean, yes, it was a vacation, but it was a lot of work too with Tyler.) So, all in all the last few days have been like he wasn't here at all. I am so silly to think that just because he's been home due to inclement weather that he'd be any additional help. Oh, yeah, so about the toys being picked up. He says he is "on vacation" and of course I mention my poor back (yes, I have a long history of back problems), and the whole time I'm nagging about how my back is hurting, he's watching "Dog Eat Dog" on the tv. Just now (I'm barely able to type this) he comes in and says what are we going to watch on tv. I said we can watch something. He is actually in there folding a load of laundry and says how he is in there "slaving" and doing "my job" and how I'm in here on the computer. I know he only does that shit to get to me. He doesn't seriously "mean" it in the sense of "meaning" it. You'd have to know Robert. He loves saying or doing shit just to get a reaction. So I live with it. I endure his stupid sense of humor. He thinks it's funny. He'll get that little quirky smile on his face, with the dimples on the cheeks when he thinks he's being funny. Yeah right.

So, about that homicide detective? Send him my way. We may need him.

Snow Event 2005

Here's the "snow" we got yesterday and last night. This is enough to shut down most of the Dallas/Fort Worth area.




Granted, the roads are pretty icy, but c'mon people!

Snow, yeah right

I was SO looking forward to today and seeing all this "snow" we were supposed to get. Well, the precipitation was not at all what I expected. I need to learn to stop getting my hopes up for this stupid Texas weather. For months now, I've been so disappointed when I thought we were supposed to get some rain. Now, I'm disappointed because I really wanted Tyler to see a little bit of white stuff on the ground. Instead, we got some nasty old wet, frozen rain/sleet and that will turn to ice tonight and it will just make the roads yucky and possibly even close down his daycare tomorrow, which he loves (and I've paid for).

Just wanted to get that off my chest. Texas can really be the pits.

Baking Soda Addiction

For about 6 months now, I have been addicted to brushing my teeth with baking soda numerous times per day. I probably brush my teeth no less than 6-8 times per day. When I say "brush" I don't mean literally brushing my teeth every time. It is usually a couple of regular brushings, and then in between, I will go in there and just get the taste of baking soda in my mouth. I spit most of it out, but some of it I chew on and will swallow. I know that sounds gross. Apparently, I'm not the only one though:

See this link for some really weird crap.

So I read some of what is in this link here, and to me, it sounds a little bit over the edge. Yes, it's a macrobiotics web site. Nothing wrong with that, but there's no way I'd ever live a macrobiotics lifestyle.

All I can say is it's good to know I'm not the only one. I wonder if I'm short on iron or something. I know it's a strange practice to do this, but it's a compulsion. Right now, I am CRAVING, yes CRAVING like you wouldn't believe, to go in there and get that baking soda in my mouth. And I will do it as soon as I'm done typing this. Isn't this the strangest thing you've ever heard of?

I do have to wonder if it has anything to do with my guilt over smoking because it seems that more often than not, my compulsion to use the baking soda is after smoking a cigarette. It's like I want to get that taste out of my mouth, almost like it's making me feel like I'm not a smoker. I know I have tremendous guilt about smoking and how it might shorten my life and I won't be able to spend those years with Tyler, my precious jewel and miracle child. I don't know if that is part of it or not, but it's something I've thought about.

And now that I'm reading back over what I've just typed, I feel like I should just delete this post. Like you all don't think I'm weird enough already.

What is it with men?

So, Tyler has a pretty good bedtime routine. He gets his bath, he gets some books read to him, and he goes to bed. Very easy, very simple. The reading of the books is something that is supposed to "calm" him down. Robert doesn't seem to understand this. He was doing the book-reading tonight (usually it's me) and he calls me in there to ask me what Tyler is doing "this" for. The "this" was the taking of his books off the bookshelf and stacking them up in stacks. I said, well, he is doing it because he can do it, and I can't believe you just laid there and watch him do it. I had to explain to him (again) that this is not playtime, it is bedtime, and stacking books is not part of his bedtime ritual. The whole time Robert is smiling. I told him he wasn't helping me teach him anything about going to bed. I had to explain that it is "calm-down" time, not playtime. Why do I have to explain that to him? It's like I'm raising two children sometimes. I have to tell him things a lot of the time that I don't feel like I should have to tell him. Men are such babies themselves.

Maybe he thinks because he doesn't see him all day that when he gets home, it is playtime. I think he thinks that's the case. I can't tell you how many times I have to tell him that it is "calm-down" time. Tyler can get pretty wound up when he's tired. I try to calm him down when it's bedtime. Robert will come in after work and he will want to play with him. That's all fine and good, if it's like 6:00 in the evening, but if I take Tyler to Mother's and don't get home until 8:00, then that is time to wind down, not play real hard. (sigh) I can appreciate that he's excited to see him, but who is the adult here, and who is looking out for the best for the child?

Pics of Tyler

Ok, let's see if Blogger will be nice to me tonight.

Just about asleep.

Hugging bunny one last time.

Eating and sleeping at the same time (notice he's chewing?).









And while I'm at it, here are some pictures of Tyler last night (when it was still 70 degrees out! And today it was in the 50's and is going to be near freezing tonight.) He was eating his dinner in his booster seat on the patio chair. He kept looking up at "something" for the LONGEST time, and kept pointing and smiling. Mother was there, and so were Robert and Rick. None of us could figure out what in the world he was pointing to, other than the lights on the patio, which he sees all the time. Mother and I think that animals and small children must have a special gift of seeing things that "we" don't. Like ghosts or something. We like to think that he was seeing perhaps my grandma and granddad (on my dad's side of the family). I wouldn't put it past either of them to come back and see Tyler. Mother and I talk about how much they would've both LOVED Tyler to death, and how unfortunate it is that they both passed before he was born. Well, I take that back. My Granddad did get to see Tyler when he was about 6 months old, but it was from a stroke-induced state in a hospital bed where he was not able to talk, walk, feed himself, etc. We don't know for sure how much he really knew of what was going on, although I will never forget the look of absolute glee when I brought Tyler in that room. Everyone around said that they hadn't seen a smile like that on his face in like, forever. Anyway, the following pictures are what we believe to be Tyler looking at his great-grandparents.