Random
Penny Moss – June 13, 2008

Just a quick update... It's been too long!

While I have a second... and, why no, no I'm not typing this during the 6 pm weather segment :-) (Okay I admit it: yes I am) I wanted to stop in and say hi since I don't foresee much time to write in the next few days.
First... I am very sad to learn of the news of the death of Tim Russert. I truly think he was one of the most brilliant journalists of my time. When Tom Brokaw broke in with the news this afternoon his voice was strained with emotion... I can't imagine how tough this will be for all those who worked with, and so admired him.

Second... to follow up on Sex and the City: Jessica and I LOVED it! We wept and cheered. To Corey who left a comment on the Sex and the City post: I wish I'd thought to Tivo the Oprah w/ the girls! What a good idea. But yes-- it was such fun to go in knowing NOTHING. Although I have to confess (spoiler if you haven't seen it) that I had inadvertently learned that Charlotte was pregnant. But yes-- we had much fun.
Third... my husband emailed me just 5 minutes ago to say Bennett has uttered his first word: BALL!

I weep. My boy! He's growing up.

And... the Comb-over is no more. Somehow my video camera miraculously started working again! Weird. I think maybe something was wrong with the tape that was in it. With our Disney trip. Ah well. At least I captured the First Haircut!

That's it for now... what's going on with you?
Have a wonderful weekend-- Happy Father's Day!

Penny

Cicadas are the perfect bug
Melanie Shafer – June 4, 2008

I'm sure many will disagree with me on this one, but I have developed a fondness for cicadas over the last few week, noisy or not! While their constant chirping may send some over the edge, I don't mind it. I'm always surprised at how loud it is when I walk outside initially, but then it fades into the background noises for me. But the real reason I love these ugly red-eyed bugs are because they have provided plenty of entertainment for my crew. There is no reason to argue over who found the bug/gets to hold the bug... there are PLENTY to go around. Even when one gets a little too much "love" from Lilly ... there is always another buzzing close behind. They are pretty sturdy too considering the little fingers grabbing them out of the grass. We have "caught" endless numbers of them, putting them into cleaned out peanut butter jars, wholes drills into the lids. No they didn't survive long ... but there a hundreds more out in our yard to fill the void. My big boys have gotten a science lesson with the 17 year sleeping, the exoskeletons stuck all over the trees. They don't sting, they don't bite... in the words of my sweet Tate, "They are nice bugs, Mommy."
Yes they are! And I'll be a little sad when they go .... yellow jackets are nearly as fun to play with!

Melanie Shafer

LALALALALA ICAN'THEARYOU LALALALALALA
Penny Moss – May 30, 2008

Are you picturing me with my fingers covering my ears? Because that's what I'm doing.

I am so excited I can barely sit still to type.

It's SEX AND THE CITY THE MOVIE weekend! (If you didn't watch the series this will be a pretty boring blog.)

You might have noticed-- the gals have been all over the morning news programs and talk shows. Much to my dismay. Every time I see them, I turn the channel. I don't want to hear a peep about the movie -- not one little tidbit. I just want to go and immerse myself in the lives of Carrie and Samantha and Miranda and Charlotte. I don't want to have knowledge of a single bit of information about what happens until I'm sitting there, eating Raisinettes and popcorn and drinking it all in.

I didn't even start watching Sex and the City until the whole series had ended. I caught an episode on TBS while I was on maternity leave after Ava was born and thought it was great. I happened to mention it to my friend Leigh Anne, and she immediately ordered me to stop watching the sanitized version and brought me over all her DVDs of the series. It became my one mindless, guilty pleasure... when Claire was at preschool, I would watch. When the girls were asleep, I would watch. I tried to finish all 6 seasons before I returned to work, but I didn't quite make it. So I would come home at midnight and watch an episode. Or two. It was glorious!

So now... the movie. A certain girlfriend at work, let's say she's kind of our resident Carrie, and I have been talking about this and looking forward to it for weeks. Well I guess there's no sense in protecting her identity. It's Jessica Ralston. I swear if you've talked to her, you'll notice her sense of humor is very much like Carrie's. She's HILARIOUS. Anyway, unlike me, Jessica has spent far too much time Googling information. And what she found was not good. That's all I know-- because I refuse to listen to the details. I do this LALALALALAICAN'THEARYOUSTOPTALKINGPLEASELALALALALALA with my fingers in my ears whenever she starts talking about the movie.

When I say "not good", I don't mean the movie's getting bad reviews. My efforts to isolate myself from any and all information have failed in that I at least know the movie's not going over well with the critics. I don't really care about that. What Jessica and I are obsessing over is whether they (the movie writers) messed everything up. We are quite concerned. If Carrie doesn't marry Big and live happily ever after I will be livid. If Miranda and Steve and Brady aren't happy as little bugs in a log I will be furious. If Samantha and Smith aren't still totally in love I will spit out my Raisinettes. And if something happens to Charlotte and Harry... well... I can't even think about it.

So now that I think about it, the version of the movie I want to see would be pretty boring. Okay I guess a few bad things have to happen along the way but in the end they better not mess everything up!
Jessica, and I hope Leigh Anne, and hopefully a few more of us girlfriends will be going to see the movie this weekend. Because Jessica's working tonight and running in her big 5K tomorrow, and my daughter Claire's dance recital is tomorrow night, we can't go until Sunday afternoon... but I won't swear we won't strap on our highest heels and go enjoy some indulgent girl time!

Penny

Trashed
Penny Moss - May 27, 2008

This isn't about what you think it is. Despite our adults-only evening out with friends this weekend.

I have something against my cell phone.
I'm not consciously aware of it, but I must. What else would explain why I've thrown my phone into the trash can -- twice -- in the last two months?

Maybe it's my subconscious effort to free myself of the trappings of technology that keep us in touch, all the time, no matter where we are.
The first time was on our way back from our trip to Florida in March. I hate having a bunch of trash in my van -- especially a van that's already overflowing with all the stuff needed for five people to uproot themselves, drive 800 miles, spend a week, and drive back. So as I got out of the car to make a quick stop, I grabbed some drink bottles to throw away. I ended up throwing my cell phone away too. Thankfully, I realized exactly what happened about 5 minutes, and only about 5 miles, later. We raced back, I took a dive into the trash can and came up triumphant! Just so you know, the trash can was fairly empty and I refused to look at what else might have been lurking down there.
The second time was Sunday, on our way home from a visit to Matt's mom's. We stopped at the glorious shopping mecca that is the Jeffersonville Outlets -- off I-71 between Cincinnati and Columbus. I ran in to buy some sandals while the rest of the family circled -(the girls were asleep when I sneaked out of the car - but of course awoke as soon as I shut the door) I didn't want to clutter up the van with more junk so I put the new sandals on, put my old ragged sandals in the new shoe box that was still in a bag, and threw the bag away.
After about 45 minutes of drive-thruing and bathroom breaking, we were on the road again. Five minutes after that I realized my phone was missing.

We debated even making the effort to go find it. This time I wasn't sure if I'd left the phone on the bench where I'd switched out my shoes or if I'd thrown it away with the bag. I knew if I left it on the bench I wouldn't find it again. But the chance was still pretty good that it was there in the bag, waiting (once again) for me to come fish it out.
We took the chance and went back. Matt dialed the number as I approached the trash can - and there it was, my ring tone -- U2's "Beautiful Day" -- slicing through the sounds of the busy holiday weekend shoppers.

So what do you think? Was this a sign that I need to loosen my ties to technology, or just a reminder to count my blessings? Or am I just careless... and lucky? Probably a little of all three.
I hope you had a good Memorial Day weekend!

Penny

My daughter ate my Mother's Day gift!
Susan Nicholas - 5/10/2008

My 3 year old daughter proudly presented me with her handmade Mother's Day gift the other day. It was a gift she made and wrapped in preschool. I ooed and awed over the pretty red tissue paper with a bow on it and told her I couldn't wait to open it on Mother's Day. She watched me place it on the mantle of the fireplace in our dining room. I noticed she looked worried and hungry. Several times that day she begged me to open her gift. Each time I explained to her that Mother's Day wasn't until Sunday and that she could help me open it then. Later that day I noticed a chair up against the mantle and the pretty red present missing. I didn't have to look far. I followed the trail of red tissue paper, ribbon and pieces of silver candy paper. In a corner of the play room I found it. She had torn into the box with her photo glued to the top. Beside the box I found the discarded wrappers from 9 Hershey Kisses. She left me one. When I asked her if she did it she just smiled. She didn't need to say a word. The evidence was on her teeth. I smiled too and told her it was o.k. but she still owed me a Mother's Day gift.

My girls are the best Mother's Day gift I could ever have hoped for. I never thought I would be a mother. My husband and I tried for 5 years to start a family. If you or anyone you know has ever dealt with infertility you know how emotionally and financially difficult it is. I used to dread Mother's Day. It's no fun when you are not a mother and you desperately want to be one. I even lost a baby (miscarriage) a week before Mother's Day one year. My husband and I were looking into adoption and fertility procedures at the same time. We decided to go with fertility treatments. This meant a series of painful shots and medications. My first daughter arrived with the help of In Vitro fertilization and my second daughter through Insemination. Both procedures were done in West Virginia. The first in Charleston the second in Huntington. Now I have two healthy daughters...what more could I want for Mother's Day.

If you know anyone struggling with infertility encourage them to talk with their doctor. There are many options and procedures to help. There are also good adoption agencies and support groups. It may take a little longer to become a parent, but it's worth the wait. You won't even mind when your child eats your Mother's Day gift.

Susan

Why I love the Internet
Penny Moss - 5/8/2008

Well there's a lot of reasons, but one of them: How else could I carry on a conversation with a viewer while sitting in my family room with my comfy sweatpants and a t-shirt on?

I got an email tonight from a proud mother in Middleport, Ohio, who told me her son was returning from Iraq on Mother's Day. Mother's Day! How wonderful is that? I wrote her back, asking if he'll be back in our region any time soon. (She'd said he was returning to his base in Georgia.) She was obviously on her computer too, because she immediately responded, and even attached a picture. I asked if she'll be making the trip to Georgia to welcome him home. She said yes -- and then I asked her to send some pictures of their happy reunion -- something nice we might be able to share with our viewers on Mother's Day this Sunday.

I can't hear enough about proud mommas and their babies. Especially stories like grown up babies who go off to war and come home safely, just in time to make Mom's special day an unforgettable one.

I wish all you mothers a day full of joy Sunday, spent with your babies doing the things you love the most. For all you babies whose mothers are still with you, I wish you the insight to realize what a gift your mother is, and the time to show her that, in whatever way you choose. And for those of you like me, who will be missing your mother this Mother's Day, I wish you joy in memories, and I wish you happiness. Because really, what better gift is there for a Mother, than knowing her children are happy.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom.

Penny

For Life
Penny Moss - 5/4/2008

I've never seen Melissa Etheridge sing the song she wrote about facing breast cancer, but after Saturday, I don't think I need to.

I was privileged and honored to have em-ceed the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Charleston Saturday morning. It was, quite simply, amazing. To see all those people -- mothers, daughters, sisters, husbands, fathers, friends -- from every walk of life, coming together in joy and hope and determination... there are no words.

There were so many highlights. Just seeing the women in their pink race numbers cross that finish line -- whether they ran, walked, held the hands of their grandchildren, were shoulder to shoulder with their girlfriends, children, husbands, or were simply alone -- the images will stay with me a long time. But perhaps my favorite part of the day was when breast cancer survivor Jean Davis and her daughter Hanna sang "I Run For Life" by Melissa Etheridge. Jean was pretty early in her pregnancy with her second daughter when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. I was pregnant with Ava about the same time that I read Jean's story in the newspaper, so her experience especially affected me. To have a young daughter and to be carrying another child -- what a joyous time that should have been. But then, to have to do battle with a monster. Now we know the happy ending: That baby girl was born healthy -- early, but healthy -- and Jean is a survivor. But at the time, I cannot imagine the fear, the uncertainty, the difficult choices Jean and her entire family had to endure. When Jean's voice broke with emotion, little Hanna sang out clear and strong, her little sister watching a few feet away, probably wondering what the fuss was all about.

It means a lot to me personally to be a part of something like the Race for the Cure, for a couple reasons. My step-grandmother Eileen had breast cancer (It feels weird using the term step-grandmother but technically I guess that's what she was, although she was and is as much a part of my heart and soul as any and all of the treasured grandmothers, aunts and other much loved family members in my life), and Matt's beloved grandmother also fought, and ultimately lost, a long battle with breast cancer.

The other reason's a little different. Seven years ago, my mother died just 32 short days after she was diagnosed with brain cancer. From the very first day I scribbled the words "glioblastoma multiforme IV" onto a paper towel in her hospital room, we were told there was no hope. No breakthrough treatment, no possibility for a cure. Of course we prayed for some kind of miracle, but that was not to be.

BUT. With breast cancer, there IS hope, there are breakthroughs, there are treatments -- and women (and men) CAN and DO BEAT BREAST CANCER EVERY DAY. And if I can latch onto someone else's joy, someone else's hope, then rest assured, I'm going to do it.

Penny
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P.S. See, I type this stuff and then I lie in bed thinking about whether I worded things the right way, or came across the way I intended. This morning for my own peace of mind I have to add that regarding Mom's illness, in no way do I mean there is no hope for others who get the same diagnosis. The two other people I know who had the same type of cancer survived a great deal longer. But the location of Mom's tumor and the speed it progressed drastically limited our options. I just hate to think of someone dealing with the same challenge to read this and feel they have no hope. Through faith, there is always hope.

Clerk Part 2: The Whole Conversation
Melanie Shafer - 5/1/2008

Never did I think this would generate so many comments! Wow! Since some responders have had questions: here is some more background on my visit and interaction .. more of the conversation ...

I went into the store and made a return and was treated very nicely by the clerk for the exchange. I asked for some help in finding a few things, explaining I was pressed for time, I had five children to pickup .. between school and sitters. The store was almost empty, the salespeople pretty much talking among themselves. Another salesperson came up and helped me find exactly what I was looking for -- it was going very well. Then... when paying at the register .. the conversation with a different salesperson took a turn...

Clerk: Why DO you have 5 kids? ( icky tone)

Me: Because they are wonderful.

Clerk: That's a lot of kids. I just want to have fun. ( again icky tone)

Me: You'll never fall in love with anyone like you will your babies. You don't know what you're missing. They come with work, but they are worth it.

Clerk: I might want to have a kid, maybe two. But it would have to be twins so I could get it over with. Be done with it.

Me: I loved being pregnant. I'm glad I got to do it five times. It's pretty amazing.

Please know I have no problem with 20-somethings. I used to be one :). I have no problem with cute girls, either .. used to be one of those too :). I also am used to people commenting on the number of children I have. It's just that usually it doesn't come with an undertone of seething condemnation.

You have every right to have .. or not have... a family.. however big or small. Children are not for everyone, but they are definitely for me.

And while I didn't come back with a snappy retort, I'm actually glad I didn't. The few times I have returned a barbed comment I have regretted it later. Maybe next time I'll just treat a yucky comment with humor...

Why DO you have five kids?

Me: You haven't seen how cute my husband is!!!!!

Melanie Shafer

The rude clerk at the mall
Melanie Shafer - 4/26/08

I was on a rare, child-free shopping trip yesterday. I'm not sure how it happened .. but after Lilly, baby #5, my love of shopping died a pretty quick death. There is precious little that I will stroll around searching for these days with my crew trailing behind! They are always pretty good, but it's just not much fun or conducive to finding a good deal, the right fit. So for a while it's been groceries and home. This was not one of these days. I was by myself picking up a few pretty things. I headed to the register to pay up and head home, and the cute, 20-something clerk looked at me with disdain and snottily says, "Why DO you have five kids?".

Keep in mind .. you can't hear the tone. I was stunned. I am not one that comes up with quick, witty retorts. I just stew about it and think ... this is what I SHOULD have said:

" Awww. You're pretty self-centered aren't you?" or

"One day you'll wake up from your me-me-I world and realize it's pretty empty." or

"Did you just say that out loud? I hope you don't work on commission!"

What I did say was: " You'll never fall in love with anyone like you will your babies. You don't know what you're missing. It comes with work, but it is worth it."

What would you have said????

Melanie Shafer

Soccer: The Game of Life
Carrie Cline - April 25, 2008

We played our first soccer game and won! The score was 6-2--Purple Power wins! Yes, we do keep score! I say that because it seems that some parents of children at this age (the kids are 5) think we shouldn’t keep score or tightly follow the rules because the game should be all about having fun! Well, I’m all for fun, but at what point do we start instilling in our children discipline and a healthy competitive drive? Do you really want your child to grow up thinking life is one big play date and everything will be handed to them on a silver platter??? I think those are critical skills that we have to teach and CAN be taught while still having fun!

When we played our first game, I played coach and game referee. Every time the ball went out of bounds, I blew the whistle, the game momentarily stopped and a player had to kick the ball back in to re-start the game. Well, as you can imagine, with 5-year-olds who don’t have a lot of ball control skills yet, the ball crosses the line quite often and there are many stops and starts.

At some point, a parent from the other team said something to the effect of, “we just kind of let them keep playing when it crosses the line.” The comment immediately made me feel like I was somehow being a bad referee and perhaps a little too strict (that certainly wasn’t the intention of the comment, but that’s how I obsessively internalized it). So, I eased up a bit. But, guess what??? About five minutes later, I stopped and thought, “Wait a minute! If we start eliminating rules and easing up on things now, how are the children ever going to learn ball control and the rules of soccer?” More importantly, how will they learn discipline and how to follow the rules of life? I know, perhaps I was thinking a little TOO deeply, but seriously, life is not a cupcake! So, I put the clamps back down and returned to blowing the whistle for every out-of-bounds.

My point is this, if the children get tired of all of the stops and starts, maybe they’ll work harder to keep the ball in bounds and then Presto!—they’ve learned ball control skills!

So, this week in practice, we worked precisely on that skill. We talked about how much better the game will be if we can learn to stop the ball from crossing that white line all of the time. They looked at me with blank stares and the practice continued. Something tells me there will still be plenty more stops and starts during our games…but you know what? We’ll still have fun in spite of that as we continue to learn the game of life… er, I mean soccer! ;-)

Peace, love and Joy!

Carrie

Thanks for your support!
Melanie Shafer - 4/21/08

Thank you to all the caring people who have posted and emailed me since my blog about Jack's diagnosis. I really appreciate your kind thoughts and good wishes ... and the suggestions on how I could deal better with it.

A few points I'd like to clarify ...

I love my son with all my heart. To the few of you who may have thought otherwise, he is a wonderful, integral part of our family. Jack goes with us everywhere, my crew rolls as a team. He is treated 99% the same as our other four... the exception being we don't have to force our other children into special diets, supplements or therapies that are mandatory to ensure their development.

I am not embarrassed of Jack or his Autism. I am protective of him. I don't want anyone to think badly or him, look differently at him... just like with all my other children. I want the world to think he is the fabulous gift that I know he is. I worry that he will be treated differently by others who don't understand that while he is incredibly smart, he has a lot of difficultly interacting with others. Most people give up on communicating with him when he doesn't respond to their questions and greetings. I am here to help change that... to encourage him .. and them to push back the wall of Autism that divides us. Although I have stumbled on my journey .. I will not give up until that wall is down. Most of all I hate that Jack's life will be harder than my others will. I hate that is so hard for him to participate in family activities like his brothers and sister. I hurt for my child and I hurt for my family. While Jack is always with us, in many ways he is orbiting in his own world. We are working so hard to pull our universes together.

Finally, I am surprised at how I feel after my blog. I thought I was ready to share to help myself and others feel less alone in their efforts to help their children and loved ones. I have cried rivers since my blog. I just can't stop the tears. I'm not sure if it is relief or opening my heart, soul and fears to the world. Whatever it is .. it surely is another step on our journey to recovery.

Melanie Shafer

Comb-over
Penny Moss - 4/21/08

Look, it's not my plan to make Bennett appear as if he's trying to recapture his full-head-of-hair days. Especially since he hasn't even experienced them yet. I'm actually more than happy to give him a haircut. (Okay that's not entirely true. I'm not ready for yet another rite of passage to go flying by. But truly. It needs to be done.)

His hair is still baby-wispy, but if you can picture the way people styled their hair into wings in the early 80s -- well he could have them if I would just put a little mousse in the two long strands on either side of his head. Which I won't. But it is funny when he's in the bathtub to make him look like the guy from A Flock of Seagulls. It's just on the sides- the top and back are short and perfectly fine, but those two strips on each side of his head, well, they need to go.

But how can I possibly cut his hair when my video camera is broken?

You might think the only tool needed is a pair of scissors, but I require a little more. I just can't allow a momentous occasion to pass without proper documentation. In some cases it's acceptable to simply snap some still photos. But the first haircut? It needs to be captured on video tape. (AND still pictures, of course.)

I don't know if it was on It's A Small World or Pirates of the Caribbean, but somewhere during our trip to Disney World my video camera developed a problem. It won't work. Bottom line: Until I either get it fixed (I don't even know where to begin), get a new one (highly unlikely) or borrow one from WSAZ or something (think they would miss it?), the boy's comb-over will continue flapping in the breeze.

Penny

Ready to tell my secret
Melanie Shafer - 4/17/08

I'm not really sure how to start this, because the title makes it sound so Jerry Springer-something-I've-been-ashamed-of and it is not. It is something that I have spoken only to my family and closest friends about in the two plus years it's been part of my life. I have been in shock and in mourning. I have been too consumed finding a way to do needed to be done to be a voice to help the thousands of other moms and dads out there that are reeling from the same word: Autism. One of my precious boys has Autism, and ever since the diagnosis was given we've been fighting to get our Jack back.

Jackson is our beautiful third child. He is blonde headed and blue eyed and enormous. My husband Terry is 6'4" tall and all my children are tall like Dad, but Jack by far is the biggest one. His babyhood was beautiful and happy. He laughed and crawled and walked at all the appropriate milestones. He played with his brothers and babbled some though hadn't really mastered much language. In a word, Jack was just yummy. A chubby, happy, delicious baby boy. Around 18 months it was harder and harder to get his attention. He stopped pulling his pacifier out to tell me "Ish, Ish, Ish" is his silly sweet way, very adamantly trying to get his point across. We celebrated his 2nd birthday in February, and the slow drifting away continued. By June he wouldn't look at us without us shouting. He wouldn't answer to his own name. He had disappeared from us while still being in my arms. By August we were seeing specialists from West Virginia's Birth to Three. And by December 2005 we got that word that Jackson was like one in 90 boys today --- Jack has autism.

We never knew much about Autism until we were living it. Terry and I have had to forge our way through the sadness and fear to find help for Jack. He is getting better everyday. I’ll be posting about our successes and struggles. I hope that by sharing my family’s journey, manys other will find encouragement, strength and hope to fight their own battle against the kidnapper of Autism.

Melanie Shafer

Two By Two
Penny Moss - 4/14/2008

Apparently that's how my boy likes to grow teeth. And it's also how he'll be getting his shots.

First the teeth. I've noticed the last week or so his top middle teeth were getting close to making their appearance -- they were close enough to the surface for me to notice the whites of their... enamel... but the sharp little bumps that first break through hadn't quite made their move. Until Saturday, when I could feel the razor edge of one of the teeth. By Sunday, both had pushed through his little gums - not enough to see, really, unless you get really lucky because for some reason that boy doesn't want to show off his new pearly whites!

And now to the shots. I agonized with you a few weeks ago about vaccines, and I appreciate all the comments. It's always good to hear other people's perspectives, even if it's simply to know I'm not the only one feeling this way.

I have spent a lot of time the last few weeks since I wrote that post, reading an endless amount of opinions on vaccines. I found one source in particular that has really gone a long way in helping me find peace of mind on this subject. I thought if it helped me, it might help someone else who's feeling the same way.

First a disclaimer that I am not an expert and have no medical expertise. This should in no way be construed as advice, just something that has helped me.

I bought a book called The Vaccine Book, by Dr. Robert Sears. He's a pediatrician -- the son of Dr. William Sears, who's written a whole library of child/parenting books. I won't go into detail and possibly mess up his take on things, but this book has helped me make what I feel are better informed decisions when it comes to Bennett's vaccines -- rather than just going along with what is offered and hoping and praying it's the right decision.

Dr. Sears looks at each vaccine on the recommended childhood vaccine schedule: What it is, what disease it protects against, how serious that disease is, how common that disease is, how the vaccine is made, what ingredients it contains, what if any ingredient is controversial and why, and what side effects have been reported from it -- and he lays it all out in very easy-to-understand terms.

I knew none of (most of) that before, and had no readily-available resource (that I could find, anyway) to find out. And he also outlines some concerns he has when it comes to vaccines -- some of which I'd never even heard of before.

Bottom line, after reading this book I have decided, with a great amount of weight lifted off my heart, to vaccinate Bennett on the schedule Dr. Sears recommends -- which quite different from the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) recommended vaccine schedule*. Thankfully our pediatrician is a thousand ways of wonderful and is accepting of whatever I want to do. Practically, that means more trips to the doctor, but only two shots at a time, spaced at least a month apart.

There you go. Again I put that out there not to say it's right or tell you it's what all parents should do for their children-- and it's certainly no guarantee of Bennett's safety or lifelong health or anything of the like. It is just what has made me feel better about the matter with the information that I have.

Thanks for listening.

Penny

*Let me be clear: I do not believe the AAP schedule is harmful or wrong or bad. With one notable exception because of Ava's egg allergy both girls were vaccinated on the AAP schedule and did 100% beautifully. This is just what feels right, right now.

Kick it and Run!
Carrie Cline 4/11/2008

That was my chant last night as I was trying to help six little 5-year-olds learn how to dribble a soccer ball! Yes, I’m a soccer mom to the nth degree and now a soccer coach! I LOVE soccer! I played for fun as a child and played competitively in high school. My two brothers, who are four and five years younger than me, started playing as soon as they were old enough to walk and I always played with them.

So, now I have a child of my own and she kind of likes soccer too. I have to say “kind of” because the jury is still out on whether or not she truly likes it. I promise, I will never be the kind of mother who MAKES her child do something (speaking strictly about hobbies) that she doesn’t enjoy. I want to nurture the things she likes. However, I will be the kind of parent who strongly encourages and gives every opportunity for my child to learn and appreciate certain things. I think soccer is one of those things I need to push a bit.

Case and point—Gabbie played YMCA soccer for the first time last spring. While she was incredibly excited about it in theory, the reality of it was somewhat disappointing. During practice, my daughter spent more time picking flowers (weeds) and rolling around in the grass than learning the basic fundamentals. During the games, she was far more interested in water breaks and the snack after the game than in actually PLAYING the game. Oh, it was maddening!!! To make matters worse, when she actually PLAYED the game, she was really good. She runs at lightning speeds while maintaining excellent ball control. To top it off, she has a healthy competitive spirit and loves to score goals--- WHEN SHE’S NOT OFF IN THE FIELD PICKING FLOWERS (WEEDS)!!!!!

So, the lackluster first season has come and gone and I chalked it all up to the short attention span of a 4-year-old thinking surely the next year she’ll have much better focus. This season, I thought I’d actually coach the team (last year I observed and helped out where I could), and see if I could nurture a little more love for the game. So, our first practice went well. Gabbie only wandered off 3-4 times and just flat out sat down during one of our ball drills complaining she was tired. That’s not a terrible start. By the way, I have six (mine included) really adorable kids on my team who have some pretty good skills.

So, the 2008 season is off to a promising start. One more encouraging note about Gabbie--every time I threaten to yank her from the sport, she insists she wants to play and will do better. That’s why I’m pushing ever so slightly. I think the enjoyment for the game really is there and perhaps given a little more time may turn into all out passion for the game—like I have. We’ll see and I’ll keep you posted as the season unfolds.

At the very least, she’ll always be my little superstar even if she does require a few extra water, snack and flower (weed)-picking breaks!

Peace, love and joy--Carrie

In Summary
Penny Moss - 4/1/2008

Okay, so many critical errors were made. But our trip to Florida last week may well indeed rank as our Best Vacation Ever.

Critical Error 1: Thinking it was possible to start our trip, I believe my words were "bright and early", when it was dark and early before I ever made it to bed the night before.

Critical Error 2: Failing, despite staying up until 2:30 am, to get all the packed stuff, packed into the car.

Critical Error 3: Thinking it would just take a few minutes to pack the car, so telling the hungry kids we would just grab breakfast though a handy drive-thru on the way out of town.

Critical Error 4: About 2 hours later, failing to recognize why a certain 6-year old was having a melt-down. (See Critical Error 3)

And those four major mistakes all happened before we even made it out of the driveway. But all that aside, plus considering the brutal traffic that is a road trip during spring break, we had a wonderful week of family and fun.

We did the zoo and Sea World and Disney's Magic Kingdom and it was truly fabulous. Here's a tip: If you ever do Disney, especially during a crazy-busy time like spring break, get there early. I mean e-a-r-l-y. Thanks to my planner sister-in-law, we got to the park at 7 am and had a glorious 2 hours with basically no lines. After that it was packed, of course, but we'd already hit 5-6 rides by then.

But you know, even considering Shamu and the Mouse and Cinderella and all that, I have to say my favorite part of all was spending time at my Dad's house. He's 81 years old, and I know full well the importance of treasuring our time together because it doesn't happen very often and there's no guarantee of how much of it we have left. When I was a kid, Dad was very focused on his career. I guess you have to be when you're a professional football coach. But he is a very different grandfather, than he was a father. It was truly a joy, seeing him enjoying those kids. And they had such fun with him. I wish he didn't live so far away.

I also think this was the first time I've ever taken a vacation when I didn't count down the days in my head: only 5 days left... 4 more days... oh we have to go back home in just 2 days... you know what I mean. I didn't fret about the vacation having to end, I just enjoyed it moment to moment. I wish it hadn't taken me all my life to be able to do that -- or maybe with three kids it just becomes a necessity-- my brain was occupied by too much other stuff to cram any fretting in. Either way, I hope I can keep on doing that. Then I'll be guaranteed many more Best Vacations Ever.

Penny