Unfettered Journey

I am coming around to the idea that I really do have physical limitations, and that despite my stupid brain’s refusal to acknowledge them, they DO exist and they do interfere with my ability to homeschool my kids the way I want to. 

I would much rather stick my head in the sand and hum a happy tune.

But the reality is that I have something which we think is rheumatoid arthritis, and the associated joint pain, stiffness, and fatigue is quite a deterrent some days. We still have the big kids in 5-point restraints because they are much safer than seatbelt boosters, and I find myself longing for the day they no longer fit in them and we are forced to use a booster.  Then I wouldn’t have any guilt and my hands will be much happier with only one kid to buckle in. And out.  And in.  And out. 

The fatigue is tough, but the stiffness slows me down and makes pretty much everything harder to do, and longer.

So I sit here trying to figure out how to merge my health and comfort with the needs of 3 children.  On top of all this I am trying to find the time and ability to manage my youngest’s 3 Early Intervention therapies a week, my DD’s upcoming weekly OT appt and possible PT appt, and the sensory and OT therapy my oldest DS needs (we haven’t even had him evaluated yet though).  That’s maybe 7 therapies in one week, plus dance. 

Yikes.  Better put my thinking cap on.  Or hire an Operations Manager.

Yo Gabba Gabba is definitely a sign of the apocalypse. That and the "Disney eggs" I saw advertised in the paper. Apparently eggs now need Disney stamps on them to get kids to eat, because every kid apparently refuses to lick raw eggs. Oh, wait….maybe that’s a good thing.

Max is the annoying little brother I’m so glad I never had. Poor Ruby – thrust into semi-adulthood so soon, when she’s still so young……sigh.

Dora apparently just gets to go galavanting through dangerous forests without supervision. Where are HER parents?!?!?! Do they know she routinely has to evade snakes, crocodiles, and sharks?!?!

And speaking of annoying voices, if I hear one more freakin’ lame animal sound from Diego my head will explode. No, he doesn’t sound like a llama, a humpback whale, or an emperor penguin. No, no, no. NO!

Oobi is freaky, but did you see the show where he met the girl who was "different"? That’s right, ladies and gentlehands – she was a FOOT. I kid you not. Talk about creepy, that’s pretty much creepy defined right there. Talk about a good idea gone horribly wrong.

SpongeBob is annoying and in bad taste and I don’t let my kids watch it. That said, before kids an his huge popularity boom, I found him somewhat amusing. Patrick is particularly funny. But not why I named my child Patrick and if my SB-loving BIL (40 y/o man with a SB tat on his leg) ever says a word about it I’ll flatten him.

Ni Hao Kai-lan is obviously a ridiculous copy of Dora, right down to the repetitive annoying songs.  I could make some horrible joke about Chinese knock-offs here, but I won’t.

Oswald’s "singing" makes me long for some Haldol and a straight jacket.

I am a firm believer in Attachment Parenting and gentle discipline but if there was ever a kid I wanted to smack it’s Caillou. "But Mommeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" Ack!

I could go on but for the most part the rest that on Noggin and PBS Kids are OK. I don’t let my guys watch other channels, I figure if those 2 channels bother me this much I better not take my chances elsewhere.

…Reading!     Yay!!!   Daniel’s been able to read for quite a while now.  6 months, easily.  But in HIS mid, he couldn’t.  So to see him opening up his Boy’s Life magazine from Scouts and perusing it really makes me heart grow a few sizes.  I knew he could do it, and it’s awesome to see HIM know he can do it, too.

We had an awesome time preparing for our HS group’s Geography Day.  It was really more like International Day, but who’s counting LOL.

We had a very good turnout with 12 countries being talked about.  Each family brought a poster with info on their country, some items from their country, and a native/typical food item.  Given DH’s background we chose Argentina   My MIL did a wonderful job making a mini poster to go on our big poster, she even taped a map on it and pointed out some interesting things.  Then she came over last Friday to babysit (lunch out alone with DH – yay!) and talked about the things she put down and showed the kids some art and a tea set from Argentina.  I did some more research on my own, but talked about it with the kids as we put the poster together.  They’re a bit too young to pick and choose appropriate topics and pull pertinent info out. MIL also made alfajores for us to take, they were a big hit. 

I was so impressed with my big kids and how they went from table to table, listening closely to each mini presentation.  Then they did so nicely when we did ours, although I apparently forgot to let Abby  talk   I had asked but thought she said no.  She was OK with it, though, as she got the job of putting the Argentina flag stickers on everyone’s "passports."

We had to leave early to get home so DH could go to work (Patrick was home napping), so we missed the flag making craft and a game.  Hopefully this will be a yearly event, though, we all really enjoyed it.