Happy Purim

It was a very long and difficult week since my last post, but it is finally starting to get better.

Wednesday, I really needed the Girls' Night Out, since I was dealing with some stuff between two friends (glad to say it finally worked out ok) and Micah came home in a miserable mood. And of course he would not tell me what was wrong. I finally dragged out of him the names of two children he was angry at.

Oh, and Sofia had a melt-down during her gymnastics class too. I was REALLY glad when the babysitter arrived!

Thursday morning, I dropped the boys at school late, because Micah had another melt down at home. He was VERY ANGRY at something, but would not tell me what. Got to school and had a long talk with a few teachers. Fortunately he had calmed down after a few minutes. I left to do some grocery shopping for Sam's class dinner (they had an overnight at the Museum of Science, and were going to eat dinner at school first).

Got the groceries back to school, saw Micah again, and left to settle in at Starbucks and do my own stuff. Only to get a call from the school nurse, who had BOTH boys in her office. Sam had forgotten his lunch AND had forgotten to eat breakfast (he had told me he was going to eat in the car), and Micah ...it turns out....had a bump on his head from being knocked down on the playground the day before! Which he had never mentioned!

Grrr. Thankfully my sitter could bring Sam's lunchbox after she dropped off Sofia, so I got him a snack and headed back to school, for more discussions. But by then Micah was at least happier. And I was exhausted, mentally and physically.

Thursday evening was very nice, because it was only me, Micah and Sofia (Sam was at the overnight and David had a D.A.D.S. meeting). We had a lovely and somewhat civilized meal at our sushi place. Sofia and I went to sleep early and Micah read until David got home.

Friday was busy but better. I managed to get to the gym three times this week - which also meant that my body HURT! But in a mostly good way. I worked a bit with one of the trainers in the morning to get some better stretches.

Sam went right to sleep after school - they had a good time at the museum but did not get much sleep and had very little time to eat lunch, so he was tired and hungry. Micah's friend came home with us, and that kid's family joined us for dinner along with another friend. Very nice evening.

Yesterday was long. I had to be out of the house by 7am to meet my mother at the DCU Center in Worcester (used to be the Centrum) for the Mass Down Syndrome Congress annual convention. I had fun seeing my friends and watching all the gorgeous babies, but the speakers were just ok. My mom and I went to different sessions each break-out, and she met up with a new grandma that I had put her in touch with a few months ago. First session I went to the Educator's Forum and listened to a really good speaker talk about Inclusion. It was a good speech but I realized that the day school already does a good job of Inclusion and any school that doesn't do this is horrible and way behind the times!

The second session I tried the speech on Behavior but I'd already heard it (and it was very basic parenting stuff) and I dipped in on the Total Communication that my mom went to , but it was for augmentative speech which Sofia doesn't need. Lunch was long, and my leg kept going numb so I got up and walked around again in the hall. Got to do some shopping, too, from the cool vendors. I got a really lovely necklace, and my mom bought me a DS bracelet I have been wanting.

So it was a long day. We got home around 5:00, shortly after David and Sam got home from a day of skiing. My dad had stayed to watch Micah and Sofia (but apparently he did not do much with them? Kind'a weird. Micah had called me mid-afternoon complaining he was bored!).

Got pizza for all (made GF pizza for Sofia) and then I got into my costume - a real sari from India - and went to shul for the Purim Megillah reading. I ended up going alone. David and Sam were totally exhausted, my parents were exhausted and wanted to go home, and I was going to read so I couldn't watch Sofia and Micah. So I went solo.

I'm not a big fan of the evening reading. The Rabbi and Cantor lead the Family Service in the sanctuary, which is huge and loud and full of kids and shtick. This other guy leads the Adult Service up in the large classroom. I appreciate hearing all the talented readers, but I really don't have a lot of patience for the guy who runs the service - he's a "personality" in our shul - and it exhausted me to be there. I left as soon as I was done reading.

This morning we had a less than stellar wake-up. Around 5am, David and I jump awake to the sound of "bumpety bump thump thump" as Sofia TUMBLED down the stairs (someone had left the gate open!). Fortunately, the child is made of jello and rubber. She was fine. I think David got more bruised sliding down after her! But it was very scary.

We did get back to sleep for a while, and then raced to get back to shul for the morning reading in the chapel. Micah came with me, and of course David arrived with the other two right after I finished my chapter :( But Micah got to be Gabbai for another chapter, so he was happy.

Got Sofia into her costume, and took her into the Family Service in the sanctuary. Sofia LOVES our rabbi, and just wants to be with him. Which was good - he and the cantor's wife (who is also a rabbi) were acting out the story of Purim, and I think Sofia got more into the story because she spent the entire show ON the bimah! Very cute.

Then Purim Carnival. Mayhem. Sofia had a little fun and a good lunch, but then got tired and overwhelmed. David took her home, and I finally dragged the boys out a few minutes later. Micah kept getting put "In Jail", but actually stole the jail tickets to get himself out! When we found out, we put him back in jail AND made him pay a fine by putting not only the stolen tickets but also his own tickets into the pot.

So now we are home. Sam is playing with his friend, Micah and Sofia are watching Shrek 3. David is at work, and I'm going to take a rest.