Old Friends

I was privileged to have dinner with 4 wonderful ladies tonight. We all used to work together at Stratus Computer many years ago, and we have stayed connected ever since. In fact, the entire IT department stayed connected - we still have yearly get-togethers - but these ladies were part of my particular TEAM, and we were all very close friends. So once in a long while, we manage to have dinner together.

It was wonderful to see everyone. Even though we don't see each other often, we are still very connected to each other, and it was great to get updates about everyone's families. Our kids range in age from Sofia to grown-ups with kids of their own, so our daily experiences are all vastly different - and yet mighty similar.

So here is The Gang:


This weekend, my family all attended RE's Bat Mitzvah. It was so lovely. She had an afternoon service, and then a very very sweet party at the shul. We had dinner first (and when it came time to do Motzi, the blessing over the bread, whose voice should come over the microphone but Micah's!), then I led Havdalah and then there was a DJ and dancing.

Apparently all my children are Party Animals:




(yes, he wore his sweatshirt most of the night)

Sam doing the "Clap under Your Knee" dance:


It was a lot of fun! And we were there until 10pm!

Sunday we all went into Brookline for Kosher deli and a lot of pre-Passover shopping at the bookstores. I finally found the right kind of stuff to use in my Shabbat "oil" candles - it's liquid paraffin! Got some books for the kids, too.

And I have a New Downstairs Bathroom!!!! Thursday the contractors arrived, and they have just some minor touches to do tomorrow. We got a new floor and new vanity (when the house was built, the large vanity that should have gone upstairs was mistakenly put downstairs, taking up most of the bathroom). It's so nice! I'll post some pictures when I get all the fine-tuning done on the decorating.

I'm out every night this week - dinner tonight, meeting another friend tomorrow night, school Wednesday, and representing MDSC (Mass Down Syndrome Congress) at a conference about Disabilities at the JCC on Thursday.

Fortunately, everyone is back in school. Sofia still wheezes, but is otherwise fine. I took her to see the Endocrinologist today regarding her Thyroid levels. We are just going to keep an eye on it for now, since the level was just barely elevated. We'll go back in early August.

Micah'ism

We were waiting for Sam to come out from his therapy appointment, and Micah turned to me...

"Mama, you have a car. Almost every other adult has a car.
Does G-d have a car?"

And thus ensued a long conversation...

Sofia Still Sick

Ugh. She was up for several hours last night with a high fever and stuffy nose and wheezing. Motrin and nebs helped eventually, but she woke up crying and achy. So no school again today.

And the boys don't have school because of Teacher Conferences, BUT Sam had his speech eval (at Sofia's school) but the teacher was late and I'd left Micah and Sofia waiting in the car while I took Sam in and no-one at the public school knows where anyone else is supposed to be! Grrr. It was frustrating. But Sofia's speech path took Sam to her office to wait for the other Speech Path who was running late.

But then Micah and Sofia didn't want to get out of the car, so we drove around for an hour...

Sigh. I'm tired of this.

On a better note, yesterday I purchased tile and a vanity and faucet for my downstairs bathroom and ordered a whole front-door set (side-lights and all), and we signed the contract to have the front door replaced and the downstairs bathroom redone. YIPPIE! At least that's one project that I can get done. David and I have been arguing about whether we shoud and could move to a new house or build onto this one. Tempers are flying, and it doesn't help that we are both still not feeling well.

He's in California for the rest of the week now. I have to take the kids to the day school to have Micah's teacher conferences (Sam's team meeting was a few weeks ago). At least it's nice weather, so they can play outside afterwards. Then I have school tonight.

Purim Fun

Friday was a busy day, but a lot of fun. In the morning, we read Megillah at the school. Sofia was in costume - the school kids didn't change until later.


Sofia hanging out with the 3rd grade boys:


Sam:


I got to join the teachers in some songs:


After Megillah and a yearbook meeting (anyone want to buy a Booster? See sidebar for details), I took Sofia and my friend's daughter E home for lunch. David stayed home all day sorting through taxe papers, and the cleaning ladies showed up while we were eating. The girls got changed into their costumes, and we went back to the school for the Purim Carnival:

Princess Sofia wants out!


Soccer-Player Sam:


Mr. Micah:


Attitude Lady:


It was fun.

Then we all went home, and the kids watched Signing Times videos as usual - and I caught Sofia signing the entire Silly Pizza Song!


Yesterday we went to Ct. Did the taxes (remind us NEVER to bring all 3 kids again), stoppded by my folks to say hi to them and some dear old friends who were visiting, then met my inlaws for dinner.

David and Sam went for a hike today, the little ones and I are hanging out.

2 Holidays!

Friday March 21, 2008 is two holidays this year:

Purim started tonight. I ran a successful dinner for 160 people (everyone was happy except the family who showed up 45 minutes late and were upset that there wasn't a lot of food left). Then we had the Megillah readings (book of Esther). David and the kids went to the big loud event in the sanctuary, but I always go upstairs to the Adult service.

Usually I read Chapter 6, but I woke up this morning with NO VOICE! None. I've been straining and squeaking all day. My throat is killing me. So in a last-minute solution, I followed along in the scroll and acted out the story, while my "voice" was provided from L.A-P. - I only wish my voice sounded that beautiful every day!



Friday there is another Megillah reading at the boys' school, and then a big Purim Party there. Should be fun. I have my kids, plus I think one extra (my friend M's daughter, who will be in kindergarten next year).

Friday is also March 21 - also known as World Down Syndrome Day! Why? Because most cases of DS are caused by Trisomy 21, which means there is an extra copy of the 21st chromosome, causing 3 pieces instead of the regular 2.



So 3/21 is World DS Day. Celebrate the people you know (or even those you don't) with that little something extra!

Things I hate about being a Mommy

1. Nebulizing a toddler. I simply do not have enough arms and legs to manage it all. This morning it involved keeping my legs on top of hers (firmly), grasping both her hands in mine, holding her arms down with my other arm around her chest, holding the mask on her face (yeah, it's not enough to tie it), trying to squeeze her hed between my chest and one arm, and then turning on the machine with my toe.

2. Arguing with a 6 year old future CEO/lawyer/Crime Boss. Micah spent the entire ride to school this morning whining and screaming "mommy". It was not pleasant, but I told him I would not talk to him unless he stopped whining. That just made it worse. And yesterday, as soon as we let our friend S out of the car after Tae Kwan Do, Micah became "bored", and spent the rest of the drive screaming at me and nixing all my ideas.

3. "Forcing" my suffering 8 year old to do horrible things like read or pick up his pajamas or brush his teeth.

Things I love about being a mommy:

1. Sam, Micah and Sofia (but not necessarily in that order).

2. How "amazing" everyone apparently thinks I am. (Because they don't see me screaming back, and I have so far managed not to slap Micah - although I came awfully close this morning when we got to school and he dropped a car seat on his sister!). I'm not amazing, I'm just medicated!

Updates on us

(This is a duplicate of what I posted on trisomy21online.com, in case you read both...)

First the best news: Micah went to school today. HOORAY!!!! (Micah should probably have gone back yesterday but I didn't have the energy to take him, and he gets very very clingy and needy when his siblings ...are clingy and needy.)

I was going to send Sam in just for a few hours, but the school said it was better to just keep him home. So we picked up some of his work.

Sofia managed to make it through a Physical Therapy session, and Sam and I got to watch.

Then we spent 90 minutes at the pediatrician's office. For Sam, she put him on Azithromax, and admonished him to drink more fluids or he'll have to go for an IV because he's getting very dehydrated. And Sam is VERY resistant to eating or drinking right now, so we've been battling all morning.

Now Sofia:

1. She was wheezing pretty badly, so they did a nebulizer treatement right in the office, and we are back to every 4 hours nebs at home. The good news there is that I got them to give me a stronger nebs pump!

2. Azithromax also.

3. The results from her "routine" bloodwork are back. Again, the good news there is the IgA for Chocolate was normal, so she's not allergic to Chocolate.

4. But the Celiac test was elevated, so now I have to go back to the PediGI (who is terrific, but it was so nice to be "dismissed" from his care a few years ago).

5. and the Thyroid screens were elevated, so I'm off to find an Endocrinologist.

David is still at the airport in Minnesota, with fever and chills and aches and a stuffy nose.

I still have a stuffy nose and cough, which makes it difficult to talk - which would normally be fine but I have to chant Megillah (Book of Esther) at Thursday night's Purim services.