Reason 2478 Why We Love California

The San Diego Wild Animal Park
Sad that the cheetahs are so inbred that none of them show any immune reaction to skin grafts
The best seat in the park

My Son the Truant Scholar

Earlier this week, my son's kindergarten teacher flagged me down after school. I thought, uh oh. Much to my amazement, she raved about what a great student he is, how well he listens, reads, and does his work. I looked at her suspiciously, like she had some ulterior motive for telling me this, then asked her,"Are you sure you're talking about the right kid?"

After all, she is still relatively new. She's the long-term sub since his real teacher just had a baby and is taking the rest of the year off. The sub either really means what she said about my son or can't admit that she got the wrong kid. In any case, I'll take it!

I also got a letter in the mail saying that my son is a truant for being absent and tardy so frequently. The letter threatened to prosecute us if it continued, which I thought was really funny considering I'm already thinking of homeschooling him. If I can't get him to school on time at 10 am, what chance do I have next year when school starts at 8 am? So far, it's Homeschooling 2: Public School 1 (the big 1 for him being out of my hair).

The Secret to Your Child's Success

I usually don't quote passages straight out of books, but this one touched me.

"More than anything else, it is love that separates those who thrive in life from those who do not. Love is the main ingredient of the recipe that makes for happy adults. So revel in your love for your child. Enjoy your child. Spend as much time together as you can. Have fun with each other. Work problems out, whatever they might be, knowing that in the long run love will carry the day. This can be difficult, but if you commit yourself to doing it, you will be carrying out the most important and rewarding work in the world. It is work few people will notice, no one will grade you on, and no one will pay you to do. Indeed, your career may suffer if you give loving your child the time it deserves. You may not make CEO or first violin or top billing. But you will be doing the greatest thing a parent can do, which is to give your child the best start in life he or she can get. An on your deathbed, the place where perspective sharpens, you'll rejoice inside that you gave all the love you could to the ones who needed it from you the most--your children."

From an unlikely source, Superparenting for ADD by Edward M. Hallowell.

The Language of Friends

Excerpt from an actual conversation between two old friends...

Grace: Have you talked to Susan lately?
Lisa: Nooo!

Grace: But wait...
Lisa: NOOOO!

Grace: Amy is so mad at her.
Lisa (jumping up and down): NO WAY!

Translation: Susan, who already has 4 kids, is pregnant. With twins. They're both boys, which is why her only daughter is mad at her.

The First Time

On Facebook, people are always passing around one survey or another, like 25 random things about yourself (sorry, that is too hard for me).

Here's one I can answer because it's all about the birth of my firstborn.

1. WAS YOUR PREGNANCY PLANNED? Yes

2. WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME? Yes

3. WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS? Joy. Then went out and checked out every single book on pregnancy and baby names from the library.

4. WAS ABORTION AN OPTION FOR YOU? Why would it be when it was planned.

5. HOW OLD WERE YOU? old (hence it being planned).

6. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT? My body felt like it was ovulating again.

7. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST? The husband of course. Followed shortly by my mother, his mother, and my two sisters.

8. DID YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE SEX? Desperately but we never found out because she was always blocking it or something. (That surprise upon birth is so overrated compared to the joy of finding out beforehand).

9. DUE DATE? I don't remember. I kept telling them my due date was actually later because of my cycle but them doctors don't listen to anyone.

10. DID YOU DELIVER EARLY OR LATE? Late.

11. WHERE DID YOUR WATER BREAK? In the hospital during contractions.

12. WHAT DID YOU CRAVE? Marinated artichoke hearts and ice cream (but not together).

13. WHO IRRITATED YOU THE MOST? My sisters, for shooting down every decent name we came up with. I finally quit telling them.

14. WHAT WAS YOUR CHILDS SEX? Girl.

15. DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING? I was so relieved because a girl was exactly what I had secretly wanted.

16. HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY? I gained around 30 pounds.

17. DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER? Yes.

18. WAS IT A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW? It was thrown by my sisters, which meant I pretty much did everything. My sister ordered the cake which said,"Pam's Baby Shower."

19. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY? Besides the backaches, joint pains, swelling, lack of sleep, acid reflux, why no.

20. WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH? Summit Hospital in Oakland.

21. HOW MAY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR? Way too many. About 14 hours in the hospital.

22. WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL? My husband

23.WHO WATCHED? My husband, sister, and who knows because after awhile I quit caring.

24. WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION? Au Naturel - my motto.

25.DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN? No but I did take some morphine at 2 am so that I could sleep for a few hours.

26. HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH? 7 lbs 6 oz.

27. DID YOUR CHILD HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS? None, thankfully.

28.WHAT WAS THE HARDEST THING ABOUT YOUR DELIVERY? Pushing her out. And trying not to push because I wasn't fully dilated (it's impossible).

29. HOW OLD IS YOUR CHILD TODAY? Almost 8 years old. But I shall never forget the details of her birth.

30. OTHER COMMENTS? I was lucky I went with a midwife. She was so patient throughout the long process and didn't question any of my decisions. The doctor for my third birth wanted to give me Pitocin, even though my fluid had already leaked, I was in the hospital, and my labor had already started. He just didn't want to wait around on a Friday night. After I said no, he sent the nurses to convince me. For the first birth, a patient doctor or midwife is a definite must!

Thank you Ann, for asking me to relive the pain and joy.

Scenes from the Weekend

Yes, a tornado did hit. Two tornadoes, actually, ages 2 and 4. They had freedom over the house like they've never had before. Their dad and two older siblings were out of town, while their poor tragic mommy mostly slept on the couch with a 103 degree fever (that is what dying must feel like) from strep throat.

I learned a couple of things through my suffering: (1) the human body is an amazing thing, and (2) the husband has no telepathy skills (he was up in the mountains with no cell reception).

In between sleeping, I staggered around, managed to make fish sticks or something for them, and more importantly, took a few shots of the devastation and the proud perpetrators.

Conversations

Over dinner the other day, my parents grilled me about my marriage. On one hand, it's kinda sweet because they clearly have an attitude that the husband is not good enough for me. On the other hand, I wish they'd let it go, as we've been together almost 16 years already.

They asked me if I would take back the husband if the husband ever cheated on me. I didn't even have to think about it. I immediately said yes. Actually I wanted to say that the husband would never do anything like that, but then my mother would just give me example after example (it is rather scary how many examples she has) where a certain person thought it would never happen to her but it did. I figured she wouldn't quit until I gave her an answer either way.

They were completely displeased with my answer. Now they think I'm spineless and wimpy, that I'm completely "whipped," as the commitment-phobes say.

What surprised me is the husband's response when I relayed the conversation to him. Of course he was offended that anyone would even remotely think he would do such a thing. But then he told me that I shouldn't take him back in that situation because at that point he would no longer be himself. He would have lost his right mind, and I should just take the kids and run.

In other words, he would become insane before he ever cheated. Is it any wonder that I'm utterly whipped?