Alright, I know that I'm not always the sharpest pencil on the desk but I really wish that I could stop getting "advice" from well meaning family. The plane ride home today was not quite as much fun as the plane ride to St. Louis.
The young ladies and I had talked about sitting together and R and I had planned to let them if the plane wasn't too crowded. We had every expectation that it wouldn't be that crowded because when we did our boarding passes yesterday we got higher numbers even though we didn't get to a computer until about 19 hours before the flight, and on Thursday R had been able to get on line exactly 24 hours before the flight. We were wrong.
We allowed the girls to sit in two seats next to each other and R was going to sit at the end of the 3 seats. Then R said that MAC had told her to that she would take care of Z and moved to sit next to me in the last row. Almost as soon as she got up an older gentleman sat down in the chair.
R sat next to me and gave me lots of advice on how to change MACs behavior and new schools to look into. Over the course of the weekend my mother had given me lots of advice on what to make sure MAC knew and how to respond to.
Over the course of the two hour flight I kept hearing the two girls squealing and saw the chair moving back and forth while they rocked themselves with laughter. While I appreciate them having fun, I also was thinking that the man probably didn't want to get spit at as they blew at each other. I tried to ask R to talk to them since she was closer but she kept saying that no one was complaining so to just leave them alone. I watched the man's head shake several times throughout the trip...R was talking with our seat mate about USANA, in Spanish and I know she didn't see it.
Yes, I'm sensitive to what my child is doing. Yes I'll listen politely to your advice. Yes I will try to stop something before it happens because I don't want the phone calls from the school/police/parent/put your own authority figure here. I love my child and even thought I know she needs to make mistakes to learn I am trying to keep the mistakes which cost me money or lots of time from happening.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Proud
Any of you who have ever heard my cell phone ring know that I have MACs chorus as my ring tone. They are singing the theme from The Biggest Loser, Proud. Saturday I was so PROUD of my daughter. As I said yesterday we have been talking a lot about what type of behavior was expected during the visitation and at the memorial service, we went over all of it again at 11:00am CST before I headed to the home for a quick practice.
MAC was excited to wear her new Selena Gomez clothes and listened with her usual "You are so boring" look on her face. I gave her some of the worst case scenarios of people wanting to hug her and touching her on her head/face without giving any warning and what she could say when people asked questions. She brought her IPod and her drawing journal, and at the last minute decided to bring Pikachu. (I knew there was a reason I wanted her to bring a large purse!)
Visitation lasted for a little over an hour, because people came a little early, and she looked at people and spoke when they asked her questions. She even smiled a few times. She and my niece Z behaved extremely well. They were the only kids at there and there was no running or hitting or "I'm bored". MAC looked at the old pictures of Grandma and was shocked that she was ever young enough to have been in dance class like her and said that she was really pretty when she was a WACC.
Pikachu came out for the graveside service. She sniffled a little and hugged him really close.
We went to my Dad's cousin's house for dinner and she answered questions about her school and what PVA meant. When we left at 10pm she had played The Game of Life, drawn a new picture, and colored several with the 3 color pen she found in the backpack. She and Z fell asleep in the car on the way back to the hotel.
I fell asleep almost as soon as the contacts were out which is why this is so late. I am so proud of my daughter and of her behavior. She is looking forward to this evening and hoping we get home with enough time for her to go to her friend’s house for Halloween Festivities.
MAC was excited to wear her new Selena Gomez clothes and listened with her usual "You are so boring" look on her face. I gave her some of the worst case scenarios of people wanting to hug her and touching her on her head/face without giving any warning and what she could say when people asked questions. She brought her IPod and her drawing journal, and at the last minute decided to bring Pikachu. (I knew there was a reason I wanted her to bring a large purse!)
Visitation lasted for a little over an hour, because people came a little early, and she looked at people and spoke when they asked her questions. She even smiled a few times. She and my niece Z behaved extremely well. They were the only kids at there and there was no running or hitting or "I'm bored". MAC looked at the old pictures of Grandma and was shocked that she was ever young enough to have been in dance class like her and said that she was really pretty when she was a WACC.
Pikachu came out for the graveside service. She sniffled a little and hugged him really close.
We went to my Dad's cousin's house for dinner and she answered questions about her school and what PVA meant. When we left at 10pm she had played The Game of Life, drawn a new picture, and colored several with the 3 color pen she found in the backpack. She and Z fell asleep in the car on the way back to the hotel.
I fell asleep almost as soon as the contacts were out which is why this is so late. I am so proud of my daughter and of her behavior. She is looking forward to this evening and hoping we get home with enough time for her to go to her friend’s house for Halloween Festivities.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Ease or effort?
MAC and I have been talking all week how when we fly out to St. Louis it is family time, that she will be meeting with people that haven't seen her in a long while or have never met her and that she will need to "be more adult" and talk with people etc... She usually gives me one of her long suffering looks and says, "I know, I can't wait to meet people".
She got out of school 2 hours early today and I was supposed to pick her up from my sisters house so she could finish her packing and then she was going to go with my sister to pick up my niece from school. I got a phone call at 2 saying that R could just drop MAC off after they picked up my niece, which I said ok but asked several questions: where is your good pencil? where is your phone charger? (I forgot to ask if she had her phone with her so we now have the charger and no phone.) are you planning on taking your DSi with you? where is your wallet? She got tired of my asking questions and actually hung up on me! When she got home she needed to change because although I like her uniform she hates it. She had thought that that was all she needed to do and wanted to go help my sister pack. I started on the questions again: where is your wallet? why are you wearing that? what real book are you planning on taking? We didn't leave our house for another half hour.
We got to the airport at 5:15 and made it through the screening process fairly quickly (25 minutes). Our plane didn't leave until 6:30 so as soon as our shoes were back on and our bags were collected MAC wanted food. She and I had Arby's, R wasn't hungry and Z (the niece) got a taco from California Tortilla.
The flight was good, MAC got a window seat and had fun looking out at the twinkling lights below, Z sat on the aisle and had all the flight attendants "ohing and ahing" over her. Upon touchdown I once again spoke with her about the expected behavior when we meet people. When we arrived Mom and Dad were there to meet us and they took us back to the hotel. They got half hugs from MAC. My Aunt and Cousin J were at the hotel and came down the hall for a visit, at which time MAC decided that she didn't really want to meet anybody. I finally finagled her into coming to say hello before she shuffled off to bed. The hope is that tomorrow at breakfast will be better.
Yes, yes I know you're going to say that it was 8:30pm St. Louis time and she has been up since 6am EST this morning, or that the medication which I didn't force her to take until 9:15pm CST hadn't kicked in yet, but really: saying hello nicely doesn't take a lot of effort does it? I guess when you're tired (she fell asleep in about 5 minutes once her head hit the pillow) and not a people person it does take effort.
She got out of school 2 hours early today and I was supposed to pick her up from my sisters house so she could finish her packing and then she was going to go with my sister to pick up my niece from school. I got a phone call at 2 saying that R could just drop MAC off after they picked up my niece, which I said ok but asked several questions: where is your good pencil? where is your phone charger? (I forgot to ask if she had her phone with her so we now have the charger and no phone.) are you planning on taking your DSi with you? where is your wallet? She got tired of my asking questions and actually hung up on me! When she got home she needed to change because although I like her uniform she hates it. She had thought that that was all she needed to do and wanted to go help my sister pack. I started on the questions again: where is your wallet? why are you wearing that? what real book are you planning on taking? We didn't leave our house for another half hour.
We got to the airport at 5:15 and made it through the screening process fairly quickly (25 minutes). Our plane didn't leave until 6:30 so as soon as our shoes were back on and our bags were collected MAC wanted food. She and I had Arby's, R wasn't hungry and Z (the niece) got a taco from California Tortilla.
The flight was good, MAC got a window seat and had fun looking out at the twinkling lights below, Z sat on the aisle and had all the flight attendants "ohing and ahing" over her. Upon touchdown I once again spoke with her about the expected behavior when we meet people. When we arrived Mom and Dad were there to meet us and they took us back to the hotel. They got half hugs from MAC. My Aunt and Cousin J were at the hotel and came down the hall for a visit, at which time MAC decided that she didn't really want to meet anybody. I finally finagled her into coming to say hello before she shuffled off to bed. The hope is that tomorrow at breakfast will be better.
Yes, yes I know you're going to say that it was 8:30pm St. Louis time and she has been up since 6am EST this morning, or that the medication which I didn't force her to take until 9:15pm CST hadn't kicked in yet, but really: saying hello nicely doesn't take a lot of effort does it? I guess when you're tired (she fell asleep in about 5 minutes once her head hit the pillow) and not a people person it does take effort.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Packing
Tonight was busy and exciting and I think we may be ready for our trip tomorrow.
MAC had afterschool activities that brought her home on the activity bus and then we ran to dinner with my friend SG. Once again she didn't get her teachers to sign her homework sheet so we start the three day count again. We haven't spent time together in several weeks so this was a great couple of hours together. MAC and SGs kids had a fun time. SG also had her niece over tonight so it was two girls and two guys, a different dynamic for MAC. They played well together.
I dropped her at home with a list of items for her to get ready for me to pack:
1) under clothes for 2 days
2) pjs
3) swimsuit
4) 2 shirts
5) pants
I already had her outfit for the memorial and have packed our medications and have been getting my carry on together. I know that she has several items that she wants to take with us and will make sure that these items go in her backpack tomorrow.
I am excited to show MAC St. Louis. I know that we won't be seeing a lot of the city but I hope that we can take a quick trip to the Arch and to see the Mississippi. It would be interesting if we went to dinner at Schnucks (which is where we used to go when I was young and visiting my Grandparents). I hope that we will also meet with some family while we are out there, since I'm not sure that we will ever get back to St. Louis.
MAC had afterschool activities that brought her home on the activity bus and then we ran to dinner with my friend SG. Once again she didn't get her teachers to sign her homework sheet so we start the three day count again. We haven't spent time together in several weeks so this was a great couple of hours together. MAC and SGs kids had a fun time. SG also had her niece over tonight so it was two girls and two guys, a different dynamic for MAC. They played well together.
I dropped her at home with a list of items for her to get ready for me to pack:
1) under clothes for 2 days
2) pjs
3) swimsuit
4) 2 shirts
5) pants
I already had her outfit for the memorial and have packed our medications and have been getting my carry on together. I know that she has several items that she wants to take with us and will make sure that these items go in her backpack tomorrow.
I am excited to show MAC St. Louis. I know that we won't be seeing a lot of the city but I hope that we can take a quick trip to the Arch and to see the Mississippi. It would be interesting if we went to dinner at Schnucks (which is where we used to go when I was young and visiting my Grandparents). I hope that we will also meet with some family while we are out there, since I'm not sure that we will ever get back to St. Louis.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Looking forward
It's Tuesday. I know that it sounds pretty dumb to say that, but I am looking at my calendar and wondering where the week has gone. Yesterday was very busy at work and then I had dinner plans which didn't end until 10ish. I got home and crashed, I sat down on the bed started typing, and about three minutes after I "published" I was sleeping.
Tonight was a Girl Scout leader meeting in Baltimore. We left the house around 5:50 and got back around 9:40. Tomorrow I am planning to have lunch with a friend and then going home to work on the laundry and dishes. Thursday is dinner with my friend SG and PoP Music practice and then on Friday MAC and I will be leaving for St. Louis with my sister and her daughter.
Did you know that you can now buy your Girl Scout Cookies on line? I thought the fact that we had sold 100 boxes of cookies was decent, nope. The meeting that I just came from was talking about selling 1,149,012 boxes. If anyone out there still wants cookies please feel free to contact me!
MAC is looking forward to Friday. Her current incentive to get her sheet signed and to bring her homework home is the next book in the Manga series she is reading. Today she earned #8 by getting her sheet signed 2 days in a row. If she can do this for three days straight she’ll get the next book. I know if she puts her mind to it that I will be in the bookstore on Friday before the flight!
Tonight was a Girl Scout leader meeting in Baltimore. We left the house around 5:50 and got back around 9:40. Tomorrow I am planning to have lunch with a friend and then going home to work on the laundry and dishes. Thursday is dinner with my friend SG and PoP Music practice and then on Friday MAC and I will be leaving for St. Louis with my sister and her daughter.
Did you know that you can now buy your Girl Scout Cookies on line? I thought the fact that we had sold 100 boxes of cookies was decent, nope. The meeting that I just came from was talking about selling 1,149,012 boxes. If anyone out there still wants cookies please feel free to contact me!
MAC is looking forward to Friday. Her current incentive to get her sheet signed and to bring her homework home is the next book in the Manga series she is reading. Today she earned #8 by getting her sheet signed 2 days in a row. If she can do this for three days straight she’ll get the next book. I know if she puts her mind to it that I will be in the bookstore on Friday before the flight!
Monday, October 25, 2010
Pimp or Prize?
I know that I can't be the only parent out there who has begun to feel as if the school, the Girl Scouts, and the Boy Scouts(or any other group related to our children) has decided that we are a bunch of money bags. The school had sent home Otis Spunkmeyer cookie dough order forms about the third week of the school year, the Girl Scouts have just finished cookie pre-sales, and my friend's son has been selling popcorn for his cub scout troop.
While I understand that each of these groups is a good place for my money to go, there are still times that I feel coerced into buying. MAC has not sold the PTA/school fundraiser for the past two years but we have consistently been one of the top sellers of Girl Scout Cookies in her troop. The fact that the school has a "carnival party" for those who sell a certain number of items, that girl scouts says that you can earn different levels of prizes, and that the Boy Scouts only allows certain prizes if you have earned certain "chips" makes it feel a little like "pimping our kids".
Tonight I picked up the cookies from our cookie Mom and I'll get up early tomorrow morning to sort through them and pack them to hand out tomorrow. It reminds me of when I was in the Arundel High School Band and Mom used to get up early with me on Monday mornings to make sub sandwiches, our fundraiser.
While I understand that each of these groups is a good place for my money to go, there are still times that I feel coerced into buying. MAC has not sold the PTA/school fundraiser for the past two years but we have consistently been one of the top sellers of Girl Scout Cookies in her troop. The fact that the school has a "carnival party" for those who sell a certain number of items, that girl scouts says that you can earn different levels of prizes, and that the Boy Scouts only allows certain prizes if you have earned certain "chips" makes it feel a little like "pimping our kids".
Tonight I picked up the cookies from our cookie Mom and I'll get up early tomorrow morning to sort through them and pack them to hand out tomorrow. It reminds me of when I was in the Arundel High School Band and Mom used to get up early with me on Monday mornings to make sub sandwiches, our fundraiser.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
What do you Use your allowance for?
Today was the last day of the Maryland Renaissance Festival. It made me sad to walk onto the Faire ground and to say goodbye to old and new friends.
One of MACs favorite things to do is to eat. When she gets to go to the Faire and eat it is even happier. She was sad today because she knew that it was the end of all the goodies I tend to bring home to her.
Last week we had to fix my car, to the tune of $780, so this was a very lean last day at Faire. As I was leaving this morning she asked me to get her a spinach pie and some cheese bread. I told her that I was happy to get her a pie but that if she wanted the cheese bread she would have to pay for it herself. I thought I was being smart but she ran upstairs and grabbed her wallet.
She has both spinach pie and cheese bread for lunch tomorrow. Each time I spoke with her father she would yell at the phone, "Did you get my bread?" I was very happy to be able to tell her that she got double cheese bread. I was able to get Hubby a last piece of Spicy Beef Jerky and to have my first steak on a steak.
It was sad that it was the last day of Faire but I know that it will only make us look forward to next year all the more!
One of MACs favorite things to do is to eat. When she gets to go to the Faire and eat it is even happier. She was sad today because she knew that it was the end of all the goodies I tend to bring home to her.
Last week we had to fix my car, to the tune of $780, so this was a very lean last day at Faire. As I was leaving this morning she asked me to get her a spinach pie and some cheese bread. I told her that I was happy to get her a pie but that if she wanted the cheese bread she would have to pay for it herself. I thought I was being smart but she ran upstairs and grabbed her wallet.
She has both spinach pie and cheese bread for lunch tomorrow. Each time I spoke with her father she would yell at the phone, "Did you get my bread?" I was very happy to be able to tell her that she got double cheese bread. I was able to get Hubby a last piece of Spicy Beef Jerky and to have my first steak on a steak.
It was sad that it was the last day of Faire but I know that it will only make us look forward to next year all the more!
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