Bird on the Street

Have You Ever

11:35 pm

Have you ever?

Wanted to beat up that FB friend who complains about their “terrible” day that started with them sleeping through their alarm and missing their morning workout? When your terrible days all include doctors visits and maybe a short-term hospitalization just for funsies?
Been grateful to find out someone you know has a special needs kid? Not because you want their kid to be disabled, but because you’re happy not to be alone?
Giggled to yourself about someone else’s angst about their kid’s ear tube surgery?
Wondered “why me?” when someone you know gives birth to perfectly healthy baby number four?
or perfectly healthy baby number one?
Dreaded a doctor’s appointment so much that you made someone go with you for moral support?
Bit your lip when someone you love uses the r word because you don’t feel like bringing it up?
Skipped a birthday party because you just couldn’t deal?
Read someone else’s joyous pregnancy announcement and wondered if you could ever be that naive and ignorant again?
Looked at a picture of someone’s else’s “perfect” family and muttered to yourself, “at least my kid’s cute.”?
Been a disability snob? (example: Looking at someone using a scooter at Walmart like, “hope you know that doesn’t count?”)
Felt just a tad entitled, because Lord Knows you’ve dealt with enough already?

You are not alone.

**second edit because I’m still not doing a great job here. Many people are thinking that I am assigning value to another person’s disability or question whether or not they need the scooter. I guess the best way to describe the emotion is to say that it’s kind of like thinking, “We’re in the wheelchair club, and that, is not a wheelchair.**

Gonna go ahead and close the comments on this one. If it’s not clear, this was supposed to be a confession of horrible things that cross your mind sometime–not an endorsement. That said, I think a lot of people have mis-interpreted the words here—expanded them to include things that are not there. But I think we’ve all said enough. People think non-PC things sometimes. It’s not really a revelation.

Filed Underconfessions

Preschool–the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

9:12 pm

I’ll start with the bad and the ugly so we can end on a good note–I’m that kind of gal.

The Bad:

Charlie has decided to let his worst side show at Preschool. There’s biting (of himself), whining, and trying to sleep through every activity. He also screamed when the speech therapist tried to touch him, which isn’t really what we’re looking for. I’ve seen this thing before, but was hoping that he would fall in line because of peer pressure. Not so much.

The Ugly:

His behavior is SO bad that the school nurse came and I had to have a consult. Specifically discussed: seizures, is he seizing at school?, at night? his eyes, his pupils, and his shunt. Let me tell you, THAT was a fun conversation. The worst part is that the nurse was extremely serious and I kept giggling. I have a bit of a problem with the inappropriate giggle and frankly, I couldn’t help but laugh. They were really concerned about the nystagmus in his eyes (eye shaking) and all I could think was how much things had improved. Really. If they’d seen him a year ago, they would have assumed he was significantly impaired. And besides, we’ve dealt with SO MUCH WORSE. It’s actually hard to work myself up over bad behavior. I’m hoping it will get better. If not, we’ll see if a schedule change helps.

I also want to say (cue cheesy music) that when I got home I was really feeling the full force of the special needs sisterhood. Made me feel so much better to know that I’m not the only person who has to sit through these talks.

The Good!

Charlie is eating up a storm and they’ve all commented on it. I’m so glad. This really helps me out because I was so worried they were going to refuse to feed him in school. Not the case.

Charlie is already vocalizing more and crawling around more after just a week of school. I think he’s seeing all these kids doing things and getting ideas. He’s also a lot more involved and interested in the walking practice we do every evening. Can’t help but think that it’s because he wants to be more like the other children in his class. I’m really pleased and hope this trend continues.

Charlie has a friend. I don’t think I realized how emotional this would make me, but Charlie has a little boy in his class who really likes him and that just makes my heart burst. In the back of my head I didn’t know if Charlie had ever have a friend–he is so different, I just wasn’t sure. This little boy is in a wheelchair too, so they’ve got something in common! The other day when I dropped Charlie off I saw him put his hand on Charlie’s wheelchair as if to say, “don’t worry, I’ve got him.” SWOON!

We’ll get there–I just have to be strong. child in rifton chair

Filed Underspecial education

Conversations with an Engineer

1:11 am

My husband is a good man. Really. He’s a fabulous husband and father and if you got me really drunk I’d probably say the same thing only louder and possibly while slapping you on the shoulder.

So I like him, but we’re definitely a case of opposites attracting. He’s calm and stoic and I’m excitable and prone to emotional breakdowns over things like moving and purina dog chow commercials.

I’m artsy. He’s an engineer. You know the type–very serious and all about the details. Nothing makes him crazier than when I substitute the word “whatever” for an actual noun.

This is all just preamble for the story I’m trying to tell you, which is all about our vacuum cleaner. Hubby and I got married a little over eight years ago and we have owned three vacuum cleaners in that time. I don’t know what we do to them, but we are basically the Ted Bundy of small household appliances. They actually have little Wanted posters of us up at Target.

After much discussion we decided that we should purchase a “good” vacuum cleaner–something of substance. We do have two animals, so we thought that your run-of-the-mill vacuum cleaner just wasn’t able to stand up to our impressive dirt-making. My MIL has a Rainbow and we love it, so we thought we’d get one of those. Only problem was the $1600 price tag. We’re a one income family with the world’s most expensive kid, so we try to pinch our pennies when we can. My husband paid less than five grand for his last car, so $1600 seemed like a lot for something that doesn’t move by itself or cook you breakfast.

The other day on Craig’s List I found an advertisement for a Rainbow Vacuum Cleaner $250–it was missing “only one part.” Knowing that even used a Rainbow can cost $600, I did a little research. My research told me that the missing part was actually the piece of the vacuum cleaner that you use to suck dirt off the carpet–a fairly important element in the vacuum department if you ask me.

So there I am, de-briefing Hubby on the Rainbow quest:

Me: Well, I found a lady selling a Rainbow on Craig’s List for only $250, but it’s missing a piece. When I research the piece, turns out, it could cost as much as $250 dollars itself. It’s the part of the vacuum that cleans the floor and it has its own little engine in it, which I guess is why it’s so expensive.

Husband: Well, duh, it has it’s own engine.

Me: This is me we’re talking to, I don’t know about this kind of stuff.

Husband: Just think. You’re not going to be able to get that kind of torque through a tube. Of course it has its own engine.

Me: Oh. Yeah. Of course. (Torque?!?!)

It’s a good thing he’s cute.

dad