This weekend provided me with an enlightening moment involving Kaydee...one of those proud parent moments.
Kaydee participated in the Performing Arts Institute for the past two weeks in their Young Artists Musical Theater Program. She would spent 7 hours a day practicing and rehearsing and come home exhausted but happy. I listened in awe all week as she memorized 15 pieces of music...but she was happy. Happier in fact than I've ever seen her.
When the time came for her group choral performance I sat in the audience and listened and clapped and stood up as she got her first standing ovation. Her group (all 10 voices) sounded like angels and amongst some of the most talented high school muscians in the country the kids stood there own and brought down the house..and still Kaydee was happy.
Then she performed in her first musical "Magic in the Attic". I was nervous and scared for her..but she was happy and relaxed. Then it happened...
She walked confidently across the stage and sang her first solo. She portrayed Anna from "The King and I" and as she "Whistled a Happy Tune" Kaydee was no longer Kaydee..she WAS Anna. Her voice was totally natural, strong and beautiful as if she had been performing all her life. And Kaydee was Happy..
And I was Proud. Proud to witness her first moment of what I am sure will be many on the stage. Proud of what she had become in 2 short weeks. And most of all Proud that she was My daughter and My daughter is Happy!!!
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Saturday, July 15, 2006
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
A Kish Wish
As I was taking my shower tonight and realized (once again) that I was out of towels I started thinking how nice it would just to be able use my "magic wand" and wish for my towels to do there own laundry. Well from that thought..many other wishes started popping in my head so I thought I would put them in writing so maybe someday they'll come true. So without further adieu..
The Kish Wish List
1. A washing machine that magically spits out that purple sock your husband threw in with the whites.
2. A person named "Itwasntme" so I have someone to blame when it was.
3. Hair glue so when the 8 year old finds scissors for the 6th time (playdoh scissors can cut) and cuts off her ponytail, you can glue it back on.
4. A food called "Idontcare" because when I ask "what do you want to eat", it seems to be the most popular food out there.
5. A toilet roll that shreaks an alarm if you take the last sheet and wont shut up until you refill it.
6. A toothfairy who always carries cash and never forgets to stop at the ATM.
7. A freeze button so I can freeze my kids as they are now and not let them grow up.
Feel free add to my list...Who knows maybe that magic wand might just work!!
Monday, July 10, 2006
A lesson in Puberty!!!
Yes you heard it right. In this household puberty is just around the corner for the eldest of my household. Which of course has the youngest member jealous with the little extra attention that Kaydee sometimes get.
Well Maylynns jealous arouse the other night as we were bra shopping. The conversation went like this:
"Mommy, I need a bra" ..Maylynn says. "No you don't Maylynn..you have a couple years before that" I say.
"But Mooomm...I'm in puberty", Maylynn exclaims very loudly. "Maylynn your 8..you don't even know what puberty is!!!" I say.
"Yes I do Mom..its when a girl gets her exclamation point!!"
For which I pulled to side of the road to avoid an accident from laughter.
All I can say is..out of the mouth of babes.
Well Maylynns jealous arouse the other night as we were bra shopping. The conversation went like this:
"Mommy, I need a bra" ..Maylynn says. "No you don't Maylynn..you have a couple years before that" I say.
"But Mooomm...I'm in puberty", Maylynn exclaims very loudly. "Maylynn your 8..you don't even know what puberty is!!!" I say.
"Yes I do Mom..its when a girl gets her exclamation point!!"
For which I pulled to side of the road to avoid an accident from laughter.
All I can say is..out of the mouth of babes.
Sunday, July 09, 2006
Its finally happened!!!
I've "officially" found a hobby!! More like an obsession.. Photography!! During the spring I started playing with my old Kodak Easy Share 6300 something. I started to discover the joy of "unposed" shots of my children vs. fake smile from hell. All of a sudden I was snapping all over the place ..just when you would least expect it.
I thought that I would just be satisfied playing with the camera and uploading my shots and maybe framing a few. Nope..the more pictures I took..the more I wanted to learn more and take more..experiment. Then I found Flickr. A god..an amateur photographers nirvana!! I spent nights staring at other people's master pieces..fascinated my the ulimate voyerism I was experience but also trying to figure out the angles they had shot a certain photo.
As my Kodak wore out from the use I was giving it (the poor thing after 6 + years didn't know what had hit it) I contemplated, researched and fantasized about a new camera.
And on Friday, I made my purchase..a Fuji S5200. I came home from the Camera Shop like a kid who had just gotten her first video game. I took my first photo of my next door neighbors flowers (on the left) So my new journey has started. And my blog is now multi media!
I thought that I would just be satisfied playing with the camera and uploading my shots and maybe framing a few. Nope..the more pictures I took..the more I wanted to learn more and take more..experiment. Then I found Flickr. A god..an amateur photographers nirvana!! I spent nights staring at other people's master pieces..fascinated my the ulimate voyerism I was experience but also trying to figure out the angles they had shot a certain photo.
As my Kodak wore out from the use I was giving it (the poor thing after 6 + years didn't know what had hit it) I contemplated, researched and fantasized about a new camera.
And on Friday, I made my purchase..a Fuji S5200. I came home from the Camera Shop like a kid who had just gotten her first video game. I took my first photo of my next door neighbors flowers (on the left) So my new journey has started. And my blog is now multi media!
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
Wino Bliss
Ahhh 4th of July--a day to celebrate our freedom..to relax and enjoy the spirit of summer..a day for Wino Bliss!!
We (as in me and significant other) are not in large drinkers. In fact, I have seen a six pack of beer ferment in my fridge until dust accumulates. However on occasion when the planets are aligned just so and the kids are under the watchful eye of their father and of course I have another willing wino to partake...Wino Bliss can happen.
Tonight was one of those nights. As we sat at the lake with friends that I only see on the 4th and the unconfortable getting reaquainted conversations began, the words "how about a glass of wine" came out of my mouth. And so it began..the immediate feeling of "ahh" swept over me. Conversations seemed a little more humorous and relaxation began to take place. As we partook in another glass Wino bliss was in there in earnest and our significant others "were on duty" ...this was mommy time!!!
When the bottle was empty..we sat with smiles on our faces and both knew that as another July 4th would go down in the books and that Wino bliss would be put away until next year.
We (as in me and significant other) are not in large drinkers. In fact, I have seen a six pack of beer ferment in my fridge until dust accumulates. However on occasion when the planets are aligned just so and the kids are under the watchful eye of their father and of course I have another willing wino to partake...Wino Bliss can happen.
Tonight was one of those nights. As we sat at the lake with friends that I only see on the 4th and the unconfortable getting reaquainted conversations began, the words "how about a glass of wine" came out of my mouth. And so it began..the immediate feeling of "ahh" swept over me. Conversations seemed a little more humorous and relaxation began to take place. As we partook in another glass Wino bliss was in there in earnest and our significant others "were on duty" ...this was mommy time!!!
When the bottle was empty..we sat with smiles on our faces and both knew that as another July 4th would go down in the books and that Wino bliss would be put away until next year.
Monday, July 03, 2006
It's becoming almost too normal
"Mom, It hurts..all over"...the grey look in face, the glassy eyes..Is this ever going to go away??? We spent yet another night in the Emergency room last night with Kaydee, my 11 year old. Third time this month and still no closer to the mystery that has taken over her body.
Now's a good time to explain alittle about the "caregiver" part of me. I have two wonderful daughters 8 and 11. The two of them and myself received an inheritance a while back. Unfortunately its the not the type of inheritance that your long lost aunt gives you (well I guess in my case she did..but whatever) in hefty check. Our inheritance is of the gene variety. We have a disease called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and at this point I would really like to give it back.
Ehlers Danlos (EDS) is a connective tissue disorder. It has wreaked havoc on my daughters joints, their GI trac, their lungs, their veins, ..you name the part of the body and somewhere along the line my daughters have seen the syndrome or its related issues attack it. EDS is a collegen deficiency...the glue in our bodies don't work properly. When the doctor first used this description, my youngest Maylynn announced that she could fix us..she had the answer. She reached in her backpack and pulled out Elmers. (too bad it couldn't be that easy).
I'm sure you will hear me harp about EDS on many occasion because in a way its just as much a part of this family as my kids are.
Anyway back to Kaydee. Kaydee has gone through one of the worst years medically I can remember. She missed oodles of school, was homebound due to 3 broken bones (yes three..yet another story later), and spends a good deal of her life in pain. Last night was no exception...well with one exception. They can't figure out what is triggering this!!!
A month ago, she came down with streptopneumococal..aka strep pneumonia. Amoxcyclin will fix it says the pediatrician. Then she starts with abdominal pain..must be due to the strep..says the ped. The pain gets worse..go to the ER..Urinary trac infection says the doc. New Antibiotic says the doc. Pain still worse...aww resistant strain of strep..another new antibiotic says the ped. Exhausted from the Pain..go to Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia ER (3 hours away)..nothing on the tests..go home says CHOP doc. Oh wait we forgot to tell you..her bowel is impacted..new medicine..thats whats causing the pain ..says CHOP. Pain is now even worse and now has taken over he whole body ..ears, throat, stomach..go to the ER says the Ped. Awww must be mono says the ER doc, must be something says the ER doc..labs say NOTHING!!!
So..whats the bottom line? My daughter is in pain..shes sick and no one can fix it. I can deal with a lot of things..Throw me anything..I'm your gal. Watching my child cry in pain for hours however brings me down.
Now's a good time to explain alittle about the "caregiver" part of me. I have two wonderful daughters 8 and 11. The two of them and myself received an inheritance a while back. Unfortunately its the not the type of inheritance that your long lost aunt gives you (well I guess in my case she did..but whatever) in hefty check. Our inheritance is of the gene variety. We have a disease called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and at this point I would really like to give it back.
Ehlers Danlos (EDS) is a connective tissue disorder. It has wreaked havoc on my daughters joints, their GI trac, their lungs, their veins, ..you name the part of the body and somewhere along the line my daughters have seen the syndrome or its related issues attack it. EDS is a collegen deficiency...the glue in our bodies don't work properly. When the doctor first used this description, my youngest Maylynn announced that she could fix us..she had the answer. She reached in her backpack and pulled out Elmers. (too bad it couldn't be that easy).
I'm sure you will hear me harp about EDS on many occasion because in a way its just as much a part of this family as my kids are.
Anyway back to Kaydee. Kaydee has gone through one of the worst years medically I can remember. She missed oodles of school, was homebound due to 3 broken bones (yes three..yet another story later), and spends a good deal of her life in pain. Last night was no exception...well with one exception. They can't figure out what is triggering this!!!
A month ago, she came down with streptopneumococal..aka strep pneumonia. Amoxcyclin will fix it says the pediatrician. Then she starts with abdominal pain..must be due to the strep..says the ped. The pain gets worse..go to the ER..Urinary trac infection says the doc. New Antibiotic says the doc. Pain still worse...aww resistant strain of strep..another new antibiotic says the ped. Exhausted from the Pain..go to Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia ER (3 hours away)..nothing on the tests..go home says CHOP doc. Oh wait we forgot to tell you..her bowel is impacted..new medicine..thats whats causing the pain ..says CHOP. Pain is now even worse and now has taken over he whole body ..ears, throat, stomach..go to the ER says the Ped. Awww must be mono says the ER doc, must be something says the ER doc..labs say NOTHING!!!
So..whats the bottom line? My daughter is in pain..shes sick and no one can fix it. I can deal with a lot of things..Throw me anything..I'm your gal. Watching my child cry in pain for hours however brings me down.
Sunday, July 02, 2006
ME ME ME
I've meant to start a blog for sometime so here goes nothing.
As I was starting this blog and attempting to fill in my profile ..it asked "Who am I" Its a question that I don't have a lot of answers to. I know I have a lot of roles I play.
I am a mom. I am a wife. I am a daughter. I am an employee. I am an employer. I am..I am..
I sit and look at the questions and realize I don't have alot of answers to who I am. I know what I am not.
I am not a cook. I am not an artist. I am not a housekeeper. I am not a writer (obviously), etc. etc.
I hope that as I attempt this blog I do find out more about the ams and less of the am nots.
I know this will become a place of ramblings, quick thoughts and outbursts and perhaps a few short words of wisdom.
I alsoknow this will be a place of udder selfishness. It will be ME ME ME..because for the rest of the time in my life its about everyone else and those I take care of. Through out the process of this journey in life I've forgotten about me.
There will be posts about who I was, who I am and whom I'm becoming and in the end I might be lucky enough to find the "am".
Hop on the journey with me.
As I was starting this blog and attempting to fill in my profile ..it asked "Who am I" Its a question that I don't have a lot of answers to. I know I have a lot of roles I play.
I am a mom. I am a wife. I am a daughter. I am an employee. I am an employer. I am..I am..
I sit and look at the questions and realize I don't have alot of answers to who I am. I know what I am not.
I am not a cook. I am not an artist. I am not a housekeeper. I am not a writer (obviously), etc. etc.
I hope that as I attempt this blog I do find out more about the ams and less of the am nots.
I know this will become a place of ramblings, quick thoughts and outbursts and perhaps a few short words of wisdom.
I alsoknow this will be a place of udder selfishness. It will be ME ME ME..because for the rest of the time in my life its about everyone else and those I take care of. Through out the process of this journey in life I've forgotten about me.
There will be posts about who I was, who I am and whom I'm becoming and in the end I might be lucky enough to find the "am".
Hop on the journey with me.
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