I'm Alive!

I have been a very bad blogger lately, which means I have been absolutely swamped!!! Lots of Dr. appts, and tons of work to do for Dance Endeavors (I have been making our summer brochure, sending out statements to over 100 families-and dealing with the aftermath, and trying to learn a new program for maintaining our website---- all of this for a person with very little organizational skills---scary). Not to mention trying to get ready for California, we leave tomorrow morning. Just breathe Barb!

We have had many ups and downs since I last blogged. Last weekend, my friend Lisa and her husband Rick took Akila for a night to give our family a break. Lisa picked up Akila on Friday morning (there was no school) and I went and got her on Saturday morning. Our kids don't really know each other as we haven't had a playdate for probably 3 or 4 years, which is to their benefit; Akila is much better for people she doesn't know well. I gave Lisa as much advise as possible and it went pretty well. Her two little girls are super sweet and soft hearted, so it sounds like Akila made them cry several times with her meanness she has been displaying a lot, but other than that, it went pretty smoothly.

When I was picking her up, I went through her backpack before we left (while she was not in the room) and found the little girls digital camera in a carrying bag. I gave it to Lisa and told her to hide it. Akila came upstairs shortly after and Rick came up and told her that her shirt and slippers were downstairs and not to forget them. She went and got them and came to put them in her backpack. The shirt was all rolled up, obviously with something in it. I was really trying to avoid a major rage so I took the backpack to the kitchen to get her meds, and found a bikini rolled up in her shirt. I put it on top of their frig and told Lisa where to find it.

Later that afternoon, Lisa called to tell me it wasn't their bikini. Bikini's are something Akila is obsessed with, and we don't allow them in our family. She is just too obsessed with anything that shows too much skin. I figured they were from my friend Juli's house and asked Lisa to describe them to me and their sizes, I had noticed that they were not a matching pair. She did and told me that the brand for both pieces was Land's End. Then a light went off and she remembered that she stopped at Land's End after she picked up Akila. Akila had stolen it from the store. Aaaahhhhh. In all my advise, I had not mentioned not to bring her to a store or to watch her like a hawk if she did.

I went and picked the bikini up this week and brought it back to Land's End. I told the clerk that my daughter with special needs had stolen this last week and I wasn't sure if I needed to return it, or pay for it, no problem either way. He was like, "Ooooohhhhh........ooohhhhhhhhh," then said well I'm sure I have the mates for these and started looking in a closet. He came back to look at them and then said, "you know what, I'm sure I'll find the mates and I just want to thank you so much for your honesty. I will take care of this. And thanks so much for your honesty". I said, "Thanks for being so understanding and I am very sorry this happened." He thanked me again and I left, very relieved it had been handled so well.

Now, I could have brought Akila there and made her tell them, but I honestly don't think she would have been able. I couldn't even get her to tell me about it or tell me where she put the price tags. Not to mention that I am swamped this week.

Have I mentioned that I am swamped this week? OK. So on Monday, I get a call around lunchtime from the school nurse. She had Akila and heard that we were going to the Dr. today. I said not until afterschool though. She said that Akila had a fever of 100.5 or so. Great. She had been totally fine that morning. I went and got her and she seemed fine to me. Got her home and she had no fever. This is also the day Zeke went to a friend's afterschool and I was going to get lots done (Zeke has 1/2 day preschool). So much for that. She took her temp about every ten minutes all afternoon and never had a fever or acted sick.

We went to our appt. with a Developmental Pediatrician at 4:00. The entire time in the exam room she was obsessed with the staff taking her temp, as she was convinced she was very sick and had a high fever, which I had been listening to all day. This is always while there is no nurse or Dr. in the room. Then the Dr. comes in, we talk awhile, then he goes to examine her. He says, "this will be the easiest Dr. appt. you have ever had. You don't have to take your clothes off, no shots....." I knew we were in trouble. He said the "shot" word. No, it is not what you're thinking. Akila loves shots, she is obsessed with them and she begs for them when we are at the Dr. She started begging for one and he was quite confused. I explained that she loves them and he kind of chuckled. He then said, "Well maybe I can arrange that" and laughed a bit and said no quietly. Well I was done for. She kept on saying every few minutes, "arrange it, arrange it". He kind of ignored her.

The rest of the time, she was in what I call a controlled rage. When he wasn't looking or when she was behind him, I was getting evil looks, she was swiping at me and was furious. When we were done and the Dr. left the room, she refused to get her boots and coat on and nothing I said was phasing her. I finally grabbed all her stuff and left and went to the lobby. Thankfully, she didn't destroy anything and followed a few minutes later but she was even more mad now. The walk to the car and ride home were not good. Let me just say that I am glad that a week ago or so, I switched her booster seat to behind the passenger seat as she had been behind mine and she kicks it non-stop when mad.

Yesterday, Michael and I were at the kids school early for an awards breakfast for Hezekiah. He was recognized for being an exceptional artist, we are very proud!!! Emily got the girls on the bus. When the breakfast was done, we found the girls after they got off the bus and Akila told me she had a fever and the nurse wanted to see me. She hadn't even been there for 5 minutes. I went to the nurses office and the nurse said her temp was 99. something. I was like, you're kidding me! She is not sick. I told her she had no fever all day on Monday and did not seem sick. She took her temp again and it was normal, she was shocked. I said to send her to class and she did. Then, around lunchtime, I get another call, she has a fever just over 100 again. I wanted to scream, "stop taking her temperature!!!!!!!!!!!" I went to get her, when I arrived, she had no temp. I brought her home, no fever all day, and definitely not sick. Ggggrrrrrrrrr.

Well, that is enough for now. I need to get to work. Lots to do. Please everybody, pray for Emily in this coming week. It is going to be a long week for her and she is the best for being willing to watch my beautiful kids. We have a few overnights planned for Akila so Emily isn't too worn out during the week.