Dog Drugs + 2 yr old = Mommy Freak Out!

Do you know what it's like to have a conversation with your teenager about her grades and slacking off and that sort of nagging thing.... while making a little peanut butter sandwich with a thyroid pill in the middle for your stupid dog, and your two year old dancing around your legs too.... do you know that is my normal chaotic state?

So, that was me this morning. Dog and toddler underfoot, dancing around each other waiting for their "treats". And I was growling at one of the teens about keeping her grades up. Now this is nothing new... I do this twice a day.

I tear off a little piece of bread, stick the pill in it, cover it with a bit of peanut butter, fold it over and give it to the happy tail-wagger. Then I tear off another piece of bread, skip the pill, add a dollop of pb, fold it over, give it to the toddler. Ta Da! Mission Accomplished.

They both come running when I go in the kitchen and sing Nurse Ratchet style, "Medication Time". You'd think I was giving out birthday balloons or something exciting.

Today... it finally happened. The dog didn't come running for medication time, just the toddler. I figure the dog is on her way with her tail wagging of course, so I make her little drug treat and still, no dog. Stupid dog. I make Gracie's sandwich and gave it to her, pushed Sandy's pill filled treat back on the counter to go look for her. I peek around the corner and repeat "Medication Time!". And continue with "You should care about your French grade!"

While I'm peeking, and yet not more than a step away from the counter where the "treat" sits, Gracie suddenly grows arms as long as an ape and eats the drug filled dog treat! Even though she has her own sandwich in her other hand!

Like the dumb mom that I am, I didn't notice right away, took me a second... then the screaming ensued. "AAAAAAA!!!" That was me. I pried her mouth open fished out the pb sandwich and I found about half the pill. I freak! I immediately look for my shoes, time to run to the Emergency Room!

Wait, maybe I should call someone before freaking out. Wonder if I'm over-reacting. I have no idea. So I called her Pediatrian. No answer. Called the vet. Verified the dose and the medication. Thyroxine .4mg. The vet says not to freak out, but call the ER and let them decide. Their opinion is that it isn't bad but don't let it happen again. I called the ER and the lady answers saying she doesn't know if that qualifies as an emergency or not. Is it poisonous? She doesn't know. Should I bring her in? She doesn't know. She says I should call poison control. Ok, what's their number? She doesn't know. What the hell kind of emergency room is this? She finds the poison control number. I call them. Found out that she didn't ingest enough to do any harm. She would have to eat several pills to constitute an emergency. She's fine. Whew! The Poison Control lady advised to not let this happen again. Well, duh, I didn't "LET" this happen in the first place! Geez. It just happened! The poison control lady also said they get a ton of calls about children eating dog thyroid medication, this is nothing new to them and my child had a very small dose. That made me feel a little bit better at least. Call back if she pukes or has a sudden spurt of hyperactivity. Seriously? She's two! I'd be calling every hour. Anyway, she's fine.

Boy, what an adrenaline rush. My freak out is over. I sat down on the couch and gave a big sigh of relief. Stupid dog drugs!

Busy Busy Busy

I've been so busy lately!

Writing papers mostly. Actually, thinking about writing papers and wondering what to write. Not actually getting much done though.

I have a research paper to write comparing the rhetoric of Geoffrey de Vinsoff to Geoffrey Chaucer. Nothing like some medieval literature comparison! I have to write a paper comparing two novels: Atonement and Pride & Prejudice. I have a two week lesson plan on how to teach 9th graders Romeo and Juliet (as if I know anything about that!), perform with some of my classmates a scene from King Richard III, and write a paper about that, sew a replica of a 17th century quilt and write up a little paper on that, and take an exam over the history plays of Shakespeare. oh, what else... oh yes, research paper on an American author Nella Larson. And I have one more novel to read.

There are two weeks left of the semester to squeeze all this into! And then final exams.

And then I'm FRREEEEEEEE!!!!!!!

This summer I have some administrative hoops to jump through, but that's a list of crap for later. Then next fall, I think I'll take one class on campus and one online.

The class I want to take on campus isn't always offered and it is one I want to take. It qualifies as a requirement for me too - one of the three literature classes I need to get my BA! I'm so close! Anyway I got the booklist from the professor for that class. There are 8 books, one is an anthology of poetry and short stories, the other 7 are novels. I own the anthology and 4 of the novels already. In fact, I've read three of them and one is by Nella Larsen who I am currently writing a paper on. So, I'm half done with the reading for that class as it is! I talked to the professor and asked her if she thought I could succeed in the class if I miss three or four weeks when I have the baby. She said "Congrats, and yes you could easily pass the course with several absences". Cool!

I wish I could take a semester off, but that isn't possible. So lets just hope my water doesn't break in class!

I am totally doing the countdown to the end of the semester! And hopefully I'll get all my projects done without stressing out too badly before then. Keep your fingers crossed for my sanity!

Friday Follow Up

Time for a Friday Follow Up! (on Saturday)

I am feeling a lot better. Still congested and fighting off the remains of this nasty cold, but I really do feel a lot better. And Princess Gracie is better too. She had a few days of total temper tantrums which we have chalked up to possible sinus headaches. We're going to live!

College is going to be very intense these next few weeks. Tests, research papers, projects, novels and poetry and Shakespeare.... too much to do. I'm just going to focus on the things that matter the most and hope I squeak by. One more month and I'm outa there! (till fall)

Thanks to everyone for the Congratulations about the baby news! I guess it's been a while since I wrote up a Friday Follow Up. It was fun telling people, especially fun giggling at the folks who either didn't understand or had "that look" on their face of utter confusion, shock and terror and "glad its you not me". We got some funny email responses too. Glad we could entertain you all! A lot of you have a ton of questions and I can't even attempt to answer them all here but the biggest question of all will be answered in two weeks. That's when we have an ultrasound to find out what flavor we're getting. I'll let you know!

That's about it really. Thanks for all your comments on my blog! I love the comments!

Ah-Choo!

o. m. g. I am sick again! 2008 must be the year of the germ or something.

Last weekend my little bitty princess was sick. She ran a fever for three days and she was nothing but snot. She wouldn't eat, but she did drink plenty of juice. She was sneezing and coughing and stuck to me like glue. She loves me very much and she would get right up in my face and then sneeze. Now how am I gonna dodge those bullets?

She is fine now, but I'm more miserable than I have been in ages. This one hit me hard. I have missed a lot of school this week - which I totally cannot afford to do. I tried to go yesterday but ended up walking out of class and then I just went home.

Today I'm hurling too. Yup. That just adds joy to my stuffy and runny nose, totally congested sinuses, headache, burning eyes, pale, feverish and a sore throat. Being all lovely preggo... I can't take anything that actually works for this congestion. And I can't hear you. I think my ears are full of snot too.

Don't you think pregnant women should get to take double doses of the good drugs? What is this lame "sudafed and tylenol only" bs. And "try half a dose". My ass. I am eating for two why can't I take drugs for two? Makes sense to me!

One of these days, I'm going to write a happy blog post. I'm determined! I will be healthy and happy one day in 2008! And I will mark that day on my calendar, celebrate and write about it in my blog!!!

My Motivation Has Returned!

Many times, more often than not lately, I second guess my reasons for being the crazy mom who goes back to college. College hasn't been easy this year with so much going on. I'm juggling three kids and their activities and a house and whatever else comes along. The "whatever else comes along" encompasses a lot of things lately! Anyway, I do question my motives for being back in college and wonder if it's really worth it.

I've been in a funk lately with my classes and the pressures of the end of the semester looming, because I have a lot of other things going on. I think I found my motivation to change my attitude and renew my zest for the ultimate goal!

The story of my epiphany goes like this....

I was on the phone last night with my husband, who is visiting his friends and former co-workers in the town where we used to live. We lived there for nine years and he worked at a boarding school. He passed the phone around and I heard several people tell me how happy they were to see my husband, congrats on the new baby, sure wish we'd move back, blah blah blah....

Then Veronica gets the phone. Here is the conversation I had with her, it would be good to note that she is the principal and basically she tells the school board who she is hiring and they just ratify her decisions.

V: Hi Mary! We have a lot for you to build on and you can stay on the school campus until your house is built.
Me: Hi Veronica
V: We just love your husband so very much! And we all miss him. School has not been the same since he left. I'll make sure he gets a great contract. He'll have a great job with us and we just love him so much!
Me: And do you have a great job for me too?
V: You?
Me: yes, if my husband moves back, I would come with him.
V: Oh but you are one of those good moms who just stays home.
Me: Ha ha. I am almost done with college so I'll be working soon.
V: Well we could squeeze you in somewhere. You don't need a college degree. You guys could be out here before school starts this year. We really want your husband back at school.
Me: Very nice of you to offer, but we aren't moving back. We love it here.
V: You know we love you all very much.
Me: It was nice talking to you, Veronica. Bye.
V: Ok, we'll send you some information on the lot we found for you and I'll give Keith his contract details tomorrow.
Me: Ok. bye.

Gee, can I be more belittled and devalued? I am just my husband's baggage? Just to get him she'll make me happy by "squeezing me in somewhere"? Nice. I can scrape gum off tables for a living. I don't even need to finish college. And my husband can have a job where he is valued and appreciated.

This is exactly why I'm in college! So that I'm not living my life in my husband's shadow. So that I'm not working for someone who can't see who I am or what I'm worth. I'm a person. I'm a valuable person! I'm not the baggage my husband drags along. He doesn't see me that way. I don't see me that way, so why should I live my life that way? I refuse to be a peon. I will not be treated and talked to like that. I will not be put in my place "you stay home" and I will not be "squeezed in somewhere". I will finish my college degree. I will be who I want to be!

And I will not work for Veronica!

A Story From Long Ago

My friend over at Life in General (my REAL friend - not just a blog friend! isn't that cool!) wrote a story about an Obituary. For some reason it made me think of a little story about Princess Middle daughter back when she was the cute little youngest princess. It went like this....

One day 5 yr old Little Princess wanted to play at her friend's house for a little while so I said yes, the other mom said yes too. We'd meet up later at the library for preschool storytime like we do every Tuesday. Well and good.

I got to the library before my friend did. I walked in without Lexie at my side. I went to the desk and returned her books from the week before, said hello to the librarians and smiled. They didn't smile back. They said "I'm very sorry, Mrs. Schumacher. Are you ok? Anything we can do? We didn't put Lexie's nametag out today but we kept it for you if you'd like to have it." I say "oh, sure! Thanks!" Smile!!!

They look at me like I'm insane. Librarians are funny like that anyway so I didn't give it a thought. I went to sit with the other mommies and wait for my friend to show up with Lexie and her son. The other mommies were all pretty quiet that day. Kind of weird.

The librarian rounds up the kids and herds them into the storytime room. My friend was a bit late. She showed up in a bit though. No big deal. I gave Lexie her nametag and the kids went into the room.

When my friend walked in with Lexie the librarians behind the desk gasped and stopped. Their jaws dropped and their eyes were big as saucers. Again, I didn't think much of it. Librarians are silly like that. I know, because my mother is a librarian.

Then the librarians said "Mrs. Schumacher?" So I turn and go see what they want.... and the Storytime librarian came out of the room and asked one of the mommies to go read. So we have a little pow-wow at the desk. Me... I'm still in a good mood and smiling "What's up?" They are in shock and NOT smiling.

One of them pulls out the paper from that day and opens it up. "Did you read today's Argus Leader?" No. And there it is.... the reason her nametag wasn't out. The reason they looked at me funny. The lack of smiles.

An obituary for a 5 yr old girl named Lexie with our exact same last name. The mother's name was Mary. The librarians were very sad and thought we lost our Lexie.

I bought a copy of the paper and cut out the obit and put it in her baby book. I'm so sad for the other Lexie, but I felt so loved by the librarians because they were truly heartbroken when they thought they lost my Lexie from storytime.

Spring Break is over

Guess what I did over spring break? Nope. Not that. Nope. Not that either. I pretty much did nothing! What a wasted week. I was just being a lazy bum.

I had lofty ideas of what I was going to do this past week, but I didn't do any of it. Monday is almost here and spring break will be over and done. Back to the old grind. Spare time gone in a flash!

I worked on my college homework in little tidbits. I promised myself I'd get to the library at least twice, I didn't even make an attempt to go. I didn't read my pile of books either. Or watch a Shakespreare production on video (I did watch the Aristocats several times).. In fact, I tried my best to be in denial about attending school. It didn't work.

But on the brighter side, I did spend a lot of time reading blogs and catching up with my internet friends. And I spent a lot of time with my girls. Even though I said I'd take the wee one to Seaworld, and I didn't manage to even take her to the park. Oh my laziness!!!

I have six more weeks of college and then I am free for the summer! Whoppeee!!! I have lofty ideas of what all I want to get done this summer too. Long long list of things to do and places to go and projects to conquer. I'll do it all, really I will. (maybe)

The Whole Story - No Foolin'!

Once upon a time…..

Mary and her husband celebrated the New Year!

They thought 2008 would be a GREAT year! So they tucked their three sweet girls in bed and cheered and danced to ring in the new year!



Late into the night, they started to see stars in one another’s eyes…

One spark led to another
and….




They had a great time and said a special prayer and hoped for a great 2008!

During the wee hours of the night…. One little swimmer kept on swimming!


One day, Mary said to Keith…. “Honey, AF didn’t stop by for her scheduled visit”
Keith raised on eyebrow, winked and gave a sly little smile.

Mary ran to Target for a test. Better get a double pack so I don’t have to come back.
(Mary has a history of doubting the first test).

What’s this we see? Could it be? More pee! Whoooopeeee!!!!

Keith and Mary dance and cheer! This is going to be a Great Year!!!



Since the BFP, Mary went to the doctor…. 4 times! Bloodwork, ultrasounds, pee in a cup, Oh My! Stand on the scale, fill out a hundred forms, sign here, sign there! Oh My!


The big sisters all squealed with joy! The end of September will bring another little sibling to share the chores!


Now the time has come to share the wonderful news with family and friends. And this emoticon story is especially for Bonnie, Beth, Leah, Elizabeth, Jami and anyone else who didn't quite "get it". Princess Gracie was a bit too vague with her Tshirt so cute. Here is the full story with details to boot!