In One/Out Other

Edward has an ear infection. As I recall he was just treated for an ear infection and I worried that: a) we might need to go see the ENT if he is trending toward gloppy ear; and b) as much as I like antibiotics I felt like he has received several rounds in the past couple of months and that is Not Good in the general scheme of things. Fortunately my pediatrician keeps better records than I do and was able to invalidate my conviction that Edward is swimmin' in 'illin (he's been treated three times in two years.) They also told me that his last ear infection was in July - hardly cause for alarm. The pediatrician went on to say that the need for tubes (or 'ear grommets' as Patrick likes to say after reading a most disgusting but informative booklet at the ENT) is significantly reduced after the age of two so... chill. I chilled.

It does seem like we have been sick both repeatedly and forever, though, doesn't it?

I had made an appointment for Caroline as well since she has the same cold that Edward does and I worried that maybe I am just not as adept at determining when she needs to be seen. The last time she was at the doctor was in July and the only reason I brought her was because I wanted to take her to that shoe size carpet thing at Target to see how big her feet were before I ordered sandals for her online and I figured I could get Edward checked for an ear infection and then swing by Target with both of them afterward. The doctor checked Caroline since she was there and it turned out she had an infected ear as well. Who knew? So although she seemed fine except for a runny nose I brought her in today as well.

The pediatrician finished with Edward who was huddled against Steve's chest - tears streaming down his hot red cheeks - and looked at Caroline who was standing on a chair in her diaper doing something that looked very much like the mashed potato. She was bellowing "Seet Cah-uh-YINE! OH OH OH!" and then applauding herself, loudly, followed by jazz hands.

"Aaaaaand... what brings her in today?"   

I felt like a fool when I suggested she might need to have her ears and lungs checked for lurking Disease when she was so clearly a poster child for health (and musical theater.) 

She's fine and she has gained three pounds since last summer, pushing her almost into the twentieth percentile. I am embarrassed to admit that I still chart her growth because that seems like the sort of thing of thing a parent stops worrying about after babyhood in the absence of health issues but... there it is. I have an online med calculator saved in my browser and I have been surreptitiously plotting Caroline as if I will one day discover that she is actually not a pixie.

I think I feel guilty that she was born little, like I should have somehow managed to stop throwing up and guzzle a protein shake back when it would have done her the most good.   

Here. A never before seen photo of the back of Caroline's head as compared to Steve's hands at age two days when she was released from special care nursery for a few hours before they snatched her back again because we failed to keep her warm enough. Talk about a kid who needed a milk shake - she was 92% blanket and 7% hair.

+

Patrick started his new school today. It felt horribly rushed to me but his new teacher was anxious to get him started and felt that this would be a great week to begin since he would have extra time to work one-on-one with Patrick while the other kids finished their end of trimester projects. Patrick was APPALLED by our decision to move him but after a few tears and some well-argued but useless protests he managed to be mostly resigned by this morning. In the car he wondered pointedly what his real school would be doing this week (no comment) observed that it was so early the stars were still visible (not true) said he was very nervous (fair enough) and then settled down to discuss what book on tape we should get for the commute (excellent suggestion whoever you were - thank you.) When I got him this afternoon he was wearing his winter coat zipped all the way past his mouth with the hood up - he looked like Kenny. I suspected he was not going to fling himself at me and thank me for the best damned school day of his life and I was right. First he harangued me about the fact that he had gotten lost and was then late for recess and had not had anybody to play with once he got there and he didn't know where to go afterward and he lost his coat which he found again but he still hated it. He said he was much happier at his old school and that his deadline to decide between them was going to be Christmas break. I said oh dear, oh well, give it time, don't be afraid to ask for help, nothing, I expect you were and no we are going to give the new school more time than that and ultimately Daddy and I will decide what is best for you. After simmering for a while over his grievances he noted that the playground seemed fun. An hour later he said that one kid had just come back from Hawaii and had brought postcards for the whole class and he had given one to Patrick too. His name is Eric. Eric, I heard still later, is nice. In fact, everyone in the class seemed nice and they did math that was easy at first but it actually got kinda hard after a few pages. Patrick informed me of this last part with grudging admiration in much the same way a knight would speak of a vanquished yet worthy foe. They did grammar and although Patrick says he still does not know what grammar is he discovered he is good at correcting sentences, so that was ok. And they had double library and got to pick an animal to research and draw and he chose penguins and drew two of them on the side of a mountain chasing after eggs that were rolling down the side. One penguin is saying "Oh no! The eggs!" and the other penguin is saying, "The mountain was your idea." I told him I look forward to seeing it and he told me that he had a lot more work to do on penguins before he would share his work. Penguins, apparently, are not all comic drawings.

In short: I (and now you) know more about what Patrick did today than I have heard about his entire first three months at the old school. I consider this very encouraging even if I have ruined his life.       

Self Timed Portrait - Boy with Friend

 

(not pictured, mother wondering where the fuck her camera had gone and fearing that Caroline had finally succeeded in grabbing it)

PS Twin Cities gathering this Saturday - if you are interested in joining us and do not receive another email from me tonight let me know

PPS I am tied for the lead in the football pool this week - thank you Tennessee. I don't care who wins tonight as long as their combined points total more than 57. Then I clean up. I made the mistake of telling Patrick what the pool pays (er, would pay if this was not merely for entertainment purposes, I mean) and he just about fell over. What sort of parent lets her mercenary seven year old know that there is more to be made in three minutes of gambling than in two years of honest Lego picking up? For shame.

PPPS Patrick is on book three of Harry Potter and loving it. We started reading the series together and then he realized he could get through it faster on his own. I am so happy that he has finally gotten into fiction I can barely contain myself. I tend to be one of those people who presses books on you when you leave my house and now I have a captive to inflict my tastes upon year-round. I keep waking up in the night shouting, "Oh! And The Westing Game!"

Any suggestions for books on tape for us? 

Comments

[Cris]

Seriously, I love you... I mean your writing, and miss you when you have a lag between updates. How does your very similar life manage to seem so much more interesting than mine?

I still chart Cam at age 3, but then he's at the bottom 2% in height and not on the chart for weight. My husband was at the zoo with him Friday and Cam was being very friendly, snuggling up to strangers in the family center. A mom asked how old he was and Chris, fool that he is, told the truth (I lie and say 2 if my daughter isn't around to correct me). The mom said "Oh! He's very small" in a not intentionally rude way. But, jeez. You think I don't know that and it doesn't bother me?

Boy, I'm chatty now that I've finally figured out a way to post comments again. Good luck with the new school and the football pool tonight! Wish I could be there Saturday, in a non-stalker way, but Chicago's a bit too far away.

[Lawmommy]

Well, HP on tape IS fabulous.

The Tale of Despereaux is a good one to listen to in the car as well, and we have also enjoyed several Roald Dahl books that way.

I LOVE the Westing Game, but I doubt you could find it on tape. The Great Brain is another one I love, but again...not sure if it's on audio.

[Nicky at Not My Mother]

Seconding the love over here. LOL at Patrick's first day and the harranguing. I'm sure it will get easier for him and he will enjoy vanquishing more maths problems. Also that photo of Caroline, oh my goodness she was tiny! I kind of hoped you'd cut Steve's head off again like you used to, that was always funny ;-)

[cee]

The HP books on tape are amazing - I prefer Stephen Fry to Jim Dale as Stephen reads the British versions and I am a purist.

Double library was always my favourite!

[HereWeGoAJen]

The Harry Potters on tape are really good. I also have Narnia. Ooooh, and Wrinkle in Time, Wind in the Door, and Swiftly Tilting Planet, all read by Madeleine L'Engle.

Hey, what link do you use for charting? I am not satisfied with mine. (Or, obviously, the percentages that the doctors give me, which are based on lies.)

[Aunt Becky]

I'd like to leave a worthwhile comment, but that picture is just cracking me up. Sorry.

[JenL]

Congrats on the new school, sounds like a winner. books on tape are fun. I'm an adult and I really like children's/young adult books on tape (or on mp3, what have you); they seem more commute friendly (it's ok if your mind wanders a bit).
I've listened to Anne of Green Gables on audiobook, and it was great (hopefully not too girly for Patrick). Here's an odd suggestion...have you read the Mary Russell mysteries by Laurie King? It's a retelling of Sherlock Holmes. The first book is smart-kid appropriate (I think it is sometimes shelved with young-adult books), and the series as a whole is great.

[Ruth]

YES to the HP books on tape. Would Patrick like Henry Huggins? We've always liked those. Has he read the Chronicles of Narnia yet? I see there's a version read by Kenneth Branaugh. Would any of Avi's books interest Patrick?

Another thought ... have you checked out the options at your library? My kids particularly like browsing the shelves there; I like not having shelled out big bucks for a book on CD if it turned out to annoy everyone.

[carrie]

I laughed out loud at the image of Caroline singing "her song" at the doctor's office. I wish you had gotten that on video.

[Michelle]

The Lemony Snicket Series of Unfortunate Events are wonderful audiobooks! Tim Curry does the reading on all but 2-3 of them (and the author himself reads those), which certainly doesn't hurt. I think Patrick would enjoy them very much. My husband and I, while childless, listened to the entire series. The narrator will interrupt when he uses new words and give some situation-specific, yet understandable, definition of the word. They're fantastic...oh, I hope you give them a try!

[Throwingutah]

We're reading the Prisoner of Azka-whatever right now, too. We got to the time-turner section tonight and had to pause for an explanation of time-travel paradox. I'm not sure how much further I'm going to let him go with the series, though, because it gets a bit dark. We might do one more book - we'll see.
Henry Huggins is awesome. He buys his dog horse meat...how quaint is that?
The Paddington Bear books are fun, too.

[Vanessa]

My daughter has the Septimus Heap books (along the lines of Harry Potter) on audio and loves them. Her other favorite is The Phantom of the Opera narrated by Christopher Lee, but I wouldn't recommend that one if you ever want Patrick to sleep again - even I think it's spooky.

[Corie]

I'm glad that Patrick opened up and talked about what he did at school today. I'm hoping that it continues to go well for him. And I loved the mental image of Caroline singing in the doctor's office...I wish you'd had a video of it!!

As for the football game, the cumulative score is currently 48 with 5ish minutes left in the 3rd quarter, and I'm sure they'll somehow manage to rustle up at least another 9 points before the game is over. Good luck with the football pool!

[cathyb]

OH! The Westing Game!

Another Raskin book I loved when I was a kid: "The Mysterious Disappearance of Leon, I Mean Noel."

Ellen Raskin grew up in my home town, and when I was in my 30s had a friend who owned a condo in the tower it was said that she based the Westing Game on. I was in awe.

[jan]

If you haven't taken my/our recommendations [8<)] ([pirate grimacing emotican) to read/start the "Dark is Rising' Series, please have him read 'The Dark is Rising" NOW. Please, trust me, or read it yourself first

[Sydnew]

The Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan is fantastic.

[Jennifer]

I highly recommend Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third books as audio books (How to Train your Dragon is the first one) read by David Tennant (current Dr Who) in his natural scottish voice, but doing all the characters with different British regional accents. Hilarious!

[Kate]

The Westing Game was my absolute favorite when I was a kid -- must have read it a dozen times and pushed it on my students when I was a 4th grade teacher. Can't wait until my own kids are old enough to appreciate it!

[Jojo]

Funny, I was about to suggest David Tennant doing Hiccup HH as well. Brilliant stuff. And ditto to Percy Jackson, which is darker, funnier, and better written than Harry Potter.

How about EB White reading his own books? Also the audiobook version of E Nesbit's The Story of the Treasure Seekers, and anything else read by the chap who read that.

Swallows and Amazons is hard to come by but worth it.

I suspect the drive will become a highlight of the day - yours, as well as Patrick's. And then you will want to read Helen Simpson's short story "Early One Morning," and weep quietly and voluptuously into your sleeve.

[Owlfan]

My son loved "All of a Kind Family" which we listened to in the car when he was just a little older than Patrick. He then checked out the rest of the series and read them (faster than listening to them). It was good listening for the adults too.

[jd]

E.B. White reading his books -- Trumpet of the Swan in particular (and perfect for a boy raised in the woods). Thick boston accent ("Dat's a lotta money fohr a boyd") .

And Edward's ears. Just a cautionary tale. My second kid suffered from many ear infections, frequently undiagnosed until we showed up at the doctor's office for unrelated reasons. She was not verbal, prone to tantrums, and when we switched preschools her new teachers were concerned about her pronunciation. About 4 months later, we figured out that she was practically deaf from fluid buildup in her ears. She was close to 4 at the time, and while she's making progress, she's still catching up two years later. The hearing loss affected her emotional development as well, as that whole "using words to solve your problems" stage was missed. Getting tubes was a 10 minute operation, and made a difference _instantly_. So, given that you've mentioned that Edward's pronunciation is garbled, maybe he's actually pronouncing everything just like he's hearing it.

[meg]

It appears as though the Great Brain books are on tape. Methinks Patrick would love them.

[beth]

We liked Tamara Pierce books, especially Alanna. The kids grow up and have sex, so don't get the later ones if you aren't into that. It's not explicit, but it's outside marriage. We also really liked the Harper Hall books by Anne McCaffrey -- DragonSong, DragonSinger, DragonDrums.

[bethany actually]

Annalie was born 4 weeks early, 4lbs 5oz, and stayed tiny (below the 5th percentile) her entire first year. She remained smaller-than-average (below the 25th percentile, maybe?) until she was about 3 years old. Then, suddenly, she shot up and was taller than all her friends. Now at 5 1/2 she's somewhere around the 85th percentile for height and everyone is always saying things like, "Wow, when did she get so TALL?" Go figure.

My first instinct for books on tape was, "anything by Bill Bryson!" But those are probably at least PG-13 rated, mainly for language, and they're not fiction. (For yourself, though!)

Maybe some audiobooks of classics like Peter Pan, or Treasure Island, would be fun? I don't have any specific versions to recommend, though. But it would be a sneaky way to acquaint Patrick with some classics that he might not otherwise read. I've always found books and plays written in archaic language much easier to understand when I hear them read than when I'm reading them on the page.

[Cathy]

Amazing how much more a kid talks about his day when he's not bored at school! I think by Christmas he'll be happy as a clam!

[Marie]

I will wholeheartedly recommend:

The Graveyard Book

and

Coraline

by Neil Gaiman, both narrated by the author. The entire Graveyard book is actually available free online:

http://www.mousecircus.com/videotour.aspx?VideoID=1

as embedded videos of the author reading each chapter aloud live during a recent book tour. I'm using that site to work listen to the book right now myself.

Both of these books are excellent and appropriately creepy...as a college student I hardly ever buy books, and don't usually read fiction aimed at elementary school kids, but the Graveyard Book I bought IN HARDBACK as soon as it was published. So good.

[irlandessa/kim]

heh - I had a similar reaction to Bethany above...my reaction to any b-o-t request is to HIGHLY recommend giving Barbara Kingsolver's Poisonswood Bible a try. (maybe for you for the return trip leg?) I had been a fan of her earlier, lighter works (Bean Trees & Animal Dreams, also good) but this was a much denser, plot-driven story, and as it turned out, perfect for . I ended up enjoying the experience of listening to it so much, it was inseperable from my appreciation of the story itself. One of the best parts was that the story is actually told from 4 different character's POV, and the narrator had an uncanny ability to alter her delivery in a way that created these 5 distict "narrators" (a mother & sister) - something I felt enhanced the "listening" experience over "plain old reading." (Patrick would probably enjoy it too, as there are many adventurous parts IIRC, but likely not recommended for children...as it it set in pre- and Revolutionary Congo/Zaire.)

sorry for the dissertation here...but hope someone else gets to discover this terrific story.

love you...& your blog. thanks for sharing these delicious stories of your scrumptious children with us!

[Kez]

If it wasn't for Eddy-bear's illness this would have been the perfect post. A new start for Patrick (and a glimpse of his wonderful humour), Caroline singing, a pic of Steve (not that I think all he is good for is staring at, not at all... but still), and a mention of the best kid's book ever. AND then I get to the comments and someone's mentioned the Russell/Holmes series! I cannot tell you how much I adore this series and I have it on permanent rotation. However, whilst you could probably get away with the first book (The Beekeeper's Apprentice) some of the others deal with issues that are most definitely Not For Young Minds.

And FWIW, my son was premature and weighed a bit less than Caroline. He did not hit that charts until he was nearly three. And now, at just-about-four, he's suddenly tall.

[helgel]

Dinotopia. It's fabulous for kids, especially the kind that go maaaad for science, and won't make you gouge your eyes out. Seriously, I can't recommend it, either on tape or in book, strongly enough.

[tgsdmom]

In Patrick's picture his face with the shades of his hair has a heart shape :-) (Not the type that we all have with the 4 chambers.)

Sounds like Patrick had a good start in his new school. I seem to remember he originally had the same type of orientation complaints in his "real school" too. Or was it in a camp? If he needs reassuring, you might want to remind him of that.

Get well soon darling Edward. Cheers, sweet Caroline.

I am going to bookmark this post and search it for audio books later. Many books loose as they are transformed to audio. (HP is good but reading it is better.) However, I get the impression that some of the books recommended here might have gained from the transformation.

[Clare]

westing game rocked my world in 5th grade :P) thanks for the memory jog.

[QoB]

I second Coraline and all the Madeleine L'Engle books. Although I have a feeling Patrick might start to identify strongly with Charles Wallace - the main symptom would be trying to walk through walls. I think you may need some physics books at that stage...

Oh! and the Artemis Fowl books by Eoin Colfer
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_0_11?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=artemis+fowl&x=0&y=0&sprefix=artemis+fow

[anna]

I strongly agree with the commenter who suggested "The Dark is Rising" series by Susan Cooper. He might be a bit young for them, but you should read them yourself. I re-read them every Christmas.

Audiobooks - I'm British & so are these books -
"The Fib & Other Stories" by George Naughton
"The Revenge of Samuel Stokes" by Penelope Lively
"My Family & Other Animals" by Gerald Durrell
"Johnny & The Bomb" - or any of the Johnny books by Terry Pratchett

[anna]

oh, & Phillip Ardagh is newly extremely popular amongst the primary school contigent in the UK. Not sure if he's on tape yet.

[Joceline]

The Westing Game! My god I haven't thought of that book in 30 years.

[julia]

do you think you'll ever tell us what the problem was at his old school? was it the multi-age class format holding him back instead of allowing him to move forward? unacceptable curricula? mean kids? bad teachers? unhealthy cafeteria menu?

[amy]

Oh yes, Artemis Fowl! Those are really fun -- full of boy adventures and bad guys, but still pretty light and not too scary.

[victoria]

Oh, The Westing Game! Has Patrick read The Mysterious Benedict Society? Just wonderful.

[Pam L]

No info on books on tape but I had to chuckle over Patrick's begrudgingly slow release of info on the first day of school. My kids were the same way, not one bit of what they did that day at first, but slowly it would come out a little at a time that they did something more than have lunch and recess. It starts with one Eric and gets better from there.

[Melissa]

My son just read the The Westing Game in school and I had never heard of it! So many of you read it when young, how did I miss it?

Right now, I'm listening to the HP books during my commute. My son is actually disappointed that he doesn't get to listen with me, but I'm in the car by myself for 2 hours a day, so he's out of luck! Jim Dale is fantastic.

(Confession: when I read books now, I hear the words in my head in Jim Dale's voice. I can't make it stop.)

[Angie]

Julia:

I live in south Minneapolis and would like to join the meet up this Saturday. Could you email me, please?

Thanks,
Angie
angela_maddy at yahoo dot come

[Elsie]

Hank the Cowdog (lots of books)
Dr. Floyd - free podcast

[Nicole]

Julia, I so try to convert people to books constantly...we're a well intentioned (if obnoxious) bunch.

Some of my favorite books that my life would have been incomplete had I not read them when I was Patrick's age or a wee bit older...

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

The Giver

Maniac McGee

Bridge to Terabithia

Robert Cormier and all of his books. I am the Cheese, The Chocolate War... (prescreen these...some are Patrick age appropriate, some are awesome but kinda older..um, like tenderness. Yes, it is a creepy as it sounds like it could be.)

Happy Audiobook Hunting!

[Nicole]

Oohh, and I second all of Madeline L'Engle's books. Not just the Wrinkle in Time series (which are FABULOUS)with the Murray's. But the second round with the O'Keefe family in them.

And then all of the "Chronos" books with the Austin family are actually my favorite.

[Melissa]

Hi there~

Long time reader, finally delurking to say I really, really enjoy your blog. Also, as for books on tape, they might be hard to find, but I suggest The Great Brain series by John D. Fitzgerald. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=The+Great+Brain&x=0&y=0
I know they make the books on tape, as our local library carries them. I enjoyed this series immensely as a kid and I suspect Patrick might enjoy all the clever ways the Great Brain outsmarts everyone around him. Thank you for sharing your story with us.

[LMM]

OK, all my good book suggestions have already been given (but really, Madeleine L'Engle, so, so good)...but I did want to jump in and say I too feel lingering guilt over how big Lucy was when she was born. She was just 10 days early but only came in at 5lb,11oz and is still about the 10th percentile for weight. Ugh. Here we are, more than two years later and I still wonder occassionally if I should have taken the anti-nausea meds. Mothers and guilt, what are you gonna do?

[Lisa V]

I work for a charter school, mostly fundraising, but part of my job is enrollment. I give tours, talk about the school and get to know interested parents. Since we are a school of choice, kids often leave traditional school to come to us. Sometimes it's a hard adjustment for kids and a couple every year decide to return to the old school. In talking with parents, I've found that the children who do make the adjustment and come to love us, are the ones whose parents say "I'm the parent, and I've decide this is the best choice for you."
I think kids who think they've got more say so than the parents often leave a foot in the old school and can't wait to go back, so they don't make the effort at our school.

[Jennifer]

I was also going to suggest the Susan Cooper Dark Is Rising series because I just LOVE them! You've gotten some great suggestions--so many of my favorite books. :) One more thought--what about Harriet The Spy? I'm not sure if it's on tape but man, I loved that book--and I think Patrick, with his very inquisitive mind, would appreciate Harriet's nosiness. The down side: he'd be spying on everyone, all the time. Just warning you.

And can I just tell you that I am head over heels for Patrick? I love his self-portrait picture, I love the details about his day, and I love the way his brain works. I wish I could set up a play date between him and my nephew (same age, same thought process, same humor, etc.) because they'd be great friends. :) And of course I want to set up a play date between my 22 month old and the twinks. And one between you and me, involving wine and you telling me lots of stories about your kids. :) I may just move to Minneapolis because of you... *grin*

[mom of two boys]

I really liked Charlotte's Web read by the author on tape...I loved his voice.

I want to say Henry Huggins was fun too.

[Linda]

Great comment by Lisa V. Once people have to pick one thing or the other, they tell themselves "well this is so much better than the other one"-rationalization.
Re your illnesses, there is a lot of talk about Vitamin D(good for your immune system)and people not getting enough of it now due to sunscreen use and other things. You do live in the northern latitudes which means you won't make Vit. D even if you were outside naked for hours. Not to mention that the weather precludes such outdoor sports. Check with your doctor and see if you are getting enough.