Mostly Cricket, Briefly

Caroline had her two year check at the pediatrician today. Originally I took them to these appointments together but after the last one during which Edward stood on a chair and flicked the lights off and on while Caroline had her ears checked - giving an odd strobe light effect to the proceedings - I decided that future meetings with the pediatrician would be conducted on a two adult per one child basis. So Edward stayed home with Steve and Caroline and I went to see the good doctor.

Caroline is a young giantess. A pink sequoia. Two words: basketball scholarship. She finally crossed the 25th percentile for height and is almost at the 50th. Well 40th. The mind boggles. When she was born 97 out of 100 premature girls were estimated to be able to kick her ass, now she is practically wearing her pantaloons in age appropriate sizes. Just the other day Steve asked if the size 24 month pair of jeans he was holding could be worn by Caroline without rolling up the cuffs and I said no... but I had to think about it first.

Other than that she is slender with a small head and she was a miracle of affable cooperation with the doctor. She highed his five, she covered the light with her finger when requested to do so, she let him count her teeth and she only wiggled a little when he listened to her chest. When he asked after Edward she volunteered, "We need find Edw-ad! Where'd Edw-ad go?" Then she looked under chair and said, "There he is! No! It's a spider. Hi cweepy spooky spider! Hi Spider Edw-ad!" and - just like that - Edward was replaced by an (I hope) imaginary arachnid.     

For all of Caroline's curiosity about things and her never-ending climbing she is turning into a pretty easy kid. She is patient with herself and others, although she does have a bit of an edge to her. Patrick kept banging something in the living room and I heard her snap, "Stop it Patrick stop it!" with an air of authority to which even the kindliest of elder brothers would take exception. Edward was shrieking "Share Cayayine share!" at the top of his lungs so she handed whatever it was he wanted to him. Then she waspishly said, "Sank you?" just so we all knew what she thought of his manners. And when I accidentally pulled her hair as I tugged a shirt on her she said, "Sorry?" as soon as her head cleared. It was the way she said it, you understand, that made me say, "Oh. Oh of course. I'm sorry." 

She's got a gimlet eye.

Edward, meanwhile, sprouted his molar and has returned to his sunnier self. He has stopped shrieking all the time and is now displaying a waggish sense of humor.

Sit next to each other and smile, I said.

No, no, Edward... smile!

Aw c'mon. Smile! Show me a nice smile!

Caroline, can you show me a nice smile?

Huh.

They think they're funny.

Pending:

Patrick's first conference with the new school tomorrow; Steve and I left the twins with a sitter overnight (but brought Patrick with us;) I finally talked my old grocery delivery service's new owner into re-expanding their delivery area to include me and I am so excited I don't even know what to do with myself... that's like an extra THREE WHOLE HOURS a week back again - I might take up jai alai with all that time; and... what? I know I owe you the rest of the story about Julian and Honduras and how I wound up married to Andy having left my heart in San Pedro Sula and I will - hand to my heart - return to it sooner or later... but is there anything you would like to know? Ask, I aim to please.

Comments

[ivfcycler]

electric bill?
(last time i asked about it my comment mysteriously vanished the next day...)

[Jaida]

Echoing everyone else - I don't mind what you write about but please, please write! I love your smart, witty posts and your children are endlessly entertaining.

I'm interested to know about division of labor in your house. You mention that your husband works from home a lot, so does he take on some of the household duties during the day or is he "off limits"? How do you divide up evenings, weekend chores, etc? My husband and I both work full time but childcare/household falls primarily to me during the week as he commutes. Just always interested to learn how other couples handle things.

[Jennifer LB]

Read this article about Calvin and Hobbes and thought of you and Patrick

http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/calvin-and-hobbes-creator-bill-watterson-has-no-regrets-about-stopping-strip/19341573?icid=main|main|dl4|link4|http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/calvin-and-hobbes-creator-bill-watterson-has-no-regrets-about-stopping-strip/19341573

[victoria]

OK your kids are cute and all, and I know the Scrambled readers are clamoring for attention, and of course there is Patrick's commute and all, but I just wanted to let you know I'm going on a hunger strike until you write about your South American romance, preferably in the style of the mgical realists. No pressure.

[Robyn]

Working on any more Redbook articles? Have any come out recently that I missed?

I can hardly believe that the twins are 2. How can that be?!? Wasn't it yesterday that we were all looking at pictures of Pinky and the Cheerio?

[Bridget]

Hi -

I love your blog, but something has been bothering me for awhile, and I decided it was finally worth commenting. I'm a research scientist and a mother of 2 little girls and one of your ads is driving me nuts. I have not read "Healing Our Autistic Children" and I will not read it due to the association with Jenny McCarthy. If she is involved, it probably will mention the absolutely false notion that vaccinations cause autism. The Lancet journal has finally retracted the study that started all this by suggesting (INCORRECTLY) that the MMR vaccination was related to autism. 10 of the 12 authors of that paper had already disavowed it and now it is officially being removed from the scientific record. Numerous studies have concluded that there is no relationship between vaccinations and autism.

This false notion has brought back horrible diseases that are totally preventable with vaccinations. Also, the continued push to look at vaccinations is putting valuable time and funding into a dead end instead of towards research that could help prevent or treat autism.

I really, really hope you consider removing the ad. Thanks.

[Ashley]

In reply to Robyn

I'd be happy if she'd just come back HERE again anytime soon. She is the fourth blogger that I have religiously followed who used to blog a lot but has done little to none of it lately. I think I'm going to have to ditch the blogs I've enjoyed reading over the years and move on to more current blogs. :/

[Wayne]

Robyn,
I respect your right to your opinion. However, attempting to disprove a link to autism via vaccinations is JUST an opinion, regardless of your position as a "research scientist". Is your research in the autism / developmentally slowed area ? Some of these "numerous studies" are funded by pharmaceutical companies, I'm sure they are unbiased.

I am a father of a child who was near the top of the charts developmentally, then we got him vaccinated. Within days his speech and motor skills dropped. We've spent years in speech and physical therapy. I'm pretty sure if this had happened to one of your girls you would have a different opinion. I can not prove immunizations did this, the evidence points toward it. This was in the days when Thimerosol ( mercury ) was added as a preservative, they are only using it in Flu shots now.

There are a few things you don't mention about the retraction. 1. The Brits don't have the same "free speech" as us Yanks, These Doctors were basiclly told - retract or lose your ability to practice medicine in the UK. 2. Some of the first hits on Google aren't convincing me there is no link at all
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/the-emlancetem-retraction_b_446749.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/028101_The_Lancet_Dr_Wakefield.html

These last links are some cases where the Government HAS conceded a link to Autism through vaccination.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/government-concedes-vacci_b_88323.html

http://big.assets.huffingtonpost.com/BANKS_CASE.pdf

I strongly suspect some children are predisposed to the aggressive vaccinations being forced at us. However, Parents do have choices, a delayed schedule of vaccinations seems prudent.

Lastly, research Adaware and altering your HOSTS file. I don't see these ads, it's quite simple to block them and I doubt Julia has any control over which ads are being put into her blog.

[Dr Sarah]

Oooh, yes! There are two things I'd love to know (well, two in particular, absolutely anything about you in general):

1. What does Steve do for a living? All I know is that it involves working from home and seems to pay well.

2. What *was* the result of the Great Mashed Potato Survey of... um, I can't even remember whether it was 2009 or 2008 now, probably the latter. The survey Patrick did into what proportion of bloggers like mashed potatoes. You never did get back to us to tell us whether the results supported your claim or Patrick's. I still suspect a cover-up.

Oh, one more: Are you ever, ever likely to be visiting England? If you are, I call dibs on meeting up with you.

[mem]

I wholeheartedly agree with Bridget. I am the mother of an autistic son, and I am outraged that the vaccine silliness is still being propagated.

[tgsdmom]

Wayne,
I sympathize with your trouble. Without getting into details, I am in a somewhat similar situation myself. However, I agree with Robyn.
The said "research" was without doubt (!) faulty. Many proper researches showed there's no connection between autism and vaccines. Yet fashionable public opinions resulted in dangerous trends of avoiding vaccinations. Such claims are not only beliefs and opinions. They are harmful and misleading.
Even if Julia cannot control the adds on her blog, a loyal reader who finds an add particularly troubling or offending should speak up. I think.

[tgsdmom]

I got confused by Wayne's comment. I meant I agree with Bridget.

[Alison]

*Sigh*

Julia.

Where ARE you?

Come on back and write something. Anything. Please.

[Kristine]

Tomorrow I'm taking Kiel, the 2yo with me while I take the cat to the vet.

Since neither the cat nor the child talk intelligently, it should be an interesting appointment full of Kiel don't touch, Kiel don't climb on that, Kiel that dog doesn't look friendly, Kiel stop crawling around on the floor, Kiel....

[Angela]

Oh! Oh! Now I remember what I wanted to know...do you remember when Patrick wanted you to canvas your readers to find out who liked/did not like mashed potatoes? You promised to post the results. Did I miss it?

[sozzled]

ah, I am finally catching up with blogs and am over the moon happy for you that Coborns (I assume) is now delivering groceries to you. My life without grocery delivery was HELL for the few months it lasted.

[wm]

They are so cute!

[amy]

You probably have more assvice than you need.

I was at a loss with potty training my boy-girl twins. If you are looking for another perspective, feel free to e-mail me.