Green about the gills

The post title is partly a nod to St. Patrick's day, and partly a nod to the fact that I've been sick. The St. Patrick's reference would have been more timely if I'd gotten this blog done when I wanted to (all last week), but the sick part is still true (which is why the blog didn't get done).

We had fun at the St. Patrick's Day parade downtown, once I found a place to park. Even tho' we arrived just moments before the parade started, we found a place to stand in the sun. It wasn't quite short-sleeve weather, but we didn't have to keep our coats on. I'm glad we didn't miss the beginning of the parade - we would have missed the green horse!
Amanda cannot resist any larger-than-life mascots. She must go and get a hug! I can always hear people around us saying, "Awwww" as she goes to the mascot with her arms outstretched, saying, "Puppy, can I please have a hug?!" This puppy was nice enough to wait for my camera to get going, and then have Amanda pose a bit.

Is there some Star Wars/St. Patrick's Day connection? Unanswered questions...

Wave, Amanda, so you can get candy! (work it, girl!)

She knows how to work it! =) (She got a flower, in this instance, but we brought home LOTS of candy)

There were so many political candidates (mayor, city council) handing out stickers that one of the moms by me remarked about our kids being walking billboards.

That night, my friend Patty and her daughter Austi came over to watch Amanda while I went out to dinner. Who knew they were so camera-shy? Amanda had to play, too.

Austi is old enough to babysit, but isn't 100% comfortable being on her own. Patty just watches TV or a movie, and is there to enforce bedtime (which is the only problem Amanda poses to teenage babysitters - can you really make me go to bed and stay in bed?). Kim (another babysitter extraordinaire) has babysat Amanda on her own at the house, but I don't think we've encountered the bedtime question yet.

Anyway, the next morning we got up early for me to sing at early church and I noticed my throat hurt when I swallowed. Singing went well, but my throat got worse from there. I felt rundown and just sat on the couch that afternoon. I didn't feel sick enough to stay home the next day, but my throat was just so painful. I told Amanda I was sick, but Monday morning I found myself yelling at her because she was crying for no reason. I was in my bedroom and she said she was done brushing her teeth, so I told her to just brush some more and I'd be right there. She said, "Ok, Mommy", and then she said, "See Mom, I'm being good! I just said, 'Ok, Mommy'" (sometimes she argues). I called to her that yes, good job. As I'm getting ready to leave the bedroom, suddenly I think I hear her crying! Just moments later! "Why are you crying?" "Because you weren't helping me." Good grief, I said I'd be right there, you were exclaiming how good you were, and TEN SECONDS LATER YOU'RE CRYING BECAUSE I'M NOT THERE YET?!?!?!?! I was probably very irrationally angry, and being sick was no doubt a big part of it, but I yelled at her about crying for no reason, throwing in the tried-but-true, "DO YOU WANT ME TO GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO CRY ABOUT??????" line. She was a bit shell-shocked. I took a breath and after I finished going over her teeth, I asked her to go and get her shoes, and do you know, she turned right around and went to get her shoes on?

I apologized to her later and told her that I don't feel good and she has to be a good girl when I'm sick. When I picked her up from school, I asked her teacher if Amanda told her that I'd yelled at her that morning. She sort of smiled and said, yes, she did, and then she said, "Amanda, what did I tell you? When Mommy's sick, what are you supposed to do? Yes, you need to help Mommy when she's sick." I was glad that they had talked about it (reinforcement? ease my conscience?)

I had health services at work look at my throat (no help - they always say it's maybe irritated from sinus drainage. Hey, this is not IRRITATED, this is ROYALLY PISSED OFF!), and I called my doctor. I was going to make an appointment, but after discussing with my doctor's nurse over the phone, we determined it was probably a viral infection, in which case all I could do was wait it out (and try tylenol, throat spray, etc.).

I got some energy back Tuesday night and Wednesday, although my throat hurt all week (better as the week went on). Then Friday night, I thought I ate something that didn't agree with me, but now I'm thinking I either got something else or what I had evolved into a second thing. I felt so rotten all day Saturday, into Sunday and this week. It seemed like while I was eating, I wouldn't feel bad but afterward, I'd feel worse, so today I just didn't eat, and it seemed better. I took the advice of a friend and ate a piece of toast for supper, and a while later my stomach just felt rotten again. Should have just continued to wait it out. I could stand to lose a few pounds.

Anyway, enough detail and poor me. I must get to bed - that can only help.

Forgot that I'd attached these last pictures. Sunday afternoon, Amanda was invited to a birthday party at a place called "Pump It Up". They started in Arena A, with two big slides, two bouncy houses, and another inflatable climbing thing. After about 45 minutes there, they moved into Arena B, which had an inflatable obstacle course, more slides, a rock climbing wall, and another bouncy house thing. Another 45 minutes and we moved into the party room for ice cream, cake and present opening. They'd invited the whole class, but only about 5 kids came. The birthday girl's parents were disappointed that more kids didn't come, but we all agreed it was their loss - it was a great party! (Birthday girl is in front in this pic, w/Amanda bringing up the rear)

Samantha didn't want to sit in the big birthday girl chair at first, but then her dad came over, picked her up and put her in it, saying, "Sweetheart, do you have any idea what this costs?!?" The grown-ups all laughed (and she was fine sitting on the throne), but I couldn't help but wonder - What did it all cost?!? Must have been hundreds.

After the party was over and people were heading home, Amanda took a turn sitting on the throne.

One last topic. She had dance class last night. We skipped last week - she had a dentist appt and I was also sick (did I mention I was sick last week?) The dentist appt was fine. I thought they were going to fill a cavity on one of her baby teeth, but it was doing fine so they deferred. They showed me the x-ray of her permanent teeth waiting in the wings - looks like they'll be scrunched and we'll probably have to pull one or two back teeth and have braces. Not a surprise - I wonder what percentage of kids DON'T ever have braces these days?

So, dance class - It was warm and a bit humid yesterday and today it's COLD, which means we had a front move in, last night right after work, which means STORMS! (I'm really into the CAPITAL LETTERS TONIGHT). The tornado siren went off 45 minutes into the lesson, so we spent the next hour in the basement of the school. The little girls just ran around and played, so that was good. Amanda thought I was some kind of a magician most of the time, expecting me to just conjure up something for her to eat (we usually eat right after class). I ran out to the car after checking how it looked outside, and found a granola bar and a package of fruit snacks, but that just seemed to convince her that if I tried hard enough, I could find more. After the warning was cancelled (6:15?) we headed home and stopped at Runza. (I had a burger and felt terrible afterward - hence the 'no eating' idea today).

Tornados did touch down and there was damage (destroyed one house in Iowa - maybe more, I don't watch the news much), but no one was killed, thank God.

Good night, all, and a better tomorrow. =)