Whoa, Nelly!

Are you bored today? Do you have time to kill? Well, here are the pictures from the Phillips' family Easter celebration. We began the day with a nice time of worship and were able to catch up with some old friends. Then it was off to the casa to put the final touches on Easter lunch. Tobe's parents joined us for the traditional ham, green beans, rolls,and stuffed potatoes, along with the non-traditional Peanut Butter Cup cheesecake and fruit salsa. Although we did not have an Easter egg hunt, Isaac was scooting forward in an army crawl yesterday afternoon. Last night he got up on his hands and knees in the bathroom, waiting for me to fill the tub. Very exciting. Here are a few pictures of our day.

Isaac thrilled about the contents of his Easter basket.

Contemplating eating the leaves off our Bradford Pear

The family

This one is actually from Friday, but I had to include it. Although Isaac has never taken a pacifier after the first week of life, he sucks on his beloved giraffe like it is a pacifier while sleeping. Perhaps this is a bit dangerous, however we like to live on the wildside here.

NOW...the best part of the Easter weekend....MY NEW OVEN!!! Yes, we said goodbye to our ancient range and welcomed this beautiful stove into the Phillips' family. Thank you so much Tobe, Mom, Dad, Grandmother, Richard, and Colleen! I love it!

Happy Good Friday!

Yes, I put Bunny Ears on my eight month old son. I figure it is my right as a mother, as are clothing him in knee socks and a cardigan sweater on Easter morning. One day he will only want to wear t-shirts and jeans and will no longer be at the mercy of my fashion sense. Until that day arrives, he is all mine!

Happy Easter!

WOW!

As a member of a social club during my college years (AKA Sorioity to all non-ACU alumni out there), I participated in a club tradition called "WOW Awards". At this time of night and this far removed from club, I no longer remember if WOW was an acronym or was simply the word "wow". Anyway, WOW awards were given if someone did something spectacular. This person would get a lovely paper certificate and everyone would say "WOW" all at once. Tonight I would like to give a WOW Award to Razorbackfan1717. Below is my thank-you note, as I have no name or address for you, Razorbackfan1717. (If WOW Awards happen to be a Kojie secret...OOPS!)

Dear Razorbackfan1717,

This evening as I trudged to my mailbox to fetch today's mail, I was reliving a very bitter experience I just had at CVS pharmacy (a post in its own right). Still grumbling in my head at the slower-than-molasses pharmacist and hoping for Eckerds one day return, I pulled open our post office box to find what I call the "golden key." In our neighborhood we have no individual mailboxes. Rather, we have postal centers where each household is allotted a tiny metal hole in which to receive mail. On days when the mail gods have sent you a package, a simple key is left in your box. You then get the privilege to open the large mailbox at the bottom of the neighborhood postal center and retrieve your package. I love finding this key in our mailbox.

Today I found the key and hurriedly opened the mail slot to retrieve our package. I was stunned to discover not one, but two brown packages, both addressed to me. One was a package my mom mailed two weeks ago that appears to have traveled through Greenland on its journey from Arkansas to Texas. The other was simply addressed to me. Inside this second package was the book "The Mommy Wars." Eagerly, I opened this book to search its contents when a slip of paper fell from its pages. It was an invoice from half.com stating the mailing address, sender, and shipping dates. The sender was simply listed as "Razorbackfan1717." I immediately accused my husband of buying this book for me, as he knows the significance of Razorbacks and the number 17 to me. He denied any knowledge of the book. I then called my mom, who had no clue as to what I was talking about (although she did tell me a humorous story of accidentally leaving her keys in the ignition with her car running while inside a coffee shop for 20 minutes).

I contemplated calling several other people and accusing them of sending me this book (why I am accusing people of sending me a much appreciated gift really needs to be addressed in therapy one day), but decided to simply enjoy my new read. Thank you so much to whoever thought of me and sent me such a nice present. Tonight I joyfully cancelled my request for this book from the local library as I now actually own my very own copy. I cannot wait to read it and share its contents on my blog. Razorbackfan1717, your generosity is an inspiration and serves as a reminder for me to "pass it on."

Sincerely,
Lynley

PS. To my other 4 blog readers (3 now that I just told that tidbit about my mom), I am working on a new entry, but have yet to post it. I promise to finish it tomorrow.

After a long picture shoot....

This is how glad Isaac was to return home and prepare for naptime....

The Human Taco

Etc....

Could I really just stop at five of Isaac's quirks? And really should I call them quirks when they are actually little things he does that make Tobe and me want to jump in the car and buy him the entire contents of Babies R Us? One day when Isaac is a teenager in the midst of hormones might need to find these blog archives and read such precious thoughts about him because I could be considering trading him to the gypsies for twenty-seven cents.

So here are some more things for your reading pleasure:
6. Isaac loves to make noise. He will smack his lips, then look at me. This is my cue to smack my lips. Then he reciprocates. This game continues for about a minute or two of us smacking back and forth. We do this a lot throughout the day---he will start this in the car, in his stroller, while I am in the kitchen and he is in the living room, and in the bathtub. I love it because it is our own little form of communication.

7. Isaac likes to become the human taco. He is sitting up perfectly now. Sometimes while sitting, he will completely lean forward so that his head is on the floor between his legs. (thus the taco effect). Try it--not very comfortable. We think he does this when he is tired. However, he can spring back up from that head-0n-floor position in 0.2 seconds. What really gets us is when Isaac has his head on the floor, he will turn it to the side and shoot us a smile.

8. Isaac has invented a new version of his smile. He will crunch his nose up and almost close his eyes when he grins at you. Adorable. Once again we have to refrain from jumping up and buying the new $1,000 swingset advertised in the Sam's ad this week (if you know us at all, you know that our child will never be so lucky to have such a nice play area that cost as much as Tobe's old car. Isaac will one day seek therapy based on the cheap nature of his parents) because this smile just kills us!

9. Water=Splashing. Isaac recently made this connection and loves to splash in the tub. Sometimes he goes at it with both hands and feet, until he almost throws himself out of the tub. We hope he is a water baby like his mama.

Finally...

10. The phrase, "What does the puppy dog say?" cracks Isaac up. However, it is only the puppy dog, not any other animal. We are working on animals and sounds and for some reason when I ask what the puppy dog says he laughs. (Yes, place Isaac in the category of "My mom's a teacher". Another therapy issue one day. Not only does he have mom who was a teacher, but he also has a nana who was a teacher and a great-grandmother who was a teacher. Then he also has a mass of teachers on Tobe's family's side. He doesn't stand a chance.)

That's the quirks for today. In other news, I would like to say that I have successfully found a hair clip that can contain my massive amount of hair. This may seem trivial in light of society's problems, however if you have the mass quantity of hair that I have, you understand. Whenever I get my hair cut, the stylist always tells me I have the most hair he/she has ever seen. I have heard this my whole life. Great. However having such hair means that the everyday barrette, bow (in younger years), or clip will not hold my hair. If I am to twist my hair up, I have to use two clips and lots of hair pins. Not anymore my friends. While shopping at Kroger this past weekend (where all the celebs go for great hair products) I came across a new clip by Goody. It is supposed to hold a bun in place. Well, there is no way that would work for my hair, however the clip does hold a simple twist in place. Finally. It's like Christmas all over again!

The Mommy Wars continue (and other stuff)

ABC's Good Morning America has been doing a series based on the book The Mommy Wars. The Mommy Wars is a series of essays composed by a variety of moms--stay-at-homes, working, single, crazy, etc. Our local public library has this book on order and I have it in my reserve box. I am quite eager to read this collection of thoughts on being a mommy now that I am one. If you take Parents magazine, there is an essay in this month's issue from the book.

So Diane Sawyer has been hosting this series on The Mommy Wars. On Thursday of last week she had a panel of women, some stay-at-home and others working. Snippy comments toward the "opposing party" were few, but as typical for women the talk did get a little catty. My personal opinion regarding at home vs. working is that if you are being the best parent that you can be--whether working or being at home--then marvelous. I know some incredibly involved working mothers and I know of some crappy stay-at-home moms (not personally--just in rumor). This eternal debate was not what struck a cord with me. It was when the topic of "What will the stay at home mom do if/when she gets a divorce?" that really hit a nerve. The basic thinking was that all stay-at-home moms should have a back-up plan in case of divorce. On the panel was a mother and her adult daughter. The mother divorced around the age of 60 and was forced to re-enter the workplace after countless years of staying home. The adult daughter was now a stay-at-home mom who skipped out on finishing her education to mommy full-time. The mother was attempting to convey to the daughter that she needed a back-up plan for if/when she divorced her spouse.

Uhhhh.....where was that mother years ago when she should have been teaching her daughter about commitment, relationship building, and choosing a mate? I am not debating divorce in this post because that gets really sticky really fast and it's not my place to speak. However, where did the concept of parents preparing their children for life--work, marriage, social interactions---fade into parents assuming the worst and attempting to equip the child with a mere survival kit (underage drinking at home in attempt of preventing it elsewhere, bailing out of school problems, assuming child's marriage will end)? Dr. Phil (he might have become a bit of a sell-out, but his philosophy is incredibly sound and has a scientific base) says you should not think of parenting as "raising children" but rather as "raising adults." What do you want this child to be like as an adult? Those are the things you focus on during the formative years of childhood.

Perhaps this mother did teach her daughter about how to make a marriage work and about mate selection. I was incredibly disappointed that the talk of this panel turned to "Divorce preparedness 101". I wish Diane would have stuck with how stay-at-home moms do need a back-up plan in case of the death or disability of the working spouse, not because of divorce. I hate that divorce was presented as the standard reality for today's marriage.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In perkier news, I am going to indulge in a blog tag and list five quirks. However, these are not my quirks because you could be here all day reading and reading and reading. These are five of Isaac's current quirks:

1. Whenever awake, Isaac either has his toes curled or is flexing his feet. I think it must mean he is concentrating incredibly hard on the task at hand. When something requires a great deal of concentration, he also sticks his tongue out to the side just a bit. Someone else in the Phillips' household does this, but he shall remain nameless.

2. Isaac might have to attend "Gerber Veggie Puffs Annoymous". He is addicted to these star-shaped puffs. We are working on self-feeding and table food (by "we" I do mean Isaac. Tobe and I already figured out the table food thing. The universal "we" habit is from years of teaching). Isaac gets incredibly excited when I get out the can of Puffs. He has figured out how to pick them up and put them in his mouth. However, since they dissolve quickly to prevent choking, the puffs also tend to stick to wet surfaces such as baby's hands or cheeks. This brings on a look of confusion for Isaac when he thinks he has successfully put the puff into his mouth, starts to chew, and then realizes there is no puff. I however always get a giggle from seeing a puff on the side of his sweet face.

3. Isaac had a goal of being able to reach his mobile while in the crib. About a month ago he figured out that the monkey's tail was long enough for him to reach up and grab. He could then make the mobil fall to the side by pulling on the tail, thus creating easy access to all the other animals on the mobile. This usually occurred upon waking from a nap. Well, that goal is no more because on Monday Isaac must have become a bit too excited about grabbing the monkey's tail because he broke the mobile poll in half. The sad mobile now sits in the floor of my bedroom waiting to see if superglue can heal its wounds. What Isaac doesn't know is that his mother is a bit over-the-top regarding the concept that things must match. I did not register for the nice bright mobiles that supposedly stimulate the mind of the infant. Nope. I had to get one that went perfectly with the room. That mobile is now discontinued.

4. Isaac has three ways of examining an object. First he usually shakes it, because he loves making noise. Second he will hold the object with one hand while flicking his fingers over it with the other. Finally he will rotate his wrist back and forth, while holding the object. This is very amusing to watch.

5. When getting his diaper changed, Isaac likes to hold a small tupperware container filled with safety pins (keep those in the changing table to put dirty socks together with so they don't lose a mate during laundry time) and a bottle of something (lotion, bottom paste, etc). Sometimes he will just hold his hairbrush, but he prefers to have something in each hand during the diapering process.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finally, I need bluebonnets! Now that I am not working outside of the house, I don't travel the roads as much. Anyone know of a great--and safe (I am too klutzy to attempt to take my child's picture on the side of 635)--place for bluebonnets?

The Textbook Baby

Apparently Isaac has been reading "What to Expect the First Year" and came upon the chapter titled "separation Anxiety at Eight Months." He then took very precise notes (like his mother would) and memorized all characteristics of a child wanting his mommy. Somewhere in all of this Isaac forgot that he doesn't like to cuddle and would prefer playing on the floor or rolling all over the house.

Yes, the separation anxiety has hit bigtime in the Phillips' household. Could it occur at 11:30am? Nope, it happens at 2am or 4am or sometimes at midnight. Isaac started sleeping through the night from 7:30pm to 7:30am at 3 1/2 months. This was a gift from God, despite the fact that I did have some withdrawals from Nick at Night. A few weeks ago Isaac had a double ear infection, causing him to be up during the night. The ear infection is long gone, but the night wakenings are here to stay (for now). The whimpers turn into cries which turn into hysterical sobbing before I can make it to his room. We have let him cry it out some, but he is pretty persistent in this area and I am not a huge proponent of CIO. We don't co-sleep for a variety of reasons, one being that I am a very vicious sleeper and CPS might have to be notified. Poor Tobe puts his life in harms way every night when he crawls under the covers with me. So now our happy, smiling boy is crying a lot during the night. I know it is a ploy to get me to come in the room, pick him up, let him stare at me with a confused look on his face because I am wearing glasses, and then put him back down to sleep ten minutes later. I am a sucker for ploys.

I have read every sleep book out there, some twice, and am now resigning myself to the fact that Erickson and Piaget were correct in this whole developmental stage concept. However, this getting up in the middle of the night wears a girl out. The "books" say this is a phase that babies grow out of relatively quickly once trust is established (sounds quirky, I know, but it's true). Hopefully Isaac has reached that part of the book in his studies so he can resume sleeping all night long before his twelth birthday.

(I do have this great blog post in my head, once again on the "Mommy Wars" series on ABC's Good Morning America. Once the fog clears from my head, I promise to post it. In the meantime, here is Isaac playing in the tub.)

Yes, that is a large scratch on Isaac's left check that he somehow managed to do in the middle of the night Monday night. Fortunately, we are getting Easter pictures taken tomorrow so I guess he will be going for the "Tough Guy" image rather than sweet baby boy.

I know that I have already posted this picture. Blogger is being mean today.

Writer's Block

Remember when your tenth grade English teacher assigned a timed essay on Tess of the d'Ubervilles and you couldn't remember who Tess was, much less what the characters' relationships had to do with the imagery presented in chapter five? Well that is me with my blog this week. Not much to report here, so I figured new Isaac pictures will fill up some space. Happy Thursday!

Rooting for the Mavs on Tuesday

Rollin'

If you happen to walk past me and hear me humming Tina Turner's "Proud Mary", just know it is because I sing this diddy to Isaac about ten times a day now. He is a rolling fool, thus prompting me to sing "Rollin', Rollin', Rollin' on a river..." He will roll from the living room into the kitchen to find me. Then he will roll over to the sofa table to examine our wedding picture (and to read our thesis and dissertation titles, which reside in the same areas). Next it is off to the glider, to examine how that works. Finally he ends up between the couch and love seat. The best part of his rolling is that if I am not in the room, Isaac will roll somewhere, then talk or laugh loudly to get my attention. When I come in the room to discover his new location, he will look up and smile with his eyes almost closed. Apparently he is quite proud of this rolling thing. This week we will trek over to Babies R Us and buy all things needed to protect the homestead from a curious soon-to-be eight month old.

Tobe's grandparents were in town this last weekend. Isaac can't wait until he gets to ride on the tractor with Grandaddy this summer!

Sounds from next door

It is 6:15am and I am happily drinking my first cup of coffee and catching up on my computing. What sounds do I hear coming from the room next to me? A big crash from pulling the mobile down (have to lower that crib mattress!) and then laughter. Then it is "Mamamamamam" over and over until I arrive to get Isaac up for the morning.

When will daylight's savings time be here so my child will sleep until 7am again?

Flying the friendly skies...

Isaac at the birthday party where the infamous hair-pulling occured.

Just in case....

....you forgot what Isaac looks like, here are some pictures from this past week! Happy St. Patrick's Day!

(Okay, once again Blogger hates me. I will post the other pictures later!)

Baby Einstein at the Alamo

No, Baby Einstein at the Alamo is not the newest Disney On Ice production. It is a summary of our Sunday night. Last week found us in Arkansas, visiting the family. Isaac and I flew there last Tuesday morning and Tobe joined us on Friday afternoon. The three of us (Tobe, Isaac, and myself) flew back home on Sunday night. Those of you who live in the DFW area witnessed the gully-washer that was Sunday's weather. Not a choice time to fly, especially with a baby. We gleefully boarded our Southwest flight in Little Rock, with the knowledge that Dallas was having a "little" weather. Once in the air, we were informed there would be no beverage service. No problem, since it would only be a 45 minute flight. Well, that flight turned into a two hour flight as we circled Love Field, waiting for the weather to clear and for the airport to reopen. Then our cheerful captain comes over the speaker and announces that rather than landing in Dallas, we are going to make a quick stop in San Antonio (another 45 minute flight) for some gas and perhaps a layover. Normally, I would have been angered by this and then resign myself to the fact this is the nature of air travel. However, we were traveling with a baby and pure panic set in. I had images of us sleeping in a San Antonio terminal with a baby who really prefers a crib for all sleep-related activities. Would I have to resort to feeding Isaac a Cinnabon? Would he cry for hours on end? Would his bath time occur in the sink of the women's bathroom? We had no stroller with us, only a Bjorn and an infant carseat. I immediately began making the "How to Survive a Night in an Airport" plan in my head.

We land in San Antonio and were relieved to discover we would be returning to Dallas. Isaac watched a little Baby Einstein on the laptop and slept some. We were able to score some water to make a spare bottle (The flight attendant gave us water, but told the other passengers they had to wait. We got the special treatment because we had a baby. I almost told her the "baby" needed a coke and some of that tasty Chex Mix, but refrained.). Isaac played in his carseat and slept a little on the way back to Dallas. As we were deplaning, one lady commented, "I didn't even know there was a baby on the plane." Another told us that Isaac looked like the baby in the movie "Baby's Day Out" (don't think that was ever on the Academy Award's ballot and I remember that movie playing at the theater I worked at in high school--very old reference). After four hours of flying, we finally made it to Dallas, only to discover half the roads were flooded and we had to be creative in finding our way home. It was then that Isaac decided to scream. Our home never looked so good as we pulled in the driveway.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We had a great time in Arkansas. Isaac had a double ear infection, so he wasn't 100%. However he managed to throw out some smiles and a few giggles--just enough to once again win over the family. Thursday night found me seated around a table with all my close friends (minus one who was home with a sick baby and terribly missed!!!) from high school. What a blessing to remain friends with these women, some whom I have known my whole life. Despite the fact that we had not all been together since my wedding, we picked up right where we left off. Sitting at our table in McAllisters reminded me of all of us crowded around "our" table, forever breaking the "four chairs only" rule in our high school cafeteria (This time was often spent scheming up ways to liven up our small-town high school--such as the time we had everyone in our 5th period history class take an apple off the lunch line and leave it on the desk of our easily-embarrassed History teacher. Boy that was hilarious at the time and now it just seems dumb. Perhaps I have matured.) How time has changed those conversations. It was once boys, teachers, and drama. Now it is babies, husbands,careers, and serious life issues such as cancer and passing of loved ones. I know I will find myself sitting around a table with these girls repeatedly through my life, laughing over the same old memories (to the dismay of our husbands) and sharing life's newest joy and sorrow. God blessed me with the most amazing friends in high school and in college, friends I will always have no matter how far apart we are at the moment.

Isaac was able to attend the first birthday party of my oldest friend ("oldest" meaning that I have known her since birth and not that she is 134 years old)'s little girl while in Arkansas. Isaac is really getting into other babies, wanting to touch them and smile at them and this little girl was no exception. The highlight of the birthday party was when my friend's husband was holding Isaac on one knee and his daughter (birthday girl) on the other. Isaac thoughtfully reached over and pulled the little girl's baby ponytail as hard as he could. Many tears followed. Today in the mail we received a thank-you note from that party. The front read, "Lynley and Isaac, thank you for coming to my party...." and the inside said "and for pulling my hair." At least we are starting this whole boy thing off right!

Wooooo! Pig Souie!

Early tomorrow morning, Isaac and I are boarding a plane to Arkansas to visit the fam. We haven't been there since Christmas and there might be a fight between my mom, my dad, my grandmother, and my grandma over who gets to play with Isaac first. I put my money on Mom and Grandmother to tag team the others. Tobe will be joining us for the weekend.

Isaac is battling a cold that Tobe had last week. Just pulling the nose aspirator out of the basket on his changing table causes him to cry (Isaac, not Tobe). I keep telling Isaac I have to suction his nose so he can breathe and that one day he will be able to blow it on his own. He doesn't seem convinced and I am sure this is going to be another thing he one day addresses in therapy.

Between the sickliness in our house, packing, cleaning, and general procrastination, I did not get to write three letters I planned on penning this past week. Here are the abridged version so I can cross this off my To-Do list:

(1) Dear City of Grapevine,
Although I greatly appreciate our bi-weekly trash pick-up, I am a little disturbed by the fact that our friendly trashman throws my garbage can down the street after emptying it. What was once a beautiful 30 gallon Rubbermaid container, is now a beaten, scarred, one-handled, lopsided mess. Due to his very busy schedule, I do not expect our trashman to gently set down the can. However, it would be nice if he could at least throw it in my yard so I do not have to chase it down the street. Thank you.

(2) Dear Jeff Berry,
I am quite glad that you have decided to run for Justice of the Peace. Please be advised that I did not vote for you based on the fact that someone in your camp put a campaign pen under my windshield wiper while I was shopping at Target. This pen went unnoticed until I turned on the windshield wipers to clean off a dead bug. The pen then went flying, making me think I had struck a small animal. Good luck with the rest of your campaign.

(3) Dear Leslie Jane Seymore (editor of Glamour magazine),
As a reader of Glamour, I understand that your magazine's "thing" is to promote social awareness regarding injustices that happen to women of the world. I applaud this and enjoy reading your articles. In April's issue, you traveled to Nairobi, Kenya with Drew Barrymore to bring attention to the drought and lack of food in that area. Again, I applaud you for this. However, I found it a bit odd that there was a picture of you scooping out Ugali for the people of Kiberia (slum in Nairobi) in your crisp, white shirt with the largest Polo emblem ever and a Hermes scarf tied around your neck. Just something to think about. It took away from the nature in which your were helping these people.

There are my letters. I can sleep peacefully tonight, knowing that all things are off my list, even if I did have to cheat just a bit.

If you happen to see Tobe this week, walking around looking lost and a little gaunt, please offer him a kind word and perhaps a peanut butter cracker.

Thursday's Tasty Tidbits

There are quite a few random thoughts floating in my head today, so I thought I would create a hodgepodge blog. Here goes:

Has anyone noticed my super-cool map on the left of the blog page? Who knew so many people read this blog? However, I cannot figure out how to zoom in on the map and tell exactly where readers are specifically from. DKDFW, can you help us with this? I find it quite fascinating that people across the country have stumbled across these musings about Isaac and our family. I have called Tobe almost daily to keep him posted on the number of hits the blog has received. So you anonymous readers, check in, say "hello", leave a witty comment. Those readers who read this blog simply to steal my identity (apparently this was an episode of CSI), let me warn you that I am the most paranoid person in the world and we keep very close and detailed check on all things related to the Phillips' household. Go find another blog for your wiley ways.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunday night found us huddled around the television, munching on Papa John's, cheering for our favorite movie icons. I missed part of the show because I was bathing Isaac and putting him down for the night and then because I fell asleep, however I do have some opinions regarding winners and losers. First, a big congratulations to Reese Witherspoon. I have loved her since Man in the Moon. I was fearful Felicity Huffman would get the Oscar for her role in Transamerica due to the controversial nature of her performance. Glad to see that the Academy appreciated the portrayal of June Carter over the other performances. I am also very glad to see that Crash won for best movie. I was rooting for Walk the Line, but felt like it didn't have enough of an "artsy" feel to be awarded the Oscar. However, it is an EXCELLENT movie and I suggest everyone take the time to watch it. Crash was my second choice. I love movies and stories in which a wide cast of characters are loosely connected (ex. LOST) and the viewer at home gets to watch as this connection unfolds. I felt like Crash dealt with the theme of racism in an untraditional way, looking at it's roots in every race, color, and creed. Most importantly I was glad that Brokeback Mountain did not win. Some people rooted against this movie due to it's subject matter. Not me. I rooted against it based on the principal that Jenn Linley and Audrey are co-stars of this film. Many of you are racking your brains, attempting to figure out of whom I am speaking. Others of you are singing "I don't wanna wait..." in your head as you see the Dawson's Creek gang jumping off the pier, laughing and using words only found on the SAT. Dawson's Creek refresher course: Jenn Linley (AKA Michelle Williams, girlfriend to Heath Leadger) was in the original cast of Dawson's Creek and died in the final episode of cancer. Audrey was Joey's (AKA Katie Holmes) roommate at college and ended up dating Pacey. I cannot root for a movie that has former Dawson's Creek cast members in it. Also, I am so tired of every radio station playing the "I can't quit you" drop from Brokeback.

One final Oscars note--when Charlize Theron's stylist approached her with that dress with the large black bow on the shoulder how did she not fire that person on the spot? That was the worst dress of the evening. I also imagine it blocked her peripheral vision on that side of her body, thus causing her to turn her whole body at an odd angle to speak to others sitting next to her.

Finally, I love Dolly Parton. However, didn't like her song for Transamerica AT ALL! I could have written that song and I have no song-writing abilities in me. She should have just sang 9 to 5 and hoped no one noticed.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you take Rolling Stone magazine, I suggest you read the article on the Church of Scientology. I found it to be fascinating. The article was neither pro-Scientology or against it, rather it simply stated facts about this religion (is it considered a religion?). Some points of interest were that only those individuals who are very high up in this order have knowledge of all the fundamentals of the Church of Scientology. The article said this would be like if the Catholic Church kept the idea that Christ died for our sins a secret from all it's members, with the exception of an elite few (which they don't, obviously). Also, there is a big Navy influence in the Church of Scientology partly due to the fact that church offices and such were located on ships to avoid taxes. Those members who are high up in the organization used to wear Navy officer-like uniforms until the government put an end to that. Now they dress like deckhands.

L. Ron Hubbard was the founder of Scientology. Scientology believes that all sicknesses are psychosomatic, therefore no medication is ever needed (thus the Tom Cruise vs. Brooke Shields debate on mood stabilizers and post-partum depression. Tom Cruise actually called Rolling Stone and asked them not to publish this article about Scientology). When L. Ron Hubbard died of pancreatic cancer, the corner found amounts of anti-anxiety drugs and other medications in his bloodstream. Interesting. Also, all churches of Scientology have an office for L. Ron Hubbard set up within their building for when he returns to this earth. Another interesting tidbit. Interesting because as Christians we believe in the second coming of Jesus. Are we as steadfast in that belief as the Scientologists are in the belief of the return of LRH?

Go to your local Barnes and Noble and sit down with the latest Rolling Stone and check out this article (there is also a good one on the Flying Tomato). Due to the celebrity backing of Scientology, we are going to continue to hear more and more about it. I do not believe in it's principals or it's teachings. However, I think it is socially responsible to know about other realms of faith as I continue to grow in my own.
(SIDENOTE: To those Scientologist who might be reading this post, please don't sue me. I am simply restating information from the Rolling Stone article, which is my right as an American citizen. Have a great day!)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Has anyone heard that Joe Simpson has signed Carley Patterson (gold medalist in Women's gymnastics) to a record deal? Perhaps it is time to return to youth ministry, Joe.

Also, Nick Lachey is now doing infomericals. It is hard times.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Although I only cause two 1/2 episodes of the Bachelor in Paris while on the treadmill at the gym, I am sad to hear that the newest couple from this show has broken-up. I am hoping that the American public knows that the Bachelor is simply for fun and the likelihood of a real, romantic connection is incredibly slim. However, might I suggest to ABC that if they would like for a couple to stay together, they are going to have to figure out a way for those people to actually date in between the end of taping the show and the actual airdate of the show. Do they honestly expect two people to consider themselves to be dating when they are not allowed to talk or see each other? ABC, if you create this show simply for it's entertainment value, fine. If you create it to make a genuine love connection, rethink your plan of attack.

Also, a reader's mom apparently works in the same hospital as Travis the Bachelor in Nashville. Perhaps she can hook you up if interested. Personally, I was a little fearful of his jawline.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Finally, I was incredibly sad to hear of Dana Reeve's passing this week. I caught her appearance on Oprah last year discussing her husband's death. Not once did she utter a negative or bitter word, despite the years of turmoil they lived in as they dealt with his paralysis. Rather, Mrs. Reeve said how blessed their family was to have the financial stability to pay for the needed medical treatment and to have the ability to provide celebrity-backing for spinal cord injuries. It is always a pleasant shock to see someone out of Hollywood be genuine and appreciative.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CNN.com is currently headlining a story about the drought in Africa, specifically Kenya. My question is how come we are constantly bombarded with every tiny detail from Iraq on the nightly news, but there is barely any mention of the drought that threatens to kill entire villages? Read this story on CNN. Think about how precious that water is that you left running while you scrubbed your teeth tonight. Find an organization that provides water to such countries in times of need (Mana International--if it still has funding to operate) and give them some of your money. How often do we water our yards at 2:30pm in 90 degree weather in hopes of earning the "Yard of the Month" sign when others wait in line for days for a mere plastic bucket of this liquid sustenance?

A Day Late, but Not a Dollar Short

Yesterday, Isaac turned seven months old! WOW! I cannot believe that seven months ago I gracefully birthed him into this world (I can use the word "gracefully" because only one of my readers was actually in the delivery room and he isn't going to admit otherwise). Everyday Isaac is starting to look more and more like a little boy rather than a baby. Just this week he hit a huge milestone and is now sitting unsupported. Despite his tortocollis and lower muscle tone, he has not missed one major developmental milestone. Of couse, the poor boy is tortured everyday by his mother stretching and pulling him to help those muscles. Isaac also talks all the time. He can say "Hi" in response to you saying "Hi" to him. This isn't 100% of the time and I don't think he gets the concept of what he is doing, but it does cause me to cheer loudly as if he had just recited the preamble to the constitution from memory. He is also a big babbler, going from loud "dadadabababab" to whispering "dadadbababa." Quite amusing. He is still a toothless wonder and gnaws on everything, especially the TV remote and the telephone. Isaac also has a very definite idea of what he wants. It is very interesting to watch him sort through a pile of toys in front of him, throwing the undesirables over his shoulder, until he finds exactly the toy he was searching for. For the first time, we actually ventured out onto the park playground rather than sitting and passively watching the "big kids." Isaac enjoyed the swings, but particularly loved all the frantic children running around. He also really noticed his future BFF Morgan for the first time, wanting to reach out and touch her. Being the mature 13 months that she is, Morgan didn't want to have much to do with Isaac other than offer him his bottle repeatedly. However, the two did share a mutual crying session due to a long lunch and delayed nap. Such tears caused Alison and me to remember the days when we slept in until noon, then drug ourselves down to The Bean for the standard Saturday hamburger, not having to worry about dropped sippy cups and wayward glances from other customers as our children become a bit talkative.

Hard to believe that seven months have already gone by. Once you become pregnant or have your first child, people automatically feel the need to tell you how fast kids grow-up. Honestly it becomes redundant and tiring and particularly annoying when such stranger is attempting to touch your child (SIDENOTE: Don't touch other people's small children unless you know them, especially in cold and flu season. Also, don't think I won't hesitate to put out an Amber Alert if you even look at my child suspiciously). Sadly though, it is true. Isaac is growing so quickly. I might as well start initialing his socks for when he has to wash them the famous Abliene Wash and Tan while in college.

Happy Seven Months, Baby Isaac Michael!

(as your mother, I reserve the right to call you that until you are 40)

What happened to the lady?

SAHM. Are you familiar with that acronym? It stands for "Stay at home mom," which happens to be my current profession. If you have ever been at home during the day due to sickness, vacation, or because you too are a SAHM, then you have likely caught a daytime talk show or two. Oprah, Ellen, and even Tony Danza (who apparently has been given his own show) all give praise to the SAHM, often citing how that is the hardest job out there. They know who their audience is and know how to charm them.

Apparently Good Morning America isn't too worried about getting the SAHM's vote, because they recently had author Laura Hirshman on discussing the horrible tragedy of the new trend of college-degreed women choosing to stay at home and raise babies rather than take their place in the work environment. She went on to say, "I think it"s a mistake for these highly educated and capable women to make that choice. I"m saying an educated, competent adult"s place is in the office."

Wow! Ms. (I presume it is not Mrs.) Hirshman, shall we all go burn our bras as well? If you know me, you know I am not the meek, timid thing in the corner without a mere thought in her head. I agree in equality for everyone, despite sex, skin color, SES, choice in cola, etc. Our society has come so far in accepting differences as just that, rather than as a determination of greatness or weakness. Gone are the days when women enter college to get a degree in either home economics, teaching, or nursing. The glass ceiling for women in the workplace is slowly being shattered in businesses and companies all across our nation. The Feminist Movement did a lot for women in our country, but now this author is throwing us back into the stone age. I have a Masters Degree in Clinical Child Psychology. My thesis was presented at the American Psychological Association's national convention. I had a successful career as a teacher, creating a name (small) for myself in Special Education and behavior modification in the district in which I was associated. Now, I spend the majority of my day changing diapers, playing Peek-A-Boo, and singing the "Rice Cereal" song a million times (one of many diddies I have "written" and perform for Isaac on a daily basis--I recently heard Tobe singing the "It's bathtime, it's bathtime" song. Perhaps I will make my own CD....). Apparently this autbelievesives sactivitiesites itrivialival way to spend a day. However, Martin Luther King Jr.'s mother, Mother Teresa's mother, and even Bono's mother most likely spent the majority of their days doing the same thing in the early years. When did raising a child to become an independent, motivated adult become a waste of an education?

So I ask the question, "Where has the lady gone in our society?" Recently researchers have noticed a trend in adolescent females. Girls are becoming more and more aggressive--whether in the classroom, on the sports field, or in everyday interactions. We all love when one of roommatesates on the Real World starts pulling and clawing at another female roomie. However, we are not shocked by the idea that girls are fighting and using such colorful language that would make a sailor blush (no offense to any Navy personal who read this blog). When did aggressive, bitchy (excuse my language) women/girls become the norm? How do women expect men and society in general to hold them in high regards and show respect towards them if this is the image of woman that is being portrayed?

Right now you might be asking yourself what is the point of this blog---you were just checking to get an update on Isaac and you got a rant about women in our society. Laura Hirshman's comments made me angry and frustrated with perceptions of women in our society. I believe that anyone--regardless of color, creed, or gender---can set out and accomplish any task, from presiding over the boardroom to sitting at home reading "If You Give a Moose a Muffin" for the 12th time. I do not believe that the educated stay-at-home parent is wasting their knowledge. I am worried that the power of being a woman and a mother--the graceefficiencyency that Proverbs 31 portrays--is going to be lost to a society that craves drama and selfishness. Thus the reason for this tirade. I hope that notionsiong of "being a lady" becomes the new trend for women. That classiness and reserve are the qualities that are appreciated rather than in-your-face aggressiveness. I hope that involved parenting is revered for the outcomes it creates. Finally, I hope that Ms. Hirshman one day has a child of her own and comes to understand the value in raising a child, rather working outside the home or not.

Now if you excuse me, I am off to sing "We Shall Overcome" and tend to my garden.

Go, Dog, Go!

What did you do this past rainy Saturday morning? Did you stay in bed, snuggled down under the covers? Did you enjoy a steaming stack of pancakes and a warm cup of coffee? Over here at the casa de Phillips' we thought Saturday morning would be the perfect time to head out to Fort Worth and run in the rain. Yes, Tobe and I headed out for the Cowtown Marathon early Saturday morning. Tobe has been training for the marathon for months and this was to be my first 5K since having the baby. What do we wake up to Saturday morning? Pouring down rain and lightening. Apparently our area got more rain from Friday afternoon to Saturday morning than it has from November 1, 2005 to Feb. 23, 2006.

Despite the weather, we made our way to Fort Worth. Tobe has been training so long and he didn't want to pass up this chance to meet a life goal due to some weather. We scooped up some trendy ponchos at Wal-Mart on our way down and then headed out into the rain. Fortunately it was a very light drizzle when Tobe's race started. For my race, the rain would come and go, but was never unbearable. Besides, I had on my stylin' poncho (which doesn't help with the jogging) to keep me dry and warm.

This is the 3rd year we have participated in the Cowtown Marathon 5k. Every time it has been eventful. The first year it was like 30 degrees when we ran. Being rookies at the whole Fort Worth 5K thing, Tobe and I had simply worn our running shorts and t-shirts. Downtown Fort Worth has very tall buildings, which create great things for the wind to whip around and make huge, frigid gusts that almost knock you over. We froze that first year, but had a good time. Last year I was 18 weeks pregnant when I ran the 5K. My doctor had given me the "OK" to participate, however she advised me to stay very hydrated the whole time because I had become dehydrated a few weeks before and experienced cramping. Perfect, except that a well-hydrated pregnant woman needs a restroom waiting five feet at all times. My bladder was on the verge of exploding by the time I crossed the finish line last year. Finally, this year was the rain. By the time Tobe victoriously crossed the finish line, he was completely soaked. Although the rain had been light at the start, he did experience several bouts of steady rain during his 26.2 mile run. I was pretty soaked after the 5k and then drenched while standing in the rain waiting for my husband to cross that finish line. By the time we made it back to our car, we looked pretty pathetic.

Some highlights from the race included seeing a girl running in her Juicy couture sweatsuit (not made for actual exercise) holding her Burberry umbrella. I was tempted to yell, "Go back to Highland Park" as I passed her (but was concentrating on not falling on the slick pavement or drowning in a puddle). We were able to see good college friends representing Sweetwater USA and catch-up with them. Also, there was a man who ran the marathon barefoot. Apparently this is his "thing". Sounds very dangerous and really raises the risk for getting an infectious disease. The best highlight from the race can be found on the front page of the Cowtown Marathon's special section in yesterday's Fort Worth Starr Telegram. In the top left hand corner you see a man wearing a life vest, goggles, and a swim hat. Yes, dear readers, that man was in our wedding and is a good friend of the Phillips'.

Despite the weather, the Cowtown was a great experience this year. Hopefully the three readers of this blog will join us next year as we once again race through the streets of Fort Worth.

Isaac chose to stay warm and cozy in his Jammies with Nana and Papa rather than brave the elements.

A Husband's Worst Nightmare

I faced a dilemma tonight: do I watch the Ladies Figure Skating or Dancing With the Stars? Tough choice. This is the type of thing that makes my husband run screaming from the room in search of something manly like a Sports Illustrated or a socket wrench. As 7:00pm drew near, I knew I would have to decide if I wanted to watch Sasha Cohen fight for the gold or Drew Lachey dance all over Stacey Keebler's face. I opted to cheat and check the results of the figure skating on espn.com and base my decision on how heated the skating competition actually became. After glimpsing the results, I decided to stick with my Thursday night standard of Dancing with the Stars. Who cares about the Olympics when one can watch Jerry Rice do the Samba? Besides, I can catch women's figure skating in four years.

Despite the fact that I was filled with anxiety all day over this decision, I actually ended up only watching about 15 minutes of Dancing with the Stars--in the dark, with the volume turned down--while Isaac slowly took his last bottle of the day. Then I ended up hanging out in the study with Tobe listening to Green Day mashups and discussing the Sing Song scandal (ACU reference for those non-Wildcat readers). However, I still plan on voting for Drew Lachey, despite the fact I did not see him dance tonight. Voting for Stacey Keebler is simply wrong for two reasons: One being that she is a fake wrestler and two being that she has been trained in ballet for over 15 years. Poor Jerry Rice simply made it to the finals to keep the husbands interest and prevent them from tearing the clicker (my grandmother's term for remote control--LOVE IT!) out of their wives hands and turning the channel to fishing.

Go, Drew, Go! Prove to the world that the Lacheys' don't need Joe Simpson to make them successful!

Reunited Again

Two reunions have occurred in the past 24 hours : Blogger and myself (has it really been a week since my last post?) and Anderson Cooper and Lisa Ling.

Some of you (the elite who attended nice schools) are wondering what the connection is between Anderson Cooper and Lisa Ling. Those of you who grew-up in small town America know this duo well. Before there was 360 or The View, there was Channel 1. Channel 1 was a ten minute morning news broadcast shown in schools by Turner Broadcasting. The deal made by Mr. Turner was that he would put new televisions in all classrooms if the school would agree to an extended year contract with Channel 1, promising to show this quality news program every morning (which ran commercials--thus the source of money for all those sparkly TV's). The program would come on AUTOMATICALLY every morning at 8:05am--no one even had to turn the television on. Turner Broadcasting sold this deal to smaller, poorer school districts (sorry, Highland Park ISD).

The news was hosted by supposedly young hip teenagers with a nose for the world's happenings. Among these young journalists were Anderson Cooper and Lisa Ling. Bet Anderson fooled you into thinking he is a seasoned reporter with the gray hair, huh? Other famous Channel 1 reporters include Justin Gunn--formerly of Inside Edition, now on the Food Network, and Sabrina Autchul (sp????) on MTV. Yesterday Anderson and Lisa were reunited on the Oprah show to discuss the Hurricane Katrina aftermath. Apparently, our government has forgotten that thousands and thousands of people have lost their homes and livelyhoods. It was a very moving show that I hope will remind all of us of the work that remains in Louisiana and Mississippi.

Here is a picture of a future Channel 1 reporter...

Escape Artist 101

Apparently my son is the instructor for this class. Despite the fact that he has yet to "cruise", he is finding ways to move and manipulate that continue to shock me. Just this week he has figured out how to untie the bumper on his crib (which is higher than your standard bumper) and how to pull the mobile down so he can play with it. This morning I sat him in his bumbo (see attached picture) to play while I made my toast. You might be asking, "What is a Bumbo?" Well, a Bumbo is a seat for babies to sit in before they can actually sit on their own. Very cool idea. The Bumbo is also made out of sturdy foam so baby doesn't hurt his head when he smacks it on the seat. The package to the Bumbo says that Baby cannot fall out or get out on his/her own. The Bumbo originated in South Africa, but has recently become very popular here in the US (so popular that Target has started selling them). Isaac is borrowing this Bumbo from his sweet friend Morgan. This morning he was playing in his Bumbo with his TV tray and toys. I stepped ten feet away into the kitchen to make a simple piece of toast. Upon returning to the living room sixty seconds later, I found Isaac out of his Bumbo, laying on the carpet with a big grin on his face. Tomorrow who knows where I will find him....Perhaps out by the mailbox, digging in the dirt

(Side Note: We normally do not make our child wear hats inside, especially hats that resemble something the Pope might wear. However, the particular hat featured in the above pictures went with his pajamas that morning and we couldn't resist him trying it on. Don't you wish you had a hat that coordinated with your PJ's?)

Happy Valentine's Day!

What they didn't tell you in childbirth class...

I could preach for days on the subject of what they did not tell us in childbirth class. Tobe and I attended an excellent course with wonderful, knowledgeable teachers. However, I find myself often thinking, "They didn't tell me THAT during class..."

A few weeks ago I bumped into one of our instructors who asked how the whole labor/Mommy think went and is currently going. I told her labor went well (left out the 26 1/2 hours and 2 hour pushing part) and that I loved being a Mommy. Because I know that our wonderful teacher is not a reader of this blog, I will know discuss one thing that they did not tell me during childbirth preparedness class.

No one told me that I would basically have to become a professional bodybuilder just to haul around baby and baby carrier. I did a lot of research before we registered/bought any baby items to make sure we were getting high quality items at a good price. Although I thought I did my homework on choosing a quality baby carrier, I obviously never factored in the idea that I would one day have to carry carrier and child together. Despite the fact that Isaac is at the six month mark, we are still using the carrier until he can sit unsupported. Add together the ten pounds the carrier weighs and the 16 pounds Isaac weighs and that is a lot to haul around. I quickly discovered the need to park by cart returns and always have a stroller in the trunk. However, this morning we had to mail some things at the post office. Since there are no shopping carts at the post office and it seemed very time-consuming to drag out the stroller, I decided to take Isaac and carrier plus our mail inside. As I trudged towards the front door, hoping to find a kind soul to help me get the door open, a Brittany wannabe with an unseasonable tan,cropped tank-top, sagging sweat pants, and flip-flops raced ahead of me and basically allowed the door to shut in my face. Then I managed to drop about half my mail as I attempted to open the door while at the same time Isaac decided Spiderman wanted to dive to the ground. Fixed that crisis and then made my way to the cheerful line of postal customers, holding this 26 pounds of plastic and love. As beads of sweat are glistening on my face and I am contemplating if stripping down would be inappropriate, I finally was granted my turn at the postal counter. The worker tried to make small talk, commenting on how Isaac couldn't possibly be my baby....too young-looking...what will the Dallas Cowboys squad do without me now that I am a mom (no joke, this was actually said. Those that know me well are probably laughing hysterically at the thought of me being a cheerleader. Those who are not so familiar with my lack of grace, just ask Tobe about the time I managed to hit myself in the face when I sneezed. This postal worker is known for being over-complimentary of all customers--he makes a point of always saying something gracious to each person in his line. I went in to buy some stamps about one week before I had Isaac and he said I barely looked pregnant. Wish I could say that was true, but I did resemble the Stay-Puff marshmallow Man by that point.) I refrained from telling the nice man that I just want to mail my packages and retreat back to my car before my arm falls off. Finally the packages are sent and I trudge back to my car, my arms feeling like spaghetti. I make a mental note that tomorrow I can skip the bicep curls at the gym and vow never again to go to the post office until Isaac can walk.

Shameless Promotion of My Child...

Big Head Blues....

Yep, that is what we get to sing! Thank goodness! The MRI said everything looked good and there is no further reason to be concerned. I have never been so thankful for someone to tell me my child has a big head in my life. Thank you for all of the prayers, encouraging comments, and sweet emails. They were MUCH appreciated.

I will post more later--I am in the process of making dinner, baby food, and putting Isaac down for a late nap. What a blessing it is to be doing the normal things of life!

Snoozin' in the crib

Long day....

Enjoy the new highchair (thanks again Baylor employees!) and some H2O

Splashin' in the tub

Greeting his new friend, Davey the Duck (notice the duck is wearing a cowboy hat, boots, and has the inscription "Lubbock" on his chest--this is just one duck in Isaac's growing population of bath duckies)

MRI Melodrama

Yesterday we scheduled the MRI for Isaac. It will be this Thursday at 8:45am at Baylor Grapevine (of course). I believe lots and lots of people are praying that Isaac's head is just big (which sounds like an odd thing to pray for) because I really feel a peace about the whole thing tonight. Thanks friends! The drama around the MRI--besides having to get an MRI-- is that no one bothered to tell me I must request sedation for my child, which has to be prescribed by our pediatrician and administered by me on the day of the MRI. I happened to do a little investigative work and found this out by talking to a very disinterested man working in radiology. He said if my six month old could not sit still (in a tone that implied that my child would be unruly if he was unable to control himself) then they would have to strap his head down. Not fun times for me. I was able to drag out the details of how to get sedatives if I thought Isaac wouldn't be able to sit still through this loud and long test. I now have in my hands a nice little sleep aide meant for babies prescribed by my doctor. Hooray!

We'll keep you posted. Terri Chapell is telling me that the nine o'clock news is winding down so I am off to bed!

Perspective

Has it really been over a week since my last post? Oh my. So much has happened in a week's time!

My mom was here visiting all last week, catching up with Isaac and doing all "Nana" type things. We took him to get his six month portraits taken on Monday and they looked great. I declined putting him in the suggested Cupid outfit (red diaper cover, bow and arrow, wings, crown of leaves) for his Valentine cards, but the session still went well. Although Isaac grew weary of smiling and flirting, he hung in there and we got some great shots. I will get Tobe to copy off the proofs from the Picture People website and post them here soon. If that happens to be illegal, please make sure you share some kind words with Tobe before he is hauled off to the Big House.

Tuesday morning found us at physical therapy as every Tuesday morning does. This past week was the first time that Isaac held his head in the neutral position (not tilted or favoring one side) when our therapist did her measuring. This was great news! His goal is to be able to keep his head in that neutral position while playing and exercising for at least half of the session, then we can go start going every other week to therapy. I was glad that my mom was able to come with us and wittiness an actual therapy session. There are two other children having therapy at the same time as Isaac. The clinic is set up with smaller rooms and then one big therapy area. All three kids are having therapy at the same time with different therapists in this big area. It is chaos--but fun chaos. Did I mention that there is also a therapy dog running around? It is no surprise why Isaac immediately falls asleep in the car as we head for the house each Tuesday. One of the children is about four and the other child is one. Both of these children have bigger obstacles to overcome in comparison to Isaac. It is interesting to see how their mothers react during these crazy therapy sessions. One mother is bubbly and talkative and the other mother looks on the verge of tears each week. It is an interesting diatribe in that therapy room. The individual reactions of these mothers demonstrate to me what a positive attitude can do for your situation.

Thursday was Isaac's six month check-up and vaccination time. Although the nurse assigned to us was very nice, she was not the fastest shot administer ever. Isaac had to get four shots and it felt like it took her half an hour to give them. Once he would get over the initial yelp of one shot, she would then stick him with the next one. Not fun. He survived though and was done crying by the time we stepped out of the examine room.

During her check-up, our pediatrician asked all the normal development questions, including, "Is Isaac sitting up with support?" I told her no and that we were still doing physical therapy every week to help with his torticollis and muscle weakness. The pediatrician then went on to say how she was concerned about Isaac's head growth. Babies heads are bigger than their chests until around the age of two, then the chest becomes bigger than the head (go look in the mirror--your chest is bigger than your head). Isaac's head is measuring larger than expected for his age (increased head circumference) and his soft spot on top is raised rather than being flat across. This is not something we had noticed, nor knew to look for. This could mean two things: 1. Hydrocephaly (unsure of what the cause could be) or 2.Isaac just has a big head and the growth might plateau in a month or so. Here I sit at this appointment thinking, "Something is terribly wrong with my child's head or he just has a large noggin---pretty big extreme." The peditrician questioned if he had been throwing-up and I told her about last Saturday and the times back in November. She feels like these incidents are not related to the head. That afternoon we were off to get a head ultrasound. The radiologist told us that she didn't see anything on the ultrasound, which sent us home in good spirits. Friday I talked to the pediatrician who said the ultrasound came back inconclusive and was unable to show everything. The radiologist said in her report that she strongly recommends Isaac gets an MRI and possibly a CAT scan. Our doctor is also strongly recommending he gets an MRI and said that she was pretty concerned about what was going on with his head. She did restate that it could just be genetic and he could just have a large head, but that she wouldn't rest until she knew for sure what was going on (we just LOVE our pediatrician!). Tomorrow morning the doctor's office will be calling me to tell me exactly when the MRI is scheduled.

Friday afternoon a good friend/former co-worker called to chat and to tell me one of my former students had killed himself. Not the kind of phone call a teacher welcomes. I had lost contact with this child over a year ago (I only taught him my first year), which I regret. Last I had heard he was doing well and was in regular ed. He was a good kid, who despite the typical behavior issues of a child in a behavior-mod class, always tried to please me and do his best. He had a horrible homelife and a very low self-esteem, a terrible combination. With all of the Isaac stuff going on, I don't think my brain has fully registered what has happened to this child. My heart hurts for him and for the pain he must have felt to make such a choice. My goal as a teacher was not to have excellent TAKS scores (GASP!) or teach the basics of math and spelling. My goal was to plant a seed of hope in my students. All of them knew they were different in some way, but couldn't quite figure out how to balance that difference. Upon being placed in my room, each one would question why they had to be in MY class, as if their life had ended. My response: "Because I chose you. There are a lot of kids in our school who have behavior problems and I chose YOU because I know you want to work on your problems and make yourself a better person." One time I actually heard one of my students brag to someone that I picked him for my class and hadn't picked that student (hopefully one day he will never research the actual Special Ed process). So I tried to plant this seed in each of my kids, instilling in them the skills to succeed in the interpersonal aspects of this society. I can't help but wonder where this seed went with this boy who gave up his life and I can't help but wonder if in time I will hear of other students making the same choice.

So that has been our week. Fun times, huh? I did save a funny Isaac story to close this post to prevent it from ending on a sad note. Mom, Isaac, and I were driving back from a quiet lunch at Cozymel's on Wednesday. All of the sudden we heard this horrible noise coming from the back seat. Isaac had stuffed the whole tail of his toy giraffe down his throat and was gagging horribly (Thank you, Lamaze, for making that possible). Fortunately we were at a stop light and my mom was able to jump out and get in the backseat (almost throwing my prized diaper bag in the middle of Northwest highway in the process) to pull the tail out of Isaac's throat. Fortunately he did not throw up. Needless to say, Greg the Giraffe no longer has a tail...............