The Sixth Sense

People talk about a mother's sixth sense, or mother's intuition. Or your mother having eyes in the back of her head. I think I've experienced this to a degree. I can hear one small sound come from a bedroom, and know they're doing something they're not supposed to be doing. I think it's the child's sixth sense that has been ignored.

How do my children who have been playing quietly in their rooms know that I'm now on the phone, and it would be a great time to run out screaming? How do they know that I have just applied the 5 minute leave-in conditioner, and now would be a great time to try and kill each other? Or perhaps, when I have shaved half of one leg? And I'm in the shower, so I can hear just enough noise to worry me, but not enough to figure out what's going on?

Somewhat along these lines is my worry of what is probably to come. This week we were in a public place, and a good 10 feet away from someone who must have been a very heavy smoker. I was just holding my breath waiting for Natalie to say, "Mom, what's that 'mell?" Particularly because that public place was the quiet library, and the girls were having some trouble keeping quiet to begin with. I was just waiting for her little voice to carry over the whole place. We made it out, but it's only a matter of time. Ella seems to notice more when people are different, and I've managed to stifle a few "MOM! Where's her other leg?" enough to explain about the situation, and why we don't yell it.

Anyone have any embarrassing moments to share? Or close calls?


Amoxicillin for all!

Ella started the trend at our house. After a couple of sleepless nights due to gunk, I took her in. Amoxicillin it is! Chewable. And the failed codeine laden cough syrup which I already wrote about. In a few days, she was back to full 4 yr old force. By Monday, Natalie had the gunk. So much coughing. I don't know how she could even breathe. And this is where I love a small town clinic -- called the NP, and they called in a prescription for Natalie. Must be bubblegum flavored liquid. In any case, I have no problems getting either of them to take their medicine. They can't wait. "Can I have my medicine? Do you have medicine for me?"

So I call yesterday. I have gunk. I get my prescription called in. I get nasty tasting horse pills. No candy coating. No flavored chewables. No bubblegums or cherries. It's so nasty, and the taste just lingers. I'm really hoping to feel as good as Ella did, as quickly. Then it will feel worth it.


Turns out my drug of choice is not

Yesterday I took Ella to the doctor. Lingering cough, up all night -- Mommies, you know the drill. All I wanted for her was some cough syrup with codeine. I GOT IT! After a torturous Target Pharmacy escapade, filled with random shades of nail polish and crayons shaped like Dora, we were back home nearing the end of the naptime. So last night, I gave Ella the medicine. After an hour or so, she seemed to quiet down and sleep. 4 a.m. she was up again, coughing like crazy, so I gave her more (well past the required 6 hours). 5:45 she's up, yet again, "I'm not tired Daddy. Can I get up?" He sends her back to bed for 20 minutes or so, and then lets her get up.

6:45, Natalie wakes up. Ella bursts into her room and turns the light on. "NATAWIE!! NATAWIE!! LOOK WHO'S UP BEFORE YOU!! IT'S ME!! I'M UP BEFORE YOU NATAWIE!! BAH!!!! {followed by hysterical and awkward social laughter}. I'm afraid Natalie was not impressed. Neither was I. The codeine is supposed to make my child sleepy. So we can ALL sleep. Even now at almost 9, Ella is racing about the house like a wild woman. Even the cat is hiding, and I need to find her so I can shove her in the basement while they replace one of our doors.

No more codeine.


Blogs, it's a place for people to write things and pretend someone is reading

Ok, so for some reason today and throughout my life I keep remembering lines from the 1990 movie Crazy People. It starred Dudley Moore & Darryl Hannah. He's in advertising, and has sort of a breakdown and starts doing campaigns with truth. Winds up in a looney bin and they all do advertising together. It's just hilarious. I had to share some of the lines from it. It was on my mind today when I thought a good slogan for a hospital I'm working on a form for would be, "Hospitals ... we're pokey." It speaks to both the pain, and slowness.

Anyway, I actually had to watch part of this movie in my Media Theory class in college (see Kayla, I do remember something!). I think one of the funniest parts was when Dudley Moore's character says, "Let's level with America!" and the people he works for say, "We can't level with America! We're in advertising!"

Here are some slogans from the movie:
-Come to New York, there were fewer murders than last year.
-Come to New York, it's not as dirty as you think
-United, most of our passengers get there alive.
-Volvos, they're boxy, but they're good.
-Forget France. The French can be annoying. Come to Greece, we're nicer.
-...and if we fold, you'll have no phones. AT&T: we're tired of your crap.

I often thought of it while working at the newspaper too. Like how the Real Estate ads always claim a house is "cozy." Yeah, just say it's small. Although I saw the best Real Estate ad in the classifieds this week. No joke -- "We're tired of the lake." They were selling a trailer or something on Battle Lake.

In any case, I just had to share those. Feel free to comment if you've seen or heard an advertising line that just cracks you up, I think we could all use a laugh today.


Another non-post

I'll get back to actual posts soon, but if you could take a minute and say a prayer for Shawna's friend Lora and her family, it would be much appreciated. I can't imagine what my life at UMD would have been without Shawna, and her friend Lora's story hits me so hard.