I forgot to tell everyone the name of my chick! How silly of me.
Wait for it...
McNugget!
He-he! I am just crazy enough to think I'm funny. Did I ever tell you what I would name a pet ferret that my mom would never let me have?
Wait for it...
Farrah Fawcett
Did you also know that Peeps only have 28 calories?
Clearly I ate too many.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Chicks in Flint
My mom did it again...she is always up to some crazy idea, especially when it comes to animals. Now she has decided she wants chickens (and their eggs) in the barn. It once was a horse barn...now I guess my parents are officially farmers. Shocking! What next? Pigs and goats? No...because my mom will be too freaked out about the new Swine Flu to move to pigs!
Mom and Dad wanted to surprise the boys by letting them help pick out the chicks. The cute little chicks, that will grow into nasty, poopy hens, where fun for the boys to pick out. I'm not really a fan of chickens. What that translates to is...I'm scared of fowl...be it chickens, turkeys, pigeons...not really sure why, but I am!
Besides playing with chicks this weekend we did enjoy some nice weather. It was surprisingly hot on Saturday. The boys got to fly their new kites and play outside. Easter eggs were hunted and way too much candy was consumed. So, by the boys standards, it was a great time!
Here are some more chick shots.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Free and Clear
Connor is free and clear of any vision problems. I had him checked out today at the eye doctor's office and he is 20/20 in BOTH eyes! Thank goodness. I'm not sure I could have handled dealing with two of these cases.
I have gotten both necessary appointments scheduled for Wes. Now it is a waiting game until he is further checked and tested to decide our next steps. I was warned today that we could get very different options from the vision therapist and the ophthalmologist...I can handle that. I would like options!
I'm ready to not think about all of this stuff for the weekend. We are headed to Flint this evening for the weekend. The weather looks great, so it should be a fun weekend! Now lets hope my mother behaves herself while we are all there!!!
I have gotten both necessary appointments scheduled for Wes. Now it is a waiting game until he is further checked and tested to decide our next steps. I was warned today that we could get very different options from the vision therapist and the ophthalmologist...I can handle that. I would like options!
I'm ready to not think about all of this stuff for the weekend. We are headed to Flint this evening for the weekend. The weather looks great, so it should be a fun weekend! Now lets hope my mother behaves herself while we are all there!!!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Lazy Eye
I mentioned at least six weeks ago that Wes had to get glasses. I knew at the time that the reason for that was because his left eye was at 20/20 and his right eye was at 20/90. I understood that this was a possible case of Lazy Eye. The doctor that examined him that day wasn't our regular optometrist. She was compassionate about the whole thing (I guess she didn't want to wig me out?) and I left with the impression that glasses would help him and would bring his bad eye back into range with his good eye. The goal being that he would be seeing with two eyes or binocular, rather with just his strong eye.
Fast forward six weeks to our check up yesterday. I left the doc's office feeling like someone pulled a big rug out from under my feet. The return of our regular, monotoned, emotionless, straight forward doctor was traumatic for me.
Wes does indeed have Lazy Eye or more technically, Amblypia. The glasses have hardly made any difference. Making the prescription stronger will make no difference, so now we are moving on to specialists. Unlike most cases where you see a droopy eye, a turned in eye or a cross-eyed eye, you can't tell with Wes. Those cases make surgery possible because there is a muscle to fix. I don't believe that will be the case for Wes.
I do at least have a better understanding of what is going on. When the brain is presented with a blurry eye and a healthy eye it makes a decision to use just the healthy eye. Over time the blurry eye gets used less and less, becoming lazy. In Wes' case he doesn't use his right eye at all (even with the glasses). The obvious result is permanent vision loss in the bad eye and a lack of depth perception.
I feel so bad for him! He isn't aware that he is only seeing with one eye because it is all that he knows. He never squints his bad eye, shuts it or rotates his head to see better. He is just doing what is brain tells him to do...use his left eye.
It explains why he does not excel at sports involving a ball... he has no depth perception! Imagine not having any peripheral vision out of one eye or basically seeing the world flat without "3D"!
It will be a few weeks before we know anything else after seeing the specialists. The options for therapy include using a patch over the good eye or eye drops in the good eye. Most hope is with vision therapy. We discovered this rather late and at 7 he doesn't have a great prognosis to retrain the brain.
The brain has always amazed me with its complexity and ability to adapt itself. Apparently, around age 7 the brain kinda stays the same or for lack of a better term, stops growing. We are at this crucial stage right now and hopeful we can still "fix" him.
As most mothers will agree with me...it's physically painful to not be able to "fix" our children when they have a hurt or a problem. We just want to make everything better! I feel guilty for having missed this...even though our doctor said there was no way to know. He is doing well in school, so that red flag wasn't there. I just feel crummy.
I made a ton of phone calls today, did a lot of reading, and now there is nothing to do but wait. Frustrating, because his clock on this is ticking away. He isn't getting any younger!
I am taking Connor in on Friday to get him checked out. I want to make sure that he hasn't inherited this too!
Fast forward six weeks to our check up yesterday. I left the doc's office feeling like someone pulled a big rug out from under my feet. The return of our regular, monotoned, emotionless, straight forward doctor was traumatic for me.
Wes does indeed have Lazy Eye or more technically, Amblypia. The glasses have hardly made any difference. Making the prescription stronger will make no difference, so now we are moving on to specialists. Unlike most cases where you see a droopy eye, a turned in eye or a cross-eyed eye, you can't tell with Wes. Those cases make surgery possible because there is a muscle to fix. I don't believe that will be the case for Wes.
I do at least have a better understanding of what is going on. When the brain is presented with a blurry eye and a healthy eye it makes a decision to use just the healthy eye. Over time the blurry eye gets used less and less, becoming lazy. In Wes' case he doesn't use his right eye at all (even with the glasses). The obvious result is permanent vision loss in the bad eye and a lack of depth perception.
I feel so bad for him! He isn't aware that he is only seeing with one eye because it is all that he knows. He never squints his bad eye, shuts it or rotates his head to see better. He is just doing what is brain tells him to do...use his left eye.
It explains why he does not excel at sports involving a ball... he has no depth perception! Imagine not having any peripheral vision out of one eye or basically seeing the world flat without "3D"!
It will be a few weeks before we know anything else after seeing the specialists. The options for therapy include using a patch over the good eye or eye drops in the good eye. Most hope is with vision therapy. We discovered this rather late and at 7 he doesn't have a great prognosis to retrain the brain.
The brain has always amazed me with its complexity and ability to adapt itself. Apparently, around age 7 the brain kinda stays the same or for lack of a better term, stops growing. We are at this crucial stage right now and hopeful we can still "fix" him.
As most mothers will agree with me...it's physically painful to not be able to "fix" our children when they have a hurt or a problem. We just want to make everything better! I feel guilty for having missed this...even though our doctor said there was no way to know. He is doing well in school, so that red flag wasn't there. I just feel crummy.
I made a ton of phone calls today, did a lot of reading, and now there is nothing to do but wait. Frustrating, because his clock on this is ticking away. He isn't getting any younger!
I am taking Connor in on Friday to get him checked out. I want to make sure that he hasn't inherited this too!
Sunday, April 19, 2009
The Oprah Show
My trip to Chicago with Tami, her husband (Jim,) and her mom (Barb), was so much fun!! I felt so lucky to be part of the trip and part of her birthday celebration. Did I mention Tami is turning 40!!!
We got into Chicago Wednesday evening, checked into the Embassy Suites, drank some beer and then headed to Maggianos for dinner. I've eaten there before and their food is amazing. Of course, they didn't let us down. We ate and drank like true Italians! Even the piano guy was great.
We didn't stay out too late that evening because we had to be up at 4:30 a.m. Chicago time! We got to Harpo Studios at about 6:30 a.m. and were happy to find that we were the 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th ladies and gentlemen in line. There weren't very many men!! At 7:00 after we were given the no cameras or cell phones allowed lecture we were taken through coat check and security. Security was very tight!
By 7:30 a.m. we were seated in the green room...which isn't green. I know, shocking! It's actually should be renamed the golden rod room. From that point on we just waited and people watched! It was about 8:30 when we were taken into the studio. Our seats were good. We weren't down in the lower section because we didn't have connections, but the studio isn't really that big and we could see everything very well! I'm not expecting to be on camera much, but that's okay with me!
One of Oprah's producers "worked" the audience asking questions and letting us know how everything was going to work. About 9:00 they started filming and out walked Oprah. She looked very sharp, but I would lying if I said I liked her hair straight. I love her hair curly. She needs to listen to me..."Oprah go curly!"
Our show was entitled "Oprah and People's Hero's in Hard Times." The show was dedicated to individuals across the country that are doing good things to help others who are down and out. It was a "feel good" show. Oprah didn't interact a whole lot with the audience. She was just kinda there. Mostly because her guests were not in the studio but via internet/satellite. It took a couple of breaks from filming before she even acknowledged us.
She was funny and polite...but I just got the feeling that she wasn't that into us. Again, shocking! Everyone did laugh when she told a story about her favorite Chevy Chevet! She seemed like she just wanted to get her work done and get the hell out of there. She answered a few stupid audience questions and then bolted. I would have wanted to bolt too if I had been her. I hate it when people ask questions and think they are smart!
Because the show was part of an issue of People magazine we were all given a year subscription of People weekly. That was cool. We went across the street to the Oprah Store after we were ushered out of the studio. That was fun. Another "thank you" goes out to Jim for insisting on buying all of us a sweatshirt!
Here are some photos of us hanging out in the store and taking pictures in Oprah's previous chair. That is the birthday girl sitting in the chair.
At this point I don't know when the show will air. It will probably be about a month based on information they gave us. I do know it won't come out until the corresponding issue of People goes out. Because I'm sure you are all waiting on pins and needles...I'll keep you posted!
We got into Chicago Wednesday evening, checked into the Embassy Suites, drank some beer and then headed to Maggianos for dinner. I've eaten there before and their food is amazing. Of course, they didn't let us down. We ate and drank like true Italians! Even the piano guy was great.
We didn't stay out too late that evening because we had to be up at 4:30 a.m. Chicago time! We got to Harpo Studios at about 6:30 a.m. and were happy to find that we were the 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th ladies and gentlemen in line. There weren't very many men!! At 7:00 after we were given the no cameras or cell phones allowed lecture we were taken through coat check and security. Security was very tight!
By 7:30 a.m. we were seated in the green room...which isn't green. I know, shocking! It's actually should be renamed the golden rod room. From that point on we just waited and people watched! It was about 8:30 when we were taken into the studio. Our seats were good. We weren't down in the lower section because we didn't have connections, but the studio isn't really that big and we could see everything very well! I'm not expecting to be on camera much, but that's okay with me!
One of Oprah's producers "worked" the audience asking questions and letting us know how everything was going to work. About 9:00 they started filming and out walked Oprah. She looked very sharp, but I would lying if I said I liked her hair straight. I love her hair curly. She needs to listen to me..."Oprah go curly!"
Our show was entitled "Oprah and People's Hero's in Hard Times." The show was dedicated to individuals across the country that are doing good things to help others who are down and out. It was a "feel good" show. Oprah didn't interact a whole lot with the audience. She was just kinda there. Mostly because her guests were not in the studio but via internet/satellite. It took a couple of breaks from filming before she even acknowledged us.
She was funny and polite...but I just got the feeling that she wasn't that into us. Again, shocking! Everyone did laugh when she told a story about her favorite Chevy Chevet! She seemed like she just wanted to get her work done and get the hell out of there. She answered a few stupid audience questions and then bolted. I would have wanted to bolt too if I had been her. I hate it when people ask questions and think they are smart!
Because the show was part of an issue of People magazine we were all given a year subscription of People weekly. That was cool. We went across the street to the Oprah Store after we were ushered out of the studio. That was fun. Another "thank you" goes out to Jim for insisting on buying all of us a sweatshirt!
Here are some photos of us hanging out in the store and taking pictures in Oprah's previous chair. That is the birthday girl sitting in the chair.
At this point I don't know when the show will air. It will probably be about a month based on information they gave us. I do know it won't come out until the corresponding issue of People goes out. Because I'm sure you are all waiting on pins and needles...I'll keep you posted!
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Oprah called!
Oprah called, and she wants me to come and visit her. Well, maybe not exactly. But, I get to go see a taping of the Oprah Show next Thursday! Is that cool or what?
One of my best gal friends, Tami, will be turning 40 this fall. I must insert at this point that I have not yet reached the mid-way point of the 30's...she is just older than me...and way cool, especially for a old-timer turning 40!!! :)
Much to my surprise her husband called me this afternoon saying that he has been trying to pull tickets together for her to go see a taping of the show come this fall.
But, it wasn't working out that way and he has tickets for the show for NEXT THURSDAY!! I thought cool. Tami will love that. After I told him that, I then said I would love to watch the girls for them that day while they were gone. However, that wasn't why he was calling.
He wants ME to go with Tami! Wow, was I shocked! He is trying to set up the details as I type to get the "little group" of us up there Wednesday night, spend the night and then go to the taping Thursday morning. I told Jim to just let me know where I needed to be and when.
Thankfully the boys have fantastic retired grandparents who are happy to watch their only grandsons!! I've already checked...they are available. Now on to more pressing matters.
What to wear?
One of my best gal friends, Tami, will be turning 40 this fall. I must insert at this point that I have not yet reached the mid-way point of the 30's...she is just older than me...and way cool, especially for a old-timer turning 40!!! :)
Much to my surprise her husband called me this afternoon saying that he has been trying to pull tickets together for her to go see a taping of the show come this fall.
But, it wasn't working out that way and he has tickets for the show for NEXT THURSDAY!! I thought cool. Tami will love that. After I told him that, I then said I would love to watch the girls for them that day while they were gone. However, that wasn't why he was calling.
He wants ME to go with Tami! Wow, was I shocked! He is trying to set up the details as I type to get the "little group" of us up there Wednesday night, spend the night and then go to the taping Thursday morning. I told Jim to just let me know where I needed to be and when.
Thankfully the boys have fantastic retired grandparents who are happy to watch their only grandsons!! I've already checked...they are available. Now on to more pressing matters.
What to wear?
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