First off, and most importantly, thanks to all who commented this week regarding homeschooling. So many opinions. So many things to think about. I appreciate your words.
Secondly? We went to church on Christmas Eve. At the end of the service, the entire congregation circled around the church and sang Silent Night by candlelight. And I know some of you think that’s the silliest thing ever, but it’s one of my very favorite Christmas moments. This year we found our place in the circle next to a mom who had her little boy with her. As we sang in German (I’m telling you! We sang in German! Bitte sehr!), the little boy let loose with the most explosive wet cough I’ve ever heard. I immediately stopped my German and nervously noted that the boy is the exact same height as Harper. He coughed again, this time extinguishing his candle flame with the gack that was flying from his mouth. He actually blew his own candle out by coughing Three Times during the song—and I believe we sang only three verses.
Less than 48 hours later, both of my kids were coughing the coughs of hard core smokers. (My uncle had to have his larynx removed. I know the cough.) Anyway, I suppose I can’t really blame the boy and his cough, but Hhhmmmmm. Four weeks later? Harper is still coughing that ridiculous wet explosive cough. Mucinex does nothing for it. The cough suppressant prescribed by the doctor hasn’t touched it. She’s now on Day Two of antibiotics. If she’s not better by Wednesday, we have to go back to the doctor. We’ve been back to church once since Christmas because I tend to not take my kids out when they’re coughing like maniacs. This past Sunday I noticed that Hacking Boy is no longer hacking. This gives me hope.
I finished Middlesex, and I really can’t remember the last time I was sad to see a book end. Nothing but goodness. Next up? My Life in France by Julia Child, and when the book club meets, we’re each to bring a dish from Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Also, on the side, I’m jumping into The Pickwick Papers. 2010 is a good year for reading. (And that reminds me: I have a fifty cent library fine, and that fine is prohibiting me from requesting books online. I really need to stop by the library and toss some quarters around.)
Meredith approached me earlier this week and told me that she has made an important decision. She wants to get her ears pierced. We’ve talked at length about how much it hurts, how it’s a big responsibility for a six year old, how you can’t undo it once it’s done, et cetera. She still stands firm. If all goes well, tomorrow I am allowing my little girl to alter her body for the first time. Mir ist schwindlig.
And for the sake of Pete, don’t forget about the eggs! (I’m giving away a $100 Visa gift card partnered with Six Months Worth of Eggs!) ‘ ‘ ‘text/javascript’>
Oooh, I LOVED Middlesex! Sooo well-written.
Three days before Christmas, I had tickets to a sneak preview of a movie, and a critic two rows behind me did the explosive cough thing repeatedly. So gross! Stay the hell home, keep your kids home, keep your sick to yourself!
I felt the same way about Middlesex, one of the few books I’ve read where upon finishing the final page I flipped back to the beginning and re-read it immediately.
I make scalloped potatoes — maybe she calls them au gratin potatoes — from that cookbook. We love them. Fast and easy. I use the slicer on the Cuisinart for the potatoes so they’re thin.
Wasn’t Middlesex wonderful? I loved it. You should make an aspic for your book club! Not really, but the thought amuses me.
Ah, kid coughing at church, things flying out of his mouth… my kids getting sick a few days later, ah, yuck…someone is not properly teaching their children how to cover their mouths.
Hope your child’s cough goes away soon.
Sadie at heymamas
I finally entered the egggiveaway. 3 crockpots? Why do you have 3? Do I need 3?
The Vick’s on the feet at bedtime trick is worth a shot. We’ve had good results.
Re: Ear piercing, my Meredith was also six, also thought it through carefully, was aware of the pain etc., and was thrilled when she had her ears done.
Isn’t it sad that the notion of ‘cover your mouth when you cough/sneeze’ seems to have disappeared? And how irresponsible was that child’s mother for, firstly, allowing him out in the cold when he’s obviously ill, and secondly, taking him somewhere that he’s going to come in contact with other people & infect them! Blah!
Loved Middlesex, too.
I made my daughters wait until they were 10 to get their ears pierced. One never regretted it and now has each ear pierced 3 times, the other let them close up a year later and just had them repierced at the age of 23. My point? It doesn’t really matter how old they are. They may regret it, they may not. Who knows? In the scheme of things, it’s not a biggy.
Funny, I didn’t care for Middlesex but that may have been a byproduct of being in a book group that HATED me. I know, hard to believe.
Oh, and, pierced ears can be undone.
Amn’t I argumentative tonight?
LOVED Middlesex. Have a two-year-old who wants earrings. No way. Not yet. But six? Maybe old enough to decide. Good luck.
I have had that disease too. Even after antibiotics the couch isn’t going anywhere…
Mindy- I hate when the couch won’t leave! HAahhahhahah…sorry, that just struck me funny. If Mere starts with a fever or is still coughing in another day she should def. get a chest xray. Pneumonia rears its ugly head in many ways. Also, my oldest had her ears pierced at 7. All went well and she was really into cleaning them with the super special pierced ear solution.
Lauren got her ears pierced at 6, and she was a tiny bit too young to handle the responsibility on her own. But really, I was still helping her brush her teeth properly then so making sure she cleaned the piercings too was not a big deal. Be sure to bring a Teddy Bear for squeezing and have them do both at once if they can (takes 2 people). If we’d have done them one at a time she’d only have one done.
Hope your house is well soon.
I was visiting my sister this weekend and she reminded me that when I was little I used to pass out when my mother would clean my newly pierced ears, every single time. I think I was about 8, and when I had them pierced again at 18 everything was fine. (I’m not sharing this as a scare tactic, just to share that little kids are weird.) Good luck Meredith, such an important milestone!
Wow, once again you’ve reminded me that I’m not ready to be a mom. If I’d been there – with or without kids – I would have recoiled in horror and said something very un-Christian like to the mom. Probably not a good role model, eh? But I applaud you for not mentioning it to her since then because I totally would have to call her out for getting my kids sick.
There are so many virus’s going around that are accompanied by a whooping cough that doesn’t want to go away. It’s hard enough to have to take care of the kids as it is, but when they get sick we all have to turn into supermoms.
you are very lucky your library fines can be solved with quarters. my oldest lost some ninja book i swear we never borrowed and we owe them a fairly absurd fine. they do let me pay it off a bit at a time but i feel like such a library loser. have you heard about the library loser? beaten by the queen of hearts every time.
also- someone teach german coughing boy (in my head, he’s german) the vampire cough. cough into the bend of your arm!
My girl is 9 and still thinks she won’t be able to handle the pain, so the ears remain virginal.
I loved Middlesex so much, felt the same way about it.