Well, Kaitlyn had a good 8th birthday yesterday. We didn't do too much. Joe had to work in the morning, but he was home shortly after noon. The day was really just spent hanging around. Around 4 we began preparing dinner. Every year Kaitlyn chooses lasagna for her birthday dinner. It's a joint effort in our house when we make lasagna. I make the sauce and Joe puts it all together. So while he was doing that I worked on the frosting for Kaitlyn's already baked cake. Then I frosted and decorated. The lasagna cooked and then we ate. After dinner it was time for cake and presents. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves here...
Look at my big girl. Hard to believe 8 years have gone by.
Kaitlyn, I have loved watching you come into your own. You have a certainty about yourself that simply amazes me. One that I, at 31, don't even think I have sometimes. You know who you are. You know what's difficult for you, but you are determined to overcome your challenges. You know what you excel at and you sore through them. You don't let anyone push you down. The sky is the limit for you with a determination like that.
So Kaitlyn keep trying your hardest in everything, especially the things that don't come easily to you. Don't you ever give up. I believe that you can do whatever you set your mind to. I am looking forward to what the next 8 years are going to bring for you. I am sure you'll have many wonderful surprises for me along the way. I love you always and forever.
Love,
Mommy
Today was my cousin's bridal shower. Less than a month ago I was telling a long tale of a difficult day for my friend's baby shower. I don't think I could have handled another shower like that. So I was determined to make today more enjoyable for me. And I must say I did succeed. I have many pictures to share, but for now I would like to give you a little comparison of the cakes from both showers. Now granted one was a baby shower and one was a bridal shower. One had a photo on it the other did not. One was a sheet cake one was round. But still this is how a cake SHOULD be decorated and how a cake should NOT be decorated.
Since we moved back in January in the back of my mind has been what am I going to do for school for next year. We moved out of district from the elementary school the girls attend and I am the PTA president at. I luckily was able to keep the girls at their school for the rest of this year. I of course have to drive them there, but that's not a problem.
This is Natalie's last year at the school. She goes to middle school next year. We are still zoned for the same middle school. Otherwise I might not have kept her there so she could make friends before going to the middle school. I didn't have to worry about that though.
So now the burning question is Kaitlyn next year. Do I put her in her home school or do I keep her at the school she has been present at since before she was 2? The school where I have a good relationship with everyone. Where I know the teachers. Where Kaitlyn knows her way around.
Or do I put her in this completely new school? Will it be better for her? Will it be better for me? What about CJ?
CJ will be 3 in November. There is a great 3 year old preschool program that he could attend at a completely different school from any of the ones Kaitlyn could attend. It's only 2 hours a day, but it either starts at exactly the same time as Kaitlyn goes in or it ends at exactly the same time Kaitlyn gets out. And it's clear across town (a 15-20 minute drive) from the school she goes to now. If Kaitlyn goes to her home school she'd be bused. I could get CJ to the preschool program.
But am I ready for CJ to start school? He's not potty trained. That is okay though. I know that he would thrive with other children. It really would be a great experience for him. But he's my baby. I don't think I'm ready to admit that he's just about school age.
The principal seems to think it wouldn't be a problem for Kaitlyn to stay at the school next year. I need to make up my mind about this soon. If she's going to a new school I need services set up for her. I can't wait really and hope that she will get the approval from the BOE to remain at the original school. The principal can say yes I really want this child to stay, but really the BOE gets the final say in it.
So over the next few weeks I have a lot of choices to make. In September all three of my kids could be in completely new schools though making new friends. What a thought. Makes me very scared for them. Shhh, don't tell the kids I worry. I keep telling them everything will be okay and they'll love the new school.
Hey, I wonder who will take over as PTA president if I did leave the school. We only had the officers there tonight for parents. The rest were teachers and staff. Not sure who else could or would commit themselves like that.
I hate not knowing when to call the doctor about things. I mean strep throat, ear infections, and bladder infections become pretty easy to diagnose after a while. At least in a child that can actually tell you what's hurting. It does get a little hairy before say 2 or 3 years old.
But what do you do when there's not constantly something going on? You've got a few things that make you go hmmm, but nothing that you're sure warrants a doctor's visit.
So this is what I'm facing with Kaitlyn. She doesn't tend to be a very sickly child. Not a whole lot of sick visits. Maybe once a year or so. This winter seems to have been particularly tough on her. The bladder infection and then a month later strep. A few stomach viruses thrown in there too. But it's the things that have been going on with her for a while. She gets stomach aches what seems like a lot. I don't know at least once a week she tells me she's been to the nurses office. It's all different times of the day. I used to think it was to get out of reading, but she's gone during math even which is her favorite subject. I've talked to the nurse about her visits. He doesn't seem to think they are a lot. I mean I suppose there are kids who are probably there more with nothing really going on but are just trying to get out of doing something. I guess Kaitlyn doesn't seem to be one of those kids. But gee, the nurse will see me in the halls occasionally and ask me how Kaitlyn is. I don't even know if he realizes I have another child in the school. And he's new this year too. He seems to really know Kaitlyn though. And then she gets these stomach pains with me too and at Grandma and Grandpas. Maybe it's just a nervous stomach. Nothing ever seems to really bother her. Not much complaining going on with her. Things seem to roll off her back pretty easily. But maybe she's internalizing everything.
This morning she said her stomach hurt before I sent her to school. I tend to blow it off as oh you just ate too fast, or you're hungry (if she hasn't eaten yet). But should I be concerned about these stomach pains? Could there be something more going on? Is it just a side effect from her antibiotic she's on right now? Well, that can't be it, because she hadn't even had her medicine when she complained of the stomach pain and then why would it happen so frequently. Gosh, what if it's worse? What if it's Cancer? Okay, now I'm just being silly, it can't be something like that. But wait, she just fell asleep sitting up on the couch today. It wasn't a particularly rough day for her or anything. It was a half day at school. We went out to lunch just the two of us. Came home and did homework. She went to bed at a decent time last night. Okay, Kaitlyn how are you sleeping? Are you sleeping good at night? No, I'm waking up. Well, why what's making you wake up? I don't know I'm just waking up. Hmmm, well what does that mean? Do I call the doctor? Is this and her stomach problems related? Am I just a paranoid mom? Do I call the doctor? What do I do? I just don't know. Will the doctor think I'm crazy? Can I even get into the doctor? They book up so quickly. She can't even explain what the pains feel like in her stomach. Wait, she's looking a little pale today. Joe, does she look a little pale to you? No? Huh, so I'm seeing things. Grrr, am I just a paranoid parent or is there really something to worry about...
So a few days ago I posted about My Upcoming Week. I thought for sure there would be no time for a blog post. And yet here I am Monday morning writing a blog post. How could it be? Well, as they say best laid plans. CJ got very sick yesterday. 
Doesn't he look awful? He couldn't keep anything down yesterday. Just laid on the couch much like that. If he wasn't sleeping or whimpering he was throwing up. Poor guy.
I am happy to report that he is MUCH better today. He's not really eating, but he's keeping his drinks down and what little he does eat. However, I decided that bringing him to the school to work the book fair for 4 hours just was not fair to him, to me, or to the children at the school. Plus, truth be told I am exhausted. I ended up with a lot of extra laundry from yesterday too. So I was sure that the book fair was well manned for the day and felt secure in staying home. Okay, well I did stop in this morning to give the cash box and change and a few instructions.
So today CJ and I are just hanging out at home. Well, that is until 1 when I have to pick his sisters up. It's actually a nice break from what I thought was going to be one super crazy week. I will still be going tonight though. Joe will be home from work to stay with the kids so I can go to the book fair and hand out the fundraiser. So as they say best laid plans...
Sometimes life throws you curve balls and we have to make the best of it so that's just what I'm doing. Can't say I am too upset about staying home. I'm glad that I have trustworthy parent helpers there to fill in for me though. That helps a lot with my guilt ;).
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