So, I've mentioned before that my brother's MiL doesn't think Autism exists, that we are just crappy parents, and if we sent Little Boy to live with her for a while she would "straighten him out".

She has now convinced my lovely Stepmom that this is the case, compounded by the fact that Little Boy is an only child, which is something we did intentionally and not because all the medical procedures we've tried have failed.

*sounds of head hitting wall*

Neither of these otherwise sweet woman seem to realized how painful their words are to us. We work so hard to provide our son the best of everything, find every available service, therapy, and educational opportunity that helps him progress. Not only is it sleepless and often thankless effort but to be essentially scolded for our efforts is more frustrating than having an unpotty trained 6-year-old.

And being reminded that he is an only child when our failure to have another child and the adoption wait time has become excrutiatingly long causes me physical pain.

I called to wish them a Happy Thanksgiving and they're telling they don't think I have anything to be thankful for.

How's this? I'm thankful they both live 3000 miles away!

http://www.craftypod.com/2009/10/23/craftypod-102-creating-with-food-with-kathy-high/

Kathy and I were college friends. She and I recently caught up on a visit to Portland. She is adoxograph and the baker I mentioned who makes heavenly pastries. Check it out!

Little Boy has my old laptop in his room. He has an assortment of age-appropriate software as well as safe game websites and he knows how to play by himself. When he has been good, he earns time on the computer. He isn't the type to web surf so I don't stand over his shoulder watching all the time. Usually checking in on him every 15 minutes or so is sufficient. I don't feel the need to worry that he will do something that is dangerous or inappropriate.

Apparently, I wasn't thinking the right way.

I came into Little Boy's room to check on him. He was playing a racing game, all innocent. I looked down at the floor and noticed these...stones?

sigh....

It seems that Little Boy pooped in his underpants, got uncomfortable, and instead of going to the bathroom or telling me he was dirty, he got up and shook himself until the poop rolled out of his underpants, down the legs of his pants, and out onto the floor. Then he sat back down at the computer to finish his game.

Dr. Phil never mentioned that particular hazard of letting children use computers. I should have Little Boy send him an email next time he's online.

SuperC was in town Friday so we got together that night for pizza and chat. It was so much fun! The guys sat mostly quiet and listened for their names, well-trained both of them. Little Boy put away half a 9" pepperoni pizza on his own and the rest of us did major damage on a couple larger pies. I am still avoiding sugar and making better food choices but I am not doing any serious dieting yet. I've got my food journal ready, my exercise programs set up (karate twice a week, yoga 3 times a week with breathing and meditations daily) and once the roofers are paid if there is anything left The Husband says we might invest in a treadmill, something small, simple, and can be moved in front of the TV when I want to use it.

I'm ready. I'm totally ready. I'm not even making dessert for Thanksgiving. Or potatoes. Or sweet potatoes with bananas and macadamia nuts *drool drool*

sigh...Yeah, this is why I haven't started yet. Really, who starts a diet BeFoRe Thanksgiving?

Took my first karate class today. Sweat like crazy but it felt good. The yoga experience seems to have made my balance and flexability surprising for someone of my rotund stature, or so the teachers noted. The most difficult part was finding a uniform that fit. I took one home and chopped 10 inches off each leg and 6 off each arm. I reattached the cuffs instead of just hemming so you can't see where the cuts were done. I need to either make or buy a white tank top for underneath since the tops are not made for pear shaped women. Luckily it is an all female class but I noticed they all wore tanks underneath. Good idea, that. The ladies also get together after class sometimes to socialize so that will be nice. I could not go today but it was nice to be asked, and that was after they'd seen me bouncing around for an hour. Ah, the comraderie of martial arts...Lose weight, gain friends, learn Japanese. I like it.

Little Boy in bathtub.

Sploosh!

Kitten in bathtub.

Scrabble scrabble sploosh.

Kitten fails to leap or climb out of tub.

Repeat.

Repeat again while I laugh too hard to do anything else.

Splish splish splaloosh!

I am holding a wet kitten around the middle while she attempts to keep running even though her legs are nowhere near the ground.

Kitten wrapped in towel and looking very confused. Larger kitten smirking with deja vu since he did the same thing when he was that age.

The new kitten, Sasha, is named after one of learee's PCs, a high CHA low WIS gal. Kitten Sasha is living up to the name splendidly.

They say cats have brains the size of walnuts. This one has a walnut the size of a brain. A placeholder for brains which might have been installed later. Her stripes are also incomplete. Instead of normal tabby stripes she has few stripes and one one side they clearly mark her as number 116. So I have decided that she must be unfinished, born before she was done baking.

She does not check to see if a door is open before making a beeline for it. Last night I saw her and Gilbert streak toward the bedroom in a blur of tails and then I heard WHAM! I came around to look, found Gilbert playing Cheshire Cat in the corner and Sasha lying groggy on the floor in front of the closed door trying to swipe at the little birdies flying around her head.

She has gone meerkat, striking the upright on her haunches pose, only to take it too far and topple over backwards.

She does not check how close to the edge of the bed, table, couch, lap she is on before rolling over. She was sleeping on my chest once, stretched and rolled over in a downward slope which sent her into a barrel roll down my chest, over my lap, and onto the floor.

She chases her tail. She catches it. She chomps down on it. Then she squeals and runs to me for comfort because Something bit her.

She doesn't realized that Gilbert is bigger than she is so he can jump things she cannot. Both cats love to sleep in Little Boy's loft bed. I came in one day and found Gilbert stretched out on the quilts watching Sasha, who was dangling over the precipice of loft, clinging to a corner of quilt with her tiny claws, doing pull-ups but getting no further.

Look for my next book, The Unfinished Kitten.

Made myself a pocketed tote bag. Been mostly working on recycling materials. I turned an old pair of jeans into a messenger bag, some scrap fabric and an old shirt into a dress, and a poncho I had made last year into a pullover with long sleeves and a matching hat. I have an idea for turning an old buttondown shirt into a peasant blouse and I bought a book of patterns for things made from a single piece of fabric.

And this morning I organized pins in my pincushion by color in a six-sided star pattern.

I need a life.

Last night Little Boy asked if we could go out to eat because "the restaurants cook weller than you.". He spent the entire 30 minute car ride repeating all the restaurants that he'd rather go to than eat Mama's dinner. After a full melt-down I finally got him to the table with a plate of ham and couscous with raisins and cranberries in front of him. He plowed through it. "Yummy, I love ham!". Cleaned his plate.

Later that night when Little Boy was tucked into bed, he asked if I would stay for a while. I did and he hugged me and we had lots of I love yous back and forth. He finished by saying he loved Daddy more than me and goodnight Mommy.

Oh well...

I got a call yesterday afternoon. Little Boy had thrown up at school. When I got there Little Boy was fast asleep in the nurse's office and running a fever. He went straight to bed when we got home and pretty much stayed there the rest of the day. He was feeling better this morning, kept some food down. The fever comes and goes but the highs are lower each time. He missed his sleepover but if he is feeling okay tomorrow I will take him trick or treating at a shopping center. He just wants to wear his Batman costume.

The Husband wasn't feeling well so he stayed home to sleep today. I am trying to hold off until everyone else leaves the house and goes back to school and work.

I am trying to sugar detox. I am not diabetic but I've been sucking back sweets ever since the rainy season started. Hot chocolate, mmmmmmm.....

We narrowed our choice of roofers to 2. It now comes down to which one can start yesterday.

Sasha has a cold and has been sneezing slime all over me for days. Gilbert started doing that last night, too.

We were supposed to have our gutters replaced today. Upon removing the old gutters we discovered crumbling roof parts. Closer inspection found water infiltration at several points which means we are looking at a whole new roof.

Sigh...

I've pulled out my sewing machine. In the past week I've made 2 full size quilts, one twin size quilt, and two baby quilts. I taught Little Boy to sew on the machine so some things are not quite straight but he is very proud of his work. He helped make a quilt for his grandfather and insisted that he needed to sleep with it before we sent it so it would be full of love and hugs and good dreams for Grampa. That kid should work for Hallmark.

One of the execs from Little Boy's tutoring programs was visiting while I was in the waiting area today. We had a nice chat about computers and various programs, especially how certain programs have evolved. It was an adult conversation, hooray! And I think I managed to sound intelligent, double hooray! He asked me for my card, which I didn't happen to have on me but he gave me his. Seems their graphic marketing person just left them and they might be looking soon. I had forgotten how much I actually do know since I use so little of it regularly nowadays.

I am learning tons about roofing today, too. Like how I may need the graphics job to help pay for one.

Sigh...

In the plus column, I am heading to PDX to visit the grrrls again. Little Boy and I are taking the train and The Boys are doing a sleepover. Thanks to sheraya for the sleepover and offering us transportation from the train station.

Then a little trick or treating at the mall maybe. I have to figure out if I want to drag a pair of wings on the train with me.

Okay, that sounds happier than it looks.

I wrote a book for Little Boy explaining a little about adoption. I submitted it to a publisher and the president of the company contacted me today. They are interested! Yay! The big potential deal breaker is (are?) the illustrations. I like to draw but I am not an artist. I made some rough illustrations in colored pencil so Little Boy could have a book with pictures. I don't know if the are good enough for publishing but...

Eeeeeeeeeeee!

Thanks to rhiawolf for great advice on submitting a query to publishers!!!

The Husband and I both agreed that we are not ready for another dog. But our kitty has been wandering around the house lonely, missing his play pal. And Little Boy has been unhappy, missing his doggie. I still get up at night thinking she has to go out or that I heard her at the door wanting to come in.

So we decided to bring some new life into the house. We met Sasha at the shelter and love happened. She is 4 months old but tiny! She is sweet and mellow, cautious but not timid. We think she will get along well with our current kitty. The shelter said she hasn't had her vet visit yet so we can't take her home until next week, but we all left the shelter feeling pretty happy.

Tomorrow Little Boy and I are going to pick up Sasha supplies - bed, litter box, etc. Hooray for Fuzz Therapy!

My dog, Cassie, died today. She was a great dog for almost 14 years and will be missed more than words can say.

Our foster license is here!!!!! Finally! So now we can...

...wait. And wait some more.

But we're a BIG IMPORTANT STEP CLOSER!!! Whoo-hoo!

Had a great time with the grrrls this weekend. I miss being close to civilization and I miss that circle of friends but the making the trip down more often has made me feel connected again. Even the LC doesn't feel as L.

Little Boy got to visit with The Boy. I am so happy to see that at their age, the two of them have not forgotten each other and make the long distance friendship work. I am encouraged by the social skills they both show with each other.

The Husband finally let me buy him some new clothes to fit his slimmed-down shape. Mostly under things but we are starting to try new pants. He tried on 4 pairs today but only 1 pair really worked for him but he also has a new belt so his too big stuff stays up better. He has agreed to go shopping with me this week and try to get a few more pairs of pants. He is looking so good and I think the feel of fitting clothes will make him feel better, too.

I am thinking of jumping back into the GM role. The Pathfinder game Librarian is running looks like a nice complete system that can be run straight from the books. There are several other sets. I have asked her to pick the one she would most like to be a PC in and when her game finishes (probably not for several months since we don't meet that often) I will put up my screen. I don't do well with large groups so it will likely be The Husband, Librarian and Acturial, learee and clackablog. Of course, we are talking probably close to a year away so who knows what people will be up to by then.

Little Boy had an accident last night so his teddy bear had to go in the washer with his bedding. The talkies don't work anymore so we promised him we would go this weekend and have new talkies put in. He is already writing scripts of what he wants us to say.

I had my 6 month dental cleaning this morning. The gap between my front teeth is slowly getting wider so I have to go back for an orthodontia consultation. Yup, at age 37 I may be getting braces and a retainer. I am going to spend the next week eating caramel apples just in case.

I sprained my ankle
I wear a brace
Was playing with kids
Now cannot race
Doctor wrote
Rx for shoes
But shopping just
gives me the blues
Need that foot
To drive my car
Without it
I will not get far
Cannot buy food
or mochas hot
Shoes fit over brace?
Will Not!
All my shoes
Already wide
Could not fit
the brace inside
Cannot wear Nikes
Or even Keds
Forgive the poem
Blame the meds

Little Boy was taking his bath and I noticed a small red mark on his leg. He gets bruises and things on the playground given that he is both fearless and clumsy.

I asked him what that mark was. He looked down at his leg and groans, "Oh, crap!"

I manage not to over-react and calmly tell him that I don't like him saying that and if he says it again, he'll have to sit on the Naughty Stool.

He looked down at his submerged body and asked, confused, "Naked?"

My computer self-destructed while in the middle of downloading the latest OS security update.

Once I got over the irony...

I went to the local Genius Bar. They installed a new harddrive (free since it is under warranty) and threw in an upgrade to the latest and greatest OS (gratis because I'm cute). I have a working back-up on an external harddrive plus all my software is legal so I can reinstall from CD. Meanwhile I have the Blackberry to keep me connected and all my email and contact info can be restored from it.

It will take most of the weekend but I should be back in operation by Monday as if nothing happened. (Knock knock knock on wood.)

Wow, I'm not panicking. I'm actually okay.

*whew*