This Blog Needs More Cowbell

1. I heard "Don't Fear The Reaper" on the car radio today and couldn't get the image out of my head of Will Farrell abusing the cowbell. But I agree with Christopher Walken.

2. I heard the song when I was on my way back from a birthday party I took Jacob to. The date on the invitation said June 30 and to RSVP by May 30. The birthday party was actually for May 30.....the dates weren't even flip flopped and I'm wondering where they got June 30 from.

3. Flip flops incidently are my favorite summer accessory and I'm wearing them as I write this.

4. Brendon played his last All Star game today and to pacify an upset Jacob for missing the birthday party, he told him he could wear his medal for a whole day....until 1:52 p.m. Sunday.

5. I'm going for a 12 mile bike ride today and I'm going to try to beat my race time.

6. When I get back, I'm going to drink a Sam Adams.

7. The forecast for the next week calls for excellent temperatures and lots of thunderstorms!! Yay!

8. I'm trying to get 10 out of this post....let's see what I can come up with for 9 & 10.

9. Brendon is starting art camp in a couple of weeks. It's taught by his art teacher at school who happens to be Type 1. It'll be fun for him and a huge relief for me because he will be well looked after. Last year when he did the camp, Brendon and his teacher would test their bg's together before snacktime and took guesses on who would have the higher number. He's looking forward to doing that again during this summer's session.

10. I am currently loving "I Nearly Lost You" by the Screaming Trees (from the "Singles" soundtrack). I listen to it several times a day. If I knew how to play the drums, I'd be playing this song CONSTANTLY.

You Must Remember This: A Quiff is Just a Quiff

Ahh, the sounds and activities of summer. Crickets chirping, frogs ribbiting, lawn mowers mowing, kids.....armpit farting.

The kids have become quite proficient at armpit farting. They can't get enough of it. Hand cupped under the opposite armpit, their bony elbows madly flapping away trying to get the most exquisitely squishy pit-burps they can muster.

Their grandmother told them a story about a little boy she knows who's father sings Elvis songs while the boy armpit farts to the beat. So Brendon is on a quest to get the rhythm and beats just right for his own musical tastes.

Jessica is pretty good at it. While she's quite accomplished at technique, she isn't as ambitious and goal oriented as Brendon and throughout the day randomly squirts out an armpit fart or two. Sometimes she has a bit of trouble and requests my help:

"Hey mom, can you fart my armpit?"

"Uh....NO!"

Jacob on the other hand is working on getting the hang of the artform (fartform). Although if you ask him, it's called uncle farting. He has identified his armpits as his "uncles" (no correlation to the men in his life) and the crooks of his elbows as his armpits. I tried to correct him of his anatomical identification error, but he argues his point and I shrug my shoulders and say "suit yourself". Arguing with a 4 year old is like arguing with a drunk....they're belligerent, incoherent, and mentally incapable of listening to reason....ergo, it will get you nowhere, so don't bother.

"Quiff....quiff....quiff", says the sound of Jacob's "uncles". He gets frustrated, but he'll get the right sound on one of these hazy, lazy summer days.

On Vacation

I'm bringing Jacob to his very first non-relative-non-close-friend birthday party on Saturday.

I have to admit that it will be an absolute pleasure to attend a party where I don't inwardly cringe at the kind of food being displayed, calculating the carbs in every mouthful of food, having my nose in a Calorie King book madly looking up food and cursing when I don't find exactly what is being served, cursing when I miscalculate and have to start over again, cutting back the basal rate to prevent a low from all the running around the kids do....I'm sure I'm leaving much more out of the scenario.

Oh yes, it'll be a pleasure to be able to mentally check out and just let Jacob do his thang without worrying about me being a pancreas for the time being.

And then of course I'll feel guilty because Brendon doesn't have a choice to check out like I do, so maybe I shouldn't enjoy the respite.

But of course, it's silly of me to feel guilty. Yeah, it's really silly. I'll just keep telling myself that and maybe I'll be convinced it's true. Oh go away mother's guilt.

Look What Came In The Mail From Up Top and Down Under

Chris had a contest asking who Emma's best friend is when she goes to clinic. Even though I got the answer wrong (I guessed Mickey Mouse instead of Minnie...AND I double checked!), he was kind enough to award me this (which I happened to admire when I saw his JDRF Walk pictures):


Thank you Chris...and Emma :)

Here is what came from Down Under:



It's a care package from Brendon's penpal Demarco who we hooked up with via Kerri. They trade emails back and forth, comparing notes on everything from diabetes to what they did at school. It's fascinating to read about what goes on in his hemisphere of the world. Demarco is currently training his hypo dog that his mom, Kate, recently acquired for him. We had sent a care package to Demarco not too long ago and he enjoyed maple syrup for the first time (hopefully his numbers didn't spike from that...LOL).

Today was a great mail day.

Grasshopper

I'm a big sister and I used to take advantage of my little brother's youthful ignorance. If he had a dime, I'd trade him a nickel for it by convincing him that "nickels are worth more because they're bigger". I made it a hobby of mine to scam my little brother whenever I had the opportunity.

So I observed with Dian Fossey-like interest the Big Brother Scam Brendon was trying to play out on his little sister:

Brendon didn't feel like putting his breakfast dish in the sink, so he convinced Jessica to do it for him if he paid her 55 cents. She willingly obliged. In order to gain back what he paid out, Brendon suggested that she should give him something to do and pay him 55 cents to do it.

"No way", said Jessica, "I'm not giving you any money." With that, Jessica turned on her heels and walked away leaving Brendon stupefied in her wake.

"That's so not fair", Brendon said with indignation.

Ah, you have much to learn Grasshopper.

Allow Me To Brag About My Kid For A Moment

I'm still a little in awe of Jakey right now. This stunt of his took me by surprise, but I was quite impressed nonetheless.

He just came to me after finishing eating a peach with juice all over his hands and up his arms to his elbows and all over his face and chest (it was a juicy peach). He asked me to clean him up so we rinsed his little chicken arms in the bathroom sink.

He declared he had to go peepee, so he stands in front of the potty (it's important to note he was buck nekked after a swim) and before he could get a squirt out, I tell him I want to dry him off first. He turns so that I could grab hold of his hands with the towel and he starts to pee!! But it lands in the toilet!! He turned just enough so that the important part was facing the toilet and his aim was spot on....while I was drying his hands!!

Now why is it that when he's in an awkward position he has bull's eye aim, but when he has no interference from mom, he gets the pee everywhere but where it's supposed to go?

Triathlon Stats

The results have just come in and this is how I ranked:

Out of 200 competitors, I ranked 169 overall.

For the swim (1/3 mile):
Time: 18:52
Rank: 166

For the bike (12 miles on a mountain bike):
Time: 1:15
Rank: 169

For the run (3 miles or 5k):
Time: 43:49
Rank: 169

I came last in my age division (29/29)...but, whatever.

Now, I can see the glass as being half empty and say what a shitty job I did and get all bummed out about it. But, I choose to see it as half full and say, I can do better the next time and will! After competing in something I've never done before, I now know what I'm in for, and how much effort it takes to place better.

I've registered for another triathlon in September. I've met my first two goals of crossing the finish line and not coming in last. My next goal will be to make improvements in my times. I'll just have to keep competing until I'm satisfied with the results!

Not Only Did I Complete The Triathlon, But I Didn't Come In Last!

I achieved my two biggest goals. And now I'll train smart so that I can beat my time next year when I do this again.

My unoffical time is about 2:10 or so (give or take). As soon as I find out my official time I'll post it.

The group of 200 people were broken up into 4 waves. I was in wave 3 and Jeff was in wave 2. The swim was brutal due to the high winds causing the lake to have white cap waves. I swallowed so much water and panicked at the beginning because the buoys and beach seemed so far away and the wind was against us on the way out.

Luckily the water was warmer at 72 degrees than the air which I'm estimating to have been in the upper 50's. I basically did the backstroke about 97% of the time. Toward the end of the swim, a woman gained on me. She wasn't paying attention to where she was going and was practically on top of me (at one point she actually was). I thought she'd move, but didn't, so I got extremely pissed and just stuck to my course not caring if I whacked her. I figured if she wasn't going to move, why should I. We smacked each other several times but I stood my ground, and she passed me anyway.

A few men had to be rescued and another even threw up in the water because he swallowed so much water. I'm amazed that I was able to complete that swim. I honestly was getting pretty scared, but the backstroke got me through! I saw Jeff standing in the transition area when I reached shore and thought he was waiting for me. He said he didn't finish the swim because his arm cramped up and had the life guards bring him to shore. He never completed the rest of the race.

I got through the bike portion easier than I thought especially with the mile high hill at the end into the transition. I didn't get off my bike at all which was the best I could hope for. During the beginning of the ride, I saw a woman on her bike wobbling and weaving all over the road. Rules state you can't help another participant, so I couldn't ask if she was OK.

I passed her and was secretly happy I was able to pass someone even if she looked like she was in trouble. Around mile 4 or so, I heard squeaking coming up behind me and a woman on an old rickety bike passed me!! What am I doing wrong, I thought to myself. And then the Weeble Wobble woman passed me too!! Oh no...I did all I could to catch up to Squeaks and Weebs, but I just couldn't catch them. So I just enjoyed the scenery instead of worrying about where I was placed in the race.

I started crying in the middle of the bike ride because it hit me then that I was actually in the middle of a triathlon. I was actually doing this thing. I was very emotional.

When I reached the transition area, I saw everyone cheering for me...my family, strangers, racers saying "GO 149!!!! YOU'RE DOING GREAT!!! KEEP GOING 149!!!!" and I started crying again.

I walked thru part (most) of the run, but was taken under the wing of a couple who I was keeping pace with. The husband had already finished, but was accompanying his wife and so he coached his wife and me. We did a walk/run and he encouraged us to run to the finish line....we at least had to LOOK the part.

Man oh man, no wonder why people get addicted to this sport. I hope I never get jaded after completing more tri's. I'm on such a high right now and I want it to not only last for as long as possible, but to return after I've completed each and every race I do from here on out!

We had to swim to the right of the buoys. The water was choppy and up over our faces.


Transition area where we started and ended each leg of the race.


A picture of me finishing to come when I get a copy.

Rescue Me

The title is a shoutout to my all time favorite show of all time. It's also what the lifeguards at THE triathlon will probably hear me burbling in the lake during the swim leg of the race THIS Saturday!

I blogged about it, told everyone I know about it, and even wrote for EXIST magazine for months about it to force me to save face, suck it up, and not drop out of the race.

Oh yeah, I mentioned it on the dLife episode I'll be appearing on which will be shown nationally on Sunday, July 29 at 7 p.m. eastern on CNBC (check your local listings).

So I've thoroughly nailed my coffin shut.

Wish me luck!

______________________________

Oh what a smart mom I am:

Last night should've been Brendon's first All Star baseball game, but it rained out after we arrived at the field. Before the official cancellation, I was sitting on metal bleachers under a tree pointing out the enormous amount of lightening strikes in the distance as the storm was plainly coming right toward us.

"Ooh, look at that! Did you see that Jess, Jakey? Look at all of that lightening! That's incredible. I've never seen so many lightening strikes all at once."

Not one person on the bleachers with me had it dawn on them that perhaps sitting on metal bleachers under a tree while a lightening storm was blowing toward us was the safest spot to be.

It took a coach to point it out to us. Oh yes, our children are safe with us.......

A Meme Times Three

Inspired by Nicole and Kerri....

THREE NAMES YOU GO BY:
1. Shannon
2. Shan
3. Mom

THREE PHYSICAL THINGS YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:
1. Eyes.
2. Butt.
3. Legs.

THREE PHYSICAL THINGS YOU DON'T LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:
1. Boobies.
2. Stretch marks.
3. My feet.
(I feel so vulnerable and exposed right now revealing those things, LOL)

THREE PARTS OF YOUR HERITAGE:
1. Irish
2. Polish
3. Lithuanian

THREE THINGS THAT SCARE YOU:
1. My children dying before me.
2. Being mugged while jogging on a lonely wooded trail.
3. Getting into a high speed car accident.

THREE OF YOUR EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS:
1. Deodorant/antiperspirant.
2. Car keys.
3. Computer.

THREE THINGS YOU ARE WEARING RIGHT NOW:
1. A blue cotton t-shirt.
2. Wedding ring.
3. jeans.

THREE OF YOUR FAVOURITE MUSICALS:
1. Starlight Express.
2. Darby O'Gill and the Little People.
3. Oklahoma.

THREE OF YOUR [current] FAVOURITE SONGS:
1. Yellow - Coldplay
2. Parachutes - Pearl Jam
3. Given To Fly - Pearl Jam

THREE THINGS YOU WANT IN A RELATIONSHIP:
1. Sharing.
2. Humor.
3. Comfort with being quietly in each other's presence. Not holding a conversation all the time is OK.

THREE PHYSICAL THINGS THAT YOU FIND ATTRACTIVE:
1. Clean teeth.
2. A dad holding hands with his child.
3. A smile.

THREE OF YOUR FAVOURITE HOBBIES:
1. Blogging.
2. Working out.
3. Decluttering the house.

THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO REALLY BADLY RIGHT NOW:
1. No comment.
2. No comment.
3. No comment.
(Use your imaginations...I dare you!)

THREE CAREERS YOU'RE CONSIDERING:
1. Graphic arts.
2. Journalism.
3. Wedding Singer.

THREE PLACES YOU WANT TO GO ON VACATION:
1. France.
2. Spain.
3. Canada...to visit some of my favorite bloggers.

THREE KIDS NAMES YOU LIKE: (That's Easy!)
1. Brendon (don't like his middle name Craig though...I didn't pick it).
2. Jessica Marie.
3. Jacob William.

THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE:
1. Ice skate backwards.
2. Be witness to my children living the lives they want.
3. To publish something..anything...book, article, whatever.

THREE WAYS THAT YOU ARE STEREOTYPICALLY A CHICK: (PMS is the culprit for these behaviors)
1. Reassurance that I'm wanted.
2. I'm moody around that time of the month.
3. I like to watch chick-flicks and read chick-lit.

THREE WAYS THAT YOU ARE STEREOTYPICALLY A BOY:
1. I have a low-brow, adolescent sense of humor.
2. I swear a lot.
3. I forget birthdays, anniversaries, etc.

THREE CELEB CRUSHES:
1. Eddie Vedder
2. Matt Damon
3. George Clooney (I love pranksters)

Is This Cop For Real?

Jeff is home from work for lunch now. A cop just came to the door and Jeff stepped out to talk to him.

After Jeff comes back inside I asked why the cop was here, so he tells me about how on the way home he was driving, saw a cop, looked at his speedometer, and realized he was speeding.

He sees the car lights go on and he gets pulled over.

The cop asked Jeff where he was on his way to and he said he was going home. The cop says he clocked him doing 59 in a 40 mph speed zone and gives him a ticket.

He apparently had a change of heart after Jeff drove off because the cop realized that the speed limit was in fact 45 mph instead of 40 and decided to come to the house to take the ticket back!

Can you believe the awesomeness of that???!!!!

Jeff said the cop told him about the speed zone mistake and that he didn't think it was worth giving him a ticket for going 14 miles over the speed limit. He thought Jeff looked like a nice family man and didn't deserve to get a ticket for that.

OMFG. Jeff ALWAYS gets off the hook with the law...he's untouchable.

I Caught A Tiny Glimpse.....

Aside from taking diabetes from Brendon and putting it into my own body so that he can live carefree...and healthy, I want to get inside that head of his to see how he perceives and understands diabetes. I want to know what it's like for him.

What are his fears?
Does he loath it?
Is he nonchalant about it?
Does he understand the gravity of his condition?

Sometimes I'm able to catch a little glimpse of what he's thinking about. Somtimes a little window appears and I'm able to see what's inside:

While I was out doing some late night grocery shopping a couple of days ago, my cousin called. He calls once in a blue moon to talk to me, but instead he spoke to Jeff, ironically as Jeff was in the middle of changing Brendon's infusion set. Jeff asked him how he was doing now that he's not Type 1 anymore....how were the kidney and pancreas transplants working for him. He couldn't be better he informed Jeff.

After Jeff got off the phone, he told Brendon he was talking to mommy's cousin and how he doesn't have diabetes anymore because of the transplants.

Brendon said he was lucky he didn't have to get insulin anymore. He said he wished he didn't have to get the shots or infusion sets anymore either.

Jeff told him even though he has to get insulin, he can still do things better than a lot of the other kids he knows. Like he can play baseball really well, he's really smart.

Jeff pointed out that mommy's cousin may not have to get insulin anymore, but he has to walk with a cane, and he can't see.

Jeff asked Brendon that even with him having diabetes, is there anything he can't do that other kids can?

Brendon sat and thought about it as tears welled up in his eyes and then said at least other kids don't have to get dosed. But Jeff then told him that he can still do things better than most other kids he knows and that diabetes hasn't stopped him from doing anything that they can do. And that he and mom wouldn't let him get to the condition that mommy's cousin got to.

Brendon was satisfied with that answer and seemed to relax.

When Jeff told me this story, it wasn't the conversation between him and Brendon that appeared as the window and allowed me to see what was inside that brilliant mind of his.

It was those tears that welled up in Brendon's eyes.

I Lied....

This will be the last "post" for a while.

Jakey Unplugged

(Last post for a while. I couldn't resist posting this now.)

He's given me a bed full of Rice Krispies, and just yesterday, a couch full of cake mix. But my goodness if he never fails to give me a heart full of happiness when he sings to me upon my request.

I said to Jake: Sing me a song.
He asks me: What do you want me to sing?
I said: Sing whatever you know.

And so he picked up a guitar and sang the following classics:

It's All About Tough Love

This is probably one of the funniest scenes in any movie. The earnestness of the intervention is what makes it so friggin hilarious.

Lecture Time Between Mom and the Kiddies

The house was spotless, and the kids were in the process of making a mess:

I begin telling them that I just got through cleaning the house and pointed out that when they make a mess, guess who cleans it all up? Me! That's who.

Then I tell them that it makes my life more difficult because I'm spending all of my time cleaning when there are so many other things I have to do and can't get done.

I ask them "Why do you insist on making my life so difficult?"

Answer from Jessica, "Because it's cooool."

I Was Walking Down Penny Lane, And What Did I See?

A meme!

1. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought? I look tired.

2. How much cash do you have on you? $38.

3. What's a word that rhymes with DOOR? Core.

4. Favorite planet? Saturn. It's so pretty with the rings around it.

5. Who is the 4th person on your missed call list on your cell phone? Jeff.

6. What is your favorite ring tone on your phone? I don't have a favorite.

7. What shirt are you wearing? Blue t-shirt.

8. Do you label yourself? Yes, generic.

9. Name the brand of the shoes you're currently wearing: I'm barefoot. I'm a housewife for goodness sake.

10. Bright or Dark Room? Bright.

11. Why is there always a missing question? Does it really matter in the scheme of things?

12. What does your watch look like? White face, gold trim, black leather band, Roman numerals.

13. What were you doing at midnight last night? sleeping

14. What did your last text message you received on your cell phone say? Something to the effect of 'Let's make plans for another day for that bike ride, I'm going to a garden show with my neighbor. I think it's going to rain.'

15. Where is your nearest 7-11? A few states away.

16. What's a word that you say a lot? Awesome.

17. Who told you he/she loved you last? Jeff

18. Last furry thing you touched? My hair...on my head!

19. How many drugs have you done in the last three days? 2...all legal.

20. How many rolls of film do you need developed? Zero.

21. Favorite age you have been so far? 18

22. Your worst enemy? Self doubt.

23. What is your current desktop picture? Nada.

24. What was the last thing you said to someone? "No, you check Brendon. I always check Brendon."

25. If you had to choose between a million bucks or to be able to fly, what would it be? Fly for sure. You can earn a million. To fly is a miracle and a lot more fun!

26. Do you like someone? Sure do.

27. The last song you listened to? I don't recall.

28. What time of day were you born? 6:30 AM.

29. What's your favorite number? 7

30. Where did you live in 1987? Iselin, NJ (Exit 133 off the Parkway).

31. Are you jealous of anyone? No.

32. Is anyone jealous of you? Not that I know of, and I highly doubt anyone would be.

33. Where were you when 9/11 happened? At work.

34. What do you do when vending machines steal your money? I keep pressing the return change button. And then I curse the machine if I don't get my money back.

35. Do you consider yourself kind? Yes, and I hope others do too.

36. If you had to get a tattoo, where would it be? The small of my back.

37. If you could be fluent in any other language, what would it be? Gaelic.

38. Would you move for the person you loved? Yes, and I already have.

39. Are you touchy-feely? Yes, but no PDA.

40. What's your life motto? "Life is a wonderful roller coaster."

41. Name three things you have on you at all times: Wedding ring, clothes, a child.

42. What's your favorite town/city? New York City.

43. What was the last thing you paid for with cash? I don't recall.

44. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper and mailed it? In the olden days.

45. Can you change the oil on a car? No.

46. Your first love: what is the last thing you heard about him/her? I haven't heard a single thing. I move on and have no interest in looking back.

47. How far back do you know your ancestry? My great, great, great, great grandparents. We're Irish....we're compelled to know who we came from.

48. The last time you dressed fancy, what did you wear and why did you dress fancy? I wore a black dress with a halter top to a black tie wedding.

49. Does anything hurt on your body right now? Yes, my right leg.

50. Have you ever been burned by love? Every time.

51. Do you have a crush on any bloggers? I have a fondness, but no crushes.

52. Where would you like to live? I like the town I'm in now.

Congress Passes Stem Cell Research Bill

Read it here. And then realize that Bush plans to veto the bill.

"If this bill were to become law, American taxpayers would for the first time in our history be compelled to support the deliberate destruction of human embryos," he said in a statement in Germany, where he was attending a summit of world leaders.

I suppose he'd rather have a 7 year old boy hate him instead:

We were watching the Democratic Presidential debate Sunday night (mainly because the woman taking questions from the audience is our neighbor and our kids play together, so we wanted to witness fame because we're shallow like that).

I was explaining the process of debate and why it's important to hear what each candidate has to say so that we can make an informed decision when it's time to vote (I'm so not serious about politics, but I needed to sound like a responsible parent for chrissakes).

So anyway, Brendon told me to make sure I vote for whoever wants stem cell research.

And then he said in a low and deliberate voice:

"I hate President Bush."

"Why do you hate him?"

He gave me a sideways glance, and in the same tone said, "Because he won't let scientists help people and find a cure for diabetes."

Yeah, President Bush, nice legacy to leave behind.

This Post Is A Bow On My Finger

I have to remind myself not to read other people's blog posts, and their replies to comments I wrote earlier in the day, late at night when my thoughts are probably irrational, making me more sensitive to things that are probably not what they truely are. (sorry if you had to read that a few times to understand it).

I'm so careful to be nonjudgemental and as supportive as a person can possibly be even if my perspective on a situation doesn't jive with the blogger's perspective. I try to put myself in the other person's shoes ALWAYS. I do that in my everyday life as well.

If the person is feeling pain, joy, whatever, I try to say in a comment what I think is the right thing to make them feel good if they're feeling lousy or to encourage them to continue on the path of whatever wonderful journey they're on.

And so a certain comment I left on a certain blog I read regularly I feel was once again rejected with a reply from the blogger as though what I said was unsupportive.

In a way I feel this person is argumentative with whatever I say.

But, even when I read the blog during the day and I check the response to my comments, I feel the same way as I do now. So maybe I'm not experiencing late night irrationality.

Why do I care?

I started blogging in March 2005. I saw a link for The Diabetes Blog on a message board and read an article. And then I clicked on "comments" and then clicked on Martha O'Connor's name and discovered her blog. This post by the way has nothing to do with her. I'm not revealing who I referred to at the beginning.

I commented on her blog, she emailed me and encouraged me to start one of my own. She wanted another parent to share their story.

AmyT of Diabetes Mine was the very first commenter on my blog. Based on what I wrote, she made me feel reassured because she said she too was a slacker mom who would rather write in her blog than do laundry.

And then she made me aware of another parent, Sandra. Sandra commented on my blog, I commented on hers and we're still here today, as well as Martha.

Martha, Sandra, and I were the first three parents that we were all aware of.

When more and more D-bloggers started commenting, a group of us formed.

And then when there were too many bloggers to keep up with the adding to our link section of our blogs (or at least I was the one who just gave up adding the droves of D-bloggers) someone had the brilliant idea to create another blog as a directory.

And so the reason why I care so much about how my comments are taken by the blogger or any OC blogger for that matter, is because these blogs are my lifeline to the support I so desperately needed and still need today.

Brendon was diagnosed when I was pregnant, Jessica had just turned 1 year old, Jeff and I were selling our house in NY and were desperately trying to buy this one so that we could just be settled in order to focus on Brendon's care.

I knew no one up here. I was completely overwhelmed and lonely and wanted to do the best I could to learn how to give Brendon the best care possible. I reached out to online support groups because there were none I could go to in person. I asked the NH branch of JDRF for names of families so that I could reach out to them, but they were so spread out that starting a group of my own didn't stand a chance. None of the online groups panned out. For two years +/- I relied on a message board at Babycenter.com as my sole resource for support (this is the message board where someone posted a link to The Diabetes Blog). It started to deteriorate as a supportive place in my opinion because we were parents who were just trying to get by without our kids having a seizure or numbers in the 400 range, or coming to terms with our kids eating ice cream 3 nights in a row to appease the H and NPH monsters. We didn't have the energy to support each other anymore. We were all getting on each other's nerves because we were tired and cranky. PLUS, tons of moms were coming on asking us if their own kids had diabetes because they were thirsty and peed the bed. I was tired of telling these moms to call a fucking DOCTOR!

So when Martha encouraged me to start my own blog, I jumped at the chance and two years later, here I am among other parents and people who have D.

When I was once shrouded in a cocoon of support that did nothing more than to get me through each day and only causing me to see misery in Brendon's future (what the fuck did us parents know? Our kids were all 3 years old and under), I was exposed to an entire world through the writings about your experiences. The PWD's especially, showed me that Brendon has a chance to live a healthy, fulfilling, albeit incredibly challenging life. BUT, despite the challenge, he has the opporunity to be happy and chase his dreams nonetheless. I also know that there are other parents who love their babies and will do everything in their power to protect them from the damaging effects of diabetes.

With the diverse people who have made the OC what it is today, it's only natural that we all won't or can't get along or relate to each other.

But hell, I've never ever left a comment that wasn't meant to be supportive or helpful.

(Note to whoever reads this: Please don't get paranoid and start rifling through your comment section to see if you are the one who I'm referring to. It's unnecessary).

What's Wrong With This Picture?

Contest:

The first person to correctly tell me what's wrong with this picture (click on link), gets a special prize.

RULE: YOU CANNOT READ THE COMMENTS BEFORE YOU MAKE THE ATTEMPT TO GET THE CORRECT ANSWER.

Question Of The Day

"Mom, do Unicorns lay eggs?"

~Jessica (who is graduating from preschool tonight)

Life, Laundry, And The Pursuit Of Happiness

My kitchen herb garden and some vegetables started from seed.

Can I create a mole hill out of a mountain? That has yet to be accomplished.

A glimpse of the antics that make me smile.

Oh, You Think You're So Sly, Don't You.

I suppose it's the natural course of parent-child relationships for children to feel compelled to pull the wool over their mother's eyes.

Jacob has been in a phase where he has a pretend pet. He'll walk it in a doll stoller. He'll tuck it in next to him in bed at night. He feeds it at the kitchen table.

Well today, he was cradling a balled up dishtowel in his arms ever so carefully. I first noticed him carrying it to the van when we were on our way to pick up Brendon at the bus stop.

"What's in the towel?"

"Nuffin."

"Is it your pet?"

"Yeah, is my pet."

"Aww, you love your pet."

"Yeeeaaahhh", he says sweetly smiling at me.

After we came home and I was tending to stuff, Jessica declares that Jacob has a juice. Typically I monitor the juice, but instead of making Jake put it away since I figured he was in the middle of drinking it by now, I told him to come into the kitchen to drink it. I walk into the family room and there he is cuddling the balled up dishtowel, no juice in sight.

And then it dawns on this foggy brained mom that I am.....he's been cradling the juice as a way to hide it from me!! The little scam artist.

Another little scam artist is my dear boy, Brendon.

A few days ago I had a major migraine with major nausea. It was a typical migraine, but the nausea took a long time to go away, so I suspected that it was a stomach virus accompanying the migraine.

Yesterday, my mother was visiting and said that Brendon was complaining that his stomach bothered him, he also didn't want dinner last night.

He woke up fine and went to school, no problem.

Jeff was home for the night complaining that he may have what I had, so he went to lay down on the couch. I was making dinner, and in walks Brendon with a pained look on his face.

"I don't feel good, mom. I'm going to go check myself."

He comes up with a 271.

"I'm a 271. That's not good is it."

"No it isn't, but you had a snack with a dose, so I won't correct you."

"Should I go lay down? My stomach is bothering me."

Oh lordy, I hope he doesn't get a full blown version of what I had, I thought to myself.

"Mom, do I still have to clean up?"

"Did your father tell you to clean up?"

"Uh huh."

"You're trying to get out of cleaning up, aren't you?"

"Noooo!!!! I really don't feel good."

"Yeah, right."

Granted, their tactics might work for the short term and they're pretty convincing, but eventually Momma manages to peek her head out of the clouds and catches on.