Being a parent sucks sometimes

I take my child to football practice three days a week and watch every moment of warm-ups, drills and play practice.  I count along with warm up and critique my baby's efforts.  Today he left his Gatorade in the truck so I walked out to the parking lot and when I came back, my child is kneeling on the ground with a coach looking at his back and he's trying not to cry.  No one saw what happened.  The one time I turn my back for one minute, I miss something important.  Chris had not shown up for practice yet and everyone had someone else they were looking at that exact moment.  Then my child stood up put his helmet back on and did a few more drills.  Finally on the third one he walked off to the side and told the coach his back was still hurting.  His spine from between his shoulder blades to down about 8 inches.  The coaches think he went helmet to helmet or helmet to shoulder pads with the other kid.  There's no visible bruising or other symptoms.  I gave him some ibuprofen and Chris bought a heating pad for him.  He seems to be okay, but I am not happy.  I didn't even want to let him go to bed because now I'm convinced there could be a concussion.  I don't know if I should let him go to school tomorrow without having him checked out.  His backpack is heavy.  They change classes in fifth grade at his new school.  I don't want him lugging all that weight around all day.  I keep looking at his nostrils because Kristina said that spinal cord fluid would come out of his nose if it was really bad.  And the football mom part of me keeps thinking that now he'll keep his head up and hit low.  I can't believe that part of my brain won't shut up!  I think I'll be in and out of his room checking his breathing all night.  Know my child's biggest concern?  If he can still start on Saturday.  Right now it's a waiting game until morning.  I may have decided what I'll be doing by then. 

I am so sorry for every sprain, strain, fracture and freak accident that ever landed me in the E.R.  No wonder my mom is so nuts.  Well, she was nuts before she had kids, but I know I didn't help.  Say a little prayer for my baby.  I'm gonna go find a mirror to shove under his nostrils.<

I've tried to post this 3 times now

I'm tired and I can't sleep.  That's a bitch of a way to be.  My mind is restless and my back is grumbling.  I can't think straight, but I can't stop thinking.  So here I am… and here you are.  How 'bout that? 

Nothing pressing going on in my life.  Really the just day-to-day grind.  But I think I've got some kind of blogging bulimia or mental constipation.  One way or another, I need to get it all out.  Where to start?

Kodak is a large corporation whose so-called customer service cannot provide service and has no idea that customers keep them in business.  I talked to three different people who told me that not only could they not help me, but no one could.  What the hell kind of service is that?  Yesterday I placed an order at kodakgallery.com for prints and a photobook.  It's really neat.  I had one mailed to me and one to my mom each one was about $30.  I did not put in the coupon code for 35% off of photobooks when you buy $60 worth.  I called to see if I could get it applied or cancel and re-enter my order.  No and no.  I suggested that they could put the order through and credit my card for the difference.  Every time I suggested something the only answer was, ""The system won't let me do that.""  That system… I tell you.  Finally today, I called and asked the supervisor what she COULD do.  I already heard from everyone else all the things they couldn't do and I was very curious as to what, if any, service she could provide to me, the customer. I told her all about my previous dealings and she didn't seem impressed or have an answer as to why a customer service person would tell a customer that no one in the whole company could help them.  She said that all she could do was put a $10 credit on my Kodak account and it would be good for products or shipping and did I have anything else.  I can't say I feel valued.  I still am waiting for a callback from corporate.  I'll call again tomorrow and everyday until they talk to me. 

I've been feeling rather sluggish at work.  Tuesday I had a low-grade fever all day that neither Tylenol nor Advil could knock out.  Leland was talking to me and I could feel the sweat beads forming on my forehead and I heard him talking, but it was like my brain had to translate the sounds into words.  I tried to function, but I don't think I was ever at 100%.  Today I just felt blah.  I'm not sure if I'm fighting off a cold or what, but I'm not liking it and I'm sure that I have not been the most pleasant person.

Alex's team lost their second game of the season.  It will probably be the only loss this season, but I was really hoping to see them win.  It was a good game though.  Both teams are talented and it came down to two good plays by the other team.  We'll see them in the playoffs, I'm sure.  On the upside, the uniforms are just gorgeous. When I first saw the green pants I thought they were ghetto, but they look sharp.  We're talking mini NFL players out there and they're very slimming on the big boys.  I think we take our team pictures in October and I'll definitely be putting one of those up. 

I came home tonight and crashed.  I only meant to lie down for a minute before starting dinner.  Chris woke me up about an hour and half later when he got home.  He heated up leftovers for dinner.  I feel so lazy and useless.  It's not like I'm at home all day, but I should be able to manage cooking dinner two or three nights a week.  My Honey is so awesome.  I did argue with him this week, but that's mostly my fault.  I'd been bottling stuff up and decided to hit him with it all at once.  It's not a nice thing to do to a person.  The sad thing is, he's stuck with me.  Poor thing.   Ah well, he can't say he wasn't warned.  My own mother asked him repeatedly if he was sure.  I'll try to be nicer.

Lately I've been concerned with stories people tell me.  I think I'm too cynical to be a good listener…that and people lie.  I stop short of calling people liars, but I have made it clear that I know what's what.  I have put one person in a position of supplying proof or shutting the hell up.  The silence that's followed is truly a blessing.

I think I'd like to take a road trip or something.  I need a nice three-day weekend and I don't think there's one coming up soon.  I'd like to go visit my mom.  I've never really gotten used to not being able to see her all the time.  When I finally settle down from the day and think to call her, it's usually 10:30 or so and I know she's probably getting into bed for the night.  I need a blackberry so can schedule calls on my outlook and see the reminders pop up on my phone.  That, or a note on the fridge so I remember to call on the weekend. 

Motorola has yet to send the replacement for my phone battery.  The phone holds about a two minute charge and dies.  Currently it's plugged in at the office.  I forgot to bring it home tonight.   That's part of why I haven't called anyone.  Thing is no one's called me either.  I'm not good at keeping in touch.  I haven't even sent out thank you cards from the wedding.  Think if I wait a little longer I can do a Thank You Merry Christmas card?  I feel like I'm losing touch.  Disconnected.  I don't know if I've changed or if others have changed, but it seems like I have less and less to say to fewer people.  Well, at least there's you.

I feel like I've purged some of my mental backlog.  Perhaps now I'll be able to sleep.

Ike who?

Despite the warnings of 60 mph winds and 24 hour storms, we're doing just fine.  The Dallas area had drizzles and some light winds, but not a whole lot else.  Alex's football game took place in the rain.  Our umbrella broke, but we stayed in the stands cheering.  It was the first official game of the season and they won 24-0. 

Next week we take on the one team we lost to last year.  I can't wait to see them lose.  Is that wrong?  That bald-headed traitor who was on our team last year is on the other team.  She's such an evil cow.  The drama that woman caused does not make any sense.  That's ok.  I think it's like that movie with Alicia Silverstone where they take a piece of that white chick's hair.  Her hair falls out only if she's mean.  Well, this chick is probably what inspired that part of the story, only she hasn't figured out she needs to stop being a hateful, nasty, trouble-making colon polyp. 

I'm thinking about going to the mall to have my eyebrows done.  I think the last time I had them done was two months ago. I've had a cold this week, but other than that, we're doing well. Hope everyone is healthy and happy. Love you!

Doodling hardcore

My son does not love reading.  I blame myself.  I should have read more to him as a child.  His new school has mandatory reading of 150 minutes per week.  They don't even care what he reads.  He still fights it.  I need to get over to Half Price Books and let him pick out some new material.  I found out tonight that his teacher gave him a book of Mr. Edgar Allen Poe and my son struggled for two hours to read a story and didn't even understand it at the end.  He could not begin to tell me what it was about.  Age clouds memory, but I still remember being more literate at that age and I trust that memory. 

Hm.

Perhaps it is not a bad thing that he doesn't read much.  I think part of the reason my mind is so warped is all the stuff I read as a kid.  I used to read Stephen King's works, among others.  Good stories full of all kinds of stuff...and I'm not just talking scary, gory, stuff.  Oh no, murder, pooping, homosexuality, spousal abuse, sex, infections, mutations, late-blooming telekinetics, you-name-it...  I wasn't allowed to watch tv if one of my parents didn't turn it on, but I could read anything I wanted.  I like to think I'm smarter for it, but who knows at this point? 

Yeah so...  Life is good.  I'm working on making more dinners at home.  It's cheaper and whatnot.  Plus we talk more at home.  Although since I thought Alex had football, I didn't defrost anything so we went to Spring Creek cuz we had a coupon.  But if you have a quick, easy recipe or something to go in the Crock Pot, let me know. 

Work is work.  Overall, good things are happening for the company.  Also, there are fewer moments of frustration.  Leland is my role model.  I think I may have aimed too high, but I keep trying.  His patience and people skills elude me.  I still call people crackheads and allude to their ability to qualify for the Special Olympics.  But, I'm getting better at not responding to pissiness with pissiness.  I have not perfected it, but I manage more often than not.  Although last week and the week before my back was spasming and I had bolts of pain through my hips so I may not have been Mary Sunshine for a while there.  I'm a work in progress--that's the story of my life, but it's an  interesting story and the plot twists are endless.  Honestly, I've been trying to be good.   I even made it into the offfice on time twice last week.   Leland keeps working his ass off with payoffs coming slow...like years after step 1, but he stays positive.  I'll take a page from his book.  Hell, if he ever writes a book, I may be the one to type it so I'll just keep a copy.

Football is the center of our lives.  I accept this with various emotions on any given day.  The trip from Dallas to Grapevine to Irving 3 times a week gets annoying, but my baby loves it and he's really good this year so I suck it up. Today's scrimmage was cancelled due to the rain.  Last year we practiced in the rain all the time unless there was lightning.  The IBFA keeps cancelling it for all the teams when it so much as drizzles.  I wonder if someone got sick last year.  I bet some kid practiced in the rain and his parents didn't make him take a warm shower and he got bronchitis.  Then his parents complained and threatened a lawsuit.  Maybe they even got a non-disclosed settlement as hush money.  Yup.  I make stuff up.  Usually I keep it to myself or bother Chris with it, but hey, you're here so I may as well share.  Don't get me started on the Frio River on the way to Laredo....

I finally got the disk from the photographer with the wedding pictures.  That woman took 2,000 photographs.  I shit you not.  One day I'm going to get prints done and mail some to you.  Until then...

fornit some fornus