As many of you already realize, I’m a person with strong feelings (and opinions?) and am open about showing them…mostly. So, when I accompanied Younger Daughter and her two littles to the playground, I had to take some deep breaths. As a retired teacher, I try to be understanding of children, but I can also become the Grandma Bear. When older kids were trampling over the smaller ones, blocking the way to the equipment and not sharing the slides and toys, I said loudly to our shy Anders, “Say excuse me and they’ll need to move out of the way.” The sound of his sweet little voice saying “excuse me” and the big kids not budging made my blood boil. I eventually got teacherish, telling the worst offender to stop swinging on the bar above the slides; she wasn’t allowing access to any of the three: “There’s a little boy who is waiting to go down the slide!” If you could have seen my face, I’m sure my eyebrows were up and my look was murderous unfriendly.
As for eyes, yesterday morning, Obro woke up like this, so it was an immediate trip to the ER. Although Older Daughter didn’t ask me to come out, knowing I was supposed to be watching the Seahawks with John, I offered to keep her company. She was very grateful. Note: John and I watched the taped game later and it wasn’t worth our time. Ouch!
After numerous tests and the insertion of an IV (Obro is SO brave!), the pediatrician told us that Obro’s medication for the ear infection had cleared up the ears but somehow allowed the infection to go into his sinuses. (sinusitis) OD had to, in a bureaucratic nightmare, spend hours trying to get him new medicine on a Sunday. The doctor also warned about signs to watch for and when to bring Obro back to the ER. The swelling might seem like no big deal, but if it manages to reach the back of the eye, it can cause serious issues, like blindness or death. When John sort of criticized OD for being overprotective, my big feelings took over; I was clear with him that OD had lost her father at a young age, thus she understands that we can lose anyone at any time. The world doesn’t feel like a safe place when you deal with those emotions, as John should know. Or he could just keep his mouth shut! John is truly a wonderful guy but not always sensitive about others’ feelings, especially when they differ from his own (and his daughters’) more stoic attitudes.
Obro did enjoy all the TV he watched in the ER and only complained once, “I didn’t even get to have breakfast!” He was starving by the time he could finally eat at about 2 p.m.
We were relieved at the improvement!
Last December OD and I took the boys to a high school for a production of The Nutcracker; Sharky fell in love with the dancer playing Clara and wrote her a fan note. He’s now doing the same for JSN, after drawing the logo from a picture. He’s an excellent artist for only six years old and what a sweet idea! Big feelings can also be positive. 🙂
Finally, I’m angry at myself because I gave my name and phone number to a Jacuzzi booth at the Fair, after having heard many great things about their shower remodels from friends. A walk-in shower in my downstairs bathroom could come in very handy. However, not even ten minutes later while John and I were still at the Fair, Jacuzzi had already started calling and texting, which has continued every day since then. Not just one call or text, but MANY. And now I’m not at all interested in dealing with them.
I continue to feel tired by the way but should mow the lawn and take a walk, although staying in the recliner is very tempting. The exercise will do me good! I’ll also work off some of my frustrations with people, businesses and events, right?
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