Thursday, May 31, 2007
A Very Special Baby Story
perfect designer nurseries, complete with hand-painted murals,
the trauma the only other sibling was going through as he learned to share his bathroom with the baby,
the trauma the family dog was going through,
special trips to foot masseurs (isn't this what husbands are for?)
blow-up jacuzzis to deliver in, while burning incense and watching the Pacific Ocean,
Pre-natal yoga classes,
and fake ceremonies to welcome baby for those who wouldn't set foot inside an actual church for say, a Baptism.
It got a bit better when they started doing shows from Pennysyvania, and actually featured a Bris and an Orthodox Baptism, but I have better taste now, and don't watch that show anymore.
I like this kind of Baby Story, the kind with God at the center. Like the story of Jesus and Aurora Rojas's baby Isabel, featured on the Be Not Afraid Forum.
A Bright New Blog on the Horizon
Feast of the Visitation: Happy Feast Day, Isabella
The names of my girls are:
Gabriela Maria: The Annunciation(named for the Archangel Gabriel and Our Lady)
Isabella Maria: The Vistation (in case you didn't know, Isabella is the Italian/Spanish version of Elizabeth)
Christina Maria: The Nativity (named for Christ and His mother)
I discovered the lovely Spanish custom of naming all one's children after the Blessed Mother, and couldn't find a better middle name. My entire name is Leticia Ann Marie Crafa Velasquez.
My children whom I lost in miscarriage are: (I don't know for sure if they're boys, but I felt they deserved names, and I ask them to pray for their family when I'm at Mass)
Patrick Simeon (left this world on St. Patrick's Day, named for Simeon of the Presentation in the Temple)
Theodore Joseph (left this world on my Grandfather Theodore's birthday, and named for St. Joseph, who searched for his foster son for three days till The Finding of the Boy Jesus in the Temple)
Juan Francisco(left this world on Good Friday, named after Francisco, his daddy, and St. John the Evangelist who accompanied Our Lord to the Garden AND to the Cross)
Sometimes, when I feel bereft to only have three children, compared to the many blessings my friends have, I remember that I will always be the mother of six. That sounds better!
In honor of the Blessed Mother's Visitation, let's pray her Canticle of Praise, the
Magnificat.
My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
For He has regarded the low estate of His handmaiden,
For behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name.
And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with His arm:
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones,and exalted those of low degree.
He has filled the hungry with good things;and the rich He has sent empty away.
He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy;
As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to His posterity forever.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen
Scripture text: Revised Standard Version - Catholic Edition
Magníficat ánima mea Dóminum,et exsultávit spíritus meusin Deo salvatóre meo,
quia respéxit humilitátemancíllæ suæ.
Ecce enim ex hoc beátamme dicent omnes generatiónes,
quia fecit mihi magna,qui potens est,et sanctum nomen eius,et misericórdia eius in progénieset progénies timéntibus eum.
Fecit poténtiam in bráchio suo,dispérsit supérbos mente cordis sui;depósuit poténtes de sedeet exaltávit húmiles.Esuriéntes implévit boniset dívites dimísit inánes.
Suscépit Ísrael púerum suum,recordátus misericórdiæ,sicut locútus est ad patres nostros,Ábraham et sémini eius in sæcula.
Glória Patri et Fílioet Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio,et nunc et semper,et in sæcula sæculórum.
Amen
Sign the Petition to Educate Expectant Parents about Down Syndrome
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
10 Favorite Things about Spring Meme
Ten things I love about Spring
1. Hearing birdsong in the mornings
2. Longer days.
3. Flowers everywhere.
4. The cats leave the house for outside.
5. The warm sunshine.
6. Lots of parties; Mother's Day, Father's Day, First Holy Communions, weddings, etc.
7. Bird nests to find.
8. Ducklings trailing behind Mommy ducks on the pond.
and Isabella adds
9. My birthday is in spring!
10.We get to plant the garden.
Ten Things I don't Love about Spring
1. MUD
2. spring fever in homeschooled kids who can't stay inside.
3. you have to weed the garden
4. you feel guilty that you haven't weeded the garden
5. ants in the house
6. hayfever
7. bees making a hive in my girl's dollhouse
8. spring cleaning needs to be done
9. dogs get spring fever and escape from the backyard to get loaded with mud
10.so do kids
Jaden's Journal author has a mission to lower the abortion rate of Down syndrome children
See this article by Jonathan Finer of the Washington Post, who wrote "We felt hopeless and incredibly scared," Allard, 42, said in an interview. "We didn't know what this was or what to do. They told us we had a few weeks to decide whether to keep the baby."
Such negative depictions of Down syndrome by health professionals who do prenatal screening are common, according to a Harvard survey of nearly 3,000 parents of children with the condition, published last month in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. A majority reported that the obstetricians who gave them the diagnosis had focused on the hardships ahead and ignored "the positive potential of people with Down syndrome."
The abortion rate of Down sydrome children is currently 90% and this is a tragedy! Senator Brownback mentioned this at the Blogs for Life Conference and at the March for Life in January. I discussed his earlier efforts to pass this bill in 2005, which some members of Congress buried in committee, and encouraged him to keep trying for the sake of my little Christina, who will grow up without the pleasure of similar friends.
Thank you for your past support of this legislation, Senators Kennedy and Brownback. We are asking you to please re-introduce this bill in this session of Congress.
Monday, May 28, 2007
Oprah's influence on women
The mother stated that the reason is, "because I can't love her". The baby has Down Syndrome, you see. She needs to read my article in Faith and Family, to speak with mothers of these children, to read Monica's website, Be Not Afraid, and to read Gifts. She, and thousands like her, need our prayers so that next time God calls them to grow, they say "yes".
We need to change the Oprah culture.
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Proud 2B Catholic Fest
1. showing the 20 minute priest film "Fishers of Men" available from Grassroots Film on their website the kids wanted to see it twice, it is amazing
2. Had lots of dynamic young religious from great new orders(Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, Sisters of Life, etc) present to speak with the kids.
3. Adoration throughout the conference, and Holy Hour at the end, after a reverent Holy Mass.
4. Traditional vocations talks, featuring the abovementioned religious, and a great deacon to be ordained this week.
I think Proud 2B Catholic is great news for vocations.
Solemnity of Pentecost
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Why Homeschool: The US spent an average of $8,701 per student on elementary and secondary education in 2005
Dr. Bill Bennett, ex-Secretary of Education, conservative commentator, and radio host, and author of many educational books, including "The Well Educated Child" said the following at a Homeschool Conference I attended, "my wife works in the Washington DC public school system, where they spend around $ 10, 000 per student per year. The Catholic schools in Washington do a better job with one third the administrators, and half the money. You parents do an even better job with less than $1, 000.
While this is true, I'm going to have to address the salary issue with my principal!
The proud gardener
Friday, May 25, 2007
What Blessed Mother Teresa can teach a suburban housewife
She once said that the spiritual poverty of the USA was greater and caused more suffering than the unbelievable poverty in India. I spent a day in one of her convents in the Bronx, after receiving a typed letter from her, signed in her own hand, sending me there. (I am STILL praying to St. Anthony to find it, as now it's actually a relic). I had no sense of a vocation, I had simply offered my help for the summer in one of her houses in Guatemala, since I was learning Spanish at the time. No one says no to Mother Teresa, however.
Mother wrote, "you must help the poor in the Bronx, here is the number to my convent there. I will be looking for you when I come." I called the number on the letter, and the sister who answered seemed to be expecting my call. I made a date to visit the convent on a Saturday.
In the morning, as I parked up in the Fort Apache area of the Bronx, two policemen came to me, and said, "what's a nice girl like you doing here?!" I answered that I was going to the convent of the Missionaries of Charity, and they immediately understood.
I attended Mass kneeling on the carpeted floor of the simple chapel, adorned by a life-size crucifix under which were the words, "I thirst". Mother has this in all her chapels as a reminder to the sisters of Jesus' thirst for souls. The chapel was packed, yet silent after mass.
The sisters greeted me warmly, gave me a quick tour of the convent. They all sleep on simple cots in a single bedroom. I counted 40 beds. They share a single, mirrorless bathroom, it was true Evangelical poverty, and I was wordlessly impressed. The sisters then led me to the soup kitchen next door, where I met two other volunteers there, we shared breakfast, and began to chop a bushel of donated vegetables into the biggest soup pot I have ever seen. We were making vegetable soup for the poor's lunch. Three hours later, we were still chopping, and the sisters who had been washing windows while praying the rosary, told me they were going to a wedding of one of their volunteers, and that we were invited as well to help with the elderly.
A young doctor who had been volunteering with them for years, now rented two tour buses to transport the poorest of the poor from the South Bronx, to his wedding. Another example of the Gospel. "Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests."
I was to drive the sisters, two by two, to the projects to collect little old ladies, shut-ins, for a big party. As they left my car to bring the ladies, they prayed over me for my safety. I could see dangerous types prowling around these buildings, yet when they saw the sisters, they broke into wide grins, and waved. A thief had thrown a stolen wallet, sans cash, over the fence into the garden of the contemplative sisters, knowing the photos, license and credit cards would be returned. Even hardened criminals know love when they see it.
The ladies excitedly discussed the wedding in my car, none of them, as Baptists had ever been in a Catholic Church, and they were very curious. As we helped them walk to the buses, a tiny Indian sister walked into six busy lanes of Bronx traffic, and help up her hand so they could cross. Traffic stopped instantly. THIS is the power of love!
This memory has stayed with me this clearly for 16 years. Although I didn't have this vocation, I will always remember the joy of those sisters, many of whom I had seen on the Petrie sister's documentary video, Mother Teresa. Although it was a chill 20 degrees, and the sisters were wearing sandals, cotton saris, and cardigans, they joy was warm and infectious. I felt at home, and well-loved. Here is there secret: Mother had sent me a little yellow card with her letter saying,
"The fruit of silence is prayer,
the fruit of prayer is service,
the fruit of service is love,
the fruit of love is peace"
Mother Teresa
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
First Holy Communions
Christian Writer's Carnival
Marian Meme
Favorite Marian Image
As difficult as this choice can be, with so many lovely images out there, I'd have to settle on Our Lady of Guadalupe, since this is the image she is is alleged to have 'drawn' herself, with the roses in St. Juan Diego's tilma. The investigations of the symbolism in this image just go on and on, and discover more catechism in this image. Has anyone heard of the alleged miraculous light that is said to have emanated from this image lately?
Favorite Marian Feast I enjoy the Feast of the Annunciation because it is close to my youngest child Christina's birthday, and I can share in the motherhood of Our Lady. The most beautiful celebration of this feast I ever experienced, was when I attended the incardination of the Sisters of Life by Cardinal Egan in St. Patrick's Cathedral.
Favorite Marian Hymn All my life it was either the Schubert or Bach-Gounod "Ave Maria", however since my girls and I have begun singing this version of the Salve Regina(click to listen to the MIDI) at the end of our daily rosary, I have decided that it is my favorite. Have you ever heard a church full of priests sing it? It sends chills down your spine, they seem to be so close to her Immaculate Heart.
Favorite Marian Pilgrimage Site I have only been to one Church-approved site, and that is Knock in Ireland. My grandmother had been healed of sciatica there, a few years earlier, and I wanted to say 'thank you' to our Lady. When I entered the tiny glass-encased chapel of the apparition site, I felt so very close to Our Lady, and Our Lord. It is a very special place.
Loveliness of Marian Devotion Fair
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Why I am leaving my Obstetrician
I am hereby authorizing the transfer of all my medical records to:
Dr Robert Scanlon
OB-GYN Dept.
This is done on principle, as Huntington is farther from my home than your office.
I am a Catholic and as such do not practice contraception or abortion. Dr Scanlon’s practice is in accord with my religious beliefs, as he does not prescribe contraception nor refer for abortion. As the mother of a special needs child (see enclosed article) I am more keenly aware of the discrimination against the disabled in most OB practices, where over 90% of unborn babies with Down Syndrome are aborted. My health and my money must go to a doctor who takes the Hypocratic Oath seriously.
Sincerely, This is a letter I have just mailed out to change my OB to a completely pro-life doctor. If you can use it, feel free to copy it. We need to let the medical community know it matters if they keep the now defunct Hypocratic Oath which doctors used to take in medical school.
THE HIPPOCRATIC OATH
I swear by Apollo the physician, by Æsculapius, Hygeia, and Panacea, and I take to witness all the gods, all the goddesses, to keep according to my ability and my judgement, the following Oath.
"To consider dear to me as my parents him who taught me this art; to live in common with him and if necessary to share my goods with him; to look upon his children as my own brothers, to teach them this art if they so desire without fee or written promise; to impart to my sons and the sons of the master who taught me and the disciples who have enrolled themselves and have agreed to the rules of the profession, but to these alone the precepts and the instruction. I will prescribe regimen for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgement and never do harm to anyone. To please no one will I prescribe a deadly drug nor give advice which may cause his death. Nor will I give a woman a pessary to procure abortion. But I will preserve the purity of my life and my art. I will not cut for stone, even for patients in whom the disease is manifest; I will leave this operation to be performed by practitioners, specialists in this art. In every house where I come I will enter only for the good of my patients, keeping myself far from all intentional ill-doing and all seduction and especially from the pleasures of love with women or with men, be they free or slaves. All that may come to my knowledge in the exercise of my profession or in daily commerce with men, which ought not to be spread abroad, I will keep secret and will never reveal. If I keep this oath faithfully, may I enjoy my life and practice my art, respected by all men and in all times; but if I swerve from it or violate it, may the reverse be my lot."
Not bad for a pagan culture! Would that Catholic doctors held to such high standards. If your Obstetrician doesn't, look up a Natural Family Planning-only medical practice here at One More Soul.
A Bit of Wisdom from my Mom
We planted a Sunflower House today
Carnival of Homeschooling is at the Lilting House
Monday, May 21, 2007
How Montessori helps Christina
Another plus is that Early Education Preschools always taught way over her head, ie. learning letters and numbers BEFORE she can speak in sentences. Her developmental level is age 2-3, but her school was teaching her as a kindergartener last year, when her level was even lower. A homeschooling friend recommended the book, When Slow is Fast Enough to understand why preschool for her wasn't successful. Here's why: I taught preschool in my home, and English as a Second Language for 16 years, one thing I know is you must speak before you write. They made her sit still for 45 minutes at a time,encouraging passivity, there was minimal social interaction, and none of the artwork she brought home was truly hers. Do you know what the kicker was? Her testing showed no greater progress than she made the previous year, at home with therapists. That's why I homeschool her using Montessori approach, and we have a cooperative pre-school twice a week where she has some little friends to play singing games together(London Bridge is her favorite; she loves being "locked up"!)
In order to do this at home, I rely on "Natural Structure: A Montessori Approach to Classical Education at Home" by Edward and Nancy Walsh. You can find it at http://www.chcweb.com/
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Friday, May 18, 2007
A Midsummer's Night Dream the Cast and Crew
Take a bow, everyone!
Pentecost Novena
Veni Creator Spiritus
Pentecost, El Greco,
La Prada, Madrid
Nun Infomercial on MTV
His own Franciscan Friars of the Renewal and their sister order which I feature in my post about Divine Mercy Sunday, Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity's two houses, one active, one contemplative, and the Sisters of Life, who are interviewed in this video, featured on MTV. My brother Rob works under the Throgs Neck Bridge at Fort Schuyler, a Merchant Marine Academy, and often sees the sisters skating by with one of the local children by the hand. They play volleyball on the beach, laughing and goofing around. Some life, huh?
HT Danielle Bean
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Feast of the Ascension of the Lord
It means that man has found an everlasting place in God.
It would be a mistake to interpret the Ascension as 'the temporary absence of Christ from the world', rather, we go to heaven to the extent that we go to Jesus Christ and enter into him.
Heaven is a person: Jesus Himself if what we call heaven. "
Magnificat
Find the courage within yourself to achieve greatness
" It’s tempting to think that our decision was validated by the fact that everything turned out O.K. But for me that’s not the point. Our decision was right because she was our daughter and we loved her. We would not have chosen the burdens we anticipated, and in fact we declared upfront our inability to handle such burdens. But we are stronger than we thought."
Somewhere the grace of God was operating, whether Elizabeth knew it or not, it gave her the strength to bring Natalie home despite the Chinese doctor's dire predictions. The grace of God would help every mother through their childbearing crises, if only they would trust it. The problem is that our culture is so adverse to the idea of suffering, that we rush in to offer abortion, which is just a decision which causes a lifetime of regret. We must offer these women support to find the grace to do what God is calling them to do; be courageous mothers.
Mothers who have faced the challenge of giving birth to and raising a special needs child posses a moral courage, which inspired me when my life posed this challenge, and caused me to write my article in Faith and Family. They inspired Monica Rafie, when her daughter Celine was born, and she began her ministry Be Not Afraid. We are now collaborating on a book of these stories of special mothers, whose moral courage has inspired them to go beyond the culture of death, to hope, to believe and to love in extraordinary ways. Leave your contact information in the comments and we will consider your story for inclusion in this anthology.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
If You Give a Homeschooling Mom a Cookie
If you give a Homeschooling Mom a cookie, she'll want the recipe.
She will plan a complete unit study on the History of Cookies.
The family will take field trip to a farm and see where we get eggs, milk and grain.
At home they will make butter out of milk.
The children will want to start grinding their own grain.
Mom will purchase a Bosch Universal Kitchen System.
She will remember she will need a new list of cookbooks. So, she will order "An Introduction To Whole Grain Baking w/ CD","Desserts", "The Cooking With Children CD", and "Lunches & Snacks Cookbook"by Sue Gregg, also "Whole Foods for Kids to Cook"Mom orders a 100 lb bag of wheat berries.Now she will grind her own wheat grain into flour.
The children remember the farm field trip and knowing they can't possibly get a cow so they beg for a few chickens. So, to a trip to the library to research how to build a chicken coop and to how to care for chickens.
On the way out the door Mom sees the book, "Chicken Tractor" by Andy Lee &Pat Foreman.They stop by the Feed and Seed to pick up materials and ask where to purchase the chicks. There the clerk tells them about egg that can be incubated.He sells them a book on hatching eggs, eggs, and incubator.At home Mom and the younger children set up the incubator while Dad and the older children build the chicken tractor.Back to the library to pick up gardening books and more books on chickens.The oldest daughter now starts a business grinding flour for the her friend's families.While her younger sisters are selling homemade cookies to their neighbors.The boys have started building a new chicken tractor because they want more eggs for breakfast.That cookie that started this all, the homeschooling mom's three year old ate it.
By the way, I do not think this applies to all homeschooling moms, some of us blogger types would be doing our cookie history research online, blog about it, pass on a cookie meme, collect recipes in a new Word file, start a cookie blog, and add some great new cookie websites to our sidebar. To each mom her own style, I say!
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Before I was a Mom
"Before I was a Mom I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Happy Mother's Day,Special Moms!
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Please pray for Johnette Benkovic
They lost their son Simon to a tragic accident after he returned safely from Iraq, and actually shared together their plans for Anthony's death from cancer. What a witness they are to the sacrament of holy matrimony!
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Carmen Marcoux Needs our Help
Since Carmen, in addition to being a novelist is also the mother of 8, they have hit hard times and are facing bankruptcy, if they don't come up with enough money in 9 days. We need to order many copies of her books to help them out.
This culture needs good Catholic authors, and publishers, and so many of them do it merely as a ministry with very little financial gain. Let's order her books, and keep her in financial standing to continue to grace us with more romantic novels to inspire our youth to lead outstanding Catholic lives.
Homeschool Carnival
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Suffer from Self-Pity Attacks?
"Then there are the people who are always sorry for themselves. They are 'so sensitive.' Their feelings are always being hurt. They are always being misunderstood. All of us can claim we are misunderstood if we want to be so selfish. For fundamentally that's what the matter is with the sensitive person. She has never learned to think of anything except in relation to herself. She needs a new interest, a new piece of work so big that it will take her out of herself. She needs to work so hard that she hasn't time nor energy to brood over slights and wrongs. Most of the time the slights are not intended anyway. People need to think less of themselves and more of the other person."
This quote reminds me of great advice offered by my dad when I was spending Christmas 1986 away from family in London. He told me to "Don't stay home and feel sorry for yourself, get out and help somebody, volunteer serving Christmas dinner to the elderly or the poor." Here's what I did. It was a wonderful Christmas, and no one had a pity-party!
HT Coffee Wife at The Walled Garden
My Favorite Catholic Singer
I was at one of her concerts in a local church, and her sweet voice and deep faith which her music embodies, made for an unforgettable evening. Her current TV program on EWTN, "We are one Body" airs at 5 AM EST. This morning, she had a program dedicated to the Marian devotion of Hispanic singers Anna Maria Padilla and Miguel Angel Guerra, and showed footage of her serenading the tilma of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, with her song, "Lady of Guadalupe".
I'm so glad I caught the program. Dana, along with her hero, Pope John Paul, brought me safely through the tumultous years of the 1980's, when I was growing in my faith, seeking orthodoxy, and struggling with the temptations of being single in a corrupt society. I bought her cassette "No Greater Love" on my 1988 visit to my cousins in Ireland, and drove around the Irish countryside that Easter, singing her songs.
So that's why I couldn't get back to sleep this morning!What a wonderful treat, thank you, guardian angel!
Friday, May 4, 2007
Johnny's Best Idea
Thursday, May 3, 2007
When they stare at our children, do we know what's on their minds?
I felt uncomfortable about the stares my children received in my local health food store until a friend told me this story about it's owner.
Ten years ago a lovely sixteen year old girl named Carrie, a treasured little sister to three big brothers died of heart failure. Her family has carried this grief for ten years, afraid to share it for fear of hearing the hurtful words, "well, it was all for the best, she had Down syndrome you know". The mother spent all her time and energy decorating her home to "Better House and Garden" standards. The big brothers became successful businessmen, and one of them opened a health food store. The pain in their hearts dulled to an ever-present ache which blunted their emotions, and robbed their joy.
One day, a Catholic neighbor stopped over to share a book which she felt the mother would appreciate. It's Sometimes Miracles Hide:Stirring Lessons from Those Who have Received God's Special Blessings in a Special Child with an accompanying CD of the Bruce Carroll song. As they played the song, both neighbor and mom broke down when they realized what day it was. It was the tenth anniversary of Carrie's death. God, who has seemed so far away from this woman, suddenly touched her heart, allowing her tears to flow freely, for the first time in years. Her sons heard from her, and they too were allowed to grieve for that beloved little sister. Healing began, and their hearts open ever so slightly to the love of God.
This little blessing was gratefully recounted to me by Carrie's mother, who asked to meet me, the owner of the book. She bought my newborn Christina a lovely spring bonnet, and held her close for a long time. At three months old, my special daughter had already been a blessing to her family.
As the song says, " Sometimes miracles hide,
God has wrapped His blessings in disguise,
though it might take a lifetime for us to realize,
that sometimes miracles hide."
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
My Private Struggle
I rarely take her for haircuts, because there is only one woman I have ever met who has enough patience to take the time to cut her hair a bit at a time, and keep her calm, a saintly mother of nine, who is a hairdresser, and she lives FAR away from us. At times, I've considered making the trip just to have a daughter whose haircut looks like her parents care about her. I'm sick of explaining why you can't see her eyes, or she has odd-looking bangs, which I cut while she was asleep!
In order to do the simplest everyday tasks, like brushing her teeth, sometimes, she accepts the toothbrush willingly, other times, I have to pin her down and brush them myself. She has never made it through a hygienist exam. I hate that, but when she has her mind set, there is no amount of coaxing that will convince her that the bright red medicine will taste good, and make her feel better, or that traveling in the car seat will save her life, or that running headlong into our busy street will be safe. Mom has to be the enforcer. The bad guy.
I often wonder how I would cope if she had some serious health issues which required painful tests, I think of poor Vicki's son and shudder. Last year, we decided that Christina would enjoy adaptive horseback riding, se we had to get her spine x-rayed, to see if her spine was stable enough to withstand jarring. We had to return for the x-rays since she kept moving and the first x-ray came out blurry. It was partly the technician's fault, she was an older woman who seemed to believe that a good child would hold still till she was safely positioned to flick the switch, and took an eternity to get ready; I was nearly hanging Christina by her thumbs to get her to be still.
Why couldn't she team up with someone, get Christina ready, and be ready to flick the switch quickly?
So, dear medical professionals, next time you suggest yet another precautionary test for Christina,' just to fill out her medical record', I'm not going to be polite, like I was last year, and submit her to a series of tests which were inconclusive for her lack of cooperation. I have better things to do with my summer vacation this year.
I'm going to look you in the eye, and ask, "does she REALLY need this audiology test? It's gonna cost me!"
In fairness to myself, I must add that I have just purchased another pediatric medicine spoon, to try and smooth over the battles in this area. And I neglected to mention that ordinary doctor visits are going smoothly, thanks to Elmo's doctor video, and lots of role play with big sisters at home. If only the waiting room wasn't divided into sick and well children areas! Why does she HAVE to go to the one she isn't allowed in?