The Chunky One

Wow, little Izzy turned out to be a chunk monster!! :)
Look at thos chubby legs and arms and fat rolls...
I want to pinch her!!


Don't you? And she's big too!!


And it's kind of scary how much she looks like my son at birth...

News and cute baby :)

Hi everyone!!
another busy week at the Kewy household lol.
First thank you for praying about my brother. The graft seems to be taking and even though it will take a long long time, eventually his finger will heal completely!! So thank you about that!

On other news, YES I am going to the Discover Dolls show in June. I will be exhibiting for 2 days, I will be doing a one day "Make a mini baby" course during which the students will complete, bake, color and clothe and go home with their very own mini baby!! I have spots left so mail me for info!!

I will be showing you my two new resins at the Show and have some for sale. Remember I will NOT be taking any more pre-orders because I really want to stay afloat here and not make people wait so this will be your only chance to buy direct and on the spot. I take PayPal on the spot too :)

I will also have life size OOAKs for sale and remember there is a decent discount when you buy from me at a show, cash so it's win win :) No waiting on the post office and a discount... cool huh?

Now this little baby is still looking for a home and is becoming depressed poor thing :(
She is $260 shipped... 6" tall. Mommy, mommy where are you?? (click to enlarge)

Wish I could sculpt him a finger :(

Sorry guys if I was a little MIA this week.
I am still battling this chest infection for starters and also, we've had a family emergency...

You see my kid brother is a top chef.. he is really good at what he does AND he is one of those *few* remaining, decent, really NICE guys...
His previous employer basically didn't pay him... so my brother quit after years of working there... It took him a month to get a new gig and was only at his new job for two weeks when he had an accident; he lost a finger while cleaning the filters in his kitchen (he is one of those chefs who likes to clean and tidy up his own kitchen).

They retrieved most of the finger and re-attached it but he had to have a skin graft and since the tendons are gone, they are not sure how much functionality he will have... so needless to say it was a shocker. He's only got me and our dad (we all live within a block of each other) so I was a little pre-occupied this week.
I apologize if you didn't receive a reply from me, please mail me again to remind me if you didn't hear back.

Please keep my brother in your prayers, his name is Andrew.
These are the times I wish I could sculpt him a new finger with the same ease I sculpt one out of clay :(
I will keep you updated!!
Thank you in advance for your prayers...

New BJD!!!

Boy am I slow in finishing dolls that aren't ordered or what?
I think I've had this head finished for over 4 months now... then about 2 months ago I sculpted the body/parts but it wasn't until yesterday that she was completed..
Please meet Little Miss Harper, my new BJD toddler.
She is 6" tall and 15 way jointed. I LOVE making BJDs and I've recently found a way to make them even more poseable... Yay!!
BTW she is available for sale, drop me a line if you want her...

"Where do babies come from?"

Ideally from Heaven but in my case, from a coffee table in a tiny apartment in smack-dab in the middle of Athens, in Greece...

Hi, my name is Tina Kewy, I am a doll maker, and I am fairly well known world wide. I've no idea what people think and if they think I am some kind of bigshot artist with an immense studio and loads of money, because, they couldn't be further from the truth.
I am a stay at home mom, former pre-school teacher, who happens to have a talent and a burning passion for sculpting.
Life has been good to me because sculpting has provided me with the means to support my family and most importantly, for my 4 year old twins who both have diagnosed conditions that require therapy and extra care.
The smaller of my boys, John, is an IUGR survivor who suffered brain damage in utero. As a result he has Cerebral Palsy and a host of neurological impairments but not intellectual ones; in other words, he has a stellar intelligence but his body is failing him.
My other little guy, Cody, is neurotypical but has a condition which I *think* in English is ADHD. Thankfully he was diagnosed from a very early age and has been in therapy for almost 2 years now along with his brother, so we are hoping this won't cause him trouble later in school and he has already learned how to manage it and attends regular pre-school.

Life since the twins has been bumpy to say the least but so so full!! There have been times when I am struggling but I've been fortunate to have good people around me to help me through it... I couldn't have done it without you, my customers...
I owe it all to you!!

My typical day starts with me getting up before anyone else and getting ready. Then I get the boys up and dress them. I then drive them to school, or at least part-way as they've kicked John out of one school already just after Christmas as they couldn't deal with his needs. Thankfully we've found a GREAT school but it's *very* far away. So we came up with a compromise. I drive the boys half-way and the school bus picks them up. I drive back home where I clean up, start cooking lunch, do housework and sculpt. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I pick up the boys at 12.30 and drive them to another part of town for their therapies.
These are my "short" days as I only have 3 hrs between dropping them off and having to leave to pick them up again.
I pick them up around 3pm on my "long" days and we usually spend the afternoon in the park or on playdates. Before we got sick, we did swimming x3 a week which we will pick up again in March.
They go to bed at 7.30pm... I then have a shower, clean up their toys, maybe do some laundry and I start cooking dinner. My hubby gets home around 9.30pm as he works two jobs. We eat and I sit down to sculpt some more.
I don't really "watch" TV, more like, I listen to it while I work.

Those babies you so love, are made on this little coffee table:


I'm not fancy... in fact I am running out of room fast. In my dreams I often see that I have a proper studio... or even a proper house with more than the two tiny bedrooms we have now. Oh how I wish it was true!! :)
Maybe some day... we shall see.
For now I just wanted to thank you all for your support over the years, for your patience and I wanted you to know I will always be grateful for my you, my customers because, because of you, I am able to provide the services and therapies my little boys need and one day, when they have overcome their issues and are happy, normal people with normal, full lives, I will make sure they know that in my darkest hours, it was the patience, love and kindness of strangers all around the world, who bought the dolls I make on my coffee table, in my tiny two bedroom apartment, in the middle of Athens, Greece, that gave them a fighting chance in life... because on a pre-school teacher's salary, I wouldn't be able to even afford John's special formula, let alone anything else...

Sorry for rambling...
But thank you for reading...

Cute New Baby

You'll be pleased to know that things are a little better today in our household. The dentist recovered and started working on Cody (so yesterday after 4 days with absolutely NO food - I am not kidding) ate :) and slept well.
John seems to be on the mend but we have scheduled a hospital trip for him to get him checked out since he is not bouncing back as fast as he should and we need some tests done.

To thank you for listening to me mopping and praying for my family, here are some pictures from my newest mini baby... who has a funny story behind her lol :)
You see, LAST YEAR, I started this little baby... but when I sculpted and baked the head, I didn't quite like it... but I hate to waste clay so I took the entire face off and re-sculpted her. This resulted in her becoming bigger of course :) then she had to wait a few MONTHS for her limbs. She wasn't an order or anything and I was quite buried under so I didn't do anything with her until I got myself a little more leeway with my orders.. and just the other day, I was in therapy waiting for the boys and I had a couple of hours to kill so I sculpted her limbs in the lobby of the waiting room... I attracted quite a few stares and started many conversations but hey, she is done, right? ;)
So I guess this is the "therapy lobby" baby hahahaha.. what? I can't knit!

She has a wonderful new mommy and will be going home tomorrow :)
But here is Angelina...

The Twin Condition

When we found out we were having twins after loosing their triplet and thinking for a couple of weeks, we were left with one baby, everyone said things like "Oh boy, you are in for it now!"... of course none of those had twins..

4+ years later and I look back and yes it has been tough BUT not *that* tough. Yes I had to do everything twice, yes I didn't get much sleep in the last 4 years but, really, the good times were much better than the tough. The rough times were when I was sick and the boys were sick, I had to go on very little physical energy and very little sleep. The problem is that by now, one good night's sleep won't actually do me any good because by now I am chronically tired. I haven't slept a full night in 4+ years with few exceptions (like when I am away for a show).

Last night was one of those nights. In fact this whole week has been a living H!
It started Monday morning (a National Holiday) when Cody's tooth started aching. He stopped eating... he swelled up, his dentist is sick and wouldn't see him and I looked around for another one but couldn't find one who would take on a 4 year old former preemie with the worst tooth quality ever!
Today is Thursday and although the antibiotics and round the clock pain killers have helped and the dentist will see him today, Cody still hasn't eaten ANYTHING. His lips are parched, his skin is white and he has black circles under his eyes... I am pretty sure at this point he is afraid to eat or drink because he will just put the tip of the straw on his lips and then start crying that it hurt... without the milk going into his mouth/on his tooth!

The heartbreaking part was him putting his little hands together and asking God to heal his tooth... then turning to me and asking ME to heal his tooth.
And I am embarrassed to say that *I* got mad at God because, what loving God lets a 4 year old hurt like that when I have specifically asked Him to give ME the pain and leave my boy alone?!
Then of course I felt awful for being mad at God :(

Then yesterday, John was acting funky. I wasn't feeling too good myself as I have some sort of virus for the last 10 days now, my tonsils are swollen and I am not so hot myself. So yesterday I was about to take Cody to the hospital, and John was not eating anything and was whiny and clingy and a little hot to the touch and John is NOT a child who can afford to skip meals, literally.

Night time came and John couldn't settle down to sleep and John loves his sleep. By that time I had Cody in our bed so I could keep on top of his medications (they couldn't do anything at the hospital because of the swelling so we have to wait for the antibiotics to work before they open the tooth) and John would NOT sleep on his own... so I took one of couch pillows and put it on the floor next to our bed because I TRIED to sleep with both boys in it and we wouldn't fit!

The puking started just after midnight..
For the next 7 hours John would BEG me for water and even the tiniest spoonful would make him puke... He couldn't sleep, I couldn't sleep and what's worse I couldn't comfort him! Nothing made him feel better!!
At 6.30 am, I sent a text to our former nanny BEGGING her to come in today to help me... and she did! And I slept! Oh Godly glory, I slept from 8.30 until 11.30am! Three glorious uninterrupted hours of sleep. And then... oh boy, THEN I took a long shower... and I feel so much better now all clean and a little rested..

So you see, THIS is what I find difficult about raising twins... Trying to comfort both but not quite succedding and your own reserves running low as well... When I woke up John had managed to keep some water and juice down for several hours but he looks awful!! Poor baby... Cody seems a little chattier so that's good and his cheeks aren't red today AND he drank 200ml of milk, first thing he's had in days!! So today I hope the dentist removes the nerve from the tooth and starts the sealing process so Cody at least won't be in pain. I know we have many visits ahead (and LOADS of $$ to spend, she is GOOD but OMGosh EXPENSIVE) but as long as he isn't in pain right?
And I SO hope John only has this 24 hour stomach bug thing, seriously...

Please keep us in your prayers. We Greeks really believe in the Evil Eye and I'm sorry, but too much has happened to us one after the other for me to thing it is NOT ill thoughts and dark intentions that bring us one thing after the other...

I hate preemie teeth!!

Cody's teeth are the worst quality ever!!
We are trying to keep on top of them but it's hard. Yesterday one of his upper molars starting hurting. He hasn't eaten anything in 24hrs and we've had a rotten night. I tried to keep on top of it with pain medicine but he is in a lot of pain :(
Please, please say a prayer for my baby. I can't find his doctor on the phone, I've kept them off school (obviously) and of course it had to happen yesterday (which was a National Holiday and everything was closed!).

John & Cody Monthly

Dear John and Cody,

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Today you turn 4y and 4 months old!! You are growing so fast!! Too fast if you ask me!!

Cody you weigh 55lbs and you are 46 inches tall!! You are off the percentile scales for both and weight for your age!

John you weigh 35lbs and you are 42 inches tall!! You are at the 40th percentile for weight and at the 50th for height. This has got your team of doctor's a little worried because you fell off you growth curve (4 months ago you at the 50th for weight and the 75th for height. You really do love to keep everyone on their toes!!

You are both loving your new school and are taking part in your very first school play this week!! I can't wait to come see you although your dad will be on duty that day. He will pull all strings to try and switch so he won't miss it, wish him luck please!

We celebrated Halloween in Greece (it is based on a different custom than in the US and UK so it is celebrated on a different date as well).
John you were the T-Rex from Toy Story and Cody dressed up as Sully from Monsters Inc.
You had a Halloween party at school and had a blast!!

John, you are going through an intense "mommy phase" at the moment. You are very clingy and whiny and the more audience you get, the worse it is. Hmmmm... You say you don't want to go to school every day and therapy but once you are actually IN school or therapy you are as happy as a clam! It's only when mommy is around that you put up your show ;)
You haven't been eating at school so you went back to the fortified formula but you love it and helps you get some of the calories you are not getting by eating. With your updated weight and height your BMI is at a healthy 29% so you are VERY far away from the Failure to Thrive diagnosis the new nutritionist wanted to add :) Mommy is very happy!!
Your muscle tone has improved since you started Physio with Mrs. Chrysanthe in September. Your belly is finally tucked in and firm and you can hold yourself up leaning only on your hands for quite a few seconds!
Your foot is still turning in though :(
You have managed to jump and land with both feet (hop) and you can twirl in a half turn in the air with both feet! Good job buddy!!
You still haven't mastered heel to toe yet when you walk and you refuse to wear your eye patch which might lead us to eye surgery :( C'mon buddy work with me here!! :(

Cognitively you are doing good although it is becoming obvious you are clearly behind your peers. You act more like a 3 1/2 year old rather than a 4+ year old. It's alright, you're my baby!! :) Intellectually though you are scoring at a 7 to 10 year old level which means you are VERY smart. They call you GIFTED :) it's just that your soul is still that of a baby's. You will get there :)
You had a filling this month in your back teeth. As good as that formula is for your body, it's not so good for your already weak preemie teeth :( but you need it so we will just have to stay on top of the teeth!!

You boys fell in love with Planet Protectors and Imaginext this past couple of months so we added these to our growing toy collection :)
I love you, very very much!!

Cody, you are doing great! You are SO good with concentrating and finishing tasks these days!! You are organizing your thoughts better and communicating in a linear manner so Speech and Occupational therapy are working wonders for you. You are doing great in school and you are very popular and quiet in class. You love your new school and your new friends :)
Your favorite thing to do is play Wii and since this kind of gamer addiction runs in the family (ehm, George my Dad and both my brothers!!!), we are very strict about the amount of time you are allowed on the Wii.
Unfortunately you are too smart and observant and you have learned how to unlock mom's PC and turn on the games you like in there!! Hmmmm...

Your imagination has just exploded and you LOVE to make up stories with your toys. You lie on the carpet and just make up dialogs and stories as you play. It's so cute!
You are still my cuddle love bug, and you hug and kiss me and say you love me every single day!
You are growing so fast that I can't keep up!! All your PJ's are short and we need new ones!! Your shoe size is 13 YOUTH lol :) The doctor estimates you will be between 6' 4" and 6' 7" when you grow up. You know my great-grandfather was 6' 7" and I think he passed it on to you (your dad is 6' 1" and I am 5' 7").

We have stopped swimming lessons for a few months and you guys really miss those so come March we are starting back up. You got the swine flu at your birthday and it's been downhill, sickness after sickness after cold after viruses since then. It is too cold at the moment for swimming so we are waiting for warmer days for your guys :)
I think you will enjoy it even more because your friends will be there!! :)
And mommy will enjoy it more because the SCHOOL will be taking you 2 out of the 3 times a week so mommy won't have to be driving around like crazy half the day to get you to your appointments and therapies and swimming and school.

In the morning I drive you half way and the school bus picks you up. This saves up half the time and gas for me :) In the afternoons I pick you up myself, except the two days a week you have therapy, I pick you up at 12.30 instead of 3.
Those two days are my short days and I don't get much done but it's worth it for you guys :)

Some photos for you: (click each to enlarge)
Cody as Sully at a party


John as the T-Rex from Toy Story at the same party


Cody playing air hockey! (and beating dad!)


John getting tickled by dad!


Both boys a few days after birth (when John out of the NICU)


February (2009)


February 2010

Apparently blog prayers don't work!

Well it seems like blog praying doesn't work.
Let's see... Yesterday John felt a little warm in the morning so I only took Cody to school.
Having a child around is very distracting and I couldn't get much work done. At least when I have both around, they entertain each other (a perk of twins!)... Or at least I wouldn't have done anything IF I could actually DO something.
Let me explain... You see I have chronic carpal tunnel syndrome. It's a combination of 17 years of computer typing, sculpting and bad posture while doing said activities.

In general I have it well managed but it does flare up from time to time... Like the night before last, I went to bed and I could feel my middle finger in my right hand burning. I couldn't make a fist without significant pain either and it was shooting up towards my elbow as well. If you have *chronic* CTS it becomes very painful. I waaaay past the numbness and tingling sensation, I go straight to Holly-Mother-Of-Christ shooting pain that keeps me up all night.

So, I took a couple of anti-inflamatory pills, wore my night splint and managed to sleep. The next day I was still sore, so I wore my day time splint, took my pills and went about my activities... I did everything from driving to taking care of the boys but I couldn't sculpt as my right hand lacked all strength.
This morning I am better BUT now my tonsils are so enlarged, I couldn't swallow. I had visions of tonsilectomy and ripping them out lol...
I took a picture of the fistfull of pills I now take... vitamins, don't get me wrong. I am way past exhausted and sleep deprived and my body shows me this. I can't catch a break in the sickness department but I am hoping the pills (vitamins) will work... but what I REALLY need is a few good nights of quality sleep without someone waking me up every 45 minutes!!!!

BTW John is on the mend and after I didn't take him to school yesterday, he miraculously got all better and jumped off the walls!!! So today off to school he went!

Oh and someone scrapped my new car with a key and I am so freaking mad! I mean who would do that?! They quoted me 70 Euros for a repair of a 5" scape, but I have to fix it because it went right down to the metal and it will rust if I don't.
Well whoever you are, HOPE YOUR CAR WHEELS FALL OFF!!!! And carrots grow out of your ears or something!! Seriously!! Why would you DO that!? What did I ever do to you???


And to distract you from my pain and misery here is a picture of a cute baby I finished (not available).

The reason why and the cure!!

Well girls,
I bet you are all "sick" of hearing of me being sick all the time, one after the other (how many viruses are there anyway!? I think I've caught them all by now! sheesh!) right?
Well, so was I girls, so was I ... which is why I went in for some testing...

You see last night, I put the boys to bed and they conked out... the problem was *I* conked out too.. which was a bit strange because yes, I am chronically tired now, yes I am overweight which of course does not help, and yes we did have a long day involving me driving the boys to school then rushing home to pack two dolls, then rushing out two hours later to re-pick boys from school to take them to therapy and rushing home AGAIN to finishing packing said dolls, to going out AGAIN to pick the boys from therapy, driving to the other side of town where there is ONE post office that stays open late, and driving in heavy rain while trying to keep the boys awake so we can make it to the dentist (John had two fillings! ugh, preemie teeth!!)...

I had a hazy eye all day yesterday. It is pink and there is gunk coming out of it and I couldn't see very well. Of course with all the running around I didn't have time to whine about it... lol...
So the boys went to bed and I found I couldn't keep my eyes open.. LITERALLY.
My pink eye was really hurting and more gunk was coming out and I have ZERO... like Z E R O energy left by 8.30pm.
So I thought I would lie down for an hour or two until George got home and then get up and work a little... next thing I know, it's 7 AM ...

According to George, he tried several times to wake me up but I was passed out. I don't even remember him trying to wake me up...
My pink eye is still pink and hazy but much better today..
And I got my test results back and guess what? I am VERY anaemic.. like VERY VERY anaemic. The doctor looked at me and said "And you are still standing?!" and I was like Yeah buddy, I've got nerves of steel (without which I would be a noodle puddle on the floor or something).

Sooo, here's me taking a bunch of iron supplements and being ordered to rest (HA! every time I hear a doctor say that I want to pass the kids off to him and see if HE can rest!).
I should start getting my energy (and immune system) back in a couple of weeks... let's see.
Last time I was on iron supplements, I couldn't keep any of the iron in me. We tried several brands until we found one that kind of worked... and I can't eat red meat daily... I love liver (yes I am weird like that) but I am too scared of all the drugs and poisons these days that go into said liver, to eat it :(
(too bad because did I mention just how much I love liver? with lemon on it?)
So here's to the supplement working and me getting super charged :)
(I've stopped asking for a less hectic life or the boys sleeping through the night anymore. These days all I am asking for is more energy!!)

And God.. you know I don't ask much of you. When I ask for something it's usually something for someone else or for good health... but just this once, can I please have some good luck thrown my way?
Just for once can everything go smoothly? Please guide my pourer's hands so he will work swiftly and surely, delivering on time... please guide my hands also swiftly and surely so I will create what's in my heart just the way I see it?
And please God, help me achieve my goals. I don't mind working hard for them, but please, not more tripping, no more surprises and ill willed, jealous and petty people thrown my way... I've never thought bad of anyone neither was I ever jealous and wished someone harm... I am only asking for the same courtesy.
Amen...

What's up these days?

Hi all!
Sorry I haven't posted in a bit.. .Let's see..
I got bronchitis from the boys who are now on the mend, and every time I try to laugh, I lose all breath and start coughing... I also sound very rattly on the inside... I breath in and it kind of "gurgles" in there lol...
But otherwise I am good :)

I've actually put in quite a few hours of work these last few days and I am wrapping up most of my projects now. I will have at least 2 life size babies available in the next few days (OOAKs) and I am working on getting arms and legs for the multiple mini heads I have lying around...

Other than that things are quiet... and it looks like I WILL be going to the Peterborough Doll Show in the UK in June after all..hmmm :)
And the sculpting class is on since we've found a cheaper venue for it... AAAAND my sculpting book is coming out, it will be on sale online and at the show...
And that's all I have time for right now... I need to dash but I have some exciting news for you SOON :)

Murphy's Law

Sigh... You know, I've been really tired these last few months but have settled into a routine which pays off most of the time. I've been more on track with my projects, more organized, more "feet on the ground" type... but I am exhausted.
You can tell by the dark circles under my eyes and my pale color... but I press on because, really, what else can you do?

2009 was a weird year. Loads of good things happened and loads of bad. It seemed like I had slipped but could not, for the life of me, getting my footing... it was one thing after the other, bang, bang, BANG... and I felt like I was in an episode of Bold and the Beautiful, were at the end, everybody had been shot at least once, had had an affair with each other, had almost died, been kidnapped, almost murdered... except this was my life!!

I promised myself and my family 2010 will be different. First of all I will think before I leap. I will be faster, more efficient and fair.
All was well until the boys couldn't go back to school on time because they got sick after Christmas... then just 10 days into the new semester, we changed schools...
Another week lost trying to find a school and settle them... then for a week we fell into a nice routine, if you exclude Tuesday and Thursday, therapy days, which I cannot work in, because I need to take them to school, leave them for a 3 hrs, then drive back 50 minutes each way to take them to therapy as there was NO slot open AT ALL in any other day, time or millennial for that matter! So OK this leaves me 3 workdays, not too bad...

Before the boys going to school, I was all like: what's the big deal with school anyway? Why are parents fusing so much when the kids are out of school? I have them all day, it's not so bad...
Then I actually sent them to school... OH HOW SWEET is the solitude, how deep the sigh of relief when the school bus takes them (I drive half way to meet a school bus in the mornings, in another area but at least in the morning it saves me half the ride!)... knowing that the next 6 hours are all yours... all yours.
No wonder I am looking forward to each Monday morning...
Don't get me wrong, you know how much I adore my kids but I still need to work and earn a living since we live off my dolls. The Navy doesn't really pay and with the therapies, the special diet for John and the private school (which btw now we've changed it, we can't really afford!) and of course the loan we took out years ago to buy our tiny apartment, no wonder it all falls on me :)

Anyway, John was sick over the weekend. It started with a little cough on Thursday and by last night it was had turned into a MIGHTY WHOOPING, VOMIT INDUCING cough... and a fever (not too high) and green snot... and a child who won't eat and has turned papery white, all veins visible...but somehow is still in good enough mood to jump off the walls!!!! (WHERE does he get the energy? I WANT SOME!!)

I made arrangements for George to wait so I could take Cody to school so at least I would have one kid all day... then at about 5am... Cody started coughing!
AAAAAND of course, things wouldn't remain so simple... I got this HORRIBLE, can't describe the pain I am in, pain at the base of my skull. I have taken in 6 hrs, 2 Codeine pills and one Excedrin and I am still in pain.
I have a tumor (benign but inoperable) at the base of my skull and this hurts even more... seriously I wanted to scream from the pain...
Any home remedies?

I am slightly better now that I am upright... and I need to call the pediatrician. John has been sick twice already in 3 weeks... For the first two years of his life he was immuno-deficient, his numbers climbing slowly to the low normal after his 3rd birthday. I am wondering if we need to re-test as this recent streak of illness really reminds me of how he was when he was younger. One sneeze and he would turn it into pneumonia (and he's had bronchitis once already during the Christmas break!)

Wish us luck!!
Cute baby pics in the next message :)

Another cutie

Here is my favorite picture of my clay "daughter"... Isn't she a beauty?? (aaw, melts in a puddle)
(click to enlarge)

Isabella May Rose

(a work in progress)

Good things about winter

Winter is finally upon us my friends. It's cold, it's snowing and yuck, I hate winter... lol
So I thought I would find a good thing about winter...
Get this: You get ice cold water right off the tap in your kitchen! Huh? Huh? How's that!? Preeeeetty nifty huh?

Then I walked into my bathroom and realized a few BAD things about winter.
It's SO cold, the cat refuses to go out and use his kitty litter and decides instead, like the human he thinks he is, that the bathtub drain hole is his own indoor toilet... Yuck!! Hellooooo Clorox!!

But then again how can you be mad at this face??



(yes cute baby pictures coming, I know, I know lol)

Heaven's Special Child

HEAVENS VERY SPECIAL CHILD
A meeting was held, quite far from Earth!
It's time again, for another birth.
Said the Angels, to the Lord above,
This special child will need much love.
His progress may be very slow,
Accomplishments he may not show.
And he'll require extra care
From the folks he meets down there.
He may not run or laugh or play,
His thoughts may seem, quite far away,
In many ways he won't adapt,
And he'll be known as handicapped.
So let's be careful where he's sent,
We want his life to be content.
Please Lord, find the parents who
Will do a special job for you.
They will not realize right away
The leading role they're asked to play,
But with this child sent from above
Comes stronger faith and richer love.
And soon they'll know the privilege given
In caring for their gift from Heaven.
Their precious charge, so meek and mild,
Is HEAVEN'S VERY SPECIAL CHILD.
by Edna Massionilla

World turned upside down...

Ok so first I promise my next post will have cute baby pictures in it :)

Secondly, I know some of you have mailed me this week and haven't heard back, I'm sorry, I am behind with my e-mails but we've had our entire world, schedule and budget (and a little bit of my faith) blown to bits this week. Let me explain.

As you know both my sons have something "special" about them. Cody has ADHD, which prior to having him, I didn't believe existed myself but once again, life has shown me otherwise. It IS real, it IS a condition and it DOES exist (and messes up lives).
John, who suffered brain damage in utero, has mild CP, vision and hearing problems, ADD and SID (and the docs can't agree on whether he does have PDD-Nos or not)

However, all of these, we have worked on since we got the diagnosis 2 years ago... and we have worked hard, and we have made TREMENDOUS progress. The boys have fit in socially just like any other "normal" (what an empty definition this is btw!) child.
They do everything, we go to swim class, we go to the movies, playgroups and we NEVER had a problem except the normal disagreements ANY child can have when they play...

So thinking it would be best, I enrolled them to a private pre-school thinking they would get better treatment and they would lean over any issue that would arise and generally take care of them better than in the overflowing and under-budgeted public system.
I talked to their teacher in the summer and truth be told, she did her research although she looked very young (and she gave me a gut feeling of being a little inexperienced) I thought we would give her a chance.
I was in very close contact with her all through the year and any problems they arose, I thought, I nipped at the bud.
Their class (which was small I must admit) had 27 children in it with a teacher and an aid.
Some of the children were born in 2006 so they wouldn't qualify for this pre-school class (pre-K). However they were several younger children in the class.
To cut a long story short, the teacher lost control of the class. The too many kids plus the younger kids plus they knew mine came with a "tag" attached, they started throwing John out of the class.

John himself was showing me in every possible way (recently he vocalized it too) that he didn't want to be in that class. He started mixing up his vowels when he spoke, even his voice volume came down to the point I couldn't hear him any more (which is also due to the fact that I have hearing loss as well).
When at school he would wet himself and recently he was SO overstimulated he started hiding under the tables and twice he hit someone who had felt offended him.

Last Tuesday, the principal called me in his office to let me know that the class wasn't working and that my two (note: Cody was NEVER part of this or a disruptive influence in the class) combined with I don't know how many more, were to blame.
We had a long talk during which he even accused me that I hadn't told him of the boys' diagnoses (NOT true as I had warned the teacher months in advance). He said he wouldn't kick them out because the teachers told him not to, BUT I was to take them home at 1pm daily because after 1pm, they have free play and my boys would kill someone or something.

Needless to say, the minute I left the school I started calling schools. I couldn't get them in public school, they were already full to the brim plus there is a special selection process, and we had been turned down already by the system (note: Pre-K is optional so the government can say no to any child but Kindergarten is compulsory so next year they HAVE To take us if we apply to Public School).

I was also on the phone with the child-psychiatrist that knows the kids and their therapist and it was decided, the "shock" of changing schools mid-year was less than them remaining another 6 months in that environment.

It was very difficult to find TWO spots in any class mid-year. Most mothers in Greece work and the government does not help in the least, mothers so all schools are full.
Plus I was very strict and I had some very specific demands: not many kids in the class and a good, experienced teacher AND the boys to be in different classrooms. (the child psychiatrist agreed 100%)
Finally I found just the school! However, it is even FURTHER away than our last school AND it's more expensive :(
But it's all I was looking for...

So in one week, our budget was blown to bits (more expensive school plus a ton more gas to get there and our car unfortunately is not an economic car when it comes to petrol), the boys had a huge shock and for the first time it was blown to my face that although we have tried, the boys have worked very hard, John especially is still not on par with his peers.

When I took him at age 2 1/2, John was scoring at 1 years old. Not cognitively but his psyche, his soul, the way he saw, understood and reacted to the world was that of a one year old. He was 18 months behind...
Today at age 4y 2m, he scores at age 3 1/2+, he is 6 months behind socially.
Instead of his "advanced" environment to help him reach his full potential, it nearly destroyed two years of hard work.

Am I angry at the school and the teacher? Kind of... if John was the only one with an "issue" in the class, it wouldn't be a problem... but there were so many younger children who SHOULDN'T be there in the first place that John's needs couldn't be treated and the teacher lost it.
Kicking a child out who already knows is different and is asking questions, because that's all you can do, because you don't know what else to do and call that child "wild" is SO wrong on so many levels...

So anyway.. I've been away from home from the time I got up until it was almost time to get them to bed this week and I didn't work that much at all. I was so exhausted by the time I got home and emotionally drained... so I'm sorry if I didn't get back to you. The new school seems to be working so I am feeling much better now emotionally. I still have to deal with the financial thing so expect babies to be put out for sale this coming week lol :)
(but no, please don't ask, I don't take custom orders any more, it's a level of pressure, honestly, I can't deal with right now, I am spent!)

When they told me John would have "issues" I didn't cry... I could see his issues, I am neither deluded nor blind, but I decided to focus on the things John had similar to any other child, the positive. He is MORE like "normal" children than he is not... those who know him, whose kids have played with him, say he is totally "normal" and fine...
This week, I've cried my eyes out... it hurt me SO bad. I LOVED this school, I graduated from this school, so did my mother and my brothers (both with ISSUES -ADHD and severe Dyslexia - AND THEY WERE NEVER KICKED OUT and did you know my MOTHER is deaf!!!?!?)
I am angry, I am worried about the financial repercussions of this... and I am so sad. I feel like this was John's real test in society and we failed it. All I want, ALL I WANTED, was for John to stand on his own not apart... and that's all this school environment managed to do... I literally yanked them out, I couldn't stand the thought of the teacher dreading her day, treating my son like that, HATING her job and taking it out on the kids and I couldn't get the image of my son, on the photocopy room floor, after he'd been kicked out playing with toys... and I can't get his words out of my head "Mommy why did God made me this way?" "Mommy why do I wear glasses?" "Mommy I can never win in musical chairs, I just can't run like the other kids and I always lose :("... I always tell him he is a very special little boy, and God made him PERFECT, BETTER than anyone else.. John is scoring at the level of a 10 year old in intelligence... It's really hard to build his confidence when the school tears it down like that...

Hopefully THIS new school will be a better fit... they had a GREAT time on Friday and they seemed to fit right in... PLEASE say a prayer for us. You know how a school system/teacher even, can make or break a child... but I promise you this: NOBODY will break my child while I draw breath. I will break their back first! On the other hand, no child of mine will do something inappropriate and not be punished, I am not blind...

Thanks for letting me vent...
It will be hard but I think we can make it... please keep us in your prayers!

The funny minds of children (sick day 5)

Let's back up a few days... on Thursday morning, on his name day, John was returned to me from grandma's where he spent the night, with a slight fever... by the end of the day, he was running a fever of 103 and was sneezing and coughing and was of course, miserable.
The problem with John is, he has GI reflux so the slightest cough, makes him throw up... needless to say I cleaned up a lot of vomit these last few days and don't get me started on the tons of laundry... because despite my efforts, John cannot "get" throwing up in a bowl... or the toilet... he prefers himself, the couch, his bed... and me of course... down my back seems a favorite.

Anyway, needless to say Cody got it a couple of days later (Saturday) and now I have TWO very sick kiddos at home... I didn't send them to school of course so the school called today to ask after them...
Since this is John's 2nd time getting sick in 3 weeks and with the MRI deadline looming, the ped put him on antibiotics (Procef) which may or may not be working... he doesn't have a fever today (and only a slight one yesterday) and he seems more himself but I can't tell if it's the antibiotic of the virus has run it's course.

Cody on the other hand is in a bad shape. He went to bed at 4pm yesterday and slept until 7am TODAY... he was running a 105 fever all night and wouldn't take any fever medication so I kept vigil with a cool washcloth and tons of water and herbal tea by his side...
Of course today I think *I* got it too as I am not so much myself, I feel "fluey".

So my prayer today consists of "Please God help me through the day" and "Please God make John all better so I can send him to school tomorrow"...
I am ok work-wise I managed to do some things and if push comes to shove, I will ask my MIL to look after the boys feigning an emergency lol :) (she doesn't volunteer you see).

For now I need to pack a doll, go to the super market and hang out with my sickos (sick kiddos lol).

Oh!! I forgot:
When I was growing up, the arrival of the postman was never something to be excited about. Nothing would arrive for us kids in the mail... just the odd pen pal letter or the card from our family in the USA... But my kids, as the children of an online shopper, wait for the postman each and every day.
These days we are expecting some ELC Planet Protector figures I bought off eBay... I bought like 5 figures and the space ship for the price of the space ship off the store alone... and just as I was writing this, the doorbell rang and it was the postman... the boys exclaimed "our gifts!" in one voice and I went downstairs to the building lobby to pick up whatever it was .. and it wasn't for them :(
They are in the living room crying now :( poor things... I know in the UK the flights are canceled due to the weather and all so they have to be patient..

The funny thing is earlier in the day Cody said, "Ok, now I will go back to sleep and in a minute you wake up me and say "The postman is here" so I can get my present".
He thinks that is he sleeps, tomorrow will come thus hasting the postman's arrival... which is only true if it's towards the end of the day, not at 9am lol... and certainly not for a "minute" nap...
I need to teach them the concept of time!

Still up...

Yeah I'm pathetic... it's 2am and I am still up mopping the floors because John just threw up for the 3rd time... please say a healing prayer. He's got to have the brain MRI by the 15th and we canceled it last time because he was sick and now we were about to have it he got sick AGAIN... so please, say a little prayer for him to be all better by Monday, please...

This and that

The "Holidays" have gone by really fast... today is St. John's day which means it's my son's nameday. I realize in the UK and US, you do not celebrate namedays so let me explain.
We are Christian Orthodox and when we baptize our kids, we must name them after a saint or biblical figure... Today is St. John's day so everyone named John, has a nameday. It's like a birthday but without the cake. It is customary to have an "open house" and prepare coffee and finger food and dress up and your family and friends will drop by without the need for an invitation.

A couple of decades ago, women would spend all day baking or making treats, then divide them in containers and spend the evening visiting all the Johns they knew, bringing a container of sweets to each Nameday boy or girl (if you are named Joanna).
Then in the neighborhoods (in the olden days!) they would light fires and they would jump over them but I am not sure why, I didn't actually witness that when I was growing up but my mom did..

The 7th January also marks another thing for decades now... it is the last day of the holiday break for kids ... They were off school from the 23rd December until the 7th January...
My kids are grumpy their break is over and so is my hubby who is also going back to work tomorrow... while I... *I* am dancing around the house dreaming of the 4 hours I will be ALONE tomorrow. The house is wrecked as, as soon as I had picked something up, it ended up on the floor again but starting tomorrow I am getting it back in shape... or at least that would be the case if... if John didn't start the day with a fever today!! I am sure it's nothing, just a little virus but it will probably keep him off school tomorrow... and I am telling myself I made it through 15 days, I can make it 3 more, right?

Sigh...

On another note, we had the evaluations for the boys done. Are you ready for this?
John, who we've always been told is gifted, scored at a TEN YEAR OLD LEVEL!! My just turned FOUR year old scored as a ten year old!!! Blew the socks off the doctor..
And Cody, my quiet little charmer? SEVEN YEAR OLD!!
I am officially the mom of two VERY clever and advanced little guys.. and the best part was when the doctors said "Good job mom! We can tell you have been working with them very hard." I beamed!! Mostly because the other people in my life always find flaw with how I raise the boys and they always have something negative and derogatory to say about me... it was to be acknowledged as a "great mom" who does something right for once :)

Ok I need to run, I've got a million things to do and Cody has therapy and we need to leave in 10 minutes...

Someone to watch over meeeee...

Geez, I got flooded with e-mails asking for pics of this little girl... I think I caved in after e-mail number 83... here you go kids... enjoy :)
If I find some time tomorrow I will dress her up and take some more pics...

32 today...

I guess it is no secret that I struggled with infertility for a few years before I had my boys. What is probably less widely known is, I lost a baby at 11 wks prior to having the boys and I lost their triplet while pregnant with them.
The doctor is 99% sure the lost triplet was Cody identical twin, a boy... and Cody often talks about his "sister" who is in my belly and day will be born. He talks about her with great detail and it makes my skin crawl at times because, what if, he remembers his twin and what if the doctor was wrong and it was in fact, a little girl?

Being a very busy mom of twins, one with special needs even, some times it's hard to even catch your breath and admittedly, my hands and my heart so full, I never really thought about my lost Angels... until I started getting broody again, longing for another child... it happened some time last Spring but I tucked away the desire, because surely, right now it is all but impossible to have another baby in all levels of my life... so rather reluctantly, I indulged my son, and started sculpting his "sister" using the same picture of him as a newborn I love *so* much, the same one I used to make Mommy Loves You actually...
Obligations from customers made this sculpt come very slowly... from start to finish, it was 36 weeks (!!) but not planned... I just realized it today... The boys were born at 36 weeks and late, late last night, she was born... on the 4th January 2010.. sharing the birthday with me, her mommy...

I turned 32 today and she was just born... born of my heart, my vision and my hands so technically, of my body (the hands are a part of my body lol)... Cody is thrilled. He holds her oh so tenderly and beams of brotherly pride. I'm sure he knows she is just a doll but he doesn't care... John is thinking up names and they are debating endlessly while she "sleeps" on the couch and I don't say anything, I don't try to correct them when they say "baby" instead of "doll" because they just turned 4, and when you are four, you are allowed to think of objects as real. They will be "old and wise" in no time...so for now I allow them this and I even allow it to myself... she looks so much like Cody when he was born... she could have been my daughter... instead she is a tribute to my daughter... the angel who is watching over us all.

Poets write poetry, song writers write songs and painters paint, in memory, in tribute... I sculpt. That's all I know how to do... and I will tease you and not show you the whole baby...but I will tell you one thing... she is adorable...

Excited over a newborn & the migraine

I have a funny way of working... I always start with the head and unless it was a custom order, it is usually because I saw a picture of a baby I couldn't resist (remember I always sculpt from photos & so must you ;)).
So a few weeks ago, quite lazily actually, I started on a newborn as a stress reliever for no one in particular and "stole" an hour here and an hour there to work on him/her. I was thinking *if* the baby turned out to be any good, I could maybe do my next resin... and the weeks dragged on and I would carry the head to therapy (remember both my boys do therapy as John has suffered brain damage in utero and Cody has been diagnosed with ADHD and something with communication that will turn into dyslexia once in school but I don't know the English term for it) while I wait for them to finish etc.

There are some babies that come along so easy, I am done within days... and there are babies that take me half a century to "get right". For instance Little Wonder came easy... Small Miracle... the awake head I re-did 3 times and I discarded 4 sleeping heads before deciding on the one I finally did...
I am not sure if this happens because I am somehow "losing my touch" or because as time goes by I am becoming more and more strict with myself. I see more flaws lately and suddenly various things are no longer acceptable ... everything *has* to be just right, just so... and on one hand this really annoys me... on the other it ensures good sculpting.. remember nothing leaves this house until *I* am happy with it :)

So anyway, my little baby was missing something... so for weeks, on and off I would pick it up from the stand, unwrap the cling film and some days I would just look at it and some days I would fix something, add or subtract...
Unfortunately the therapy lounge is probably not as clean and dust free as my apartment because after several trips there, my baby has become very dirty despite my best efforts to keep her clean which automatically excludes her from ever being sold as an OOAK.
Of course this puts MORE pressure on me now, because now, she must be a repro baby... probably in resin... and when it comes to repro babies, I am VERY strict and difficult to please and an artist has to be... it's one thing to "love" and think you have a good sculpt and quite another when you must put your money where your heart is and have it reproduced!!! (and let me tell you, it is NOT cheap)

However! Yesterday I got this migraine the size of Texas.. no seriously, I have a hormonal imbalance and I was prescribed new pills a few weeks ago... and even though they fixed some ehm, things, they ruined some others... yesterday I must have taken more than 2000 mg of paracetamol (not all at once of course) and it didn't even do anything... so admist this horrific migraine from outer space (I think I am coming down with something as my throat also feels "funky") I send the boys to therapy with their dad and I sit down to "rest"... but instead I end up picking up the head and work on it... and she is now a sweet, full lipped, full size sweetheart... and can't wait to finish her.

Of course the killer migraine continued all day and all night. The boys got me up a few times (toilet, a drink, a nightmare - the usual) during the night and of course I could feel the migraine banging away each time...so at around 6am I took two codeine pills and stayed in bed for a bit and right now I feel a bit better... I HATE migraines, they totally de-rail me. I can stand other things like a fever, bad back, I've even worked with carpal tunnel syndrome... but not a migraine! I can't even think with a migraine...

On another note, John gained a pound!!!! We have been struggling with failure to thrive for a while now but managed to avoid a g-tube so far. John was not a micro-preemie but he did have IUGR (was born at the 3rd percentile) however people who see him (and are a little knowledgeable) know he was a preemie, as he's got the look... his therapist says if she didn't know his history she would bet money that he is a former 26 weeker. But through a very careful diet and me running after him with a spoon 12 hrs a day and getting up at 4am daily to give him an extra bottle of a special caloric/carb/fat formula, John has gained a pound... we still need him to put on at least 10 more but one is a start right??
Unfortunately the supplement (which also increases his appetite for solids overall!) is not covered by our insurance so it's like John is eating out at a 4 star restaurant daily...which reminds me I need to go finish some dolls so I can afford said "4 star meals" for my little one lol :)

Pictures in my next post, I promise :)

When I grow up...

Never in a million years did I ever imagine I would be making dolls for a living when I grew up... I come from a strange mixture of a family: I had my mother and grandmother who were artists of great acclaim in their fields and I had my grandfather and dad who were a scientist and an mechanic. With the exception of my mom, everyone else in the family and extended family, held a degree.
As I was growing up I was allowed to express myself through art BUT it was also drilled into me that I had to study.
When people asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would say "doctor" or "teacher" or "a mommy".
I did grow up to get my degree in pre-school education with an extra in special needs and English speaking teaching (for Greece obviously!) but in 2004 I found myself injured, unable to walk and I missed the school year... in early 2005 I was pregnant and it went from there and suddenly I wasn't teaching any more, I was making money off the dolls and supported the entire family.

If you would now ask me "what do you want to be" I would say I want to be like Martha Armstrong Hand. I want to be a technically correct artist but I don't want to keep making newborns and preemies for the rest of my life.
I am so much more into children right now and you might have noticed how rare my OOAKs have become in the last couple of years. I made very few this year compared to other years.
On the contrary I made great strides with my ball jointed dolls and learned how to use some new tools lol :)

I am bright eyed and eager to take the next step. I want to do so much more with my clay and not only with clay. I want to explore... there is so much more to this art than sculpting newborns on a cloth body, which I love, don't get me wrong, but I get a THRILL from other sculptures now. It has been rare that a newborn or preemie would thrill me nowadays. I am so much more thrilled when I do a toddler or a BJD. It might be a phase but I intend to go with it...
Martha Armstrong Hand has been my idol for a while now. I wish I could be just like her. I want to be 80 and still making dolls, God willing. I want to create everything in my sketch pad someday. I want 19th Century little girls in sailor suits and black Mary Janes, I want to make teddy bears!! And more cloth dolls... I just want to create...which is why this year there will be no pre-orders, no waiting lists, no custom orders...

This year has taught me a LOT, not all of it the easy way and I had to make some difficult desicions but I want to go forth, turn a new page and explore. Wherever my creativity takes me, I will follow, bright eyed, grateful and curious but determined... I am a little bit scared of disappointment. I am not even 1/8th near Martha... compared to her I am a little piece of nothingness ... and I am a perfectionist. I am so scared I will start something and it won't be like I've imagined it... but I've got to try. A journey of a thousand miles...starts with a single step!
Wish me luck!

Merry belated Christmas...

Merry Christmas Everyone!!
Hope you had a wonderful day filled with love and friends and lovely surprises!!

We had a hectic but otherwise quiet day that started in the same way it did for most of you; very early with very exciting little kids jumping up and down and tearing paper ;)

Cody got an electric train and John a Hot Wheels race track and the Navy got each of the boys a "domino train" (don't ask but it's a pain in the butt and too noisy!)
I've seen loads of presents under trees in pictures but a) we have banished cheap toys that break easily and b) between the school needing to be paid, the end of the year car tax and Christmas day food shopping, these were all I could afford for the boys.

They have a MILLION toys, enough for 10 children so don't feel bad. We gathered up our old toys and gave them to charity. I so want to teach them that Christmas is about GIVING not taking but they did get rewarded for their kindness :)

I got George a Blu Ray disk player but kind of regretted it afterwards (don't ask) and I got each grandparent a photobook and a wall calendar with the boys... and they gave me... nothing.
Yup folks... I didn't get ONE single thing for Christmas :( except from my DAD! Did I mention my dad is the greatest person on the planet?

I spent the entire Christmas morning in the kitchen where I made an apple pie, a muddy road caramel/chocolate cake, fresh garlic bread (yes I actually made bread from scratch) and stuffing. We also bought all the cold cuts for the table, and we headed to my Mother in law's for lunch.
I am not one to whine and I wasn't really expecting anything, really, but it kind of stung when everyone accepted their presents and ate the food and the next day my MIL still complained to my husband about me :(

Sigh... hey, season of giving remember? Letting it go...

The day before I had taken the boys to get the car washed and got some cool shoots of them with their faces glued to the glass looking as the car went through the machine (it has a transparent wall and you can sit there and watch!) and it was a nice day so I took them to the playground next and I got some MORE cool shots of them.
For MONTHS I had saved up for a new camera and I finally managed to get it on layaway and I am so happy with it. I consider it my Christmas/Birthday present (since my birthday is so close to Christmas anyway) to myself especially since I know I am not getting any presents from anyone :) Again, don't feel sad for me... I'm a big girl and take care of myself well :) It doesn't even bother me anymore like it used to... as long as my little guys have fun that's the best present for me :)

If you head over to my Facebook page you can see new photos of the boys :)
Hugs to everyone!
Tina

Breathless Monday!

Ok so I dare ya, ask me what I did today, go on ask me!!

When my horoscope read "expect the unexpected" I didn't really believe it... My day started off as usual. Dragged myself out of bed after only 6 1/2 hrs of sleep, during which my son Cody had woken me up 3 times like usual, made the kids' lunches, got them up, dressed and straightened out, then drove 40 minutes in traffic, dropped them off at school, I ensured they got IN the classroom AND I informed the teacher that they were carrying this year's Christmas cards for the class and to make sure each classmate got one..
Then drove back another 40 minutes in traffic to get home...

In the early morning I have this ritual: I made me a coffee, start the washing machine and dishwasher and sit down to read my e-mail. This is usually around 10am ...
Then I know what I need to do and I usually sit down to work on my dolls until around 12pm when I need to start cooking lunch.
So this day I did just that and then sat down to work. I photographed and sold a baby and sat down to pack it, thinking I would be SO cool to ship her off the same day (I was going to the post office for another doll anyway).
Then my brother calls.
In the calmest of voices he asks "Are the kids home?" No, they are in school.
"Oh good! Can you please drive me to the hospital because my cat just pawed my eye out?" I was like WHAT?

Pause here. My brother and my dad live in the same building in the next block to the right, while my MIL lives in the next block to the left.
I am the only one who a) drives and b) does not "work" in the mornings. I mean, I do work, but from home.
Also I should mention that my brother has a psychotic cat.. and I do mean P S Y C H O T I C!!! He picked her up off the streets when she was a baby and in the one year he's had her, she has wrecked the house AND him. Today she attacked him in his sleep and yes, she did paw his eye out!!!

So my brother arrives and I grab my keys and his eye looks like Rocky's after 10 ten rounds with that Soviet guy and I grab one of John's eye patches (because you know, I think on my feet and all lol) and patch him up... and off we go.

Now, Andrew is my baby brother so naturally I started off towards the Children's Hospital downtown... for two reasons: a) when we need a hospital 99.9% of the time it is either for a child or the pet and both are in that direction and b) he is my BABY brother... then of course I did a steep U turn when I realized that my *baby* brother, is TWENTY NINE!!

Then I drove another hour in traffic but this time, this hospital had a parking lot so that was good.

We got a good sermon from the Opthalmologist about how animals are diseased and how my brother would lose his eye to infection, got it cleaned, refused to bandage it and sent us home with a $100 bill for his services (!!!) and a prescription for a $5 antibiotic ointment!

By now it was almost time to pick up the boys from school... so naturally I GOT LOST and drove 1 1/2 hrs passing the same street 5 times at least until I got my bearings and got to the boys' school.
Then my mom wanted to see them. She only called 12 times yesterday to remind me of the fact so I took them in to see her. She has a shop but the area is really busy and you can't park so we left the car at the Mall and took the train (which actually stops RIGHT at the Mall) .. it was only one stop :)
But the Mall is decorated and there were hordes of stalls of free products and a Carousel and a Train so by the time we got to my mom, we could only stay for 15 minutes as we had an appointment with the Child Psychiatrist at 5.30.

Cody cried for 15 minutes while going TO the appointment and then another 10 minutes because he didn't want to LEAVE ...
This is Cody's "gear shifting" problem. He has horrible meltdowns when he needs to change activities...
I arrived at the appointment, dragging the kids, 10 minutes late, dodging the doctor in order to change John who, of course, had once again lost control of his bladder and needed new clothes.

So I walk in to find this CLASSIC 50 something, psychiatrist, not a hair awry from her perfect bob, dressed in smart pants and a blouse, while I, overweight, hair a mess, dressed in job pants and a sweatshirt and not an ounce of make-up of course.

She did tell me I am a fantastic mom though and I am handling the boys well but other than that, she just asked some background questions and watched the boys play.

By the time the appointment ended around 6.30-ish, there was no way in Hell I was cooking dinner. So I treated the boys to steak down stairs (John is in a meat phase and it's all he will eat!) and drove home, where I washed them real quick but still made the mistake of leaving them, their can of "fake" shaving foam and fake razor, alone in the bathroom while I mixed up John's caloric supplement.
I walked in to find just how much surface half a can of fake shaving foam can cover.

Fortunately they really just CRASHED when I put them in bed and I had the chance to take a shower myself... and this is where the fun begins.
Remember last August I dropped the iron on my big toe and smashed it?
I eventually lost the entire nail and right now, 4 months later, it only needs 1 cm to be completely "normal" again.
Well I remove my WIDE, COMFY WALKING SHOES, and my toe really REALLY hurts and is swollen.
It seems like the edge of the nail, was digging in the flesh all day and OMGosh the PAIN... funny thing is I barely noticed it all day... you know, driving my brother to the hospital and then dragging the kids halfway through town.

SO I sit down with this big mean tube of Betadine and antibiotic cream and a ton of green puss comes out of the nail... and now I have a Batman Bandaid around my toe because I am never out of KIDS' Bandaids but apparently I am out of adult ones!!
And the darn thing STILL hurts... but I hope I caught it early!

And you guessed it... I did not get that doll shipped :(
(and this is the second time I am writing this post because the Blog Monster ate it the first time around)

And now ladies, I am off with my coffee to watch a little TV because honestly? I AM EXHAUSTED...and tomorrow I have to do MOST of it all over again...hopefully not the hospital thing but I did promise a trip to the Mall so they can ride the Carousel...and my kids? NEVER FORGET!!!