Allie got her cast off today, almost five weeks to the day after she fell off her scooter in the road in front of our neighbor's house and broke her leg. She pretty much had a cow while the physician's assistant did the cutting of the cast. She was almost hyperventilating.
Then she had to walk down the hall a bit to get an x-ray and at first, she wouldn't put any real weight on her left leg. It took some persuasion and some literal hand holding. Even tonight, when we went out to celebrate her freedom, she walks quite slowly and stiffly. I have high hopes for improvement over the next few days.
She doesn't have to go back to see the doctor again, unless things aren't looking up by four weeks from now. Hopefully, this little adventure is now past us.
We had cake tonight too to celebrate--the inscription says, "YAY, Allie!"
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Allie's leg
The girls and I went to see Allie's orthopedist on Tuesday for a check on how her broken tibia is healing. Everything is coming along very well, except that she needs to be putting weight on her leg already and she basically won't, unless we firmly tell her to do so. By next Tuesday, we're supposed to take her crutches away. And on July 7th, they're cutting her cast off.
The entire visit last week for Allie's casting and this visit (combined) took approximately 30 minutes. And the bill came for her visit last week and it's $1400. That total doesn't include anything that happened in the emergency room of course, and I'm not sure that it includes the visit this week or the cutting off of her cast. Even if it was inclusive, that's a hell of a lot of money. After all, Allie's c-section birth 9 years ago ONLY cost $18,000.
I'm thinking Allie can start paying us back from her lemonade stand earnings next week. After all, how heartless would you have to be to pass by a kid selling lemonade who has a bright pink cast.
The entire visit last week for Allie's casting and this visit (combined) took approximately 30 minutes. And the bill came for her visit last week and it's $1400. That total doesn't include anything that happened in the emergency room of course, and I'm not sure that it includes the visit this week or the cutting off of her cast. Even if it was inclusive, that's a hell of a lot of money. After all, Allie's c-section birth 9 years ago ONLY cost $18,000.
I'm thinking Allie can start paying us back from her lemonade stand earnings next week. After all, how heartless would you have to be to pass by a kid selling lemonade who has a bright pink cast.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Julia's talking again
Last night, the ice cream truck went through our neighborhood. The girls were already in their pajamas, but Julia went out looking for the truck anyway, at least to the porch. Then Greg decided he was having an ice cream craving, so he ran to the store and bought some Push-Ups. Grape, orange, and raspberry sherbet in a tube, if you don't recall Push-Ups from childhood. Actually, they only used to have orange, but I guess some improvements in the last 30 years are likely.
The girls LOVED the Push-Ups. LOVED them, LOVED them, LOVED them. Today, I let them have Push-Ups after lunch and they asked for Push-Ups again after dinner. I won't let them eat them in the living room, so Julia put the chairs from our kitchenette right where the living room begins and the girls ate Push-Ups with relish.
Now it's a little after 8 p.m. and Julia came upstairs to ask me if she and Allie could have Push-Ups again. I asked her why she didn't ask her daddy (who is in the living room) and she said she did and he said no. I told her that was it then. She asked if she could have a Push-Up tomorrow and I said, maybe, if you eat a good lunch.
She said, Can I have one at breakfast time? I started laughing and asked if she was really wanting to have a Push-Up for breakfast. She smiled not so innocently and said, First cereal, then a Push-Up!
The girls LOVED the Push-Ups. LOVED them, LOVED them, LOVED them. Today, I let them have Push-Ups after lunch and they asked for Push-Ups again after dinner. I won't let them eat them in the living room, so Julia put the chairs from our kitchenette right where the living room begins and the girls ate Push-Ups with relish.
Now it's a little after 8 p.m. and Julia came upstairs to ask me if she and Allie could have Push-Ups again. I asked her why she didn't ask her daddy (who is in the living room) and she said she did and he said no. I told her that was it then. She asked if she could have a Push-Up tomorrow and I said, maybe, if you eat a good lunch.
She said, Can I have one at breakfast time? I started laughing and asked if she was really wanting to have a Push-Up for breakfast. She smiled not so innocently and said, First cereal, then a Push-Up!
Sunday, June 14, 2009
He's in trouble for this one
I'm watching a movie this afternoon with the girls. A nice, sanitized movie--rated G--about the Depression. Sanctioned by the people from American Girl.
Then the girl heroine, who is 10, confronts the bad guys in a physical situation. And my sweet, innocent 5-year-old yells at the TV, "Kick him in the ass!"
I'm going to kill my husband.
Then the girl heroine, who is 10, confronts the bad guys in a physical situation. And my sweet, innocent 5-year-old yells at the TV, "Kick him in the ass!"
I'm going to kill my husband.
Friday, June 12, 2009
School's out for summer
Today was the last day of kindergarten and 3rd grade, respectively, for Julia and Allie. They both made it through the school year successfully, so we'll have new grades to deal with next year. Thankfully, despite our school district reorganization, both girls will stay in the same elementary school next year, with most of the same staff. That's a good thing.
Allie spent her time this week at school in a wheelchair for ease of movement. She still had her splint on until late on Tuesday and she was very leery about bumping it, as well as pretty unsteady on her crutches. On Wednesday, the two of us went on her field trip to Little Norway. I pushed her around very rough and steep paths, but she got to see almost everything her classmates did. And because I drove her there and back, she didn't have to try to get on and off the school bus. I also brought her into school and picked her up from school every day this week (plus Julia and Jaden, the son of a friend). So I spent a lot of time on her and school this week, and now it's all over. School ended at 11:20 and now it's on to party time.
As soon as Allie heals up, that is.
She's fallen twice while on her crutches (without being hurt) and she cried last night when she started to tip over and she put more weight on her broken leg than she should have. We've been trying to encourage her to at least rest her foot on the ground, but she's pretty resistant. At her next doctor's appointment, on Tuesday, she'll have more x-rays and we'll be able to see what's up. The latest projection is that she'll have her cast for four weeks from last Tuesday and that no physical therapy or followup will be necessary.
Now she just needs to heal up so we can get on with our summer. Either that, or get a lot more comfortable on her crutches.
Allie spent her time this week at school in a wheelchair for ease of movement. She still had her splint on until late on Tuesday and she was very leery about bumping it, as well as pretty unsteady on her crutches. On Wednesday, the two of us went on her field trip to Little Norway. I pushed her around very rough and steep paths, but she got to see almost everything her classmates did. And because I drove her there and back, she didn't have to try to get on and off the school bus. I also brought her into school and picked her up from school every day this week (plus Julia and Jaden, the son of a friend). So I spent a lot of time on her and school this week, and now it's all over. School ended at 11:20 and now it's on to party time.
As soon as Allie heals up, that is.
She's fallen twice while on her crutches (without being hurt) and she cried last night when she started to tip over and she put more weight on her broken leg than she should have. We've been trying to encourage her to at least rest her foot on the ground, but she's pretty resistant. At her next doctor's appointment, on Tuesday, she'll have more x-rays and we'll be able to see what's up. The latest projection is that she'll have her cast for four weeks from last Tuesday and that no physical therapy or followup will be necessary.
Now she just needs to heal up so we can get on with our summer. Either that, or get a lot more comfortable on her crutches.
Friday, June 05, 2009
Allie update
Allie and all of us thank all of you who have made kind wishes for us in the last few days. Thank you sincerely! If you didn't already know, Allie broke her leg on Wednesday night.
Allie is doing well now. That first night was really rough. She couldn't sleep well to begin with because she usually sleeps on her side and the only way she was at all comfortable was on her back. She called me in every hour but one during the night, sometimes more than once per hour, mostly to adjust her leg but also for bathroom trips and more medicine. Sometimes she cried when I went to her. Then at 5 a.m., she wanted to get up for the day.
I settled her downstairs with everything she would need and tried to go back to sleep for one last half hour, and then Allie screamed for me from downstairs as she threw up what little breakfast she'd eaten. Her strong pain medication was upsetting her stomach. Yesterday was a long, painful day and all she kept down was a few crackers.
Today went better. She ate some melon and crackers in the morning, then was able to take her pain medicine more easily. That meant she felt better and so she ate a little more food. Eventually, I went outside to mow the grass and she sat on the porch and enjoyed the beautiful day. She could shift position a little more easily and she's starting to get the hang of her crutches, though her underarms and hands are now sore.
I spoke to her teacher yesterday and she's trying to work something out for Allie's field trip next week. We also have an appointment with the orthopedic surgeon on Tuesday morning, so hopefully that will be when she gets a hard cast. She wants pink, so I told her if all they have is white, we'll color it pink with highlighters before we let people write on it.
Tonight, I helped her take a shower and that made her feel more human. She only woke up twice last night, so maybe we'll get lucky again tonight. We're all tired. As Allie said, just three days ago, her life was flowing along and she had no idea what was just around the corner as far as pain.
Isn't that always the way it is.
Allie is doing well now. That first night was really rough. She couldn't sleep well to begin with because she usually sleeps on her side and the only way she was at all comfortable was on her back. She called me in every hour but one during the night, sometimes more than once per hour, mostly to adjust her leg but also for bathroom trips and more medicine. Sometimes she cried when I went to her. Then at 5 a.m., she wanted to get up for the day.
I settled her downstairs with everything she would need and tried to go back to sleep for one last half hour, and then Allie screamed for me from downstairs as she threw up what little breakfast she'd eaten. Her strong pain medication was upsetting her stomach. Yesterday was a long, painful day and all she kept down was a few crackers.
Today went better. She ate some melon and crackers in the morning, then was able to take her pain medicine more easily. That meant she felt better and so she ate a little more food. Eventually, I went outside to mow the grass and she sat on the porch and enjoyed the beautiful day. She could shift position a little more easily and she's starting to get the hang of her crutches, though her underarms and hands are now sore.
I spoke to her teacher yesterday and she's trying to work something out for Allie's field trip next week. We also have an appointment with the orthopedic surgeon on Tuesday morning, so hopefully that will be when she gets a hard cast. She wants pink, so I told her if all they have is white, we'll color it pink with highlighters before we let people write on it.
Tonight, I helped her take a shower and that made her feel more human. She only woke up twice last night, so maybe we'll get lucky again tonight. We're all tired. As Allie said, just three days ago, her life was flowing along and she had no idea what was just around the corner as far as pain.
Isn't that always the way it is.
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Allie broke her leg tonight
Oh my god, do I wish I were kidding.
It started out like a pretty good evening. Greg is in Chicago on business until tomorrow evening, so the girls and I are on our own. We went to an informational meeting about Allie possibly playing a string instrument next school year (she's interested in the viola). Then we came home and I rushed Julia into the bathtub. Allie asked if she could play on her scooter outside for just a little while longer.
Her scooter is one of the old-fashioned kind, with a plate for the foot and a handle that you steer with. Completely manual. When Julia was out of the tub, I went outside to tell Allie it was time to come in. She was in the street (we live on a dead end, so that's OK), riding past our neighbor's house. She started back toward our driveway and I turned my back and went into the garage.
Then I heard her start screaming. She was crumpled in the street and she was just screaming about how much her leg hurt. I walked over, not sure how much she might be exaggerating (though really exaggeration like that would be more Julia's speed). I probed a little bit and she said it wasn't her foot or ankle, that the worst part was above the ankle. I tried to get her to stand with my support and that was a complete no go.
Our neighbor across the street saw us and asked it he could help. Between the two of us, we got her into the house, to the mudroom. He said if he and his wife could be of any help, like if I wanted to leave Julia with them while I took Allie in, they would be happy to watch her. I tried talking to Allie more and realized that we were definitely going to the hospital. I tried to call a friend to watch Julia and they weren't home, so I had to take our neighbors up on their very kind offer. Fortunately, they have girls too who occasionally play with our two and the wife is a teacher at Allie's school.
I'll spare you the rest of our ordeal, except that it involved X-rays that clearly show a spiral fracture of Allie's left tibia (that's the big bone in the lower leg) and a two-hour emergency room visit. I went over and got Julia from the neighbor's at 10:15 (BLESS THEM!) and she started crying because Allie and me were sweating and Allie was crying as she tried to use the bathroom and get into bed.
Did I mention we have a two-story house and our couch isn't really suitable to put Allie on? Unfortunately true. So now, an hour later, Julia is sleeping, finally, after crying for 10 or so minutes. Allie is sleeping, doped up on Tylenol with codeine and with her leg in a splint, propped up on pillows.
And I have a splitting headache and I know it's going to be a long night. And Greg is feeling guilty because he's not here. Boy, it will be nice to have him home to carry Allie. She weighs over 60 lbs. now, so I can steady her on her crutches but I can't lift her completely for long at all. She scooted up the steps on her butt, which was an endless excursion.
Tomorrow, we have to call Allie's pediatrician and the orthopedic surgeon. Allie said she's hoping for a pink cast that all of her friends can sign before school ends. She has 7 school days left, but she's going to miss at least the rest of this week. Next week is when all the fun field trips are scheduled, so those are probably off the table too. Sigh.
That poor girl! We all have such an ordeal ahead.
It started out like a pretty good evening. Greg is in Chicago on business until tomorrow evening, so the girls and I are on our own. We went to an informational meeting about Allie possibly playing a string instrument next school year (she's interested in the viola). Then we came home and I rushed Julia into the bathtub. Allie asked if she could play on her scooter outside for just a little while longer.
Her scooter is one of the old-fashioned kind, with a plate for the foot and a handle that you steer with. Completely manual. When Julia was out of the tub, I went outside to tell Allie it was time to come in. She was in the street (we live on a dead end, so that's OK), riding past our neighbor's house. She started back toward our driveway and I turned my back and went into the garage.
Then I heard her start screaming. She was crumpled in the street and she was just screaming about how much her leg hurt. I walked over, not sure how much she might be exaggerating (though really exaggeration like that would be more Julia's speed). I probed a little bit and she said it wasn't her foot or ankle, that the worst part was above the ankle. I tried to get her to stand with my support and that was a complete no go.
Our neighbor across the street saw us and asked it he could help. Between the two of us, we got her into the house, to the mudroom. He said if he and his wife could be of any help, like if I wanted to leave Julia with them while I took Allie in, they would be happy to watch her. I tried talking to Allie more and realized that we were definitely going to the hospital. I tried to call a friend to watch Julia and they weren't home, so I had to take our neighbors up on their very kind offer. Fortunately, they have girls too who occasionally play with our two and the wife is a teacher at Allie's school.
I'll spare you the rest of our ordeal, except that it involved X-rays that clearly show a spiral fracture of Allie's left tibia (that's the big bone in the lower leg) and a two-hour emergency room visit. I went over and got Julia from the neighbor's at 10:15 (BLESS THEM!) and she started crying because Allie and me were sweating and Allie was crying as she tried to use the bathroom and get into bed.
Did I mention we have a two-story house and our couch isn't really suitable to put Allie on? Unfortunately true. So now, an hour later, Julia is sleeping, finally, after crying for 10 or so minutes. Allie is sleeping, doped up on Tylenol with codeine and with her leg in a splint, propped up on pillows.
And I have a splitting headache and I know it's going to be a long night. And Greg is feeling guilty because he's not here. Boy, it will be nice to have him home to carry Allie. She weighs over 60 lbs. now, so I can steady her on her crutches but I can't lift her completely for long at all. She scooted up the steps on her butt, which was an endless excursion.
Tomorrow, we have to call Allie's pediatrician and the orthopedic surgeon. Allie said she's hoping for a pink cast that all of her friends can sign before school ends. She has 7 school days left, but she's going to miss at least the rest of this week. Next week is when all the fun field trips are scheduled, so those are probably off the table too. Sigh.
That poor girl! We all have such an ordeal ahead.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Sunday night
My family gets a breather now on massive amounts of outside activities, at least until next week.
Last week, Allie's Norwegian show went well, but she'll probably never think of it that way. Allie was one of four bellringers who performed the Westminster chimes at the start and middle of a Norwegian song about clocks. Each time the foursome rang the bells, they did the series of tones twice. The fourth time they did the tones, Allie, who had the task of ringing the first bell, didn't. It was just a momentary pause, rather sweet really, but she said it was humiliating. It'll probably end up being one of those things that still make her face flush in 30 years (witness me still remembering the time in first grade when I went to the board and worked a problem even though Mrs. Shallue hadn't called on me after all). And that's too bad.
Allie's 5k run was postponed until tomorrow because of thunderstorms. She's very worried about it. Today, she said that she wished she could painlessly break a bone so she didn't have to try to do it. And that's too bad and sad. She's putting too much pressure on herself.
Meanwhile, Julia is going for her master's degree in screeching at the top of her lungs when Allie does something she doesn't like or takes something from her. Of course, my response is always to yell at them both. There's gotta be a better way.
This afternoon, the three of us did have some fun. We went to the second of the weekend's two parades through downtown and very much enjoyed it. The parade lasted 1 1/2 hours and had (we counted) 16 live bands. That's a lot of music. There were also horses galore and no Shriners (that was my favorite part, no Shriners). Beautiful weather, if a little cool.
I didn't get any corn-on-the-cob this weekend, but I did donate blood on Friday. So that's 64 donations given over the last 25 years. A slow pace of donations, but hey--at this rate, I'll have given 16 gallons by the time I'm too old to donate anymore. That's a lot of blood if you picture it lined up in milk jugs. OK, scratch that thought--that's just gross.
Last week, Allie's Norwegian show went well, but she'll probably never think of it that way. Allie was one of four bellringers who performed the Westminster chimes at the start and middle of a Norwegian song about clocks. Each time the foursome rang the bells, they did the series of tones twice. The fourth time they did the tones, Allie, who had the task of ringing the first bell, didn't. It was just a momentary pause, rather sweet really, but she said it was humiliating. It'll probably end up being one of those things that still make her face flush in 30 years (witness me still remembering the time in first grade when I went to the board and worked a problem even though Mrs. Shallue hadn't called on me after all). And that's too bad.
Allie's 5k run was postponed until tomorrow because of thunderstorms. She's very worried about it. Today, she said that she wished she could painlessly break a bone so she didn't have to try to do it. And that's too bad and sad. She's putting too much pressure on herself.
Meanwhile, Julia is going for her master's degree in screeching at the top of her lungs when Allie does something she doesn't like or takes something from her. Of course, my response is always to yell at them both. There's gotta be a better way.
This afternoon, the three of us did have some fun. We went to the second of the weekend's two parades through downtown and very much enjoyed it. The parade lasted 1 1/2 hours and had (we counted) 16 live bands. That's a lot of music. There were also horses galore and no Shriners (that was my favorite part, no Shriners). Beautiful weather, if a little cool.
I didn't get any corn-on-the-cob this weekend, but I did donate blood on Friday. So that's 64 donations given over the last 25 years. A slow pace of donations, but hey--at this rate, I'll have given 16 gallons by the time I'm too old to donate anymore. That's a lot of blood if you picture it lined up in milk jugs. OK, scratch that thought--that's just gross.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Update
We have officially entered THE BUSY TIME as far as the kids are concerned. I think school's administrators, teachers, and parents group have all noticed that there is "only" a month left of school and so they're madly scheduling things every five minutes. Actually, every two days, but still. Add in a few birthday parties and it's quite the challenge.
This past weekend, Julia got to attend her first friend birthday party, which was held at the local bowling alley. She thought it was the awesomeist. These brave people invited her entire class of about 18 kids and there were 16 that made it. Julia's goal was to beat the bowling score of the birthday boy, and for the sake of it being his day, I'm pleased to report that he got an 80 and Julia got a 79.
Allie has been attending a course called "Girls on the Run" for the last eight weeks. It's a girls empowerment course coupled with running exercise, with the goal of completing a 5K race after 10 weeks. In her case, that race will be the Susan Komen Race for the Cure. This Wednesday, she's running a practice 5K on a neighborhood trail. You go, girl!
That same day is Julia's birthday. Not actually. Just at school. Her teacher sent home a note saying that she picks a date for kids whose real birthday is in the summer and that's the day that the class celebrates Julia. Oh, and if you want to, send cupcakes.
This Thursday, Allie is involved in a special program at the local senior center, celebrating Norwegian culture through song and dance. This town is overflowing with Norwegian descendants of the people who settled the place 100 years ago or so, so she's learning to be a Norwegian (even though she's half German and half Irish/English). Allie is a bell ringer and she's excited.
Friday, there's a local blood drive that I'll be sure to make it to. This donation will top off my 8th gallon of blood, which is 64 pints and 64 donations.
Also Friday, I have to bake a pie. This weekend is our community's biggest festival, Syttende Mai (Seventeen May - or the closest weekend to May 17th, which commemorates the day that Norway earned it's independence from Sweden way back when). What does that have to do with pie? Our local library holds a pie sale as a fundraiser and since I spend a lot of time using library services, I figure I can bake a pie.
And these are just this week's events for our family. What's on your schedule for the week?
This past weekend, Julia got to attend her first friend birthday party, which was held at the local bowling alley. She thought it was the awesomeist. These brave people invited her entire class of about 18 kids and there were 16 that made it. Julia's goal was to beat the bowling score of the birthday boy, and for the sake of it being his day, I'm pleased to report that he got an 80 and Julia got a 79.
Allie has been attending a course called "Girls on the Run" for the last eight weeks. It's a girls empowerment course coupled with running exercise, with the goal of completing a 5K race after 10 weeks. In her case, that race will be the Susan Komen Race for the Cure. This Wednesday, she's running a practice 5K on a neighborhood trail. You go, girl!
That same day is Julia's birthday. Not actually. Just at school. Her teacher sent home a note saying that she picks a date for kids whose real birthday is in the summer and that's the day that the class celebrates Julia. Oh, and if you want to, send cupcakes.
This Thursday, Allie is involved in a special program at the local senior center, celebrating Norwegian culture through song and dance. This town is overflowing with Norwegian descendants of the people who settled the place 100 years ago or so, so she's learning to be a Norwegian (even though she's half German and half Irish/English). Allie is a bell ringer and she's excited.
Friday, there's a local blood drive that I'll be sure to make it to. This donation will top off my 8th gallon of blood, which is 64 pints and 64 donations.
Also Friday, I have to bake a pie. This weekend is our community's biggest festival, Syttende Mai (Seventeen May - or the closest weekend to May 17th, which commemorates the day that Norway earned it's independence from Sweden way back when). What does that have to do with pie? Our local library holds a pie sale as a fundraiser and since I spend a lot of time using library services, I figure I can bake a pie.
And these are just this week's events for our family. What's on your schedule for the week?
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Toy story
I debated about whether to write this post, but decided that what I'm going to talk about is going to be emblazoned on my memory anyway, so I might as well write about it.
Last Saturday, Allie had a birthday party that started at 2:00 p.m. with a trip to Build-A-Bear, then included pizza and a sleepover. Sleepover being a relative term, since she said other girls woke her at 1:00 a.m., so they all ate ice cream. And when Allie got to sleep about 3:00 a.m., someone went around and woke everyone again. Anyway, this story is what happened with me and Julia while Allie was gone.
Late in the afternoon, Julia and I headed up to Madison to do a little shopping, maybe to visit the pet store, and to have dinner together, just the two of us. Greg was hibernating at home, enjoying not have any females around.
The first stop we made was Target. I needed to get some larger spring nightwear for Allie (a fact that was pointed out as we packed for her overnight) and a few other things. One of those things was toilet paper, which I found in a 20-pack and loaded into the cart. After picking up our other items, we headed for the toy section at Julia's urgings. She was riding in the basket of the cart and I indulged her as we traveled up and down nearly every aisle, looking at toys. We talked about things she liked as possibilities for her birthday list, her birthday being only about 3 months away now.
After literally almost 1/2 hour of looking at toys, I told Julia we needed to move on and check out, so we could get some dinner. Julia said no. She said she wanted me to buy her a princess set of some kind. I reminded her that I never said we were going to buy her any toys and reminded her that she had gotten a small toy just the day before, when we bought the gift Allie needed for her birthday party. She refused to leave the aisle, even when I walked away. I walked back and told her we were not going to buy any toys today and that it was time to leave. She wrapped her arms around the princess set and refused to leave the aisle. I walked away again, then told her that if she didn't come with me, our dinner plans were in serious jeopardy. She said no again.
I told Julia again that we were leaving and that now we weren't going out to eat. She whined about her princess set. I said we were now leaving the store and that if she didn't come with me, she was going to be going straight home and straight to bed. She still refused to come with me. I took her by the arm and pulled her over to the cart and she started saying (loudly, needless to say) that I was hurting her. I told her she WAS going to come with me and that I wouldn't hold her if she moved with me. She refused and walked back to the toy aisle.
I walked after her again and pulled her by the arm with me down the center aisle. I tried to pick her up and put her back in the cart and she kicked me. When I had to put her down (she weighs over 40 lbs. now), she ran away from me back toward the toy aisle. She walked back through a good chunk of the store as I abandoned our cart and followed her, threatening most of the way. I picked her up again and held her legs as I carried her back through the store. This is when I started regretting that I really wanted to purchase Allie's nightwear, since I was reluctant to just walk out of the store. In retrospect, I should have just left and gone back alone on Sunday.
Regardless, I eventually had to put her down and I kept hold of either her arm or her shirt as I pulled her through the store to the checkout. She was screaming all the way. Okay, maybe not screaming, but definitely a raised voice, saying I was hurting her and that she wanted to go back to the toy aisle because she didn't remember everything we had picked out. I got in her face and told her I was very disappointed in how she was behaving and that we were definitely leaving and that she was going home and to bed.
We got to the checkout and I heard someone behind me say, "This is why we're not having kids." I paid for our purchases and Julia trailed behind me, way behind me, as I took the cart back. I grabbed our one bag and the damned toilet paper pack and told her to get her coat on (it was maybe 50 degrees out and raining a little). She said no. I had to chase her to grab her arm and I told her fine, then she was going outside without her coat. I pulled her outside and when she screamed for her coat, I let go and tried to get her to put it on. She was still crying about not leaving yet, so I pulled her to the car, which thankfully was not too far away and made her get in. She started kicking and flailing at me as I tried to buckle her seatbelt and she knocked my glasses right off my face.
I had been angry before, needless to say, but that was it. I started crying and I told her that I couldn't believe how she was acting. She didn't say anything, but she stopped hitting me and I buckled her in. I got in the car and almost hit another car backing out because I was still crying. We started the 25-minute car ride home and I told her that I didn't want to talk to her at all because she had been so naughty. She started talking to herself, saying that she was a bad girl and had done really horrible things. I finally told her she wasn't a bad girl, but that she had done some very naughty things. She asked what was going to happen, if we were going to eat, and I told her we were going home.
When we got home, Greg took over, putting her in her room and telling her she wasn't getting any dinner. It was about 6:00 p.m. I didn't feel like talking to her at all or even looking at her. After about an hour, Greg let her out to eat just a peanut butter sandwich, then she went back in her room and eventually to bed. The next day, she didn't get to watch any TV or play with any of her neighborhood friends.
She says she's learned her lesson. I told her I don't think I'm ever going to take her into a toy store or toy section again. Greg and I talked about whether I should have spanked her, something I've never done, but I don't think it would have helped. She was wild. She wasn't listening to anything I said at all.
I've never had such a miserable episode with either of my kids before. And I hope to never again. Just thinking about it again makes me teary since I was so disappointed in how she acted. Julia is 5, almost 6, and she acted like she was 2. I'm just praying this isn't a new trend in our lives with her.
Last Saturday, Allie had a birthday party that started at 2:00 p.m. with a trip to Build-A-Bear, then included pizza and a sleepover. Sleepover being a relative term, since she said other girls woke her at 1:00 a.m., so they all ate ice cream. And when Allie got to sleep about 3:00 a.m., someone went around and woke everyone again. Anyway, this story is what happened with me and Julia while Allie was gone.
Late in the afternoon, Julia and I headed up to Madison to do a little shopping, maybe to visit the pet store, and to have dinner together, just the two of us. Greg was hibernating at home, enjoying not have any females around.
The first stop we made was Target. I needed to get some larger spring nightwear for Allie (a fact that was pointed out as we packed for her overnight) and a few other things. One of those things was toilet paper, which I found in a 20-pack and loaded into the cart. After picking up our other items, we headed for the toy section at Julia's urgings. She was riding in the basket of the cart and I indulged her as we traveled up and down nearly every aisle, looking at toys. We talked about things she liked as possibilities for her birthday list, her birthday being only about 3 months away now.
After literally almost 1/2 hour of looking at toys, I told Julia we needed to move on and check out, so we could get some dinner. Julia said no. She said she wanted me to buy her a princess set of some kind. I reminded her that I never said we were going to buy her any toys and reminded her that she had gotten a small toy just the day before, when we bought the gift Allie needed for her birthday party. She refused to leave the aisle, even when I walked away. I walked back and told her we were not going to buy any toys today and that it was time to leave. She wrapped her arms around the princess set and refused to leave the aisle. I walked away again, then told her that if she didn't come with me, our dinner plans were in serious jeopardy. She said no again.
I told Julia again that we were leaving and that now we weren't going out to eat. She whined about her princess set. I said we were now leaving the store and that if she didn't come with me, she was going to be going straight home and straight to bed. She still refused to come with me. I took her by the arm and pulled her over to the cart and she started saying (loudly, needless to say) that I was hurting her. I told her she WAS going to come with me and that I wouldn't hold her if she moved with me. She refused and walked back to the toy aisle.
I walked after her again and pulled her by the arm with me down the center aisle. I tried to pick her up and put her back in the cart and she kicked me. When I had to put her down (she weighs over 40 lbs. now), she ran away from me back toward the toy aisle. She walked back through a good chunk of the store as I abandoned our cart and followed her, threatening most of the way. I picked her up again and held her legs as I carried her back through the store. This is when I started regretting that I really wanted to purchase Allie's nightwear, since I was reluctant to just walk out of the store. In retrospect, I should have just left and gone back alone on Sunday.
Regardless, I eventually had to put her down and I kept hold of either her arm or her shirt as I pulled her through the store to the checkout. She was screaming all the way. Okay, maybe not screaming, but definitely a raised voice, saying I was hurting her and that she wanted to go back to the toy aisle because she didn't remember everything we had picked out. I got in her face and told her I was very disappointed in how she was behaving and that we were definitely leaving and that she was going home and to bed.
We got to the checkout and I heard someone behind me say, "This is why we're not having kids." I paid for our purchases and Julia trailed behind me, way behind me, as I took the cart back. I grabbed our one bag and the damned toilet paper pack and told her to get her coat on (it was maybe 50 degrees out and raining a little). She said no. I had to chase her to grab her arm and I told her fine, then she was going outside without her coat. I pulled her outside and when she screamed for her coat, I let go and tried to get her to put it on. She was still crying about not leaving yet, so I pulled her to the car, which thankfully was not too far away and made her get in. She started kicking and flailing at me as I tried to buckle her seatbelt and she knocked my glasses right off my face.
I had been angry before, needless to say, but that was it. I started crying and I told her that I couldn't believe how she was acting. She didn't say anything, but she stopped hitting me and I buckled her in. I got in the car and almost hit another car backing out because I was still crying. We started the 25-minute car ride home and I told her that I didn't want to talk to her at all because she had been so naughty. She started talking to herself, saying that she was a bad girl and had done really horrible things. I finally told her she wasn't a bad girl, but that she had done some very naughty things. She asked what was going to happen, if we were going to eat, and I told her we were going home.
When we got home, Greg took over, putting her in her room and telling her she wasn't getting any dinner. It was about 6:00 p.m. I didn't feel like talking to her at all or even looking at her. After about an hour, Greg let her out to eat just a peanut butter sandwich, then she went back in her room and eventually to bed. The next day, she didn't get to watch any TV or play with any of her neighborhood friends.
She says she's learned her lesson. I told her I don't think I'm ever going to take her into a toy store or toy section again. Greg and I talked about whether I should have spanked her, something I've never done, but I don't think it would have helped. She was wild. She wasn't listening to anything I said at all.
I've never had such a miserable episode with either of my kids before. And I hope to never again. Just thinking about it again makes me teary since I was so disappointed in how she acted. Julia is 5, almost 6, and she acted like she was 2. I'm just praying this isn't a new trend in our lives with her.
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