Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Pavlov's Dog


Running through the list of things I have to accomplish today, I was (shocking, I know) beginning to feel a little bit tense.

Would you like to know the list running around in there, at 6:00 in the morning? Well, if you don’t want to read it, I suggest you skip ahead a bit, though the list is the majority of the post so you’re likely to miss some quality writing by doing so. I would advise you, being the trained professional that I am, to NOT skip it. 

But it’s entirely up to you.

And I don’t want to hear any belly-aching if you do, in fact, skip the list, and then don’t understand the end of the post.

So here it is…ironically in the exact order in which I was going through the list:
  • Stop at the bank and take out $20 co-pay for OrthoIndy. Yes, I thought my 11yo might have a broken wrist. It turned out to be something (they're calling it a sprain but they don't know for certain) right at his growth plate, and unfortunately an x-ray won’t necessarily show a break when it’s in the growth plate. So they gave us the option of a splint (which he can remove to shower) or casting it…we went with the splint and are praying for the best.
  • Drop off my 11yo at my parent’s house so they could escort him to OrthoIndy.
  • Go to the gym.
  • Get ready for work.
  • Go to work.
  • Do my job.
  • Homeschool my children (well, when the 11yo gets to the church it will be both of them…until then it wil just be the 9yo...I'm sure you understand.)
  • Church staff meeting.
  • Put out any fires that pop up (Little did I know we would have one child who would have an accident and two others who would accidentally sit in it…necessitating three children to be cleaned up; someone having a major potty malfunction which required clean-up in the bathroom floor; and a child who pitched a royal fit because he wasn’t being given a choice about what he was to do next…so you know…just another typical day at the preschool.)
  • Go to the orthodontist…it’s my turn.
  • Switch out a dog crate…my friend RS had two dog crates…I picked one up yesterday and it was too small for Indy the Wonder Pup, so she’s letting me try the other one. Not so sure the whole idea of teaching a 4yo dog to go in a crate is even going to work, but we shall try. We won't be out any money.
  • Get the boys home to finish our History reading, and have them unpack their bags from today and pack what they need for tomorrow.
  • Feed my children an early dinner.
  • Get my 11yo ready for his stage debut, including tying a tie. I hope Mr. Always Random is home in time to take care of this!
  • Pick up a friend’s daughter to get her and my 11yo to their sound check for the performance.
  • Pick up my MIL and go back to the church for the performance.
  • Watch the performance.
  • Shower accolades upon the 11yo, regardless of his performance*. BTW He’s uber-nervous about tonight. Reassuring words can only be said so much until the person receiving them does not even seem to hear them. I keep saying them but he’s not necessarily believing them.
  • Take the MIL home.
  • Come home and put on my jammies…before I do anything else. I already have the jammies laid out on the bed. I wish I had a remote starter for my electric blanket too, but alas I do not. I'm not sure something like that exists, though I could use the timer for lights when we are away...
  • Make sure the PBA shower, brush teeth and go to bed.
So, as this list is going through my head…more than once, I might add, I was thinking about my 11yo potentially having a broken wrist, and I muttered out loud but to myself, “Well, there’s always something…”

My 9yo was eating breakfast a few feet away and though he didn’t understand what I said, or what I meant (he’s not inside this head…it’s probably best that no one else is…it’s a little crowded in here with all the voices), he could tell by the tone of what I said that there may be trouble afoot.

9yo: I’m sorry!

Me: What?

9yo: I’m sorry!

Me: Why are you sorry?

9yo: Ummm…I don’t know. You just seemed upset so I thought I should say sorry.

Just another well-executed Pavlovian experiment: the child in closest proximity thinks mom is angry. The child apologizes.

Nice.

* Editor's Note: The 11yo did a FABULOUS job at his performance. I truly had no idea how it was going to go, however, I was proud of him for attempting it. I must say I was stunned.

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