Just an update, since I mentioned our car being out of whack.
It looks like the battery was probably low, but not dead. I turned the car on part-way once, but it didn't quite turn over; the theory is, that drained the battery enough that it wouldn't restart right away. It started fine on Monday, however. We still need to minimize driving until we get it looked at, but odds are pretty good that we just need a fresh battery.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
Crazy-ish week update
Just a quick "What's up" post. We had a couple of mild-craziness events last week that deserve a mention, although they seem to be not really such big deals as they could have been.
We had a trip to the ER for pain and a fever for me on Monday evening. No one figured out what the pain was from, and the fever seemed to be unrelated. I missed two days of work while recovering from the fever, but otherwise there really isn't much here other than that "it happened" and it shook me up a bit. Oh, yeah, and reminded me how much I love having health insurance. DH was a superstar during this, and didn't even get upset about being stuck at the hospital with two toddlers until almost 10:00 PM while they checked me out (about 4.5 hours).
The other mildly crazy thing is that our only car has broken down as of last Friday. We'll be getting it towed today, probably during my lunch break. If repairs are expensive, we might end up just getting another junker; we can't afford another car right now, and probably couldn't get credit to buy another car with a payment. Either way, we might now be able to drive for an unknown period of time.
The good news is that our family is dealing with the hecticness from this very well, which is pretty amazing considering how rocky things have been lately.
We had a trip to the ER for pain and a fever for me on Monday evening. No one figured out what the pain was from, and the fever seemed to be unrelated. I missed two days of work while recovering from the fever, but otherwise there really isn't much here other than that "it happened" and it shook me up a bit. Oh, yeah, and reminded me how much I love having health insurance. DH was a superstar during this, and didn't even get upset about being stuck at the hospital with two toddlers until almost 10:00 PM while they checked me out (about 4.5 hours).
The other mildly crazy thing is that our only car has broken down as of last Friday. We'll be getting it towed today, probably during my lunch break. If repairs are expensive, we might end up just getting another junker; we can't afford another car right now, and probably couldn't get credit to buy another car with a payment. Either way, we might now be able to drive for an unknown period of time.
The good news is that our family is dealing with the hecticness from this very well, which is pretty amazing considering how rocky things have been lately.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Well, some dreams came true
Not all the laundry is clean, but a lot more of it is clean now than was clean at the start of the evening. The counters were barely touched. However, I also managed to do a couple of small "low-hanging fruit" things - easy tasks that will really make a difference (albeit a small difference).
I also managed to give myself a papercut.
My plan for the rest of the night is not to go to sleep at a reasonable hour like a responsible, mature adult; but rather, to stay up late eating, playing computer games, and folding loads of laundry as the dryer finishes up until DH comes home from his party.
What astounds me is that Lenora has not woken up once yet tonight. Maybe she got it all out of her system last night.
Or maybe she's saving it all up until the early morning, when I've finally gone to sleep.
Le sigh.
I also managed to give myself a papercut.
My plan for the rest of the night is not to go to sleep at a reasonable hour like a responsible, mature adult; but rather, to stay up late eating, playing computer games, and folding loads of laundry as the dryer finishes up until DH comes home from his party.
What astounds me is that Lenora has not woken up once yet tonight. Maybe she got it all out of her system last night.
Or maybe she's saving it all up until the early morning, when I've finally gone to sleep.
Le sigh.
One of those milestones
Well! Another day, another new skill for the girls. This one, however, is not a new word in the vocabulary or a new trick on the playground toys. No, this is one of those milestones parents dread.
Lenora has learned to turn doorknobs. That's right: She now possesses the ability to let herself out of her bedroom. We can only hope she will use this power for good. Snd be too tired to get out of her room at night, given the recent middle-of-the-night "Mommy" screamfests - have I mentioned here yet how, two nights before Halloween, she spent three and a half hours straight (no exaggeration) screaming for her mommy? And even DH going in five or so times to calm her down and get her to sleep again didn't help a bit? Oh yes . . . here in the Ellison household, we live in interesting times.
Tonight, however, is a welcome break from the norm. The girls went to bed without any trouble, probably because DH and I have gotten back "in tune" with each other over the last few days. And I am rather gleeful to have DH out of the house, visiting his friends for a birthday party. I mean, come on, it's probably been years since the last time we had an evening apart from each other. I certainly don't want this to happen all of the time, but there are also tons of things I've been wanting to do that have been getting put off so that we could spend quality time together. Also, the cause is noble: One of his good friends that he's known for years but hasn't seen much lately is celebrating a birthday, and I would love to see DH maintain his relationships with that circle of friends.
Of course, there is the potential for chaos to ensue while he is out; Iliana is sick (Lenora was sick last Wednesday, rather spectacularly, while we had friends over, and these girls are great about sharing), so there is the off-chance of a huge mess being made in the middle of the night. But, hey! I managed nights alone back when DH worked late, when both girls were infants and were spitting up or vomitting on a nightly basis. At worse, it'll be just like the good ol' days.
So unless that happens, I am going to indulge in a treat I rarely have the time or energy to enjoy anymore: Housework!
(Oh, how my views have changed since becoming a WOHM! But now I dream of clean laundry and counters . . . and tonight, dreams will come true!)
Lenora has learned to turn doorknobs. That's right: She now possesses the ability to let herself out of her bedroom. We can only hope she will use this power for good. Snd be too tired to get out of her room at night, given the recent middle-of-the-night "Mommy" screamfests - have I mentioned here yet how, two nights before Halloween, she spent three and a half hours straight (no exaggeration) screaming for her mommy? And even DH going in five or so times to calm her down and get her to sleep again didn't help a bit? Oh yes . . . here in the Ellison household, we live in interesting times.
Tonight, however, is a welcome break from the norm. The girls went to bed without any trouble, probably because DH and I have gotten back "in tune" with each other over the last few days. And I am rather gleeful to have DH out of the house, visiting his friends for a birthday party. I mean, come on, it's probably been years since the last time we had an evening apart from each other. I certainly don't want this to happen all of the time, but there are also tons of things I've been wanting to do that have been getting put off so that we could spend quality time together. Also, the cause is noble: One of his good friends that he's known for years but hasn't seen much lately is celebrating a birthday, and I would love to see DH maintain his relationships with that circle of friends.
Of course, there is the potential for chaos to ensue while he is out; Iliana is sick (Lenora was sick last Wednesday, rather spectacularly, while we had friends over, and these girls are great about sharing), so there is the off-chance of a huge mess being made in the middle of the night. But, hey! I managed nights alone back when DH worked late, when both girls were infants and were spitting up or vomitting on a nightly basis. At worse, it'll be just like the good ol' days.
So unless that happens, I am going to indulge in a treat I rarely have the time or energy to enjoy anymore: Housework!
(Oh, how my views have changed since becoming a WOHM! But now I dream of clean laundry and counters . . . and tonight, dreams will come true!)
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
We need a right to not murder
I think we need a new right in this country: The right for no person to engage in an act that they reasonably perceive as directly contributing to the death of an innocent human being. Therefore, no doctor could ever be legally required to enact an abortion or prescribe euthenasia medication. No pharmicist could ever be legally required to fill a prescription for abortive medication or legal suicide medication. An argument could be made about whether paying taxes for these purposes is "directly contributing" to these acts, and that would need to be resolved. Birth control (the Pill, specifically) would also be an edge case; I believe medical science defines the start of life as implantation, not conception, but I believe that the numbers of people who believe life begins at conception is enough to clearly demonstrate that concerns about the Pill being an abortifacient fit the "reasonable concern" clause.
This could prevent hundreds of potential horrific human rights abuses involving the deaths of innocent people. Many of the worst-case abuses that pro-life people fear could be mitigated with this clause, as those who don't want to participate in these horrors will have legal grounds to oppose them, at least through non-participation. And don't humans at least have the right to avoid directly participating in the murders of innocent humans?
This could prevent hundreds of potential horrific human rights abuses involving the deaths of innocent people. Many of the worst-case abuses that pro-life people fear could be mitigated with this clause, as those who don't want to participate in these horrors will have legal grounds to oppose them, at least through non-participation. And don't humans at least have the right to avoid directly participating in the murders of innocent humans?
Thursday, November 6, 2008
A quick thought on the FOCA
This post is, by no means, intended to share much of my opinion on abortion. I hope that those who know me IRL have no question as to what my beliefs are: Abortion is killing innocent humans; the only reason I distinguish between it and murder is that I think most women who choose abortion have been misled to believe that the lives they end are not yet human; I believe murder requires intent to unjustly kill.
But I didn't intend to write about my understanding of abortion in this post. I just wanted to point out a couple of lines from the FOCA:
The Freedom of Choice Act
(3) VIABILITY- The term `viability' means that stage of pregnancy when, in the best medical judgment of the attending physician based on the particular medical facts of the case before the physician, there is a reasonable likelihood of the sustained survival of the fetus outside of the woman.
...
(b) Prohibition of Interference- A government may not--
(1) deny or interfere with a woman's right to choose--
. . .
(B) to terminate a pregnancy prior to viability; or
(C) to terminate a pregnancy after viability where termination is necessary to protect the life or health of the woman; . . .
Although I still don't like the FOCA, I am glad to see that it does not confirm a woman's right to a late-term abortion (barring the gigantic loophole of part (c)).
Comments on actions we can take to prevent the FOCA would be appreciated. I was shocked that I-1000 passed. I suspect that it is too late, that the FOCA will pass anyways, but will pray for it to somehow fail. I think people fail to realize that the FOCA (and all laws allowing abortion) are essentially declaring that an entire group of humans beings will be denied their most basic right, their right to life. We simply have not done due diligence here; we have not justified this step down the slippery slope.
However, I think that even if the FOCA does pass, abortions will still drop. I think that 40 DFL and other movements are changing our culture, and that will be far more effective than legal changes in the medium term. Take my words with a grain of salt; I am an optimist, and see hope everywhere. But the FOCA cannot halt the very real change in people's hearts (nor can it halt the information from scientist's research) that is seeing evidence of human life and being starting at conception.
But I didn't intend to write about my understanding of abortion in this post. I just wanted to point out a couple of lines from the FOCA:
The Freedom of Choice Act
(3) VIABILITY- The term `viability' means that stage of pregnancy when, in the best medical judgment of the attending physician based on the particular medical facts of the case before the physician, there is a reasonable likelihood of the sustained survival of the fetus outside of the woman.
...
(b) Prohibition of Interference- A government may not--
(1) deny or interfere with a woman's right to choose--
. . .
(B) to terminate a pregnancy prior to viability; or
(C) to terminate a pregnancy after viability where termination is necessary to protect the life or health of the woman; . . .
Although I still don't like the FOCA, I am glad to see that it does not confirm a woman's right to a late-term abortion (barring the gigantic loophole of part (c)).
Comments on actions we can take to prevent the FOCA would be appreciated. I was shocked that I-1000 passed. I suspect that it is too late, that the FOCA will pass anyways, but will pray for it to somehow fail. I think people fail to realize that the FOCA (and all laws allowing abortion) are essentially declaring that an entire group of humans beings will be denied their most basic right, their right to life. We simply have not done due diligence here; we have not justified this step down the slippery slope.
However, I think that even if the FOCA does pass, abortions will still drop. I think that 40 DFL and other movements are changing our culture, and that will be far more effective than legal changes in the medium term. Take my words with a grain of salt; I am an optimist, and see hope everywhere. But the FOCA cannot halt the very real change in people's hearts (nor can it halt the information from scientist's research) that is seeing evidence of human life and being starting at conception.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
"Please don't lick the sidewalk"
I was praying outside an abortion facility the other day with a friend, and Iliana tagged along (which deserves a post of its own). My little girl was (of course) a little bored, just hanging out while the big folks prayed (and chatted a bit, too). The title of this post is one of the amusing things that came out of my mouth. Other gems included:
"Don't drink water off of the street! Ewww!"
"Please don't lick the pole."
"Please don't walk on the umbrella. It's not ours."
Overall, she was actually very well behaved (I don't say 'please' when I get frustrated). Still, when she gets bored she backslides into the "oral" phase again, and everything goes into the mouth. Especially puddles. What is with this fascination with drinking from strange things, like gutters and bathtubs?
Lenora, on the other hand, was left at home for the day. *She* has been deciding not to sleep lately.
Last Thursday, Lenora was awake from 3:30 AM until 7:00 AM yelling for Mommy. Daddy went in multiple times to help her to bed, and each time she cheered up and happily went to bed and got kisses. Within five seconds of him leaving each time, she was back at the door yelling and fussing for me. I'm lying in bed, knowing I'll be exhausted at work the next day and thinking, "If she is this stubborn at 2 1/2, she'll have no problems resisting peer pressure when she's a teen."
Well, fortunately DH (Dear Husband) and I both have strong stubborn streaks as well, and we had no problem outlasting her . . . kind of. If you look at things right. Well, no, actually, we caved in. *Ahem*. See, since Lenora is allowed to get up at 7:00 AM, I went in then and talked her back into bed. Once she got what she wanted, she went back to sleep. Naturally, Iliana slept through the whole thing. It's probably the soundest sleeping I've ever seen her do. Hrmm . . . that makes me think - maybe Iliana would sleep better ALL the time if we played a recording of a screaming child at night?
I probably shouldn't try it. If we do that too much, the neighbors might call the cops.
Thursday night went fine (thank you, O Lord, for a good night's sleep to rest between our parently trials) and Lenora woke up much less sleepy on Friday, in time for Halloween. We went trick-or-treating at Microsoft and in our neighborhood, with the girls dressed as fairies and joined by a friend and her four children.
By the end of the night's excitement, the girls were covered in stickiness; I wanted to wash my hands every time I came in contact with them. Iliana, in particular, was sticky. This may have had something to do with her sucking on two lollipops at once, and then rubbing them all over her face just for the fun of the gloriously sticky messiness of it all.
My husband, in his great wisdom, ordered the girls to the bathtub shortly before we got home.
That night, Lenora screamed until after midnight. And again, I caved before she did. I really hope she doesn't ever give us the silent treatment when she gets older. If she does, it could be years before we hear her voice again. I can see the diagnosis now: "PVM, Parental Vicinity Muteness, caused by acute stubborness."
She did nap while Iliana and I were out, and now seems to be returning to a less stubborn pattern of sleep. That is to say, she has been keeping the screaming down to less than an hour before naps and bedtime and we have high hopes of her returning to her previously normal pattern of going to sleep happily after a small bribe of kisses and hugs. Please, don't anyone tell her we enjoy the kisses more than she does! She still seems to think she's coming out ahead with this deal.
"Don't drink water off of the street! Ewww!"
"Please don't lick the pole."
"Please don't walk on the umbrella. It's not ours."
Overall, she was actually very well behaved (I don't say 'please' when I get frustrated). Still, when she gets bored she backslides into the "oral" phase again, and everything goes into the mouth. Especially puddles. What is with this fascination with drinking from strange things, like gutters and bathtubs?
Lenora, on the other hand, was left at home for the day. *She* has been deciding not to sleep lately.
Last Thursday, Lenora was awake from 3:30 AM until 7:00 AM yelling for Mommy. Daddy went in multiple times to help her to bed, and each time she cheered up and happily went to bed and got kisses. Within five seconds of him leaving each time, she was back at the door yelling and fussing for me. I'm lying in bed, knowing I'll be exhausted at work the next day and thinking, "If she is this stubborn at 2 1/2, she'll have no problems resisting peer pressure when she's a teen."
Well, fortunately DH (Dear Husband) and I both have strong stubborn streaks as well, and we had no problem outlasting her . . . kind of. If you look at things right. Well, no, actually, we caved in. *Ahem*. See, since Lenora is allowed to get up at 7:00 AM, I went in then and talked her back into bed. Once she got what she wanted, she went back to sleep. Naturally, Iliana slept through the whole thing. It's probably the soundest sleeping I've ever seen her do. Hrmm . . . that makes me think - maybe Iliana would sleep better ALL the time if we played a recording of a screaming child at night?
I probably shouldn't try it. If we do that too much, the neighbors might call the cops.
Thursday night went fine (thank you, O Lord, for a good night's sleep to rest between our parently trials) and Lenora woke up much less sleepy on Friday, in time for Halloween. We went trick-or-treating at Microsoft and in our neighborhood, with the girls dressed as fairies and joined by a friend and her four children.
By the end of the night's excitement, the girls were covered in stickiness; I wanted to wash my hands every time I came in contact with them. Iliana, in particular, was sticky. This may have had something to do with her sucking on two lollipops at once, and then rubbing them all over her face just for the fun of the gloriously sticky messiness of it all.
My husband, in his great wisdom, ordered the girls to the bathtub shortly before we got home.
That night, Lenora screamed until after midnight. And again, I caved before she did. I really hope she doesn't ever give us the silent treatment when she gets older. If she does, it could be years before we hear her voice again. I can see the diagnosis now: "PVM, Parental Vicinity Muteness, caused by acute stubborness."
She did nap while Iliana and I were out, and now seems to be returning to a less stubborn pattern of sleep. That is to say, she has been keeping the screaming down to less than an hour before naps and bedtime and we have high hopes of her returning to her previously normal pattern of going to sleep happily after a small bribe of kisses and hugs. Please, don't anyone tell her we enjoy the kisses more than she does! She still seems to think she's coming out ahead with this deal.
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