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The Last First Day

Posted on August 22, 2011 by auburnchick

Dear Rooster,

I wanted to take a moment to say a few words on this, your last first day of high school.

I cannot believe that you are about to embark on your final few months of school.  It seems like David Copperfield has pulled one of his magic tricks on me, because I could have sworn that the last time I looked, you were five years old, four feet nothing, and about to start kindergarten at Big City Elementary School.

That day was difficult for me.  I had been used to you hanging out with me…running errands and eating lunch together.

You were my buddy.

On that first day of kindergarten, I could not stay in the house by myself…especially not at lunch time.

Instead, I made my way to TCBY and blubbered out the fact that my baby had just started school.

The gal sympathetically handed my Reese’s-laden frozen yogurt over the counter with a sad smile on her face.

Sigh.

My how things change.

Today, you tower over me at nearly six feet tall, and instead of me being the person to take you for ice cream after school, you now sit in the drivers seat.  Heck, instead of walking you to school, you are driving yourself.  What is up with that?

Dude, I can’t even begin to tell you how proud I am of you.

As you enter school this morning, finally at the top of the pecking order, make sure that you walk in proud…proud of what it’s taken to bring you to this precipice.

It’s going to be a great Fall.  I can’t wait to see you in your band uniform and watch you play during the final football games and band competitions of your high school career.

I love you more than you know, and I am honored to have been by your side these last thirteen years of school.

Love,

Mama

Filed under: children | Tagged: , , | 4 Comments »

Pele Misses His Mama

Posted on August 9, 2011 by auburnchick

Dear Chicky,

I know you are away at school, having a grand old time during preseason activities; however, I felt the need to tell you that the house is empty without you.

Everywhere I go, I feel your absence, and that includes the bathroom, where I don’t think your sink has been this clean in years…

Even the dogs miss you…especially Pele, who spent part of the day waiting for you outside of your bedroom door…

Of course, your brother misses you too, feeling the need to spend time in your room…

He misses you so much that he set up his drums at the foot of your bed.  He feels that being near to the place where you placed your head and dreamed sweet dreams each night will inspire him to play his music with a finesse that even Ringo Starr would admire.

Keep on having a good time.

We’ll just stay where we are…pining away for you.

Love,

Mama

Filed under: children | Tagged: , , | Leave a comment »

Dear Father Time…

Posted on August 4, 2011 by auburnchick

…please slow down a bit.

You see, it seems like only yesterday when my Chicky came home for the summer.

Look at what you’ve done…

Needless to say, I am not happy.

Nope.

Not one little bit.

I do know of a way that you can fix this.

Please speed up time so that it’s May 2012 and my baby is returning home again.

Thanks.

Love,

AuburnChick

Filed under: children | Tagged: , , | Leave a comment »

One Tired Mama

Posted on June 14, 2011 by auburnchick

I am one tired mama.

Last Friday, Chicky came home from work sick.

I got her into the doctor’s office that afternoon.  You probably remember my post about that.

Well, Chicky got through Friday night.

Saturday night was a different matter.

Chicky’s body started hurting…badly.  She called me into her room, and she was crying.

Beyond giving her two Motrin, there was nothing I could do for her.

It was a very frustrating feeling.

I decided to sleep on the floor in her room.  I needed to be near her.

She slept okay, despite the pain.  We slept through church.  I’m sure God understood.

Sunday started out alright, and Chicky had a decent day.

The nighttime was something else.

Her joint pain started early in the evening.

It got worse as the night progressed.

I had stayed up until 1:45 knitting (yes, I’m getting in my fix although I’m so busy doing other things).

When I went to bed, I put my phone on my nightstand.  I usually turn it off and leave it in the kitchen, but I was concerned that I would sleep too late the next day and miss phone calls.

Thank goodness I left it on.

Around 3:30, I got a text from Chicky:  “Mama, my legs hurt really badly.  I can’t sleep.”

I hopped out of bed, grabbed a couple of Motrin and Gatorade, and headed in.

She was miserable…crying…uncomfortable.

Sigh.

I went back to bed upset and frustrated.

Unable to sleep, I got up and decided to do some research.  I could not understand why Chicky’s joints were hurting.

First, I checked the side effects of the antibiotic she was on.

Nada.

I decided since I was wide awake, I would hop online.

Now, a mama who jumps online and googles “joint pain” will find herself fretting over a dozen ailments that pop up.

It was ugly.

I couldn’t make myself stop, though.

I didn’t shut the computer down until around 8am, when I finally decided to rest on the couch…only after I had called the doctor’s office and begged them fit her in.  She got an 11:45 appointment.

I dozed off for about an hour before Chicky got up.

She acted like she was feeling better.

Then she started going downhill.

It was not pretty.

We went to the doctor, and he ordered up an assortment of blood tests.  He’s checking for Strep, mono, Lyme Disease, and some other stuff.

He also changed her antibiotic to something stronger and provided her with a prescription for pain medicine.

As soon as I got the prescriptions filled, I gave her the first dosage.

The pain medicine kicked in immediately, and it was a joy to see her smile.  She felt good enough to dye my hair, although I’ll admit that I was somewhat concerned that I would wind up with blue hair.  LOL

The main problem after that became her stomach pain, which became almost intolerable.

Poor girl…the antibiotics were doing a number on her…and I listened to her moan all evening.

We did sleep well, though, but I found myself utterly exhausted this morning.

I spent three hours working in the kitchen…fixing her breakfast…making her take her medicine…refilling her cup every so often with more Gatorade…fixing lunch for her and Rooster.

I finally took a nap on the couch…a three-hour nap.

I haven’t worked on my EPI classes much the last two days.

My brain just doesn’t have the energy to function at the level it needs to.

At this point, Chicky is spending her time running back and forth from the couch/bed to the restroom.  Her back still hurts from the virus, but the pain is must more tolerable.

We’re waiting for the doctor to call with the results from the tests he ordered up, and she has a follow-up appointment on Friday.

I am one tired mama, but I am also extremely grateful that this happened during the summer when she could be home with me, and I could be home with her tending to her every need.

Filed under: children | Tagged: , | 2 Comments »

A Memorable Memorial Day

Posted on May 30, 2011 by auburnchick

First of all, Happy Memorial Day to all!

I cannot tell you how grateful I am for the men and women who sacrificed their lives so that I can live in a country in which I can blog about whatever I want (freedom of speech), acknowledge Jesus Christ as my Savior in any public or private forum I wish (freedom of religion), and pursue joy in my life in whichever [legal] manner I desire.

Although, on Memorial Day, we typically remember the loss of life that resulted from this nation’s efforts to secure freedom, this holiday has come to mean something else for me as well.

Birth.

More specifically, the birth of my sweet Rooster.

Seventeen years ago, Rooster was born.

It was Memorial Day.

Chicky spent the day at Coupon Queen and Grand Pooba’s house while the Mr., after going through Hardees’ drive-thru to pick up a couple of sausage biscuits for himself (giving birth is tough on men), drove me to the hospital after my water broke at home.

By early-afternoon, I was holding my bundle of joy.

Rooster slept six hours straight from the first night we brought him home, and he’s been a good sleeper ever since.

As a baby and toddler, he was content to sit wherever I put him and play with whatever was around him.  He didn’t cause much trouble and never got into things the way that Chicky did.

After Chicky started school, Rooster and I grew especially close, and it was with many tears (mine, that is) that I sent him to kindergarten.

My day-time buddy was gone.

We’ve remained close, though.  Over the years, we’ve spent many, many hours watching The History Channel together.  We’ve rented countless movies and watched programs that we DVR’d.  Watching TV together is “our thing.”

As Rooster has grown, he’s developed a quirky sense of humor…one that is laced with sarcasm.  I’m positive that he didn’t get that from me.  *cough*

Rooster has changed so much over the years…evolving from a child who was leery to try new things and branch out on his own to a young man who leads the way in his independent thinking.  For example, he tried out for band after having played soccer for a number of year.  That took guts.

He doesn’t do things just to fit in with the crowd.  He cares not what the other kids are doing, per se.

He marches to the beat of his own drum.

One thing that has always impressed me is that he was the first of my two children who decided to attend youth group…without me having to “make” him go.  Chicky followed suit a few months later.  Rooster always pitches in when something needs to be done at church or at a church member’s home.  He can be a hard worker and has gone on a couple of mission trips in the last few years.

He inspires me.

I think it’s fitting that I celebrate his birthday with all gusto on this, a day when we remember those who are no longer living.

They died so that future generations like myself and Rooster’s could enjoy life to the fullest.

So, Happy Memorial Day to all and a very Happy Birthday to Rooster.

I love you, Dude!

Filed under: children | Tagged: , , | 1 Comment »

Outwitted!

Posted on May 28, 2011 by auburnchick

A couple of weeks ago, I asked Rooster to do me a favor and take the paper and plastic stuff I’d been collecting to the recycling center on his way to church.

He fussed and complained loudly, even refusing to do it.

I desperately wanted him to take care of this errand, so I did something smart stupid.

I told him that he could have a “Get Out of a Chore For Free” card…one-time use…that he could pull out any time he wanted.

Silly me thought, a week later while hanging his clothes on the line, that I would count that as the chore.

I.

Can.

Be.

Stupid.

Sometimes.

I would later find out that the task I’d completed for him did not fall within the parameters that I, myself, had created.

Fast forward to today.

Rooster had spent a couple of evenings away, so he had some chores to catch up on.

One of them was these…

First, though, I wanted him to put away the clean dishes in the dishwasher.

Typical of most teenagers, he hemmed and hawed…putting me off all day.

Finally, I demanded that he get the dishes put away so he could start washing the pile above.

That’s when he did something very smart unkind.

He pulled out his “Get Out of a Chore” card.

And he did it with glee…

And a huge, triumphant smile on his face.

Take another look at that picture.

It’s not difficult to believe how annoyed I was.

Parents of young children, you would be wise to take the following advice:  Don’t make stupid deals with your children.  Sure, you might get what you want in that moment, but believe you me, you WILL pay for your stupidity later.

Forget instant gratification.  Keep the future in mind.

You do not want to be scooping poop for a week or washing every dish in the house.

It’s not worth it.

Nor is it fun to be outwitted by an almost 17 year old teenage boy…no matter how stinkin’ cute said boy might be.

Filed under: children | Tagged: , , | 4 Comments »

Space Case

Posted on April 29, 2011 by auburnchick

I’ve always had some idea that my sweet Rooster is a space case.

Today left no doubt.

Why, you may ask?

Well, please allow me to explain.

Rooster got his yearbook at school today.

Oh, how much fun it can be to find your picture nestled among your classmates’.

Um.

Yeah.

It would have been; however, when Rooster calmly told me that he had somehow missed every portrait sitting, I knew we were in trouble.

When I turned to the Junior section of the yearbook, I did not see my sweet Rooster’s face plastered between the two pretty girls he should have been sitting between.

Instead, I saw his name nestled among the other space cases who had, for some reason or another, not had their pictures taken either.  He’ll be forever remembered as “Those Not Pictured.”

Lovely.

You can tell that after 14+ years of having children in school, I’m getting quite lax.  In fact, I can’t remember the last time I put a new school picture of Rooster into a frame.  I think the one I have is from middle school when he spilled something on the front of his shirt before the picture.

I.  Am.  A.  Terrible.  Mom.

(I’m actually a mom who’s been quite distracted this year.)

Then, there was the lovely band picture.

Traditionally, the band dresses in their uniforms and stand on the practice field in the shape of the first letter of Podunk School (no, it’s not the letter “P” either).

The day of the picture, Rooster had forgotten his black band shoes.

Guess what?

He wasn’t allowed to be in the picture.

He wasn’t the only student.  About ten or eleven others did not get to be in the group picture either.

Back when it happened, I was livid and had a talk with the band director, who’s no longer there, by the way.  Rooster was very upset when the incident happened and almost quit the band as this was the final straw in a long line of grievances.  Fortunately, the school has hired a new band director, and everyone is excited about the Fall marching season.

Regardless, the picture in the yearbook stands as a reminder of that awful day when kids were not allowed to be in a group picture when they had worked so hard all season long.

My poor Rooster…being a space case is hard sometimes.

Despite all that, he did find one group picture which he is a part of.

At some point during the year…perhaps Homecoming week…a yearbook staff member took pictures of the Seniors dressed up as nerds.

Who was standing in the very back with a huge, cheesy grin on his face?

My Rooster.

Folks, let me remind you that he’s only a Junior.

He had crashed the party.

I chuckled when I saw it.

So, is it just my child who’s a space case?  Have you found this more common with your boys than with your girls?

Filed under: children | Tagged: | 4 Comments »

Chicky Turns 19!

Posted on January 22, 2011 by auburnchick

January 21, 1992, I was rolled into the hospital from my doctor’s office (which was attached to the hospital).  I was in danger of having preeclampsia, and that meant that it was time to have a baby.

As I sat in the wheelchair, I was filled with fear because I possessed an extreme dislike of hospitals and needles.  I also knew that I was about to experience pain like no other.  I had, after all, watched the birthing videos during my prenatal classes.

I begged the nurses to just knock me out and wake me when it was over.

I was hooked up to IVs, and bags of fluid dripped the hateful drugs that would induce labor contractions.

After several hours of nothing happening, the medical staff decided to give up for the day and get started bright and early the next morning.  I would be spending the night in the hospital.

The Mr. went home, and I was left alone.

It was a very long night as I listened to the sounds of women giving birth in the surrounding rooms.  They cried and often yelled out in pain.

The sounds of childbirth are not the most pleasant, you see, and, when you’re 21 years old, they are downright frightful.

I didn’t sleep much, needless to say, and I was grateful when the nurses came in at 5am to begin the inducement for the second time.  It was as if the events from the day before were a trial run.

It was January 22.

After a long day, a little bit of crying (but no yelling), my little Chicky was born.

She was perfect and scored a nine on the Apgar scale the first time the nurses looked at her and a ten a few minutes later.

Her chunky cheeks showed off the care I had taken of myself during the pregnancy.

It is difficult to describe the flood of emotions that descended upon me when Chicky was placed into my arms the first time.

For nine months, I had cultivated a love for this unseen child.  I had spent countless hours praying for her, especially during the month that I had been confined to bed rest.

As I looked down at her, snuggled in her newborn, hospital-issued blanket, I sighed with content.  I could not believe that this little person had, minutes before, been inside my body.

The miracle of the moment flooded my soul with an unspeakable joy.

The realization that she was mine was humbling.  I felt unworthy that God had chosen me to be her mother.  And yet, I felt extremely blessed as well.

It is hard to believe that those events happened exactly 19 years ago.

I feel as if the umbilical cord has been cut again as this is the first birthday that Chicky will spend away from me.  Had the distance been closer, I would have driven down to see her.

This is yet another big reminder that my Chicky is grown up.

In my mind, though, she’ll always be the blond-haired, blue-eyed little girl with a mischievous smile and a sparkle in her eyes…

Happy Birthday, Chicky!

You are a joy and a blessing, and I am honored to be your Mama.  ♥

Filed under: children | Tagged: , | 6 Comments »

Chicky’s Home!

Posted on December 19, 2010 by auburnchick

Chicky arrived home from college on Friday…

It didn’t take her long to set up residence again…

It’s amazing how much better you sleep when your babies are home again.

Filed under: children | Tagged: , , | 1 Comment »

A Moment Worthy of a Commercial

Posted on December 14, 2010 by auburnchick

You have probably seen the commercials that Campbell’s Soup airs during the winter…

Cold child comes into the house, eats a bowl of soup, and thaws out.

Yesterday afternoon had the making for such a commercial.

I had not eaten since Friday because of whatever intestinal bug I had gotten.  My stomach was hurting from hunger.

Rooster and I shivered in the cold house while we waited for a repair guy to fix the heater.  He had put on the new plaid robe I bought him last week…looking ever so grown up.

Rooster was also hungry, typical boy that he is.

I remembered that we had a can of Chicken Noodle Soup, so I offered to fix it for him.  He was agreeable to the idea.

While I was up, I warmed some dinner rolls and spread butter on them.

As he got his bowl out, he offered to share half of the can with me.

So sweet, that boy is.

We took our food to the table and talked about our day.

At one point, I reached my hand over and touched his arm and told him how much I will miss him when he goes to college.

Rooster, as the youngest child, has spent the most one-on-one time with me.  When Chicky was in preschool, kindergarten, and first grade, he got left behind…having to hang out with me.

Even while he attended preschool, he rarely did Lunch Bunch but instead came home with me, where we always ate lunch together and ran errands.

He has always been my buddy.

We have similar interests and the same sarcastic sense of humor.

As we sat at the table, all of those memories rushed in, and I shared them with him.

He smiled in his easy way.

Who needs actors faking their lines when you can have the real thing right in your own home.  My own life is full of commercial-worthy moments.

Filed under: children | Tagged: , , , | 1 Comment »

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