Mixed Feelings

I don't like the concept of "Special Education". Is it really special? Anyways, I'm trusting all these people in the room trying to sell us on special class for Rejeanne are going to prove themselves out in the end. I'm not really sure she should be in special ed. Sure, she doesn't talk much and tends to ball up in the corner when she's had enough, but regular preschool snapped Crimson right out of all her problems in 3 weeks. Couldn't the same thing happen for Rejeanne? It's not like they have any kind of concrete diagnosis for the kid. The best I can get is she has "more than one developmental delay" in the same paragraph as "she can do things at a 4 and 5 year old level in some areas". What am I supposed to do with that exactly?

Anyways, I was wearing a pink shirt again today. Rejeanne was standing next to me and I accidently bumped her. I said "I'm sorry, Rejie" and she responded "I sorry, Patrick" *sigh* I really need to convince her that I am not Patrick.

The Glory of Orthodontia

So Crimson has this expander thingy in the roof of her mouth to spread out her incredibly narrow palate. Well, things get caught up there. Apparently she had a kiwi seed stuck up there for 3 days that finally came out on the plane. Tonight, we had spaghetti with meat sauce. She got a piece of burger stuck up there and couldn't get it out. Well, I'm not willing to have a piece of anything remain stuck in her mouth so we tried to get it out. A bamboo skewer, 20 minutes, and a little brush thing later, I dislodge the offending meat. Of course, I freed it with such force that it flew out, hit me in the face and ricochet'd down my shirt.

So, is that gross or what?! hahahaha

Green Stuff

Since there is about a trillion versions of Green Stuff on the internet, I'm posting my favorite here on the blog so I don't have to scour the internet three times a year to find the recipe I like.

Green Stuff

1 large box lime Jello
12 ounce can of crushed pineapple
8 ounce package cream cheese
1 package of small marshmallows
large whipping cream

Drain pineapple and set juice aside. Mix cream cheese and pineapple. Set aside. Make Jello following package instructions, but use pineapple juice instead of water. Chill the Jello until firm. Blend cheese and pineapple with Jello. Don't be afraid to stir. Then blend about 3/4 of the package of small marshmallows. Stir until well blended. Then add whipping cream. Blend until there isn't any green showing. Cover and refrigerate until set and then serve.

Mom-Mom vs. Patrick Star

So, a little over a week ago, Rejeanne decided to say a few sentences. She has not really been able to do this for almost a year, so I was quite excited. She said "I want Daddy" and wandered around the house looking for him. She realized he was in the restroom, so she stripped naked and started running around the house. I'm assuming this was in an attempt to get me to put her on the potty, which happened to be in the same room Daddy was in. Since Grandma was here at the time, Rejeanne enlisted her in the conspiracy by climbing on top of a living room chair buck naked and turning to Grandma with her finger over her lips saying "shhhh" followed by the trademarked Rejie Impish Grin.

This was not to be the last of Rejeanne's hijinks that day. I'm laying on the couch next to Lee. Rejeanne climbs up on the couch with me and pokes at my belly. She then said something that sounded like "Hear this belly, are you Patrick?" and then it went something like this:

R: "Mom-mom"
M: "Rej-Rej"
R: "Mom-mom"
M: "Rejie"
R: "Are you Patrick?"
M: "No, I'm not Patrick"
(trying VERY hard not to laugh, Lee is not trying hard at all)

R: "Mom-mom"
M: "Rejie"
R: "Are you Patrick?" (Rejie is giggling because Lee is laughing hysterically by now)
M: "No, I'm not Patrick" (Now I'm laughing hysterically)

L: "Your shirt is Patrick-color" (gasping/laughing and possibly crying)
*5 minutes pass*

R: "Mom-mom"
M: "Rejie"
R: "You are Patrick"
M: "No, I'm Mom-mom"

Well, now anytime I wear anything coral-colored, Rejeanne calls me by Patrick instead of Mom-mom. I think she seriously believes I'm Patrick. I'm posting a horrifying picture of me in my "not leaving the house" clothes for your amusement. I have to admit the resemblance is unfortunately striking. *sigh*

Family?

*sigh* I think I've gotten to the point where I'm going to leave the subject of possible other children of my father alone. I managed to connect via internet with a gal who is the daughter of my father's 3rd (?) wife. I may have posted previously that I was trying to get in touch with her. I'm not sure. Anyways, she's not one of Louis' kids, but she did have this to say about him:

"Anyways, he was extremely sadistically abusive, yes, and my memories of him are not pleasant---at the ripe ages of 3 to 4, I was thrown across a room and into a wall, walked in on my mother being beaten while she was naked, and I spent alot of time with grandma after he held me down and force fed me when i had the flu until I threw up. They were not together even a year when she left him (running for her life and mine), and when he found her at my grandmother's, half of the West Covina police dept. showed up for his violent behavior." She went on to mention that incident involved him setting her grandmother's house on fire.

So, I'm thankful for the candor. My step-sibs who were raised by him were always rather cryptic. Mostly just "be glad you weren't raised by him" and "trust me, you didn't miss a thing, forget he exists". I think I just got a better picture why. I know my father had a temper and a propensity for violence, but I never saw anything but the slightest hints of it.

And people wonder why I read so many parenting books...

Bored

Seriously bored. I really need to think of stuff to do that doesn't involve cleaning the house or working on my research dealie or this stupid computer. Yeah. I guess that would be called a life, right? wheeeeeeee

Dear Rejeanne,

I was really amazed at what a big girl you were today. I'm awfully impressed that you are able to change your own diaper! I was thinking that perhaps you might find it easier to just use the potty. It takes a lot less effort and coordination. Just a little time management I suppose. Anyways, the potty is right where you left it. Do you think we could try to use it a little more often? I would have more money to buy a toy for you if I didn't have to buy you diapers. What do you think about that??

Love, Mom-Mom