Justin has always struggled with constipation but a few weeks ago he messed his pants every day and lost himself in frustration and crying. I took him to the doctor who ordered an x-ray of his stomach and found him all backed up. Four days of a MiraLAX clean out is being followed by a six month regime of nightly dosing and being made to sit on the toilet for ten minutes after breakfast and dinner. He’s had a turn around and is happier and cleaner. I need to stay strong and continue even when he’s happy and regular and it’s tempting to slack off. Monitoring other people’s bowels is one of my least favorite parenting jobs.
Justin’s MiraLAX sat out on the counter for the first week. One day Sophia’s “he’s not my boyfriend” Anthony was over.
Sophia grabbed the bottle of powder and told Anthony, “Want to try this?”
Anthony gave it a suspicion look, “What is it?” He picked it up to see it better.
“Aw Sophia,” I said, “I don’t think he needs that. Anthony seems like a regular guy to me.”
Anthony’s skin is too dark for me to tell when he’s blushing, but Sophia looked embarrassed enough for both of them. I felt proud of a pun well aimed and laughed as they ran off together from the kitchen to the music room.
Xenia has been playing basketball with an Upwards Sports program at a Baptist church. Sophia owns this experience and has taken Xenia to all her practices and games. They think Sophia is Xenia’s mother. Sophia says that Xenia is one of the best players. Her height is an asset. Being a foot shorter than all the other players allows her to steal the ball, and though she has to guard a girl who towers over her, Xenia gets in the way and flusters her enough to keep her from playing her best. They had pictures last week.
The photographer said, “Make sure you sit nice and tall.”
Xenia quipped, “I can’t! I’m short!”
With a name like Xenia Ruehle, the announcer always slaughter’s her name as she runs into the gymnasium, but other than that she has no complaints. I’m so glad Xenia is having fun playing basketball and that Sophia makes it so easy for me. I intend on going to Xenia’s game next Saturday.
One day last week Sophia and Justin were home sick. I jumped in the car where Basil was in the front passenger seat and Jonah and Xenia in the row behind him.
In response to something Basil had said, Jonah gave a familiar guttural rumbling, “urgh”
“You can do that!” Basil demanded, “That’s the sound I make!”
“All teenage boys make that sound, Basil.” I said, “You don’t have the monopoly on groans.”
Basil looked at me, rolled his eyes and groaned, “URGH!”
Last Friday was Valentine’s Day. Sophia made a huge point of saying she was going to celebrate Galentine’s Day. Her friend Nisia was going to have a bunch of girls over to her house since they had the day off of school. It was a half day for the rest of the kids so instead of going to the gym for my first exercise class, Sophia and I spent the morning watching the chick flick “Lake House” while eating cheesecake with cherries. Sophia carved hearts into our pieces and filled the holes with cherry juice to make them red. She stayed home long enough to help me settle the kids in front of the television before I headed to parent teacher conferences.
I came home and got lost in laundry, dishes and child management. I figured that Sophia would be eating with her friends and make a simple dinner of spaghetti and meatballs for the rest of the kids. Mike and I had reservations at a restaurant for their four course Valentine’s Day dinner for later that evening.
Close to five I began to wonder if Sophia would be home in time to watch everyone. Basil works as a short term babysitter, but more than an hour requires my Sophia.
I texted her, “When will you be home?”
No answer.
I looked at her GPS and saw her in Arlington at The Melting Pot. I called Nisia’s mother who told me that Sophia hadn’t been there all day.
I texted Sophia, “Where are you?”
No answer.
“Who are you with?”
She must have figured out that I could see where she was and figured out who she was with. She replied, “So here’s the deal…I’m kinda with Anthony.” That “kinda with” meant more than sitting next to him and a long explanation followed.
Anthony came for breakfast the next morning. Sophia picked him up on the way home from Xenia’s basketball game. After we ate, Sophia and Anthony cleared away the dishes, wiped down the table and started the dishwasher while Mike and I sat at the table. Sophia, Anthony and I then played a quick game of “Ticket to Ride” where Anthony laughed as our cutthroat competitive nature took over. Sophia blocked me in the middle of the board, and I shut her out of New York for the win.
Sophia left us for a few minutes while Anthony and I cleaned up the game.
“So, can I tell people that Sophia has a boyfriend?” I asked him.
“Yes, you can!” Anthony smiled a very sweet and happy smile, “Sophia thought you guys were going to grill me, but I told her not to worry.”
“It wasn’t a big surprise.”
“That’s what I told her.”
I asked him about his college aspirations, and he said that he has an engineering endorsement for his high school program but doesn’t know where he wants to go. His older brother is at Texas A&M.
Sophia and I had a long talk about not lying about where she is and who she’s with. I don’t like that that is how she’s starting her first boyfriend relationship, but it’s so nice to see how happy she is. Anthony has been hanging out with Sophia and been at our house since Christmas break. I don’t know a lot about him, but he is respectful and helpful and kind to the little kids. He’s the kind of kid who takes out the kitchen trash and looks for ways to be helpful. He seems like a good boy.
Justin’s MiraLAX sat out on the counter for the first week. One day Sophia’s “he’s not my boyfriend” Anthony was over.
Sophia grabbed the bottle of powder and told Anthony, “Want to try this?”
Anthony gave it a suspicion look, “What is it?” He picked it up to see it better.
“Aw Sophia,” I said, “I don’t think he needs that. Anthony seems like a regular guy to me.”
Anthony’s skin is too dark for me to tell when he’s blushing, but Sophia looked embarrassed enough for both of them. I felt proud of a pun well aimed and laughed as they ran off together from the kitchen to the music room.
Xenia has been playing basketball with an Upwards Sports program at a Baptist church. Sophia owns this experience and has taken Xenia to all her practices and games. They think Sophia is Xenia’s mother. Sophia says that Xenia is one of the best players. Her height is an asset. Being a foot shorter than all the other players allows her to steal the ball, and though she has to guard a girl who towers over her, Xenia gets in the way and flusters her enough to keep her from playing her best. They had pictures last week.
The photographer said, “Make sure you sit nice and tall.”
Xenia quipped, “I can’t! I’m short!”
With a name like Xenia Ruehle, the announcer always slaughter’s her name as she runs into the gymnasium, but other than that she has no complaints. I’m so glad Xenia is having fun playing basketball and that Sophia makes it so easy for me. I intend on going to Xenia’s game next Saturday.
One day last week Sophia and Justin were home sick. I jumped in the car where Basil was in the front passenger seat and Jonah and Xenia in the row behind him.
In response to something Basil had said, Jonah gave a familiar guttural rumbling, “urgh”
“You can do that!” Basil demanded, “That’s the sound I make!”
“All teenage boys make that sound, Basil.” I said, “You don’t have the monopoly on groans.”
Basil looked at me, rolled his eyes and groaned, “URGH!”
Last Friday was Valentine’s Day. Sophia made a huge point of saying she was going to celebrate Galentine’s Day. Her friend Nisia was going to have a bunch of girls over to her house since they had the day off of school. It was a half day for the rest of the kids so instead of going to the gym for my first exercise class, Sophia and I spent the morning watching the chick flick “Lake House” while eating cheesecake with cherries. Sophia carved hearts into our pieces and filled the holes with cherry juice to make them red. She stayed home long enough to help me settle the kids in front of the television before I headed to parent teacher conferences.
I came home and got lost in laundry, dishes and child management. I figured that Sophia would be eating with her friends and make a simple dinner of spaghetti and meatballs for the rest of the kids. Mike and I had reservations at a restaurant for their four course Valentine’s Day dinner for later that evening.
Close to five I began to wonder if Sophia would be home in time to watch everyone. Basil works as a short term babysitter, but more than an hour requires my Sophia.
I texted her, “When will you be home?”
No answer.
I looked at her GPS and saw her in Arlington at The Melting Pot. I called Nisia’s mother who told me that Sophia hadn’t been there all day.
I texted Sophia, “Where are you?”
No answer.
“Who are you with?”
She must have figured out that I could see where she was and figured out who she was with. She replied, “So here’s the deal…I’m kinda with Anthony.” That “kinda with” meant more than sitting next to him and a long explanation followed.
Anthony came for breakfast the next morning. Sophia picked him up on the way home from Xenia’s basketball game. After we ate, Sophia and Anthony cleared away the dishes, wiped down the table and started the dishwasher while Mike and I sat at the table. Sophia, Anthony and I then played a quick game of “Ticket to Ride” where Anthony laughed as our cutthroat competitive nature took over. Sophia blocked me in the middle of the board, and I shut her out of New York for the win.
Sophia left us for a few minutes while Anthony and I cleaned up the game.
“So, can I tell people that Sophia has a boyfriend?” I asked him.
“Yes, you can!” Anthony smiled a very sweet and happy smile, “Sophia thought you guys were going to grill me, but I told her not to worry.”
“It wasn’t a big surprise.”
“That’s what I told her.”
I asked him about his college aspirations, and he said that he has an engineering endorsement for his high school program but doesn’t know where he wants to go. His older brother is at Texas A&M.
Sophia and I had a long talk about not lying about where she is and who she’s with. I don’t like that that is how she’s starting her first boyfriend relationship, but it’s so nice to see how happy she is. Anthony has been hanging out with Sophia and been at our house since Christmas break. I don’t know a lot about him, but he is respectful and helpful and kind to the little kids. He’s the kind of kid who takes out the kitchen trash and looks for ways to be helpful. He seems like a good boy.