Out of the Ears of Babes. . . . .

. . . come amazing things.  Today, unlike previous appointments when Micah's ear was just examined, Dr. Choe removed all the debris from Micah's new ear.  Dried blood/scab material, wisps of cotton, whatever else. Micah actually sat still, without me sitting on him or holding him still in any way - he climbed up into the chair and didn't blink as the back of the chair reclined.  We had a brief interruption while the exam light's bulb was changed - which did interest Micah, then Dr. Choe began his fishing expedition.  Piece after piece of dried, scabby material came out, filling the top of the gauze pad.  I wish I'd taken a photograph, it was just too cool.

Back in two weeks for the Silastic disk that is at the end of the canal to be removed, and then it's all Micah.  I already think there is a change in what he can hear, but I'm probably reading too much into it.  Dr. Choe took Micah's BAHA off and tried to see if he would respond to the tuning fork, but Micah was more interested in trying to bang the tuning fork than listening for the sound.

And double bonus, we only need to put drops in once a day, so no more drops in the morning when we're already playing beat the clock to get Micah out to the van and the skin graft site only needs cortisone cream.

A good day all around, other than Micah trashing the foyer with his wooden trains and the usual house in chaos stuff.

Books, Books, Books and Aggravation

I'm completely into Stieg Larsson's The Girl Who Played with Fire.  I want to go back to Stockholm.  In the summer, not into those long, dark days.

Waiting in the wings is Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn's Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide - one of their previous books, China Wakes: The Struggle for the Soul of a Rising Power, was one of the best books I've read in the past few years.

Meanwhile I am off tomorrow, and so ready for it, even if it means another trip to Englewood for Micah to see Dr. Choe.  No charts, no notes, no one coughing in my face.

To add to the aggravations of the past couple of weeks, getting into our school routines and whatnot, the van service that drives Micah to school appears to have lost his nap blanket.  That his Oma bought for him, with the trains on it, and that conveniently has a pillow attached and a nice Velcro strap to roll it all up and hold it.  I am NOT amused.

The chain of custody, on Friday, has the school saying that it gave the nap blanket to the van aide, the van driver and aide saying that they gave it to Tesh, and Tesh and Micah arriving with Micah's clothes changed due to an accident (usually due to not putting a pull-up on for nap time) but no blanket.  It's not in Tesh's car, it's not in my car or in the office (being sort of hard to miss due to size and colorful fabric). So my finger points to the driver.  Especially when she responded to Tesh asking about it today by, pointing to the house and saying, "...it's probably in there somewhere."  Not bleeping likely since Micah does not go into the house, he and his belongings go straight into Tesh's car for the ride to the office.

And being furious doesn't solve the problem.  I need to find a blanket to send - not one of his good nap quilts from Eleanor, because obviously someone between school and the van cannot be entrusted with something that I don't want to see lost.

Yeah!

Micah's BAHA came back from its spa trip to Cochlear American in Colorado via FedEx today, and the company actually sent home instead of to school, where it would sit for the weekend waiting for Micah to return on Monday.  Got to find the disc to remount it in the band, and then we'll see if the feedback issue has been fixed.  (The pediatric audiologist said that she took Micah's BAHAs apart and they were pristine; it gives one pause to contemplate what an un-pristine BAHA could be like.  Ick.)

Thea's Mewtwo Pokemon card came in the mail today, so for three seconds, until her brother starts to try to aggravate her and her father reminded her to hand up her jacket, she is/was happy

Now Micah is decorating me with Mardi Gras beads and I am waiting to get dinner on the table now that everyone is back from the park in Plainsboro.  Now if my charts would just write themselves. . . . it could be a truly great start to the weekend.

Addendum:  Cochlear sent the BAHA back, but not the battery or safety line.  Considering the number of trips I've made to JFK's Audiology Department to pick up these little lanyards, it's a bite in the shorts that I'd be missing through no fault of our own.  (I have clear elastic beading cord and crimps to repair them myself; that light bulb went off after the third trip to Edison.)   So one point to Cochlear for getting it back, and one for fixing whatever the problem was, and minus one point for not giving us back the battery and safety cord.

Free WiFi

. . . .is a beautiful thing.

The shopping center where I get my hair cut/colored has free wireless internet, and it is a sad testimony to the  state of my world when I spend time sitting with my laptop working on charts while my grey roots were marinating instead of reading People magazine and catching up on the foibles of the rich and feckless.

But I did get five or six notes completed, which may make for an earlier bedtime.

Today is one week since Micah's surgery.  He's doing great.  As the surgeon predicted, it is harder to try and keep him from being his usual Tasmanian devil self.

Thursday we drove down to Maryland to see Oma, arriving at dinner time.  After dinner the kids started playing a game with my mother, trying to see if they could get past her without being tagged.  It was more Thea's game, but once Thea starts, Micah is soon to follow.  As he was flying past Oma, she took a swat at him and cuffed him on his right BAHA, on the side where he had surgery two days prior.  Her fingertips just grazed the BAHA, but once she realized what she happened, my poor mother just about had a heart attack.

Then Micah decided to climb on the wooden chair at Oma's desk, and managed to slide down, bopping the back of his head.  Again, more of a shock to those watching - Micah recovered in about five seconds.  The weekend was off to a great start.

But with Micah's running at full tilt, Oma commented that everyone should have ear surgery if they come out feeling as energetic as he does.

Friday Micah and I went over to my brother and sister-in-law's house to meet the furniture delivery.  Micah and his cousin Willi are three months apart, so Willi's Thomas the Tank Engine collection is like catnip for Micah - especially since Willi has the battery-powered Thomas trains.  Then we dropped Oma off to have her nails done and went to Oma's Special Park, followed by a trip to Target.  (Oma wanted a baby doll to wrap in the doll quilt that she had gotten for Elise.)

Then my sainted mother took care of my children (who were also adequately bribed into good behavior thanks to the Target trip) for 90 minutes while I got to go to see my mother's massage therapist.   Which was beyond awesome.

And meanwhile back at Oma's house, everyone survived.  Oma wasn't ready to murder either child.  The children weren't at each other's throats or up each other's backsides.  Miracle upon miracle.

We went to see my cousin's new home and to have dinner with Christine and Elise (who is seven months younger than Micah).  The kids got to run around, play with a suntain-oil scented Play-Doh and check out the new house.  (Love the blue stars stencil in Elise's room!)  Another successful road trip made possible by GPS.

Since Micah suffered no ill effects from Oma cuffing him and bopping himself over the head, Saturday was my turn to see if I could mess with the baby's head.  We went to the Farmers' Market in Upper Marlboro to shop and have lunch, and then to Watkins Park for the train (for Micah) and the miniature golf (for Thea).

Except the train was in the shop and not running until after September 1.  Damn, damn and double damn.  Micah had to content himself with the carousel.  And so four days after ear surgery, there he is, riding a jaguar, going around and around and up and down.  Which I realized about half-way through the second ride, and then I looked over and saw Micah.  Sitting with his hands on his thighs, not even holding on to the brass pole, just taking in the sights.

Since we had no train at Watkins, Oma suggested a road trip to St. Mary's County to go to a farm with a wooden playground train, bunnies hopping around and goats.  Got to love goats. So more running around, climbing, jumping.  Five days out from surgery. (Written on September 1 and forgotten about until today.)

Photos

Captions: Pictures of the crib before it came down, with all of Micah's stuffed animals in it; Micah with his repaired bandage the day of his surgery; the sponges in his new ear canal and the steri-strips (must've been taken before the first follow-up appointment as the steri-strips were off as of September 2); the kids with cousin Elise; the Maryland Renaissance Festival; with Oma in St. Mary's County (photo by Thea Albin); more of the Renaissance Festival, and on the swing at Oma's Special Park (also known to the general public as Laurel Springs Park in LaPlata.)

It's Official . . . .

. . . .both kids are in the custody of their respective schools.  The house is empty, quiet except for me clicking on the keyboard and the tumbling of clothes in the dryer.  Today was a better start to the day, despite having two lunches to pack, two breakfasts to make, two squirmy kids to dress.

Yesterday the morning came undone over the search for Micah's shoes and certain parties in the house being unable to remember what he did with them.  The 'he' being referred to being one of the male residents of the house who is greater than three feet tall.  It was just ugly.  How hard is it to remember where the shoes were taken off?   That question can remain unanswered because I bought a second pair of shoes (he has a second pair, but they're sandals and Micah's school has a no-sandals or Crocs policy.)

This morning we had eggs and sausages, clothes were laid out last night, lunches were partially pre-assembled, Thea got to select her lunch rather than take luck of the draw.  Tomorrow will be more of a test, because I have got to get ready for work.

Micah gets an early pick up so we can go up to Englewood so Dr. Choe can remove the sponges from Micah's new ear canal.

Labor Day Weekend

Work yesterday, not a hellacious Saturday but not as easy as the nice weather should have made it. Lots of "I want to nip this in the bud," which is frustrating because most of the 'buds' are viral and will take care of themselves.  Thea and Steve went to the pool, last good day for the Princeton Community Pool, weather-wise.  Micah and I went to Target, more large Bandaids for his ear, medium blue polo shirts for Thea for school, picking up a CD of pictures.  Charting waited until after the kids' bedtime. . . . .the perfect sedative, non-pharmacological, free.

Today the answering service didn't call until after 11 am, miracle of miracles.  Usually it's around 9 am on Sunday that someone finally thinks that it's a decent enough hour and whoever is on call must be awake.

This afternoon, it was sunny in Princeton, Steve's sister was at her beach house, so we went for a drive .  And the closer we got to the Shore, the more clouds, the more wind.  Not a great beach day.

The boys went to the beach, nothing will deter Micah from playing in the sand.   Thea stayed with me, and is going through the basket of games and picking things like Jenga and Tri-Ominos to torture her aunt with.

No matter the weather, the beach is still wonderful - and it's my first glimpse of the ocean all summer.

Micah just got back - he's a popsicle.  That child doesn't have enough body fat on him to maintain 98.6 in the face of no sun and a brisk breeze.  More later. . . .