Laugh A Little - Pee A Little

Today, while talking with my Urologist during a pre-op visit, I voiced to her that I think every high school sex-ed class should include a segment where she (the Urologist) comes in and gives girls the real deal talk about what happens to your internal organs (namely your bladder) during and after pregnancy. You know (or now do), the leakage that happens daily as you laugh, sneeze, cough and exercise (sometimes even more frequent than these scenarios) as a result of having baby squash your bladder for 9 months and then literally flattening it as he/she is pushed out through that narrow passageway at the time of birth. I guarantee that if each girl were to experience just a little bit of the discomfort any woman with stress incontinence experiences the teen pregnancy rates would drop dramatically. I predict that during those hot and heavy moments each girl would reign-in her hormones and say, "Stop! There is no way I am going through the rest of my life peeing on myself every time I need to sneeze!" - end of story.

In addition to the joys of stress incontinence that is experienced by millions of women postpartum there are the joys of treating the stress incontinence as well. Today, for example, my bladder strength was tested (to make sure I really do leak - you don't want to perform a procedure on someone who doesn't really need it) and, oh joy, I was filmed internally via a tiny camera. The camera part didn't really bother me much. In fact it was an interesting experience to know that my bladder was studied, especially after this past year with AH's dad having been diagnosed with Bladder Cancer and going through treatment for it (it's all good - he's healthy now) - he and I now have many more embarrassing things to discuss with each other. No, what really bothered me was after the procedure when I was finally able to relieve my bladder (that had been filled during the scope in order to test the strength), and what came out was very cold water. That, indeed, was a very odd sensation I could live without experiencing again.

Ah, the joys of womanhood - it truly is a mystery; well, not so much anymore. I can't wait until I turn 40 and get to start having mammograms, I've heard they are the best womanly experience of all.

PS - I would have included an image with this post but I couldn't find any of a woman standing with her legs crossed and bent over at the waist while she sneezed.

PPS - My urologist assured me that she will NEVER give birth vaginally (nor any of the other doctor's in her office) after having her job. :-P

Garage Sale Jackpot

I love it when I stumble upon a garage sale goldmine like I did last week. While waiting for Beeb during her art lesson I had an hour to peruse some sales, most of which didn't have anything I wanted. Then I found the mother load! I walked away with pots (which I needed for a church activity), Hannah Montana stage (looks brand new) for Beeb, really nice flippers for Mr. B (he can hardly wait for next summers swim season) and what I consider the best of all, walkie-talkie watches.



It is all the rage in our neighborhood (with the 1st graders) for the kids to have walkie-talkies so they can keep in touch with their parents as they relocated from house to house during play time. Inevitably the walkie-talkie gets set down and then left behind and a few hours later the "hunt" begins for the missing communicator. For $3.00 (LOVE garage sales) I got a brand new set of walkie-talkie watches that Mr. B doesn't take off because it doesn't hinder his play time and have up to a 1.5 mile radius so I can reach him next door or down the road (depending upon who's house is the host house that day).

Smart designs and cheap prices like these make me a happy momma.

Beeb - The Artist

A friend of ours has started offering art classes for kindergarten aged kids and when I heard about it I quickly signed Beeb up. Today was her first class (because we missed the earlier class this week) where she learned about and practiced drawing different kinds of lines; horizontal, vertical, diagonal, curved, zig-zag, solid, broken, rough, smooth and a contour line with horizon line (who knew there were so many different lines outside of a cheap bar?).

When I picked her up Miss Kori (the teacher) gushed about Beeb's concentration and methodical style. Then she showed me Beeb's squash still-life master piece:

(I added the white canvas and wording)

The challenge was to do this drawing using one continuous line! As I stared at the image MY five year old daughter created I got all choked up and started to cry - it is such a beautiful picture!

As we drove away I couldn't help but think of all the artistic talent Beeb has to inherit from her two great-grandmothers (both artists), my mother and well from me too (though only a little from me). I am so overcome with emotion to see a little bit of my Grandma and Mother in my daughter. That's the best kind of genealogy there is!

R-E-A-D = Read

We hit a new milestone this past week; one that I had been worried about but wasn't prepared for when it finally happened. Mr. B is READING!!!!!

A few nights ago AH came out of Mr. B's room after putting him to bed and told me how Mr. B had read to him that night. He described how he picked out some Bob Books to read and then insisted on being the one to actually read them. AH described how well he sounded out the letters to form words. I was shocked. This was a huge, gigantic step for Mr.B.



The next night it was my turn to put Mr. B to bed and sure enough he had his box of books from which he selected two to read and then just started plugging away. I barely had to help him. At the end of the second book he looked to me and said, "I love reading. It is fun!" - I cried, literally. There is no greater joy than seeing your child succeed.

Last night after having a fun evening down at the lake Mr. B, completely exhausted, fell asleep in the car on the way home. Despite his exhaustion he still insisted on reading a book before going to sleep in his own bed. He LOVES it. We are so excited!!!

Way to go Mr. B!

AH Interjects . . .

AH has posed a question for those who read this little blog (all 5 of you) regarding my MOO brain and his "Man Brain":

"So then...I pose a question to your readers...what is worse your MOO moment brain or the man brain discussed earlier in your blog?" AH

Well LADIES, what do you think? I know my opinion. . . :-)

A MOO Moment

This afternoon I had a true Momentarily Out of Order (MOO) moment. After spending the morning at the doctors office with Beeb (we both had doctor issues today), a quick trip to the grocery story and then dropping Beeb off at school I got home and opened the back of my car to bring the groceries into the house. The milk made it into the refrigerator and then my MOO brain got distracted.

Fast forward 4 hours later.

The kiddo's get home from school and one of the neighbor boys comes by and wants to ride bikes with Mr. B. Being the proactive person I am I open the garage door from the kitchen knowing Mr. B's bike is inside and he will need to get it out. (aren't I so smart! - don't answer that.) I don't bother looking outside as I do this and so it is a few minutes later when I glance out the window and see that the garage door is not all the way up. Being the super smart person that I am I hit the remote again and the door goes down, I stop it and hit it again to go back up. Again, the door stops before it is all the way up so I head out to see what's the issue.

What I learned is that it is impossible for the door to extend all the way up when the rear hatch of my car is up blocking the door. Luckily (and I mean really really luckily) it did not scratch my car up.

So to my dear husband, who will read this, remember our recent discussion about my "out of site out of mind" brain - here is yet another fabulous prime example. Doh!

Weekend Warriors

I had a fantastic start to this past weekend when I finished up a HUGE job for a client that only took 3 months to complete. I was so elated I went out into my driveway and shouted, "I'm done! I'm done!" for my neighbors to see. It is such a relief to not have that work over my head anymore.

Saturday I had the ultimate "girl's day" with my MIL and two SIL's as we all went to see Wicked.





(all images blatantly stolen from my SIL's blog. Thanks Queen!)

It was a great play - worth the price of admission. The story was very easy to follow and sucked you in right from the beginning and the music was fantabulous! We followed up with dinner at PF Changs and I came home to a nice, quiet, clean house. It's hard to top that!

Sunday we were enlightened during Stake Conference when we received some great messages from church leaders and the Prophet. There was some good food for the soul during the 90 minute session and it gave me much to ponder on this week. Afterwards we did a family bike ride and enjoyed the amazingly beautiful day!

It was a wickedly delightful weekend that I wouldn't mind repeating again (very soon).

It's FINALLY Beebs Turn

Beeb started kindergarten today. She was so so excited in the morning she even let me do her hair without complaining! She got really nervous just before the bus arrived but quickly found her seat and buckled herself in. My big girl I am going to miss you each day!

My Cup Runneth Over

Today I had an interview with a member of our Stake presidency. While we were talking he asked me about my testimony and as I answered I was overcome with emotion and started to cry. I am so so blessed. The experiences in my life have given me such strength and solidified my testimony that it overwhelms me at times like today when the reality of it is spoken.

These past few years have, at times, been very hard for me as I tried to figure out how to best parent my ADHD son. Repeatedly I have prayed and prayed for the right path to the right services to help us and repeatedly my prayers have been answered.

Our pediatrician noticed the ADHD symptoms first when Mr. B was quite young. He didn't panic me but just said to "keep and eye on it" since he was only 18 months old at the time. I didn't think much of Mr. B's high activity level, thinking he was "just being a boy." I am blessed to have such a wonderfully understanding pediatrician who listens, takes my concerns seriously and refers us to only the very best experts when necessary. Mr. B was diagnosed with ADHD after 4 months of study by Children's Hospital at the age of 3.

As Mr. B grew and our patience was tried repeatedly my SIL guided me to our school district which ultimately led me to Encompass NW and their PCIT program. Mr. B and I worked closely with Michelle and after 14 weeks were successful graduates of the program. Because of our success I knew Mr. B's ADHD could be managed mostly through behavior modification vs. ADHD medications, which at the time I strongly opposed.

As Mr. B got older and presented some new challenges for us in preschool and at home I looked for more answers as I knew this was an ongoing issue and we needed ongoing support, indefinitely. I joined several ADHD support organizations and regularly attended meetings. It was at one such meeting that we (AH and I) heard a national ADHD expert and MD (who also has ADHD himself) talk about medications as a important step in helping a person with ADHD. He was able to answer many of my personal questions and concerns regarding medications, though I still did not like some of the side effects. It's a very hard and personal decision when a parent looks at medicating their child. To be put into a position of having to weigh side effects (such as stunted growth) with overall life success is exceedingly difficult.

At the time we were not coping well at home and decided maybe it was time to give the meds a try (though deep down I still did not want to go that route). We tried 4 different ADHD medications with no success. Each one made AH manic, altered his fun personality and ultimately we decided was not a viable option for us.

It was right around this time that I found Brain Health NW. I took AH in to meet with Dr. Pomeroy to discuss what his clinic might offer us. Due to Mr. B's young age there wasn't much Dr. Pomeroy could offer that we hadn't already tried. It was near the end of our appointment when the doctor brought up medications. He knew our history with them and in no way pushed me into pursuing more medications but he did bring up another medication that had success with certain ADHD patients without the harmful side effects. Guanfacine is a blood pressure medication that has had success in clinical trials for the treatment of ADHD and is currently being investigated by the FDA for approval as an ADHD medication.

"It has been shown that guanfacine, the active ingredient in INTUNIV, binds selectively to alpha 2A adrenergic cell receptors located in the part of the brain called the prefrontal cortex. The prefrontal cortex is an area of the brain associated with executive functioning, i.e., working memory, behavioral inhibition, regulation of attention, distractibility, impulsivity, and frustration tolerance. The selective alpha-2A agonist strengthens working memory and prefrontal cortex neuronal firing. This research supports the use of guanfacine for the treatment of ADHD."

Because of its known history and the non-side effects (though it can cause nuisances like drowsiness if too much is taken) we decided to give it a try. It took a few days to get the right dosage but ultimately we have had tremendous success. The medication has the exact effect I was looking for without the guilt. It helps Mr. B to have a calmer body that allows him to have better impulse control and judgement. It does not alter his personality or change the great kid we know into child we don't recognize.

At this same time, through a friend, we found out about a study being offered through the UW Parenting Clinic for "children who are difficult to parent" (I love how they put it!). After a quick phone interview it was determined that we definitely qualified and would be apart of the study. The Incredible Years program was a true answer to my prayers. During our weekly session (we met for 20 weeks - 2 hours per session) Mr. B went off to "dinosaur school" and AH and I went to our own class. While we parents learned, practiced, encouraged and studied better parenting skills our children learned, practiced, encouraged and studied to be self aware, verbalize their feelings, self sooth, and coping techniques. I can honestly say it was a life changing experience for our family (in the very best way).

So in moments like today, when I think of my answered prayers that have helped to build and shape my testimony, how could I not be overcome with emotion. I KNOW my Heavenly Father lives. I KNOW He knows ME personally and that He loves me without end. I am truly blessed and lately, as I count my many blessings, I can't help but feel as though My Cup Runneth Over (Psalms 23:5) and sometimes right out of my eyes.

Thank you to all the wonderful teachers in an exceptional school district, incredible friends, amazing primary teachers, in-laws who support support and support us (thanks for all the articles, babysitting, and especially love) and everyone else who has touched our lives during these past years.

Thank you to everyone - thank you so much, and don't mind me if on occasion I break into bouts of tears, I'm just counting my blessings.

1 Down 1 To Go

Mr. B, having great fishing success in Montana this summer, brought his fishing pole down to the river last night as we celebrated our last day of summer. His previous success was chalked up to fishing a high altitude lake that was over populated with our fine gilled friends (he caught 10 fish). This time we worried he would walk away upset since it was a fast moving river he was attempting to lure (pun intended) the fish from.

FIRST CAST and he caught a little Steelhead. I think the kid is a natural and we should start entering him into fishing tournaments. :-)





Today, I put Mr. B on the bus for his first day of school. He is now gone all day and I am feeling a little lost. It is similar to how I felt when I first left my full time job to be a full time mom. It is so strange to know that I don't have to rush to do my grocery shopping and other "mom" errands within a 2 hour window; I can take the entire day if I choose!

Though he claims to not be excited for the new school year, I know he is excited for 3 recesses and to eat lunch in the cafeteria (is there anything more fun than that?).





I am proud to say I didn't cry, but will add to that - yet. Next week it is Beeb's turn as she enters Kindergarten. She is super excited and I am so not. I imagine the confusion I feel today will be amplified next week - oh joy.

Poop . . . . . ed

Yesterday our church had a fun filled picnic activity for members and their friends. AH was on the crew that helped set up the bull ride (a metal barrel with ropes attached to 4 corners of it) and then he helped man it for the first hour which required he and 3 other men to pull on their individual ropes to get the bull bucking. After he was done with his assignment he spent the next hour chasing Mr. B around the grounds going from activity to activity. When I next met up with my boys I was given the "eye" from AH signaling that it was time to go home.

While we were driving away AH says to me, "I have been on my feet for 6 hours. I am P-O-O-P. (pause) E-D." (AH's feet are still recovering from his Mt. Rainier climb)

As I realize his mistake I laughingly said to him, "You're poop? Okay, we'll start calling you poop."

Not realizing little ears were paying attention to our conversation we hear from back seat Mr. B's words of logic, "You should have used to potty at the picnic."

The New School Year

Today was the big day that class assignments were announced. At 4pm we were among the crowd anxious to see the lists posted to the front doors of the school. Mr. B wasn't really interested in who his teacher would be and took off to play as soon as we arrived. However, I was very curious to see who his peers would be and was pleased that our neighbor boy will be in his class this year.

I called Mr. B and Beeb over to show them the list and my worst nightmare happened. . . I started to choke up. Beeb asked to see her name and I held her up so she could see her name on the kindergarten assessment list (she starts a week after Mr. B) and I could barely talk. My voice was thick and cracking as I held back the tears.

I hear so many moms say how much they look forward to having all their kids in school, and while to some degree I do look forward to having some more "me" time, I am overwhelmed by how quickly my kiddo's are growing up. I knew this would be hard for me since my minor breakdown this past spring when I registered Beeb for kindergarten. I did not expect it to be so hard today as I fought back the tears, just hoping to make it to the safety of my car before I totally lost it.

I know this time is going by so quickly to me (even when it has been really really hard) - I just don't want to miss any precious moments with my kiddo's; not a single nanosecond.