Category Archives: Scorch

Jan9

The Feral Cat & My Kid

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The kids had a “too cold for school” day on Tuesday. The sun was shining and the skies were a gorgeous blue, but it was 1 degree out and the windchill factor pushed us (like most of the country) way down into the freaking freeze part of the thermometer.  Regardless of the cold, we had to get out of the house in the worst way. Thankfully 95% of the families we hang out with are teachers, so we threw together an impromptu play date with some of our favorite friends in the world at the local high school gym. 8 kids, 7 adults, some wiffle balls, basketballs and games of tag = a fantastic way to work out the stir-crazies.

After playing we decided to go out to lunch with the whole crew. This is a *huge* treat- once I got laid off we simply don’t go out anymore. So we went to our local Friendly’s and put the 8 kids at one table and 7 adults at another and settled in for the ride. The kids were being fantastic, the adults were talking away and everyone was having a great time.

Until Scorch’s anxiety hit him out of no where.

I have no idea what happened, but suddenly I had one very distressed 7 year pacing behind my chair, telling me he didn’t feel good and could I please go in the hallway with him and do some breathing exercises? I was very proud of him for recognizing what was going on and using his coping techniques- so we immediately got up and did our breathing and butterfly pats until he felt settled enough to go back and sit down. I really didn’t get it (and I still don’t)- we were having a wonderful time with some of our best friends, people he feels safe with, and BOOM, anxiety rears it’s ugly head. We had to practice our breathing 3 different times during the meal but eventually Scorch shook it off and we had a great time.

It’s been months- heck, maybe even a year- since we’ve had to deal with an attack like that. And its reared its head a few more times since Tuesday. I’m chalking it up to the crazy past few weeks and our erratic schedule. Just as we were all looking forward to getting back in a routine, Mother Nature hit and we didn’t know if we were coming or going. Scorch is a kid who does best when he knows what’s going on and that just wasn’t possible this past week.  He’s handled all this extraordinarily well and even now his anxiety hasn’t been nearly as ramped up as it used to be- but still, it’s a reality check that just because it goes into hiding, it doesn’t mean that the anxiety has gone away completely.

The day after our lunch at Friendly’s, this article was published on CNN.com. It in, the author talks about her experience with crippling anxiety and likens the illness to a feral cat – saying “anxiety is a feral cat that springs from nowhere, sinks its claws into skin and hisses invective until nothing else exists.” I love this phrase so much because to me, as a Scorch’s mom, it helps me remember that this can’t be helped. I admit to getting inwardly annoyed with Scorch on Tuesday- I had to walk away from the luxury of my hot meal and my friends and his friends 4 times to help him breath. I didn’t share this with Scorch but inside I was was exasperated- why couldn’t he just relax and enjoy our special outing? Why here? Why now? Well, because the feral cat had struck again, of course.

Scorch does an amazing job of shaking that damn cat off, I just wish I didn’t have to hop on at all.

 

Jan7

Feeling Crabby

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Remember how in my last post I said how sad I was to send the kids back to school after such a great break? That was true…until they’ve had snow days 3 out of the past 4 school days. We’ve now officially tipped into the “too much of a good thing” territory and we all desperately need our routine back. When Scorch asked me what we were going to do tomorrow if there wasn’t any school due to the cold, I told him I was going to cry. And I was only partially joking.

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This morning when I was refusing to get out of my warm, comfy bed, Scorch did something he knows he’s not supposed to. He went on Google. *sigh*  Thankfully he was Googling hermit-crab related things and didn’t stumble across anything he shouldn’t have. But he did learn that 1) hermit crabs can fight and hurt each other and 2) they can live 5-15 years (are you kidding me?!).

Scorch is now the proud owner for 3 hermit crabs- Seamus, Davis & George- and he’s spent approximately 75% of the day today freaking out over his crabs fighting. Which they have never done.  The other 25% of the day has been spent trying to figure out how to make their home perfect so they’ll live 40 years- the longest length of time any hermit crab in captivity has lived. His spouse is going to *love* what he brings to a marriage should he succeed.

 

Dec19

Winter Ramblings

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Last night I had the craziest anxiety dream- I was studying to be a baker and I had to create a new breakfast pastry combining a croissant and donuts. While snakes were biting me and my pants were falling down because they were too big and I didn’t have a belt.  All this because I haven’t wrapped a single gift yet- so forgive me if this post is disjointed.

First- meet David/Davis. He is Scorch’s newest Hermit Crab that he bought with his own money on Monday.

Davis

Too bad I’m 99% David/Davis is dead as he hasn’t come out of shell once that we’ve seen since Tuesday. Awesome. Merry Christmas kid, let’s talk about the Circle of Life.

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The kids had a snow day on Tuesday.  It was freezing out with a -12 with the windchill in the morning, so I made the kids wait until the afternoon and then we went out to sled!  (I dread the day my kids won’t let me dress them in goofy winter hats.)

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Only it wasn’t sledding snow- we just sunk right to the ground.  So we decided to follow the dog and take a hike instead.

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I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again- I don’t know how people who don’t live in the country do it. Between our 2 acres, our creek and the woods around us, my kids would stay outside all day, every day if I let them.  We hiked until the kids were freezing and tired (just how I like ’em) and then I set them up with some hot chocolate and Good Luck Charlie on Netflix and worked for a few hours until it was time to play a few cut-throat rounds of Old Maid.  Not a bad way to spend the day!

Snow

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After finishing the first 3 books in the Harry Potter series, we’ve been struggling to find a book that captured all our attention again. We read the 3 Stink Moody books and we enjoyed them- but they didn’t suck us in like a really good book does. We were recently given the first 3 books of the How to Train Your Dragon series as a Christmas gift so we decided to start the first one. Both Scorch and I were reluctant because we’ve seen the movie and we figured it would be the same exact thing.  So glad to say we were wrong- the book, thus far, is great! We are absolutely loving it- Scorch loves the story and I love the story telling. Two huge thumbs up from us!

Dec16

Flying Solo with Santa

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Continuing on my “Sunrise, Sunset” theme of the week, we took the kids to go see Santa tonight. At first, Beaner was not having it- at all. She said she’d give Santa her list and talk to him but she wasn’t sitting on his lap or taking a picture with him. No way, no how. Given that this isn’t my first time around this particular block, I put on a festive sweater and touched up my makeup knowing darn well I was going to have to get in the picture with the kids to make it happen.

There was a small line ahead of us, including this adorable 10 month old. Her parents had her decked out in this gorgeous dress and big old bow. She couldn’t stop smiling and waving at Santa while we were in line, and the kids asked if they were that excited to see Santa when they were little. So the Hubs and I started to tell the kids about all our trips to see Santa over the years. About how Scorch would get all serious and scowl and the Bean would cry and cry the minute she was put on the big guy’s lap.  We took bets on what the little girl in front of us would do- the kids thought she’d do fine and I knew she’d lose her mind the minute her mom walked away. And that’s just what she did- the poor thing couldn’t get away from Santa fast enough as all of us in line giggled over her.

Once she was done, it was the moment of truth. Scorch was geared up and ready to go- but Beaner was the big question mark. I took off my jacket to hop in the picture with them, when Beaner let go of my hand, climbed up on Santa’s lap and told me they were fine without me.  And they were.  For the first time in 7 years, my kids took a picture with Santa without me in it because they didn’t need me in it for reassurance and comfort.

3 hours later and I’m still not sure what I think about that.

Dec14

All I Want For Christmas Is Scorch’s…

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About two week before my brother’s wedding, Scorch noticed he had 3 loose teeth- his top two, and one on the bottom.  I kid you not when I tell you that I prayed that the boy’s top teeth would stay put until after the wedding.  Thankfully, they did so we don’t have a jack-o-lantern grinning at us from all the pictures.  But the inevitable did happen and he lost one of the top teeth today (the bottom one came out the day before the wedding).

Scorch_Tooth

I admit, as dumb as it sounds, losing his top tooth got me today. When a little kid loses his top teeth, they lose that little kid look. Before long, Scorch is going to have these gigantic teeth that the rest of this face is going to have to grow into, with gangly arms and legs that go on for miles. The next thing I know, he won’t want to kiss me goodnight, he’ll never ask to cuddle again and he’ll move across country and leave me forever.

*sob*

Who knew one little tooth could cause all this angst? I keep reminding myself that I’m going to love the kid, then the man, that Scorch grows into just as much as I love the little boy he is today- I just wish he’d stop growing so fast. Someone come up with a cure for that, ok?

 

 

Dec3

Here Comes Santa Claus…

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So we survived the crazy! Thanksgiving was lovely and fun and delicious- just the way Thanksgiving should be.  And the wedding- oh, the wedding. It was gorgeous and loving and joyous. As an extra bonus, the kids rocked it! I admit, I was nervous- so scared that they’d freeze at the start of the aisle once they saw all the people, but they didn’t. Scorch came down first all by himself looking so handsome in his suit, then the girls (Bean & Lala) followed, dropping petals as they went.  When they got to the end of aisle, the girls just stood there, refusing to sit down until they got rid of every petal in their baskets. Trust me, it was too cute for words! If you know of anyone getting married, we could be convinced to hire them out!

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Two days after the wedding, we officially slid into the Christmas season and got our tree. Mind you, it’s not decorated yet, but it’s up and our Elf on the Shelf, Buddy, is back. That counts for something, right? Our first night was a success- we moved the Elf like a boss. Second night? Ummm…we forgot. The kids got a harsh lesson in the fact that Buddy doesn’t move if they are bad- which they surely must have been if he didn’t move, right? Yup- we win at parenting.

I have started Christmas shopping thanks to the kid’s oh-so-helpful list. Scorch asked for (in no particular order) an iPad, and iPod, a Kindle Fire and and Nook HD.  And the Bean asked for handcuffs. Oddly enough, neither list is helpful or surprising!

Nov3

This, That & a Minor Miracle

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When I thought about being unemployed one of the things that freaked me out the most was thinking I’d have eons of free time to fill up. I could very easily go the way of the sloth and do nothing but read all day and I was worried that I’d do just that.  Turns out, I have nothing to worry about because so far I’m finding being unemployed has made my schedule a 1000x crazier then it was before.  Before, I had a set schedule that varied little from day to day.  I knew what I was doing at any given hour during the day and there was comfort in that routine. Now there is no routine and I’m flying by the seat of my pants, yet my days are booked between meetings about freelance work, PTA meetings, meetings with my CPA, meeting with a financial adviser about what to do with my 401K and random interviews.  And when I’m not doing that, I’m cleaning my house- only to have the kids wreck it in 0.007 seconds after they get home.

And frankly this lack of a routine is making me crazy.

This is the week I start my part time job, find out more about one of the freelance jobs I’m doing and find out if I got a full time job I interviewed for last week. So by the end of this week I’ll have some idea of what my new schedule will be even if it kills me, so help me God.

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Halloween this year was amazing. Good lord, as crazy as 5 and 7 can make me, they are the best ages in so many ways. This year my kids were beyond excited about Halloween- they both completely got into the spirit and were old enough not to be exhausted and miserable by the end of the night. We went to a friends house for dinner, then 6 couples with 13 kids total hit the road and did the trick or treating thing. The oldest kids were 7, the youngest was 13 months old and they all rocked it with a lot of laughs, good manners and down right giddiness over the good candy.  Scorch was Harry Potter and the Bean was the Red Power Ranger and part of me wanted to freeze them right then and there at this age so they’ll always be this happy and excited.

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Scorch had his first sleepover at a friends house this past weekend. I admit, I was nervous that I was going to have to head out at 11 pm to pick him up. He was at one of my best friend’s homes with people who love him dearly and he knows well, but still, I didn’t think he’d last the night.  When I went to bed, I had both phones right by my pillow so I could grab them when the phone call inevitably came during the night.

But it never came- the sleepover was a complete success!

Such a small thing in the grand scheme of things, but a HUGE testament to how far Scorch has come. If you had told me 2 years ago when Scorch’s anxiety started that he’d spend the night somewhere other then our house or his grandparents, I would have called you crazy. We were lucky enough to get that child to sleep in his own house at that point in time- and when we did, sleep typically happened after hours of trying and usually didn’t last all night thanks to nightmares. Yet here he was, spending the night at a friends without any issues.  I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again- getting Scorch therapy was *the* best thing we’ve ever done for him and watching him live a completely normal, ordinary life as a result is a miracle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oct21

This, That & Seamus

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So hi. Been what- 6 days now? Amazing how fast time goes by, isn’t it? Wishing I had something super exciting to share, but I don’t, really. So…here are some snippets of what’s shaking.

The interviews last week went well. The first one lasted all of 3 minutes when the recruiter informed me that they were looking for someone who lived in Boston. That’s clearly not me. The second interview was with the HR recruiter for a job I very much want and that went amazing! We clicked, the mutual interest was there and I was on Cloud Nine when she immediately scheduled a follow up for me for the next day with the hiring manager. That interview was much harder to read although I was very pleased with how I did.  So I’m waiting to hear if I’m still in the running there.  The third interview was for a local job that went so well that I left there very disappointed that it was only part time and not terribly high paying. I’m really hoping I get that job- if nothing else, I’ll love it and it’ll get me out of the house once I roll off my job at the end of the week!

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Yup, I roll off my job this week. Still trying to figure out how I feel about that besides panicked for the poor guys taking over for me. Which I know is crazy to feel given the circumstances, but I do.

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Meet Seamus!

Seamus

Scorch decided a while back he wanted his very own pet – because evidently the 2 cats and the dog weren’t enough for him. First he wanted a snake. That got a big Hell No from us. Then he wanted a lizard- also a no go.  Hamster? Also not happening thanks to a 4th grade birthday party that scared me for life. Then he suggested a gold fish. Hmmm…maybe. But with the short life span and the cleaning of the bowl, that sounded like a giant PITA too. So the Hubs suggested a hermit crab- with the stipulation Scorch had to pay for it himself.  Since we don’t give him an allowance and it was months from any holiday or his birthday, we figured we were safe.

Yeah- that little kid had $26 in change saved up in under 2 months from scrounging around everywhere. I kid you not when I tell you Scorch walked around any time we were in public with his eyes glued to the ground hoping to find lost change.  And he did it- he kept at it and saved enough.  So two weeks ago, we went to the pet shop and Scorch bought his very own pet with his very own money!  While a hermit crab isn’t my first (or even 10th) choice of a pet, Seamus is quiet, clean and low maintenance. I guess we could have done worse!

And, sadly, that’s the most exciting news I’ve had to share all week!

 

Sep17

Boring & extraordinary

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So lately my life has neither been wicked or crazy, although it has been slightly awesome in that nothing-has-broken-no-one-has-died sorta way.  This past week has just been exhausting as we settle back into our new normal of school and basketball and swim lessons and homework and fall temperatures and birthday parties.  All of which are good, good things- they just all hit at once.

Sunrise3

Scorch continues to love school with a fiery passion and is as happy as a lark to get out of bed each morning and get going!  The Bean, on the other hand, needs to be dragged out of bed most mornings and usually starts crying about going to school right around the time we pull into the parking lot.  In case you were wondering, it is loads of fun to drag a crying 5 year old across a parking lot, across the street and into her classroom every day, thank you very much. *sigh*  Thankfully she’s fine 2 minute after we leave (I peek in on her most mornings) and each afternoon when I got to pick her up, she runs away from me because she wants to stay and play.

FrogHunting

We are trying to eek out every ray of sunshine and speck of warmth that we can from Mother Nature because fall is quickly approaching, with winter waiting in the wings.  While I miss the sun being up when I leave the house early every morning, for 2 weeks I was treated to the most gorgeous sunrises on my way home from the gym.  I was pulling over every single morning just to capture the pink skies on my phone because they were awe-inspiring.  I mean, have you ever..?!

Sunrise1

I haven’t read a really compelling book in a long time. I’m in the middle of Dan Brown’s Inferno but right now I’m annoyed / depressed by it. Annoyed because in the copy I have from the library, random words/passages are bolded for emphasis by the author/publisher. If I’m not smart enough to place my own emphasis while reading, well then, I have no business reading at all.  And depressed because the book talks at length about how the world is going to hell in a hand basket due to over population sooner rather than later.  Not exactly bedtime reading material. Next on my to-read list is The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes, so here’s hoping that’s better. I have, however, managed to watch both seasons of Scandal in the past 3 weeks. Make of that what you will. 😉

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So, that’s the state of us and our average, normal, extraordinary life! How’s your life?