EGGcelent

This has been the scene at Northwest Asthma and Allergy for the last four years.

Every Fall we drive up north to have poor little M poked and prodded only to determine that, Yes, she is still allergic to eggs.

Last week was especially annoying. The office moved to a new location even more north, and it was raining especially hard. I thought we left with enough time, but it turns out that even Seattlites can't handle more than a constant drizzle. About 30 minutes before our scheduled appointment, when I saw the sign reading that Seattle was still 40 minutes away, I decided to give them a call. The receptionist was quick to want to reschedule my appointment because she didn't think I'd make it there even with the 15 minute grace period they allow. I told her that if I didn't make it, there would be no need for me to reschedule because I wouldn't be coming back, but that until then, I'd be hauling ass up I-5.

We made it with one minute to spare. The usual routine followed except that this time around there was no visible sign of allergy! It made the weaving in and out of traffic worth it.

I can't say that her allergy has been a big burden on us. She could eat baked egg and more recently Caesar dressing and mayonnaise, and if anybody tries to feed her "just and egg" she'll tell them where they can shove it. So, see, all our bases are pretty much covered, but it is nice to have that whole ordeal be a thing of the past.

Not that she'll be indulging in omelets anytime soon. She told me that she won't try an egg until she's 8. I have other plans. The doctor wants us to do a taste test and I'm willing to be she won't refuse French toast!

Spring Forward; Fall Back

Each spring and fall, when it's time to change the clocks, I always think of my Nino (my godfather). He is the one that taught me the saying that is my title: Spring Forward; Fall Back.

I don't remember when it was, though I was probably in my teens, but I do remember thinking it was genius. I may have even thought that he made it up, because if anybody could have made it up, it was him. He was genius. He was an amazing, though somewhat odd, man.

I can go on and on about him. But not today. One day I will be ready. Today it just hurts too much. I guess one could say that I think about him frequently. It's usually just a fleeting thought as I go about my day. Today there's been reminders of him all day long. We have a lot of clocks. On my way home from running errands; however, it dawned on my that the anniversary of his death was coming up. NO, was my next thought, it had already come and gone. In October!

How could the day have passed me by without so much as a thought of him? This is a man who was such a big part of my childhood and my life in general. This is a man who up until the end held onto mine and my brother's pictures in spite of the fact that he hadn't seen us in at least sixteen years. This is a man who still had some of my Barbies and maybe even a few of my brother's Matchbox cars; things that we left behind at the house in LA but that he couldn't bear do the same with when he packed up and moved to Mexico because they were the only tangible memories of the son and daughter he never had.  

I idolized this man, I loved and respected him. As with most relationships, it wasn't perfect. In my early-20's he let me down, and I'm pretty sure I returned the favor twofold. But I never stopped loving him. I used to think that one day I'd meet up with him in Mexico and tag along on one of his adventures. Unfortunately that day never came. Time passed us by. And then one day the phone call came. 

Juan Edmundo Tobias

My Nino.

I miss you. I love you. I'm sorry.

The Gotham City Posse

Halloween was pretty low-key this year. Our neighborhood didn't do anything in the way of getting together like we did the last couple of years, which I'm hoping is because Halloween was on a Wednesday.

Really???? I think we should start a petition that designates the last Saturday of October, Halloween.

I mean, if we can celebrate presidents' birthdays on random days, Halloween should be a breeze.

I'll keep you posted on how that works out for me.

Anyway, about a month ago while at Wal-Mart, M spotted a Bat Girl costume and had to have it.

It was adorable, so I splurged the 20 bucks and got it.

 J had mentioned he wanted to be a ninja, and I was resigned to the fact that theme costumes for the kids would no longer be. However, once he realized she was going to be a superhero, he changed his mind and decided he'd go as Batman.
I was thrilled because he already has the costume that was a hand-me-down from Baby Joe. 

But, he changed his mind.
Daddy would be Batman and he would be Robin.

In keeping with the theme, I would go as Catwoman.

Never mind that we didn't go anywhere. We all dressed up.

They walked the neighborhood and I passed out candy.

And here we are:

THE GOTHAM CITY POSSE

Aren't we cool?

Robin thinks so!

And one more of the superheroes together.

Carving Out Some Family Fun

Weekdays are pretty much business around here. We have a routine that we tend to adhere to from Monday through Thursday. The kids' fun is limited to watching a show and maybe playing Legos or Beyblade. Sometimes we get a short board game in before it's time to take showers, brush teeth, and read books.

Tonight was different. I realized yesterday that we hadn't carved the pumpkins M and I picked up last week. If we were going to get it done before Halloween, today was the day to do it.

We started out with having breakfast for dinner. This could be the first time in my almost-ten years of marriage that has happened. D and I are going to Mexico in 11 days and have 

been eating no carbs for about a week.

Omelets were on the menu.

And D makes a mean one!

Then it was time to get our carving on!

It was M's first foray into the pulling-guts business, and she was elbow deep in it. She even donned an apron. 

J picked one named "Pirate Jack" and M's was called "Traditional Happy" which she quickly changed to Princess Jackie. 

We wrapped up the night with homemade caramel apples and caramel/cheese popcorn ~ not homemade, but delicious. 

Both D and I caved and had some.

We suck.

Our night didn't.

Accolades

Last week was conference week. 

The first one of the year for J is always a small party; with his teacher, speech therapist, case manager, the special-ed head honcho, D, me, and M sit around a table and talk all things J.

Expectations are discussed, and so are goals; both academic and social.

This is also where any concerns are addressed. 

For now, J is working in his internal dialog. Basically, keeping his commentary to himself.

I'll never forget that first conference in first-grade when his teacher told us in a hushed voice that he didn't have many friends and that he played by himself most of the time. My heart sank to my stomach and it was all I could do to hold back the tears. I don't even remember what the follow-up question was that D asked, but her answer was that the other kids "tolerate" him. Tolerate him??? 

I could hardly tolerate the overwhelming feeling of nausea that I felt.

Eventually he made a buddy and hooked up with another from the previous year. Today he has one really good friend and a couple others he plays with on the playground. His social advancement is a work in progress that he works on daily. 

So imagine my surprise when at the conclusion of last week's conference his general-ed teacher had a few parting words for us that went something like this:

"J is very charismatic. I would say that if I asked the class who they enjoy being around, J would be one of the top three names on the list."

I believe the word "fun" was also thrown in there somewhere. I could not believe my ears. I was so proud! Charismatic! He called J charismatic. And all over again, I found myself doing all I could to contain my tears at one of these meetings.

We know he's charismatic. We know he's fun. We know he's funny. Could it be that everyone else is starting to see it too?

Next, special-ed head honcho commented on how handsome he is. She said that he is probably the "Most Handsome Boy in the School." 

I'm going to concur.

And then, as icing on the cake, the next day at Kumon, Andrew commented to him what a great job he's doing on focusing. You have to know Andrew to know that praise doesn't come easily from him.

It was a good week!

A couple of days later we went to the pumpkin patch.

Hey, nobody said he followed directions.