Learned a new fact about my girl that even I didn't know. Lori likes scary movies. She is watching a 'horror themed' episode of my favorite show, which is normally funny. And she can't stop watching. She's covering her eyes with her socks(don't ask me) but still is watching out the side. What a crack up. And while it's 3:45pm, I'm going to guess that she will I still be reassuring her tonight.

In other news, the school determined that because Lori is making 'some' progress and her reversals are less than the beginning of the year that she doesn't need any extra assistance. I'm sure that her not even hitting the 'expected' level for mid year doesn't matter because Hey, it's progress, even if it isn't much. And us working consistently and exhaustively hasn't helped her identify and be more aware of her reversals. So she's not going to be receiving any help from the school. So I'm faced with the choice of giving up my schooling and homeschooling her so she gets the level of teaching she needs or letting the school continue doing nothing and hope she keeps up...

Oh, and proof of her dyslexia in my opinion? She can look at a word, like Cold and she'll look at it then spell it 'clod' over and over. EVEN HER TEACHER mentioned this habit while explaining why she was found to not have dyslexia and needed no help. *sigh*
Since this last weekend, we've been putting David in shorts with no underpants in hopes he would use the potty. And he did! Well he had one accident but that was because he was playing with his sister and cousin and delayed going pee too long. But even in his pullup tonight, he told me he had to go pee! So we ran to the bathroom and he suddenly stops short and refuses to go in the stall. Well I drag him in there while he's screaming "I no pee" and pull down his pants, and he's peeing all over the floor...geez! So I pinch his penis and shift him to the potty. Thankfully he didn't get his pants, just the floor. I was at a loss as to how to clean it up, so I told the staff there was a puddle when we went in there and they should get it cleaned up... Maybe that makes me horrible. So one more hurdle cleared! Now we strive for consistency!!
We thought maybe the loose fitting shorts were helping and went to the store to get him boxers, but they don't make boxers in his size. They start at 4T, and he is still a 12mo waist but 4T length.. Wish he'd put on a little weight.

Anyway so a good day over all. Tomorrow will be filled with stress as my father is having open heart surgery. Aortic valve replacement and a double bypass. Hopefully I'll hear from someone by early afternoon. Cross your fingers for us.
I had a nightmare last night and I can't shake it off. We've all had those right? Mine wasn't about a dead relative or anything. It was about a good day that went very bad.

I dreamt I was at like a fair or something with my best friends Holly and Emily. Their mother was waiting in the car for us, for whatever reason. We had just finished picking up some treats from the bakery and some Dr.Pepper and were leaving. As we head across this large lawn towards the parking lot, this robot firecracker gets set off. It's HUGE like, bigger than life size metal robot firecracker. At first we're thinking it looks pretty cool flying around...then it starts to ball up and spin like some firecrackers do before exploding, and it occurs to me that if it explodes, that's going to be a lot of shrapnel. But it doesn't explode, instead it just shifts directions and flies into a building, which knocks it over into another building, and a piece fall off the robot. We start to run towards the buildings to try and save who we can because it was a dorm for OSU, but I realize that since it's been flying in a U pattern, it'll be back, so I stop us and we run back to the open field. We watch as it hits another building sending it toppling over knocking off another piece of it. Eventually it's just its rocket booster things from it's feet that are left, and it's knocked all these buildings over, and it changes course out of that area. We run to the car to tell Mary Lou what has happened and to call our signifigant others who have the kids and are far away(like out of town). We can't get through to our s.o.'s or kids, so we get in the car. We're telling Mary Lou what happened and she's being kind of 'who cares' about it almost like she doesn't believe it really happened. And as we get in the car, the rocket boosters hit another building, and knock it down. We head out of town across a bridge, and all these people start running the other way. I tell Mary Lou we need to turn around or speed up, but she doesn't listen and I see all the cracks in the bridge, she finally reverses but it's too late and we fall from the bridge. As we fall toward the water, I think there's one rocket booster left and yell at everyone in the car to wait until the we know nothing will fall on us to get out into the river.

I woke up just before we hit the water. And now I can't shake the dream. It's silly. A huge robot firecracker?? But I can't shake it. I hate dreams like that.

Also, it snowed last night.
Today was just one of those days. I woke up this morning to a sippy cup being banged against my face and "mama juice, mama juice, mama wake up, juice" so I tried hiding my face for a while, but he was mighty persistent. So I got up, put on yesterdays clothes and went down stairs to get him some juice that, might I add, he didn't drink, but set aside.
So, quashing my desire to hang him by his toes, I set out to make lunch for my daughter, and Edwin. I pulled out bread, but it was moldy. How does that happen from one day to the next?? Thankfully I had another loaf that I had just bought. I made the sandwiches and took my daughter to school.
I got home and David still wasn't dressed. But Edwin had time to watch TV. *sigh* Got the little man dressed and headed out to take Edwin to work. David fussed and complained the whole way. About various things, nothing major, just the sun was in his eyes and he dropped his car for the eleventy millionth time and I refused to get it, just stuff. It's nothing major, just when you're already having a rough morning, it grates.
So we get home, I turn on Go Diego, Go! and went upstairs to start cleaning house. I got a lot accomplished and was feeling much better. I headed downstairs to check on David again and spend some time playing with him now that I wouldn't be short with him. I head downstairs and he's watching the end of Diego but he had found a styrofoam cup to take apart while I was cleaning upstairs. So we picked that up and played trains.
After that it was pretty smooth sailing for the day, and I loved that. Sometimes, a morning that isn't great can color your whole day. I was glad to shake off my morning.

What are your middle names?
My middle name is Lee. His is Gabriel. Why yes, he is from a catholic family and latino, why do you ask?

How long have you been together?
4 years

How long did you know each other before you started dating?
We've known each other since 1996, my freshman year of high school. He was a jock, in choir, and a computer geek. He was also dating my friend.

Who asked whom out?
Well, I guess technically, he asked me, but when I said I couldn't do it the day he suggested, he lost his nerve and hung up. I had to call him back and suggest a different night when I wasn't going out of town.

How old are each of you?
I'm 26 and he's 28.

Whose siblings do you see the most?
Edwin is the oldest of 4 and I'm the oldest of 2, and my brother lives farther away than his siblings, so we see them more.

Which situation is the hardest on you as a couple?
Raising kids, I think. It's really difficult to make a blended family. We both had 4 year olds when we got together, that's a lot to bring together. Oddly enough, we're on the same playing field with the one we have together. Something else we struggle with is my crazy. Sometimes it isn't as contained as I would maybe like.

Did you go to the same school?
We attended the same high school, but different colleges

Are you from the same home town?
No, he's from Mayaquez and Agaudilla(sp?) Puerto Rico, and I'm from Pell City, Alabama.

Who is smarter?
Edwin is smarter in many ways, but I have the corner on common sense.

Who is the most sensitive?
Depends on the scenario and subject.

Where do you eat out most as a couple?

We keep it eclectic.

Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
Seattle

Who has the craziest exes?
None of my ex's are crazy, but his ex leaves a lot to be desired...like prozac

Who has the worst temper?
Again, it just depends. I think I get mad more easily, but he gets REALLY mad about stupid stuff

Who does the cooking?
Me, but I take much criticism from the man who can make hamburger helper as his primary entree

Who is the neat-freak?
Um, yes and no, I don't mind clutter, but there if there is a set home for something you best not put it else where. Lets put it this way. When telling me he had unloaded the dishwasher, he said "I signed my death warrant today"

Who is more stubborn?
I am stubborn in a way you only seem to find in the south, and he's stubborn in that 'I'm always right' kind of way.

Who hogs the bed?
Me, I hog the bed and the covers. Even when we had a Califonia King size bed, I hogged the bed. I think I migrate to snuggle, and he just has to learn to get up, walk around the end of the bed and lay on what was previously my side.

Who wakes up earlier?
In general I'd say we wake up together, but if theres a time one gets up before the other, it's me. Someone has to prevent the kids from killing themselves.

Where was your first date?
We tried going out for coffee, but because it's a stupid small town, they were all closed so we ended up walking around for hours talking.

Who is more jealous?
Me, by a long shot.

How long did it take to get serious?
Not very long, we kind of lept head first in. I knew very quickly he was it.

Who eats more?
Him. A lot more. He's a bottomless pit who just wanders around sucking up food.

Who does the laundry?
Me in general mostly because someone can't do the settings right. And never sets the dryer for long enough causing things to be damp and get that nasty smell and need to be rewashed.

Who's better with the computer?
Edwin. He nearly dies when he knows stuff I've done or haven't done.

Who drives when you are together?
Edwin mostly. It's his "job". Not to mention that if he isn't driving he has to take care of the kids or distribute fast food on trips, something he evidently is not equipped to do. Who knew you needed boobs for that?! Unfortunately, he's recently become a big fan of driving super slow and all over the place. His driving once drove me so insane that in my head I decided he was just too retarded to live. His inability to merge was what set me off.


I've spent the last week exhausted. I've been getting 8 hours of sleep at night, so not sure what the deal is. Perhaps iron deficient? More exercise? Who knows?



Yesterday was Lori's first day of school. She's been in school since she was 3, and I still almost cried when I took her to her 2nd grade class.

She was excited to go but scared. She has to make all new friends which is always scary. But she's a sweet child, so I have faith she'll make friends.

She got a new bike to ride to school too, but first she has to gain confidence. Right now, despite knowing how to ride, she wobbles all over and I had to put training wheels on it again. As soon as she's gotten stable I'll buy her a lock and she can start riding her bike to school(with me of course).

She had to walk ahead of me home from school so she could walk with her friend who lives next to us. She's acting so grown up. She talked me into her first training bra when we were clothes shopping.. A training bra! At 7! But, it fits. I've noticed she's showing the first signs of her body maturing, I'm not ready.

What is it with men?? When I told Edwin Lori got a training bra, he said 'What is she training?' I remember my grandfather saying something similar when I got my first one. At least Edwin didn't say it in front of her. I think men just don't get what a big milestone that feels like to us. Or at least to me as a girl, and apparently my daughter too.

Now that she's going, my son wants to go to school. We told him he had to go peepee in the potty before he could go. We'll see how that works out. I'm going to start looking into day cares for him to go to. Hopefully this will encourage him to try. He has the know how and can feel his body well enough to know he has to go, he just refuses to do it in the potty. *sigh* boys are harder than I thought.