Doctor! Doctor!

I have totally jinxed myself!

Just as a quick re-cap I recently blogged about my way-too-often-broken babies a week or two ago, and that was the first visit to a doctor or hospital for ages.

And now we are back to semi-normal.

Last weekend the Pixie was trodden on by a horse. Just in case anyone is worried, the horse is fine. So is Pixie. The girls have grown up around their grandfather's trotting horses so, to be honest, I am surprised that they have not been trodden on before.

In the stables.

The sad bit is that my first thought at the doctors' surgery was "Wow! We haven't been here for ages", followed by "fond" memories of the hours of study I did in those chairs when we were going through a particularly bad run.

I also thought about how lucky we have been with some of the random medical professionals we have met who could have been hand-picked for our needs:

• A doctor who had a son who had randomly chosen to be vegetarian at the same age Pixie did when we went to get her iron checked;
• A physio who had trained in ballet at the WA Academy of Performing Arts when Buglet hurt her ankle; and
• A nurse who had fractured her tailbone falling off slide when Buglet was in hospital for her knee, but was having problems sitting due to previous injuries.

This week's effort was a doctor who's daughter sets the high school exams for ballet. He totally got why I wanted an all clear before letting Pixie go back to pointe class. 

Sometimes you just meet the right people at the right time.

However, I should not have spoken too soon! Tuesday night I got a phone call to get Buglet from dancing as she had hurt her foot ... back to the hospital. 

Pixie is particularly unhelpful when she is trying to be helpful sometimes. Her very supportive comments included:

(Brightly) At least you didn't damage a perfectly good ankle.

(Confused) Are we taking her* too? (Ah yes! Considering *Buglet was the reason I was there, and the reason we were leaving early).

(Helpfully) Would you like me to stroke her? Mama! I can't reach her! Sorry, Buglet I can't stroke you. Buglet was crying at this point, and some of her words included strong indications that being stroked by the Pixie would be particularly unhelpful.

Fortunately it was just a bad sprain, and Buglet will be ok, and Pixie was right about one thing, it is a good thing that it was already damaged foot. 

Disclaimer:

• It is doubtful I am qualified to give parenting advice, there is still time for me to stuff up.
• I should clearly not be allowed to give safety advice.
• I am most definitely not allowed to give medical advice*.
• I am not even allowed to give legal advice without supervision.

I would recommend finding more reliable sources for any advice of any nature.

*I do sometimes prescribe chocolate though. Accept this advice at your own risk.

Bubble wrapped babies

I am the sort of mother who believes children should be allowed to ride bikes, climb trees, eat dirt, experiment in the kitchen, play on trampolines, and explore the bush. I am vocal in my belief that I am bringing up confident, self-respecting, independent, happy women who contribute to society, not spineless, whingy jellyfish (No disrespect to jellyfish intended. I don't know any personally and I am sure that there are lots of non-whingy jellyfish. I also acknowledge that spines are not necessary for a jellyfishy way of life).

I am thinking about changing this philosophy. 

My children keep getting broken. I keep taking them to the hospital thinking it is nothing and turns out it is something.

In 2012, our dance teacher banned the girls from going to my parents' place after a cracked tailbone and a badly injured knee occurred at her place badly affecting Buglet's dancing. (Hey, there are lots of kids it happens. Not Mum's fault. I am not sure if the teacher was joking.)
Result: Dance Concert 2012 Buglet danced with a broken tail bone.

The next year this was the result of a slip in the kitchen (no running, nothing dramatic, just a fall).
Result: Dance Concert 2013 Buglet didn't dance, but helped backstage instead.

Broken Buglet - 2013

Ankle injuries were the big problem last year, mostly stemming from an accident at a camp in 2013.
Result: Dance Concert 2014 Buglet danced but did the pointe routines in demi.

Sidenote: I should also say here how proud I am of Buglet. She does all the right things when she is injured to prevent further issues, and she has made some pretty grown up decisions about dancing because of it.

This last week has been full of issues.

Pixie crying: Mama!!! I've burnt myself?

Me: How?

Pixie: I sat on hair-straighteners!

Me: How badly? 

Pixie: I don't know. It's on my butt, and I can't see my butt.

Me: Can you ask Buglet to look?

Pixie: Nooooooooo. I don't want anyone seeing my butt!

Me: Do you want me to come home?

Pixie: Nooooooo.

Me: Do you want Apple?

Pixie: Noooooo!

Me: Have a shower and then have a nap.

She did send a picture, but the picture is clearly not blog appropriate. It is the top of her thigh, rather than her actual bottom, and it is healing nicely after a few days of angst. Am I an awful parent because I was trying very hard to not laugh while she was on the phone? It was a very sad injury, but she was just so cute when I was dealing with her!

Over the Australia Day weekend Buglet and Tink went to camp. Late Saturday night I got a phone call saying that they were taking Buglet to hospital with chest pains and breathing problems. It was muscular, and she is ok. My feelings were bruised though, apparently a hoodie and denim shorts are not appropriate for hospitals if you want medical staff to recognise you as the child's mother. Buglet says its my own fault. I am pretty sure putting on the first clothes you see in those sorts of circumstances is appropriate. We agreed to disagree.

I pick up the girls from camp.

This is Tink's first status update: First thing I do when I get home from camp is accidentally punch Pixie in the face giving her a blood nose! Whoops sorry Pixie".

This is mine: "Happiness is having all my babies home again ... And all unbroken (Buglet was fine the rest of camp) ... Until Tink accidentally gave the Pixie a blood nose when she was woken up suddenly ... 'Cos nothing is ever boring aroudn here!". I think those quotes sum it up pretty nicely. The blood nose reoccurred at the fireworks that night just to liven up the night of the First Aid Officers.

So back to thinking that bubble wrapping babies is a great plan. It's not too late to change my parenting philosophy is it?

Disclaimer:

• It is doubtful I am qualified to give parenting advice, there is still time for me to stuff up.
• I am not even allowed to give legal advice without supervision.

I would recommend finding more reliable sources for any advice of any nature.


'It is not what you do for your children, but what you have taught them to do for themselves that will make them successful human beings.' ~ Ann Landers

The week that was aka GMM/NSGM

I had so much fun with my last Good Mama, Bad Mama post that I decided to do it again.

Because I have no imagination, here is my third effort. Please free feel to comment with your own highs and lows of your parenting week.

No-one is perfect, and it is good to remember that. Plus overall I think I do ok.

I may also have been inspired by similar type posts on other blogs.

******************************************************************************

Good Mama Moment (GMM): Taking Tink (plus friend, plus the Pixie) to see a friend in a play. Bonus points because it was Shakespeare so I get to feel like I am enhancing their education.

GMM: Remembering to rock up for a backstage meeting on Tuesday night.

GMM: Tink stayed at home from Guides because homework was more important.

Not-So-Good Mama Moment (NSGM): Teasing the Pixie because she made up the funniest action I have ever seen in a game I have been playing at Guides for 17(ish) years.

Good Guide Leader Moment: Teaching the girls a new game that I loved.

NSGM: Letting the girls organise their own fake tan for concert (with the lovely lady across the road). Plus I am still not sure it was my finest parenting moment that I let them get one at all.

GMM: Not laughing at Buglet when she rang me in tears after she had her tan, and being v cool, calm and collected about it all. Then calling Apple in a panic to see if she could go around and make sure all was well.

NSGM: Laughing a little when I got home.

GMM: Cooking one of my favourite dinners and having on the table by 7.30pm on a work day. Bonus points for making cauliflower and broccoli in cheese sauce which I do not like at all, but the girls love. (Side note: the word "table" should be very broadly interpreted).

GMM: Leaving work early to be a good dance-mum and getting the girls ready for concert, and me ready back-stage ninja.

NSGM: Bribing the girls with lollies to be good on the car trip. Smart moment was putting Apple in charge of policing this.

NSGM: Telling Pixie I didn't have time to discuss what went wrong with her dance. My words may have been "I don't care right now, baby". In my defence I was in charge of the quick change room and I had 12 girls to worry about.

GMM: Debriefing on the way home with traditional McDonald's.

Total Brag Mama Moment: Realising that being Buglet's mummy gave me lots of credibility with the tiny tots. So, so proud of her work with them this year.

GMM: Taking Pixie to the shops so her sisters could sleep for a bit longer.

NSGM: Lots of shouting at children to be good in the car.

NSGM: Banning car dancing until after concert because I didn't have time to deal with blood noses or black eyes.

GMM: Back stage ninja, night 2.

NSGM: Realising that the first time I had seen them on stage these concerts was the finale of concert 2.

GMM: Crying. I am so proud of them. This may have also been exhaustion.

NSGM: Telling Buglet her dance injuries were related to dancing with big boobs. She was crying. I was cuddling me. She kicked me. Inappropriate, but quite reasonable in the circumstances.

GMM: Super awesome birthday celebrations for Tink including The Hunger Games themed food.

GMM: Telling the girls (including extras) to eat fruit at the celebrations so I could feel better about my parenting.

NSGM: Asking Buglet if DB was being good when I rang to see how their shopping was going.

What a weekend! Going back to work almost feels like a rest this week!

Disclaimer:

• Do not attempt a similar post unless you are sure it will work out to be an overall positive. You do not want to end up feeling worse about yourself.
• It is doubtful I am qualified to give parenting advice, there is still time for me to stuff up.
• I am not even allowed to give legal advice without supervision.

I would recommend finding more reliable sources for any advice of any nature.