Jonas Brothers, Smonas Brothers

Some of you may know that Max is in this thing called School of Rock. It's music lessons and at the end of 4 months they do a concert. This semester the theme was hair metal of the 80's and Max did his first lead vocals. It was Awesome! Max played keys on "Final Countdown" and a few other songs, played guitar on " I hate everything about you" and sang lead vocals on "Gypsy Road" and " On with the Show". Now, this isn't really my kind of music. Some of my friends may be familiar with these songs (Nadine), but its a little back parking lot for me personally. Unfortunately, I don't think they will do a concert of Joe Jackson, Madness, English Beat and Jackson 5 songs. The next concert will be the Doors, I think sometime in late April or May. You should come! 

Mother warriors

Okay, as far as being a performer and a comedian, I really dislike Jenny McCarthy, but as a mother and an advocate for Children, I have to admire her. This is from her book and I am putting it up on my wall. 

A mother warrior is a mother who hears there is no hope for her child and, instead of retreating and mourning, breaks down walls, weaves her way through obstacles, follows her intuition even when people tell her she is crazy. She is a mother who believes in hope. A mother who believes in miracles and is able to carry on with strength and determination, even when her partner doubts her and offers no support. A mother who never gives up when she keeps hitting dead ends. These are the women who will continue to open the door so future generations of children don't have to suffer. These are the mothers with hearts of gold and shields made of the strongest armor. 

Oskie's First Day of School

Oskar started the transition program into school this Friday. It was an hour and a half and all his therapists and teachers from the school district were there. By all accounts it went quite well. When I came to pick him up he had three teachers with him. One reading to him, one positioning him and one observing. I'm worried he's not getting enough attention. 

Once again, I have to express my gratefulness to teachers at the Edina School district Special Ed program. They are fabulous and we are so lucky. 

Dem bones

For all of you out there keeping track of Oskie's bone age, it is now 15 months! Yeah! When we had it checked about hmmmmm, 9 months ago, it was only 6 months, so something got him kick started again. The one thing I feel bad about is that apparently I missed his bone age birthday. If I'd only known. What do you get bones for a gift? 

Occupation Homemaker

I've had to fill out some forms lately over the phone. Medical information, phone numbers, occupation.... I always take a minute to answer this one. I'm still technically a writer, even though I haven't actually been employed as one in 3 years. Inevitably, in their rush to get the forms completed, they suggest an answer for me..."Homemaker?". Then there is a REALLY long pause as I grapple with my answer to that question. I usually just agree, as it seems the most expeditious thing to do, but I really, really don't like it. I think it has to do with the wording of it. HOMEMAKER. It sound like I am either in construction, or I subscribe to some Martha Stewart emboldened cult wherein it is my duty and joy to make my house a home. 'Cause that's what I do. I embroider doilies and bake cookies and hang draperies. I pat fluffy pillows and set up candleabras with my own handmade beeswax candles. (The honey, of course,  I have harvested myself earlier that summer.) I wonder who came up with that name anyway. Was it a way to re-vamp housewife? Cause that one is pretty bad too. "This is my housewife... the one I keep at home to do domestic things." Do you also get to have car wife and a work wife? Homemaker is not much of an improvement, I must say. So I am proposing some new titles based on what I really do all day. How about "Head medical supervisor and youth coordinator"? or "Chief financial officer, head of purchasing and distribution, food clothes, medicine and time outs"? There's gotta be something better than Homemaker. I think from now on, when asked to fill out these forms, I will just put "Emperor, 5228 Kellogg Ave." 

new age gobbelty-gook?

Oskie and I had foot baths today. You put your feet in a tub of clean water with a coil of copper attached to this machine that has a flow of positive and then negative ions ( or maybe it's the other way 'round) and it supposedly pulls toxins like heavy metals and crap out of your body. See if you can guess which water is mine. I may have to stop eating uranium. Oskar thought it was a blast and kicked and splashed and got us both soaking wet. A bunch of crap came out of his feet too. I can't say I feel any different, but it sure looks impressive. 

Ode to Minnesota

Here is a poem Max wrote this week: 

If you're not from Minnesota

You don't know winter

You can't know winter

Freezing cold winters

So cold that it stings your fingers

Anything wet will freeze in a sec

10 degree weather 24/7

If you're not from Minnesota

You don't know winter