Steinbox

Amelia’s preschool class took a field trip to a local farm. Click for more pics and a brief health update…

Ben accompanied Amelia on her field trip…they were given a demonstration of some kind of robotic milking, the only one in our state (not that these kids have any clue how milking is normally accomplished!!).

Ben actually learned a few things about pigs he didn’t know before!

He got a shot of the miniature horses for me…my favorite!

Earlier this week Amelia said, “Mama, look, I took all the clothes off my babies and we’re all lying down!”

Jess’ Health Update:

I think the last news was that we’re suspecting a form of Crohn’s disease, but that both my doctor and the doctor in Cleveland wanted me to see a rheumatologist before beginning treatment, to confirm the suspected diagnosis, give other theories, order more tests or whatever. My doctor went on vacation for two weeks in April and told me to see the rheumatologist while he was gone. He would fax the paperwork over before he left. I called twice and they told me they had received nothing and to stop calling. When my doctor got back from vacation, I talked to his staff and they confirmed that they had indeed faxed 26 select pages from my file before he left. They did some calling and found out that the rheumatologist is going to China for a month and doesn’t have any openings until October. They suggested I see her partner instead. I tried to call on Friday, but their office had closed at noon, so I’ll have to try again Monday.

In the meantime, I had another attack on Tuesday. Thankfully I was home. I was very surprised as I had not had one since the Cleveland trip (which was due to the test I had there), and before that I think it was January (that one was due to forgetting to take my probiotic before a meal). I’m not sure what caused this one and it’s making me a bit nervous. I’ve been doing better about being able to get out of the house lately, but now…Thankfully we had already arranged for Ben to take a half day to go with Amelia on her field trip. That day was also his birthday!

Amelia received the movie “Cinderella” when she was a year old…I decided she wasn’t ready for it and waited until a rainy day a few weeks ago to show it to her. She had never before seen any of the Disney movies, and only knew who Cinderella was because she was on her pull-ups. I watched the whole movie with her the first time (as is my practice with any viewing), and she was pretty traumatized. The cat keeps trying to eat the mice, no one is nice to Cinderella, the step-sisters rip her dress, she’s crying, she loses her shoe, later the shoe gets broken…Amelia was crying and I kept pausing the movie to try to explain things, for example, that a servant is someone who has to do all the chores while the other people don’t do any.

To top it off, the happy ending made no sense to her. I’m saying, “See, it’s okay now– she got to marry the prince!” Well, Amelia has absolutely no concept of what a prince is, nor why anyone should wish to marry one. She kept saying, “But they RIPPED her DRESS!!!” Later that day she said, “Mama, that’s a bad movie. I don’t think I should watch it anymore.” When she was in tears over it again later on, I called Ben so she could tell him about it.

However, a few days later she asked if she could watch it again (after the first time through a movie, she’s allowed to watch them in 30-minute intervals only). Over the next week she saw it again, and while still pretty upset over the “bad” parts, she started to find some humor in other scenes.
A few days later she woke up late (now that we’ve installed room-darkening shades in her room!!). I was already into my morning routine, so I said to her “I’m getting in the shower now, but you can make your bed and go potty.” She said, “That sounds like doing all the chores. That sounds like Cinderella.” !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!