Sam: Shots Heard Around the World

I had to take the twins for their shot update today. Simple enough I thought. Wrong I was.

First the doc informs me that they haven’t had their 3 year old shots, so they need those in addition to the 4 year shots. Totalled up to 4 shots each. Oh, and they need an anemia test so that’s a finger prick and squeeeeeeze each. And to top that off he needed a urine sample from each.

I would have paid to see my face when he dropped all this on me…or at least have recorded what was running through my mind. I gotta do what? How much? Get them to pee in that tiny cup? Am I being punked?

First things first: the usual eye, ear, throat, heart check. All good except Parker is running the whole time and pulling off the stethoscope, squeezing the blood pressure cuff, moving away from the light in his ear. If it wasn’t supposed to be done, Parker was doing it. Classic Parker. Maddie sat still and did it all.

Overall she’s over an inch taller and two pounds heavier and he has slightly worse eyes.

The real fun started with the urine samples. I went into it assuming I’d get peed on by one or the other or both. Parker hit the target…no drips or misses. My placement wasn’t quite right for Maddie so I did get a little wet, but I’ve had worse baby fluids on me before.

Then it was shot time. To have a little fun I asked who wanted to go first. They both fought for the opportunity because they didn’t know what was up. I let Maddie go first. She made it through the flu mist and finger prick okay, but with the stick of the first shot it all went out of control. She’s screaming bloody murder while she gets the four sticks, and Parker hearing and seeing this goes over the edge too. He’s in the corner screaming his head off…not feeling for her, but because he knows he’s next. Talk about fun.

At this point I know I’m supposed to be comforting dad and I was to an extent, but you ever have those moments where you can’t help but laugh at the situation. I couldn’t catch my breath for all the screaming from Parker. Nothing had happened to him yet, but you’d think we were about to snip off a few fingers and torture him.

I comforted Maddie while Parker sat next to me screaming like a banshee. When it was his turn I had to pry him from his chair one hand at a time. Then I had to pry him from me to get him down on the table…all this while laughing uncontrollably. And the nurse had to jump in quick and hold down his legs before she could stick him. I thought Maddie was bad but he was worse. I think he turned purple at one point.

When we finished with all the torture the nurse mentioned a treasure chest. It’s amazing how leftover happy meal toys in a Rubbermaid container (treasure chest) can shut any kid up. All this screaming and a cheap plastic ring made her happy again. He settled on a plastic Pokemon thingy.
Then we had the “walk of the wounded” through the office to the car…lots of limping, foot dragging and tear wiping for the soldiers.

(Murphy) A Bad Day for Chevy

 

Chevy and Ashley are both boxer rescues that we adopted. Chevy was our first ( October 2007) and then Ashley followed for companionship in July of 2008.

Because they are rescues, it’s hard to know what their lives were before us. Their lives are both very good now-and they are an important part of the family.

All we know about the past are two things: Chevy was a Hurricane Katrina rescue, and Ashley was rescued by a hunter who had found her shot and left for dead. What we know about the present are two more things: Chevy is Mr Nervous, jittery, and a constant licker-and always on the lookout for anything unusual outside the house. Ashley is laid back until she sees other dogs, heavy ( despite the fact they are both on strict diets) and is the bigger barker of the two.

Rarely is there too much drama other than the occasional chewed and headless Barbie doll, or the stealth move to grab a pop tart for some gastric hell later in the day. Unfortunately this past Saturday had 10 seconds of high drama that landed Chevy at the vet.

There were more dogs than usual at the neighbors’ house this weekend, which of course peaked both Ashley’s interest and vocal chords. Really not much unusual, just doing what nosy dogs do. In fact, as nervous as Chevy can be about the exact GPS location of me and Jodi at any given moment, Chevy usually doesn’t care much about barking dogs. That is until Ashley gets really wound up jumping and digging at the fence, which he then dives in with her.

This time his jittery but swift paw landed in the wrong place. While digging under our wooden fence, he caught the chain link of the neighbors fence. I’ll spare you the details…. except to say that he did what he shouldn’t have done but what all dogs do and pulled his paw back. I immediately put him in the truck and headed to the vet while he held his hurt leg up.

A large set of stiches, and an extended stay at the vet is how he began the weekend. He’s doing fine, but needs to stay away from the excitement until it all heals-and coming home would get in the way of the healing. I hear he’s got a large bandage and one of those Victrola looking cones on his head to keep him from chewing or licking his foot.

As I walked out of the vet’s office, that heavy feeling came over me. That feeling of how we love our pets as one of the family and will do what we need to take care of them. That feeling of how when they hurt, we hurt. It made me wonder again how Chevy and Ashley were treated before we adopted them. It also made me grateful for people who so passionately love animals that they spend their college years learning how to care, treat, and operate-never knowing what emergency may come next.

Smart Prom Advice that also Saves Face

So it’s 2009. You want to be a responsible parent and not a wet blanket on prom night. And here are a few ideas:

1-Find out who’s driving, the time of the all evening plans ( dinner, dance, and post party fun).

2- Agree to a Check-in, or “Text in” schedule ahead of time. If your teen is more comfortable with either, agree up front. When they do it is more important than how they do it.

3-Have the reminder conversation up front about what may be going on around them-deflect peer pressure before it’s a problem.

4- Put key phone numbers, and even the cab company into their phone. It’s about choices. If their riding with someone and that situation’s not safe, they need to be able to make a choice of calling you, a cab,etc.

5-Plan to wait up, and let them know you’ll be waiting up when they get home.

25 things that make a REAL MAN (by Jodi)

1 – he must love his family, and stand by them.

2 – he always opens the door for ladies.  always.

3 – he would (and could) slay a dragon for you – if he had to.

4 - he makes sure you are in on the joke.  Never excludes you.

5 – he is secure in himself – and it shows.

6 – gets up and out on a beautiful day, just to soak it up.

7 – never feels sorry for himself.

8 – he works outside, just to work outside.

9 – is patient with children and inlaws.

10 – loves a cold beer.

11 – winks at you (only every once in a while – to keep it fresh)

12 – he can make you laugh (despite yourself)

13 – TRIES to listen.

14 – he goes out with the guys. 

15 – has long lasting friendships.

16 – has a need to be physical, doing something.

17 – limits curse words.

18 – smells good as often as possible (but doesn’t point it out)

19 – he forgives.

20 – does that sexy thing with his jaw, and you can see it it move under the skin.  (ladies, you know)

21 – takes care of the yucky jobs at home; garbage, killing bugs, etc. without complaint.

22 – doesn’t ask why you bought the shoes…

23 – doesn’t shave on the weekend.

24 – has a special nickname for just you.

25 -is always becoming a better man.

Murphy: Keep your eye on the meat

 

They say it only takes a second – and it’s true. The guilty face you see above is a stealthy boxer who’s keen sense of smell and fast reflexes snatched two biscuits and two sausage patties in two seconds.

It was breakfast for the girls turned into a quick dog snack. Normally Jodi and I move plates up high when we walk out of the room.

But this was just for a split second….and he WAS sleeping (or so we thought).

I suppose if all I ate was bagged food whose main ingredient is “crude protein” I’d be snatching sausage biscuits too !