Happy Birthday, Correction and other random info

May 25, 2004

We finally got our computer up and running again. We found a woman at the Embassy whose husband repairs computers. He had it for about a week and found 140 viruses! So now that I finally have access to my photos again here is one of the birthday girl.


And another with Aunt Amy. This one makes me laugh. Look closely and you'll see my sister has a tiny nose ring, well stud, and Maggie said she wanted one so they rolled up a peice of napkin and stuck it to her nose. So funny!

My little princess turned 4 yesterday. FOUR...zoiks! Where does the time go? Unfortunately she doesn't know. Why you ask? Well, it's a holiday weekend and all Colombians take off on long weekends so hardly anyone would have shown up for a party. I figure if I tell her it's her birthday she'll drive me insane asking when her party is gonna be and it's not for another 2 weeks. I couldn't take that! So really it's all about me. But I do have a fantastic Circus birthday party planned. Can't wait!

As for my herniated discs... I was wrong. I got the written MRI report yesterday and it says that C-3 is protruding and C-4 through C-7 are herniated! Um yeah, that's a total of five. YIKES! Physical therapy here I come...

Things that make you feel old...

May 21, 2009

I went to the neurologist today. Not sure if you all recall but about 10 months ago I hurt myself, BAD. My arm and neck were in excruciating pain and then I lost sensation in my arm and hand and, for a few hours, blood flow in my arm. My arm went completely cold. Thankfully the cold resolved quickly, didn't want to lose my arm! But the pain, oh the pain was sooooo bad I couldn't eat or sleep. Stupid doctor at Bethesda Naval had the nerve to give me motrin and said it should resolve on it's own. Motrin, really? Perhaps he wasn't listening when I said I was in too much pain to even breath. Well, needless to say I went home and consulted my personal narcotics stash (all those surgies in 2005 sure came in handy right then) and began to self medicate. Even flying high I was still in some serious pain. Finally I convince them for some PT but we moved about 3 weeks after I started. I continued my exercises here but never got feeling back in one of my fingers. Guess that's not too bad considering for a while my whole left arm and hand were numb. Anyway, I just finished all the tests with the neurologist and I am the lucky winner of....

THREE HERNIATED CERVICAL DISCS!!!!!

If that doesn't make you feel old I don't know what will. Atleast I'm not in pain anymore so I'm off to physical therapy to hopefully keep me from further injury. Don't know that I'll ever feel my finger again though... so sad.

YA!

May 13, 2009

The word "ya" is Spanish has always left me a bit befuddled. I have figured out what it means in a few contexts like "Ya estas mejor?" which basically means "Now, already, in this moment... are you feeling better?" Then there is the doorman who said "ya" to the man trying to enter but his first attempt was too quick and the door was still locked. In that case the "ya" meant the door is "now" ready to be opened. Max has figured it out much better than I and much quicker. He was painting in the little library/arts 'n craft center at the park. When he was through he put his brush down and said, "ya" and the attendant responded, "ya". All sounds well and good and you get the general idea through each context. There really isn't an English equivalent but it refers to the recent indefinite past. My best translation is already or now. It also is a means of expressing the idea "sure", "okay", or "right". For example, "You're gonna be a good boy, right?". But then the something funny happened. When people were speaking in the negative with "ya" well, then the whole meaning changed! Yup, that's right... when you say "ya" in the affirmative it means something entirely different than in the negative. Instead of being "already" or "now" it's more like "no longer" or "anymore". And that's just the tip of the "ya" iceburg. "YA estas loca!" Now I've officially lost my mind!!!!

And don't even get me started on the subjunctive which is yet a whole other set of verb tenses that doesn't exist in English...

The Homework Craze

May 6, 2009

Everyone with a kid soon to enter kindergarten should read this article. I whole heartedly concur which is why my kids will be in Montessori for as long as I can swing it!

Magic

May 5, 2009

Max LOVES magic. Always has. Yesterday we were playing with these cool blocks that my sister got Maggie for Christmas and somehow we ended up doing magic. I had a tiny block in my hands and was shaking it. Max would say "abracadabra alakazoo make the block disappear from you". While he was talking I would drop the block in my lap. He was soooo excited. Then he'd say "abracadabra, alakazam, make the block appear..." and he'd pick a place like "behind my ear". Again, I'd grab the block from my lap when he wasn't looking and make it appear. Then he wanted to try. He would shake the block, say his phrase and "huhhhh" a disgusted sigh as the block was still in his hand. He tried this 3 times before becoming agitated and saying, "God dammit"! So darn cute but of course I had to play that one off! Oh and clearly, he got that from me. But hey it's better than a lot of things he could have picked up - right? Anyway, I stroked his sweet little cheek and told him those weren't nice words to say even when frustrated. Then I told him Mama and Papa went to magic school at 6 so when he turns 6 he will be able to do magic too. I got a sad little, "okay" and he put the block down. My poor little bug was so defeated!