Where’s Atha?

I took this picture yesterday, and I love it. It’s poignant, and moving. There’s Genny, way off in her own little world, all alone, sucking her thumb… it’s sweet and it’s sad and it’s just a neat photo. I love it.

But where’s Atha?

Poor Atha. She had a great report card. She’s mastered almost everything, making great progress in everything else, smart, sweet, loving, creative, with a strong sense of right and wrong. Yet she’s not the baby, and she doesn’t have “special needs” although, everybody has special needs, right? Nobody’s needs are ordinary, or general, we all need what we need. We are all unique, each with unique needs. Sometimes I feel like Atha gets left in the dust just a bit.

Problem is, it’s not like I have a lot of time to spend individually with the kids. I’d love to do that. When Vince is home, we definitely make a point of that. Before he left, he took Genny to a ball, just the two of them. Then, a couple of weeks later, he took Atha camping. And I suppose Girl Scouts is just Atha’s thing. Still, I think it’s important to celebrate each of our children, because each of them is awesome.

Here’s an example. Last night, when I was saying goodnight to her, I asked Atha if she knew how much I love her. She pretended to think for just a minute, and then she said, “I cannot even estimate that number; it’s too big.”

See? Awesome!

Futile Friday

Or should I say, fecal Friday? I know, gross, gross. But most of the day, Walt was really grouchy because he was constipated, and the he pooped like three little stinky poops. Then he finally pooped a big stinky poop, and he felt much better.
I know you probably didn’t come here to talk about poop. You came here for cute kid pics or something scrapbook-related. I don’t have any of that today.
Let’s talk about poop some more.
You know when you are working on potty training, especially with a special needs kid, and they try to do the ol’ #2 all by themselves? And the whole process involves multiple bathrooms, and their clothes, and a towel? We had that happen today, too.
I was trying to write my final paper about childhood obesity today. Specifically, childhood obesity in the American South and how it relates to public health. But instead I was knee deep in poo.
Then Vince messaged me on Facebook, and he is in pain, says he feels like there’s a knife stabbing him in the knee. I’m a bad wife, because immediately I say, “yeah, okay.” those of you who know Vince get it. He’s a great guy who is a complete baby when it comes to pain. Like, call the waaambulance type crying baby. But this may just be the time that he means it. He seems to really have hurt himself. Says the sick call attendants suspect he may have torn a cruciate ligament. Part of me was like, “oh please, oh please” (again, a bad wife) because I thought that surely if he needed surgery he would have to come home. But, maybe not. That’s why we have Germany, after all.

Anyway, that was today. I’m typing this from bed on my iPad, which is why there are no photos. Also, if this looks weird, that’s why. It’s also why I’m d.u.n. done. Trying to get the kids to sleep so I can hopefully have a full day of paper writing tomorrow.
Wish me luck for a Successful Saturday!