outsidevoice

Today The Swimmy started her medication for ADHD. (Wait. Did I remember to tell you she was officially diagnosed? Oh. Uh. She was. Am psychic.) After a long discussion with the pediatrician about what my understandings and expectations of the available medication are, one was chosen. I was happy to see that the nurse practitioner [...]

Dear Benjamin, As your mother, I’d like to request that you stop trying to kill me. Seriously. This has been quite a month. As you can see by the numerical month, you are about to be a Two Year Old. You’ve spent the better part of the month giving us a sneak preview of this [...]

Our Father’s Day celebration went a bit old skool this year: a little sun, a little grillin’, a whole lotta watermelon, and…a watermelon seed spitting contest. Line ‘em up! OldestDaughter blows the farthest. TheBoy admires her skillz. Husband talked a lotta trash, but it didn’t get there. Sorry, Deart. You know it’s true. ArtsyDaughter took [...]

The Swimmy did a “paper” on the lifecycle of a butterfly. It was two pages, single-spaced, in seven year-old meticulous handwriting. She and two other classmates were chosen to read their papers to the principal, assistant principal and counselor. It was a Very Big Deal. Along with the paper was an arts and crafts project [...]

There are certain milestones in a child’s life that mark some sort of momentous ending of one phase and beginning of another. With the first child, each one is important, documented, cherished. Or, in some cases, full of tears, fear and longing. You would think with the second child it would be a bit easier. [...]

There are some people who have a need to go mach 5 with their ass on fire down a mountain. Or skateboard down a stairway rail. Or drive a race car. I have no interest in those things that could land me in a hospital. But I understand it. I’ve come to understand that I [...]

Peeps, I needs some help. See that grapic of the chick on the top left of this page? I have this graphic as a file only she is on top of a purple checkerboard (coincidentally, the inspiration for this site’s color scheme). I need her by herself. Rumor has it that Photoshop can pull her [...]

Two minutes ago I sent an email to an editor. Attached to that email was a draft of the first article I’ve ever written. Could someone stop my heart from pounding?

I’m beginning to believe the animals at this house are revolting. Not so much the ones that live here, but the ones that THINK they live here. You’ve already heard about the poor dog’s smackdown. But this time it was ducks. Yes, ducks. Asleep. In the middle of the street. IN FRONT OF MY DRIVEWAY. [...]