Like I really needed a hole in my head...

I feel like I've lost my writing mojo lately. 

Apparently most of it was contained in my bottom left rear molar. 

This molar. 

The molar that was removed three weeks ago.

At first I was in too much pain to write. Because I felt like this:

And was doing some of this.

OK, a lot of that.

Because...

nataliedee.com

Pain peoples, pain!

The pain is gone, but the hole is still there. 

And, I'm still looking for my writing mojo. I'll be back as soon as I find it!

If you can't wait, I think I forgot to tell you I wrote a little something here a few weeks ago.

My boy Chummy

For a while Kiel has been saying "chummy" or "chumny" but we had no idea what it meant. At times it seemed more of an all purpose word.

Well for the last couple weeks Rich and I have been contemplating that he might be using it when he was referring to Noah. He has never said "Noah" although he mastered the word "NO" well over a year ago.

Earlier this week we clearly heard Kiel say "Chummy no, my toy" when Noah was trying to look at something Kiel was holding. Since then its been very clear that Chummy is what he calls Noah. And of course we think it is adorable, as does Noah.

I don't think any one of us would mind if this name sticks!

In other Kiel news it just fascinates me watching him play. He is so deliberate with what he is doing. He really plays and interacts with his toys. It is so different from when Noah played at this age, when all he did was throw and destroy.

Mother's Day

Mothers Day always brings up a myriad of emotions for me. I wrote about some of them on the Philly Moms Blog, so go! Read! Come back!

What I didn't do more than touch on there was how Mother's Day is a reminder of our journey through infertility. A reminder that what many people take for granted, pregnancy, is a land unto itself to others. A personal hell in many ways.

This movie moved me. If you are dealing with IF or have in the past you will understand. If you aren't but know someone who is, watch this.

What IF? A Portrait of Infertility from Keiko Zoll on Vimeo.

There are times when I ache for another child. I loved being pregnant and the newborn period. I so want to do it again. But it isn't to be for us, for many reasons, not just the IF issues.

So now that I've brought everyone to tears, let me just wish all of you Mom's, Mom's to be, Mom's in spirit, Mom's in heart, a happy Mother's Day full of whatever your heart desires.

My karate kid! Or Noah ninja style.

A couple weeks ago Noah promoted from his junior white belt to yellow belt.

 Sitting like a black belt!

Standing at attention (almost).

Student creed number one.

 Mommy didn't get there in time to get a seat in front, therefore all the pictures from the back. Mommy also needs a new camera, because it can't possibly be her poor photo skilz that caused such crappy pictures.

 Congrats from Mr. M.

(And no, he's really not a vampire.)

 Yellow belt!

The next day Noah participated in the Action Karate Spring Tournament.

 Waiting with Kiel.

 Performing his kata.

 "chamber"

 "asah!"

 and bow!

And a third place trophy, which he refused to take a picture with.

After everyone performed their kata and trophies were given, it was time to do their combination moves. A combination move for his age/group is a combination of three moves. Each child was allowed to do two combinations.

Noah had little to no interest in actually practicing before the tournament. I persuaded him to do his kata with me a few times, but he refused to practice the combination moves. He didn't even want to talk about what to expect. Going in to the tournament I had no idea how he was going to do. I pretty much expected a train wreck to be honest. I figured it would be a learning experience for him. I was pleasantly surprised at how well he did do with his kata.

Now, when it came to doing his combination moves I was on edge. I had no idea what he was going to do and if he even knew what he was supposed to do. I saw him carefully watch all the other kids as they did their moves. He was one of the last to perform so I hoped as he watched he was figuring it out.

Well let me tell you, that boy stood up when it was his turn. Took his place and with utter confidence did his thing. I was amazed. The judges were amazed. The other parents were amazed.

My boy stood up there in front of everyone and pulled out every karate ninja move he knew. Instead of doing two combination sets he went all out. 

It was complete free-form Noah ninja out there.

It was incredible.

Beyond incredible.

And then he amazed us all by ending with a back/shoulder spin (think 80's break dance).

Go Noah! Go Noah!

And that my friends is what keeps me going. I don't care if it wasn't what he was supposed to do. And it was a little hard to see his disappointment when he didn't receive a trophy, because he was sure he had done the best moves of anyone. You should have seen his face actually when they awarded the 2nd place trophy and it wasn't to him, he was so sure they were going to call his name for the 1st place trophy he was practically walking up to get it before it was announced.

I am just kicking myself that I didn't get it on tape. It was beyond amazing! It still almost brings me to tears (of the hysterical kind) when I think about it. God I love that boy!

I called my karate instructor a vampire, and other news.

A couple weeks ago my karate instructor asked me if I'd write up a short testimonial about my experience that he could share with the moms of his younger students in conjunction with a Mothers Day promotion he is doing.

Of course I said sure and then promptly forgot about it until I started to see him promoting a free month of training for moms last week. And then I felt obligated to put pen to paper, or fingers to laptop in my case, and make him proud!

I figured if I was going to inspire anyone to start training I needed to be honest about my experience. And insert a little humor, because frankly, that's how I roll.

So I started out my testimonial by saying my instructor was a vampire. And then I wrote about almost dying, falling on my face, and my leaky bladder. Oh hell, you can go here and read a somewhat beefed up version I wrote for the Philly Moms Blog, because I was struggling to get something in for them too by the end of the month.

The testimonial that I sent him starts with "Don't tell him I said this, but I'm pretty sure Mr. M is a vampire."

I ended the actual testimonial with: "So I want to thank Mr. M for glamoring me into starting and then sticking with it. And Miss S for letting me get all emotional on her and giving me the extra help I needed to catch up. And Mr. C. for letting me beat up on him when I really needed to practice my self-defense on a person other than my husband. And for all the other adults in the class who have taken the time to help me and teach me and most importantly encourage me!

So come on Moms! If this Mom can do it you can too!"

Instead of how I ended it on PMB with the bit about the fat girl in class and how my husband better not wake me up in the morning poking me with Mr. Happy. So I'm not a total idiot. At least I know what is better to put out on the internetz for everyone to see, versus what I should just email to my instructor. banging head on table

But I'm starting to think based on the lack of response from my instructor that perhaps he was looking for a more traditional testimonial and not one in which he was referred to as a vampire. Especially since the testimonials he has been sending out every day via email are much more traditional, and shockingly not a single one of them mentions that he is a vampire.

Oooppss....

So in other news:

I earned my purple belt two weeks ago, so I am now an intermediate level karate student. The kata I am learning right now is called "mass attack." Which basically means "stay away from me bitches, because I can hurt you!"

Noah earned his junior level yellow belt and participated in a tournament. I really need to tell you all about that because he rocked out on his combination moves all ninja style. 

And I have a review and giveaway up here for Zestra. An arousal enhancing oil that helps heat things up in the nether regions (or in my case the frankenvulva). There I compare sex to a bus ride. So go there and enter to win! If you leave a comment there with the secret code phrase "your karate instructor is a vampire" I'll give you an extra entry! Shhhh...that will be our little secret!

  

Tonight we found our cat had peed in Kiels box of Matchbox cars. Fortunately Rich found it. And the rule in this house is "you smelt it, you dealt it."

My right eyelid and right upper lip have started twitching lately. I think I'm a little stressed, especially as we fight for the services we need for Noah this summer. We have four meetings in the next two weeks alone that have to do with this, and I'm sure there will be more. 

Fortunately I am not super busy at work right now, so the fact that some of this personal stuff is encroaching into work hours isn't a big deal. 

And with that I leave you to ponder if you will, how I should handle my next meeting with Mr. M.  Hair up off my neck perhaps?