Thursday, September 10, 2009

Quick post during commercial break.

Just read about a VBA3C with my doctor in Denton from the ICAN yahoo message boards. Woo-hoo! Love to hear these stories!!!

Friends

A friend on facebook posted old pictures from high school. Me and this friend weren't really close back then so there is none of me in the pictures. Which on a normal day I'd say "THANK GOD". But I've been feeling rather fat lately and it would be kind of uplifting to see a size 10 Rachel again. I couldn't be more unfashionable as I am now back then, could I be? My clothing options these days are less than pathetic. Nothing seems to fit right over my growing belly. And if it does fit, it's uncomfortable because it's either jeans, or not made of cotton. I have some pretty dresses but, I always feel like I should throw on some makeup when I wear a dress for some reason. Or brush my hair. Most days that just isn't possible if I want to make it to a playdate before lunch time.

Back to the pictures...there were pictures of a friend (former friend), and my heart sighed. It is so weird to know someone and be so close and then not talk to them anymore. I don't even know this person anymore. And really I'm okay with that (we had a falling out and I've tried to refriend her but it never seemed to work)...but looking at the pictures reminded me of how we used to be bff's. And how much fun we had our senior year. The whole situation made me feel old.

I wonder how many friends I will make and then lose over the course of my life.

I hope I make some more close friends...and I'd really rather not lose anyone else.

But no matter how hard I try...or how hard others try....for some reason it's the friends I've had since my school years that I feel the closest to, and can be myself around. I've had two bff's since elementary school and we are all each other's odd couple. There's the working mom, the single with the happening life (think Carrie from Sex and the City), then there's me; the frumpy stay at home mom. If we would have met in present day we wouldn't be friends. But something has bonded us together...our memories of childhood, then preteen rejection, followed by experiences in high school (even though by then we all had our separate cliques). Time has bonded us. I hope I never lose them. They are my gals. :)

Not that I'm not open to new bff's, but for some reason it has never worked out.

Naomi is awake after a 3 hour nap (HECK YES), so i better go!

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Today so far

AHHHHHHHHHH! Busy day!

This morn we went to the park where first thing I truly neglected Naomi and she got hit by her sister while walking behind the swings. Mother of the Year Award goes to ME!

I met another preg mom due this month who is using the birth center in Allen. I think that's so awesome. I still wish it would've worked out birthing at the Denton birth center with Naomi but oh well.

Got Sonic for lunch (I AM SO BAD).

Went to the library and got some Carl books, they are the BEST! It's a series of books where the parents leave Carl, the family rottweiler, to take care of the baby and they have all kinds of adventures. It is mostly without words so Libby and I talk about it and we make up our own stories. The books really sound weird I know. A dog that takes care of the baby??? But seriously, they're cute. Look em up.

Then Libby and I watched Wizard of Oz while I napped beside her to 'save her from the witch'. Naomi is still napping in the other room.

We are about to head out to ballet.

THEN there is the munchkin tryouts tonight at DHS. Okay so I found out it is only supposed to be for ages K-5 but I'm going to try and sneak Libby in. She is really looking forward to it and has a routine all set up. I'm SO NOT A STAGE MOM I PROMISE. And if she ends up freaking we will leave but I think she will like it!

OK well gtg get ready for this afternoon!

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

My complaint letter (names taken out)

01 September 2009
Dear Dentist People,

This morning my three year old daughter, E. G., had a dentist appointment with Dr.K. When her name was called shortly after we had signed in, E., my younger daughter N., and I met with a woman at the door. The woman explained that I was not allowed to go back with E. during her examination/cleaning. I expressed my desire for wanting to go back with my daughter. I told her that I do not send her to the pediatrician alone, and I would not send her to the dentist or to any other medical professional without me being there with her. The woman said she’d be back in a minute and asked us to wait in the waiting room while she talked to the dentist. The woman returned soon and said that it was policy to have three year olds and up come back by themselves. I told her that we would be cancelling her appointment then, because I do not agree with that policy. The woman asked me to wait for another moment, then returned. She lead me to the office manager’s office where I do not know if she was saying that I would be billed for the visit, or if she thought my daughter had x-rays that morning that would need to be billed. We cleared up the x-ray bit, because my daughter did not have x-rays (or any medical treatment) while in the office. The office manager and previous woman, looked through my file and told me how the last time my daughter visited, she had gone back by herself. At that time, we were in a front office room, and honestly when they lead her back it was not clear what they were doing until they came back and explained that they were through. I was under the impression that they were just showing her around or something similar to that. I was not comfortable with that after the first visit. And today, when I came in, I had the intention of not letting her go back by herself.
I don’t feel like it is appropriate to not give the parent a choice in the matter. The way I was treated today, it is clear that you either let your child go back alone, or they are not welcome as patients. We live in a world where we have to be advocates for our children. Handing my three year old over to someone who is a stranger to her, is not my idea of healthy parenting. Dentistry is often considered more traumatic than going to a regular doctor. I want my daughter to understand that I will be right there with her, and not off in the waiting room with her sister somewhere. Setting up a healthy, non traumatic base for going to the dentist will help her establish trust and a good foundation with dental care. I guess we have separate ideas on how to accomplish this. I was told today that the reasons I can’t go back with her is a) there is a space issue and b) the children behave better without the parent there. I do not take up much room, so I think that argument is just an excuse to not let parents back there. And my argument for the latter is that I am more concerned with my child’s welfare than their behavior. My child goes to the pediatrician plenty and is fine with me in there, I do not see how dentistry would be any different. I am entitled to be at my child’s every medical/dental procedure. In my opinion a good pediatric dentist (or parent) would understand this.
Thank you for taking the time to read my letter. I hope that you will reevaluate the no parent allowed policy in the future. I have talked to many other mothers in my peer circle and they are concerned with this policy as well, some have even said that they have not come back to your office because of this issue.
Sincerely,
R.G.