Author: Dawn Kasal-Finley

Strength And The Individual

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / Leave a comment

Okay, I will admit it.  I went to the Madonna concert last night with my best friend–who I’ve known since high school.  It was a great moment to share with my closest and dearest friend.

I have been a fan of Madonna’s since the early 80’s.  I remember her being the first person who illustrated that you could be different and true to  yourself and make it.  I know she wasn’t the first person to do that–but it was the first time I realized it as a young teen.

I later learned from her that it was okay to be who  you were and that not everyone had to like you.  Whatever you think of Madonna it is hard not to respect her hard work (OMG–she is over 50 and in amazing shape) and her focus on being who she is regardless of what anyone else thinks.  It takes a confident and strong woman to do what she wants (staring a show 2 hours late).  She said something at her concert about finding our gifts and sharing them with the world.  She has done that.  As like with any gift–some folks don’t want it.  But giving it anyone because it is what you have to offer is what is is important.

I hope to raise a daughter that strong.

Movement

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So it’s November.  Which means I will torture myself with NaBloPoMo and attempt to post everyday this month.  This is my 7th attempt–I have been successful 5 of the 7 times.  Just the thought that I have been blogging that long is a bit crazy.  When I started this blog back in March of 2006, I really didn’t have much intention of doing it long term.  But here I am.

I have hopes that each NaBloPoMo will jump start my writing that gets less in quantity as the years pass.  My life is busy and while it appears that I would have much more to write about as I grow as a person and as my kids grow; the reality is that I have much less time for writing.

Because the writing matters.  Just like my photography–I love taking pictures and on the last few vacations with my kids I took few pictures and it made me sad.  That while I spent more time doing things with my family–I didn’t make it a priority to document those moments and you can’t get them back.  That is what this blog is–a chronicling of my life, my kids lives and my views and opinions.  It is important.  Because life keeps moving and doesn’t stop.  You have to capture what you can.

I was helping Noah with something this morning and a memory popped up of him being two and asking for “bun bob” (spongebob).  Now he is on his way to being 7.  The time goes too fast. I am hoping that this year NaBloPoMo really jump starts the attention I give to blogging.

 

The Lost Tooth

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So, Zoë lost her first tooth yesterday–during her last week of being 4.  While her older brother, who is 6 1/2,  waits patiently (okay-so not really all that patiently) to lose his first tooth.  When I picked the kids up from school, Zoë  had a huge smile and was holding the coveted tooth treasure chest.  My heart sunk.  Not only did my not quite 5-year-old baby lose her first tooth, but I immediately felt the heartache of my going on 7 son’s despair that he still had not lost his first tooth.  A tooth that has been looser longer than that of the not quite 5-year-old.

I tried to play this moment down, which I know isn’t fair to Zoë, but I just couldn’t bear to “rub it in” for Noah that he still has all of his baby teeth.  UGH!

I waited until Zoë was done w/gymnastics to talk to her about it–as Noah still had an hour of class left.  She was so excited.  Turns out she pulled the tooth out herself during nap time.  Holy Crap…Seriously?  I know this should surprise me as this is the kid who gets shots at the Dr. and doesn’t flinch.  At. All.  She is daring and fearless.  I am certain that when I pick her up today her second tooth will also be secured safely in a another tooth treasure chest.  Serving a double dose of despair to her brother as he has to endure the lost teeth and her birthday this weekend.  Sucks to be Noah this week.

We talked about her friends and how everyone was excited that Zoë lost a tooth–except for her “boyfriend.”  She told him and he said “That’s not very impressive.”  It should be noted that the boyfriend is a year older and hasn’t lost any teeth yet either.  Then the dreaded topic: The Tooth Fairy.

Clearly, the Tooth Fairy needed to pay a visit.  I will admit I was wholly unprepared for this.  I was certain I had at least 2 more weeks before I had to really consider this.  I started trying to figure out what the Tooth Fairy should leave at our house.  Considering that the first visit sets up all future visits.  I was warned by many a parent to be careful where I set that bar as they lose teeth for a long time.

So, of course I took to Facebook to see what the going rate is among my friends.  I know that at Noah’s school there is quite a bit of Tooth Fairy inflation ($10 for a first tooth).  So, I needed to hear from a wider base.

And it turns out a dollar is pretty standard.  But I didn’t want to just leave a dollar bill–as that really doesn’t seem all that special.  My brother suggested $2 bills–that would have been great if I was thinking ahead.  But I wasn’t.  I am not a planner in that sense and I certainly wish that I was.  So, I settled on gold $1 coins.  I wanted to leave 2 since this is the first tooth.  So I had to dig through lots and lots of change (an by lots I mean about 30 pounds worth) to find gold $1 coins.

Zoë woke up this morning–hopeful that the tooth fairy left her the tooth (sorry to disappoint–but that isn’t how it works kiddo)–but happy to find to gold coins under her pillow.  She showed her brother and he said “She left you chocolate coins?”  He was clearly not impressed with the tooth fairy.

“No these are gold DOLLAR coins.”

“Can I have one?”  He quickly asked suddenly much more excited that it was real money.

So, while I like the idea of $2 bills–we might be sticking with the gold $1 coins. Although Noah informed me this morning that it was acceptable that Zoë  lost a tooth before he did, since he “gets to do everything else first.  I get to go camping at school first.  I get to be in 3rd grade and be a buddy first. I got to play on the blacktop first.  I get to drive first.”  I am certain Noah is going to spend the next few weeks doing nothing but wiggling his two loose teeth.

 

 

When the Little Sister Passes the Big Brother

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This past weekend on our “vacation” (more about that later), I noticed that one of Zoë’s bottom teeth looked crooked.  I asked her to come over so I could feel her tooth.  I knew before I touched it that is was loose and it looked pretty loose.  All I kept thinking the whole time was Please don’t let this tooth be looser than Noah’s.  Please. Please. Please.

Well, of course it is looser than Noah’s.  I mean seriously?  Cant this just work out right.  Noah has been waiting to lose a tooth since his classmates started losing teeth in kindergarten.  All of the girls in Noah’s class have lost teeth and now a couple of the boys in his class have.  It’s so hard to be one of the younger kids in class and hitting many of the marks later than your classmates.  Now his sister (who is 19-months younger) is getting ready to surpass him.

Of course, Noah was frustrated and started to cry a little.  Bill, finally called him over and said that it just meant that his teeth were stronger.

I can’t imagine how it must feel for my sensitive, perfectionist child to have his sister do something before him.  She did a flip off the diving board before he did–when he did his (right after) his was better and that saved his feelings.

Zoë’s tooth is still looser than Noah’s (I keep telling him is isn’t–parenting for the win).  I am certain hers is going to fall out first–and I don’t know what it going to happen when it happens the way I think it will.  Noah suggested we tape it down–so his can fall out first.

If only it was that easy.

Back To The Olden Days

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Okay, so this morning the day was moving along just fine. Kids were up and watching a little TV while I made their lunches.  Then I made their lunches.  Then Noah calls–“Mom, what did you do?”

“What?”

“The tv stopped working.”

And yes, there it was the blue screen of TV death.

I went downstairs to check our u-verse router.  Sure enough the broadband signal was blinking red.  I reset it and still blinking red.  UGH.  Frustrated.  I’m sorry, but I wanted to watch criminal minds tonight and survivor. I will miss them both and won’t be able to record them–since no connection at home.

This of course also means no internet and no phone.  We are really going to be kicking it old school at our house tonight.  We might have to talk to each other and play games.  I am actually looking forward to being able to just hang with the kids and not have the TV on.  It’s really not on that much at our house–mostly Bill and I watch TV after the kids are in bed.

I contacted AT&T this morning via live chat and after explaining that I wasn’t getting any service at home, the customer service agent asked me several times if I could tell him what the lights on the gateway/router were doing.  Umm..no.  We are chatting and I don’t have internet at home–so that should tell you that I am actually not at my house.

So, this makes me skeptical that he could really tell what was wrong with my particular system.  I will probably check again tonight when I get home and actually make a phone call to attempt to talk to someone.  That seems like a not at all frustrating way to spend my evening.

Maybe I will take up knitting?  Probably not.  I’ll probably read on my iPad- thankfully AT&T isn’t my electric provider.