Another day...another dose of prednisone....

Fortunately, Thomas is being very understanding of the fact that I'm not getting enough sleep and that I need some extra down time to find the more patient side of myself again. Last night, he sent me to Barnes and Noble after dinner and put all of the kids to bed so that I could have the evening to myself to finish working on editing. Yeah, Thomas! A friend called when I was gone and she couldn't resist calling me on my cell: "hehehe...How did you get out of bedtime with the kids tonight? You should hear the madness!" She went on to describe that when she called, Thomas was trying to get Zoe and Aidan into bed and Zoe was crying her head off while he pleaded with her. :>

Speaking of editing though. :thud: I have lost all ability to read through the manuscript anymore. As a matter of fact, I've become so befuddled by it all that I can't figure out where the commas belong or what words should be changed. It has a crazy-making quality about it. I would never be a good professional line editor. I'm so busy trying to make sure that I don't have too many spaces after a word or a period or haven't hit enter one time too many between sections that I feel like I've completely lost control of this project. I had no idea that it would involve so much busywork. Also, some of the editing that has had to be done has altered parts of the text ... and I don't feel the same about it anymore. I just need to get it done. Today is supposed to be the deadline. If I don't finish it, I'll have to beg for more time.

I'm doing my best to try and keep up with things this week. Monday, my first short article showed up in the St. Cloud Times. It was also edited from the original, but I think it was ok. It was posted online at the moms website as well as being in the first section of the paper. Here's the online version..... http://www.moms.mn/apps/pbcs.dll/articl ... /1067/MOMS

In other news, I had parent/teacher conferences for Alex last night. In recent days, he has made some rather unusual announcements here at home that have taken me by surprise. Last week, he showed me his school folders where he had crossed out every isntance of "Alex" and replaced it with "Alexis".

"I'm Alexis, mom, not Alex."
"ummm" (feeling the anxiety rise from the tips of my toes right up to the top of my head) "Alex, you are a boy."
"I'm a boy/girl, mom."
"What is a boy/girl?"
"A boy who is also a girl."

He proceeded to go off into a routine about breaking a nail and needing a manicure and it left me scraping myself up off of the floor emotionally. I began imagining that in 15 years, this would be the moment that I would look back on as THE moment.



His teacher put some of my concerns to rest. Apparently, he just really enjoys the attention that he gets from the girls. Three days a week, he sits with the girls at lunch. The other two days are devoted to the boys. The girls fall all over him giving him attention and including him. They all have encouraged the Alex to Alexis...conversion. I suggested that even though it seemed harmless that I...well...I want Alexis removed from his folders. She didn't see the harm in it, but...well...I've heard of little girls who are tomboys, but not...about little boys who want to be girly girls. I admit it. I'm freaking out a little.

I talked to Alex about all of it and I tried asking him how he felt about being a boy.

"Are you happy being a boy? Do you feel like...you aren't a boy? Do you wish secretly that you were a girl?"

"eeeeeeew. That's disgusting. Why would I want that?"

Ummmm...I don't know...maybe because you are calling yourself Alexis

phew! ?

One thing's for sure...things are never dull around here![/quote]