Thursday, July 28, 2005

Staley Da Bear

Yesterday we took a family day and headed out to Bourbonnais Illinois to see the Bears at their training camp. Jason goes every year to watch the Bears practice and he wanted to bring us along this year. It was originally supposed to start at three in the afternoon, but because of the much needed rain we had the night before, practice was moved to eight thirty in the morning. That meant we had to leave by seven o'clock in the morning if we wanted to get there on time. I was not thrilled, I am so bad about getting up in the morning. But, it was planned, and the girls were looking forward to it so there was no turning back. It was more fun than I had anticipated. It helped having Jason up and ready to help out with getting the girls fed and dressed in the morning. We brought the baby to grandma, which she loved. We got there on time and headed over to were the Bears come out to practice to try and get some autographs. Much to our surprise Brian Urlacher come out and headed over to give us and a few others his autograph! He always tries to sneak in and out of training camp to avoid the fans, so we were very lucky to say the least. Jason has been going to this camp for 6 years and has never come close to getting his autograph. It's probably because of his beautiful girls that he had with him! So, that was cool.

After sitting there and watching them train for a little while Staley Da Bear(the Bears mascot) came around for all the kids.
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(here he is visiting with a sick girl at the University of Chicago Childrens hospital )

Anna and Mary were very happy to see him, and went up for a closer look. After watching him with the other kids for a while Staley noticed Mary and Anna watching him and went over to them. I yelled over to the girls to go give him a hug, and Anna backed away very unsure about the whole thing. Mary went right up and did it. Then, when Anna got scared and came over by Jason and I, Staley began to act as though he were crying. Anna didn't seem to care much, but I was sad for him so I went to give him a hug to show Anna how much better it made him feel. She wouldn't budge. So, after a little while he left to go talk to some other kids. When he was out of site was when Anna worked up the courage to want to hug him. She felt bad that she made him feel bad. Jason took her and they looked around for him, but they couldn't find him. He wasn't around for the rest of the time of the practice, and when that was over we went over to try and get some more autographs. Anna didn't care too much about the players (or the big football guys as she says.) She wanted to see that darned bear, and made quite a fuss over it. One of the security ladies overheard her, and then herself went looking for Staley. Turns out he was already gone, and wasn't coming back till the night practice, and there was no way we were waiting around till then. Jason told Anna that he would bring her next year, but she still felt bad that she didn't get the chance to hug him.

So, I am starting to wonder if this is how it is going to be at Disney. Will she never work up the courage to go up to her favorite characters to give them hugs until they are gone? Are we going to have every security guard, or worker looking for Mickey, or Goofy, or Cinderella? I reminded Anna about how bad she felt when she was told the bear was gone, and that she wouldn't get another chance until next year to give him a hug. Then went on to tell her that when we go to Disney, she should remember that she might only get one chance to do this, and she had better take the chance when she has it so that she won't miss out and feel bad about it later. Oh, what a hard life lesson to be learned.

Friday, July 22, 2005

2 piece bathing suite

Is it wrong that I let Anna wear a 2 piece bathing suite? [There is a story behind this question]

We ran into one of Anna's friends from Ballet and her mother at the pool today. Of course Anna was instantly happy to see her friend and they headed right for the little slide, and slide down it over and over again. While this was going on I was talking to the little girl's mother. After only a couple minutes of small talk she butted into my turn with "sorry to interrupt, but I just have to ask why Anna has that scar." I then, without hesitation, went on to tell her our story. She then responded with something that I was not expecting. I usually get a, "wow, that must have been hard" or "well, she looks great now!" or "you would never know by just looking at her." Something along those lines, but her response was "and you put a 2 piece bathing suite on her?" I was very surprised, and offended by her response. I wish I could have come up with something brilliant in our defense, but I'm not very witty. I told her "why not? She liked it, she picked it out, and I'm not ashamed of what happened to her, and neither is she." She just kindof nodded and walked away. For the rest of the time she was there she was glaring in our direction. Later at the concession stand she was talking to one of her snotty friends, and I overheard something along the lines of "she just wants attention." I was horrified! She thinks that I am exposing my daughter for attention! I was hurt at first. I am still very upset about the whole thing, but the more I think about it, the more angry I get. For the whole 8 months that our girls where in Ballet together she was very nice, we talked (not like we were best friends, but casual mother to mother stuff) and the subject never came up, so I never just brought it up. For her to think that I want attention for it now is absolutely nuts.

So, is it wrong for me to put Anna in a 2 piece? I am thinking of great comebacks to say if this happens again, or if we run into her again, but I am drawing a blank. Any feedback would be great!



This picture was taken in early June this year.

Friday, July 15, 2005

Just one little word.

Please leave a one-word comment that you think best describes me. It can only be one word. No more. And you can't repeat a word already posted! Post in your blog (if you have one) so I can leave one word about you!

Sunday, July 10, 2005

Questions for Anna

Recently on Classkids someone put a post up called "Questions from kids." This women's daughter goes to school, and kids ask her many questions about her liver transplant. She went through the questions with her daughter and posted the questions and her daughters responses to them. It was really cute to read. With Anna starting preschool in the fall I wondered how she might answer these questions if kids would ask her them. I know she was too young to remember anything, but she has been told about it from us, and we try to explain things to where she would understand them. Here goes:

What is a liver transplant?
It's just a liver transplant!

Why did you get a liver transplant?
Because my tummy hurted.

Where did your liver come from?
From you, right mommy?

Why do you have scars?
Because the doctor had to take out my liver and put in my new one.

Why do you take medicine?
Because mommy gives it to me.

Can you play outside?
Yes!

Will I catch it and get sick?
Nooo!


I liked her answers. I can't remember how the subject came up, but she once asked her friend "when you had a liver transplant...?" I can't remember exactly what her question was, but it came a surprise to me. It's such a normal part of her life, she seems to think that everyone has had a liver transplant. I then explained to her that not everyone has to have a liver transplant. She understands now, and she is getting better at understanding what happened her, why it happened to her, and how much better it has made her. I pray that she will be strong when she is asked these questions by her peers, and not uncomfortable. It is so hard to be different in any way when your a kid. You would never guess by just looking at her that she was so sick at one time, so I don't think these questions will come up often, but it is bound to happen. I'm not very worried.