My changing criteria in what I want from a nurse:

Before nurse one, be able to deal with her needs.

Before nurse two, be at work when the bus dropped her off. Be on time.

Before nurse three, be regular in attendance.

Before nurse four, be able to go to school with her and be here on time every day.

Now, I want a nurse who doesn't make me feel like I should not be in my house when she is there.

Gah, Kat.

I like our caregiver but my mother won't let her bathe her, and that's becoming a problem. My dad suspects it's because the woman is black; me, I'm not so sure. Dementia does terrible things to the mind.

Anyway, fun times in Consuela-land: apparently Mom fell out of her wheelchair last night and (maybe) hit her head on the floor and they called an ambulance and off they went to the ER. My sister picked up my dad & was at the hospital until 2AM; the big problem was apparently convincing the doctors that her confusion and upset was from her dementia, not hitting her head (if she even did).

I have a sinking feeling the ALF is going to tell us she can't be safely cared for there, because my dad is clearly not able to provide enough care.

And I'm taking several hours off in the middle of the day today to take Dad to the neurologist. This will be the third week in a row I've taken time off from work to take a parent to the doctor. Whoohoo.

Oh no, Consuela.

Then I told Emmett that Matilda felt bad about her ears and I mentioned the story about his sticky-outy ears. And he picked her up and tipped her upside down and said, "What are you complaining about?! Your ears are perfect and lie flat to your head. I have ear problems! And I'm gorgeous! You're just making up a problem that's not real!"

Aw, that's wonderful. He's such a great big brother.

This will be the third week in a row I've taken time off from work to take a parent to the doctor. Whoohoo.

Oof, that's rough. I'm sorry your mom had a bad fall, and I'm sorry that you're still having to spend so much time and energy dealing with your parents' needs. I wish we had better support in this country for people who need to take a significant amount of time off work to care for sick or aging family members. It's just as important as good maternity leave policies, but doesn't get talked about nearly as much, I think.

Aww, Emmett. What a good bro.

Matilda is gorgeous! With that gently waving hair, and her golden skin! Tell her Lilly thinks she's beautiful, silly boo.

Lilly... is so mired in her Tomboy Pride that she doesn't actually THINK about her looks. She's mostly upset at being so tiny, and her meltdowns wind up sounding like she's trying to reenact Braveheart.

Let's just say, if I never hear the word FREEDOM! shouted in my face again, it will be too soon.

(But, of course, Lilly is also the child who got a pixie cut so she'd look more like a lemming, and who spends half the time these days insisting that she's Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes.)

the child who got a pixie cut so she'd look more like a lemming

... that's fascinating! Where did that come from? I could see getting a pixie to look more like Emma Watson, but a lemming?

the child who got a pixie cut so she'd look more like a lemming

That IS fascinating.

I still don't quite understand why my mother didn't tell me I was ugly and odd...

I am STILL agitated from my meeting with theatre boss. THIS is why I avoid coming to him with my problems-- he makes everything worse, and ends up stressing me out!

I wish we didn't care so damn much about what we look like. Mostly that's a female "we".

Care about it, sure. But THIS much? It's entirely too significant.

(But, of course, Lilly is also the child who got a pixie cut so she'd look more like a lemming, and who spends half the time these days insisting that she's Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes.)

Ha! Matilda's been lobbying for a bob to surprise Lilly the next time she goes up. But I think Matilda will be the surprised one.