Why Silence is NOT Golden...

At least in our house.

Quiet kids who are supposed to be napping can get into a lot of trouble and redecorate the bathroom in a delightful shade of bubble-gum flavored toothpaste blue, mixed in with a pot of Mommy's makeup.  And all without making a peep. 

And somehow I could not manage to keep a straight face while scolding her.  And because I grabbed the camera to take a picture, somehow she knew she would not be in that much trouble, she giggled the whole time.

Until the schmear got into her eyes and she started rubbing her face against my jeans as I ran her bath.  Somehow, I could not find any sympathy for her.  Anywhere.  Strange.

A Bicycle, A Scooter, and a Dog

Son got a new bicycle for his birthday, and Daughter got a scooter for hers.  This is the Year of the Wheels in our family, I think.  Son is also the proud owner of skates and a skateboard, and a little patience to learn how to use them.  Daughter also inherited brother's old bike and got a princess tricycle for her birthday.  So they are on wheels as often as possible, so far no major injuries to report...yet.  I'm sure they're coming.

And they got a cute new dog named Fiona.  She is their new best friend, especially Daughter.  She won't let anyone who comes over hold or pet her.  Fifi is HER dog!  And Son has not had a problem with his allergies from her, which is a small miracle.  She is a mix of a few breeds, all of them are supposed to be low-allergy, and we got lucky.  She is so pretty and white, but there is some time involved keeping  her that way!  So here is our new family member, Fifi:

Let's Get Cracking

Let's fix the health care system ourselves.  Anyone interested?  Hey, if Fantasy Footballers are running rampant this time of year, can't we have Fantasy Heathcare Reform?  Maybe we can come up with some money-saving ways to get better health care.  I am tired of hearing complaints about how the people in charge are not doing a good job...let's give them a boost.  What things do you like about the current health care system?  What things have got to go?  I do not want to argue about health care reform, or hear any negativity any more.  I have had enough.  I just want to pretend.  What would we like to see, in a perfect world, from our medical system? I'll get you started...

1. Salary caps.  For Doctors, Hospital administrators, CEO's of the drug companies, insurance companies...you name 'em.  Just like the NFL(although I have heard rumor of the salary caps going away next season...)
2. Limits on what hospitals and Doctors are allowed to charge.  I know I am not the only one who looks at the details of their hospital bill in shock and awe... $5.00 for ONE ibuprofen?  The outrageous amounts that are charged to the insurance companies have got to stop.  Likewise, they knock the prices down when the insurance company haggles them.  There should be a set price for what health care costs, and it should be kept to a minimum.
3. A person should not be denied healthcare they are needed.  If they have insurance and their doctor determines that a procedure is necessary, it should be covered.
4.  Doctors need to learn how to do their jobs.  I am sorry, but in the extensive experience I have had with many doctors in the last two years, they seem to be playing a very expensive guessing game.  With my money, not theirs.  I have been to more wasted appointments where nothing was accomplished, consults, followups, et cetera, than I can count.  Not only is this monetarily wasteful, it causes unnecessary time wasted for the patient in pain and frustration.  Doctors should know how to treat a patient, and if they are unable to diagnose, they should do more than throw their hands up and leave the patient to find a doctor who knows how to help them.  They should care enough to find another doctor who can really help the patient, otherwise they should not be doctors themselves.  See the hippocratic oath.
5. We, as patients, need not to waste our doctors' time.  Not to mention our insurance companies'(read: our) money.  We need to better educate ourselves on when a doctor visit is needed, when emergency care is needed, and when rest and time will best serve our recovery.  Emergency rooms are crowded with non-emergencies and people who cannot get in to see their primary doctor.  People cannot get in to see their primary doctor because their offices are crowded with people who are there for a virus or cold which the doctor can do nothing for.  It is an endless cycle that we need to break.
6. I laughed out loud to hear someone outraged at the healthcare reform, saying they wanted to be able to choose their own doctor.  I can't choose to see whatever doctor I want.  Not if I want my insurance to pay for the visit.  I have to choose from a book put out by my insurance company of doctors who are under contract with them.  My most recent new doctor does not have a contract with my insurance company, or probably yours.  Maybe Medicare, I think, but that is the only one.  I was specifically told that he may be the man to fix my long and ongoing problem.  What choice do I have?  Pay for the visits out of my pocket.  And that is just one example.  Heaven forbid you get sick while you are...gasp...out-of-network!  How dare you go on vacation!  Shameful!  The point of #6 is that I can't choose my own doctor under the current system.  And I am not pretending to know everything(or anything) about the proposed reform. 
7. Insurance companies should be charities.  Non-profit(or not-for profit) organizations.  They should be focused on helping and healing, not making money and greed.  Or they should go the way of the Dodo bird.  Extinct.


That's all I have for today.  Leave a comment and I will add on more and credit you for your contribution.  Please leave out negativity, constructive criticism and opposing viewpoints welcome as long as you tell me how pretty I am. ;)

Oops

I downloaded quite a few pictures from my camera to show off. I think Pride is my deadly sin. Because I don't think any of the others quite fit me, and I know for sure that I must have one, so I'm guessing it's pride. But every now and then something happens to humble me. Like when I realize that 80% of the otherwise beautiful pictures I was going to brag about are a little...funny looking. And then I examine my camera and there is a CSI-worthy fingerprint right on the lens that gave a nice cloudy glow to my pictures. Not that I intended to brag about my photographic prowess, I was going to brag about the beauty of my life and the subjects of the pictures, not the photos themselves, so I suppose as long as I tell a good story with them you will forgive the cloudy fingerprinted-lensed pictures, just pretend I got a filter and made them that way on purpose for me.

Daughter is 2 now. And she has all the wisdom of a 22-year old. Which, I suppose, is not that much more, is it? But now that she is so grown up and mature she wants to help me cook our meals. I let her help, stirring, measuring mostly, but now she has decided that she is old enough to scramble eggs. She lets me help so she doesn't get burned, so I let her cook.

But then, last week, she decided that she didn't need my help at all any more.

She has also figured out how to undo the child lock we have installed on the refrigerator. While I was occupied washing sheets, she decided to scramble some eggs all by herself. Two dozen of them. But although I should be thankful she did not attempt to scramble them on the stove, strangely I am not. I emerged from the laundry to discover cracked eggs all over the bathroom, kitchen, dining room, living room, and dog. I wish I'd had the presence of mind to take a few pictures before the long and drawn-out cleaning process, so I can guilt-trip her with them until she is 30, or until I die. But the smell was too much. I may never eat eggs again. On the bright side...the floors got nice and shiny clean again, and again, and again.....and I got to see a dear friend who rushed over to help with the cleanup and smell removal, bless her heart.