Wayne and Rebecca Madsen

This week we lost Keet. He was flying around, and apparently he was just as bird-brained as we teased. He flew right into the fan, fell on the floor, and died. Like he hadn't had a year to learn there is something to be avoided there. Two birds gone in a year's time is suggesting we aren't good bird owners. At least not at this time.

I was impressed by how well Paela took things. She listened very carefully, asked if we would see his spirit when we go to heaven, told me she was sad about Keet, and helped make a little memorial for him in the backyard. She also later explained things well for Camilla and Victor. She was glad to hear that I miss him too.

Aderyn has been full of "I do it!" moments. It's a blessing and a curse. A blessing because I love to see her independence. But a curse because there are even more scrapes and bruises and tantrums when she needs a little guidance sometimes. Ah, growth.  read more »

After all my family left, Paela and Aderyn took one day to detox from having so many people around. Aderyn erupted in spontaneous giggles because she had kept her feelings so bottled up for many days. Paela was content to just play in her room by herself all day. But the day after, Paela was already asking when her cousins were coming back.  read more »

...we're here, we're here. 

The week started with us brainstorming what needed to be done before people came out. Shopping, double checking hours on places, and other research items. All to be ready for the big Madsen family reunion this weekend, Boston-style.

We met up with Melissa and family at Hampton Beach in New Hampshire on Thursday. Aderyn, who regularly asks to be put in her swimsuit (him-hoot) in the hopes that she can get wet, was terrified of the waves touching her. Eventually she warmed up when Wayne made a little lagoon for her to splash and kick and let everyone pile sand up on her. Paela loved the waves like always and reminded us that we let too long go between taking her back to the ocean. I thought the water was way too cold, but acknowledge that we live just as close to the beach here as we did in CA. So maybe Paela has a point. The sand is warm and that is nice.  read more »

We ditched the veteranarian we had. Partially this was because our cat's blood sugar registered levels were in the 200s -- which isn't healthy, but as good as a vet would want to get while relying on their own blood tests -- and also because he failed to note her elevated bacteria level in her bladder. So then, she got sick. Really sick.

Star wasn't eating and was emptying her stomach every three hours for two days. We went to a new vet who immediately gave her some fluids and a week's worth of antibiotics. Working with this guy has been cryptic and there have been moments we thought Star was gone for sure [like, he kept reminding us we were working one day at a time if we asked too many forward-looking questions -bec], but last night she started acting more like her normal self and has been eating (lightly) and has kept it down for the last day and a half.  read more »

Aderyn stayed in her own nursery class today. Wayne handed her teacher the "secret weapon" to give her after he left the room. We think it must put her teacher on her "good list" if she can give Aderyn something so treasured as a pacifier.

We made it to Walden Pond and North Bridge and Kimball Farm before my parents had to leave again. Paela was sad to lose her "best buds", but she's been asking if we can go do bumper boats ever since. Bumper boats and the indoor playground and best buds are very high on Paela's to do list. [Kimball farms is definitely one of the more fun places I have been to, with the best mini golf course I have played. It is a shame we won't be going there for the family reunion. -Wayne]  read more »

It's official. Star has feline diabetes. Lots to learn. There are some helpful online communities that have given advice and start-up supplies, so we'll try this out and see how bad treatment will be. Our biggest worry still is the time commitment -- what do we do when we need to go on vacation if she needs insulin twice a day?

We had a fun Memorial day at Camilla and Victor's. Paela loves going to their house. Aderyn found some dolls and stuffed animals to carry around. And Paela practiced the wii -- with it downstairs she doesn't play with it much at home!

We took advantage of Wayne's summer schedule and my part-time status to go visit a local indoor playground one rainy morning. It smells just like I remember those kinds of places smelling. Like feet and plastic. But the girls liked it.  read more »

Paela graduated to a big kid bed this week. She has been struggling for weeks now with her toddler bed being too small for her body (as well as all the stuffed animals and additional things she takes with her to bed). So we promised her a big kid (twin size) bed and we got her one. At least, a mattress. We're still working on the rest of the bed.   read more »

One professor I admire confided in me that at the beginning of the semester he already knows who will be the A-grade students and who will be the C-grade students. We discussed this paradigm and at the time, I felt this to be an unfair prejudice towards incoming students. After some time teaching I have decided it is a horrible assumption to have, and yet it still rings (mostly) true semester after semester. Perhaps the reason why I keep seeing this behavior prediction come true is because my courses are very cumulative in structure. Therefore, if a student begins to fall behind early in the semester because -- for whatever reason -- they aren't completing assignments, then I always see these students not catch up by the end of the semester. There are many broken promises on their parts of made-up work and failed 'last minute' attempts. I believe that I'd like to try a different approach to learning which doesn't depend so much on consecutive and consequential units.  read more »