Thursday, October 17, 2024

October

I wanted to show Maggie The Sixth Sense. We went to the movies and saw his new movie and I explained how he suffered because of his initial extreme success. I was afraid she would figure out the big twist but she didn't. We were going to watch the movie just the two of us but Ruby wanted to watch too. We had so much fun. In the last scene, I just watched Maggie to see when she would realize and it was so fun. Ruby did not understand but we were able to explain it to her.  

Maggie's friend, Paige, works at Studio Movie Grill so Maggie wanted to get a job there. We applied before she actually turned 16 and they wouldn't even look at it. We re-applied after her 16th birthday and she got an interview. We practiced her interview skills. Her initial answers were quite funny. It's hard to explain this is just how it works, it's not lying, it's just what you're supposed to say. 

She ended up getting the job in the interview!!! It's so weird seeing her go to work. 


October was a bad month for money! First, Maggie wrecked my car. I decided the cost to fix it wasn't worth it so I had to buy a new (used) car for me and then a car for Maggie. I wanted to try just having one car but I had two incidents in the first week where I needed my car and didn't have it. I had told Maggie I wouldn't get her a car until she was employed and could contribute to the payment.

The other huge expense was my sweet Honeybear. I had a no show and just happened to be out in the living room and Honey suddenly snapped at Chiara and then continued to just bite at the air. Her tummy was immediately swelling up and getting hard. I have cleaners come once a month to do a deep clean and they had been there that morning, so my first thought was that she had gotten into something and was sick. But she was scaring me. She couldn't be still and her tummy was so big her skin looked stretched (which for a basset is insane!). This was the second time I needed my car and didn't have it. I ended up calling Maggie's school and releasing her so she could come home and I could take Honey to the ER. 

We got there and they immediately took her back and gave her pain meds. They did an x-ray and the vet came in and said she was having this totally random thing: basically her stomach (the actual organ) flipped, which blocks off the exit for gas and cuts off blood supply (hence the swelling). They said from the time it starts, she would be dead in hours without immediate surgery. They said it's common for the dog to lose organs or parts of organs depending how long blood has been cut off. I signed off and they had her in surgery within 15 minutes. I bawled and laid around until they called. She was fine. They fixed the flip (and stitched her stomach to her back so it won't happen again). The vet said everything was super inflamed but she didn't actually have to remove anything. They said she would basically be asleep until tomorrow but I could come visit her whenever. 

The next day Ruby and I went to see her. She wouldn't eat or go to the bathroom. I'm assuming she was scared because she's never spent the night away from home. As soon as she came in the room with me, she squatted and peed an insane amount of pee. Then Ruby wanted to help mop it up and wouldn't return the mop and kept mopping various places. Ruby! But Honeybear was so upset, she wouldn't stop crying and when I didn't take her, she was so upset. Luckily, I was able to get her the very next day. She's doing so incredibly well. She's basically back to her old self, except she has an unbelievably humongous scar. 





Our doctor basically disappeared. She sent me a referral on Friday and when I messaged on Monday to get Ruby's meds refilled, they said she was no longer there. So Maggie had no medication for a week and then started coughing so we set up a new doctor appointment. They said she was wheezing really badly so they gave her a nebulizer treatment. She's much better now. 





Monday, October 14, 2024

September

Ruby got her MAP scores back and did really well. The best thing about MAP is that it was created as a predictor for passing the STAAR test. Ruby has been worried about starting taking the STAAR this year but since I explained that, she hasn't brought it up.


That's Maggie's MAP score. I've got smart girls!


The big birthday party. 16, 14, 9, 9. 


One of my all time favorite songs!!!
For Maggie's birthday, Paige joined us to go to the aquarium and then out to eat. 













Ruby's friend drew this picture of her on her little tablet thing. 


Friday, October 11, 2024

Birthdays

 I had the stupidest thing happen. It was a Friday morning and I was exhausted. I dropped Maggie off at school and came home and took a nap at like 8 am. I emailed Laurie and was freaking out trying to figure out what the hell was wrong with. Then, light dawned and I realized I never drank my coffee. Ridiculous!


Look at the size difference between Big Dog and Chiara. 
Ruby is starving when her meds wear off. She's got ramen noodles, a probiotic yogurt drink thing, fried eggs, and taquitos. 
Ruby's 9th birthday party was at Urban Air. It was so loud.











Maggie's final driving test. Which! We spent all freaking day at the DMV getting her provisional license and then two days later I got an email from the state of Texas saying you can do that online!!! Annoying!
Aunt Gwen and Grandpa came over to celebrate the girls' birthdays. Gwen brought a delicious lasagna and Dad brought cookie cakes. 


Maggie's provisional license 
Maggie wrecked my car. Not great. I had to get a new car and now I'm probably going to have to get her a car as well. 
We went to Erin's so the girls could get haircuts. Erin made pineapple shaped candy. 

Ruby chopped off all her hair because it was "burning hot" on her back. Ruby left her backpack there and I made Maggie drive back to go get it. It was the first time she'd ever driven alone and it was scary!