I judge most fathers pretty harshly because I’m constantly comparing them to my dad. He’s pretty much the most awesome dad ever. As far back as I can remember (which is pretty far, I have memories that go back to before I was a year old), my dad has been as much a part of my life as my mom. I remember riding around on his shoulders, crawling around him on the couch while he tried to read, watching Star Trek with him, playing silly games with him, “helping” him with house work – you know, the usual stuff.

One of my strongest memories may not be a happy memory, per se, but it is a memory that makes me spill over with love for him. When I was five years old, I was burned in an accident with boiling water. I was burned over the majority of my body. I remember the entire thing very clearly. But what I remember most, is the ride home from the hospital and my dad carrying me. I remember his voice when he asked me if I was okay. I remember, even though I couldn’t move, even though the sun was in my eyes, I remember feeling safe and taken care of.

That’s how my dad makes me feel every day of my life. Thanks, Dad.

This blog is all medical updates and no pizazz! Apparently, my x-rays weren’t alarming (I’m showing some “spine-straitening due to muscle spasm” – sounds peachy!) but the persistence of my symptoms and the addition of hip pain made my doctor refer for more x-rays and physical therapy. And more pills, which are the only things keeping me from House-like levels of snark and misery-making.

In dental news, I’m getting orthodontia to get rid of the gap in-between my top front teeth. In addition to vanity, I’m mostly doing it because I’m tired of getting my lips stuck in my teeth and getting cut. I’m also going to end up getting at least one tooth bonded or veneered so that my teeth don’t move ever again. When I went for my evaluation, one of the assistants commented on the size of my lower retaining wire: “I’ve never seen one of those in real life before!” Apparently, the wires they use now are about 1/3 of the gauge of my wire. Yes, I’m old now.

Because of my stupid neck injury, I haven’t been able to exercise at all. So, my weight isn’t going down. But it does appear to have stabilized? Probably due to the glucophage/metformin. I don’t even know anymore. I’m just focusing on fiber to get my cholesterol lower, and I’m going to worry about the rest later.

In other news, my skin is breaking out like crazy. I am focusing on remaining indoors and becoming a desert vampire because I think part of it is that my skin gets really oily if I’m in the sun too much. Also, sun hats and sunscreen in everything. My skin definitely doesn’t look 32 years old, and my fear of skin cancer, being an indoor kid in high school, and living in Seattle for most of my 20s certainly helped. So, I’m getting a consultation with aesthetician to avoid it getting worse and reverse whatever sun damage I might have.

Family-wise, it’s been awesome lately. My mom, sister, and niece came to visit last weekend, and it was just fantastic. I love them all so much and my niece is such a wonderful, easy, happy baby and has a huge personality already. Plus, my mother-in-law (who I get along with like nobody’s business) is coming this weekend, and my brother is coming to visit in May. Even Tom, who can be stressed out by having company, has been enjoying the shit out of it – it’s a good distraction from all the DIY around the house.

Speaking of which, I need to pick out some more tile, move some furniture, paint some walls, and go through some boxes. Once we’re done with everything, it will be time to move and find a new adventure.

It’s amazing how positive muscle relaxers can make a person.

Rachel’s comment, from the post below:

Just so everyone knows, Leira was indeed born to Empire Strikes Back. My labor went so fast we didn’t make it through the entire movie. So fast, my actual doctor didn’t deliver the baby. I believe they had to bring in the ER doctor. INTENSE.

I’m an Aunt. It’s official. I’ve kind of been a lower-case aunt for Sam, but this feels very different than when he was born. Leira is someone who I feel a real sense of duty towards and thank goodness that the Kleins came to visit over the weekend because I would have been a ball of guilt and anxiety without them around to distract me. It’s kind of settling in now and I really wish I could be there with Rachel, even though I would just be a seat filler.

Poor Arrow was really thrown for a loop with other people in the house. She seems to be recovering nocely today, Tom took her out to the ranchito for a run with the desert dogs, and she’s muddy and happy and napping.

We had a lot of fun having our BFFs over – they hadn’t seen the house since we just moved in, so they could see all the work that’s been done and reminded us that we’ve actually gotten a bit finished. Also, Annika is proving that pregnancy is a very good look for her, yet again. Sam is proving that age 3 is a strange, yet, simple age and that you must take the time to assess the situation. And Will is proving that beer is a breakfast food and whiskey is for dessert, and that Nick Cage movies are always worth watching.

Tom managed to cook breakfast for all of us and prove that you can, in fact, use a pancake mix and rely on technique for the World’s Best Pancakes.

I’m sure I proved something or other, but what it could have been, I have no idea. I have fallen into watching the “Later… with Jools Holland” marathon on Ovation (a show that I have never seen before) and I’ve bookmarked the Wikipedia page for it. I will be searching for video of that past 33 series in the coming months, I suspect. Oh, live performances, I don’t need to like that band or that song, but I never get to see bands anymore, so I’m starved for it. UKers, you have no idea how lucky you are to have had this show.

Oh, and we watched the movie Hot Rod on Saturday. If you haven’t seen it, you should. It is very funny and I am a fan!

As Mother’s Day winds down, I want to address some things about moms:

1. My mother is probably the best mom in the world. Sorry, everybody else! I think she’s better than your mom! But things being what they are, if your mom was half-way decent, I can’t blame you for thinking otherwise.

2. My sister is going to be a great mom. Some women just have the right mix of fortitude, optimism, and insanity for motherhood and Rachel is one of these women. I can’t wait to watch her go through it (and not in some state of schadenfreude) because she’s just gonna roll with it.

3. Some of my favorite blogs are written by moms who manage to present themselves as complex, multifaceted, super-interesting women. Stephanie, Annika, Violet – I’m thinking of you! (Let me know if it’s okay to link to your blog and I will!)

4. Mothers-in-Law, while endlessly controversial, are also important. I hope that you have a good relationship with yours, and that you’re lucky like me and that she makes you’re life better and loves you as much as she loves her bio-kids. I miss her, but I’m glad that if she has to live far away, at least she lives in Hawaii, which makes the distance a little more bearable.

Yea! Moms! Woo!

I feel great. I’m sleeping better, I’ve stopped snoring, and I can breathe through my nose all of the time!

My throat feels like it’s been stabbed, though.

I had my check-up two days ago and saw pictures of my tonsils once they had been removed – they were 1 inch wide and 3 inches long. They were covered in scars and looked like Freddy Krueger’s balls. And, apparently, they were full of stones.

In not gross news, my favorite kind of frozen yogurt is tart plain, followed by caffe latte, and tart mango. No toppings.

My mom went home on Tuesday (the same day as my check up), but didn’t get going right away because she missed her flight (my fault) and so we ended up getting manicures and pedicures at the Palm Springs Mall in the same shop that Shannen Doherty had her nails done during the height of her 90210 fame (autographed Brenda Walsh poster). When Mom called me to tell me she had missed her flight I felt so terrible, I started crying and sobbing, which was dumb because it made my throat hurt.

She caught a later flight and everything was fine, but I got upset. I blame the drugs.

We had a great visit and, honestly, I don’t think I would be recovering as well as I am if my mom hadn’t been here. I love her and I miss her. I wish I could do for her what she does for me.