Patience

I am always wanting more patience. Who isn't? I do get told that I have the patience of a saint. I don't think so. I am just very easy going and don't stress over little things. I think most parents that have a child (or children) with Down syndrome know that patience is required multiple times during the day. They generally take their own sweet time doing whatever it may be. It makes you practice that skill of patience. Or maybe you get completely stressed over the situation. Maybe you learn that getting stressed just makes it take SO much longer.

I had a doctors appointment this morning. I was going to get my cholesterol checked. Apparently high cholesterol runs in my family. About a year and a half ago we applied for a new life insurance plan. During that they do blood work. My cholesterol came back high. I go to my doctor to get tested. It came back insanely high. like over 400 high. It should be below 200. I want to say it was like 432 or something. It wasn't the good stuff either. My LDL was pretty high. However I was still breast feeding Ike and the doctor felt waiting a year wasn't going to hurt anything. He also said even if I ate a completely vegan diet and run marathons it would not be changing my cholestrol numbers too much. I already don't eat much meat. So it is not like I am a big meat lover and eat red meat all the time. Ike finished breast feeding towards the end of Summer/beginning of Fall and I am just now getting to the doctor for re-testing. I hate the idea of having to take medicine every single day. I guess that truly means I'm getting old! I also hate pills so I completely dread having to take medicine. Maybe by some miracle my results will come back normal! I am not holding my breath though.

Today the kids are out of school for MLK day. All 4 got to hang out with me while I went to the doctor. We get there and Max, Sam and Joe all find a seat and play their leapsters. I check in and seat down with Ike. The older 3 looked like perfect little angels. It didn't last long. Ike was pointing to the doors every time they opened or closed. I was talking to him about that. Max heard me, looked up, saw where I was and came running over to me. He put his leapster in our bag and wanted in my lap. About that time Joe also came running over and wanted in my lap. It all went down hill from there. Joe crying and throwing a fit. He got over it. Then Ike, still by the door was hitting this sign and when he would it made a noise. I put my hand on the sign so it wasn't so loud (think drum). Joe decided this looked fun. He tried it too. Much louder drum sound. I told him to stop, he did not. I said if he did it one more time I was taking his Leapster. He looked at me, grinned and was going for it. Bang! I take his leapster and he throws yet another fit. The kids were testing my patience! In their defensive we were in the waiting room for 50 minutes!! yes, almost a complete hour.

We finally get called back. The kids did OK. Loud at times but for the most part OK. I then go and get my blood drawn, check out and we can leave. However, this building is connected to an urgent care center. The doors connect but they both have their own entrance. Max thinks it is pretty freakin' fun to run around in circles with these doors. I do not! Today he thought Ike would like to try this out. Ike also thought it was pretty fun. They run one way while I go a different. No matter which door I am at they are at the opposite. You know the game. Ike apparently does not know the rules yet. He let me grab him when I got close. Max still ran around. But if I chase him he thinks it's even more fun. I learned that long ago. So I wait with Ike. I am about to go to the car when Max spots us and comes running over to me. They all lost their Leapsters and TV when we got to the car. None of them really behaved well at all (overall).

We went to lunch and they all did great. I even got a compliment about how well behaved they were. I was thinking you are speaking way too soon! But they did fine. I think we get compliments about half the time to go out to eat if not more. Maybe people just notice us more since we have 4 kids with us. I don't know.

We are home now. Sam went to a friends house for awhile so it is just me and the boys. Home practicing patience!