What Wide Nose and Chubby Cheeks Can Cause

There won’t be any pirate wear this summer. Avery’s eyes are just fine, thank goodness. Turns out the cross-eyed appearance is just an optical illusion. Her nose bridge is wide and the little fatty pockets in her cheeks smoosh her eyes in a way that make them appear cross-eyed at times. Isn’t that unbelievable? I am grateful because even though lazy eye muscles is not a huge issue, my mind, of course, runs in the direction of “It is a sign of a bigger problem.” I panic at the littlest things. I know it is cliché, but I just hope for healthy children.

The appointment was great. The doctor was so gentle and, since he was a pediatric specialist, obviously he was great with kids. Avery loved him and acted like HI NEW FRIEND! while he examined her eyes. There was one point when he wanted her to focus on a TV screen about 15 feet away and I thought, well, it’s over now, because neither Avery or Madeline will watch TV. Making matters worse, the video on the screen showed mechanical stuffed animals barking and roaring and meowing, looped on repeat. It was a little grainy and looked like something from a horror movie. But Avery was captivated and watched intently.

I just don’t get it. I have tried to get them to watch TV—things much more engaging then mechanical toys making tinny noises— and they are not interested. Their morning routine used to involved watching a DVD called Sunrise Earth, which literally was an hour of watching the sun rise in different locations. The barest of documentaries, if you will. They seem to like that, but I think they were just tired and zoned out. Now that they are older there are times when I wish I could engage them in a show (educational, of course, not CSI or anything) for like a half hour so I can get things done. I don’t want them to be couch potatoes but I do at times need a little time to do things. But they just won’t watch anything.

The whole TV issue weighs on me from time to time. I have read the articles and watched the new reports claiming that TV will make children illiterate monsters, but I am not sure I entirely agree. After all, I am most of my friends watched television growing up and I think we all turned out just fine. But there are so many other distraction that we didn’t have: Computers and cell phones and hand-held games and video games and the Internet and HD TV and DVDs and IM and TM and I could go on an on. I spent my formative years playing with neighborhood in a Lord of the Flies-esque way in a tree house in our backyard. I climbed trees and roamed around in the woods. We played on the street by with other kids until the street lights came on, with not a single parent watching us. Big Wheels and Legos and blocks and Xanadu records, that is what I remember. TV, in comparison, seemed so boring. Well, except for The Muppet Show and Little House on the Prairie. But keep in mind back then there was no cable, no remote control, very little children’s programming and not Tivo.

Sometimes I think of raising them with no television (but occasional DVDs) but that is so hypocritical. Nicole and I watched TV, so how can we not let them? There is a giant TV in our living room. The room is organized around that giant TV. It can only be a matter of time before they start showing interest and we will have to introduce moderation.

Speaking of moderation, the girls ate their first grilled mozzarella sandwich yesterday and loved it. They also ate some spinach lasagna. I never even though t give it to them, but their (Italian) Aunt Jenni was over yesterday and was like “Yeah, sure, give it to them.” They liked it too. I love that they are moving toward more adult food.

I made it to the gym again this morning, tired, for certain, but I was there, dammit. My energy levels do seem slightly better, but I am having more dizzy spells. This sometimes happens to me, I guess because I don’t eat much meat or other proteins. That is my very unqualified guess. Truth is I have no idea why it happens. But I have been dealing with it on and off for years. My blood pressure tends to be low so it could be that too.

I was thinking of putting one of those weight tickers up here but I don’t know. I don’t’ want to focus of numbers and sizes and weight, like I usually do. I am trying to have a healthy attitude. But at the same time, I gained ten pounds and I want those ten pounds gone. Having a ticker just keeps me focused in a way. But at what cost to my mental health?

Pictured above, those aren’t crossed eyes. That’s a wide nose and chubby cheeks. Below that, new dresses for the girls from their Aunt Jenni. I love this dress. I am trying to convince Nicole that the girls should wear these seersucker dresses and I wear a seersucker dress and Nicole wears seersucker pants. Nicole agrees only because I think she knows I won’t be able to find myself a seersucker dress any time soon!