What's A Mom To Do???

We made it.. This week Dakota actually made it thru dance class with only a few tears..

Last week I finally broke down and called the Primary Interventionist at school and asked her for advise. She advised and offered to talk to Dakota. When I picked her up from school her first words to me were "You called and talked to Ms S. didn't you?" I asked her if she was mad and she told me no.. We chatted a little about the conversation and she let me know that she was bothered by the fact that one of the girls she goes to school with made a comment about her dancing around all the time and was kind of making fun of her for it.. It bothered me a little at first only because it was killing her love for dance and dancing is her life..

The next day I received a call from Ms. S. and she told me that Dakota seem to become anxious the day of dance class each week due to a comment that was made by a fellow student. She also mentioned that several times in the conversation Dakota expressed her disliking of her size and making comments about her being short and tiny. Thank goodness Ms. S. (also being a small framed and shorter when she was younger) was able to connect with Dakota's situation and feelings. Ms. S shared stories of being teased herself. Ms. S. is also going to work with Dakota each Tues the last 15mins of school to prep her for dance class and ease the anxiety.

I feel relieved that I now know what part of Dakota's problems are. Hormones also came up as a possible culprit for the meltdowns on top of everything else.  UGH!!! I tell myself she is to young to be going thru this already but that is just me being in denial.. I am not ready for my baby to grow up...

The Saga Continues - What's A Mom To Do??

The picture to the left is of Dakota when she was 2.. Small and happy and not a care in the world. Her biggest worry was when she would get to cuddle next..

Ok so last week we had the "melt down" at dance class. This week we were "sick with a headache" about 15 minutes before dance class.. I let that one go and kept Dakota home for fear she was actually getting sick..

Tonight is Youth Group night at our church and we get to the church. I went in to talk to Pastor Daniel ( the Youth Pastor) about the up coming Youth Convention.  I head back out to the van and there stands Dakota's friends, who just a few hours before she was making plans with to meet up at youth group. Dakota was about in tears sitting in the van and the girls told me she had a headache. So I took her home with me and as her friends ran off to meet up with everyone else yells "We hope you feel better."  So being the nosy mom that I am I start to pry. To no avail I get no where. Nothing.  Not a single peep. Complete silence all the way home.  I proceed to tell her that this is a little much and not sure what to say or do if she won't talk to me. I ask her if she wants to just stay home and not get do anything or is it that  she needs to get into the doctor or chiropractor,  she needs to let me know. I fear that  this is the start of a pattern I do not like. It is to much of a coincidence that she starts not feeling well just before these activities. Maybe I am just reading to much into it and maybe I have failed her in some way. I don't know what the answer is but the one thing I know is I WANT MY DAKOTA BACK !!!! I feel a though I could just scream at the top of my lungs.. I just want to fix this and make her happy. What kind of advise do I give? Who do I turn to ? Do I find her a therapist? Do I whisk her away for a overnight and see if I can get her to open up? I need help!!! Terry is now getting concerned but not to the point I am..

Girls are tough to raise and I now feel sorry for all the mothers of girls out there. You deserve the highest praises for the tough job you have. I have heard more than once that boys are a breeze. Hard to say, but I do know that I have a feeling I am in for a long hard next 7 plus years. I just pray that God shows me the way...

I think this is going to turn in to a weekly segment.. Thanks in advance for the support...

Breast Cancer Awareness Month!!

So today I was reading one of my fave blogs and the subject was pink. When I think of pink the first thing that come to my mind is sweet smelling baby girls. Then my mind wonders to the whole pink and brown craze, and then I am reminded that Pink is really for HOPE. Hope that one day women won't have to worry that they might discover that they have that nasty unthinkable thing call Breast Cancer. I myself have never had a close call but I have 3 yes 3 wonderful, giving and accomplished women I hold near and dear to my heart that have had not one but both of their breasts removed because of breast cancer. Horrifying. I feel a mix of emotions when I think of them. The first is their courage and strength to fight and then I feel blessed to not be the one facing it..I know how selfish of me. To think that this isn't just a fight for the moment but a fight for Life..I just want everyone who reads this to take a moment and think about what "Pink" means to you..

Check out the blog of my friend Winn, http://www.wendiwinn.com/2009/10/giveaway-11.html. Her giveaway this month is a set of three of these amazing little soaps in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness! They are cute and are scented with sweet pea fragrance oil..

Thank You Winn for the awesome opportunity to make me think pink.. 

What's A Mom To Do???

I haven't "blogged" in a week due to illness clouding my inspiration to blog. Gotta love Iowa in October..

My 11year old daughter Dakota had "melt down" at dance class tonight.. I will back up a bit and give you an idea of her personality.. My sweet little blonde haired Dakota who mind you lives, eats and breathes dance. We can be at the grocery store and she is dancing down the isles, while waiting in the checkout line and so on. The rule in our house is that homework is first and foremost. This means no tv, cell phone, Wii, DS, computer (unless for home work of course, I know I am soooo mean ) no extra curricular activities and such. Tuesday's are a busy day for our family . The girls get out of school at 3pm and get home usually at 3:15. Dakota's dance classes start at 4pm and she gets done at 8:30 with a 6pm to 6:30pm break for dinner.. Since school comes first she has rouhgly 45 min to get any homework done. Crazy I know.. So getting back to the delima of the melt down. We get home after school and she is working on her math and she out of the blue tells me she wants to quit Jazz.. I almost lost it because this is one of her favorite classes..So being the nosy mom that I am I proceed to ask if she is having problems with anyone in her class and of course she tell me no... I try to pry a little more to no avail I can't get to the bottom of it.. I decide to break my own rule and let her go to dance and take her work with her to do on break since she had only a few math problems left.. We load up in the van and go to dance class and she realizes she for got her water and deides she would rather have a Gatorade. I had left my purse at home since the studio is a few blocks from our house so I go home get money and stop at the store to get a Gatorade. I walk into the studio and there sits Dakota with her math work spread out infront of her and she is crying.. I ask "What's wrong" She doesn't answer. I ask a few more times and then make her pack up her work and bring her home still trying to figure out what has happened. To no avail I get no where .. About 2 hours later I discover that there has been issues at school with a group of friends some of which are in her dance classes.. I find out (long story short) Dakota is trying to be the peace keeper and gets herself dragged into the tiffs between her friends. These tiffs end up resolving themselves with in a day but  I am finding it is an on going problem . So my wise Mom advise is to be nice to everyone involved and let them fight their own battles. She is 11 and I am afraid she is  headed towards ulcer city if she doesn't stop. She gets herself so worked up over this she is making herself sick.  So my question is What's a mom to do  ??

Gotta love Garage Sales!!

The girls didn't have school and I took the day off work today so we decided it would be fun to go garage saleing in Davenport/Bettendorf. There went the idea of actually getting to sleep in. My friend Tammy and I  took the girls and left at 8 :30 this morning rearing to go. The weather didn't like us much as it was raining and a high of 47 degrees made it even better but we were die hards.

Dakota (my 11 yr old) found the first bargain of the day. She bought a new never worn jacket for $15.00       ( this jacket normally sells for $40-$50).

 The next find was a like new / hardly used Craftsman Miter Saw and stand for $70.00. My gut told me Terry would kill me if I bought it but I called and woke him up to tell him about it. Much to my surprise he said "BUY IT". The nice man while taking it apart told me he bought if for a project and hasn't used it since and he paid almost the $70.00 for the stand alone. Wow what a deal..

Ashley's (my 15 yr old) find was a gently used bridesmaid dress she wanted for a Halloween costume for $5.00. My friend Tammy's find was a Longaberger (sp?) (can't afford to look at them) basket for $20.00 I am assuming it was worth $50.00 at least.

Needless to say I am now loving the "Hunt" for good cheap stuff.  Call me crazy but today was the best day..