My day...a long, weird one.

Ralph's transition meeting was good. Very informal. I sat at a table with several therapists and teachers and just talked and talked all about him, which was very easy to do! The room was an unused science lab which is currently used for trike and wagon storage. Ralph and Leroy just played around while we talked.

Everything was going great until Ralph got himself wedged inside a cabinet! I had to jump up and rescue him. Then Leroy got tired of playing with Ralph and started interrupting us, asking "how much longer?" Joy.

Anyway, I really like the school and their program. The teacher is very cheerful and kind, not syrupy sweet...oh that would drive me nuts. The speech therapist is always in the room. How about that? Lots of speech therapy!!

Ralph will go to the school for four days of testing early in April. After that comes another meeting to discuss their recommendations. Then he starts school after he turns three! Four days a week. Wow. WOW!

Today Ralph had an appointment with the audiologist in Kansas City. I really wanted to drive up yesterday and spend the night with my husband, who was working there this week. But, no. I had to do the whole Wednesday night thing...take my kids and their friends to AWANA, go to the grocery store, get Leroy's valentines ready for his party today, help three other kids get started on their valentines for Friday.

So I got up at 5am today to nurse the baby. Back up at 6am to load and warm up the van. I had Ralph changed, dressed, and ready to go when I smelled him. Ugh. Poop already! I guessed that it would be OK to get it over with for the day. After getting gas I rolled out of town at 7am.

After checking in at the hearing & speech clinic and rummaging around in the diaper bag, I realized that I left his hearing aid in the van. Oh dear. This would have been a great time to have a teenager with me. I had no choice; I had to go get it myself. Back down the hall, down the elevator, out the front door, past the guard shack to the van. The cool thing is that the van is too big to go into the parking garage so I get to park next to the guard shack. Easy in, easy out!

The audio visit went well. We made new earmolds. Signed paperwork for a replacement for the lost hearing aid and did a booth test. His booth hearing test went very well. His unaided results were just under the borderline for hearing loss. I was pleased.

We ate lunch in the cafeteria after the appointment. It was crazy busy and I was pushing this massive double stroller and trying to balance a tray. Ralph kept trying to pat the lady in front of us. Once, she got goosed real good and everyone in line had a great laugh. I was in luck because Thursday is the only day they have sweet potato fries. I LOVE these.

Ralph refused to eat so Ruby and I shared the fries. He did drink the milk, though. We hiked back to the van to load up. I took some time to change diapers, but Ralph was still dry. Hmmm.

We had to drive through Topeka on the way home to pick up some certified birth certificates. I didn't feel like paying for the toll road so I decided to take the old highway. I was driving along on 435, out by the speedway when I noticed a man about to run out into traffic. Oh dear!

Then I noticed he was a police officer. He was dragging something. It looked like he had a dog by the collar. I starting to freak out because he is running out into traffic...I'm driving about 70 and he's running into my lane! I start to slow down and he throws something into the far left hand lane.

Stop sticks! I was about to swerve to the left to avoid hitting him when it dawned on me what was going on. Just then a car came flying around me on the left and hit the stop sticks and kept on flying. Several patrol cars were hot on his tail.

Meanwhile, the officer that threw the stop sticks was pulling on the string and trying to get the heck off the highway. He turned, slipped on some sand, and fell on his side. This all happened within a matter of 10 seconds. By this time, I'm stopped. In the middle of the highway. Not quite sure what to do.

I guessed it was OK to keep going, so I did. A couple of miles ahead I found that the officers had the guy at gunpoint and traffic was crawling by very slowly. What a strange day.

After that mess, I was happy to get on the old highway and poke along. It was nice to not have to be in a hurry. When we parked at the state office building I got the stroller out and started to get Ralph out of his seat. He was soaked. And stinky. Sigh.

It was a ten wipe mess. And Ralph was wearing tights under his pants. And I didn't bring extra socks. I ended up strolling into the office with him wearing a coat, but no shoes or socks. Ridiculous. I shouldn't have worried, though. I wasn't the strangest person there, by a long stretch.

I love to people watch when I'm in a government office. One lady's ID was expired. The lady at the window was so patient and kind to her. Not your typical gov't agency type of gal! The woman with the expired ID ended up emptying her whole purse for the lady at the window trying to find bills, insurance cards...anything to use for ID.

We were out of there before long and on our way home. Can you guess what I found when I got Ralph out of his car seat at home? If you said a poopy mess you are right! That boy. Looks like diarrhea again.

I had to leave and go to the grocery store for valentine candy. I promised the kids that if they were good while I was gone that I would get candy for them to tape onto the valentines for their party tomorrow. I picked up some Gatorade for Ralph while I was there. I hope this poopy stuff goes away soon.