The kids are now both old enough that I can leave them with Grandma with almost no qualms about how things will go. (I do expect the possibility of tiffs between my hard-headed daughter and my hard-headed mother, and generally get them.)

Grandma and husband are off to Asheville, leaving me in great hopes that mr. flea arrives at the Athens airport as scheduled at 4:40pm, because I don't have a backup plan to collect Dillo from school if mr. flea ends up kicking his heels in Denver or someplace. Taxi, or my neighbors (who would be happy to help and there are enough of them that one should be home), I guess, would be the answer.

Had parent breakfast at Casper's school today. Thomas' mother informs me that Thomas told her that Casper plans to marry him. This is news to me, but he's actually a great kid, so if she still feels this way in 20 years and can convince him, I'd be okay with it. He's going to be tall enough, too (his parents are as tall as we are). Lots of parents showed up, including many of the ones you always suspect won't, and I got to spend some nice time talking to kids who were parentless as well as loving on my kid. I told Jeremiah he had a beautiful name and he was so shyly pleased. There are a bunch of seriously beautiful children in Casper's class.

Dillo had a charming habit of hating it when I push up my sleeves. He always pulls them down for me. He is doing GREAT on the potty lately, and I feel like we are finally finished with diapers in my house!

Tomorrow is mr. flea's birthday and I am planless. It's been a very distracted week, all out of routine and dealing with Mother. I am also planless for Thanksgiving and Christmas (though I have preliminary gifts bought for my mother and siblings at least.) This weekend needs to see some serious planning happen.

(Oh! Grandma got the kids flu-misted yesterday at the county. They got 2 of the last 3 available doses of mist, but the county did have some shots. They say they need another dose in a month, but we'll see how the WHO/CDC work this advice out in the next month, and also, will they actually have any in a month?)

Several (mostly online) friends are down hard with flu - nobody's had it typed that I know of, but I'ma bet it's H1N1. It's worrying. Take it easy, friends, and when recovering don't try to do too much too soon.

We got the kids FluMisted (seasonal) yesterday at the new ped, whose flexibility I am loving right now. We told them it would be a shot, and pre-bribed them with chocolate Pop-Tarts. Dillo sat, all chocolate-faced, in the office, repeating, "I don't want to get a flu shot." When we decided to do the mist, he changed to, "I don't want to get a flu shot in my nose." But he dealt with it okay. I'm a little worried about the mist (since it is a live, weakened virus) but the kids are healthy and since a weekend is coming that can get plenty of rest. I haven't called the county again about the H1N1 vaccine. I am home with them next Friday, so I was hoping we could all go in at 8am then and get it done that day. If they have shots by then I'd choose that for H1N1; if they only have mist it will have been a week since the seasonal and so safe to get. And then I'll have to figure out some way to do it again in a month, since the H1N1 is recommended in two doses a month apart for kids under 10. If they still have H1N1 vaccine at the county in a month I'll be amazed.

I am feeling like I am carrying a huge load in the family right now, doing all the planning and organizing and getting stuff done. I'm at the point where I want to go away for a week so everyone sees how it all falls apart when I am not there to do it. What would happen is that they would eat out a lot and eat spaghetti-os, and watch a lot of TV, and get to bed too late, and be late for school, and forget things, and the house would be dirty(ier)). They would be fine, not, like, harmed, but that's not the way I want us to live. Unfortunately I seem to be the only one who cares about the way I want us to live, which is depressing.

mr. flea, being an employee of the Federal Government, is getting a free seasonal flu shot at work at some point. Apparently they just show up and jab everyone. (He is also now prohibited from texting while driving a government vehicle!) Go team Socialism!

I used to get a flu shot at work - they'd do several clinics on campus, usually one in the library, and you just had to line up, bring ID, and there you were. Often the line was long unless you timed it well, but since it was generally made up of coworkers, fairly jolly. And by "long," I mean half an hour. Go team University Hospital!

The kids got shots at regular fall doctor's appointments, or the Saturday flu shot clinic at their doctor, which took appointments at 15 minute intervals.

Our options now? I can get a shot at the Uggaversity Clinic (paying $25), or at various local clinics (i.e. the one in Target last Saturday that I missed) (paying $25), or at my doctor when my doctor gets the seasonal flu vaccine (originally told us Oct. 1, now saying they don't have it yet and check back Thursday.)

Casper can get a flu shot at our family doctor, too, when they get some. And they told mr. flea on the phone today that they wouldn't charge for an appointment, we could just bring her by any time (really? I'll believe it when I see it). But Dillo can't, as they aren't getting the vaccine for kids under 4. So far I have called or looked at a variety possible places to get him a flu shot (I'd be willing to pay): County health clinic? Flu shots only for Medicaid patients. Uggaversity? Staff only (and students, etc. - unclear if they have any kid vaccine anyway). Clinics at Target, Public, CVS? Vaccine only available for children over 10, or people over 18. Other clinic finders helpfully suggested by our insurance company? None in our area (I live in a city of 100,000 people, not the boondocks!)

We're planning to switch the kids to a pediatrician next year; unfortunately there are very few pediatricians who accept our current insurance, open enrollment for both our health plans isn't until November, and won't take effect until January. I guess I should be glad that Dillo is the kid who is never sick, and I should be able to get the one who's had pneumonia and gets a hacking chest cold every fall vaccinated, I hope?