Whistle While You Work

Welcome to October. My favorite month.

Ah, I love Thursday nights, after Sylvie has gone to sleep. We're watching TiVo'ed episodes of "Criminal Minds" and we just polished off a box of nine of the most decadent truffles I've ever EVER experienced from Bespoke Chocolates. Not only are they organic, but they're made from really exquisite ingredients.

I haven't physically gone into the my office since the week after we had the big scare around a month ago so I found myself not enjoying the early morning frenzy. Not to mention, Sylvie woke up with a cold, something we haven't had to deal with since before last January. In fact, I don't think Sylvie even had a single sick day from pre-school last year until The Big C. I called up the school to say that Sylvie wouldn't be in today. Otherwise, she was in an awesome mood. Better yet, she wore princess underwear and used the potty the entire day!!!! My friend Srabani gave me her daughter's barely-used Barbie toddler bike with training wheels that is hiding in the garage for the occasion. I also won on eBay a 25-piece lot of My Little Pony's for the potty training occasion however they smell like a carton of Camel's and are currently being fumigated. I fear for the lungs of the little kids who played with these critters.

Getting back to the work thing, I missed the last express train this morning and it took me what seemed forever to get to the office. I was having a slight panic attack, playing over and over in my head the scene in the pediatric emergency room on February 10th when I called both of my parents, my dad was in Florida, and my gasping for breath trying to say that Sylvie was very very sick. My eyes got weepy just thinking about it. I took my mind off of it by finally reading The Sunday Times, every section. And the Time Magazine installment on the dynamic collapse of Detroit. If you're at all thinking about the payroll of the Detroit Pistons or have any nostalgia for Motor City, then you really need to read this article.

After my meeting, I grabbed a cab to Commodities where I picked up groceries and the car. Drove home in time for Sylvie to change into her fancy new pink corduroy pleated dress that she wanted to show Sarah (Dr. Sarah Zavala, audiologist). I took a change by keeping Sylvie diaper free but she seemed very determined to be a big girl. Sylvie asked if she could have a playdate with Jette at Jette's house which I said of course, when she no longer has the sniffles. We parked in B2, Sylvie's favorite for some bizarre reason and headed up to the 2nd floor. Once again, Sylvie and Sarah exchanged a Chariot's of Fire embrace and they walked hand in hand to the audiogy booth. Sarah gave Sylvie a present-- Oliver the mouse who has special magical hearing buttons. Sarah said they will fit on her Fancy Nancy doll quite well so we will make the swaperoo next week. Today's test or retest involved holding something that looks like a headphone directly onto the bone behind Sylvie's ear. Then we repeated the same exercises that Sarah has performed for the past 8 months (3 times in the past 3 weeks, too) and this too yielded the same exact results. Normal hearing except in the higher frequencies (the k, s, th, v sounds) where it's diminished, not deaf though. Now that we have repeated the test three times through loud speakers, headphones and now bone with the same exact results which also correlates to the cochlear inner ear hair vibration test thingy there really is no disputing Sylvie has hearing loss. To explain it to me in greater detail, Sarah played for me a pre-recorded conversation between two people where one has normal hearing, the other 50% so that I could hear what Sylvie is hearing. Basically, Sylvie hears fine except those letters sound like they are underwater. In her Montessori preschool, it's fine because the kids learn by example and quiet demonstrations. Put her in a classroom with background noise et cetera and she may be frustrated. The fact is, right now, she has a great vocabulary so it's never apparent. In addition to Sarah's tests, we all have our own unscientific tests which again, Sylvie passes with flying colors. These include our making noise or talking to Sylvie while she's listening to music, calling to her from a distance with background noise, whispering from behind and so forth. Ok, I won't dwell on it anymore. Sylvie needs hearing aids. The inner ear molds are pink glitter. They'll be ready next week. They cost $6,000 and insurance does not cover $1 of it. It's a total scam. If our policy was written in NJ, it would be covered. In 2010, my current plan "might" cover $1500 of it. But for right this very second-- nada. Next up is getting the Board of Education to provide Sylvie's teacher(s) with a FM thingy that they wear around their neck with a little microphone which broadcasts right into Sylvie's ears. I've been putting off my letter writing campaign but I really must do it tomorrow. I'd sooner get Sylvie's ears pierced with 1 carat diamond studs than drop another $3,000 on the FM monitors. On that note, I must also make a few calls regarding the Strides For Sylvie toddler music concert or concert series that I want to produce in the next 6 months.

Tomorrow, I have a business lunch with my dear friend Jim and since neither of us has to be in New York City, we decided to meet on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx. Whereas I might not eat salami or anything else in the porcine or strange meat department, I overcompensate in the cheese department. I might have to bring a cooler. I have high hopes for buratta, fresh ricotta, taleggio and more.

Sylvie has a make-up swim class tomorrow. She's slept through the past 4 weeks out of a 7 week class so I am determined for her to be raring to go unless her cold persists. Michael is taking a 3 hour yoga immersion class tomorrow night about inversions which I am so proud of him for doing. I'm going to a friend's birthday dinner at Harvest and will either be Andy & Catherine's third wheel or their designated driver. Sylvie is sleeping over my parents' house and depending on how she feels, we may or may not go on Saturday to the Dan Zanes concert in Asbury and her friend's birthday party in the evening. I told her today that we were going to see Laurie Berkner on Sunday at the Alex & Sam benefit and that we have to decide which song to make a picture of for Laurie. Last time it was "Rocketship." I'm a new and devoted fan of Alex & Sam so hopefully while Sylvie and Samantha are doing the samba, I can get in a little shopping.

Sylvie and I picked up her Bactrim refill yesterday at Town & Country and I was excited to see there's a Project Ladybug event happening on 10/17. I think I can convince Cindy and Lisa to come out in the hopes of seeing their favorite Real Housewives of New Jersey.