Last week, we had our first parent/teacher conference of the school year. Kiddo is in fifth grade this year and I’m happy to report, this is her best year by far. Her teachers love her, she loves them, and other than getting off to a slow start, she’s doing very well. We started the meeting with one of her teachers reading me something Kiddo had written that day. It was so amazing I nearly cried. I’ve been waiting ever since to get a copy so I could proudly share it with all of you.

This short work was inspired by Dr. Seuss and I’m completely willing to admit, my daughter may turn out to be a better writer than I will ever be.

To Fly by Isabelle Osburn

I flutter and I flit, it’s time to leave my nest.
I say it’s time, but they won’t listen to me.
As I take my stance, ready to fly, the world is big,
But I can do it.
Colors and coral trees and flowers,
But as I say, it’s time, it’s time, it’s time.
I hear those words again and again.
I hear one voice, a voice that tells me great things.
“You will fly,” it tells me. “You will fly.”
The power of the Universe will help you,
The sun, the wind, the trees, and the sea will help you.

I jump off that nest and the voice was right,
I do fly, I do.

I think it’s clear where I find my inspiration.

In the state of Virginia, and I’m guessing other states, the public school system requires students have a full physical to enter the school. As we recently changed schools and had not done the physical since Kindergarten, we needed a new one. So off we went to Dr. L. What you should know about Dr. L is that she is the most thorough doctor I’ve ever seen. The first time I ever went to her it was for a terribly bruised big toe. By the time I left her office that day, I’d had a pap smear and was scheduled for an MRI on my brain. I kid you not, this woman is thorough.

In the last month, Kiddo has faced two back-to-back bouts of strep throat. She also snores something terrible, suffers a touch of sleep apnea (stops breathing in her sleep) and is slightly larger than your typical nine year old. Lets just say, shopping for clothes or shoes in the kids department is a thing of the past.

According to Dr. L, taking out Kiddo’s tonsils would make a huge difference for her future. Likely less infections, less snoring, eliminate the apnea, better sleep, better metabolism which would lead to dropping the extra pounds which in turn reduces the chances of Diabetes in her future. (For the record, her father suffers from apnea, snores something terrible, is overweight and Diabetic. So these genes did not come from me. Just sayin’.)

All this means my baby is going to likely have her tonsils out at the end of the year. They’ll do it the second week of Christmas break so she won’t miss any school. I’ve had my share of surgeries in my life, spent nights in the hospital and done the recovery bit. But I’ve never had my tonsils out. Neither have any of my siblings. I’m pretty sure both my parents still have theirs. So this is all new to me.

My baby has been to the emergency room one time and that was before she was two. I’ve been very lucky with her (and believe me I’m knocking on all the wood I can find right now) so I’m a little freaked out – on the inside. I should win an Oscar for my performance of nonchalance on the outside.

What I need to know is, has anyone out there been through this? Either you’ve had the surgery yourself or you’ve been through this with your own kiddos. Any advice, things you wish you’d known, words of wisdom? I’ll take anything I can get.