A Robotics Valentine's Day!

Okay, peeps.

Lots to catch up on!

When we last left off...the household was recovering from January Hot Mess Express-ness, older bro had come to visit, and was word-vomiting the health trials I'm currently experience, and...I was recounting the Wheels Off vibes of my youngest. 

All. Important. Things.

But then we launched February with better vibes and have mostly maintained that momentum--despite some major setbacks of: 1) Chicklet flu, and, 2) an ACL tear-scare for Coda girl that's still not completely resolved. 

It's always something, right???

Yet, here we are, with only 11 days left in the month, and I'm like: where did it go??????!

Granted, February is a short month, but, still. 

Zoom, zoom, zoom!

So zoom-y, in fact, that Valentine's has come and gone and I suppose it's best just to report on those happenings, before they pass us by!

So that's our topic for the day: Our Very Merry (Robotics!) Valentine's Day!

Yep, you read that correctly: I said Robotics!

I believe I've mentioned on this here blog that Little Man is participating in the Robotics Team at school, this year (it's only open to 4th and 5th graders, so this has been his first opportunity), and he's been LOVING. IT.

Perhaps no surprise, considering his interest in building things--LEGOs, Crunch Labs, Hack Packs...you name it. It's best to keep him busy--in body and in mind!

Welp.

Some genius (note a tiny bit of sarcasm, here) decided to host the annual elementary Robotics Competition for the district on actual Valentine's Day of a holiday weekend, no less, and to that I'll just say: I have notes. 

And, yet, it turned out to be a really fun day, so while I have notes, I don't have complaints!

Little Man woke that morning (very bright and early, as required, since we had to leave the house at 7:15 a.m., and would be gone until 4 p.m.). He was excited, anxious, and raring to go! And that made my heart SO happy.

Going in blind, not having experienced a Robotics Competition before this, we had no idea what to expect. I just knew that we'd been asked to wear Robotics Spirit t-shirts, make a lot of noise, and show a lot of school pride, so...school pride we showed!

Little Man helped me doodle some adorable robots so I could assemble some posters, and I just love how they turned out!

(And, don't worry: if Little Man looks giant and OLD in the above pic [taken in Chicklet's room], it's because he IS.)

Okay.

So...posters MADE, prep DONE, high spirits READY to cheer...we set off for the competition and experienced such a new and unique event for our whole crew!

First off: I know this might sound like a crazy admission, but I've known for months that Little Man and his team (there are three teams at his school) were making an actual Robot, but I didn't think about the fact that they were making an actual Robot. Ha.

And, yes, I know this sounds ridiculous.

Of course, Little Man kept me apprised of the trials and tribulations along the way, but it was wild to see the finished product with my own eyes!

It was also wild to see his hard work at play, because he was determined to qualify as a "driver" for his particular team (each team of about seven kids only has two drivers)--which required him to study extensively and take six tests!

He was THRILLED the day he learned he would, indeed, get to be a driver, and at the event, I finally learned what that entailed!

So.

It would take me a million years to explain the particulars, and I still don't understand them, if I'm being honest, but...the gist is this:

Each team has 60 seconds over the course of about seven rounds of competition. During that sixty seconds, one driver controls the bot for 30 seconds and then passes it off to the other driver for the remaining 30 seconds. The goal is, essentially, to pick up and stack these pieces on the board--as many and as high as they can get them.

Obviously, different colored pieces count for different points (I'm assuming, based on the varied positioning of them). And they're always facing off with an opposing team that's working on the other side of the Robotics Competition board, which lends to a sense of urgency and...well, competition!

It was wild to see how focused Little Man was, in preparing the Bot and ensuring it was ready for each round.

It was also wild to see how seriously he was taking the competition (which led to a necessary conversation about good sportsmanship...oye).

All the kiddos were so amazing to persevere through round after round (after hour after hour!) of the competition. And BLESS the teacher sponsors who wrangled them the entire day, as parents were only allowed in the arena as spectators.

(I'm sharing the above pic with faces, as the school shared it in a newsletter, as well. Meaning: the kiddos were cleared for photo release).

All in all, it was a wild (and fascinating--and stormy!) day for Little Man and his teammates.

They missed the top -10 cutoff that would have sent them into the playoffs, but I'm so stinking proud of the work they put in! Amidst about 35 (I think) schools, they placed 15th (I think) and that sounds pretty amazing to me!

This has been a HUGE source of entertainment and pride for my boy--and something unique to him, that neither of his siblings participated in. I find such great joy in watching my kiddos bloom within their specific areas of interest, and I love (love) that he is all in, 100% ready to apply and participate again, next year. :)

In other Little Man news...he qualified for the school-wide Spelling Bee (without intending to) a few months ago and spent the last few months attending weekly practices and doing 20 minutes of daily work on a spelling app his teacher recommended.

Obviously, this was NOT a thing he was actively trying for, and therefore, his participation was solely of his own volition. The Bee was originally set to take place in December, but the sponsoring teacher fell ill, so it was delayed until about a week ago.

Little Man was thrilled to have a bit of extra time to practice and avoid the public spectacle of it for a bit longer, but the time did eventually come for him to do his thing!

Not gonna lie: it was wildly stressful as a parent spectator!

It took place in the school library and was broadcast live to the entire school. YIKES. There were only about a dozen participating kiddos after quite a few dropped out due to nerves, so I was impressed with my boy, simply for trying.

We had a funny goal of just not getting out on the first word, first round, and he WILDLY surpassed that! 

He was the third runner-up and final 4th grader standing, and though he was disappointed in that and vowed to dominate next year (of course he was; of course he did), I was absolutely delighted.

I'm so amazed when my kiddos are able to do public things that would have sent me fainting in similar circumstances. As they age, I know their ability to withstand these public events might diminish as their nerves increase (or perhaps not), but...the pride is REAL.

I had a gift and an icing-laden cookie cake waiting for him at home (a Bad Bunny one, still leftover from the Super Bowl at the grocery store, ha), and you can better believe we celebrated his efforts--and kept him from spiraling later that night when he was all in his emotions over wishing he'd done even better. Goodness.

As I'm sure you'll recall from my recent Youngest Kid Wheels Off post, I'm often plagued with guilt that I can't better spread my time amongst all three of my kiddos and their interests/activities.

https://delappenings.blogspot.com/2026/02/youngest-kid-wheels-off-vibes.html

There's only so much of me to go around, and the most pressing matters often have to receive the greatest attention!

But, despite all of that, my son seems to be trucking all strong and steady.

With advanced coursework, an interest in a variety of brain and brawn pursuits, and a generally-upbeat demeanor...he's doing pretty good. :)

Okay...SO much more to share regarding the rest of the best over Valentine's Weekend, but that might have to wait for another day!

For now: Happy Fat Tuesday, peeps! Goodness! How is it already Lent?!

Over and out.

February Joy-Bringers!

Okay, peeps.

If you've made it though my last few weeks of posts, you've noticed a trend of overwhelm, stress, change, health challenges, and just...a lot of heavier content related to our rough January!

I mean...I should have known when I spent New Year's Day with Little Man in the hospital that we might be off to a rocky start, but...

We made it through!

(The month, at least, ha.)

January 2026 is getting kicked to the curb, and we are fully embracing a February of joy and love and light (at least, that's what I'm manifesting!).

And what better way to kick off a fresh new month than a late-breaking sibling visit?!

I knew older bro had a conference here, this week, but I'll be honest: given the chaos of January, the date sort of snuck up on me! And it kind of snuck up on him a bit, too (I think)!

It was maybe Thursday when he was like: by the way, my flight lands around noon on Sunday and I was like: this Sunday?! No way?! (But, like, an excited no way!)

Talk about the BEST gift on earth, after a few tough weeks.

I joked that he was secretly showing up for a wellness check on me, ha. And though that's definitely not the case, I suspect he did arrive on midday Sunday when he could have delayed until Monday--all so he could lay eyes on me or allegedly have some quality time, ha.

Though, to be fair, he recently had his own health scare. So maybe we're just peas-in-a-pod Hot Messes!

He's actually the one who inadvertently convinced me to finally cave and get an AppleWatch that can help me track all sorts of lovely health things, and he's been helping me learn the ropes (along with Chica, who's had one for a few years). It was a riot for us to swap heart monitoring app tips, like we're octogenarians, haha. 

I keep saying we're too young to already be talking about our health this much!! ;)

Anywho...I can't even begin to describe how his visit was a massive mood-booster. Hysterically, one of his colleagues also got to visit a sibling just before the conference and shared that it was "soul good" to have some sister time and older bro responded with" "Same, girl. Same." So, obviously, it was not just me who enjoyed a little special time!

It was also so joyful for him to be here for a quick day that did not revolve around a holiday!

The kiddos got to show off their refreshed rooms (older bro hasn't been to our house in, like, four years!), their instrument playing and dance numbers, and all the good things. We cooked, we did domestic things, we did three Coda walks in the short 20-ish hours he was with us, and...it did my heart such good (physically and metaphorically, ha).

As a side benefit: it was glorious to have a reason to tidy up the joint, a bit! It's not been dirty around here, per se, but...there have been piles and odds and ends post-Christmas that have been lingering, and it was amazing to have a purpose behind tackling it--and unearthing the kitchen counter! And the laundry...oh, the laundry pile! I tackled so much of it!

All that said...by the time I dropped him at the conference center just before lunch on Monday, I felt so super-boosted and like I was ahead of the game and not behind for the first time in ages. I think just the fact that I've managed to post a couple of times in the last few days says it all!

In other we're-forcing-some-joy news of the last week or two...

I think Chica has made it through the worst of her High School decision-making drama that was reallllllly weighing her down. 

https://delappenings.blogspot.com/2026/01/triple-threat-triple-stress.html

She's had to make a handful of really tough choices, but, now that they're made, things are looking up! Despite super-early mornings and the launch of her track season this week, I've seen some lightness creep back in. I even captured her laughing and being insanely silly last week, and I was like: WHOA. Have we made it through the tough stretch (at least, for now??).

She's been enjoying some new little mental health journaling (party of what I gifted her in honor of that recent school award) and it's really cute. She selects a theme word for each day and writes down positive things, and I love that it's sparking some joy. 

She's also taken weekend time for some smaller joys like baking and coloring, and I can't tell you how happy it makes me that I've encouraged these kinds of activities she can continue all throughout her life, if they serve her. 

It's good to see her smiling, more. I'm doing my best to keep her on a more even keel. Here's hoping we can have more positive days than negative!

Other January sparks of joy...

Some movie watching (especially over the ice day extended weekend)! We finished the Harry Potter movies (the younger two hadn't seen the last few movies) and started the Iron Man journey...and that same weekend, when we were virtual church-ing because of the weather, we even managed a tiny little Valentine craft. Probably too juvenile for my kids these days, but, still!

I know that for me, at least, it's doing wonders to feel the days extending by just a minute or two each week as we march onward in terms of seasons. Additionally, the kiddos have a three-day weekend next week, and it's just a few short weeks until official Spring Break. So crazy!

I don't think we're the only ones who often feel the doldrums of January. It's such a rough month, for so many reasons, and this year was obviously amplified in so many ways, but...we've made it to February, and I'm determined to make it a GOOD MONTH.

Okay, peeps.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but...I think I'm kind of officially caught up on this here blog??? Anything I haven't shared is just going to be left in the rearview, m'kay??? 

Onward and upward in 2026!

Happy Hump Day (and Double Post Day!), peeps!

Over and out.

If Mama Ain't Happy

Okay, peeps.

GOODNESS.

Where to even begin with this one???

I suppose there's nothing to do but dive right off the deep end (ironically, much like my hormones and general state of health).

And if that's not its own disclaimer to proceed with caution if you're not interested in reading about my downward trajectory of late, well...I don't know what is!

WITH. THAT. SAID. Let's do this!

Beginning with a statement of fact:

I'm not exactly in the best place, health-wise, and I've been trending that way for a solid two years.

There. I said it. It's out there. Whew!

However (and this should really be a HOWEVER), I know that All Things Wonky with my health can and will be addressed and fixed, and I do very much believe that nearly all of my issues stem from the fact that I am a woman of a certain age (there, I typed it; it's also out there and it makes me feel like an old crone, but it's TRUTH I speak).

Which leads me to my second statement of fact:

I am a middle-aged woman in perimenopause.

Like, blood work confirmed perimenopause.

And though the blood work to confirm this is recent, I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that I have been in perimenopause for several years, now--which is, of course, in direct correlation with many of my health challenges.

So...what are those health challenges, you might ask??? (Abandon now if you don't want a laundry list).

• Erratic and overly-frequent menstrual cycles.
• Excessive bleeding.
• Severe anemia due to excessive bleeding.
• Increased pain (back, leg, uterus, hip) related to my menstrual cycles.
• Brain fog (hello...did I mention severe anemia?).
• Anxiety (like, anxiety).
• Heart arrhythmia.
• Mood swings (do not ask my husband about this one).
• Insomnia.
• Recurrent UTIs (when I've never had them in my life).
• Erratic migraine complications (just...ughhhh).
• Fatigue.
• Sahara-level dry skin.

Basically...yup. Not a great plethora of symptoms.

And so many that are interrelated.

Which means it's really hard to pull apart the threads and find the origin of any single one. Or to find and address the most critical issue(s) in the hopes that it domino-helps some others.

As a side note...I absolutely must share my favorite graphic of all time that relates to this subject. At a recent doctor's appt, this visual made me cackle like an insane witch, and I have since shared it with everyone I know, because it makes me feel so validated. I mean, who could possibly stay level amidst this roller coaster of hormones?!

Okay, now back to my whole downward trajectory...

Welp.

Lucky for you reading this...I'm going to skip past several years and several boring recaps of doctor's visits and tests, and sonograms and medicines and blood panels and wait-and-see approaches and let you know the latest and greatest EVENT that finally led to results. 

A couple weeks ago, I landed in the ER not once but twice in a single day, and by the time I was there the second time, I was in such a bad way (heart arrhythmia, profuse vomiting, head-splitting pain so bad I thought it would explode, numbness in my hands and face and uncontrollable body shaking) that they called a code, thought I was stroking out, swarmed me in triage, rushed me into a CT with contrast of both my head and heart and...to avoid unnecessary suspense, let me just say that...

I'm okay. (I mean, relatively speaking, ha.)

No stroke. No blockage of the heart. But rather, a very SEVERE onset migraine and nervous system response to a lot of stuff that I won't bore you with, but...it was bad.

Needless to say...I spent that week feeling pretty beat up. Bruised knees (from such intense vomiting, bruised arms (from multiple IVs), insanely delicate head (from multiple migraines), sore stomach (again, the vomiting), fatigued muscles (from the intense hours of body shakes), and a heart that was jumping all over the place.

Welp. Fast forward to a week or two later, when I had the "joy" of an endometrial biopsy that involved the doc manually--without warning--dilating which led to a full 24 hours of labor contractions and the exhaustion of feeling like you've, well, been through labor. I mean...joy.

Have I mentioned how beat up my body has felt post-January???

BUT. It's all been working toward a greater purpose, because...

A few days after the biopsy/contraction fun, I got word that I'm approved for a uterine surgery I very desperately want and believe will significantly improve my general state of wellness (and this has been confirmed by every woman I know who's experienced this surgery).

Additionally, last week (ironically, the same day as the biopsy), I found a great, new (to me) cardiologist to help me check into my current arrhythmia.

For reference, arrhythmia is nothing new to me (I have a hyper-sensitive heart--both physically and metaphorically; along with a mitral valve prolapse), and I've often been under the care of a cardiologist. It's just time for a check in and a deep dive, so...I'm currently sporting a spiffy heart monitor for a week before some other tests to investigate my ticker.

Lastly...I now have a new hormone therapy doctor through my GP's office who I very much adore and I believe will help set me on a path of greater stability in all things perimenopause. I have no clue if I will actually choose hormone replacement therapy as a path for me, but...I'm very grateful to have a doctor who I respect and connect with, so I can discuss any and all options.

And, I have a fun little heart monitor for a week, so I'm basically like Iron Man (it's top of mind because we just watched it as a family)--you know, if you ignore the monitor positioning and pretend I'm way cooler than I actually am, ha.

Basically...I'm just a SHITE SHOW, these days.

It was an extremely challenging month--especially when you stop and think about the fact that all of the above was coming to a head just as we were coming off of Little Man's hospitalization for flu-related myositis, and Chica's ER visits related to her extended flu illness. 

I mean...it's just been a lot. A lot, a lot.

But for now, let's circle back around to the crux of the post title (If Mama Ain't Happy) and talk about the most unbelievable side-effect of my own health decline:

My health challenges tanked my dear Coda pup's health so badly that, just a few days after my ER stay, Coda girl was admitted to the doggy hospital with a very severe and sudden onset of HGE (Acute Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis) brought on by--you guessed it--ANXIETY and STRESS.

HGE can be linked to bacteria infections, etc., and causes intense, bloody vomiting and diarrhea, but since her labs came back clean, it was determined that her health was literally tanking because she was anxious about her beloved Mama.

I mean...if that's not a kick in the you-know-what when you've already got enough on your plate, I don't know what is!

HGE can be so scary in tiny dogs like Coda that they can go into shock and pass. We were lucky to get her to the vet right away, and get her fluids and five (yes, FIVE) prescription medications and then the past two weeks of tender loving care, but...it was a lot to add into the mix at a time when life already felt like a whole lot, from solely a health perspective. 

Here we are, smiling like fools (despite our collective exhaustion) when she was discharged from her hospital care:

Sporting matching wounds from our IVs, no less!

She spent more than a week snuggling, resting her weary little body, and ingesting all the meds to get her back on track. And every day, I tried to assure her that I was okay so that she could be okay. Ridiculous, I know, but apparently necessary for this little codependent fur baby of mine!

Honestly, Coda's health tank really underscored the fact that the saying exists for a reason:

If Mama Ain't Happy, Ain't Nobody Happy

Mothers are often the nucleus that holds a family together. And when they tank, a lot of things tank--badly.

Don't get me wrong: the hubby is essential and beloved in our family life. We literally couldn't do what we do without him! But there's something unique to a mother not operating at her best and how it ripples outward among the entire household, and...it's certainly something I've been witnessing and reckoning with, firsthand.

Okay. So. What happens now???

First, my little surgery will hopefully happen in early March. Woohoo! And I think that will help so many aspects of my physical and mental health.

Second, we have plans to stay home as a family for Spring Break, and never have we ever been so excited for some lounge time. Our crew desperately needs it!

Third, I'm still pursuing my full cardio work-up to make sure all is structurally sound.

And, fourth, I have a hormone follow-up in March to talk through potential options, post-surgery, to see how I might get to a happier and more stable place in my health.

All. Will. Be. Well. 

I keep saying over and over that all of these things can be addressed and fixed. And do you know what's so beautiful???

As I've been transparent with friends and acquaintances about my health woes, I always--like, always--feel a little less alone in my journey because everyone has something going on that the world might not know about.

I mean...just today, at my Barre class, there was another woman also wearing a heart monitor. Wild!

Not to mention the number of women I've held impromptu therapy sessions with at school events when I verbal diarrhea about my current state of health and they reciprocate! We are all in this together as women of a certain age, dealing with changes and challenges, and I find it to be so connective to talk about it instead of hiding it away. (I mean, obviously, or I wouldn't share in such detail on this here blog!).

It's such a lesson in empathy, right? The idea that what we see when we pass someone on the street is literally just the tip of the iceberg.

We all have a whole lot going on under the surface. Mentally, physically, emotionally. So...be kind to one another and never assume you know what someone is going through. Who knows? It might make a world of difference to someone who might really need it. 

So there you have it.

The high level events of my life, of late!

I gotta tell you: I'm SO happy to have January in the rearview, and I very much hope it's onward and upward from here!

Happy Hump Day, peeps!

Over and out.