Pauline, your DD #2 is just beautiful (as I'm sure #1 is, too), and you must be so thrilled and proud of them! Two graduations in one season! Mazel tov to your entire family!

p.s. Thanks for the kind things you said about me on the other thread (I don't dare post another comment there in case I end it! :-)

Sue

Paulines, I second mtnester - - you're DD is beautiful. And engagement for the other DD - - oooh, we get to plan a wedding! ;-)

No big news here, but as I said on the other thread, DS had his llth birthday. I spent all of last night at a laser tag/video game place. Yes, I feel hung over! But they had a great time.

DS requested a cake modeled after the Green Day cd "American Idiot." Here's a photo:

I had it all set up nicely on the front passenger seat of the car for transportation, along with other party supplies, and when I told the boys to load into the car (I meant the backseat!), one of his friends opened the front passenger door and began tossing everything about to try to get in, upending the cake in its tupperware container. When I came outside I found it lying on its side in the driver's seat. A clear example of how 11 year old boys are not known for calm behavior and rational thinking! Thank goodness I was able to repair it.

She's gorgeous!! Congratulations.

That's great news, Pauline.

I'd be interested in learning how DD#2 overcame her hearing impairment at age 8 if you'd care to share it....

I also was involved in music production many years ago, but creeping hearing impairment and tinnitus (and OK, lack of talent or motivation) ended that dream. Music production is so interesting nowadays though with all of the technical advances in the last decade - I can email an MP3 to a guy in the U.K. that I've never met in real life, he overdubs a guitar solo, and sends it back to me later that same day. You can collaborate with anyone, anywhere, instantly. The software nowadays is incredible - you can make almost anyone's voice sound good, or prearrange complex piano parts I could never play myself. And of course overdub endless intruments and vocals. Interesting work, hope your DD is successful.

Lee, DD is quite comfortable & outspoken regarding her hearing issues, so I don't mind sharing at all (but I think it might be a good idea to remove her picture).

Long story short, after several minor surgeries and continuing progressive hearing loss, DD's ENT did an exploratory - inner ears were a mess. The ENT referred us to a wonderful DR at MA Eye & Ear, who after a second exploratory, performed a Tympanomastoidectomy & reconstruction of her inner & middle ear. It consisted of removing a mastoid from a nerve, replacing part of the inner ear bones with prosthetics, reforming the ear canal and reconstructing her ear drum. She is slated sometime this upcoming year for another surgery on her other ear (although hopefully not as intensive).

If I remember correctly, by the time her current Dr. got ahold of her, she had lost all, but in a slim range of hearing in one ear and 30% in the other. I had requested speech therapy during her early school years, so thank goodness her speech wasn't affected.

As to her career in music production/enginneering, as you know, in addition to higher math skills, range of sound recognition, is first & foremost. She is slated to see her Dr. next month, we will discuss the feasibility of this career and see where her hearing is at (although at last visit, she could hear high/low tones and nuances better than normal, in her now good ear). Life is funny.

Mari, thank you very much!

Paige ~ great looking cake, I like the way the red looks almost airbrushed (is it?)! Shaking my head @ the cake being dumped - I don't know if that's sex related or age, I remember my girls & their friends doing those kind of things (deeeep breath). I'm not sure I'm old enough to be a mother of a bride -lol, but I'd love some help when the time comes!!!

Sue, thank you and you are more than welcome. I promise if I see your post as last, I'll add something-lol!

Pauline,
mazel tov on both of your DDs! How exciting!

My DS#1 graduates from HS this month and after spending a year in Israel will begin at Columbia in Sep 2007. It's very exciting! I'll be visiting NYC at least once a year once he starts so maybe we'll be able to organize some forum gettogethers in the future!

Lowspark, congratulations to your family, too! Will you have a younger son at home, or is this the beginning of an empty nest for you?

Pauline, we can play "post tag"; sounds like fun! Come to think of it, with one daughter getting married and another graduating and off to higher education, you'll be facing an empty nest one of these days, too. When my DD left home (for college), it changed the whole "balance of power" in my home; it was suddenly very male-oriented, and I felt like I'd lost an ally--though, in truth, I didn't really lose her, but it was never the same again. Then when DS left, it was another readjustment. It's harder than you think it will be, but you do survive. Many of us have gone through this transition. Guess we'll need a new forum thread soon. But I don't want to turn this happy thread into a downer--sorry! There's also a lot to look forward to! Good luck to you!

Sue

Sue,
thanks! We have one more DS who will graduate in two years and then we WILL be empty nesters.

Last summer was (and this summer will be) dressed rehearsal for those empty nest days as both boys were gone for 6 weeks last summer and will be again this summer.

Actually it turned out nicely as there wasn't an uncomfortable transition period, DH & I just fell into a new pattern as far as time spent together and it worked out quite well.

I also found that I cooked as often as usual, just different kinds of meals. I like to cook, and don't like to eat out too often, so I was glad that it was easy to change my cooking mentality to suit fewer eaters.

Sounds like your dress rehearsal went well, Lowspark! And when times get tough, just remind yourself how much less laundry there will be (no more blue jeans, YAY!).

Sue

Congratulations Pauline! I wasn't able to see the pix - must've gotten too many hits. You must be very excited about your children's milestones.

Congrats. So nice when the kids are flourishing.

Nice to hear your good news Pauline! Happy Spring!

I was also in music and studio production (and in a band) in college/early 20s. Now approaching 40 I already have tinnitis, yikes, but it comes with the territory (also being in the first Sony walkman generation, I think.) It's a tough field for a female sometimes but hopefully that is changing more and more!

paulines--saw the pic the other day, but now I can't see it. But, your dd is beautiful.

Here is a pic of three of my varmints (the girl and the two little ones). This one wants to study accounting. She is a math genius--too bad I never could get her to read.

I won't leave this pic up on my album long as dd would kill me if she knew I posted a pic of her.

No empty nest for me for a long time. I love my littles, but sometimes get a little envious of my mtnest buddies ;-)

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1546110}}

Thanks Lowspark and a mazel tov and all the best to your family, as well! More get-togethers sounds like a great plan!

lpolk, admissions told DD the same thing ~ she was VERY
upset that most of her classmates would be male-lol

Thanks for the congrats Gina & rococogurl, appreciate it!

blsdgal, thank you and your DD is just stunning (I know what you mean about posting pics-lol), I love the color of her dress - senior prom? Your wee ones are so cute peeking around the corner & giggling. That is a great picture!