There's Really No Kind Of Brain Tumor—Or, As My Family Should Know, Any Other Brain Or Cranium Damage—That Is Benign

Ask "Eli", for example:

"The father said he son has undergone three surgeries to remove tumors after being exposed to harmful chemicals at his job, and that his son also has a benign tumor in his head. At a court hearing last week, the teen’s attorney presented photographs and medical imaging of a non-malignant brain tumor that the defense says affects his behavior."

Besides, any kind of brain and cranial damage can mess one up. As I've said, I thought that the autism excuse was a poor one until I remembered my great-granduncle Bernie. Remember that Great-Granduncle Bernie had a botched surgery to remove shrapnel from his head and also had the Schizophrenia that would eventually kill him during a Schizophrenia flareup that effected a coronary occlusion. Being childlike and very gullible due to the brain damage that he sustained, he was additionally vulnerable and, thus, exploited by Great-Granduncle John ("Jankie"") and especially Great-Granduncle Joe ("Susi") to sign off his Social Security benefits, which were supposed to go to the sister whom set up the Social Security account, to them.

There are evil people whom will use the vulnerable for their own ends, and only God knows who's ablelistically and Anti Semitically exploiting "Eli" as much as those two kapos exploited Great-Granduncle Bernie—and exploiting a fellow Jewish World War Two veteran and a younger sibling took a special kind of chutzpah that Great-Granduncle Susi (and I'd call him an SOB as Granduncle Tony understandably did, though—since I know that Great-Great-Grandma had Schizophrenia—that would not be fair to Great-Great-Grandma—and to be fair, Granduncle Tony did not know that she had Schizophrenia; and I didn't know until I saw Great-Granduncle Bernie's death certificate and recalled the accounts regarding her.).

No...You Think, Alec Baldwin?

Blaming other people for your verbal and other abuse only damages your daughter more, by the way:

"'It’s thrown in your face every day. There are people who admonish me, or attack me, and use that as a constant spearhead to do that. It’s a scab that never heals cause it’s being picked at all the time by other people. My daughter, that’s hurt her in a permanent way.'”

Of course verbal-abuse and other-abuse survivors (and others whom were affected, such as primary and secondary witnesses) never forget—we may forgive, though it may take a long time and we may relapse into unforgiveness; and we may not hold grudges (which is what "forgive and forget" really means*, although part of relapsing into unforgiveness includes relapsing into holding grudges); but what we won't forget, even when specific instances are far enough in the back of our minds, in our subconsciouses, or repressed altogether and in the inaccessible parts of our memories.


*It's as when God says that He'll "remember [our] sins no more" and that love "keeps no record of wrongs"—in other words, He won't hold what we did against us; but He doesn't forget what we did.

Happy Hebrew Birthday, Camille!

Now Camille is officially two years old! Today is Nisan 6, 5777 (April 3-4, 2017), and the inadvertently-named-for-a-matriarch-of-"Mimi" Camille is two years old on both the Gregorian (secondary) and Hebrew (primary) calendars. She seemed to like when "Auntie Nicole" explained this to her (since she was listening and understanding as a puppy can understand) and was licking "Auntie Nicole"'s hand (She was either indicating her approval of her explanation, tasting whatever was on her hand, or doing both.).

Today, Camille has become a second-year "bark mitzvah" (in human terms, two years old; in canine terms, 24 years old, assuming that one would hold Cam's "bark mitzvah" when she was 12 canine years old; and "Auntie Nicole" just now felt a little verklempt about Camille getting older)!

A Few (Or Many!) Post-Grooming Photos Of Begrudgingly-Somewhat-Cooperative Camille & Stubborn Reilly

Reilly and Camille came home with new looks and fared well despite that one of them has a UTI.

Reilly avoids the camera as she gets scritches.

The Most-Interesting Cam In the World

"Fake gasping is a 'no-no'."

"I am once again avoiding the camera."

Reilly Has ANOTHER UTI 🙁....

April Fool's! It's actually Camille whom does 🙁. Given that she whimpered in her crate and even panted exactly how the YouTube star Amber panted during naptime, she really did need to "peedie" and wasn't just playing. She also, as "Mom-Mom" found out, had blood in her urine. Needlessly to say, this is why Camille is at a professional groomer's home office instead of getting groomed at home—i.e., long story short, "Mom-Mom" and "Mimi" endured Hell when they tried to trim Camille's hair before "Mom-Mom" took her to the vet—pictures are coming, by the way 🙂. 

Reilly's Photoshoot For Rosh HaShanah, Accompanied By the Promise Of A Treat

In sum:

1. Reilly didn't like it, though she was a begrudgingly-good good sport for a treat.
2. When Reilly ran despite that "Momma" actually wanted her to come in order for her to get her tallit and kippah off, Camille started playing with the tallit and panicked "Auntie Nicole".
3. Reilly got her promised treat once she came (and had to be bribed with a treat to come) and got the tallit and kippah off.
4. With the photo that was used in the card, "Momma" had a total of five photos that she took.

לשנה תשע״ז טובה מ"אמא" וראיללי!

By the way, "Mimi" ecstatically kvelled when Camille demonstrated that she learned "Lie down!" last night. Also, may 5777 be the year in which a certain person finally enters (or, especially if he is who "Momma" thinks that he is*, reenters) "Momma"'s life and enters Reilly's life!

*He could be any of a few given people, though "Momma" thinks that he knows that she's referring to him. 

Reilly the Trickster & Camille Getting "Lie Down" More & More

Two days ago, Reilly decided to bring back an old trick: "peedie" right in front of "Momma" on purpose. Needlessly to say, "Momma" worried that Reilly might have another UTI—and thus, Reilly had to go see the vet—and the vet pointed out Reilly's trick really quickly.

Long story short, Reilly rang the bell to "go potty" and not to—as she sometimes does—ring the bell to get attention. Therefore, she later decided to get back at "Momma" and to not even ring the bell the second time, and she "peedied" on the hallway carpet both times—and the second instance occurred when "Momma" was going to get socks to use to restuff one of the toys that both Reilly and Camille received for Chrismukkah (Fine timing, Ri; fine timing.).

As for Cam, she's getting "lie down" more and more—notwithstanding her stubbornness that she uses to act like she doesn't know how to "lie down"—and as "Auntie Nicole" types, Cam is (or was, and is again) napping on her favorite chair and snuggling with "Froggie" (whom "Auntie Nicole" restuffed with parts of a sock and arm-tiringly resewed, and whom Cam effectively reunstuffed). Now, "Auntie Nicole" has to go restuff the other toy.

By the way, "Momma"/"Auntie" Nicole is not doing any giveaways or free promotions of the book on Camille when it comes out—too many people got free copies of the other books without spreading the word about the books to their friends and/or buying copies of the other books, and that doesn't help "Momma" be able to provide as much as she can for Reilly (especially without a certain person in her and Reilly's lives).

Cam's Learning To Lay Down ("Lie Down")! Other Notes As Well

On Camille's birthday, Camille is learning "lie down". If Cam can fully and succesfully "lie down" without having to be prompted by treats right in front of her first, "Mimi" will be impressed 🙂.

Meanwhile, on th not-so-good notes:

1. Reilly "peedied" in the house twice today, and once in front of "Momma"—either Reilly is (as "Auntie Michelle" thinks) entering her "terrible threes" or (as "Momma" thinks) jealous of Cam and trying to reclaim alpha status (since she perceives that she lost it), has drunk more water than usual, or has a UTI (🙁).
2. As Camille and Reilly get older, "Momma" is re-reminded that everyone else is (or at least quite a few others are) getting married, started on having families, promoted at work, living out other dreams that they've had, etc., while "Momma" and Reilly are not getting younger. Meanwhile, "Momma" just wishes that a certain person whom might be "Momma"'s helpmate and Reilly's "Daddy" would just give her answer as to whether he thinks that he is one or the other way. After all, for example, another case of trying to roll Reilly this morning failed again.

Guess Who (Sort-Of) Turns Two Tomorrow?

Happy Birthday, Camille! Meanwhile, her Hebrew birthday isn't until Nisan 6 or 7, 5777—so, she technically remains two for a little longer—either way, she got used to when we brought her home on June 7, 2015 to live with her match (aka, her twice-removed cousin Reilly. "Auntie Nicole" is verklempt with watching those old videos, meanwhile):

When "Momma" Saw 12:00 AM, 3/25/17 On Her Computer....

She shouted for joy—and definitely kvelled!—and gave Reilly scritches, etc.. Cam thus let out a jealous bark!—so "Auntie Nicole" gave her scritches as well, and Cam even let "Auntie Nicole" pick her up like a human picks up a human baby with "Wee!" (After a later second try, though, of course, Cam jumped off of the couch like, "Enough".)

!ליום הולדת גרגוריאני ושבת שמח, ראילי

PS "Auntie Michelle" was understandably verklempt when she realized that Reilly is now three years old according to both the Hebrew and Gregorian calendars.

Pictures For National Puppy Day...And Two Puppies In A Very-Loosely-Tied Bowtie

During National Puppy Day:

The brats finally got their hamantaschen (Don't tell "Mom-Mom": "Momma" tried a few 😉).

Today:

Cam's bowtie was very-loosely tied and wrapped around the knot without tying it (In other words, the bow was tucked back).

The bow was loose enough for Reilly, too. By the way, both Reilly and Camille received some peanut butter as a treat.

Of course, one thing was missing for National Puppy Day: Reilly's having a person whom she'd love very much in her life (and whom "Momma" wishes would confirm or refute her thinking re him—as that still keeps her up at night).

National Puppy Day 2017, &c.

Remember that "Momma" wanted Reilly to have a more-obedient nature by her third birthday? That is apparently not happening—after all, what better way to mark National Puppy Day is there but to eat many "nasties", bark inappropriately, and even play roughly enough with Camille to the point at which Camille yelped as puppies do when other puppies are playing too roughly with them?

As "Momma" has said, she needs somebody to be a helpmate to her and a co-human parent to Reilly (and this admittedly is partly a "hint, hint" to whomever Reilly's "Daddy" is supposed to be, especially if he is who "Momma" thinks that he is). After all, for example and as "Momma" has also said, being 5'1.75" with Cerebral Palsy far from helps her, for instance, be able to try to roll Reilly over when she inappropriately barks.

More Of What "Momma" Wants For Reilly's Birthday & Camille's Hebrew Birthday

Besides what "Momma" already asked, and—for example—didn't quite get when Reilly ate "nasties" (as "Momma" heard from upstairs when "Auntie Michelle" and "Mom-Mom" confronted Reilly—and barked inappropriately this morning) "Momma" wants people to at least look at (if not buy) some copies of Reilly's books—re Reilly in general and as a "dogter", and re Reilly's "stella" snow day (for which "Momma" needs to finish the paperback copy). Also by the way, "Momma" was again exhausted yesterday and is having a ton of anxiety today partly because of not getting certain clear answers about a certain person (and one that Reilly'd want to meet, might "Momma" add)—especially as Reilly's getting older, and turned three yesterday at sunset (Adar 23, 5776), and "Momma"'s not far from 30 at all (and in "Momma"'s condition, 30 is old indeed).

By the way, Camille's Hebrew birthdate was Nisan 6 or Nisan 7, 5775—and "Auntie Nicole" is not sure of which, since she has no clue as to whether Camille was born before or after sunset)—so, Camille has a while before she is officially two (since the Hebrew calendar is what God created to overall all calendars, with a harsh caveat in Moses' time up until the Diaspora due to the Romans).

A Few Things That "Momma" Wants Reilly To Have For Her Birthday

Reilly will be three on March 25th by Gregorian dating (and by Hebrew dating, today at sunset, the 23rd of Adar! L'Yom Huledet Same'ach, Reilly!). As far as "Momma"'s birthday wish list for Reilly, it includes:

1. A more-obedient nature, and an obedient nature that only enhances (not diminishes) what independence, individuality, etc. that she as a puppy can have. After all, for example, disobeying "Mom-Mom" by eating "nasties" to a point at which "Mom-Mom" had to give her another "Mom-Mom"-to-Reilly talk resulted a few hours ago.
2. A less-jealous nature, and a less-jealous nature that only enhances her loyal and loving nature, since perhaps (for example) she'd be nicer to Camille were she less jealous!
3. That a certain person would enter Reilly's life. 
4. That "Momma" would be a better "Momma" to Reilly (which, especially as Reilly stares down "Momma" again, "Momma" knows that having a certain person in Reilly's life would help).

Countdowns To Birthdays, An Anniversary That Happened Re Writing About Reilly Two Weeks Ago, &c.

Reilly will be three years old in five days on the Gregorian calendar, and Camille will be two years old in a week. Meanwhile, "Momma" is also remembering another milestone: exactly two weeks ago, two years passed since "Momma" became a mentoree to the main person whom inspired her to write about Reilly and become an author in general; and three weeks and two years will have passed since "Auntie Nicole" became a mentoree on Camille's birthday.

Of course, Reilly has example after example of when she's spoiled, whether it's her birthday or any other given day. As for "Momma", not so much—in fact, "Momma" wonders if God loves Reilly more than He loves her—apparently, for example, it's good for "Momma" to be alone while it's not good for anyone else, notwithstanding that "Momma" needs a helpmate and Reilly needs a "Daddy". Also, how will "Momma" surely know, for instance, whether the guy is a total stranger or even one of the guys among guys and gals whom inspired "Momma" to write about Reilly, no matter what "Momma" thinks in regards to who is or might be Reilly's "Daddy"?

Bark, Bite, Kick, Nose An Arm...aka, How Reilly Physically Expresses What She Thinks And Wants

For example:

1. Barking: ranges from, e.g., "Hi" to "What is that?", to "I hate your guts [e.g., one of the neighbor's notorious-noisemaking cars]".
2. Biting, non-play biting: ranges from, e.g., jealousy to dominance, to "**** off"—e.g., Reilly bit "Momma"'s hand when she was trying to bite Camille out of jealousy yesterday
3. Kicking: Expressing displeasure from being rolled over when she barks inappropriately (as she kicked "Auntie Michelle" today when "Auntie Michelle" had to roll her over. She also kicks when she does not want one to stop a belly rub.
4. Nosing one's arm, headbutting, etc.: wanting attention and/or trying to block or otherwise prevent someone from giving Camille or another puppy attention (as Reilly moved "Momma"'s arm out of Cam's reach when "Auntie Nicole" reached over to pet Cam). 

Reilly is definitely a spoiled brat (by God and humans alike). 🙂

More Reil-ish or Rei-rish Luck

After a lucky St. Patrick's Day for Reilly, Reilly gets:

1. An auspicious date for a week prior to her Gregorian birthday: the 18th. In Jewish tradition, "18" is "חי" or "life". She also gets a Yom Shabbat. Also, 1 + 8 + 3 with "3" for the third month = 12.
2. Her Gregorian birthday is on the 25th, also a Yom Shabbat. 2 + 5 = 7. As for 2 + 5 + 3 = 10; and "10" is considered a number of perfection in many traditions.

PS God does use numbers as, at the least, reminders; and Reilly has both math and Shabbatot on her side this year. 

Luck Of The Reil-ish Or Luck Of the Rei-rish? Either Way...

Reilly had a better Saint Patrick's Day than "Momma". She and Camille (as one can see below with Camille snuggling one of the gifts, "Ducky") even got early birthday gifts (Brats! 😉)—and one of the gifts has green in it!

Reilly definitely got the luck of her name honorees (or the supposed-to-be luck, anyway—as they did not have easy lives!).