And So It Begins
So. This happened.
Alexis' reaction to the discovery that she is a little bit nearsighted was to throw confetti in the air, do the Dance of Joy, and order a parade in her honor to be held on this day every year for the rest of her life.
I wasn't quite so enthusiastic.
Forget Coke bottles, I need magnifying glasses to see. I'm so very nearsighted I'm nearly farsighted, often leading to "You're kidding, right?" being my response when the eye doctor asks me to read the first line on the chart. It's fine now because now I'm not trying to run up and down a basketball court or diving into a pool or doing any of the other things that suddenly become oddly complicated when glasses are involved.
Of course, I can't function without glasses. What's that? You say you've never seen me wearing glasses? There's a reason for that my friends. Contacts are where it's at. I'd rather take a bath in Penny's rotten pumpkin breath than wear my glasses. Science has not yet discovered a way to make my prescription result in lenses that are anything less than ten-pound bricks. See also: running up and down a basketball court wearing them was a giant pain in the butt. Go ahead and picture the bright neon strap that was involved with making that possible back in the 80's.
Alexis, on the other hand, is very barely nearsighted. According to the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, she would be allowed to drive without her glasses. You know, except for that whole thing where she can't reach the brakes. She only needs the glass to read the blackboard at school.
So far.
It's a slippery slope, this vision thing. Here's to hoping she doesn't wind up as blind as her mother in a couple of years.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Reader Comments (32)
At least she got to wait this long. I just happened to schedule an appointment for my then-two-year-old since her older sister was going in. Yup. Guess who got the glasses. Oh, and an eye patch. Arrrrrrr.
My kids went through about a bazillion pair of glasses a year. Which was excruciatingly painful for my wallet. Until I was told about zennioptical.com. Now we all love wearing glasses. Alexis could a have a pair for every wardrobe change.
I bet I'm blinder than you. I'm so blind, I can't wear contacts because they don't make them strong enough. (in my right eye, anyway. My left eye is better behaved.)
At least glasses are CUTE now, unlike when I started wearing them at Alexis' age....
@Caroline--I can get contacts for both eyes, but they're special order. Good times when I don't notice I'm out, rip one, and need an emergency replacement....
I didn't start wearing glasses until 5th grade, so this whole kindergarten thing seems SO FREAKIN EARLY.
I was in first grade when I started to wear glasses; I hope the kids inherit Scott's perfect vision.
Me too with the neon strap holding the glasses on while on the basketball court. Wouldn't want those bad boys falling off during one of my sweet jump shots.
My son started wearing glaases when he was 2 years old. Unfortunately, he inherited my amblyopia and astigmatism..poor pumpkin. Now, at 15 he has no issues wearing glasses but wants contacts. I have no issue w/it but his dad not so much :-/
@Mimi--One of the greatest days of my life was when I finally beat my parents into submission on the contacts thing. Life is SO much easier with contacts.
@Caroline: I'm in your boat. They can correct my vision to 20/40 with custom contacts. That's good enough for me for everyday. I supplement the contacts with prescription glasses and sunglasses for driving, since I'm not legal to drive with just my contacts in.
And I'm with you Michelle. You can't pay me enough to wear my full prescription glasses. They're monsters. Even paying for the top of the line, thinnest material available, my glasses leave dents on my nose. As a result, I wear my contacts far too much, I'm actually looking forward to cataracts, since the surgery will correct my vision. It'll be the first time without serious glasses since I was 5.
She looks adorable though! Maggie and Audrey are no doubt going to need glasses someday- both Dan and I have had them since elementary school. I'm farsighted/have an astigmatism, Dan is near sighted and BLIND AS A BAT. So. Yeah. Probably not going to avoid them!
Mine got a prescription for glasses back in January. It took all my self control not to point and laugh at the eye doctor when she informed us that the kiddo "would only have to wear them when she is looking far away." I really wanted to ask if she was going to come and live with us to enforce that rule.
Thankfully our super awesome eye doctor in town told us we could just ignore that rule and have her wear them all the time (she is very slightly nearsighted).
Also? When getting her glasses don't be afraid to ask if they have 'package' deals. I did and we got a second pair of glasses (that the kid loves WAY more than the insurance funded ones) for $90 including the lenses (the lenses were like $88 so the frame was $2)
She looks adorable in her glasses!!!
I am far and near sighted which is apparently very rare and expensive for lens..:(
@Leslie--I suspect I'll be there with you soon. Entirely too soon. :-(
She looks darling in her glasses! I've worn glass on my face since I was 1. My script of -17 results in eye Doctors making me feel special...by telling me I'm the worse case they've ever seen. Glad to hear she's enthusiastic about the new facial accessorie.
My 4 1/2 year old has had glasses now for about a year - she doesn't see as well out of her right eye. No patch so far - thank goodness. She needs them to watch tv and reading which is good, but man those glasses are a pain in my rear. We struggled at first that she'd just take them off when she was done with them and we'd spend forever trying to remember where. Now she finally gets them back in their case but now you just have to find the bright pink case. She picked out these wire glasses which bend at the slightest touch so we're constantly having to get them adjusted. UGH!
Alexis' looks adorable in those glasses :)
How is it possible that she is even more gorgeous with glasses? What a cutie.
From one blind mama to another: I hope my kids have my husband's vision.
Adorable. You know I'm partial to kiddles with glasses. Tommy's prescription hasn't mirrored mine or my husband's do maybe she won't inherit your extreme nearsightedness either.
I was 8 years old when I got my first pair of glasses, and I have to say that Alexis's first pair about about a billion times cuter than mine were. I convinced my parents to let me have contacts when I got into high school because the stage lights during my choral concerts were blinding through my glasses. Not to mention, I think that the reflections off the lenses were killing people's pictures of their kids. I've had to start wearing my glasses again since I started my job because it requires a lot of computer work. My eyes just get too tired with my contacts in while staring at the computer. I'm hoping that when I finally have kids that they don't inherit my nearsightedness. Neither of my brothers wear glasses, so one can only hope!l
Oh my heavens! I think I died from the cute in that picture! She looks adorable!
This picture is adorable. I understand where Alexis is coming from too. I have to confess that when I was in the first grade I wanted glasses SO BAD that I pretended to fail my school vision exam. I'm pretty sure the results came up "blind" so calls were made to my parents and an appointment to the eye doctor was made. The thing was I could actually see just fine and felt so guilty about my deceit I couldn't keep the charade going to the eye doctor so he diagnosed me at 20/20 and was extremely perplexed about why I was there at all. Had the school done something wrong? I still remember the look on my mom's face when he told her my eyes were fine - she immediately knew exactly what I had done and trust me the look she gave me was more than enough punishment. Later I found out that at that time my parents didn't have vision medical insurance so that little deceit wasn't cheap for them. What can I say? I was only 7 but believe me, my mom will NEVER LET ME FORGET ABOUT IT (I think that might be the real punishment). Also, after that incident it was really difficult to get her to take me to the eye doctor 2 years later when I actually couldn't see anything and really needed glasses.
And can I just say that the kid glasses of today are so much better than the kid glasses of 1988? I looked like Sophia from Golden Girls for most of elementary school...lol
Good lord she looks SO OLD. (The glasses look great on her, too.)
She's totally doomed, huh?
I just showed Emily & she was all, "We're twins! YAY!"
What is it with kids today being so excited about glasses? My vision is awful. Plus as I kid, I had to wear an eye patch and had three eye surgeries to correct my cross-eyedness and lazy eye. My left eye still does the lazy thing when I'm tired, but I'm too lazy/cheap/old to even think about another surgery. I think I had my first pair of glasses in third grade, on to the special-order contacts in junior high. Hate them both with the fire of a thousand suns.
My kids think glasses are the most awesome thing ever and it's totally not fair they don't get to wear them. I told them, I married a man with perfect vision just to give you a fighting chance. Be grateful.
I started wearing glasses in the summer of fifth grade, and the very next year, my grades went up, so it was a good thing (though they were ugly). My kid, who is finishing up third grade, so far has 20-20, but I am sure that will change. I am amused that so many kids want to wear glasses, including mine. If these kids had been around when we were youngins there would be no chance. Glad your kid has some choices and she is happy!
I thought I was blind (I think my right eye is -6.0), but I still can get glasses with the "thinned" lenses or I too would be wearing coke bottles. How bad is your sight?!
So I can totally see you in giant, thick "rec specs" with a huge neon yellow band. Playing hoops. Wow.
Miss A looks adorable. I'm glad she's excited.
(And yes, I'm still chuckling about your "rec specs" That is so full of awesome)
Alexis looks beautiful! You know, it's your ability to boost her self-confidence that makes her completely comfortable with whatever life throws at her.
I got my first pair of glasses at age 4. When I was younger, I would have put glass in my eyes if it meant I didn't have to wear glasses any more...so my family funded contacts (it was my aunt, not my parents). Until recently, I wouldn't wear my glasses out of the house. And then my Oldest Boy got glasses in 1st grade. How could I tell him I felt ugly wearing my glasses when he was now cursed with the same near-sightedness (also, I blame both parents - my husband and I can share glasses in a pinch)? So far, he's the only one but truthfully, it's just a matter of time before they all need them.
I remember being in first grade and not being able to read the board. I thought it was normal and couldn't figure out how everyone else could copy the spelling words so fast and easy. It was a miracle when I finally got glasses, like the world opened up and I could finally see what it was really about. (Although, at the time I was so sad I had to get them) The day I got contacts was the best day of my life (I hated glasses too). I only wear glasses after I take off my contacts and only so I can see to get to my bed, repeat in the morning. My husband thinks it's hilarious that I have to bring my contact case up to my nose so I can see to put my contacts in them.
Kids glasses have come a long way. Alexis looks great in them. So grown up.
Ohmygosh! She LOOKS like she should be able to reach those brakes, all of a sudden! Mad props for raising her to be confident enough to love being different. (Also, someone has really good taste in frames!)
i know this isn't about looks, but i can't help being blown away by how great alexis makes those glasses look. i mean, BAM!, gorgeous. whew.
She just aged, like, 2 years. So cute!
I got glasses when I was 5 or 6 I believe....I never looked as cute as her!
She is so adorable in them. That was so me I begged and begged my mom for glasses when I was little, and when I was in second grade I was officially told I needed them. I couldn't get contacts fast enough by the time I was in the eighth grade. Like you my eyes are BAD -7.75 in both eyes. I pretty much won't be caught dead in my glasses. My hope is to someday be able to afford laser vision.
Morgan is rockin' her adorable glasses now, too. Only needs them for reading, homework or anything up close. Doc said it's so mild, if our insurance didn't cover them for her 100%, he wouldn't have prescribed them at all. I, on the other hand, am like you. Can't see a thing without glasses or contacts. I refuse to get LASIK because I am a HUGE sissy pants and will, instead, continue slapping contacts in my eyes for the next 40 years.
Alexis looks awesome in her new specs :)
Omg. I normally love young kids in glasses anyway, but she takes the cake. Cutest kiddies in glasses ever.
Also, I had to take off my glasses for my new license eye test. Couldn't see squat. At all.