Just please sit down.

One of the study staff, I'm going to refer to them as SS from now on, called and wanted to set up an appointment for me to go over my eating log with her and also to set up my Dexa scan which is a full body x-ray that looks at body composition. I tell her that I'm only available after 5:30 or I will need to bring my children to the eating log appointment but I refuse to bring them to the Dexascan appointment. She says that would be fine and I make the appointment One of the study staff, I'm going to refer to them as SS from now on, called and wanted to set up an appointment for me to go over my eating log with her and also to set up my Dexa scan which is a full body x-ray that looks at body composition. I tell her that I'm only available after 5:30 or I will need to bring my children to the eating log appointment but I refuse to bring them to the Dexascan appointment. She says that would be fine and I make the appointment for the next day and plan to bring my 4 1/2 and 2 1/2 year olds.
This appointment starts out very well. I brought snacks for the kids and then sat and ate and were pleasant little ones for about 15 minutes. Then they start getting restless and begin to wonder around the room a little, just looking but no touching. Then they start talking to SS and asking her questions. I tell them they need to leave SS alone so she can do her work so they move on too looking inside each of the lower cabinets in the room. At first they are just looking then they are pulling things out. I help them put stuff back in and ask them to stay out of them and that they aren't for kids. I begin talking to SS again who is completely distracted and probably annoyed but I did tell her when she called that I could only do appointments after 5:30 unless my kids came and so well this is her fault, right??
SS asks about the blank hour of physical activity where is it moderate to heavy but no description written down. For the life of me I can't remember what I was doing for that hour so I said it must have been when I was unloading the kids and all our stuff from being away for the weekend. Weird that I didn't write it down, oh well. At this time she also tells me I have been selected to be in the high protein group. I say "yippy!" She says, "I thought you would be happy about that." I say, "seriously" She says, "oh you don't like it? It is weird some women really wanted it and some women really didn't want it." I tell her, "I'm not really looking forward to drinking all that stuff."
I look up at the kids and they are on the cabinets looking out the window. Ok, this is so not ok and when did I loose control over these two? Honestly they are good kids but what can you expect from two little ones in a college classroom? I ask for pencil and paper and have them draw at the table while we try to finish our conversation about what I eat and the exchange method which is how I'm going be keeping track of what I eat.
I wish I could tell you I learned something from this appointment or understand the exchange method or that I am ready to start eating a new way in 6 days but I am not. Once we finally get to really talking I notice that the kids aren't just coloring on their papers they are coloring on the table. Not just a little here or there because they can't really control keeping the pencil on the paper edges but they are just flat out scribbling all over the table! SS mentions that maybe we can finish early. I ask for two wet paper towels and put the kids to work. Wet paper towel does nothing to remove pencil from table tops but at least they tried.
It is time to leave and she reminds me of my next appointment and advises me to make sure I bring a grocery sack because they will be giving me my protein powder. She tells me I will be picking up three 1/2 gallon containers. Ok, that isn't bad, I can imagine going through three of those in the 16 weeks but then she says, "that will be enough to last you for the beginning of the study but we will be giving you more later on." What! How much of this junk am I going to consume? I didn't want the high protein but here I am being asked to bring a large grocery sac so I can bring just a part of it home! Take a deep breath....
I left with no new info and feelings on disbelief of my children's behavior. No more kids at any more appointments!