Sunday, February 2, 2014

Our Family: Week of 1/27-2/2

When we were in the O.R. having Sam, Mike dropped the camera on accident.  Luckily, it still worked that day.  Since then, it's worked off/on... and now it's not working at all.  We have a service plan, so I'm sending it in to get fixed.  But, I was trying to pull pictures off of it, so sorry this is late (and for the lack of pictures this week and next).

***

On Monday morning, Grammy left.

And as she was getting ready to leave, I realized that no "thank you" in the world could begin to describe how much I appreciated her being here while I had (and recovered from having) Sam.  That I didn't worry for a second while I was at the hospital, knowing they were in her care.  That I knew that they were being loved and cared for... and spoiled with fruit snacks, while I got better.  :)  That my house stayed cleaned, my kids stayed fed, that everyone got to where they needed to go, and the laundry stayed done with all of her crazy-hard work.

That because of the sacrifice she made, I could take time to love on Sam and recover and go to the E.R. and feel good enough to take back over today.

So, even though it's not nearly enough: Thank you, Mom!

***

After she left, we got ready to take Sam to the doctor for his 2-week well check.

Baby boy is doing sooo good!  He weighed 9 pounds 14 ounces (got the birth weight back and then some).

He had his 2nd newborn screening, a Flash bandage on his heel that made Josh envious, and we headed off to run errands.  It was my first time leaving the house in a car in over a week, and I was excited!

Unfortunately, I forgot the part about breastfeeding where I spend 45 minutes of errand time, sitting in a car nursing, while Josh and Mike go grocery shopping.

His chunky cheeks are worth it.


***

On Tuesday, Adam's math teacher (Mr. G) tracked down Mike at drop-off.

He had told Adam (several times) that he wanted to talk to me, and I've made every effort to completely avoid him.

He introduced himself to Mike and told him how much he likes Adam.

You guys!

A teacher likes Adam!

(Tear)

Adam got bumped up from 5th grade math to Mr. G's 6th grade math class a few months ago.  And he adores Adam's love of knowledge.  He wants Adam in his reading class next year so he can push him to reading books that are out of his comfort zone.

(And I've looked at Mr. G's reading list this year... full of Dickens, Twain, Austen, etc.  The guy loves classics.  Which makes my heart pound).

When Adam got moved to this math class he told me that Mr. G. told him how smart he was and that he liked having him in his class... and it changed Adam.  I highly doubt that Adam talks to friends in Mr. G's class or would even think about debating him, because this teacher took the time to get Adam, and Adam respects him for it.

When Mr. G talked to Mike, and they came home that afternoon and told me about it, Adam was just glowing and was an absolute doll the rest of the day.  Not one complaint with chores, homework, or piano practice.

It's been making me think a lot about meaningful praise and trying to be better at really understanding my kids.

***

On Wednesday, Josh and I made some (more) play-dough.  We had made the green glitter while my mom was here.  We made yellow today (Josh has plans for red, blue, orange, and purple - for Grace).



I found the recipe here (it's my favorite of the play-dough recipes I've tried).  And, be warned, it's addicting.

That afternoon I went to the doctor to make sure things were looking okay with my c-section incision.  She told me I was okay to drive, but not to lift anything more than 10 pounds until 6 weeks.

I thought it was 2 weeks, darnit!

I need to stop lifting Josh pronto!

***

On Thursday, I took all of the kids to the store by myself.


A triumph!

***

A long time ago, before I was pregnant, I was a fun mom.

I tried to be fun once again on Friday by celebrating the Chinese New Year.

We made homemade fortune cookies, decorated with horses and Chinese lanterns, and made Chinese food for dinner.

I didn't factor in the time it takes to pick up Mike for work, or for nursing every 2 hours.

So, we ate dinner at 8:00 at night.

I was frustrated.

I think my next "fun Mom" idea needs to be a little more realistic... and simple.

Like, letting them have sugar-y cereal for breakfast.

;)

***

On Saturday, I felt super-brave and took all 4 kids out by myself to Henderson for Grace to cheer in the crazy-cold and wind at the soccer game.

Adam and Josh played on the playground.

Sam screamed the entire time (probably because I had him bundled up in multiple blankets head-to-toe to protect him from the afore-mentioned cold and wind).

Afterward, the kids played on the playground some more, while I nursed Sam (I thought it would be better for the kids to play in the cold for 45 minutes rather than be stuck in the van).

I mean, maybe not better for their health; but most definitely better for my mental health.

;)

I was covered while I nursed, but with the wind (and so many of Adam's school friends around for the game), Adam told me he was pretty nervous about the blanket flying off, which made me grin.

Because I also would have died of embarrassment had my friends witnessed my mom nursing when I was 10.

;)

We stayed covered and modest, though, so it was all good.

And, since we were out in Henderson for the game, we went to a place I've put off going to for almost a year:

The Scout office.

Adam's Cub Scout shirt has been progressively getting shorter and shorter and tighter and tighter for the past year.  I also had a number of patches and badges and arrow points I needed to sew on it.

Recently, I was reading his book and read that once a boy is a Webelo he can graduate to the "brown" Boy Scout shirt AND the only badge that was to be worn with the brown one was the circle Webelos badge (no arrow points or Bobcat/Wolf/Bear badges).

I was psyched... he needed a new shirt anyways (it would be silly to buy a new blue shirt for 5 months of wear before 11-year-old Scouts) AND if we went to the new one, I didn't have to sew on all of the badges in my pile!

(Don't judge me.  Please.)

We got it and I sewed on the patches/badges that DID go on the new uniform.

I even opened up the pile of belt loops that he has earned for the past year and put them on his belt.

(We aren't judging here, remember?)

He looks very Scout-ish.

And all ready for the Blue & Gold Banquet next Tuesday.

***

On Sunday Sam and I stayed home from church.

Drug Allergy Update: The hives are gone, but I still have a rash and am incredibly itchy all over.

I mean, that's not why we stayed home from church (I'm keeping him away from other humans with all of the sickness-es going around for as long as possible).

Just an update for ya.

;)


Afterward we (and by "we" I mean Mike) made snacks and we watched the Superbowl together, interspersed with rounds of Apples to Apples Jr. (Josh's new favorite game that he insists on playing daily, though he has no idea what he's really doing.  It's fun).

It was a fun family day filled with laughter, teasing (Grace and I were cheering for the Broncos), spiritual feeding, and Doritos.

And some napping, too.


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