Making the best of a long weekend with Little B.........

 

I am making the best of a long weekend with my Little Buddy.  Dad is away and we are having all sorts of fun.  It has been a tough week, lots and lots going on with my world that I don't have the energy to discuss.  So instead I am going to focus on this sweet boy of mine.  Hooray, Ms. Frances his assistant returned to work on Thursday.  I think they are both a bit in love with each other.  She missed him as much as he missed her.  His Language Arts teacher is now out with Covid but should be back mid week.  He is not that close to her in the classroom so we are good to go as far as no quarantining needed. 

Friday night we baked a cake.  A box mix and icing in a container, still Little Buddy loves vanilla cake and frosting.  Not a sprinkle can be near it, it has to be plain, plain, plain.  I don't eat cake but it looks like it was good stuff!

Friday night was a sleepover in Mom's big bed.  He is a restless one, and often murmurs when he sleeps.  I guess that brain can't turn off even at night. Why he still thinks this is special at the age of 10 I don't know, but as long as he does we will make it happen. 

Saturday was completing a book report and math work sheets.  Not fun but we had to get it done.  Also lots and lots of time in the pool measuring and paddling around.  

Today was the splash park with a friend from PT.   We met them at 9:00 and they played for 90 minutes.  She has a little brother that was fun as well.  Little Buddy does not get asked over by friends, I think parents are afraid of him.  He looks fragile, he isn't, but he is a bit different and they are not used to that. Tina receives OT while Little Buddy receives PT.  They are often working together and Little Buddy just loves her.  Her Mom asked if we could get the kids together soon to play at a park.  I sent her a text and it happened!  They were both so excited, she hugged him three times.  I was just thrilled he had a friend to play with and for once was not stuck with just me.

After the splash park, pool time, and a visit from our old nanny Terri , it is time for the iPad.  This is his favorite iPad pose.  He has played with his hinny up in the air since he was very little.  It could be cars, trucks, reading a book, or his iPad.  This is my favorite play position.

Luna, my granddog is also here for the weekend as her parents went to Orlando for the night.  They are studying a lot this weekend as well so she will have much more fun here with us and the boys.

So that is it.  A difficult week for me and so many out there with the hurricane, fires, and the news.  Well it has added up to just getting the best of me.  I am taking a mental health break and will be reading all of your blogs as soon as I can. 

Stay safe and healthy my friends.

Another rough week.......

 

While there is no need to panic, and all is well, we did hear that Little Buddy was exposed to Covid at school this past Tuesday.  Well we heard on Tuesday, but he was actually exposed the Friday before.  His assistant sent us a text that she was ill on Sunday and Monday and was calling in a substitute and would be going to get tested.  She had a fever and was not feeling well so I suspected it was Covid.  When the school called on Tuesday to say he had been exposed but could not tell me by whom I was not pleased.  When I met his assistant she was wearing a mask, but all other times at car drop off and car pick up, which is outside, she wasn't.  It is not required here in this ridiculous state and of course you are not able to ask if they are wearing a mask or even vaccinated.  I make sure he wears one, but at lunch he can't and she sits with him to eat.  The school nurse told me to just watch him and he was not to quarantine.  However, one hour later I got a call back saying yes he does need to quarantine until August 30, or come back with a negative test signed by a doctor, and he had to be picked up immediately.   My husband went to pick him up, drove directly to a pharmacy giving the test, Little Buddy got tested and it was negative so he went back to school the next day with a signed form from the pharmacist.  It was a scare, and I have been keeping my eye on him just in case he was to develop something these past few days.  The sad thing is his assistant is ill, and I feel bad because of course I don't want her to be sick,  and I worry that this is a new year and they are just getting to know each other and the routine of school and that has already been screwed up.  I really, really like her, and I don't want her to be sick, but a small part of me is mad that she might not be vaccinated and has been around my fragile child.  I don't know for sure, and I can only guess if mask wearing has been done by her while indoors.  Still I am mad that this state is governed by a crazy man who puts these kids at risk, puts my fragile son at risk.  I wish we just had a mask mandate, I would feel so much better and feel he was safer, just like it was last year.  This is our first scare with him but by the way this virus is taking over Florida it will not be the last.

The rest of the week was me having to notify every child's parents I work with and tell them the situation.  Although I wear a mask at work many of them decided to wait until we had the all clear this weekend, and to just start back up with therapy this coming week.  So I had to watch Little Buddy for signs he was ill and I lost loads of work all because of this horrible situation.  People aren't safe, they aren't thinking of others, not everyone of course but enough of them that this virus continues to multiply and make people ill.  Florida is horrible with the cases rising, deaths rising, hospitals over crowded, ambulances waiting in bays for hours until they can unload a new patient. We actually got a public service announcement to not call 911 unless it was life or death, they don't have the ambulances or staff to handle all the emergency calls because there are so many calls for Covid patients.  You had better not have a heart attack, car accident, stroke or a bad fall, you are out of luck.  It is worse now than it was at the peak in the spring.  It just makes me infuriated that people can be so reckless with others. And it makes me sad that our children are used as pawns for a horrible governor to raise money, which he has, a lot of it, taking this stance to let school employees and/or parents chose to mask up or not.  If their choice only affected them then so be it, but it affects my child and the children I work with.  It is just horrible and really just unthinkable that we are here in this moment in the year 2021. 

Little Buddy had a horrible afternoon yesterday.  Having to redo math and not get his iPad due to his horrible behavior made him go completely nuts.  I have only had three or four days like this with him, ever.  He was just so out of control yelling and screaming, beating his hands on furniture, grounding me, saying mean things and following me around so I never got a break so I could calm myself down.   I put him in his room, and back in his room, I left the room and tried to come back to my office to get a break, he followed.  Really it went on for 2 1/2 hours.  My oldest was working upstairs and came down three times to try and help.  Finally, at dinner time he just started to cry and we held him until he was calm.  It was a rough afternoon, but I am glad he was able to finally do his math, and finally regain some sense of control. I am honored to have a wonderful young man as a son who tries to help in the ugliest of times.  He is stern but loving, and will be an incredible father someday.  I am drained today, really, really drained after all that has gone on this past week.

I have learned in the last few weeks I have three new babies arriving on my husbands side of the family.   I went stash busting yesterday before all hell broke loose at my house.  I know the first one to arrive is a boy, the top photo will be a ripple blanket for him.  I need to finish my crochet cardigan before I can start on it.  The cardigan that I have a feeling will be a total bust, yet I have two sleeves to go and I need to get them done, bust or not.  The other two babies are too little to know the sex yet. I have more grey and more light tealish green or pink to pop in for that one.  The bottom one is my least favorite.  It has a sand/grey color for the main part of the blanket and maybe coral for smaller stripes.  I don't have much of it, maybe 280 yards of the coral but surely that is enough for smaller stripes.  I also have a light khaki green, but I don't think it is enough contrast with the sand/grey.  I could also do a granny square blanket with a pop of coral in it here and there.  I think this is far more girlish, but you really aren't supposed to think that way anymore now are you? If it is a boy I might have to rethink the choice in the last photo.  If I could make all three from stash yarn that would be a major feat!

So that is my week.  I am tired and really not much fun right now.  However, I will regain my bearings and think of positive things in just a little bit.  Maybe some sleep will help, that has been lacking as well this week with all that has been going on here, not to mention all over the world.  

I am wishing you all a calm week ahead, stay safe my friends. 

A rough week......

 What a rough week it has been in the news.  The devastation going on all over is so overwhelming.   When I really don't know what to do to help I look for ways to contribute.  Here are a few ideas for helping with what is taking place in Afghanistan. 

Bird and Stone

Will contribute 10% of all proceeds for the Choose Kindness bracelets to the Arab-American Family Support Center.

UNICEF

UNICEF has a special area to donate to assist women and children in Afghanistan, you can locate it here at https://www.unicefusa.org/stories/unicef-ground-afghanistan-protecting-children-and-women/38877

There is also areas to help children in Yemen, Syria, and Haiti, and to contribute to vaccinations for the world.

Women For Women International 

Helps women and children all over the world.  They have a especial donation site to help women and children in Afghanistan, you can locate it here https://support.womenforwomen.org/donate/afghanistan-emergency-2x-match?src=LBUA21082A

I am sure there are many places to help these are just a start. 

 I am trying to stay away for the news a bit, it is just so overwhelming right now.  I don't stick my head in the sand, I just get a brief synopsis and try to move on with my day.  Fires and hurricanes, war devastation, hunger, and Covid, well with a week like this it can be overwhelming.  Yet I know I am safe, my sons are fine, my DIL's in training are doing well, I have no place to have even the slightest complaint.  I have my home, my safety, my boys are not off fighting a war, we have food, water, electricity and a home that is in good condition, and our health.  I am grateful and am sending all the prayers I can muster to those in need.

 This guy had a pretty good first full week of school.  There were some bumps, but his new assistant seems to be able to weather the smaller storms.  In the afternoons at home he has had a very difficult time, therefore so have I.  We went to the neurologist yesterday and hopefully a medication adjustment will make all of our lives a bit easier.  Little Buddy loves numbers and measuring.  He asked if I could find him things that measure milliliters so off to the internet I went.  After homework, and a haircut by mom this morning this little one measured for 2 hours in the pool.  He had a grand time and I got to cleanup hair all over my bathroom and get some weeding done, a win win for both of us. 

These two got face haircuts from Mom as well.  Looks like I still might need to do a bit of tweaking.  Hank's hair is growing in so well,  I am so happy we are over that big scare.

As for creating I seem to be off my game.  I have gone rogue with the Kailua crochet sweater I have been making.  I knew it was too big as I started but kept going.  I made some adjustments along the way and now I am so far off the pattern  count I have completely gone crazy.  I can barely keep up with what is going on.  Still I keep going and going.  It may be a complete disaster or by some miracle may work out, time will tell. 

Stay safe my friends, take care of yourselves and stay safe.   

 

The first week of school ..........

 

This is Little Buddy on Meet the Teacher Day on Monday.  I took the day off to be with him as he was very anxious and did not want to go to fourth grade, ever!!!! But we went and met his wonderful new assistant Ms. Frances.  She met us at the door, got on her knees so she was eye level with him and introduced herself.  Even with a mask on she was animated, engaged, and oh so lovely.  She wrote him a letter that was on his desk introducing herself and hoping they would become good friends and have lots of fun learning together.  My heart heaved a big sigh of relief knowing she will be with him, guiding and loving him this year.  His last assistant was very nice but never understood him, and I believe while she was kind she was way too quiet for a boy who can be very demanding.  Ms. Frances has been wonderful each day he has been at school this week.  As she dropped him off at car pick up this afternoon she put her hand on her heart and said she just loves him, oh my heart and soul did a giant leap of happiness.  He can be a handful but he is sweet and full of love.   He is very innocent and not aware of social cues, he needs love and protection until he is ready to grow up a bit. 

We met his two teachers, one for Language Arts and the other for Math and Science.  They seemed lovely and his Language Arts teacher told me she had a little boy in her class years ago that had cerebral palsy and was in a wheelchair and that they had great fun.  She also told me she was so excited Little Buddy is in her class.  Another big sigh of relief.  Everyone in the school knows him, which is good and bad.  You may be hesitant to take him on as a teacher because he thinks differently from typical children, and he requires a lot of time.  I am glad she is up for the challenge.

This is how he ended his first day of school.  A few tears at having to do a poster that was all about him.  He was tired, so, so tired.  Yet we got it done after some milk and cookies.  I am not above bribing.  We left some to do on Thursday with Dad, but not too much because Dad is not the best with homework.  

He is happy and that is all that matters.  He had a bit of a hiccup yesterday when asked to get off a task involving numbers and move onto Science.  This boy LOVES numbers.  But he calmed down and transitioned to the next activity with just a few tears shed.  I am glad the other children take it all a bit in stride, and frankly I am thrilled that he doesn't notice if anyone gives him odd looks.  That is a blessing of having some of the special issues he has.

I had the painters back today.  They worked just over two hours to fix things that needed a bit more paint or clean up.  They are very kind and even gave me the number of someone who can fix my ceiling that now has a softball sized hole in it.  We had a leak a while back that we fixed but the ceiling paint masked the hole that was made.  Sigh, there is always something to fix!  But now I feel I might just be able to settle down a bit.  I have been on super high drive mode getting things packed up, getting things cleaned up, getting things put back, getting a little anxious boy ready for fourth grade well it has all made it difficult to settle down.  I was also worried about Mr. 24 who had a break through case of Covid these past two weeks.  It started off with a mild tickle in his throat for two days then he got slammed with a fever, nausea and congestion.  He quarantined for 14 days and is now testing negative, thankfully.  He lost his sense of smell and taste but it is slowly coming back.  He is feeling much better now but was pretty sick for a few days.  Just imagine if he wasn't vaccinated, it would have been much, much worse. With schools back in session the fear of Covid has returned full force.  Little Buddy is wearing a mask, just as I do everywhere I go.  But there were plenty of children and their parents at meet the teacher that were maskless.  It makes me so sad that our children have become political pawns to a governor whose own children go to a private school that requires masks.  Please keep this little guy in your prayers that he stays healthy, his history with respiratory issues as a baby has me worried.  Last year when everyone was wearing masks I felt much better about his safety. 

Stay safe my friends, mask up and stay safe.

Before and after, fun times........

 It has been a week my friends, quite a week.  Remember when I said I was going to enjoy some time alone, ha, you must have all laughed hysterically because there is so much to do when you are getting your house painted.  After work each day I tried to clean up as much as possible but it was tough with the mess.  The boys were in my office for four days, boy were they upset.  And every time my son or I had to take them out we tracked paint onto the wood floor.  I have scrubbed and mopped it five times and it still isn't all up.  One of them got sick in the office, they are both still not eating right yet. We had to sleep upstairs in the guest room for three nights which was an experience because they usually sleep in a crate in the laundry room, and we had to walk up and down plastic covered stairs.  I prayed every time I went down them holding on to their leashes that I would not be found with a broken neck, at the bottom of the stairs, by the painters in my pajamas.  The painters were, "done" on Wednesday so it has been all out clean up and unpacking since then.  "Done," is a funny word because they left so much that needs to be touched up and even left my dinning room light covered in plastic.  Here are some before photos that I came home from work to find on Monday and after as of today.

Before and after, my dinning room.  Disregard the double antique desk in the middle of the photos, that is going to be moved to the guest room as soon as I have two strong guys here to help.

 

Before and after, my living room.  I took another photo of the other side of the room but I can't seem to find it.  All the decorations on top of that big oak cabinet used to be above it on the planter shelf but it is really hard to reach up that high and really hard to clean up there with them so high up and in the way. I will see if I can stand it this way. 

Before and after, my family room.  I had my bedroom and bathroom painted but did not get a before of either.  The walls are a nice warm beige and the ceilings white.  Before this the walls and ceilings were all painted a pinkish beige, it was a warm color as well but ended up looking more pink than beige.  It was a 20 year ago color, not a 2021 color.  We have a lot of extra ridiculous ceiling details so I always want them to fade away, now everything up there is white even though I had to discuss it all several times with the painter.  According to him most people have the details painted both colors to draw attention to the ceiling, but I had to ask him why would I want people to walk in my house and look up at the ceilings?  The people who built this house payed way too much money for ceiling details that I just want to go away. 

Last night in bed I sewed on the buttons to my latest sweater.  This one took me almost two months to knit.  I think I have been a bit busy lately.  I finished half of the last sleeve yesterday while attending a pain management course online.  It was really interesting and I could knit the whole time because we were online but not visible, all we had to do is type our names in the chat box several times to make sure we were attending. 

Just like all the other Harebell's I have made this is made with Berroco Summer Sesame in the color Coral.  I don't even like orange or coral but it was an obsession buy and I like the finished sweater.  Made with 3.5 skeins so I am guessing 1,000 yards, size six and seven needles. Made with one inch extra for the body and sleeve length.  You all know the drill by now.  I used buttons I bought for the first Harebell because I had extra and didn't want to wait to finish it until I bought more. I have one more to make but am going to try to crochet for a bit.  My pattern plan may or may not work, we will see. 

This guy is having the time of his life.  But maybe a bit too much fun as the last two nights I have received FaceTime calls with a crying boy.  The first was that he missed me and wanted to be home because he had not seen me in like forever, for like a really long time!!!!!   After talking to him and quieting him down I had a little chat with Dad about Little Buddy being super over tired, he needs to not do so much because it hits him later not when he is out having fun.  Last night the call was about Dad, who is really, really mean because he took the iPad away, sigh.  We talked and did some deep breathing, calmed down and I told him to read a book for a while in the bedroom.  He was good as gold after a rest and dinner.  He will be home tomorrow and I will be so glad to give him a hug, but to be honest this was not the rest and break I really needed.  But I know once I wrap my arms around that little body I will be pleased as punch he is home.  Well unless he is having a fit about me!

I did fit in a dinner with a friend yesterday in an outside seafood restaurant and lunch with a friend in a Thai restaurant we love. We got there when it opened and slid in the first booth, away from everyone.  I am seeing more mask wearing so I hope people are understanding that Florida is really getting hit hard by the Delta variant, even though our governor seems to make light of it all, even writing an executive order that no school systems can mandate mask wearing, if they do they lose funding.  Really?  I know one little boy that will be wearing one, but it will be hard when other kids are not required to. 

Stay safe my friends. 

Little Buddy's Olympics.........

 

This past week at camp Little Buddy has been exploring new countries because of the Olympics.  He has loved this so much because he can pretend to fly to far away places and learn facts about the countries.  He is a fact boy through and through.

You can see he is wearing a gold medal.  He was awarded it for Leadership, which if I am honest I had a bit of a laugh at.  I think it is more for being bossy but you really can't award a medal for that now can you.  They even had award ceremonies where they played the song of the gold medal winners country and had a podium and all. 

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is very interesting, it made me laugh out loud.  The fortune cookie said, "You will invent a floating elevator."  Well done by you Little Buddy if that fortune indeed comes true. 

As far as the bossiness, this week I have been grounded for the rest of my life and have been removed from the Morgan family.  All for things I am not responsible for you understand.  Although I had to hide my smile when I was being told off I did remind him later it isn't nice to do something wrong, get mad at someone else about it, and then punish them.  Really that is not how it works. Still that night I went to bed early and knit while watching swimming because frankly if you aren't a member of the family then you don't have to tend to little boys. Funny I thought his attitude totally changed the next morning until I was told I had one more chance to get it right to stay in the family.  (Insert heavy sigh here.) 

I am a huge Olympics fan.  The work these young people put in to even get there is incredible.  Having had a college swimmer, who practiced twice a day for six hours from the age of 11 to 22, well I can tell you it is brutal.  But to even get to the Olympic level is astounding, that work load is much, much more intense.  Working years and years, everyday to take a fraction of a second off your time.  And those commentators who say to that swimmer you settled for silver or bronze, well they should be dismissed from their jobs because anyone competing at that level has never settled for anything.  All athletes are people, they have good days and bad.  They work so hard and we should rejoice in their achievement, no matter their place from the the top to last, they should be admired and commended for dedicating their lives to train and for reaching such incredible heights in their sport.  And by the way Simone Biles is my hero, well done by her for knowing what is right to do for herself and her body.  I love so many of the events because it gives you a chance to see other sports besides our regular baseball, basketball, football and golf.  

As for knitting, the Olympics has allowed me to almost finish a sleeve.  I have been up way later than usual to watch the events and at least have some knitting to show for it.  Today I have more to do to pack up my house, the last bit in the family room and a few stray pieces.  I am cleaning everything as I take it down and hope it will stay clean when I need to put it back up.  So excited to have the painters start on Monday.  Little Buddy and Dad are off to Door Co., Wisconsin  on Monday for a few days to visit the Aunts.  It will be much better for that little Boy to not be in the mess.  He does better with organization and nothing out of sorts, so does his Dad.  That leaves me with fur boys, painters and a mess to deal with, as well as work.  Still there will be quiet evenings all to myself, hooray!!!!! School starts the following week, I am seriously not ready for fourth grade. 

Enjoy your weekend and week.  Stay safe my friends.

Treasures..............

 

I have been busy packing up two big cabinets in my dining room and living room, getting ready for the painters to come the beginning of August.  This is where I store my family treasures.  I keep them safe and rarely open the doors, they are in shaded rooms that don't get much use or light.  I like to keep them safe so they can be passed down to future generations.  My Mother's wedding china is in one case with two bowls that were my Grandmother's.  My Mother never liked the china, I have a feeling my grandmother picked it out for her.

In one side of the big cabinet is where my grandmother's hurricane lamp lives, along with the violin my Dad learned to play on when he was a boy.  There are tools from his father, and dice his mother used to use, and the oldest ornament that used to hang on his tree when he was a boy, and that hung on mine when I was little.  There are china pieces from my husband's family belonging to his grandmother and great grandmother, and an autograph book from his great, great grandfather.  

There is a small wooden chair carved for my grandmother,  To Carrie by Marion, and a picture of her with her older sister and brother.  There is also a smiling photo of my Dad's mother, who I always think of as not feeling well because that is what I was told she was like when I was a little girl.  Although I have since learned that she was a happy woman who had my father later in life when she was not feeling her best.  There is a letter to my grandparents from my father when he was in Burma in WWII, and a letter from my grandfather back to him.  My Dad wrote he just wished this darn war would end, it broke my heart because he was a gentle man who never got over the horrors of the war he fought in.

There is a gorgeous photo of my Grandmother's sister Rhoda, she died in the pandemic of 1918, she was just 16 years old.  I have her porcelain doll Dina if you remember that post from years ago.  My grandmother left nursing school to come home and take care of her family during the pandemic, she lost two sisters within a few days of each other and her grandmother as well.  After it was over she returned to nursing school and became a nurse, not an easy task in those days long ago.

In the top photo you can see wee little hands that were cast in plaster, those are my older boys when they were young.   There is also a wonderful chocolate service that was my great grandmothers on my Mother's side, and a photo of her stern looking face right in front of it.  

There is still more in this house, my grandmothers music stand and sewing box, my dad's fathers wooden golf clubs.  These all mean the world to me but I fear having boys it won't much matter to them.  As I packed things away in containers I wondered what will happen to all of these treasures when I pack up and leave this house, will anyone want all of this history?

Still I know that the greatest treasure of all is my family and this little boy in new pajamas. His health and his progress are amazing treasures.  This week we went for his routine rapid MRI and his last visit to see his neurosurgeon who saved his life twice when he was just six weeks old.  I thanked her again for saving him, just like I always do.  She is retiring after such an amazing career, saving lives and training others to save them as well.  I wished her the best and thanked her for all she has done for all the children she has seen over her career, especially this amazing boy who was born dead, 13 weeks early, with complication after complication.  She is the reason I am able to have him in my life and hold him close like the sassy treasure he is.

And just to make you laugh I will leave you with this treasure.  This came home from camp with Little Buddy yesterday, it made me laugh out loud! Look at those wonky eyes! 

Have a wonderful weekend my friends, stay smart and safe as the pandemic is not over yet.