Sometime in the next week or so I'm going to have to make a trip I was really hoping to avoid. I mentioned before that my uncle was unwell; today we found out that they say he has three to six months but in the opinion of his hospice nurse he probably doesn't have three months. My mom's mother (who is up there with him) called my mom today to tell her that she and her sister should probably come up in the coming weekend if they want to see him.
I've been dreading this. The last time I saw someone in this condition was when my friend died in '05, and it was so hard. I'm not as close to my uncle as I was this friend but out of all my uncles, this one was my favorite. In that sense, it's hard. He's hardly seems like family because he wasn't around a lot growing up, but phone conversations were always a riot and the rare visits were fun. On the other hand, I'm really NOT that close to him and then there's always the issue of being kind of numb inside after losing so many people over the years. There's a bit of negative history where he's concerned (broken promises and disappointments and whatnot) and he seems more like a close friend of my mom's than an actual uncle but all of that aside, he's still family. So yeah, I've got some conflicting feelings.
With NG working and all we're trying to figure out how to handle the issue of Sweet'ums. I'm really not comfortable leaving her with my in-laws (remind me to tell you the latest on my MIL later) and my only really close local friend who knows her well enough to keep her happens to be about six months pregnant. If my dad stays home he could keep her but that would probably not end well, so I really don't know what we'll do.
I'm still sorting out my feelings and mourning a bit of what might have been had our family as a whole not been so disfunctional. After all, he's closer to my age than he is to my mom's. I always felt he and I would have been close had there not been such a large physical distance (more than 200 miles) between us for so many years. The reason for that distance is due, in large part, to the insane uncle I mentioned a couple months ago. I mean, geez, he even requested that we not tell that uncle that he's sick. I wish things had been different, but they weren't.
If I disappear for a few days, I'll be visiting him. Please pray for him to not suffer, regardless of God's Master Plan in this situation. Please pray that I don't fall apart, because the last thing I want is for my mom to think she's got to hold it together for me. Pray that we find the right place for Sweet'ums to stay and that we have a safe trip.
Hugs for everyone... I'll try to get back on before I actually leave.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
3 year well check
Yesterday Sweet'ums had her 3 year well checkup. From the moment we pulled into the parking lot she knew where we were and she did NOT want to be there. She was fussy, but cooperative. She knows things go much faster and easier when she just does as she's told!
So she's 33 1/2lbs and 37 1/2in. tall, landing pretty well in the middle percentile for height and upper-middle for weight. She's progressing completely normally and he seemed pleased. The one thing he was most impressed with is actually the one thing that wracks my nerves the most: she climbed up on the step ladder they have in the office (to help kids climb up on the exam table) and stood atop it without holding onto anything. He said most kids won't do that at her age and he was impressed that she would, though whether it was her balance or her nerve he was impressed with he didn't say. It was only one of the little two-step ones so he wasn't really worried about her falling. Actually, he has scolded me in the past for scolding her for climbing on it because, he says, I was right there to catch her if she fell and it's good to nurture the sense of adventure and independence. (I like him. He's not one of these new-agey, psycho-babble, coddle-them-and-keep-them-babies-forever types. That's just not my style, even if I do struggle with watching her grow up before my eyes!)
So apparently gymnastics is paying off! It nurtures that nerves-of-steel thing the doctor likes so much that she just HAD to have inherited from my brother since he used to do the EXACT same thing. He like to have killed my mom with it!
Speaking of gymnastics... Sweet'ums' teacher will no longer be with her class. She's moving back north with her family. So far I don't know who Sweet'ums' teacher will be but I have ideas and hopes. The lady I'd really love to see teach her class already has a class during that time frame so I doubt they'd pull her to teach the little ones, but she's a great, no-nonsense kind of lady--just what my cute little free spirit needs.
I apologize for my rambling sentences and whatnot... I'm battling a headache that has been with me for a couple days now. It's not a severe one--it's one of those little ones that is just bad enough to let you know it's there--but it has messed with my train of thought and ability to focus all day. I think it's just the weather, what with that cold front sitting right over us and the little tropical thing to the south. I'm just afraid to take anything for it since I've been on metformin and you have to be so careful.
Anyway, that's the scoop. Sweet'ums is growing so fast and I can hardly believe she's 3!
So she's 33 1/2lbs and 37 1/2in. tall, landing pretty well in the middle percentile for height and upper-middle for weight. She's progressing completely normally and he seemed pleased. The one thing he was most impressed with is actually the one thing that wracks my nerves the most: she climbed up on the step ladder they have in the office (to help kids climb up on the exam table) and stood atop it without holding onto anything. He said most kids won't do that at her age and he was impressed that she would, though whether it was her balance or her nerve he was impressed with he didn't say. It was only one of the little two-step ones so he wasn't really worried about her falling. Actually, he has scolded me in the past for scolding her for climbing on it because, he says, I was right there to catch her if she fell and it's good to nurture the sense of adventure and independence. (I like him. He's not one of these new-agey, psycho-babble, coddle-them-and-keep-them-babies-forever types. That's just not my style, even if I do struggle with watching her grow up before my eyes!)
So apparently gymnastics is paying off! It nurtures that nerves-of-steel thing the doctor likes so much that she just HAD to have inherited from my brother since he used to do the EXACT same thing. He like to have killed my mom with it!
Speaking of gymnastics... Sweet'ums' teacher will no longer be with her class. She's moving back north with her family. So far I don't know who Sweet'ums' teacher will be but I have ideas and hopes. The lady I'd really love to see teach her class already has a class during that time frame so I doubt they'd pull her to teach the little ones, but she's a great, no-nonsense kind of lady--just what my cute little free spirit needs.
I apologize for my rambling sentences and whatnot... I'm battling a headache that has been with me for a couple days now. It's not a severe one--it's one of those little ones that is just bad enough to let you know it's there--but it has messed with my train of thought and ability to focus all day. I think it's just the weather, what with that cold front sitting right over us and the little tropical thing to the south. I'm just afraid to take anything for it since I've been on metformin and you have to be so careful.
Anyway, that's the scoop. Sweet'ums is growing so fast and I can hardly believe she's 3!
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Warm snugglies for BABY!!!
Wanna see what I did today? Wanna wanna wanna???
So I promised pictures of the quilt in progress, but it all happened so fast. Cutting out the pieces took the longest but once I started sewing it flew by.
So here's the half-time results:
The binding will be in the bear paw print pattern and the backing will be brown flannel. As for the quilted design... Well, the jury's still out on that. I'll share more once I've actually bought my backing and have it all pinned together.
So what do you think? I love doing this! :)
Oh, and we're just going to pretend that the Hot Wheels are there for scale and have nothing to do with the fact that my three year old has the hots for classic cars, ok? Mommy already has enough on her mind without worrying over what boys she'll meet one day with beautiful cars!
So I promised pictures of the quilt in progress, but it all happened so fast. Cutting out the pieces took the longest but once I started sewing it flew by.
So here's the half-time results:
The binding will be in the bear paw print pattern and the backing will be brown flannel. As for the quilted design... Well, the jury's still out on that. I'll share more once I've actually bought my backing and have it all pinned together.
So what do you think? I love doing this! :)
Oh, and we're just going to pretend that the Hot Wheels are there for scale and have nothing to do with the fact that my three year old has the hots for classic cars, ok? Mommy already has enough on her mind without worrying over what boys she'll meet one day with beautiful cars!
Sunday, September 19, 2010
3
Today, at 11:56 PM, my baby turned 3. Every year so far I've waited up until that moment. I'm not really sure why, except that in some way I feel like it honors her. It's a small thing, but it's mine.
Three years... It's so hard to believe. In some ways it seems impossible to have been such a long time because so much has happened... in other ways it seems to have flown by. Either way, it's been a joy having her in my life and no matter how much easier life might have been if we'd done things differently, there's nothing in the world great enough that would make me trade this time I've had with her.
Happy Birthday, baby.
Three years... It's so hard to believe. In some ways it seems impossible to have been such a long time because so much has happened... in other ways it seems to have flown by. Either way, it's been a joy having her in my life and no matter how much easier life might have been if we'd done things differently, there's nothing in the world great enough that would make me trade this time I've had with her.
Happy Birthday, baby.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Girlie girl
The good pics from the party are on my mom's camera, so it might be a few days before I can post any good ones. But I do have these from tonight of Sweet'ums enjoying some of her party gifts--princess jewelry from her aunt and nail polish from Mommy and Daddy. We finished it off with a little of Mommy's lip gloss and played princess for a while.
It looks like she might be a bit of a girlie-girl! She kept twirling in front of the mirror, trying to get side views of herself, and giving herself the "do these training pants make my butt look big" examination. It was so funny. MeMe and I will have to dig deep and summon our inner girlie-girls so we can make sure we nurture all of her personality traits.
It looks like she might be a bit of a girlie-girl! She kept twirling in front of the mirror, trying to get side views of herself, and giving herself the "do these training pants make my butt look big" examination. It was so funny. MeMe and I will have to dig deep and summon our inner girlie-girls so we can make sure we nurture all of her personality traits.
We survived!
We lived through it! All of the good pictures are on my mom's camera so I don't have a lot to show right now, but I have one to share at least.
I'm off to take a much-needed nap now. Hope everyone enjoys their weekend!
I'm off to take a much-needed nap now. Hope everyone enjoys their weekend!
Friday, September 17, 2010
Oh Boy
I over-did it. BIG time.
I spent my night last night (and when I say night, I mean from the time Sweet'ums went to bed at 10 until I went to bed about about 3:30) baking. I made a two layer 9" cake and a two layer 12" cake. Prep took quite some time since I had to make it in batches--I wasn't sure exactly how much I'd need and some recipes don't double well, so I figured it would be best to stick to the recipe as it was. Then, I only have one 12" cake pan, so I had to wait the 45 minutes it took the first one to bake and then the 15 minutes to cool it enough to get it out of the pan before I could start my next one. I tried washing things as I went, which was a big waste of time too. Towards the end I went ahead and trimmed the cakes I had done so it would be one less thing to do today. There was some wasted time in the midst of it all, but for the most part it was just one big baking marathon.
Hopefully, if I do this right, the end result will be a double-layer two-tiered Wonder Pets cake. I'm only making such a big cake because Ricky's family likes to eat, and every year I run it close on cake.
I had trouble sleeping last night once I went to bed, and every time I'd wake I'd have trouble falling back to sleep. This morning my shoulders ache badly, I think from holding the mixer. My hand and wrist ache too but again, I think it's the mixer--the vibrations from it always bother me. And I still have to ice and decorate the things!
Once I get them done I'll post pictures. You better believe I'm proud of this monstrosity!
I spent my night last night (and when I say night, I mean from the time Sweet'ums went to bed at 10 until I went to bed about about 3:30) baking. I made a two layer 9" cake and a two layer 12" cake. Prep took quite some time since I had to make it in batches--I wasn't sure exactly how much I'd need and some recipes don't double well, so I figured it would be best to stick to the recipe as it was. Then, I only have one 12" cake pan, so I had to wait the 45 minutes it took the first one to bake and then the 15 minutes to cool it enough to get it out of the pan before I could start my next one. I tried washing things as I went, which was a big waste of time too. Towards the end I went ahead and trimmed the cakes I had done so it would be one less thing to do today. There was some wasted time in the midst of it all, but for the most part it was just one big baking marathon.
Hopefully, if I do this right, the end result will be a double-layer two-tiered Wonder Pets cake. I'm only making such a big cake because Ricky's family likes to eat, and every year I run it close on cake.
I had trouble sleeping last night once I went to bed, and every time I'd wake I'd have trouble falling back to sleep. This morning my shoulders ache badly, I think from holding the mixer. My hand and wrist ache too but again, I think it's the mixer--the vibrations from it always bother me. And I still have to ice and decorate the things!
Once I get them done I'll post pictures. You better believe I'm proud of this monstrosity!
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