The Quickest Way to Target

I'm not sure if this story will translate well to the written word. I'm sure someone could do it better, but I'll give it a shot. I hope it comes across as funny as it was at the time.

So, the three of us are in the car, heading from daycare to dinner. We debate briefly, then decide to eat at Piccadilly. Cue the child: "Don't wanna eat Piccadiddy (sic). Want tato cakes." Luke, we had potato cakes (that would be Arby's) yesterday; we're going to Piccadilly today. So we make the turn that goes behind the mall, the same way we always go to Piccadilly.

Luke seems to have inherited MY sense of direction (thank goodness; DH's is non-existent), so he realizes what we will be passing to *get* to Piccadilly as soon as the turn is made, well before he can see the store. "Wanna go Target!" he says excitedly. (He loves Target for some reason; I'm sure it is unrelated to the fact that he gets a new set of Galactic Heroes Star Wars figures about 70% of the time.) Well, if you can behave at dinner, we'll think about it. "Nooooo," in his best whiny voice, "wanna go Target!!" Luke, we have to eat dinner first. Then, when *all* of us are finished eating (not just he who eats three bites and says finished), we might go to Target.

A brief moment of quiet. You can almost hear the wheels turning in the back seat. Then, in a voice just as pleased as it can be, we hear:

"All finished!"

I thought DH was going to have to pull over, we were both laughing so hard! It was only a couple more blocks to Piccadilly (which is directly behind the Target) from where we were, so we did make it safely, but we were still chuckling about it as we walked to the restaurant. Boy, that was the longest and hardest I have laughed in a long time!

And yes, we did take him to Target. How could we not after such an incredibly cute moment? (Besides, I needed the last part of two baby gifts that need to go out in the next week.)

Currently feeling: hurting from laughing

Home again, home again, jiggity-jig

Good heavens, what a week! We're home, we survived. We had lots of good times and (way way too much) good food. Things were also unbelievably busy and chaotic. We even came home a day early (late Sunday, which we swore we would never do) because Luke was just in total meltdown mode. Spent all day yesterday recovering. I'll give more details later. Just happy to be home now.

Oh yeah, and I think I may *actually* be officially employed now. Or available to be so. No papers yet, but supposedly, the ball is rolling.

Currently feeling: home sweet home!

Three generations, same shirt

In case anyone did not read the story in my October round-up, I am restating it here now that I have scanned the other photos of my father and brother so you can see.

See the shirt in the photos below? My grandmother made that shirt. She actually made matching ones and had photos taken of my father and his brother when my father was around age 3. As my brother neared age 3, Granny gave the shirt to my mother, so he was photographed in the same shirt. Luke is the third generation of Warren to wear this now 50-year-old shirt (I'm sure my father appreciates me pointing that out), and I fully intend to save it for his children. I'm just sorry Granny didn't get to see her only great-grandson wearing the shirt she made and kept for all those years.

My father, circa 1954:


My brother, circa 1983:


My son, October 2007:


Happy Thanksgiving!

Currently feeling: thankful for my grandmother, and missing her mightily on Thanksgiving, her 85th birthday

3 year old stats

Luke finally had his 3 year old well visit today. Here are his current stats:
* Height: 40 inches (1.01 meters, 95th percentile), up 2 inches (5 cm) from last year
* Weight: 35.5 pounds (16.1 kg, 75th percentile), up 4 pounds (1.8 kg) from last year

I had to laugh that he is sticking solidly to his "2 inch" rule. Every time he has ever gone to the doctor for a well visit, even from when we were going every 3 months when he was a baby, he has grown at least 2 inches every single time, and this one was no exception. He may actually have grown a little more than that, but as they are now taking his height measurement standing up, the spinal compression is "shrinking" him a touch. Probably not enough to worry with, just something I find interesting. They have also started taking his blood pressure, which I find odd, but whatever. It was a cute little teensy cuff! Only about three inches (7.5 cm) high and not even a foot long (30 cm). LOL His BP was 80/40, which is apparently normal for his age (or, more precisely, his height). And his hematocrit was 38%, which is really good. I have to say, that is one of the few *good* health things he got from me! Doctors are always amazed that mine is as high as it is. "Anemia is very common in women, so we'll just check your hematocrit." There's no need, it's fine! They come back with the results. "Wow, your hematocrit is excellent." Told ya.

She said everything looks fine, and he is growing well (obviously). She did refer us to an allergist, per the request of his ENT. We'll see what they have to say. But if they say he's allergic to cats, he may just be out of luck! LOL Nothing much else to report, really. Everything is fine and excellent. What more could a mother ask for?

Currently feeling: well

Dad doing well, so far

Mark is doing well after his surgery this afternoon. They were running over two hours behind, so it put this email a bit later than I had planned! Dr. [edit] was pleased with the surgery - no rotator cuff involvement, thank goodness. He repaired the cartilage damage and removed several large bone spurs. He called it all "good news." They gave him some pain medicine before we left (at 3:30pm), and the nerve block still has his shoulder, neck, arm, hand and the upper right of his chest numb. Needless to say, he is sleeping well at the present!

Thank you all for your good thoughts and prayers today! Sounds like things are going as well as they possibly can, for now. Tomorrow will be the real test, once the nerve block wears off and he is on oral pain meds. And IIRC, it is either the second or third day post-op that is the hardest. Gee, that will be just about the the time I arrive to help. Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing! LOL I know it will be good for Mom, though. Thanks again! I'll keep you updated.

Currently feeling: relieved

Dad in surgery Tuesday

Thankfully, this is not unexpected. In fact, the doctor wanted to do it much sooner, but given the amount of days he will be out of school (he teaches 8th grade math/pre-algebra), he intentionally booked it for this week so that he would only miss 4 days but have nearly two weeks off (they get the whole week of Thanksgiving). Then he will go back for only a couple of weeks before having two more weeks off for Christmas. He is having a lot of work done on his right shoulder (did I mention he is right handed?), including something about "cleaning out the joint," ligament repair, and bone grinding. Doesn't sound fun, but at least the surgery itself is not for some life-threatening issue. Still, there is risk with any surgery, so if you could spare a thought for him tomorrow, we would all appreciate it. I will be going down on Friday to help get the house ready for Thanksgiving, since Mom will be busy helping Dad.

I think he has some fascination with surgery at Thanksgiving. This is the second time in 5 years (I think?) that he has been fresh out of surgery over the week of Thanksgiving. The last time involved removal of a vertebra, fusing bones, and inserting a titanium plate in his neck because of a blown disc that was pressing on his spinal column. Thankfully, nothing quite so scary this time. Guess he's just trying to make us truly be thankful at Thanksgiving! LOL

Currently feeling: hopeful

Car bling theft

Someone stole my car's nose ring! Okay, now that I have your attention:

Friday morning, I had a horrible headache, so I asked DH (who works from home on Fridays) to take Luke to daycare that morning. When he got out of the car in the garage after he got home, something smelled like it was burning. We had just had a lot of work done on my car Thursday. Apparently, a something or other had gotten stuck on my brakes, causing them not to release, so I drove around for a good couple of weeks with my brakes slightly but constantly applied. There was no way to know or prevent it, but it wore both my brake pads and my rotors out completely, which also overheated the brake fluid and caused uneven wear to my tires. I had dollar signs flashing before my eyes, OUCH! Anyway, having just had that work done, we knew it could just be something spilled and is burning off, but he went around to the front of the car to see if he could see anything underneath.

That's when he noticed the hole in the front of my grill! The Toyota emblem was missing. Huh? Did they just forget to put it back in? I called Toyota to see if they knew anything about it, and our regular tech guy (Tim) said that someone had probably stolen it. I'm sorry, what? Someone stole it? Why?! "To make bling. They have them gold-plated and wear them on chains around their necks." I am speechless. That makes no sense! First off, it's not like I drive a Mercedes or something flashy and expensive. It's a 9 year old Toyota Camry with 112,000 miles on it for cryin' out loud! Secondly, didn't stealing hood ornaments go out of style in the 60s or something? Sheesh!

I didn't notice it missing when we left, but who really looks at the front of their car? We had only been a few places since then, and I doubt someone could have taken it. When we picked up Luke at daycare, I stayed in the car. We then went to Arby's for dinner, and there had just been an accident in front of the restaurant, so there was a cop parked in the space directly behind our car with her lights on writing up the report, so I doubt someone was that brazen to snatch it right out from under the nose of a cop. And then we came home and parked it in our closed garage; no chance of it going missing there. It had to have happened at the dealer.

I was all prepared to make this speech at the dealer to indicate that I had no intention of paying for a new one, but it was a non-issue. He checked the front to see if any of the parts that hold it in place were broken. Then he disappeared. I was starting to worry when he was gone for a good 10 minutes, but he finally came back with a new emblem in hand. Their inventory showed one in stock for our car, but given its age, he had to really hunt for it in the warehouse. He walked back out to the lot with us, popped it in, and that was it! (Yes, they just pop in and out, all you need is a little leverage. No wonder they get snatched!) He apologized for the trouble, shook our hands, and we were on our way. There is something to be said for being good long-time customers, I guess (who had just paid nearly $800 the day before). I suppose a new emblem was the least they could do to keep us happy. But hey, I'm all for good customer service, and I am not likely to forget it.

Currently feeling: baffled

Hurting for my friends

Are we having February in the fall this year? (BB folks will know what I mean by that.) Just seems like lots of different lives around me are falling apart at the moment. Terminally ill and/or recently deceased parents, a rash of suddenly deceased/euthanized pets, several marriages finally reaching the breaking point, some having other family struggles, employment and/or money woes of all kinds.... I'm starting to worry that I should be worried that nothing bad is going on in my life! Just some child frustrations which, per the other parents I have spoken with, are both quite normal and relatively minor. And it hurts me to see my friends in pain, especially when there is really nothing at all that I can do for them because they are literally spread out all over the world. The closest person is nearly 150 miles away. All I can do is listen, post on the boards, and leave supportive comments or send emails. I hope it helps, at least some.

I love you guys!!! I don't know what I would do without you. Know that I am here for you if you ever need me.

Currently feeling: want to give you all a hug

Should I be proud or embarrassed?

That in less than six months, my now 3-year-old son is almost as proficient as I am at Lego Star Wars? There are just a few things, mainly ones that involve specific timing (like a series of jumps or shooting a target from a moving platform), that he has trouble with, but most of those things (the ones with the jumps, especially) even I have some trouble with and usually need multiple attempts to succeed. He'll be better than me in less than a year, I expect.

Currently feeling: ridiculous

Thud!

That's right, ladies and gentlemen, I bring you virtually real-time blogging. In less than 60 seconds, I went from "witnessing" the event to blogging it.

I just heard a thud from upstairs. I do believe that Luke has just fallen out of his "big boy bed" for the very first time. He has been in it for all of 4 hours, LOL. It is just a plain old mattress and box springs, and they are sitting on the floor for now (not on any sort of frame), so he didn't even fall 18 inches (less than half a meter). I heard one brief wail, then nothing. I will assume he put himself back to bed or has chosen to sleep on the floor for tonight. I'll go check on him in about 30 minutes, when I am fairly certain he is back in a deep sleep, and let you know.

BTW, for everyone curious, here is a rundown of this week's sleeping activities:
* Monday: had to lock the door, slept through the night
* Tuesday: had to lock the door, slept through the night
* Wednesday: had to lock the door, woke up at 2 AM and 5 AM, had to relock the door each time
* Thursday: did *not* have to lock the door, slept through the night
* Friday: did not have to lock the door, fell out of bed, will update you in the morning on the rest
Currently feeling: floored

October 2007 Round Up

Monthly Round Up idea borrowed from Katie the Scrapbook Lady.


Credit: Pinky Blinkies

What books and/or magazines did I read this month?
I discovered Atlanta Parent magazine this month at the speech therapy office. It is one of those free publications that you cannot subscribe to, you can only pick up at various places around the city. Pretty interesting, though; all sorts of tips for things to do. (Did that effectively hide the fact that I didn't read anything at all? What is wrong with me?!! Oh yeah, I've been watching Heroes and new fall shows.)

What movies and/or tv shows did I watch this month?
One new one of each for the month. Deja Vu was excellent. It came highly recommended by a trusted source, and it did not disappoint. Hey, it kept my father awake until nearly midnight; now that's saying something!

We also finally started watching Heroes, and I cannot say enough good things about it! We are both completely hooked. We've finished Season 1 on DVD, and as anxious as we are to get caught up with the season 2 episodes on the DVR, neither of us is looking forward to having to watch it in real time. Waiting a week between episodes and having to sit through commercials? What a drag!! LOL We have intentionally *not* watched the three most recent episodes on the DVR so we don't have to watch episodes in real time just yet.

What special days did I celebrate and how?
Luke's third birthday! And trick-or-treating at the mall for Halloween. He loved his costume this year. As in, I had to hide it after we tried it on in mid-October because he didn't understand why he couldn't wear it all the time every day. This is the same doggie costume he screamed and cried about and refused to wear last year. It was sized 2T-4T, so I held on to it, hoping it would still fit this year. It did, but just barely.

What gifts did I give and/or receive?
Birthday gifts for Luke, mainly Star Wars Galactic Heroes and some Blue's Clues books from us. Mailed cards to various October birthday folks and a couple of Halloween cards. And if I don't get on the ball and start planning and purchasing some baby gifts for the 5 (is that all? seems like more) little bundles of joy that will be making their debuts in the next six months or so, I'm going to be in trouble!

What illnesses or health concerns did I have?
We were doing pretty well until mid-month, when all three of us came down with sniffles and a fever for a few days. Took Luke to the doctor on a Thursday when his cough became increasingly worse, only to be told he was fine. He wasn't. Ended up with a double ear infection appearing late Friday, but had to wait until Monday to be seen for antibiotics. You can imagine how happy that made me. And now DH and I are still trying to recover from whatever cold caused Luke to be so sick in the first place. Fun.

What fun things did I do with my friends and/or family?
We had a small birthday party for Luke, just us, my parents, brother, my grandmother, and my uncle. We also took Luke to the Atlanta Parent Block Party, where he got to ride a small train, pet some animals, and see a firetruck.

What new foods, recipes or restaurants did I try this month?
Tried a blueberry muffin recipe that was supposed to be the best ever, but I just found it to be okay. Not bad, but not worth all the trouble of muffins from scratch (at least, not this particular recipe; still looking, though). Also tried a German Chocolate Brownie recipe that everyone raved about, but I was a little disappointed in. I think it may just need more nuts, though. Worth trying again, I think. I have already started planning the Christmas week menu! Haven't gotten very far yet (mainly just getting a handle on exactly how many meals I'm going to need), but if I don't start now, it will never be ready in time.

What special or unusual purchases did I make?
Luke's three year portraits, which are very special to this family. See the shirt he is wearing below? My grandmother made that shirt. She actually made matching ones and had photos taken of my father and his brother when my father was around age 3. As my brother neared age 3, Granny gave the shirt to my mother, so he was photographed in the same shirt. Luke is the third generation of Warren to wear this now 50-year-old shirt (I'm sure my father appreciates me pointing that out), and I fully intend to save it for his children. When we next visit my parents, I hope to get scans of the photos of my father and my brother so I can show you.


We also got new cell phones (along with a 2-year renewal of our contract, of course). I just got the latest and greatest version of my old phone, since we actually had to pay for mine (well, minus the $50 rebate). Mine is the LG 8350 flip phone with a 1.3 megapixel camera, which (sad to say) was a big criteria of mine. DH applied our $100 upgrade credit towards the purchase of an LG Chocolate phone in blue, and boy, is it purdy! LOL I really don't like the touch wheel on it. Clearly, it is not designed for people with large fingers. Maybe the sensitivity is too high for my liking (not my phone, so it is set the way DH wants with his tiny fingers), but I find it more frustrating than useful. Looks way cool, though! DH also finally got new jeans and work pants, since his others were literally falling apart.

Also purchased mattresses for a "big boy bed" on October 31, but since I am not actually in possession of said mattresses just yet, and the bed won't be set up until November, I'll save that to post next month (with pictures!).

What were this month's disappointments?
That my grandmother didn't get to see her only great-grandson wearing the shirt she made for her younger son. ::sniff:: Finding out we most likely need our entire kitchen floor replaced due to mold. Haven't started on that project yet. I know we need to, I just haven't had the time between Luke home sick from daycare for almost a week followed by the sleep issues. The return of Luke's sleeping (or going to bed) issues have been incredibly frustrating for everyone. We also had to skip a barbecue/pumpkin carving party, since Luke was sick. That was a real bummer. We usually miss most activities with our group of friends because they usually get together in the evenings after Luke is in bed. I know they were having it early in the afternoon so that the few of us with young children could attend, and then we had to miss it! Waaahhh.

What were my accomplishments this month?
Technically, it didn't happen this month, but it wasn't until this month that I realized that I have scrapped over 100 layouts! It is actually approaching 125 right now. For some reason, I find that rather amazing. I've been scrapping for 18 months (hard to believe). Oh, and I have already finished 9 pages of this year's CD calendar. According to a trusted source, they are looking fabulous! And I quite agree, even if I do say so myself.

What were Luke's accomplishments this month?
He is officially 3 years old! (Or should that be listed under my accomplishments, since I managed not to kill him before he made it this far? Whoever said "I don't know why they call it the 'terrible twos' when the threes are so much worse!" wasn't kidding. And he hasn't even been 3 for a month. sigh) His talking is noticeably better, enough so that even we have noticed. Still pretty much nothing on the potty training front, which means he is still in the two-year-old class and will be for the foreseeable future. Given that all of the "new twos" are a minimum of six months younger than he is, probably more, (everyone else anywhere near his age is older and potty trained, thus now in the three's class) he is almost regressing.

Anything else noteworthy to record?
Heard from my hopefully soon-to-be-again boss and things still seem to be on track for her to hire me in late Nov/early Dec. Guess we'll find out for sure in a month or so.

Currently feeling: fallish