This past weekend was a real hodge podge of activity. I had a list of things to blog about and I think it best to just create one gigantic blog entry with a number of sub-topics as I try to wrap my head around both last week and the coming week.
Leif
Leif has had a manic type week. One minute he behaves like the spawn of something fierce… like last night when he sat on my lap in his bedroom and screamed at the top of his lungs for no less then 30 minutes, seriously. Finally AB took over and bribed him with chocolate milk. Five minutes later you would have had no idea he hadn’t gotten his way previously and the world was coming to a screeching halt because of it. Chocolate milk is an amazing elixir.
Then there are just those perfect days, where you want to bottle them up and savor for the next few years. Sunday was one of those. We got up and ran errands, PetSmart where Leif admired the guinea pigs (not quite what he was expecting I think when I said “look a guinea pig”) and lizards and turtles. All attention was then diverted by cats from the shelter arriving. I want a cat. I really, really do. I have finally gotten over the passing of my 21 year old cat, three years ago nearly to the day. I am ready to open my heart to another cat. Leif is too. AB… not so much. The cat will be put on hold for awhile, not just because AB balks, but because I fear my daughter’s stuffy nose is allergies that she inherited from either or both sides of the family. I can’t bring an animal into the house without a better understanding of her sinuses.
We headed to Michaels where Leif wanted to ride IN the basket. Shocker. He hasn’t ridden IN a basket seat since he was tiny. Instead he either stays home or runs mad through the store with either AB or I chasing him. We came across some wooden models and he squealed about the airplane. Being that they were $1, I grabbed one for him. That afternoon Leif sat down at the table with AB and very patiently helped put the model together. I was so amazed that he sat there that entire time. He was quite upset when we put the plane up to dry, but since it has been dry it has taken an honored position next to his side nearly every minute of the day. On my list of things to do this week is get back to Michaels to pick up the helicopter, sailboat and car models as well. And maybe another plane. $1 wooden toys rock.
We got home from errands that day and Leif was starting to get fussy. He told me he didn’t want lunch and wanted to go sit on his bed. We went in to check on him 15 minutes later and he was out. Naps are a real hit or miss with him right now, he has even stopped napping at daycare about 50% of the time we are told.
That night I was putting him to bed. He was sitting on my lap as we were getting ready to read Sam I am, I am (aka Green Eggs and Ham). He looked up at me, completely unprovoked and said, “I love my Skadi”. I told him that was so special and how much it meant to me to hear him say that! He replies, “I really love Skadi”. Awww. Melt my heart!
Oh and the best thing about using baby monitors? Sitting in your bed at 10pm and hearing him talk in his sleep. Too funny! And also reminds me why the baby monitor will remain in his room until he graduates and leaves my house. ;-)
Skadi Bean
The things we do for our kids. I love dairy. I really, really do. I drink milk (which is funny since I refused to as a child), I love cheese. Everything I like to eat has dairy in it. Or so I discovered in making an attempt a few weeks ago to pull dairy out of my diet.
When Leif was about Skadi’s age he struggled with his tummy also. I cut out dairy, it resolved, and I slowly reintroduced it and all was well. Apparently Skadi is just a little more sensitive. Everything was better until I had my little wine and cheese snack on the back patio under my wonderful pergola Saturday evening.
We paid on Sunday when she would.not.calm.down. Ok, then *I* paid on Monday when she had the explosives at one of the high ups house. Her cute outfit lasted 10 minutes tops and I am telling myself that spot on my leg was mustard…
Skadi is great though. She is very wide-eyed. And oh my goodness, the child sleeps! She went to sleep last night about 9pm, woke up at 4:10am to eat and was out again until 7:30am. (Leif otoh, was up three times.)
Upcoming
Airplanes and more airplanes. That is going to be our life for the next two weeks it appears.
My 84 year old grandmother arrives on Thursday. She already has her suitcase packed and sitting by the door! (Apparently this was completed last week.) She is coming up to visit and to attend her 60th reunion of cadet nurses training. It will be a good, but trying week that I am preparing myself for in advance. It is hard seeing her age. It is hard seeing her shrink, and knowing she just thinks of herself as “little” and doesn’t see the hump on her back. And sometimes… ok, much of the time… she is just hard mentally. It is all those senior antics… like leaving a restaurant devoid of sugar packets. (She really CAN afford a bag of sugar.) Or leaving a friend’s house with desserts wrapped in napkins in her purse. (Apologizing in advance for book club night V!) The all too common senior moment of ignoring ones personal hygiene… or forgetting to put her teeth in. (Reminding myself to insert “do you have your teeth?” into my vocabulary between the 14 times I ask Leif if he has his shoes when we leave the house.)
But what do I get in exchange? Time that my grandmother will value forever. Those long talks where I pick up tidbits about our family. A fierce dominoes competitor (is it luck or sheer genius? We will never know). Time that I may never have again with her. Or not… we all wonder if she won’t outlive us all. I will be singing “the patience song” a lot in the next week. But it will be worth it.
Friday I am taking her to get her hair done (see personal hygiene note above). Then she and I and Skadi Bean are driving to Spokane. I am dropping her off at her friend’s house who will ferry her around and is hosting three other women from nurses training at her house. A place I will be happy to not be on Saturday morning when they are all getting ready for their free lunch. I am secretly coveting the trip to Cost Plus World Market with Skadi after the dropoff Friday. Sunday we will all head back to Spokane to get her. My plan is that we leave early, grab her and head to the River Park for a few hours.
Then next Monday is the day my husband and son are packing up and heading to Alaska for five days. I have mixed feelings on this. It was a last minute decision made last night. AB needs to go up and help his mom with some stuff, but he didn’t dare do this and leave me with both kids and my grandmother. Fear of the raving lunatic he might return to prompted him to suggest he take Leif with. Surprisingly I think to him, I told him to go and have fun (secretly coveting the one on one time with Skadi).
This could be a good father/son experience. Or it could be a disaster of epic proportions. Leif is very mommy attached right now. The novelty of going on an airplane will entice him through the security gates at 8pm Monday night, but the fallout will hit Tuesday morning when he wakes up at Papa’s house.
AB will have a fabulous time no matter what and I AM glad that he is taking the time to do this now while he has the time off. (Selfish reason? Maybe some fresh salmon.)
It will be good for me to have a few days with my grandmother and Skadi. And good for a few days with just Skadi. Then I will be eager to welcome my boys home!
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