Saturday, July 20, 2013

Slow moving progress

I took Jacob in for his shots on the 1st of July, and I mentioned in passing how I was so frustrated from feeling so weak.   I had so much trouble taking the boys anywhere, that I still was putting Jacob in the stroller so I could push him in the event I had to go more than 100 ft.  I just can't carry the bucket all over the place, it's so heavy.  Doesn't help that Jake is growing so well, baby plus bucket exceeds my strength capacity.  I put away the handicapped sticker, and am now parking like a big girl again, but it's hard on me to haul them about.  Well, Dr. Cooper said that he tells his patients that for every day that you're down, it takes two to get back up.  NO!  I was on bedrest for 5 months, and at that time Jake was only 2 months old, so I would still have 8 more months to go, that's like February.  UGH!
Some days my back hurts so much I don't even want to go downstairs.  I went into the chiropractor last week and got an adjustment AND massage for an hour, and that loosened up tight muscles more than in months.  My gluts are so tight he wanted me to lay on a tennis ball to break them up, gives a new definition to 'tight butt', and not in a cutesy way.  Seems Eric and I both have muscles spasmed up like rocks in our back, we're a pair.   Well, as much as I dislike doing therapy stretches, clamshells and laying on a tennis ball, I must confess, it's kind of helping.  And I know it's been a long time since I wrote, or posted pictures, but I've just been feeling so crummy, I've been in sort of a funk, kind of like I'd rather not say anything at all than write.

But lately, I find I've been feeling a bit better.

I even have been taking the kids out to do summery type things.  Madness.  I know.  And as sore as I am from getting out and about, it feels good to get out and into the fresh air.  Even if it is bloody hot outside.  

Last week, on the way home from piano lessons, I took the kids to the park.   I couldn't do much, couldn't go far, didn't last long, but we did have some Fun.  And really, I just wanted to reward them a bit, just let them Play for a while.  I feel like I haven't been able to do that with them for months.  So Play they did!


I took the boys to Blastoff Park.  The boys love to climb on all the equipment, I could hardly keep them still.



Boys be silly. 


I love this picture, because for once, Christopher turned himself upside down, something he rarely does voluntarily.  Hooray for Therapy working! 


Sam wasn't so much a fan of sand in his shoes, but he is learning to get it out all by himself...learning anyway, sometimes he still wants a bit of help.


Chris on his favorite, the tire swing. 


This week, I got another wild hair, and decided to take a road trip, and we were supposed to go visit friends on Monday, but it fell through, so I had Chris home all day from Day Camp, and nothing on the docket, so I decided to reward them by taking them to the Children's Museum.  Alone.  Sam's done a great job with his potty training, I had promised him a trip there because they have "Sam-sized potties".  So we went.


All my sweetboys by the water clock. 


I told each boy, they could pick 1 exhibit to do.  I thought they'd pick Dinosaurs and the carousel, which are on opposite ends of the Children's Museum.  I figured that would take all the energy I had.  But as we were walking in, Chris asked the gal checking our pass if Hot Wheels was still there.  It wasn't.  In it's place was a new exhibit with stuff from the movie Avatar.  Frankly, I think that was not a good move, as most kids aren't going to have seen it, the movie is PG-13.  Still, when she hyped it up, saying there were things for the little kids to do or play with, Christopher fell for it....so we ended up in Avatar.  It was OK.  They had boots he could pretend with (they didn't move though, which was a bummer to him) and a room full of bouncy balls that they could put in certain spaces and they'd "glow", Sam liked that.  But really, seeing all the movie memorabilia was not enjoyable to the boys.  Chris got bored fast while Sam played bouncy ball, and started climbing things he shouldn't. So we weren't in there very long.  Sam wanted to go see Trains, so on our way downstairs, we lucked out finding a small Transformer visit in the lobby.  


We grabbed a seat just in time to join in on a visit from Bumblebee! 


The boys thought this was very cool, and he even "spoke" in radio tunes, true to the movie character.  And his transformation looked impressive too.  I think that was probably Mommy's favorite part.  


On the way to trains, we got distracted by the glass.  We actually spent more time here than on trains.  
Who could help it? - this Chihuly glass exhibit is So Pretty! 

Even Jacob loved it!


We were only at the museum a couple hours, I am slow moving, but we're getting better all the time. 

We finally had everyone healthy enough to play with Aunt Amy this week too!  Chris had been bugging me for weeks to have a playdate with Kaylee.  Of course, I never seem to get enough time with my nieces and new nephew, between travels and sickness, this week was our first summery playdate in ages!  The big kids took off running and playing, and I barely saw Chris.  He and Kaylee were a blur.  Though at one point, they were sitting snacking at the kitchen counter, and I heard Kaylee show Christopher her surgery spot.  And Chris lifted his shirt to show her his.  They both have had to endure too much.  But both are on the roads to recovery!  Kaylee is still doing oral chemo daily, but only has IV chemo once a month.  Her hair is growing back, and already it's longer than Christopher's, since we buzzed him at the beginning of summer, their hair was about the same when we saw them at Grandpa's funeral. And the babies, oh my goodness!  

Jacob (in white) and Jeremiah, as side by side as they would allow.  They often get the same looks on their faces, you'd think they were related or something. It looks like Jacob is trying to catch up to Jeremiah in growth too.  But he still has far to go.  They both love chilling on the floor for a while, especially with all the loved ones to fawn all over them.   


 Jeremiah is a beast, he's pushing up and smiling, and such a sweet boy, I couldn't stand it.  My babies are just growing up too fast. 




And this past weekend, Eric spent a significant amount of time fixing up the pool.  The first time we took it out, tpward the end of last month, and got it up and running, there were holes in it.  We thought it would die quickly, and we'd either pitch it or try to fix it.  Well, it didn't die quickly, but finally it leaked out enough that Eric could attempt a fix.  Of course, it needed a good cleaning again. It does that.  So Eric did a great job cleaning out all the muck and guck in the pool, and refilling it.  Since it's in the shade, and has been stained by greenage, the water looks dingy, but no, it's clean.  And Very Refreshing.

And this week was so hot, that we needed to get in....and Often!


Sunday night, my sweetboys enjoyed getting crazy for a swim.  


Love me some kicking sweetboys! 


Jake was like, "Hey, I thought you said we were going swimming?!"
No baby, not yet for you.  


Then this week, we also took a couple morning swims. 


I even was feeling good enough to bring Jacob out by myself.  
I had worried it might be too much to wrangle everyone, but the big boys were really helpful, and the baby was just being so good in the fresh air.  


Chris is already ready and raring to go, he loves to swim with his goggles.  


Sam doesn't like to get too wet, he constantly walks around the pool, and he doesn't really like to pose for pictures either, but I managed to catch him on occasion.


My little guy smiley.


Jacob was so sweet sitting in the shade.  He was happy playing with his rattle and watching the sun flitter through the trees.  He would get this focus face.  

So cute, I even almost caught him smiling.  


But all of us enjoy having the pool back in commission in the backyard.  I hope we'll get a lot more good swims in before summer ends.

Sam and I took an afternoon swim one day while Chris was in day camp.   

Jake slept most of the time, it was just too hot for him.  But Sam and I had a great time grabbing a quick but refreshing dip! 


Suddenly, I realized that this week we were halfway through July.  Summer is 3/4 over for us.  
Yipes, we've got to make hay while the sun shines! 


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