Catching Up

A funny LJ story...the day before I left for my trip, we went to buy a piece of luggage...we are probably the last people on earth who do not have luggage with wheels. RJ (aka, Dear Husband) was driving and every time he'd turn on the blinker, LJ would say, "no, daddy - turn your blinker off...I've got it." Without looking back, one of us would so, "oh, ok" or "we have to tell the other cars that we want to turn" or something of the sort. LJ would insist that he was telling the cars what we were going to do. Finally, I look back at him and he is holding up a part of a toy he got in a Whataburger Kid's Meal at Christmas-time. This toy is part of a train car that is carrying a "Whataburger store" on a flatbed car...the store is triangle-shaped like this:


And, LJ is holding it side-ways pointing the direction he knows we are going to turn and making a clicking noise with his mouth. I laughed so hard! So imaginative!

While I was gone, LJ lost his pacifier. He and PJ both only use them for sleeping and we just hadn't gotten around to getting LJ to give it up. PJ was born - big change. Potty training - big change. Just waiting for big changes to end! We keep telling him we'll look for it and we have, but we haven't found it AND, he really hasn't been too upset about it. He hasn't been putting up a fight at sleep times. He's cried about it a couple of times, but is satisfied and comforted that we are looking for it. I think this will be the end of the pacifier, even if we find it...unless he finds it...

Washington D.C.

M, Mawmaw and I attempted to leave for DC at 7:39 on Thursday, July 24th, but on Wednesday, July 23rd I got a call that one leg of our trip - the flight had been cancelled and were now booked on a 12:45 flight and this made all of the trip delayed. Then, that 12:45 flight didn't leave until 3:00, so we got booked on an even later flight the next leg. By the time we flew, picked up our rental car and got to the hotel, it was 10:00 pm. My arm was killing me, but the day was finally over.

This morning, we ate breakfast and went to see Mawmaw's brother - which is the reason we are here. We visited with him - talked to him while he listened as he's not well and doesn't talk much. Then we went by Mawmaw's old house and took pictures of the remodel and the new construction on either side. A young lady was walking her dog and we explained what we were doing...turns out she lives in Mawmaw's house now and invited us in to see it. It is just beautiful inside. Nice hardwood floors and new kitchen cabinets and granite counter tops. Just beautiful. She didn't offer for us to go upstairs, so we didn't.

We ate lunch - pizza at a local place, went to the bookstore so M and Mawmaw could buy a new book, and then went to meet with the lawyer who is handling my uncle's "stuff". Then, we drove to the Metro station and took the train to Union Station where we had planned to take a moonlight tour of the monuments, but it was sold out. So, we made plans to do this on Sunday and ate dinner, window shopped, and came back to the hotel.

Now we are reading and relaxing...and that's all I can do with my wrist!

This Cast Looks Crazy

Met with the orthopedist today. It took 3 hours. I gad to send someone (DH) to cancel my classes. I think the dr. was very thorough, so that is good. He was concerned that, while the 2 bone pieces are aligned fine, they seem compressed. He ordered an x-ray of my right arm to compare and then was satisfied that surgery could likely be avoided. He shot my wrist up with local anesthetic and put me in traction for about 30 minutes - to pull apart the break. Then, as he was putting on the cast, he manipulated the bone to be properly aligned and molded the cast in that position. It was uncomfortable and my cast is rather misshapen. Finally, he ordered an x-ray to determine if he was successful - and he was. I left with a new Vicodin prescription and an appointment for Aug. 8th - more x-rays to make sure it is healing correctly and is still aligned...so surgery is still possible. The local wore off and it is much more painful after all that manipulation than it was after I broke it. I've had to take 2 Vicodin every 4 hours to maintain comfort...I'm tired and a bit loopy. I'm so happy to be in the cast instead of the splint. I have a Gore-tex liner, so it can get wet - not soaking, but wet is ok...so I will swim once I'm not loopy.

Last Few Days

Friday, July 18th
Got my hair washed and dried yesterday. Gave a test in class, so that was an easy day. Today I have to catch up on grading. Gave RJ a grocery list and he and the kids went. When RJ is at work, LJ has been my little helper as I try to go about my normal routine.

PJ's schedule went WHACK the last 2 days. On his own, he slept until 8:15 yesterday - and the only took 1 nap at 1:30. He went to bed at his usual time, but last night was up crying for about an hour. He's still asleep at 8:40, so I don't think he's going to be taking a morning nap between 9:30 and 10:00 - which is the norm. I suppose he might be dropping his AM nap, but we had to work with LJ to drop his at 18 months - so this is odd to me?????

Saturday, July 19th
Yesterday was fairly good. My relationship with PJ has already changed. I used to pick him up all the time and carry him around the house with me...now, I only pick him up to put him in the high chair or to change his diaper. This has me pretty sad.

DH got a babysitter and took me out to a movie and then dinner - to try to get me out of my depression. We left when the kids woke up from their naps & got home in time to put them to bed. They napped well, so all that combined meant I had a relaxing day!

PJ's sleeping is better, but still not optimal.

Sunday, July 20th
I hate this splint. It keeps kind of shifting and slipping, so I find myself gripping with my hand and tensing my arm. I'm sure I won't like the cast either, but I'm ready to ditch this splint. I find my wrist more painful now than I did a few days ago. It is almost like I can feel the bone. I think the swelling has gone down and I'm just able to feel more. I'm trying not to be surly, but I'm not really happy with this new routine over which I have little control!

I Broke My Wrist - Details

I was running a bit late to class because some students in my previous class had stayed after to ask some questions…so I was kind of in a hurry. The steps in front of this building are not so great…I could say all the ways they are deficient, but I only have one hand. I hit one step too low and stumbled…and put my left hand down to catch my fall. I heard a snap and my arm felt weak. I walked into class, sat down, used my right hand to lift my left hand up on the desk and started taking my watch off. I figured there would be swelling, so I wanted to get my watch off. My students started asking me if I was ok and I told them I wasn’t sure, but I think I might have broken my wrist. I told them that we wouldn’t have class, but I needed to borrow a cell phone. RJ’s cell phone battery doesn’t work – it hasn’t for like 3 weeks, but he’s getting a Blackberry and service through work, so he’s just been using my battery instead of buying a new one…this leaves me without a phone, but that’s a different story. I called RJ and he loaded up the kids to come pick me up. Meanwhile, my students were so sweet. One guy ran down the street to a campus dining place to get me some ice. Another kept asking me questions to make sure I wasn’t in shock. Another had me use her hard-backed folder to support my wrist, etc. They stayed with me until RJ arrived and then planned how they would get word to my next class that class was cancelled. This all happened at 1:00 and I was in the emergency room by 1:20.

RJ dropped me off at the ER and then took the kids home to meet up with our boss and a co-worker. We had called co-worker, but gotten her voice mail, so we called boss…she came and then co-worker showed up too. Then RJ came back to me at the ER.

I hate the ER. But, I won’t go unto that because everyone hates the ER. I waited about an hour before being called back. After that, things moved pretty quickly. I don’t know what you have to do to get pain meds, but none were offered and my request for Tylenol was acknowledged and promised to be met, but never was. Anyway, I had like 6 x-rays taken, then I waited for the dr., then the dr. said it is broken…distal radial fracture…so I broke my radius down in my wrist. It is a clean-break…all the way through…and is not displaced at all, so he doesn’t think I’ll need surgery. Thank goodness…I do not want to have surgery. Hr wrapped me in a splint…that he wet and then molded to my arm…it has dried pretty darn hard. I have a sling, Vicodin, and an appointment with the orthopedist on Monday morning. The orthopedist will look at the x-rays, take more to see how healing is going, decide about surgery, and put a cast on. They wait for the cast until the swelling has gone down so that the cast won’t be a bad fit. 4-6 weeks in the cast.

The Vicodin works well and I’ve not been in too much pain, but it is painful. Having 1 hand is NOT convenient in the least. Try doing things with only one hand and I think you’ll get the picture rather quickly. RJ has to help me get dressed…can’t put a bra on with one hand. Changing diapers is difficult. Can’t wash my face, pick up my kids easily, etc. RJ has been super-terrific, but 4-6 weeks is a long time. I assume I’ll be able to grip things with my left hand sooner than that? I plan to go to work today, but I can’t pass out papers! The students will help – they are so compassionate!

Since this happened on the job – workman’s comp will pay for it. Another guy in our office broke his ankle on stairs in this same building and workman’s comp. went into effect for him. I don’t know how it works, but a report has already been made by my office…I think it is on my employer to comply, so they have all these rules to follow.

I haven’t even gotten to swim in our pool yet :-(

This took 30 minutes to type, so I won’t be typing too much for a while!

I Broke My Wrist

I fell going up the stairs on the way to class. That's all I can type for now.

Spelling

LJ is kind of into spelling - aka - reading the letters and saying what something spells. Sometimes he's right about what the letters spell, but mostly he's wrong.

Sunday, we were at Walmart and as we were leaving he said..."W-A-L-star-M-A-R-T, that spells Walmart" - I cracked up...and told him he is right and Sam Walton would be proud.

Ok, really - the NEXT post will be about PJ's routine...lest I forget one day.

Pool! Almost...

Pool set-up was S-L-O-W. First, Uncle B was going to arrive Friday evening...they were going to do some work that night and then get started again Saturday morning. Uncle B was not able to come until 11:00 Saturday morning. Then they had to go buy some top soil so they can get everything level. Then it was lunch time...RJ's family has the market cornered on "leisurely lunch", so around 2:00 they finally got out there and got started leveling the ground. At 4:20 - they left to get a pipe for a pump/drain thingy that RJ wanted to put in. If the wimpy pump that came with the pool isn't able to do the job, we are now set-up to use a good pump since they installed this pump/drain thingy. At this point, I believe the ground was level and once they got this pipe they got the pump/drain thingy in the ground...and the pool frame went up. The directions state that it is not complicated, but you will need 4 adults. Little do they know that RJ has gotten very good at figuring out how to not have help...and I think he thinks he is more than one person...as is Uncle B. Turns out, they do not have the hands of more than 2 people, but never fear, they rigged it up with tie downs and various objects to attach the tie downs to...instant hands.

This morning, the pool is about 1/3 full! "We" filled it enough to hold itself up - as I've alluded, the construction process is very interesting - and then shut it down after dark last night. This morning, PJ and I got up around 6:15 and I turned the water back on. I plan a trip to Walmart today to buy some pool necessities...like chlorine tablets, a skimmer, goggles, floats, etc.

LJ General Routine and Cute Things

LJ is 3 years and 7 months old and his day goes something like this:

6:30ish - wakes up and plays/read in bed...might get up to go to the bathroom, but goes back to his room after. He opens and closes doors kind of loudly and he always closes the door behind him, so getting up to go to the bathroom means he opens his bedroom door, closes it, closes the bathroom door, opens it, closes it, opens his bedroom door and closes it. No one can sleep through that.

7:00ish - I go in and say "good morning" and he gets up.

8:00ish - he eats breakfast. His favorites are peanut butter toast, cinnamon toast or peanut butter waffle. He still LOVES milk.

9:00ish - he and PJ play until PJ's nap time.

10:00ish - PJ's nap time - LJ gets to eat gummy fruit snacks and watch Little Einsteins while PJ is sleeping. He never forgets about these gummy snacks.

12:30ish - lunch time. One of his favorites is "trios" - turkey meatball, cheese, and goldfish. He likes bananas, mandarin oranges, pears, peaches, grapes, etc. He tends to like most fruit.

1:00ish - nap time. He plays/reads in his bed for quite a while and probably only takes a 1-2 hour nap during his 1:00 - 4:00 nap time. But, he's usually quiet, so we are all happy.

4:00ish - Snack. Right now, LJ likes Teddy Grahams (chocolate) mini-marshmallows, and chocolate chips. Oh, and MILK.

6:00ish - Dinner. He's pretty good about eating what he's served. Sometimes we have to tell him how many bites he has to eat. Whatever vegetables we are having - he will usually say, "Oh, I love __________", but the love fades and we have to tell him how many bites he has to eat. He's not so good about chewing meat. He'll keep in his mouth for a long time. We have to tell him, "swallow your food." This starts to get frustrating, so it almost always turns into, "SWALLOW your FOOOOD." Sometimes, we make it all the way to bed time and when brushing his teeth, we discover he still hasn't swallowed all of his food. This causes steam to come out of my ears.

After dinner is usually spent playing in the kiddie pool.

7:30ish - get ready for bed and go to sleep. Ha. He usually plays/reads for a while. He was in the habit of getting up to tell us his tummy hurts. We are pretty sure it doesn't hurt as often as he claims - it is as if he knows it is unverifiable.

I think he wakes up in the middle of the night and plays in his bed. I also think he's kind of tired during the day some days (due to his playing at 2:00 am)...on these days he has more trouble staying out of trouble.

LJ seems to like his brother. He often says to us, "I love my brother PR" and we always say we are glad and how nice it is to have a brother.

LJ sometimes tells me, "be happy Momma - let's turn that frown upside down" - which always makes me laugh.

LJ is pretty good at counting and can count things and subtract things up to 10 with no problem. He's trying to learn the days of the week and we are still trying to get him to realize that it is not a new day when he wakes up from his nap. This is very bothersome sometimes...if we tell him so-in-so is coming today and they haven't shown up by nap time...there is a big fit about how we said so-in-so was coming today and they didn't come. Never mind that it is only 1:00 and they will be here when LJ wakes up...in LJ's mind that is not today - it is tomorrow.

Next post - PJ's routine.

YES!

I'm sorry my faithful blog readers - YESSSS!!!! All 3 boxes have arrived and are in our possession. YIPPEE! That means pool construction commences this weekend. Today, our shutters arrived. I've convinced RJ that he is never going to get around to constructing the perfect shutters, so let's go with some pre-made...he agreed and now they are here and will be put up after work this evening. These shutters are really going to spruce up the curb appeal. I've even washed the windows in preparation...of course, it rained yesterday afternoon, but we need the rain so badly I can't complain.

Out for Delivery

All 3 boxes - out for delivery today! Hopefully they will all 3 show up TODAY. Then it is a matter of prepping the ground, constructing the pool, and filling it up...with lots of water...which we will likely notice in our water bill. Oh and all of the maintenance. We'll have to buy flotation devices...and floatie-type things. LJ has requested goggles. Sunscreen - lots of sunscreen. But, I cannot wait - this is going to be such a great thing...I think.

Pool #2 - Tracking

Pool #2 has departed from Secaucus, NJ (decided to look up where this is and it is right up the rode form Weehawken, which is where we stayed when we went to NYC before LJ was born)...and is "on time" to arrive at our house July 9 - all three boxes (or so it seems)! We may be getting really close to getting this pool - finally. And, it has been HOT here...with next-to-no rain, so we are certainly looking forward to "a pool that mommy and daddy can fit in".

PS - I need to write about our ride on the steam train last weekend...

Pool Update

So, here it is July 1 and no box #3 of 3. I decided that this box is just not coming, so I called Walmart. This is not so easy as it seems. Try to find a phone number to call on the Walmart website. I went to my online credit card statement to verify that we had paid for the pool - and my credit card company had a clickable link for Walmart - and that link provided a phone number. THAT is how I got a phone number to call.

After choosing the menu option I thought best fit my predicament - and saying YES 3 times before it understood me...I had to back out of that route and pick something else so I could talk to a PERSON. I choose "billing problems" and finally got to Barb. Barb was very friendly and helpful. It probably helped that when she asked how I was doing I said, "Barb, I'm frustrated" - she was nice to me. After a lot of computer-looking-up Barb determined she needed to initiate a tracking for the package with UPS. Then she told me UPS has 10 business days to find the package before they can get the manufacture to send another. She suggested that, if I'm financially able, I could order another pool as it would probably get here before the last box of my original order would. Keep the original order until we've put our 2nd pool together - to make sure we have all the parts we need...otherwise, get those parts from our original pool. Then, we can return the original pool to the store for instant refund of our money OR they can send a truck to pick it up from our house. Oh - and she refunded our shipping on the original pool and did not charge us shipping on our 2nd pool. I ordered the 2nd pool and it (ALL 3 BOXES - I'm keeping my fingers crossed) will be here between July 10 and July 24. The original pool (2 of 3 boxes) got here within 7 days of ordering, so we are hoping for closer to the 10th.