The Gods Must Be Crazy

Ok, so bonafide bad days do happen. I haven’t had one like this since I was in college and locked my keys in my car twice and locked myself out of my house once and missed a final because of it- all in the same day.

So here goes: Woke up to  baby crying in her cribby and Ted’s ghostly face saying that our cars were burglarized. They took two of his credit cards and his work compy- fooey. From my car it looked like they just got a bit of petty cash. It wasn’t until later that I realized they got the camera-with Roo’s surgery photos  on it and our family trip to the arboretum-F**K!!!  I can’t get those back. And it wasn’t until later still that I realized that they also took the check from the wedding I did yesterday ARG!

I called the bride to tell her to cancel the check. She said, OK! Bye! How about a reissue minus the cancellation fee?! I need to get reimbursed please!

Ok moving on…did I mention that is was SNOWING!? Its the middle of April! Enough! I’m tired of “shouting at the rain/snow”. But really Mother Nature, if this keeps up you’ll get a new name…Mother Unnatural? OK, lame…

Did I also mention that while I was driving a MOUSE leaped out of my engine compartment and did a little dance on the windshield then ran back in? Totally freaked me out!

So then I was at the vet trying to pick up Booboo after his seed pod extraction. What??

Yes, my cat inhaled a seed pod and had it stuck in his bronchial tubes. They took a scope with a hook and put it down his air pipe - it went all the way down as low as his heart!

She brought out the pod in a plastic baggie and said,”here’s your $500.00 seed pod!” Cha-ching!

So then we headed home(I should have actually gone up to feed Casper at that point.) Its still snowing.We just rounded the corner to the house and the vet calls.

She said,” um, I think we forgot to give you something.”

“oh really, what?” I asked.

“Your cat,”she said.

“Oh, I hadn’t noticed,”I said.

Laughing ensued while I backed the truck up.

I should really just stop here.

Not a Peep

On Tuesday my little muffet went to Children’s and had her little extra bit removed. Since Nina also has a slight tongue tie, they were recommending that we have her frenulum clipped while she was under. After much research I decided that it would be best to wait. But you know how surgeons are. They are knife happy. When we got in the office DH stared asking questions about it. The doc was very much for having it done (of course.)  I took more of a  lets wait and see if its a problem- we can always do it later stance. Her argument was that ’she’s going to be under anyway’. My answer to that is: well since she’s going to be under anyway, we might as well take out her wisdom teeth too… they might be a problem some day! (she is 1 BTW). I decided that I probably can’t win them all(natural non-intrusive care measures) and let this one go. I cried about it but I accepted it. Seeing her after the surgery, I immediately saw a difference. Her cute little tongue was still cute and little, just a little longer.

Children’s is so awesome. Of course they deal with far more serious cases on a daily basis but I thought they were very empathic, warm and thorough with us and our little angel. When it was time for the anesthesiologist to taker her away for surgery he came in with a warm blanket outstretched. I put her in his arms. At that point I thought that he just wanted to take a look at her. It wasn’t until she was half way down the hall and I saw her sweet little bobble head looking this way and that way that I realized he was taking her to surgery. My initial reaction was: where’s the gurney? It was so nice that they took her in such a soft way.

When the doctor brought her back (again in a  warm blankie) she was still very groggy and her tongue was swollen. She kept licking her lips. Her tongue kept getting in the way. It was so cute. By this time she was really hungry as they had me stop feeding her at 1:30 in the AM. So, while she was still sleepy-eyed and partially drugged I breast fed her and she latched on beautifully. She never had an issue with her tongue from that moment on. I’m so glad.

The anestheiologist said that when he took her back to the OR she never made a peep. She just looked around and even smiled. That’s my girl! He mentioned what a sweet personality she has…..we know! She’s awesome! She did have a bunch of needle marks where they tried to put in the IV so I’m sure she had some big tears over that, poor baby. The surgeon said it was because she is so well fed (she is 50% percentile and 80% breast milk too) so I thought that was pretty funny.

 

We took our little bandaged angel home and she slept in her car seat downstairs where I could see her from 10:30 until about 2:00. When she woke up we had some snuggle time and I took her upstairs to maybe take a nap with me. she just wanted to snuggle more (poor me! LOL!) After some great quiet time she was back to her old Roo tricks of smiley happy play. What a sweet girl.

Little partings - precious things

I’ve been a little under the weather today. Literally and figuratively. Really now, the weather here in the northwest is out of control. Its on the books. There have been 10 mostly sunny days since November. (I resisted the urge to write that in all caps.) That in itself is a dismal number. Saturday though was a little oasis. It got up to 79 degrees! And then Sunday and today it was rainy and 42. Is this a joke? I’m missing the punchline.

As for Saturday, we took the fam to the Arboretum for a walk in the cherry blossoms. It was just lovely. It was the first time Jeff and I had been to the Arboretum together and Nina and puppy’s first time too. We got some great photos under a beautiful cherry tree. There were lots of tots out and about. Nina got to meet some sweet little ones. She loves meeting kids. She is such a little social butterfly.

After the park Jeff and I got into one of classic gridlocks. We couldn’t decide where to get eats. We wandered downtown but it was just not practical with a dog and baby (hello!) So we drove around (and around) for awhile then headed back over the water to kirkland where we had the genius idea to go to the Beach Cafe. Turns out all of Seattle had the same genius idea! So we waited for about an hour. It was actually quite nice. The sun was out, it was warm, and we found a nice little secluded table where I fed Nina and we waited for that little gizmo to beep, vibrate or flash or all of the above. It did finally.

 We snagged an apple from the entry on the way in as a toy for Nina. When we were seated at our little table that apple became a boon. Since the place was packed service was sloooooow. We ended up biting little pieces off the apple and feeding them to Nina. Every time we would stop she would squeal! So funny. So we kept pushing apple bits her way. It was a really nice time and I actually ate great meal of gluten free gumbo.

Sunday was all masters all the time. It was suspenseful, it was golf, it was the masters. ‘Nuf said.

Back to the weather. When I was a kid there was a made for TV movie I watched and loved. I’ve thought of it much over the years and certainly this winter. It is the retelling of a Ray Bradbury story called All Summer in a Day. When I was kid in Michigan I thought how horrible for these poor kids in the story. They live on Venus where is rains nonstop and the sun comes out every seven years or so for an hour. To get thier vitamin D they are forced to bathe in front of light boxes. Hmm, this is all feeling very familiar. Little did I know that 26 years after I saw that I would be sitting in my living room on one more sunless day going over my light box catalog, counting the days until my insurance company delivers the goods.

So there’s that. Also Booboo kitty is very sick. He started having difficulty breathing on Saturday then it got a lot worse on Sunday. This morning I took him to the vet (they were VERY nice) and had a bunch of ex-rays (cha-ching!) and they still don’t know what is wrong with him. He’s on steroids and antibiotics. So we will see what if either of them works. I feel so bad for him. They think he may have asthma poor kid.

While I was there a gentleman brought in his 14 year old golden retriever, Maggie. He carried her in. It was Maggie’s day to head over the rainbow. Poor sweet Maggie!

Uplifting day! Not to mention that last night we watched Hotel Rwanda. It haunted me all day. How can people be so easily led into evil? It is so frightening. I can barely wrap my head around that kind of horror. It gets me wondering about myself. I put myself in the Paul category of course. But what about my neighbors? I’m sure they feel the same. So where does it start? How does hate get so out of control.  As I was busy about the house today I kept trying to evaluate our society as I see it(limited view) and the only hope I could come up with was: We spend billions of dollars a year trying to nurture and pamper our pets. Could we as a people pick up arms and begin killing each other? My hope is no.

So with that, the final bit that has me uneasy today is that in the morning my sweet daugther will have surgery. Its a simple thing really. She will have a large skin tag removed from her neck. It will only take 30 minutes, but she will be have to be under general for it. A mom worries. I love her. Every part of her. I’ll miss that little tag. Its part of my sweet Nina. But I’m sure when she is 16 she’ll be glad its gone!

Good night all the preciuos things I love and all the precious things that are loved.

 

Weather: See above

Food: grain free since Sunday. Lots of veg, frittata, nuts.

Mood: a bit gloomy but hopeful

Prince Caspian We Love You

Well we decided. Its time to give Casper a new home. He needs someone to be his partner, his buddy, his confidant and playmate. i just don’t have the time anymore with Jeff working so many hours and with Nina as priority number 1.

Casper is such a good boy. Such a great horse. I’ve been thinking about regrets. Casper is my dream horse. He is the horse I was supposed to go all the way with: Parelli levels, endurance riding, dressage, freestyle. Its wild to think that just a  few years ago I never thought I’d ever own a horse and now as life has it, I have my dream horse but life has other plans. Mm. Thats a bitter little pill. Its hard you know to sell a horse, especially one you love. So many use the softer word ”rehome” but to me its just desgined to make you feel better about what is really going on. The fact is-I’m selling him. I’m removing him from my care. It sucks but its true. I made a commitment to him and I didn’t uphold my end of the bargain. That I have to live with.

But the good news is: Its the right thing to do. He needs a partner, he needs more exercises, he needs a job. The truth is I’m really excited for him. I can’t wait to find him his next home. I know he will make a great companion for some special person. He is a horse full of love, kindness and heart. He has a clown’s sense of the absurd but the heart of a lion. We love you Prince Caspian, Casper, Slappy the Boy. You have been a great friend and a great teacher.

 

You’ll always be my little dream horse, I feel blessed to have had you as a freind and parnter these years.

 

Best Brunch Ever and strange meetings

Those First steps!

Just the day before Jeff and I were debating about when Roo would take her first steps. I said it would be two weeks, Jeff said a momth.  Well we were both wrong.

We finally had a day to spend togther. Jeff has been working such long hours its hard to even get a hug in let alone some good hangout time. So this Saturday we packed Roo in her car seat and went out into the world.

Jeff had a quick meeting in West Seattle so nina and i went driving around and (of course) ended up at La Roo. I only had 45 minutes so I tried to make it quick. I hadn’t seen Dad since he got back from Italy.  I pulled up to the house and was looking forward ot suprising them but as i walked up the drive way dad was already half way down the wlak with his arms outstreched for Nina. It was sweet.

They immeditaley set to playing with and loving on her. She had two phones, one for each hand. She would not put them down. She tried to put them both in one had so she could play with something else but they were too heavy. Before i knew ot was was toddling over to me foot by foot carrying her two phones. My dad got the whole thing on tape. I was totally in denial. I said,”that doesn’t count!” i don’t knwo why.. I think I wasn’t ready. nina responded by wlaking again, but this time further. I was officially official. Nina took her first steps! I scooped her up and sweezed her. I’m so proud of my girl.

Swing!

I took Roo to the park today after a long walk with Wywy. I put her in the baby swing and she just LOVED it. In fact, after just a few pushes she was doing it herself. She really got the mechanics of “going” it was a beautiful day out and she was able to get some nice sun exposure.

 I set her down in the grass and she stood there for a long time! Maybe even the longest she has ever stood on her own. Then along with that first she had the poopiest diaper ever today. I almost took a picture because I was so stunned. I decided to save her the humiliation in posterity.

She was pretty fussy after her change so I nursed her. She immediately fell asleep and there she is now, asleep on my lap like a tiny baby. Its so rare now. She is becoming such a little big girl. I remember when she was younger I’d spend hours doing this-just staring at her, taking her in. Now I spend hours playing with her! It goes so fast.

I love you Nina little sprite of heaven.

weather: still cold, but sunny!

Mood: pretty chill

Food: this n that..sausage, 2 GF cookies, cornbread, orange.

 Update: I’ve lost 70lbs!!!! Its nuts…lol, and I DID wear a bikini in Maui…my first ever

Roo so fast, Clyde’s New Home

Roo is growing and going so fast now its hard to keep up. As hard as it is i need to post more.

All i can say right now is: She is a perfect angel. Angel face, angel hair halo, angel voice angel smile angel breath, angel little self. I love her.

Go horsepower is where Clyde went to live for the next 9 months we’ll see if it works out. Its a great place!

Mood: heightened

Weather: a little warmer, but still cold, a little rain

 Food: Gluten free cookies(too many) refried beans for lunch, almond roca! and Ixtapa for dinner all in all not a model day for eating.

Horse Crazy Moms on Squidoo

I just started playing with squidoo. Its a lot of fun and its very easy my newest lens is: www.squidoo.com/horsecrazymoms check it out!

So many little things and At last!

At last! After nine months Nina (and I) finally slept through the night! It was pretty serendipitous. Two nights ago I said out loud,”I’m going to ask Nina to sleep through the night tonight!” that night i was up for one feeding. Then last night (drum roll) she slept straight through without even a peep! I guess she got the memo.

Jeff woke me up in the morning whispering,”look!” It had snowed while we were asleep. i glanced at the white wonderland and thought ‘oh nice, time for more sleep’ but he said, its actually later than you think. It was 7:30am! I put Nina to bed the night before at 11:30pm thats 8 uninterrupted hours! the longest she has gone before is 5 hours which means in 9 months the most uninterrupted sleep I’ve had is 5 hours! I have to tell you, those eight flew by!

Nina is doing so many little new things now. today she walked all the way around her walkabout station. She started by hopping around then really started walking. She is playing the little keyboard as well. After she woke up form her afternoon nap we played in the mirror and she learned a new game(Its called YAY! You put your hands up in the air and shake them and say YAY!) Its soooo cute!

This Morning when I brought her downstairs for our ’rounds’ Nina was awestruck by the snow. every morning we take a trip down the stairs, say good morning to puppy,  the plant on the landing, any loitering cats and then we head straight tot he front window where we usually count passing cars. today we just looked at the snow. I got some geeat pics.

 This evening my folks asked us to dinner. Went to the international district for Chinese Food. It was really fun. The food was outstanding and so was Nina. She is such an angel. She was so quiet and interested and funny. Her Grandma and Nonno sure love her. She loves them too

Side note: they sold the boat today. Crikey! 12 years!

Weather: Early morning Snow then drizzle, then hail then snow then rain and potentially more snow tonight.

Mood: Constructive

Food: Killer Chinese, I had  shrimp fried rice with my own wheat free soy sauce. Yum!