Feline Frustrations

3-29-16

Cats are assholes.

Ok, don’t get me wrong. I adore all of my cats, both past and present, but dammit if they don’t try to give me a heart attack more often than not. Yesterday was a prime example of said assholery.

As I sat on the couch reading a magazine, I hear a crash and see a couple of the cats run up from the downstairs, looking spooked. It wasn’t super unusual, as truly they tend to be the source of whatever fell down or broke or exploded causing their freak out. That being said, it was a little unusual for so many of them to be involved, so I felt I should investigate.

I went down to where the commotion was and noted that the sliding glass door’s screen was off its track. This was clearly caused by the cats teasing Lily to the point in which she jumped on the screen and managed to dislodge it. Not an uncommon thing, and mostly it results in all the cats fleeing for their lives (you know, because my dogs are so vicious. Sheesh). I scanned the room and then looked outside. There was Tonks, looking positively terrified.

CRAP.

Yes, it’s one thing if say Monarch was out. He is street savvy and isn’t even really a flight risk. Usually when he goes outside in a clear act of rebellion, he gets about 2 feet and then promptly falls to the ground, almost begging you to pick him up and rescue him. If Breezer got out, she would just go to the roof and wait for a time in which the chaos has subsided and then would saunter back in as if nothing had happened. But Tonks being outside? This was a code red.

My sweet Tonks

I quickly sequestered the cats in my vicinity and tossed them into the catio, securing them by blocking off the cat door. I had attempted to leave the dogs out, but opted instead to bring them in and send them to the bedroom so that we wouldn’t have that factor causing issues.

Luckily, Tonks was more than happy to make this ordeal end. She wanted to get in the door, so it was good I was able to leave it open while I corralled her. She was emitting this horrid yowl that broke my heart. She already hates people, so then to have to rely on a person, even though she tolerates me, was tough on her. Thankfully, after some strategic movements, I was able to get her to run back inside the house.

At this point, a head count was in order. I had already been confident in knowing where Breezer, Sissy and now Tonks were. I located Monarch, and even Toph (which would have been another red alert being that she has never been outside). The hold out was the one cat that really and truly is not allowed to be in any danger.

Lucy was missing.

Lucy is a classy lady

I would be upset if something happened to any of my cats. It isn’t a secret that I cry at stupid things, so the idea of one of my cats becoming lost or hit by a car because of a screen door would be beyond difficult. But the idea of Lucy, who is really a piece of Bobby, would be so much worse. Not only would I have to mourn a cat. I would also have to comfort Bobby and to see him having his heart ripped out from something like this would kill me.

I quickly ran around the house, calling out to her. I used the sing song voice Bobby uses for her name and I did every single click and kissy sound one uses to call a cat. I was frantic. I checked under chairs and in beds. I checked in closets and under desks. I then ran outside, checking all around the backyard, all the while screaming out to a cat that wasn’t answering.

Panic started to set in. My face was covered in tears, my voice almost becoming hoarse from all the cat calling. I almost drove up to the school to get Bobby since Lucy always comes when he calls her. It was a good 45 minutes before they would normally arive home, and Bobby would be staying late due to the 5th grade project (which apparently involves Torrance High cheerleaders). I was at the end of my rope.

Finally, in a last ditch effort, I busted out a packet of catnip. Lucy is a hard core nip junkie. She sticks her entire head into the bag and doesn’t bother to act even a little lady like. I quickly shook the bag, making its traditional sound that brings the cats running. I stood in the kitchen with it, and then went downstairs to continue to make the music to hopefully lure out this damn cat.

Drug bust

I didn’t see her and started to head back up to the living room when I noted the orange fluff of cat standing on my table. It was Lucy! That bitch was somewhere in the house the whole damn time while I was in a panic. I quickly scooped her up in a huge hug, and as if she seemed to understand my demeanor, she fell limp and allowed this huge violation of cat/human relations to take place. My tears dampened her head significantly, but she didn’t seem to mind.

She spent a lot of time the rest of the afternoon, even after her boy arrived home, coming up to me and chirped her apology mews. She and I don’t hang out much, what with her being attached to Bobby whenever he is home (and sitting near a door when he isn’t, waiting for him to get back). I was grateful that she didn’t seem too angry about my squeezing her so tightly earlier. If I didn’t know any better, I would say she and I actually bonded over the experience.

My household was all safe. Cats and dogs, living together. Mass hysteria. But really, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Now to fix that damn door.  

Crazy calm

3-28-16

For it being a relatively quiet weekend it was certainly busy.

Friday’s work day looked to be rather simple. I had a handful of projects to work on with the occasional customer situation. Sure, one of those ended up being quite a bit of drama (that I am not even sure is done yet) and resulted in multiple emails back and forth with a sales rep. Those emails were minor compared to what was going on in my personal email and Facebook Messenger.

On Thursday evening, I got a message from Jen, Aaron’s girlfriend. I hadn’t responded until Friday as I was in the midst of afternoon chaos at the time. I got a chance mid-morning to respond to the request, which was regarding stepping in as a moderator for them. Since they got together, I know they have fought pretty consistently. I have tried to help in the past with a similar setting in which they both vented out their issues to myself and Ken while we essentially gave opinions and feedback. Since that time, I have fielded emails from Jen regarding frustrations with Aaron including one fairly recently when they moved in together. Ultimately, that last set of emails I suggested to her that truly they are not a good match and that I would honestly recommend splitting up. Within a day or two they ended moving in together.

It didn’t seem to me as if I was really a good person to go to regarding their issues. My opinion still stands at thinking they should break up. They might be ok people apart but they are quite toxic together. He is mean and she is skittish and stressed. Her emails when they fight are clearly quite crazed and I am prone to give her the benefit of the doubt in saying she is probably not like this when he isn’t involved. So all that being said, I don’t see any long term benefits with trying to do pseudo counseling, even though I have agreed to this.

Yes, in a moment of weakness for my friends I have said I would find some time. The honest truth is, I don’t know when that will be. They mentioned weeknights, which I promptly vetoed, knowing that there was no way in hell that I would have time for that. They have suggested Sundays, which also is a bit of an issue depending on soccer games. Jen’s insistence on it being sooner than later, although frustrating, will most likely result in them coming over Sunday afternoon. Luckily the boys will be playing games or out riding bikes so it should be fine.

As if it wasn’t crazy enough, in addition to the emails with Jen, I got an email from Brandy concerning the same topic. Apparently Aaron and Jen also drug her into this whole situation. Since I wasn’t available on Thursday to talk Jen down, they ended up calling Brandy to ask her how Aaron was with her. Yeah, not the best idea, what with them not having what you would call a good relationship in the grand scheme of things. Brandy was touching base with me to see what I knew, which really honked with me a fair amount. We have not truly spoken in multiple years now, which is for the best for each of us.

The emails back and forth were fine, with it mostly being a recap of how they seemed to her when she spoke to them. It didn’t sound like a great conversation to say the least, with Aaron apparently yelling a fair amount and he came across as quite rude. Our emails ended cordially and overall I would say it wasn’t bad. It still wasn’t something I expected.

Saturday morning was all about getting the house ready for Easter. Not that we had big plans, but let’s face it, hiding eggs in a mess isn’t the best of ideas. Ken went to the Winter League to help ref and I set out to get the chores done. The boys helped me with a great deal and then I set them loose. They ended up riding bike and scooter up to Hull to say hello to Ken and then they rode back. Dax wasn’t 100% confident on the bike yet, which was probably ok being that they would be going pretty far for a first outing. He rode the scooter. They ended up cruising the neighborhood for a while, which made me very happy that they have this kind of freedom now. Plus, to see Bobby doing anything active is wonderful.

We ended up going to see Zootopia that afternoon. The initial plan had been to see it on Sunday, but Chris contacted us and offered us use of his Wondercon passes for Sunday afternoon. The movie was a lot of fun. I was impressed with how funny it was. The boys adored it, especially Bobby since the sloth named Flash was, well, a sloth which was happy making, but also, turned out Flash loves sports cars. Yep, a character who was Bobby in animal form. He was positively giddy.

We colored eggs that night, which was almost like an after-thought. Neither boy was super interested, but we still had fun. We didn’t do gobs, which was probably a good thing. Ken will set for hard boiled eggs for a few days, but not so many where he has to wonder if any of them have turned.

As hoped, the boys were over the moon with the plush toys in their baskets. Dax lit up and couldn’t stop smiling when he discovered the stuffed Messi. Bobby was so happy to have Flash and both toys joined us for breakfast with my folks.

Wondercon is always entertaining. The costumes alone make it worth all of the crowds and crazy that you have to navigate to look at booths. I really feel like I need to get my shit together and have a costume at the ready for things like this. The boys opted for Boba Fett and General Grievous, and were just happy to have costumes ready for the day. Dax claims he had an only ok time, but he seemed quite pleased with most of it. He just was tired and got hungry, therefore he gets as grouchy as those Snickers commercials.

We got home and watched Zombieland, since this is the proper way to celebrate Zombie Jesus Day. Dax didn’t watch, but Bobby did for most of it until he got bored. He likes it, but really, I think they don’t see the appeal of watching a flick as part of tradition.

After the movie, they both opted to ride bikes. Dax took a bit to figure out his new bike. With his arm still not going straight, it was a challenge. That being said, it was a great way to help him work with it more and it probably was great therapy based on how he was constantly bending it while steering. I will admit, it wasn’t always fun watching them. I was terrified at the idea of Dax crashing and re-injuring himself. Luckily, Bobby stayed close to him, having become a bit of a master on his bike, and would report to me when they looped back towards the house. It was very sweet. Dax got the hang of it, and even expressed interest in riding home. I vetoed this only because he needs more practice, and going down that big hill coming home will take a trial run. Plus, Bobby is staying late for a 5^th grade project.

It was one of those weekends where sure, I had nothing scheduled, and I feel like I had pretty adequate down time, but yet it was busy all at the same time. It truly is a crazy juxtaposition.

Now I have a week ahead of me that looks to be mostly mellow. Saturday, Ken goes to the AYSO Expo and will meet me at home hopefully not too late as we go to our comedy show that night. The boys and I will head to my folks for a dance party in the afternoon, and then I will leave them there to spend the night. They will bring the boys to the soccer field the next morning for Dax’s triumphant return to the field as a CT Striker. It should be exhilarating and terrifying all at the same time.

And of course, in true Monday fashion, I need my computer at work to be looked at. I am supposed to be testing the new system, but this morning it didn’t work. I spent an hour on the phone with one of the IT guys in Boise while he worked on my machine remotely, unable to get the program for testing to work. It may mean a new computer is in my future. Woo!

Timing

3-24-16

Sometimes schedules work themselves out.

Tonight is one of those times. There is no Striker practice (much to Dax’s dismay) tonight due to it being spring break this week for LAUSD and I know a couple of the kids have this week off. Christian indicated to me that he had some camp today, so I am assuming that coupled with no game this weekend having a night off is ok.

This works out well for us because not only is this afternoon an orthodontist visit right after school, but it is also the science fair tonight. I wasn’t really going to worry too much about the fair, but now that we will actually be home during fair hours, it works out quite well.

Luckily Dax got in a different kind of practice what with having been able to play at Ken’s soccer game last night. The game ended up being a mashup of 3 teams divvied up into sort of a pickup game, and when those nights happen, Dax is able to play, also. Bobby and I had ended up going (much to Bobby’s dismay) to the game because it was at 7 and I know how much it means to Ken when we go watch. I ended up being able to watch both Ken and Dax, which although didn’t mean much to Bobby, it was cool for me.

It was also sometimes difficult. Dax fell a couple times, what with the floor being different than turf, and truly the correct futsol shoes are the one thing to help that from happening and until he is on any kind of team there, I am not buying him shoes for the place. The first time, once he got up, he quickly looked over to me, giving me a little nod and thumbs up. He knew that he needed to convey to me as soon as possible that he was ok. He fell a little later, the one that truly made me gasp in fear as he fell on his arm. Dax assured me he was fine, again with a nod and a thumbs up. After the game, he told me neither time hurt at all and he told me he was fine. He was beyond fine since that game really gave him a great workout and he couldn’t stop smiling. One of the players from the other team came up to him after and told him how great he was out there, and then asked me how hold he is. He was shocked! He said Dax has skills like a professional. He even seemed sincere about these words, so it was nice to hear. I love how the grownups out there really do like Dax being around, and I see them all giving him pointers, which Dax listens to intently.

Bobby and I have decided he and I are going to go on an adventure. Mind you, I have no idea what said adventure is, yet, but I think it would be fun to take a chunk of a day to go do something. We discussed a couple options, including him asking about going to car lots that have his fancy ones that we can look at up close. I was thinking a little more different, like finding some museum that has his cars instead. Not sure, yet, but I am now in research mode, looking for the perfect thing for the two of us that won’t have the other two horribly jealous.

It has been decided and agreed upon that an exercise machine is being purchased for my morning workouts. Now the question is what kind. I had assumed a bike would make the most sense, but Ken pointed out if I wanted to, I can get anything from a treadmill to one of those stair machines. I think based on this encouragement, I may do some other research to see if I can find a machine that gives me the most bang for my buck. He suggested we even go to some of the places local that sell those machines so I can take a look to see what the best route is. I don’t have to get the machine from those places, just determine what I want so then I can price shop.

The Bear is concerned

3-23-16

Frustration and concern flood my mind this morning.

I will start with the tale of Bomb Boy. This is a kid who goes to the school and has been a subject of previous situations that have resulted in a talk with our principal. However, this was a year ago, and although his claims of having a bomb in his backpack were clearly just to brag about a WWII relic that he might have seen once and wanted others to believe he had it on him.

In the past 2 months, BB has been a thorn in my side. He often walks home with the boys along with a couple other friends of Dax’s. They all live in the trailer park across the way so in many ways, this grouping of kids walking home makes total sense.

There were a couple of minor incidents in which the boys indicated BB was mean to them or did things he shouldn’t be doing. I would always listen, making sure it didn’t sound too serious and advise them to not walk with this boy.  Bobby is always more cautious of this kid, but even with this caution, they still would end up walking home again with him the next day, coming in the door and informing me that nothing bad happened. I hoped it just meant they were clearly just boys messing around and playground politics were in play here.

Then came the first major incident.

They both ran into the house, flustered and clearly spilling over with information. Bobby started to tell me about BB having chased them when I was interrupted by a knock at the door. A neighbor was telling me that my kids had just been with a group of kids who had beat up BB. He said he saw BB on the ground and that all the other kids ran away from him, just leaving him there. It was patchy information, but I was pleased the neighbor stopped to tell me what he saw. He was very nice about it, too.

I then got some more information from the boys. From Bobby’s story, it sounded as if a few of the kids had picked up the rolled up Easy Readers on the driveways while walking. It was a slightly larger group than normal. There was playful banter and wacking of each other with the rolled up papers. The problem was, BB didn’t take it as such.

BB started hitting with his rolled up paper, but he wasn’t being nearly as kind with each hit. He was hitting people hard, which then ended up causing issues. There were multiple points of view but it sounds as though BB did chase Bobby with his paper causing him to run into the street for a period of time because he was trying to get away. Whether this was inspired by Bobby running away or not, there was a tackle made by one of the other kids, leaving BB on a lawn where they were walking past. Bobby said BB acted hurt when he said he really wasn’t. All of the kids left him there, mostly running away trying to get away from the kid who was causing problems. Not sure how many of them were thinking it was funny, but I know mine did not think it was a good thing. It was when this kid was on the lawn that the Good Samaritan neighbor stopped to check on BB.

 We took this information to the principal the next day. In hindsight, both she and I agree I should have emailed her, but she was incredibly kind and wonderful about all of this. It wasn’t the first time she had dealt with an incident with this kid. We didn’t know about the tackle until after she met with all of the students involved. Bobby had not seen the tackle, too busy running into the street. The principal was incredibly funny about that, telling Bobby that car plus Bobby equals car. She understood why he was running, but wanted him to be safe. Her advice was the same as ours which was to avoid this kid.

Sadly, my children have not heeded this advice. They continue to walk with this kid. I told them both that they should just hang back when they see BB and walk home after he has left. However, I have even seen this first hand, BB waits for them both. He is almost crazy stalker-esc when it comes to Bobby in particular. Dax also really is enjoying having two of his buddies walking with him home, which will be important come next year, and since they are friends with BB, he puts up with BB. Each day has been a wondering if BB was being a brat or not. I even told Bobby that if he needs me to pick them up he can call me with a code. He can call from the office and say that he wants to go get tamales. He loved this. He did call me once to pick them up to avoid him, but no code, which was a bit of a bummer.

Yesterday I got a call much later than I normally would. I drove up, passing BB and the other boys and it looked to me as if this may be a reason for the call, but I wasn’t sure. It was just mom instinct I guess. It wasn’t too far off, either. They had started walking towards home when I picked them up. Dax looked like he had been crying. This couldn’t be good.

Dax informs me that BB kicked him. He went to kick him in his tenders, but missed and hit Dax’s leg instead. Dax said he was playfully kicking back and forth with him, so who knows what really took place. That play keeps being the issue. Apparently a parent did yell at BB telling him to never do that again and if she ever saw it she would let the principal know. They were still near the school at the time. This time, I told them it was now not just a recommendation. They were not to walk home with him ever.

We drove past BB and I said something to him. I told him to stay away from my kids. He didn’t say anything, and he saw who I was. I know, I probably should not have said anything at all. It seems pretty lame now, too. That being said, I wanted him to know that I would need to contact his parents if I saw him around the boys again. I am done with this, and dammit, I know it may be me overreacting, but I don’t need them near a kid like this.

I half expected his parent to show up at the house last night, but I am betting he didn’t tell them anything. He most likely has gotten in so much trouble over the school year, it wouldn’t be a good thing for him to bring attention to yet another incident.

I recognize my own children’s responsibility here, too. If they antagonize a kid like that, it will result in a situation. Not saying that BB’s reactions are appropriate, but it doesn’t make it entirely shocking. I know that ultimately the boys are going to have to deal with this sort of behavior from kids. You may have sensitive folks or quick to anger ones and they need to be aware of it. In addition to that, they need to take steps to avoid them if they don’t think they can handle a possible outcome like this.

Needless to say this has put me in a bit of a mom tizzy. I don’t like that they are having to deal with this, but even more so, I don’t like that I probably shouldn’t get too involved, despite what I have already done.

Aside from BB, though, my concern lies with Dax’s arm. I know I had been trying to not panic when it comes to the lack of mobility he still has with it. The doctor never seemed concerned with his numbness, nor was he worried that he couldn’t move his wrist much. It sounded to us as though it was all part of the healing process and that having trauma so close to nerves and tendons could have been extensive enough to make some of his rehabilitation a little slower than a standard break. Plus, I know that I have a tendency to overreact to even a papercut on the boys. I let the doctor dictate my attitude towards all of this.

Ken had Andy Facetime with him and Dax last night to show the range of motion he is dealing with. Since Andy is a physical therapist, he is truly a good person to consult on this. I listened and became increasingly worried when Andy told us we should probably contact the doctor and see about a follow up with a PT to verify there wasn’t other issues. He mentioned palsy in his wrist, which would have been caused by the injury. Andy didn’t sound panicked, but more cautious, wanting us to just make sure it isn’t anything.

I worry greatly. It all sounds mostly treatable, but it doesn’t make me warm and fuzzy. I just looked it up, and it sounds pretty normal for his kind of break, but treatment can take up to 12 weeks. It doesn’t mean he won’t keep getting better. It doesn’t mean he can’t play soccer. It does mean a potential 12 more weeks of him needing assistance and him not wanting to even try to do some things. Last night he said he couldn’t do the shower on his own. I knew he needed some help, but he wouldn’t even turn on the water. I know some of this is the injury taking its toll on a 9 year old who is incredibly sensitive. I need to help him in not only pouring the shampoo in his hand, but also helping him try to do it himself first. Sure, it might not work, but I have seen him do amazing things even in a cast so it all seems to depend greatly on how much he wants to do something. It is a fine line and I don’t always know if I am walking it right.

For now, I have to see what the doctor recommends. Most likely we will see the PT in the same facility. The surgeon won’t have anything to do with these follow ups. I know we will see him again in 3 weeks, but he is mostly looking at his handiwork with the bone itself, which makes sense. Even Andy said it could be nothing. I have actually seen a lot of improvement in his range of motion after 24 hours of cast freedom. It is now about not freaking out and just making sure he gets whatever treatment he needs.

He went to practice last night, which clearly made him about as giddy as I have seen him in ages. He was a little rusty, despite having done practice with them over these past 6 weeks. His balance was off, as he was no longer contending with a heavy cast on one arm, and I could tell he also wasn’t quite sure what to do with his arm. JJ said he looked a little out of shape, which made some sense, but no one was concerned, especially since it was only his first true day back. Having these extra 2 weeks before a real game will be a good thing for sure. If his mobility isn’t quite back yet, he will most likely not play as hard as he did before the injury, but perhaps him just being present will be good overall.

Bobby and I rode our bikes to the practice. You really do not appreciate the quantity of hills in your hood until you ride a bike. Luckily riding the path Bobby plans to take to the school was great because I could be confident in knowing he knows how to get to and from the school. I gotta say, my knee is quite sore after the adventure. He rode around the block a couple times once we got there and then ended up heading home. I stayed since I wanted to see most of the scrimmage. I was able to head home when they stopped and just didn’t help with clean up or loading the car with the chairs. I had to stop once while going up the hill, noting the cold wind coupled with the already post nasal drip I have been dealing with put me in a bit of a coughing fit. That being said, I didn’t walk my bike at all and felt pretty damn good once I made it home. I was also a good girl, and wore my helmet. I actually wore Ken’s since I don’t know where mine is. I did however see one at Toys R Us I may need to go back for since it has a nice spot in the back for my hair so it isn’t uncomfortable. Just now I opted to check on Amazon to see if they had it, looking up ponytail helmet. I was not disappointed. Please laugh with me at this picture of one of the things that comes up with that search.

The boss is back today, most likely full of bullshit information concerning all of the eastern customers he was dealing with these past two days. I, sadly, have a handful of those accounts. They are crap accounts and for whatever reason, we continue to cater to the sales reps from that territory, extending questionable credit lines and having enormous amounts of patience with very little payout. I am not anxious in the least to talk to him about any of them.

I will end on a happy note. I managed to not only put together the boys’ Easter baskets, but I even got the plastic eggs to hide. I still need to obtain some Skittles to put inside the eggs, but ultimately I am pretty ready for the holiday that seemed to sneak up on me. I am quite giddy about it, though, as for the first time in a long time I am proud of those plushes I found for the baskets. Sure, I always end up putting some kind of bunny in there, marveling at the quality of some of the decent ones at the 99 cent store. This year, though, the sloth and Messi will truly be a masterpiece. Of course, both of them may smile and toss them to the side, shattering this happy moment. Ahh, dems the brakes of parenthood, right?

Cast Free

3-22-16

It’s off!!!!!!

We arrived early, homework supplies and snacks in hand. Luckily the entire ordeal took less than an hour. The doctor was there which meant minimal wait times, which was good since I know we were all anxious!

Dax was faint earlier this time, getting a little woozy even before the cast came off. I wasn’t too surprised. Sure, he was super jazzed about getting that damn cast off, but the pins came with an unknown which was daunting. Sure, he had heard it didn’t hurt. This was information not only from people who had gone through it but his doctor as well. It doesn’t mean it wasn’t something to worry about.

Cast removal was simple enough. I felt like the nurse handling that this time was a little less careful than I would have liked, and clearly clueless. She wanted Dax to lift his fingers while she was cutting near his hand. The problem was that he can’t quite lift them completely yet. She should have either known this, or asked. Instead, she sounded almost annoyed when he didn’t comply. We pointed out he couldn’t and you could see she felt bad.

He was already looking queasy and once the cast was removed, we laid him down. Dr. Zinar came in and was trying to keep things light. He is a good doctor. Sadly, Dax was already in pre-panic mode. He stayed calmish during the first pin, but you could tell it wasn’t what he expected at all. There was no numbing, but then again, the removal took like 2 minutes total. One of the pins did hurt a bit, like a hard pinch since the bone had really grown around it. In fact, Dax’s body was pushing the pins out on its own, which is kind of cool. When you looked at the pins in his arm, you could see the skin had kind of formed this skin volcano around each of them. So when they were all out, they looked almost like pierced ears that look a little infected. Luckily, they were not infected, just looked that way.

I spent those two minutes looking into Dax’s eyes and stroking his cheeks, trying to talk him down from full panic. He screamed out once, and I will admit it was hard to not cry with him. But I knew we were almost done so I held it together for his sake.

Once we were done, he had to stay lying down for a bit. Dr. Zinar told Dax he was more than welcome to punch him, which I thought was cute. He then said for him to punch the helper guy. Helper guy then pointed out to Dax that he was a Barcelona fan and Dr. Zinar was a Manchester guy, so truly he was the one to hit. Dax smiled and laughed at all of this, his previous fears now gone.

He held his arm gingerly for a bit. It was strange for him with really no restrictions other than what his muscles and tendons dictated. However, within an hour you could see him bending his arm much more. He said none of it hurt, which is fantastic. It did feel weird, which would most likely be the understatement of the night.

What was annoying was how much it still itched. I was hopeful for a little reprieve what with it now being exposed to air and hopefully not as irritated. But the dead skin was still there along with just the knowing he could scratch. I suggested he take a shower before dinner. In reality I should have waited until after dinner since he really should have eaten before-hand. Getting ready for the shower made him faint again. Those skin volcanos were doing him in. He had to sit during the shower at one point, too. It occurred to me after that he hadn’t eaten in several hours and had just dealt with trauma. Food would have possibly countered some of the sick feeling. Then again, perhaps it would have been worse being that there would have actually been something to vomit.

We made it a mostly mellow evening, letting him play on his computer and not really asking too much of either of them. There were some light chores (Bobby had more because he once again forgot to bring home his homework and book so I told him he had to do a bit more) and an earlier bed time. I wanted to make sure Ken had time to read to them. Sadly, Dax was so exhausted he even pitched a fit about brushing his teeth. He then threw himself a tiny pity party, whining that he couldn’t put toothpaste on his brush. Never you mind I watched him do far more complex things only seconds before. Thankfully all of this sass was most likely helpful in allowing him to crash out hard.

I honestly am having a hard time watching him bend his arm even though I know he is fully healed. I think I have just been on such high alert now for these long 6 weeks so it will be some mental rehab for me. His arm does certainly look thinner. I am used to his body being pretty muscular or even pudgy like he was as a toddler. To see his arm looking a bit gaunt is truly strange. My first thought goes to time before he can throw in the ball the way he used to. I wonder if he will notice quick recovery in terms of bending his wrist. All in all, I know that it is just going to take a small amount of time and I just need to let him do this at his own pace, which I know will increase significantly once he realizes that he won’t hurt. I am just going to stay out of the way of this process, trying not to wince in front of him.

In some ways it is really good he doesn’t have a real game for a couple weeks. It means he can take some time to stretch his arm out. He can play at practice, which will help him a great deal. Plus, if he goes on Saturday to Hull with Ken he might even be able to participate in the games a bit, which will be nice and non-competitive, but more than just a practice. I will go to practice tonight if only just to watch his jubilation of not having to worry about a cast anymore. I will most likely be nervous, but I will make due.

It has been a long 6 weeks and I am quite glad they are over. I know there are some hills and valleys ahead of us, but at least the worst is over. Phew!  

Today is the day!!!!!

3-21-16

Today is the day!!

The appointment is at 3:45. It means I will take homework supplies, bottle of water and Bolt and pick up the boys from school and head on over. Sure, we may be there a hint early, but I figure we can work on homework while we count down until we get to go in. Cast removal and then the slightly intimidating pin removal and then hopefully good news across the board as far as his activity levels going forward. I am hopeful he isn’t limited, at least not in terms of say being allowed back on the playground and especially the soccer field. If he needs a brace for a bit, that is ok, too, since we can work with that. I know that just being able to shower without a trash bag over your arm is going to feel like a luxury.

We seemed to bookend the whole arm breaking experience with finally making up our game night a full 6 weeks after the last one was scheduled and then canceled. It was another fun night. Only Aaron and Jen couldn’t make it, what with Aaron being out of town last minute for some training he had to attend.

We played Bubble Talk, as per Dax’s request. That was fun, especially as the group got more into it and with that large of a crowd, I think the game was even more fun. The boys and Sabrina really got a kick out of it, and Bobby almost won!

After that game, we sent the kids off to play (which included multiple rounds of hide and seek) and the rest of us grownups played Exploding Kittens, which turned out to be a lot of fun. I made enchilada casserole and Chris and Kathy brought chips. Uncle Jerry and Nicole brought a boozy cake. It was really a great night.

We managed to finish the science fair boards, which is great! Now they just will sit around until we take them to the school on Wednesday. Bobby said that there were a fair amount of students in his class who haven’t even started yet, and that was Friday! Yie! I am concerned, although it is a low level, of when we will even be able to go to the science fair. It isn’t mandatory, so it isn’t a big deal. Plus, the kids get to see them all during school hours. It is Thursday evening and we have Bobby’s orthodontist appointment that afternoon followed by soccer practice. The fair is only open from like 4 to 6. If we don’t go, it won’t be the end of the world.

We got Dax his bike. We didn’t find one at Walmart, although seriously, I may need to go there every time the boys need new shoes. They had quite the selection and they were cheap! I was shocked! Both of them got a new pair. I managed to find a cool pair that was Velcro for Dax since he will still need some assistance with tying as his hand will need some rehab still.

We ended up going next door to Toys R Us and we found one Dax liked, which is fantastic. I pulled out the tall safety flags I had gotten for their old bikes and we will put those on the new ones, even if only for a few months as they practice more on safety. Bobby was quite upset at this, saying how incredibly lame it looked. It reduced him to a teary mess. It was so teenager of him it honestly was hard not to laugh. I also knew what he meant and I felt sad at the same time. Luckily, after some discussion, we reached an incredibly reasonable compromise; we will change the orange flag into one he chooses. He was quite happy with this idea, so I have already been researching sloth flags on Amazon. We may need to go to JoAnne’s and find some fabric and just make a flag, which shouldn’t be too much of an issue.

Poor Bobby did have a rough Friday, which may have been why he was so upset about the flag to begin with. He slept on his neck wrong and Friday morning was his bike rodeo. He said it was tough because as everyone knows, a stiff and sore neck is truly awful. He said he went to the office twice to ice it, but they wouldn’t let him call me to get him. They indicated he didn’t need to go home for something like that. I understand their reasoning, but at the same time, when a kid comes in twice, I think it is ok to go ahead and consider it. It was a real bummer since many kids were riding their bikes home because of the rodeo, including Parker, so it would have been cool if he could have ridden home with him. Instead, he called me to pick them both up and I loaded the bike in the car. Such a shame, really. Luckily, Dax should be up and riding soon and they can ride every day! YAY!

Today looks to be pretty good what with the boss being out of town the next two days. He has truly been unbearable what with us nearing our year end close on the 31^st. It will be an especially trying few days right there at the end, too, since not only do I have increased responsibilities for the close, I am covering the desk for account set up again. I am going to try and be calm and not stress about it, but it will be interesting when the time comes. I also will be prioritizing my desk over the one I am backing up if only in the idea to show to the boss that perhaps he didn’t think it through with not having added another backup for that time.

I am now going to start some real work and make sure to appreciate the little things. Specifically, I have a bottle of tea I brewed yesterday (one of two gallons!) that I have at work keeping me all kinds of happy. Yay!  

The Kids are Alright

2-18-16

We returned to the scene of the crime.

Practice was moved back to Hull, which is fantastic for many reasons. The first of which was for Bobby who opted to ride his bike to Hull to meet us there. He didn’t stay long, either, and he rode home, too. He was thrilled! He is loving this freedom and ability to get places pretty quickly. Dax even indicated that once his cast is off, they will both ride to school, which is going to be fantastic. They will be able to ride the neighborhood, just exploring!

There are other benefits for it being there, including just how close to the house it is. I don’t have to stress about getting everything ready to go there since the closeness gives me the luxury of time. In some ways, too, it just feels more comfortable since it isn’t as crowded.

However, I was very aware of the fact that this was the first time Dax was back on the field where he was injured in the first place. Lucky for me, we were not practicing in the same spot, but I’m not gonna lie; watching him there was hard at times. I felt like I could just see him falling again, and it pained me to relive that horrid memory. I ended up spending much of the practice talking to Tracey (DJ’s mom) which I think helped a great deal in keeping my mind off of these demons.

I think I was also going into the practice in a pretty good mood what with Bobby’s parent/teacher conference going so well. Mrs. Arevelo certainly discussed the things I expected. All in all, he is an incredibly bright kid. She talked about how in discussion groups he is very articulate and comes up with amazing thought from interesting perspectives. She talked about his amazing heart, too, which I loved seeing her light up when she would discuss his kindness.

The main thing he needs to work on is being more responsible and organized. So many of the things like homework that he was missing was due to him losing it in his actual folder! I asked her how much of the gobs of paper he has in his folder that he needs, since Bobby has been thoroughly convinced he needs to keep it all in there. She assured me he doesn’t need most of it, so I purged the folder last night. In it, I found the homework assignments he was supposed to turn in. I found the math workbook he thought he had lost. I found lots of stuff. My plan now is to go get him a better folder. He may qualify for a good ole Trapper Keeper. He can start using it now since next year with multiple classes, it will make sense to have a folder for each class, and something to keep all the folders in.

We will need to work on more reading. I was brainstorming and have come up with yet another reason to get an exercise bike. I am wondering if he is riding while reading if that will help his concentration. Just in the same way Dax has to have a soccer ball near him while he does math, perhaps just moving his legs while he is reading a book will be a good combo. We shall see.

Whatever we did in terms of making the boys tired seemed to work well as it seemed to me that they drifted off pretty well and I don’t know of a time when Dax got up. I know I might sleep through one or two, but last night I was the one who couldn’t get comfortable. I think it was just that it was the wrong temperature out and it was hard to not feel like I was either freezing or overheating.

The boys have interesting days ahead of them. Dax has his field trip to the Rancho house, and Bobby has the Bike Rodeo this morning. Ken is accompanying Dax to his trip, which makes me feel a little bad no one is watching Bobby on his Bike Rodeo. Then again, it sounds like it isn’t a long event so truly it isn’t too big a deal. I am hoping his friends Parker and Ian also ride, which would be really fun.

This afternoon is mostly quiet, with Ken helping Dax finish up his birthstone presentation. We ordered a strand of his stone and it is truly perfect for him to be able to have a prop to pass around during since it will allow the kids to really see the stone up close. This shouldn’t take too long, and with it being a minimum day, they can get it done early enough to allow for down time. I have chores to be done since we have a game night tomorrow night and I would like to make sure everything is clean. We have science fair projects to complete this weekend, too, but once again they are not hard and truly not even too time consuming if we all work together to complete them.

Sunday has Ken reffing early with a Striker game right after. Aside from those outings, we don’t have much on tap. I know we want to stop by the other Walmart to look for Dax’s bike, but this will be the first Sunday in a long time where I will be anxious when it is over because it will mean we are closer to Monday afternoon.

As if Monday wasn’t cool enough, Trusty is out of town! WOOO! Next week looks busy, with orthodontist appointments and science fairs, but the positive of the early week will help fuel the energy to deal with it all! YAY!