February Photo Dump

Time to do a little catch-up as we work our way through February!  I can't believe March is just over a week away.  I realized that I'll put out my St. Patty's Day decor at that point (if not before), which will be out for barely more than a couple weeks before getting replaced by spring and Easter...just like that!  Now if the weather could get on board with that, that'd be great.  We're out of the deep freeze finally, and the snow has gone down a ton, but we just got some ice and then lots of rain, and I don't think the sidewalks are going to be walkable for a while yet.  Sigh.  Part of me thinks I should buy the mini treadmill I want because the moment I do that it will probably get spring-like out, rendering it useless until November.  Haha.

We had some very unexpected action around here last week.  I woke up last Tuesday to our doorbell ringing at 5:30am.  I immediately panicked and ran downstairs to answer it.  There were flashers outside and I immediately assumed something was on fire.  Thankfully that was not the case, but there was a cop at our door.  He said there was an accident out front and asked if we had seen or heard anything, had cameras, or knew anyone that might be an early riser.  I could only direct him to our across-the-street neighbors that have a camera.  This is what I was seeing outside, with a police car blocking the road right at our driveway.  All I could see was one parked car that appeared to be running, but not much else.

It took a bit for my heart rate to come back down, and I never did get back to sleep.  At 6:30 I got up for the day and saw this in our driveway--three TV cameras.  

At that point I decided it was time to walk outside to see if I could tell what had actually happened.  I thought maybe a car had driven into a house, or something like that.  But it turns out that someone (apparently the driver of that running car) came across an elderly man lying in the road.  Sadly, the man passed away at the hospital.  I'm assuming that he had dementia and had wandered in the middle of the night.  It was a bad time of year for that because it was bitterly cold, snowy, and slippery.  I'm not sure what ultimately happened, but it was tragic.  It definitely had me pretty shaken up that day, in part because the initial panic kept replaying in my head, and also because it was such a sad story.  Definitely more action than our quiet neighborhood is used to, but it was particularly odd knowing the news shots were literally from our driveway!

Sunday was Carter's birthday.  It ended up being a pretty low-key day.  We got ready for church but ended up being too late, so we watched it from home.  Carter and I had some good leftovers for lunch while Craig and Jacob headed out to Jacob's school to get some shots up.  That ended up being longer than expected because the baseball team had the gym when they thought they could get in, so Carter and I just hung out for the afternoon.  I wanted to wait until the boys were back to have Carter open his gifts, which he did, but then he immediately had to leave for baseball practice.  Who is this big kid, anyway?

He got a shirt and pants, a shelf for his baseballs...

...a bunch of stuff for his Sodastream (see the amazement on his face at the fun selection he'll have?)...

...and a new "fake Lego" Aldi.  He got a small one last year, but I couldn't resist the new one since it is full minifigure size and has some cool features, like freezers and shelves.  So, I figured it was worth adding to his food-filled neighborhood of food trucks, vendors, and cafes.  He still has one more thing coming (plus a couple more other gifts to build), but it's a heck of a work in progress.  

I had hoped to make a nice lobster dinner that night, but between Craig and Jacob getting back later than planned, Carter's practice, and that evening's planned activity, it just didn't work out.  That night was our annual free visit at Strong Museum.  The original plan was for me to go early (because we're late every year and I feel like I never accomplish all I'd like to), ideally to get the butterfly garden done, and have Craig and Carter come after practice to meet me.  But in true teenager form--yes, it's starting already--Carter opted out.  He got dinner with the big boys while I wandered around Strong Museum alone.  I was bummed he didn't come, but I tried to make the best of it.  It's a different experience to do the museum without kids, that's for sure.  But I just took things at my own pace and did what I wanted to do.  Not such a bad thing, even if it wasn't as much of a fun memory maker as it used to be.  But I did get some good shots!

I love the way this picture turned out.
 

My priority was the butterflies since that's an extra charge normally.  This lizard right near the entrance is so colorful...but I felt like he was giving me side-eye!

Normally I drive myself nuts trying to find an open blue morpho, because their closed wings are kind of creepy and moth-like, but the inside is gorgeous.  This one cooperated right off the bat.

I was pretty much a living heart-eyes emoji 😍 for the entire half hour or more that I spent in there.  

This was actually a dead one (it tends to happen with so many people (and probably the quail?) walking around), but it was a different one than I've seen and that green was so pretty.

These two were posing so nicely side-by-side.

Around seemingly every curve was another pretty picture.

How did this one match so perfectly?

Another one looking very matchy-matchy!

This one was still flapping its wings, but the body must have been still because the detail there is still amazing.

I followed this one around for a while because it looked so beautiful.  I finally got a picture.

Here was how it looked while flying...

I also caught this majestic sight...

I loved how I caught this one pre-landing.

It was such a lovely, leisurely stroll--good for the soul, for sure.  

I moved on to play some pinball, then eventually worked my way upstairs to play a few other video games.  I wandered into the Video Game Hall of Fame section, and came across a game that cracked me up.  It was a motion sensor game where you had to do different levels as you went through an airport and on to the plane, moving your arms to prevent people from touching your hair.  It's a thing that black women apparently deal with all the time, and someone made a video game to raise awareness.  I can't say that playing it was a great idea with shoulder impingement, as the swats hurt a little, but I appreciated the sentiment.  This was the winning screen--note the commentary, especially the last line. 

I couldn't help but laugh (and text my brother) upon seeing a version of the "risque" computer game we had back in the 90s on display.  It was an "adult" video game because there were hookers and gambling and other adult themes in it, and somehow they thought some kid wouldn't just lie about their birthdate to get into it?  

I scanned most of the displays for anything new, played a few Super Mario levels, and gave the giant Perplexus ball a good run.  I then headed downstairs to check out the new interactive marble run, which I had hoped to do with Carter, and I was bummed to find that they had shut down the action a bit early.  Boo.  

But I love the world's largest marble, probably 9-12 inches in diameter.
   

I finished off the night by making a jellyfish for the video aquarium, acknowledging Carter's birthday that I wished I could have spent more of with him.

At least I was able to come home and finish off Carter's unofficial cake.  He'll get a much more interesting one when we have his party with the grandparents.  But it was SO good!

Still sort of in disbelief that my baby is a teenager!  But he may have officially passed me in height now, so there's no denying it!

In other news, Jacob had two final regular season games Monday and Tuesday.  They lost a very winnable game Monday.  They certainly got outcoached, and there were definitely some questionable personnel decisions--like holding Jacob out for most of the last quarter and overtime, despite being in need of some points.  That was disappointing.  Another team mom called Craig on the way home and was livid, just absolutely blown away by how that game went.

Tuesday was senior night, which was obviously bittersweet.  It was a little odd because it would have been Jacob's senior night had he not reclassified.  It was a little surreal to see his long-time buddy Colby doing the senior night stuff while knowing we have another year for Jacob.

Colby and his family--he's such a good kid.

The whole team posing with the seniors

Later in the game, one of the other seniors got his 1,000th point.  It was a well-deserved honor for another good kid.  I was particularly impressed that he actually gave up his starting spot that game so the other seniors that don't normally start could all be out there.  And even better, he was cheering for them like crazy, both during the announcements and when they scored.  It was really sweet.  Once he got his points, they did a quick photo op with his family right after.

After the game, he and the team posed with the student section.  If you look close, there's a sign there with Jacob's name on it.  

One more team shot to finish the season!

Here's the sign.  Of course, Jacob claimed to not know the girl's name, but we found out later her name is Sophia.  Not a girlfriend or anything, but it was cute.  And that phrase--I had to look it up, but it's a thing--means essentially that his moves are a work of art.

  

They did win that game despite playing all of the bench seniors quite a bit, but Jacob had a rough night and only scored three points.  It was bad enough that after the little reception for the seniors in the cafeteria, he was back up in the gym shooting for a while.  Hopefully he can get his shot back, because sectionals are coming quick and they will need him.  Still, it's impressive that he made it through the season healthy, so that's a win.  This team has a ton of potential if they can just make smart coaching and personnel decisions.

Break week for the kids is almost over now, and I honestly haven't been able to lay down the hammer on the messy house the way I wanted to.  The days I was home this week were Jacob's game days, and then today he had a scrimmage so he's barely been home.  And when I'm at work, it's hard to hold them to anything.  Maybe tonight or tomorrow we can make some progress?

Otherwise, we're just plugging away.  Craig has the weekend off, and we have an interesting little day trip to take as we look ahead to Jacob's next steps.  I got an all-clear with the dermatologist, started PT for my back, and am working through the "backup" that the back x-ray made apparent.  It's a process, but I think I finally got the edge on it.  But why is middle age just a series of doctor's appointments and random ailments?  Regardless, I'm ready for the weekend, for sure!

Thirteen!

Dear Carter,

WELL...it has been A YEAR.  Gosh, if someone would have told me a year ago what was ahead for age 12, I probably would have thought they were nuts.  A year ago we had no hint of the medical challenges that would lie ahead, but thankfully, a year later you're thriving nonetheless.

I knew 12 would be a year of change, and it definitely was.  You're as tall as me (or maybe even have me by a half inch if the doctor's office was right for a change), your feet are way bigger than mine, your voice is deeper, your face has matured, and you're up an incredible 40 pounds from not even six months ago.  A year ago, we had no idea that your body was fighting (or about to fight) such a battle.  You have been a trooper, that's for sure.  From a couple months of GI symptoms and your first colonoscopy (30 years early, sorry bud), to getting a diagnosis of ulcerative pancolitis, then having a little relief before plunging back into the agony of a nasty flare that threatened the beginning of your 7th grade year, it was a rough roller coaster ride for a bit.  By the end of summer, it felt like the light was draining from your soul in a way I hadn't seen since peak pandemic times.  Back then, your undiagnosed ADHD and a general lack of socialization had made you a moody introvert who didn't want to do much of anything aside from staring at a screen.  This time around, your malaise was understandable, as you just felt terrible.  It was hard to do much of anything because you needed bathroom access, and every morning it was a challenge to battle through nausea and pain.  I'm so thankful that your infusions have worked, and I hope that continues.  This can be a gnarly illness, so I'll take whatever relief you can get.  You've been so brave--that colonoscopy prep was a bear, but you did so well.  My one-time needle-phobe now takes everything in stride, from blood draws to hours of IV infusions.  You went through so much pain and so much uncertainty, but it merely slowed you down for a bit before ending up firmly in your rearview mirror.  I'm just so proud of you.

In the middle of the worst of it, baseball was your one joy, and I still don't know how you did it with how low your hemoglobin was and how little nutrition your body was likely able to keep.  You and those skinny arms would go out there and throw and hit like nothing was wrong.  It was incredible.  And now it's incredible to see how tight your baseball pants are after all the growth you've had since the fall season ended!  I'm excited about baseball season--not just for watching you play with this bigger, stronger body, but also to do some traveling with you.  Our little adventures have become quite few and far between, but maybe more to come during our travels!  And hopefully we'll have school baseball coming up too.  I'm not looking forward to extra chilly games in early spring, but there's nothing quite like school sports, and it's finally your turn.

And thank goodness the medical stuff is giving us a break, because I feel like puberty is enough to process!  You definitely look older, and the way you've shot up is crazy.  The difference in your voice even from last summer is shocking.  You had to start shaving the 'stache a month or so ago, and we've had to do a couple rounds of waxing the unibrow.  The acne might be starting a little bit, but hopefully you avoid some of what Jacob has had.  I'm not really ready for hairy armpits and legs yet, but I know that's coming soon.  Before I know it you'll be towering over me like your brother.  It freaked me out a bit a couple weeks ago when I came to wake you up and realized that the little dude I used to snuggle up to every night and some mornings in that bed is now just as big as me!  That blew my mind a little!  I may get a few less hugs these days, but I get it--we're evolving.  And at least you're still pretty sweet to me most of the time.  I see the teenager side emerging--you were ahead of the curve with being embarrassed by your parents, but now I see flashes of a sullen, moody attitude and indifference to things you might have previously enjoyed.  It's not bad, but I see it. 

Sometimes I forget how big you are, though, as there's still a lot of "kid" life floating around here.  We haven't really put away the toys, and stuffed animals are still pretty central to our home life--particularly since Bob the Blue Hippo entered the picture during the worst of your flare in August.  You saw him at Aldi and wanted him, and after yet another lab visit and rough few days, I found one hiding in the shelves and he's been a full-fledged member of the family ever since.  And he's had friends join him.  It's weird at this age to be adding stuffed animals to the mix, but honestly, if it brings us joy, why the heck not?  I came to the realization years ago, after lots of exciting Christmas gift opening gave way to infrequent use, that while it's preferable to get good use out of things, sometimes the moment or sentiment or whatever use they get is still worth it because life is short.  So we'll ride the hippo train as long as we can.  I do think we need to spend part of this week's school break sorting through things.  It's time to take responsibility for cleaning your room and bringing some things up to 13-year-old status.  We'll see, though.  I've already decided that we needed to retire some of the kid silverware and most of the kid plates, cups, and bowls, at least for meals--maybe for snacks they're still handy, I guess.  Jacob grew out of that stuff early because it passed down to you (and, back then he probably thought you using them gave them cooties or something), but we haven't had that push this time around without someone younger.  But it's time.  I am looking forward to you sitting in the front seat of the car with me, though!

This milestone feels like a big one, and it feels like a bigger adjustment with you than it was with Jacob.  How can my baby be so grown up?  I came across this video the other day, and oh man, I miss this sweet little guy:

But the big kid is pretty great too.  As is now tradition, this year's selfies--not as many as usual, but great memories nonetheless:

Even though you're a big teenager now, I hope we have many more adventures and many more selfies to come!  I'm so amazed at the big kid you've become.  It's been quite the ride, but good thing we like roller coasters, right?  Speaking of which, let's get more of the steel kind in soon, too, okay?  We love you so much and can't wait to see what the coming year holds for you.  Happy 13th Birthday, Carter!

Love,
Mom

We made it through January...

Yay, January is over.  Even though it actually felt pretty fast to me this time around, it definitely still had its moments of feeling eternally long.  Probably because we had 10 straight days of high temperatures at 20 degrees or less, and we picked up a lot of snow over that time.  Monday was actually the first day that temperatures got into the 20s.  We might hit 30 this week, but then it's back into the deep freeze for a bit.  That snow isn't going anywhere.  It's been...a lot.  I miss my outdoor walks (even cold ones), and they won't be possible for a long time yet.  Then again, I guess we could be down south where areas got hit with horrible ice storms and significant snow in spots that don't normally get any.  At least we're used to it.  But I would love a day in the 40s right now, let alone the people that are escaping here for warmer spots.  Although, even Orlando got so cold this weekend that the fountains at Disney were freezing, so I guess I'm glad I wasn't one of the people who planned a trip there right now.  Can you imagine wanting to escape the cold and ending up needing your winter coat at Disney?  No thanks.  My parents are heading out soon for Florida and a cruise, so hopefully they have better luck.  But even 20s felt balmy the other day!  At least very cold weather typically comes from fewer clouds, so the sun has been helpful.

This was our patio after the initial snowfall, before we got another six inches over the course of the week.  I also think that indentation might be from a deer taking a break, but maybe they were just digging for food?

Some of that sun we've been getting, with an ice pillar/sundog happening to the right.

We've been getting through thanks to basketball, mostly.  Having a game every few days keeps the calendar moving.  I can't believe we're down to the last handful of games already.  It's been an interesting season, for sure, and within three weeks we should know just how good Jacob's team actually is, when playoffs hit.  I'm hoping for a strong rest of the season for him.  Even though he's played well, I feel like he still isn't quite where he wants to be.  Last week they played at his old school, which was oddly bittersweet.  It was weird being back over on the visitors' side after two years, but nice to see a couple familiar faces.  We pretty much dominated, which was fun--especially Jacob's three threes--but it was also hard to watch his old teammates struggle like that.  It was definitely a surreal experience.

Jacob's current school and his old school share a football team, so Jacob joined in a jersey swap with the football players after the game.

Lately we've been back on the prep school subject.  Jacob's old coach (from travel and his first year at RACS) is starting up a prep program at a school about two hours away.  He'd like Jacob to be part of it.  But of course, that means a hefty (although discounted) tuition, Jacob needing to move away and change schools (yet again), and likely do a post-grad year the following year before heading to college.  However, that extra year could be what secures him a nice college scholarship, too.  It's a lot to consider.  Of course, we'd still need to take a trip there and see the school, because I feel like that could be a deal-breaker for him.  I'm worried about his food options, and I don't think he realizes what dorm life might look like.  God knows he still hasn't shown me that he's prepared to run his own life in any meaningful way, whether we're talking about picking up after himself, feeding himself at proper times, or doing his homework without prompting.  Maybe he's one of those people that steps up when they need to, but I can't say I'm confident.  Nor do I love the idea of managing his health, diet, schoolwork, and life in general from afar.  On the other hand, maybe it's just what he needs, but I'm going to need to see a lot of excitement on his part before I give it my blessing, because there's really no getting out of this one if he doesn't like it.  I'm hoping we can get that tour done during February break coming up, just so we have a better idea of what we're working with.

In other news, Craig bought a new car.  His van, which had over 180,000 miles on it, was starting to have issues (like random stalling, for example).  So once he had finances figured out for a down payment, he made it his mission a couple Saturdays ago (a rare weekend off) to get it done.  He pretty much focused on a Subaru Forester (two steps up from my Crosstrek), which (thank goodness) had 0% financing.  I wish they had that when I was car shopping!  He ended up getting a hybrid, which is great for how much he drives.  He got it all done in a day, which was weird but efficient.  It was sort of a sudden, sad end for our van era, though.  It was fun while it lasted.  Now to hope the new one has enough cargo space for travel baseball.  If we could do Christmas in mine (barely), hopefully we'll be okay in his.  I think he's enjoying all the fancy features--and the better gas mileage.  I'm enjoying a less cramped garage.

On the Carter front, he's plugging along.  He's still dealing with constant cold-like congestion, so I'm going to start banging down doors to get an answer on that.  I'm guessing he might have a viral sinus infection that's just sort of stuck in there, which I've had happen before.  I've had ones that either needed full-on suction or steroids to improve.  I'm checking with his GI on whether steroids could complicate anything, and we already have an appointment with the pediatrician next week for his ADHD med check, so hopefully between the two we can figure out a solution.  Right now we're going to start Flonase and see if that helps, but we need to get him a solution.  But he's doing well otherwise.  We're getting back into baseball practices, and we've been mildly amused by the fact that all of his baseball pants are suddenly too small--I guess 30 pounds will do that!  

I can't quite wrap my brain around the fact that Carter will be a teenager in less than two weeks (or that we'll have TWO teenagers in the house).  I just looked back at the blog from those last couple weeks before he was born, and man, that was ROUGH.  I was barely functioning as my body prepared itself for labor weeks too early.  I barely snuck in all the baby prep, including getting the room painted (by someone else), washing baby clothes, getting last-minute supplies, and surviving Jacob's stomach bug, a double road trip for Craig, and a snowstorm all within the last week or two.  Yikes.  Makes now seem almost easy!  This morning when I went to wake Carter up and I sat on the bed, it really hit me that what used to be a tiny little body that I'd go in to cuddle is now just about as big as me.  It's so crazy.  I came across a couple old videos of him from the early talking phase, and oh man, I miss that little guy.  The big version is a cool kid, too, but that little boy just warmed my heart so much!  And now he's got this deeper voice and can look me straight in the eyes.  The changes from even just this summer are amazing.  Puberty is not for the weak--being in it or watching it!

As for me, my back is doing better.  It still has some soreness when I have to stand a lot, but no more of that crazy seizing it did the one night.  Sometimes I wonder if I just need to work out my core, or if there's a chance it had something to do with constipation or my internal lady parts, as there have been some crampy components to the aches.  But maybe that's a "shared nerves" thing, or just muscles trying to overcompensate for the weaknesses.  I have an ortho appointment next week and my annual OB/GYN appointment in a month, so if it's still hanging in there, hopefully between those two I should get answers.  I just sort of hate how that, plus my shoulder impingement, sore right elbow, and soreness between my hip and thigh, makes me feel like I'm about 70 years old some days.  I get up from my chair and feel every creak and ache for the first 10 seconds of the walk.  Reaching behind me with my right arm really hurts from the impingement, and I miss being able to lift weights and feel capable of being more active.  At least walking gave me the illusion, but right now I feel pretty stuck.  Add in some mental challenges--what I think is late-onset ADHD (we might know tomorrow!) plus the general weight of the world with all that's happening out there--and I'm pretty tired right now.  Hence why the return of sun and (relative) warmth would be helpful.  And, as mentioned before, having anything exciting to look forward to would be a big help, too.  

One day at a time, right?  Spring will get here...43 days and counting...