Thankful for...

Zoos!

We got up and around this morning to go to the zoo before we needed to be back to cook dinner for tonight.

Max was excited to go to the zoo. This was his first time, and it was a perfect day for it. 39 degrees and overcast. Just his kind of weather!


We saw Lions



And Bears



And MONKEYS!!!!
(This one was my favorite)



And this guy...I guess it was too cold for him to go play outside.


We just made the first little loop around and didn't get to see all of the animals today, but since Max has a season pass, we'll be going back soon! And being a holiday it was really empty, so it was like we had the whole place to ourselves!


I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving, and have a great long weekend!

Max says...

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!


That and something about turkeys! Max has been making lots of pictures in his occupational therapy sessions lately. And being Thanksgiving and all, he's got a couple to share with you.

Here's Max the Turkey...


and here's Olive the Turkey...

(He insisted this one was Olive, not Tom the Turkey, or Max the Turkey...Olive the Turkey.)

I've been busy all evening preparing for dinner tomorrow. I can't wait! Serving a holiday meal in my new house! I thought of all my family tonight as I was preparing for tomorrow. I miss them the most on the holidays we can't spend together.

But through the magic of the internet, I'll hopefully get to see them all over video chat.

If you wanted the pineapple dressing recipe, it's in the comments int he Gobble Gobble post. Now I must finish picking up and get in bed so we can get to the zoo in the morning before heading back to start cooking.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Gobble Gobble...

Man, is it quiet in my house right now! Max is resting, and we're on our computers just about to head up for bed! This no tv thing is b-o-r-i-n-g! Probably better for me though!

Max did really well in therapy today. We spent a lot of effort telling him what we were doing before he did it, just so he wasn't surprised. And I think it helped a lot.

After therapy, I tried to clean up a bit around the house...already having to clean! tee hee! I'm unpacked enough that I'm making messes now! I'll try to get more done tomorrow. Mostly things that don't have a place yet!

I haven't seen Mortimer the Mouse yet...but I think I heard him last night. But I cleaned up all the droppings, and we'll see if there are any little "presents". I don't guess I have blogged on this yet. Just put it on my updates to the left of the page. There was a mouse in the backyard, and now I've been finding droppings in the pantry, and Olive's food bag has a little hole in it. We got a fancy trap that I hope works! Creepy creepy gross!

I just have a few more things to get at the store for Thanksgiving. I'm making my Aunt Nancy's pineapple dressing...mmmmmm! I think I'll cut back on the sugar though, last year I thought it was too sweet. And I need to get the pumpkin pie. I'm making ham, and stuffing, and sweet potatoes, and a green vegetable(maybe asparagus), and cranberry sauce, and chocolate mousse pie and pumpkin pie, and aunt nancy's pineapple stuffing! mmmmmm!!!!!!!! Sounds like a lot, but I'm doing half recipes on most everything since there are so few of us. So we'll get a taste of everything! I'm actually having my friends at Costco do the stuffing and sweet potatoes...it was cheaper to buy their already made just heat up versions than the ingredients since we're starting over from scratch with our pantry. Maybe by Christmas I'll have it all stocked up to make it all by hand.

We're not having Thanksgiving until dinner, so we're going to look for something to do during the day. The zoo is open, so we might go do that if the weather is not bad! We can go early and still be back in time to cook the ham!

Well, it's nearly 10:00 so I can go to bed without feeling like I've gone too early! I'm hoping to get some pictures of our place this weekend. We'll see if I actually get it done!

Too late for titles...

Whoah Nelly it's late! I took a really long bath tonight...one where the water goes all tepid and you have two choices, get out and freeze, or drain part of the tub and fill it back up with hot water. I chose the latter and read another two chapters in my book!

When I got out everyone was asleep...even Olive who had taken up residence on my side of the bed and refused to move! So here I sit in Max's room until I am ready to kick Olive out of bed and go to sleep.

I've had a busy week. Made plenty of phone calls for Max, that only have equated to more questions, and more phone calls or emails. Therapy was a bit hard on Tuesday, he's having difficulties in wanting to do physical therapy. Who can blame him!? We are looking into having some therapy done at home in addition to his therapy at the clinic. Thursday he had a metabolic appointment. They hadn't seen him in 6 months, so it was a surprise how big he was! He has gained another 2.5 pounds since last week. He's now 10 pounds heavier than he was before the g-tube surgery. This weight gain has been our best guess as to why he's having such a hard time in therapy. He's trying to figure out "where" his body is. And how to use it. He's just all over the place with little control. I hope we can get a handle on it, because it is causing me frustration and I leave therapy feeling pretty defeated.

Well, enough of that rant. Onto other things. The house is coming along. Laundry is still running. Our clothes (the ones that stayed packed these past 4 months) had a special California Wild Fire aroma to them, so they've all been washed and put away. And I've tried to unpack at least one thing a day. Yesterday I found all of my winter hats and scarves!!! Still have not found my wok! What if I need it for Thanksgiving!? Stir-fried turkey anyone?

Speaking of Thanksgiving, I think I've just about got my menu figured out. We're not having dinner until DINNER time so I don't want it to be heavy...but I also want it to be nice. So I'll finalize it this weekend and do my shopping. Maybe we'll have turkey sandwiches for lunch, then a warm meal for dinner. Now there's a plan!

I guess since it's 1:00am I should attempt sleep. Sometimes I wish I could just be awake all night and play online, or go shopping, or go for a walk...then do normal life things during the day when everyone's awake.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Here I am...

Last night, when we still didn't have internet, I wrote up a long informative blog about our move...

Then once we got the internet hooked up...poof! It disappeared!

Oh well, because I'm tired, you get the condensed version. We are all moved in, barring a few more boxes of odds and ends still at our friends' house. But we've got our beds set up, laundry nearly caught up, and the kitchen is totally put away...well accept for my wok from China Town...which I can not find! Abbey must have packed it! That's been a common blame game these past couple of days...we're finding things she packed in the strangest of places! We found all of the hardware to put our bed back together in Max's red wagon!

Since we got our washer and dryer on Monday, I've been doing non-stop laundry with all of the quilts and towels we used to pack. I am running the last load through the dryer right now.

Max has been sleeping in his own room since we moved in too. He's done alright, with us only having to get up a few times each in the night. One night he thought he'd get right out of bed and head for the closet. Maybe we'll wait to set up his bed and just leave his mattress on the floor! We do have his computer set up playing his opera all night...something he's more than excited about. And something I'm more than excited that I don't have to listen to all night in my room!


This evening as I was doing the dinner dishes, I thought "I am home!". Not because I was doing dishes, or that I was in my kitchen, but because I was rinsing my turmeric stained white dishes before I put them in the dishwasher. I have been weary of cooking with turmeric in other people's kitchens because I inevitably get it all over the place, and it stains like crazy! I've enjoyed cooking every night since we've moved in too.

So there's your condensed version...I'm tired and another full day tomorrow of unpacking and therapy for Max. Plus phone calls...and emails to catch up on! Oh...and I need to make my Turkey Day list too!

Whew...

I honestly can not believe this little monster is still awake! He woke up at 7:00am, and we got down to his pediatrician appointment by 9:00...there until 11:00...back home for lunch then on to occupational therapy at 1:00...home for a couple of hours before dinner.

I'm beat...but he's still bubbling! He's waiting up for Daddy to get home...at midnight! Right now he's singing along to Abbey's favorite movie...Bride and Prejudice (The Bollywood version of Pride and Prejudice).

Meeting with the other families was so nice tonight. It's great to hear that others have a passion about making this journey easier for others. I'm excited to see what comes of the meeting tonight.

Tomorrow is a bit of a break...I'll have skunky little Adeline for a while which will be fun. And maybe I'll get a chance to pack some stuff up. It's been a pretty full week! Then Friday, I WILL SLEEP!!!! (One can wish!)

SATURDAY...WE MOVE!!!!!! I'm excited...can you tell???? I told Steve today that as soon as we get the keys I will go take a hot relaxing bath, then he can move in! Tee Hee!

Okay, off to clear a path from all of medical supply deliveries this week...I need a garage for all of this stuff!

Full day...

Tomorrow is a FULL day!

I take Max to the doctor down at the hospital for a weight check and a follow-up with the nutritionist. I sure hope this last change to his diet was enough...he's getting so big!

I'm also going to see if they'll check his gtube button to see if it needs changing yet. It's been three months, and I sure don't want to be the one to change it! It is held in place by a little balloon on the inside of his stomach that is filled with water. And there is a lot more give now...so I don't want it to be evaporating...but you'd better believe I don't want to be the one to check it the first time either!

After we leave there, I'll bring him back up for his occupational therapy. Then we'll take a little break before we have dinner tomorrow night with a couple of families that Max's pediatrician wants us to get to know. Young families with small children with rare diseases, who all have a desire to help others like us. Make the road a little easier for those who come after us.

And then, Steve comes home from California. And then, hopefully I will SLEEP! :)

Today I spoke with the company who will hire me as Max's CNA (Certified Nurses Assistant). I will have to go through a 4 week course, 4 hours a night, take a test and then I can work 3-6 hours daily, and get paid. I don't know what I will have to do in those 3-6 hours daily. I guess just his regular care. But it has to be "CNA skills: rather than "Mommy skills". I had a hard time keeping my mouth shut on that one. How many Mommies are still diapering and carrying around their 5 year olds? Seriously, some people just don't think before they speak. Mommy skills...
I'm sure I'll learn more, and see if it is a good fit for us.

I guess I'd better get to bed. Try to sleep anyway!