Jul
24
Two months from today, I will be holding Phoebe in my arms instead of my belly. We’re all warming up to the idea, though I just can’t seem to imagine what it will be like to actually have a third child in my charge, especially since I still haven’t figured out where I’m going to put her clothes. But it satiates my nesting desires to arrange, rearrange, and rearrange them again. Conversely, it’s given Dave an eye twitch and a stiff neck. (You should see what happens to him when I bring up the subject of transporting all three kids in the van.)
Not a day goes by that Julia doesn’t ask, “What do you think Phoebe will look like?” We’ve all placed our bets on the color of her hair - I say brown, Julia says blonde and Lucy says orange. Dave hasn’t made an official bet, although when she comes, you can be sure he’ll tell us, “I told you it was going to be (whatever color it is).”
Lucy has been looking at the ultrasound photo album I made with regularity. She points to the pictures and says, “Mommy baby belly! That’s Phoebe!” And she’s progressed from smacking at my bump to laying her cheek against it to feel her sister move, seasoning it with kisses and telling me, “Phoebe’s cute!” She mothers her baby dolls and even pretends to nurse them because, “I a good mommy! I love baby!”
I’m not sure what inspired the change in Lucy’s attitude. I’ve considered that it may be actually feeling the baby or seeing so many ultrasounds or all the books we’ve read and talking we’ve done about it. Dave seems to think it’s the two new molars we discovered peeking out of her gums yesterday. I think Julia’s excitment has helped. I love that she’s so proud to be a big sister.
Julia has been deeply involved with this pregnancy to the point that she became convinced, one night after a watermelon binge, that she was also pregnant. She requested “one of those sticks you pee on” to verify it. I tried to explain that it was impossible for her to be pregnant, but The Virgin Mary didn’t do anything to help me on this one and Julia just can’t see how the birth of Jesus could be any more special than the birth of her baby will be. At least she’s willing to take vitamins now. And she’s naming her daughter Stacey.
May
20
The plan for today was to tie myself to my computer so I could get some long overdue work done, but it was gorgeous outside and I was distracted by Lucy’s pigtails.
She’s wearing pigtails now. They’re sort of magic, I think.
Lola found herself in a new kennel this afternoon. I’m no dog whisperer, but I think she liked it.
By then, it just sort of felt like a holiday, so I pretended it was.
Later, Dave and Julia had their first T-ball game.
They won.
Maybe it’ll rain tomorrow.
Feb
24
Picasso Is Home
by Leslie
We picked her up Monday night. And we’ve been doing a lot of this.
And this.
(Please ignore my bedhead. Showering isn’t a priority when you get your should-be-dead cat back.)
And it’s doing some good, I think, because she’s now drinking on her own and eating with help. This morning, she rolled on her back to let Dave rub her tummy. Later, she played with Lucy and explored the house a bit, despite her coordination and balance issues.
She’s timid and tired, but she’s still Picasso. I am so grateful.
Feb
21
A Picasso Update
by Leslie
Picasso didn’t come home today, so I went to see her. She’s in a critical care hospital, which meant I had to wait more than an hour to see her for about five minutes. But it was worth it.
I think she looks pretty good, all things considered.
She has a broken jaw, which is what she needs surgery to fix. Her vitals are stable and she is now breathing on her own, but she’s still very swollen. And though her x-rays show that her skull, spine, neck - pretty much everything except her jaw - are in tact, she’s having some trouble coorindating her movements due to pressure on her nerves from the swelling. The vet needs to see her controlled movement return before he’ll perform the surgery.
She moved plenty when she saw me, though! As soon as she heard my voice, her head popped up and she scrambled to her feet and flopped toward me. She pushed her head against my hand, like she always does when she wants me to pet her MORE! and HARDER! And she purred and purred and purred.
She’s going to be okay. It’s just going to take a little longer than we thought.
Feb
20
Blessed
by Leslie
Today, my kitty Picasso was hit by a car.
And I’ve never felt so lucky.
I’m lucky because Dave got up extra early this morning and rewrote the plans we’d made the night before and went to town to get us breakfast. If he hadn’t, he wouldn’t have found her on the road on the way back home.
I’m lucky to have held enough sick, injured and dying animals - I mean, if I hadn’t dealt with Max losing his tail, I may not have been able to pick her bloody body up off the road without hesitation or fear so we could get right to the business of saving her life.
I’m lucky because my parents were there to assure me that dad had the kids and mom was taking the cat to the vet so I could go teach Kindermusik.
I’m lucky because by the time I got the estimate for her surgery, I had enough money sitting in my account to cover the bill when I didn’t yesterday.
I’m lucky because tomorrow my kitty will come home. Alive.
Feb
15
The Nap Warden
by Leslie
if you can get past the cat
defender of sleep
Jan
24
A Surprise In The Cupboard
by Leslie
and I found a cat instead
perfect deterrent
Jan
6
that lures her out of the warmth
and into the tree
Jan
5
Nap Buddies
by Leslie
that it’s time for the kid’s nap
and so are her eyes
Nov
12
15 Minutes
by Leslie
Yesterday, I was permitted to take Julia home right after the Veteran’s Day program at her school. It was only about fifteen minutes ahead of her usual release time, but it felt like so much more. Life is sweeter when you take away the need to rush and add some beautiful weather. We were able to enjoy an ice cream cone courtesy of our very own Navy veteran - my father - followed by some free play time, before our usual after school commitments.
Julia showed off her swinging skills. She’s been honing them on the playground with a crackpot team of thrill-seekers known as her Kindergarten classmates. She had a lot to show me. It looked like this.
It may look like she’s just moving rhythmically to and fro, but according to her wildly imaginative narrative, she’s actually, um, doing something I don’t completely understand, but it sounds amazing. It’s about unicorns. Also mermaids. There’s a great deal of peril involved. Maybe I should have recorded some video rather than snap photos.
Lucy preferred to slide. And why wouldn’t she? She’s very good at it. She can do it all by herself, which is all the rage with two-footers these days.
I took pictures.
Of me.
(Dave says I look “sexy” in that second one. I told him it was because I was thinking of him, but I was really thinking about doughnuts.)
And of cats.
Even the fucker* that found himself stuck in the car. Again.
Dumbass*.
*I can call him these things. I rescued him. Also, he’s peed on me, so the insults go both ways.
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Stuff I Dig
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You Should Do This
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Ooooooh. Aaaaah.
