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July 27, 2003
Phew! This last week has been so busy. It started last Saturday with my cousin’s wedding, after which my dad, step-mom, brothers, and grandparents came over. On Sunday, we had Aden’s birthday parties, which were so much fun. As I said last week, we had family over at lunchtime for a cookout and friends over in the evening for pizza. Breaking it up into two groups made it so much easier and less stressful. Instead of rushing around beforehand trying to get everything done, I was actually wandering around thinking, “I can’t believe I don’t have anything I need to be doing!” I am usually a last-minute stresser before company comes, so it was a wonderful change.
There was a definite “Thomas the Tank Engine” theme to our day, or “Thomnay” as Aden calls him. He woke up with his new Thomas pillow, wore his favorite t-shirt (Thomas, of course), read his new Thomas counting book, played with his new train bridge, and ate with Thomas plates and napkins. I even drew Thomas on his birthday cake. When he got a train set and table for Christmas, I had no idea it would become so popular and all encompassing in our life! Really, it’s a milestone—first obsession with a favorite (non-lovey) toy or character. :) And it’s a great milestone, because his first real games of pretend are developing out of his interaction with his little trains. It is so adorable. He talks to them, builds track for them, tells me what they are doing, and makes up little games. These days, I’m not sure we’re ever without a train!
AF also showed up that day, so much for month two. And it seemed so promising! My hopes had definitely been up. But thankfully, there was so much going on that I didn’t have a lot of time to dwell. After my cycle being so screwy last month, I’m not sure what we’re going to do this time.
Monday, Aden had his two-year check-up. He weighed 26 pounds, 12 ounces and measured 33 inches—just under the 50th percentile for both, right on target for him. There were no worries about Aden’s memory or verbal ability, because as soon as we walked into the exam room, Aden started asking for a cookie. It’s been 6 months since we’d been in, but he knew exactly where they were and who would give him one. When the doctor looked at Aden’s chart, he was impressed to note how healthy Aden is, as we’ve only had one visit for illness in 2 years. Yay, breastfeeding!
The rest of our week was spent getting ready for Derek’s departure to Las Vegas. He has applied for an organizer position within the carpenter’s union and was chosen as one of six applicants to go to a training session and evaluation held in Vegas. Basically, whomever does best will get the job--no pressure! So he’s been gone since Thursday and will get home on Monday or Tuesday. My mom came and stayed with Aden and I on Thursday and Friday and then took Aden home with her Friday night so I could have a little time to myself and get some sleep. It was so quiet in the house, just me and the dog and the cat... I didn’t know what to do first! But Mom and Aden didn’t leave until about 9:00, so by the time I checked e-mail and ran an errand to Wal-mart, it was late and I just watched a movie and ate some ice cream. I really know how to party, don’t I? The real luxury was sleeping in the next morning, then taking as much time in the shower as I wanted and lingering over coffee and a book. Is that what life used to be like before motherhood?
I met Aden and Mom for lunch on Saturday and Aden and I did some quick shopping before heading to our friend Kaden’s fourth birthday party. Aden and Kaden are the best of buds and Kaden generously let Aden help him open his presents, since Aden didn’t really understand that it wasn’t *his* birthday anymore. And just imagine, Kaden got a train toy, so Aden was in heaven! I don’t know which little boy was more excited.
Today Aden and I splurged and went out to breakfast. It was a nice little treat since it’s just the two of us. Then I worked busily on scrapbooking for the rest of the day. In May, I threw a baby shower for my best friend Kasee (Kaden’s mom) and decided to make her a baby book/scrapbook, with each guest making and signing a page and me filling in the rest. I’ve never scrapbooked before, but it seemed like a fun thing to do for her. Plus, she made me a quilt with squares decorated by each guest at my baby shower, so I had to do something special and creative in return, right? Well, I got myself in a *little* over my head with this scrapbook. Only four guests actually made pages, and then when I sat down to plan out the contents I ended up wanting almost 70 pages! I just couldn’t leave out the milestones page, or the first bath, or a place for pictures and memories of each month in the baby’s first year... You get the picture. Anyway, her c-section is scheduled for August 6th, let’s see, that’s 10 days from now--yikes! But I’m happy to say that I was extremely productive today and I only have 21 pages left. Hmm, that doesn’t sound so good...
Anyway, tonight I put the scrapbooking tools down so we could go to one more birthday party. This one was very special. It was our friend Josie’s third birthday party, and it was also her “end of chemotherapy” party. Last October, they discovered a lump in her leg that turned out to be a very nasty form of cancer, and she has just completed 42 weeks of chemo. Ironically enough, they found the cancer almost 3 years to the day of when Laura discovered she was pregnant with Josie, and then went through 42 weeks of chemo that corresponded to the 42 weeks Josie was in Laura’s womb, and then emerged from chemo only days before the anniversary of her birth. Isn’t that weird? Thankfully, Josie’s prognosis seems excellent and we had an awesome time at her pink party, eating pink cake and cookies and drinking pink lemonade. :) What a wonderful thing to celebrate!
Well, I’m headed back to the scrapbooking... Have a great week everyone, and don’t forget to “talk to me” on my board!
What were some obsessions your child has gone through? What did you think of them?
Any scrapbooking hints or tips? What projects have caused you to get in “over your head?”
What are some fun birthday party themes that you’ve seen? Do you remember any themes from special parties in your own childhood?
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