Little Man and Lord Uncle B

Weekend Update!

Hello All! Auntie here. It's only Saturday, but this weekend has been very eventful indeed. I'll start at the beginning...

Friday
I stopped off to drop some things off for Ma (and of course to visit with the little one...the drop off is just an excuse really!). So, Ma and I decided to go to the big town of Rat Town, as Pa was hungry and we needed to go to the bank. (No, we weren't robbing it...) The drive there was pretty uneventful...just 2 girls cruisin along, singin tunes and catchin up on this week's gossip. We decided to go to the bank first. (I was driving) I turned the corner at the bank and miracles of miracles, there's a spot right in front. Very handy, as Ma and I aren't into marathon walking. Our lucky day (or so we thought at the time)! I went to pull into the spot and the back tire hit the curb and the car zagged towards a lamp post. (Lord Uncle B REALLY does not like this part of the story!!!) Okay...I'm not a bad driver...really, I'm not! Ma likes to say that she saw her life flash before her eyes and that I tried to kill her...but really, it wasn't THAT bad!!! We were laughing about our near-death experience as we were doing our thing at the bank. After each depositing cheques and taking out $20 (gotta make sure you have cash for Timmy's), Ma threw out her receipts. Now, the garbages at the bank are very deep, with a tiny tiny opening...which I'm sure they do for security purposes. Unfortunately, it also makes it very difficult to stick your hand in when you accidently toss away the $20 that you just took out of the machine. Ma tried desperately to get her money back out, only to discover that some wise guy had put gum in there, which was stuck to the opening, and thus, her hand. I had no idea that Ma had so much money that she could literally throw it away!

Get in car. Laughing hysterically about near-death experience and throwing away cash. Off to A&W to get dinner for all. Waiting in the drive-thru for the woman in front of us to order...who kept ordering a combo #1, but only the burger. She had a very heavy accent, so they couldn't understand her. It closely resembled that "Who's on first?" skit. Roll-up windows before hysterical laughter is heard! We get up to the window and I pay for my order. Two workers equals confusion...note to self. As first lady takes my money, second lady hands me order and I hand her Ma's debit card. Then first lady comes back and tells me the total for the second order. However, the second lady, who took the debit card not 30 seconds ago, has lost it. Trying not to laugh, as we watch the two stare at each other in confusion, wondering where the debit card could have gone. They kept accusing Ma and I of having it. Finally, Ma in frustration, who was also on the phone with the bank, trying to explain her $20, got out of the car and found the debit card under the rear tire on the driver's side. Apparently, she doesn't need $20, nor does she need her debit card. Park car and check Pa's burgers for correct toppings. Eat food. Decide that if anything else goes wrong, we're gonna park the car, sleep for the night and try again in the morning.

Now off to Timmy's. Drive Thru...place order. Pray that it's right. Really, people, you enter the order into the cash register, use that to make order...it's not that hard! (Note: Am a former Timmy's employee and don't mean to offend...just REALLY tired of getting my order screwed up!) Order goes like this: 2 Lg 3x3, 1 XL steeped tea 2c x 3 sw, 1 LG steeped tea 2c x 3 s. (I really should know better and should have made the order less complicated). What we got: 2 Lg 3x3 (maybe), 2 XL COFFEES with who knows what in them.

At this point, decide to call it a night. Drive home...carefully...and go straight to bed...praying that tomorrow will be better!

Saturday
Auntie and Lord Uncle scheduled to babysit Stinky Butt, so that Ma and Pa can install new flooring in dining room. Got phone call from Ma at 9:15 am (really friggin' early for me on a Saturday!). Boy delivered by 10:00. Day spent eating, sleeping, playing...playing some more, eating, playing...okay, think you get it! Discovered that the boy is absolutely fascinated by Lord Uncle B and loves to stare at him. (Have really cute pic...will try to post later.) Two hour nap in the afternoon, which both the brat and I enjoyed! ...followed by more eating and playing! Oh to be a baby again! Kid is the cutest, smartest baby in history. Ma called to say floor was done...SUCCESS! Looks fantastic, but Ma and Pa would like to go out for dinner, if we wouldn't mind looking after the little monster for awhile longer. Mmmm...let me think...spend more time with the best baby EVER...mmm... (Auntie bias kinda obvious!!!) Pack up baby and bring him ALL the way home (2 blocks is REALLY far), more play time, ba-ba and then bed. Check out the flooring, surf the net, check Facebook, wait for Ma and Pa to come home. Now hangin with Ma. Overall, MUCH better than yesterday...in fact, doesn't get much better than that!

Delurking

I know it isn't officially delurking day (which is a real day...) but I am hoping to hear from some of the people who read this blog, I'm sure many who I don't know in person. Just a quick post would be great. I know who most of you are, but I wish that I could hear from people who might have found this site by accident! Many bloggers are going to password protected sites, which kind of goes against the purpose of blogging, so I would like to find out who is reading. :-)

Thanks! Ma

It just hits me

On nights like tonight, when the house is still and all I can hear is Sha breathing through the baby monitor, it hits me. Like a wave of emotion, starting at the tips of my toes and coming up and out in tears. Overflowing. Very thankful for another day. Thank you for another day.

When Sha giggles, for me, time stops.

All of the people who cared for us. At home, at the hospital, in their thoughts and prayers and wishes and love. I haven't forgotten. A forever thank you.

On most days, I forget about our time in the NICU and just move past all of those memories. Treating baby Sha as per normal. Just a baby. But on quiet nights like tonight, I remember. I think about how your first bed smelled, like a rain forest damp with humidity. If I close my eyes, I can recall that smell in an instant. Peering at you through the glass.

I think about how Pa and I felt the utmost peak of emotions, high and low. The highest joy and the greatest sadness.

I get it.

Thank you for showing me what is important.

Other people get it too. Because of you. Thank you.

Sha, you are just wonderful. Watching you sleep, safe, happy, thumb-sucking, quiet, snug in your bed, in our home, is my gift.
---
I told him,
Better take your muddy boots off.
I said, your Mama's going to freak right out
When she sees this mess.
But you can blame it on me,
Because he was only following Daddy.

I don't like to think about when
There was only one pair of shoes
By the front door.
Thought I was alright on my own,
Thanks to you those days are gone.

You stopped me in my tracks
Now I can see the future
Every time that I look back.

By the little footprints following me,
Little footprints, brand new.
Little hands that hold my heart
Are only there because of you.

Theres little footprints following me
So I walk more carefully
Because how I act, what I say
What I do and where I go
Is going to wind up there too I know.

Ode to a Happy Day!

Today was awesome!

Sha and Pa spent the day wandering through the Autoshow. This left the whole day for me to cosy up for some couch napping in the basement in front of the big screen. Mmmmmm. I love couch napping. So much so that I think I should be a couch tester and nap for a living. If I could talk Pa into it I would love to replace our bed with a sectional. Seriously, we would be happier people. I really wish I enjoyed running as much as I enjoy couch napping.

Pa left Ma the new People magazine to read and a tub of Rolo icecream. I managed to have italian wedding soup and garlic bread (for dipping!) for lunch. I turned off the phone and just let the day go down the drain. How is it possible to not have watched TV in so very long, and still it is all repeats?!? Bell, you suck! If I have to watch the American Chopper guys build the Blues Bike one more time...well...let's just say it won't be pretty. And seeing as I was alone, I ate like a neandrathal and slurped and got it all over my shirt and the magazine...and even a little on the floor. Bliss.

It did feel lonely though and I almost didn't know what to do with myself all day long. I'm pretty sure that I used to have a life?!? Maybe?

Sha and Pa had a great day out. Pa enjoyed the cars and Sha enjoyed all of the attention he gets in public. Apparently, they even took a trip to McDonalds after the show. Pa even found an online coupon for $2.00 off the admission price online. Which is so not like him and totally like me. What has become of this man I knew? Coupon clipping?!? I thought I would never see the day. Parenthood sure has changed us.