Richard, Elaine, and Griffin Visit Saturday 2017

My uncle Richard, aunt Elaine, and cousin Griffin visited on Saturday. Griffin is now attending Sarah Lawrence so Richard and Elaine were able to visit him at school in Bronxville and then drive up. Mom was more tired during the visit than she's been and was pretty quiet, then finally she said goodbye and excused herself to rest in bed.

James, mom, me, Miranda, Elaine, Richard, Griffin

Mom, Richard, and Griffin

Chatting

After they left, Bob took the kids outside to play. He brought them these cool wooden planes that they love. 

Flying planes

Confused about aerodynamics

Trying to catch it.

Nana and Bob Visit- March 2016

Nana and Bob visited this weekend. The kids were super excited when they heard they were coming. We had a really nice time and gorged ourselves on Chinese food. Yum!

Nana reading to Mirand

Soothed her to sleep

Hanging out with Bob

Modeling pajamas from Great-grandmother Daisy

Good night kisses

Goodnight kisses

Christmas in Long Island 2016

Santa came for the sixth year in a row!!! Lots of presents and cookies gone! James woke up at 6:45 AM and instead of following the plan to come get me, Kevin and Miranda, he ran back and forth to the tree like a little crazy person. He was initially overwhelmed because he bought presents for Miranda, Kevin, and me at his school holiday fair and he wanted to put them under the tree before we got up. Haha. His running steps alerted us that he was up and we- GASP- woke up Miranda. Bob and Nana emerged to join us too.

Tree after Santa left presents

Miranda and Kevin are still waking up; James trying to give his present to Miranda.
This year, Miranda is 2.5 years old and James is 5.5 years old

Finally we got James opening his stuff, and Miranda cautiously opened one thing and announced she didn't want to open anything else. She tried to give away her presents to the rest of us. No, neither of my kids ever act like this, they were just overwhelmed by the excitement. It was funny and weird.

The only thing James asked Santa for this year: a jack-in-the-box.

Opening board games, lego-things, coloring things, kid-size basketball and soccer ball

Miranda with her plush brunette Stella doll (M creatively named her "Dolly")

Persuaded her to open Doc McStuffins Lego Clinic

Bob and Nana got a lot of Amazon Alexia love from Santa

In addition to Santa, Bob and Nana spoiled the kids like crazy- THANK YOU!

James bought me an ornament at the school holiday fair!

I was also spoiled by Kevin, Mom, and Bob- THANK YOU AGAIN!

This happened.

Just ridiculous.

Bob's favorite part of Christmas: building toys.

Success! 

Post-breakfast Battleship game 

Buddies. 

Miranda testing out James's soccer ball

And more Battleship!

Nana and Bob Visit- October 2016

Nana and Bob visited and played with the kids. There's a lot of snuggling in this post.

Saturday- Nana showing Miranda the hat she got her.

Bob playing a solitaire-like game with James, except, together

Hugging Nana

Sunday- Early morning puzzle with Bob

Almost done!

Nana is her lipstick pusher

Tickling Miranda

Saying goodbye on Sunday

Saying goodbye on Sunday

See ya soon, Nana

Kiss!

Mom got her cancer scan results back and her tumors all shrunk! Since June, she's been on Lenvatinib (Lenvima- which targets VEGF) combined with everolimus (Afinitor- which targets mTOR). As I explained in an earlier post, VEGF is a protein which helps cancer grow blood vessels, and MTOR is a protein that makes cells divide and grow.

Hopefully, the new drug is extra good! It's only been approved for use in renal cell cancer since May 2016 and Mom started it right away in June. It's the fifth drug combo she's tried, but it has good stats for a new drug and it's approved for Line 2 treatment so I have big expectations for it.

Grandma Visits- October 2016

Grandma visited over the long Columbus Day weekend. She took James to a farm (Miranda fell asleep in the car) and all the Irish Clouthers explored the Hamptons together. Monday, she took the kids to the playground and lunch. Thanks for visiting Grandma!

James at a farm on Saturday

At a Hamptons library on Sunday

Trying to pick up some Hamptons girls

Miranda working on art while Grandma posts pictures of her on Facebook

Nana Visits- August 2016

Nana visited from Sunday through Tuesday, and we took it easy. We watched some Olympics, spent time snuggling with the kids in the air conditioned bedrooms.

Nana tickling Miranda (who is awake but in a trance)

Nana and James

Nana reading to Miranda

Nana Visits- January 2016

Nana and Bob came to visit. They got here extra early so they could see James's indoor soccer practice. Fun! Mom was mesmerized by the amazing soccer abilities of 4-year-olds! Ha!

Bob and Nana at soccer

Nana taking action shots

Practicing with a new coach

Lots of fun for the rest of the weekend. Bob indulged James's love of Life, which James rewarded by asking him to play 500 more times. Miranda was well-behaved and affectionate with Nana all weekend and they bonded. The Clous went for a brief wintry walk, and when we came back in Kevin lit a fire. There was also a lot of food.

Bob won.

Nana and her mini-me bonding.

Ready to walk.

Pointing at the photographer- Dada.

Mesmerized by fire.

Drawing together the next morning.