James at the ER 2018

Oh man. He's okay. Love this kid so much.

Poor little guy

Mom in Hospice- September 2017

Mom's cancer treatment was cut off recently because it had become ineffective. She had additional growths on her liver. There are no other kidney cancer treatments available that she hasn't tried.

Subsequently, Mom took a turn for the worse over Labor Day weekend, and her doctor sent her to the ER on Wednesday. Bob was with her all day Wednesday while they slowly decided to admit her to the hospital. Bob and I were in the hospital with Mom on Thursday and Friday. Friday night I moved her permanently to Long Island to be near me, Kevin, and the kids.

Mom's oncologist recommended hospice as the next step. She's past the stage where she can reasonably do any kind of assisted living arrangement. Mom and I weighed hospice against rehab and Mom decided hospice was better to manage her pain. Hospice is a type of care not a place. She's temporarily at a facility while we figure out how to adjust her pain medication and get our house set up to move with her in with us. She'll get hospice at our home as well once she moves in.

Kids, Kevin, and Mom


Mom took a selfie. Yep.

Kissing Nana on the way home.

Stomach Bug- January 2017

James got the evil stomach bug that's been going through all the schools and the whole town. He started puking right after his bedtime on Saturday and I stayed up with him all Saturday night while he was sick. So obviously, then it hit me Sunday afternoon. And then, Kevin got it Sunday late night. Poor Kevin still had to go to work.

Sunday sick day.

Lots of mom love

I'm down next. Miranda tried to comfort me and James, but she was fine.

Poor Kevin! Father-daughter nap.

Ear Infections 2016

Kids had a little cold early in the month. Then they started getting sick again right before Thanksgiving, around the 22nd. James had a light fever and sinus stuff, but James was off from school anyway for a few days. Miranda just had sinus stuff. James seemed better by Monday, and didn't have any problem at school Monday or Tuesday, but on Wednesday the school nurse called us because James was complaining of ear pain. Off to the doctor they both went.

December 1, Wednesday at doctor

James had an ear infection and was prescribed antibiotics. Miranda had two good ears. Neither kid had a fever so they got flu shots while they were there. (Continuing our perfect flu shot record since at least 2010.)

Thursday was a half day, and Friday was no school because of parent-teacher conferences. So the kids scored 4 days at home together in a row ... again (like Thanksgiving).

 

James is miserable, Miranda is snuggly.

Despite Miranda's ears being "perfect" on Wednesday, Saturday night she woke up screaming with ear pain. She refused to take any pain medication for an hour so that was fun too. Sunday she went to urgent care and got her own antibiotic prescription for an ear infection. Fun!

Miranda feeling sick and dramatic at urgent care

James was better before Monday. Miranda is still working on it.

Mt. Sinai Turkey Trot 2016

After I ran my first 5K, James asked me incessantly about running in a race with me. I told him he could do the kids fun run the next year, but the concept of a year is still long for him to grasp, so he kept asking. Despite his enthusiasm, I know that he's still slower than I am. Given how much energy children have, their inability to run well for any distance must be some kind of parent-child-survival mechanism? So when I saw a local 1K coming up, I decided this was perfect because most fun run are a full mile and 1K is only .6 miles.

#299 is 5M, and #298 is 37F

 

Stretching

He still struggled. He was sick, but he's not much of a runner yet as you can see by this 3-year-old girl kicking his butt. Final time: 9:50 minutes.

Good effort, buddy!

Finishing strong

Failed finish line photo

*James's 1K Race Stats:
Time: 9:50, Pace: 16:4/mile, Place: Towards the end
5 M, Bib #299, Division 1K Fun Run

Thanksgiving 2016

We hosted Thanksgiving at our house for the second year. Kevin made the turkey again, but I observed carefully so that I could duplicate his method next time. He also made fabulous creamy mashed potatoes. I made the sweet potatoes, mom made some stuffing, and Bob made spaghetti squash. We also had jellied cranberry sauce, biscuits, three kind of apple dessert: pie, crumb cake, and apple crisp, and of course vanilla ice cream. The food was all a great success. We also had a lot of fun though most of it was after the kids went to sleep.

James, Jen, Bob, Kevin, bits of mom, (not pictured: Miranda, and me

Kevin took this one so you could see my mom and Miranda

Flashback to Kevin carving the turkey

Miranda spent hours playing with the pilgrim shakers

Post-turkey nap with James and Jen

Mom, Miranda, Jen, James, Bob

Me and Kevin

Family picture. James felt sick all day so this is the best we got.

Jen is awesome with kids.

Miranda at Urgent Care 2016

This one. Always up to trouble. Our entire house is baby-proof and padded so she made sure to fall directly onto a walkie talkie. (They have now been stored.) She was crying and I thought she was faking a little but I hugged and kissed and saw her bump growing.

So we flew into action! Deeply disorganized action! We got ice to put on the bump, and threw the kids into the car to go to a pediatric urgent care. But we forgot her shoes, my mind, and to lock the door to the deck. She's okay though- just a bump! No fracture, no concussion.

"Mama, it's fiiiiiine. It's fiiiine."

Cape Cod- December 2015

Saturday, we got to the Cape and James and Miranda got to play with Ellen, Lillian, and Beatrice. The three girls are Dolores's youngest granddaughters (of six total).

 Lillian (7.5), Ellen (8), James (4.5), Beatrice (3.5), and Miranda (1.5).

Miranda, Beatrice, and James

Afterward, we went to a little family party at Nesie and Steve's. We had Chinese food! Yum. James became totally devastatingly obsessed with Harry the dachshund and didn't want to leave him.

James kissing Great-grandma, Aunt Nesie on right

Great-grandma and Miranda drawing together

Uncle Dickie and Grandma Kathy

Katie, James, and dog Harry snuggling.

Sunday, Aunt Mary and Chris babysat in the early afternoon. Later we went to Great-grandma's and the kids opened the gift that were still under the tree for them. Great-grandma gave us a family Aquarium pass which is awesome!

Great-grandma also gave James his first real bike!

Snuggling mini-me.

Kevin, Katie and I went to see Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens. And it was good! (I was not a fan of the modern I-III.)

Movie happiness!

On Monday morning, Kevin took himself and Miranda to the doctor- he has a sinus infection, and she has an ear infection. James was still recovering from his double ear infection but seemed a bit better. Later, Grandma took James to the train show, and the kid's went to Dolores's (Yaya's) to play with her new puppy Holly. James also became obsessively in love with her. 

Trains!

James giving Holly orders


Puppy excitement!

Grandma Kathy's best friend from childhood Nancy and her sister Doreen came over and eventually we went back to Great-Grandma's for dinner.

Kathy, Nancy, Doreen (Mary and James playing with the dollhouse)

Snuggling at Great-Grandma Ruth's

On Tuesday, the kids saw their first snow of the winter! Aunt Nesie and Uncle Steve babysat while we took Grandma to lunch at Pain D'Avignon Café Boulangerie.

Little bit of snow.

Aunt Nesie trying to teach James Crazy 8s

Miranda snuggling Uncle Steve

Grandma Kathy and Kevin (with a bad cold) at lunch.

As always, a very eventful visit!

Sick... Again - December 2015

James is really sick and has an ear infection. He's even brought back the afternoon nap. Kevin and Miranda are right behind him in the illness progression. So far I've been spared.

James napping

Miranda trying to wake him by coughing near him.

Bronchitis- October 2015

James was sick for the last two weeks of September and all the rest of us thought we were safe, but then October 1, I started getting fevers. October 2, Miranda got a scary rash and fevers. While Miranda was only sick for about 5 days, and pretty much only needed a little Benedryl for the rash, I was slammed hard. I had fevers for over a week, the doctor put me on antibiotics, and I took so many other cold drugs that we have a small pharmacy here now. And this right after having cleaned out our expired medicines in the move. Coughing, coughing, so much coughing. I'm functional as of the last few days but I'm still not totally better.

One day supply of virus stuff.

Sadly, our friends Cory, Robin, Lukas, Sarah. and Lio were going to visit last weekend and we had to cancel so that we wouldn't ruin their lives. Seriously, we've been dealing with this virus for over a month! Even Grandma got sick. Go away virus! 

Grandma Visits- September 2015

Back in September, Grandma Kathy came to visit for 5 days during the week. The kids adore her so they were so happy even though it rained a lot while she was here and they couldn't go out much.

Lunch time with Grandma

James using Grandma's light up glasses

Miranda chilling with Grandma

Bedtime stories

James was particularly excited about helping Grandma cook meatballs ("I got to stick my hands in it!") and bake apple crisp.

Pouring the apples

Mixing the sugar and cinnamon

Adding it to the apples

Miranda thinks it needs more cinnamon

Miranda is trying to help.

Good night kisses!

Unfortunately for Grandma, at the end of the week Miranda and I caught James's virus. At that point, James had already been sick/recovering for two weeks so we thought we were safe. Miranda and I both got feverish and Miranda got a really scary rash. Luckily for us Grandma was here to take us to the pediatrician to get Miranda checked out.

Waiting at the doctor

Trying to escape the doctor's office (Kevin met us and intercepted her)

Post-doctor sticker picture

Grandma also wanted to stay for a soccer game and got rained out. So sorry the weather and our health didn't cooperate for your visit Grandma, but as always your visit was much enjoyed by the all of us, and a lot of help to me and Kevin. We love you. See you soon!