Category: My Family

Fluffy Buddies

I went to the salon today for a touch up.  Sitting there I decided to change it up a little, 40 pounds lost and 4 bra sizes deserved a change.  Went a bit darker with a touch of auburn and a little different on the cut. Turned out nice I think.  A little change is good!

So, last night Madison and I sat for our nightly reading session.  Now, I want to start with the fact that she is doing a great job!  She is enjoying herself and her confidence is growing.  With that on the record, I can not believe how different this experience is versus the one had with Megan.  I am not comparing, just saying.  She will read a word correctly 3 times in a row but then in another sentence totally different.  She is so much like I was am.  Focus was never a strong suit, my mind aways wandering.  I find myself sometimes looking into her eyes trying to see behind them to figure out what is going on in that little head.

We come across the word “friends”, not a word I expected her to get but it was her attempt that changed the course of the session. She calmly came to the word and confidently blurted out “fluffy buddies”.  I guess there must have been something strange on my face because she started to laugh, then laughter turned to hysterics which of course set me into laughter.  I so love how she does not take herself too seriously.  I love to watch her laugh. I guess Fluffy buddies can be friends too!

And here she is today, teaching the “class” sight words.

Holidays and tournaments

Columbus day Weekend and our new lives of travel soccer tournaments for every holiday. Megan’s team had two games scheduled for yesterday.  They have been a bit tough to watch.  They have only won one game and that was the first one they ever played together way back at the labor day tournament.  Since then it has been all down hill with some of the losses being signed sealed and delivered before the half.  There is a rule in the league since they are so young,  there can not be more than a 6 point gap.  Almost every team we have played have had to instruct their players to stop shooting on us since we have lost most games by 6-0, 6-1.

They are young and learning the game.  We like the coach and how he deals with the girls. Before practice on Monday this week, coach came to me to see if I had changed my mind about Megan playing goalkeeper.  Initially I had said no  because I did not want to see her get hurt.  She plays piano beautifully and I could not stand it if those little fingers were injured or worse kicked in the head.   I was out numbered, Megan was dying to try it, my husband thought she would be great back there and coach felt she would be stronger than the little girls currently in goal.

I said she could try it so with 30 minutes total practice in goal at Thursday’s practice, yesterday she suited up and took to the goal.  I have to say it was an exciting game but so nerve-racking!  She did great and we WON! 2-1.  More importantly is the thrill on my little girls face and  the confidence earned by the team.  She played the entire time in both games, the second did not go as well but they get another shot at it today.

When we were leaving the fields for the day, coach whispered to my husband that they found the new starting goalie for the team.  We went out to the sporting goods store for better gloves but of course no one carries anything in stock anymore so at home I placed an order for gloves with spines in the finger that supposedly protect from hyper extension. If she is going to play back there I have to do what I can to protect my baby.  Would a football helmet be too much?

To celebrate a nice tournament day and the big position move we went out to dinner.  Instead of the normal diner or chain restaurant we went a little higher scale.  The girls were so excited they both put on dresses and jewelry.  Just a little high maintenance :-).

The season is finally changing but it is in the blink of an eye. When we went to the tournament yesterday morning,  the season felt like late spring.  Warm, bright sun and a slight breeze.  There was a 2 hour gap between games where the parents set up a base camp.  We had food, games and just enjoyed a nice day together.  (I am sure the munchkins and soft pretzels did not help their play in game 2 :-)).  By the time we got home we all had red cheeks since no one thought about sunscreen.  By dinner time last night we were reminded that fall was here with a drastic drop in the temperature and by this morning a smack in the face by fall with temps in the high 40’s and rain expected.  One more game today.  Going to be a chilly one!

The mundane and beautiful feeling of normal

I am sitting and watching the Eagles game, I  wonder if I will even be able to stay awake into the second half.  The day started with a stop for shoes for myself and the girls, then to buy some organizational things for the kitchen and new sheets for our bed.  I can not remember when we got new sheets.   Then to Justice for a new outfit for school pictures this week.  Lastly a stop for a new binder that Megan will need in the TAG program.

At home, time to put it all away and jump right into the organization projects. First put the new sheets into the washer. Back to the projects,  I have a “junk” counter where everything collects.  It is a tiny stand alone counter in a corner that is really not good for anything kitchen related so it became the home of my purse, bills, binder full of insurance paperwork etc from my surgery, all supplies office/school related, glasses, phone charger, tissues  etc.  The ever going list is why it was time for some way to attempt to organize.  This along with another little project took about 2 or so hours.  By the time I was finished it was dinner time.

After the dishes were cleaned up, outside for some Halloween decorating. Back in grab the sheets from the dryer and put them on to the bed, love the feel of the sheets first day on the bed!  Bath the little one, get snacks ready , sit for reading time with Madison, blink and realize the day is all but over.

AHHH, normalcy. For as tired as I am after a day like today, it is still a nice feeling.  Just a few short weeks ago my activites were still restricted due to the mastectomy.  Even when I was released to normal activity I could not imagine pulling off a full day of activity.  It is nice to be basically back to normal, whatever that means.  I never have a day where I am not reminded of the mastectomy (and I do not mean the obvious).  I still have the ever present tightness in my abdomen and the scar has really become irritating.   The newpples are still uneven and one remains twice the size of the other.  Wearing a bra is still not my most favorite thing but I can get through most of the day without an issue.  I can finally lay on my sides for a short while in bed which is a welcome change.

I dread the thoughts of another procedure in my future but I know that is will be minor in comparison to the past two.  Almost there!