1 Stroller Down, 1 to go

We have now replaced our single stroller. We chose the Chicco Trevi as it has the ability to fold up smaller than the Graco. It also had a nice tray and a good sized basket underneath. We had to buy an add on cupholder for me, but it seems like it will work.

I think we will wait until after our trip to replace the double stroller.

New Wheels

Well, we have finally gotten my replacement vehicle. A copper red Mazda 5. It has the desired 3 rows of seats and they fold down in the back, sliding doors on both sides and gets better gas mileage than our Honda Odyssey. I haven't driven it yet, but Mike likes it.

We also rearranged the kids' car seats... switching the Tumbleweed to the Driver's side and the Dandilion to forward facing on the passenger side. We'll see how it goes.

Hardford here we come!

I am all signed up for CKC- Hartford. I only wish it was this weekend! I am looking forward to a busy scrapbooking getaway with some MOMS Club friends. No kids allowed (except in photographs).

The Dandilion Turns 1!

Today was our last cupcake day... and boy did he make the most ot it. I didn't really get a very good picture, but I sure worked hard for the ones I got. Now that he has had cake, it was pretty hard to get hom to even look at the camera.

He did get to eat a little frosting after I gave up.

Car Shopping, Again

After careful consideration we have narrowed down our choices to the Hybrid Mercury Mariner, the Hybrid Toyota Highlander, the Honda Odyssey and the Mazda 5, taking into consideration price, fuel mileage and interior space/layout.

I hate car shopping. I hate test driving cars I don't know. Well, actually I have never test driven a car - because I won't.

My first car was a chevy cavalier. My parents found it at the local dealership and facilitated the purchase so all I had to do was fax the paperwork and get a ride up to their house. They had already picked it up, since I was only able to come when the dealership was closed.

My most recent car - the Honda Odyssey - was test driven by the Eagle as I was too busy with the new baby to go to the dealership and take a ride.

Why should this time be any different...

Hide your GPS

Well, we learned the hard way. My sister's rental car was broken into at the mall and her boyfriend's GPS was stolen. Apparently it happens a lot there. It isn't like they didn't know to take it down, they just forgot. And they forgot at the perfectly wrong time.

Fortunately that was all that was taken. Their trip back was delayed by a couple of hours while they filed the police report, taped up the window, exchanged it for a different rental car and drove back to Philly without a GPS.

A bummer of a wrap up to the weekend.

Frustating Photo Shoot

Well, I thought I was doing a good thing when I pre-scheduled an appointment to have the Dandilion's First Brithday Photos and Family Portraits taken two months in advance. It ended up being a pretty awful morning.

We arrived ten mintues early for the appointment, but the store wasn't open. When it did open we went to the studio and no one was there yet. We waited, and waited, and waited. Finally, Mike found a manager to lodge a complaint with. He had no way of knowing who was supposed to come in, and when, so we headed to the food court for smoothies. On our way back we ran into him and he said that the 11:00 person had just arrived. She had already started the people after us, but agreed to take our family shots before showing them theirs. We agree to come back to select the pictures later that afternoon.

The Eagle was pretty furious, and took every phone number he could get his hands on to call and lodge a complaint. (Though he hasn't yet).

It's Party Time!

Today was the Dandilion's First Birthday Party. We had a a nice crowd of family and friends over for a BBQ. Even my sister and her boyfriend were able to make it in from Philly for the weekend.

We debuted our new bouncy house, which we decided to get instead of a swingset this year. I was a little nervous having swings with such little kids, and figured it would be better to wait. Plus, we might want a fancier swingset once the kids are old enough to use it.

The Dandilion seemed to enjoy his Sandcastle Cake, although we later found out he had dropped most of it onto his lap. He seemed a bit overwhelmed by everyone singing, and he really didn't sit still for long while we opened presents. Oh well, I guess that is pretty normal.

Hard to believe it has been a year!

Cleared

Today was my appointment with a knee specialist. He confirmed that I have a partially torn PCL, and do not need surgery. He gave me a new knee brace and told me I didn't need the crutches anymore (that's good because I wasn't using them...) and he referred me for physical therapy. I am also allowed to drive - although we had to return the rental car today so I still won't be going anywhere.

Hummingbird

Well, despite the fact that I haven't been able to get out to garden during the past few weeks, we still had a visitor. I was out talking to a friend who came over to help weed the garden, and a hummingbird happened by! It stopped at one snapdragon and several columbine, giving us quie a show before darting off. I wish I had my camera, but maybe he will be back soon.

The Mountian Peak

We have the largest pile of laundry ever. Not one load of our clothes has been washed since the accident two weeks ago, and there was already a pile that day. Our bedroom is seriously over flowing with clothes, and every time I think about it I want to get up and start doing it. Seriously - I actually want to do laundry. But alas, I can't carry anything up or down the stairs. So it sits. My mom comes tomorrow - maybe we can get it down to a molehill by the weekend.

Celtics Win!

I can't say that I lasted long enough to see it, but the Celtics won the NBA Finals last night! This was the first year that we have raelly followed basketball, as the Eagle was so disappointed by them in previous years that he ignored them. But he has put in some late hours over the past few weeks, and thankfully they won!

Walker

The Dandilion is becoming a walker. He is starting to choose to walk, even in the middle of the room. Most of the time he gets himself started on the ottoman or a chair - he gets to the end and just keeps going. Today he made one pass of about 6 feet! Watch out world - he'll be running soon!

The Path is Complete

The Eagle spent a lot of time out in the yard today. After much sweat, a trip to the Depot, and too many rocks to count - our path in the back is finished! My garden is a different story, but the path loks great. He even put the seed down in the barren areas around it, so maybe we will have grass soon!

Nanny time

Today was our first day with extra hands. It was nice to have someone play with the kids all day, I have to say. We are still adjusting the logistics of everything, but I was definitely not feeling as totally overwhelmed trying to manage the kids while staying off my feet. It is kind of strange to be home and need someone else to do all of the things I would normally do. It is really nice that she washes the dishes. I hate dishes.

The kids and I are still adjusting to staying home all day, everyday. We are usually out of the house every day for at least the whole morning, and sometimes until naptime. What are we going to do with ourselves while I can't drive?!?

No more nursing

I guess it is offical. The Dandilion is done nursing. After several days of trying to nurse without him kicking a bruise or digging his hands into a burn, I decided to skip a few nursings... one day turned into two, and two to three... I guess we are done. He hasn't really shown much interest, so I guess he isn't missing it. Actually, he seems to be quite interested in sippy cups - which not that long ago he thought were some kind of evil trick that mommy was playing on him.

Homebound

Well, I got the word back from the doctor on my MRI today --- partially torn PCL and bone bruises to the patella and tibial plateau, which means no weight bearing activity or driving for at least 2 weeks. Ugh. How am I going to do that?

We trekked as a family out to Target to get some of the things we need and I can't got get. Very frustrating for me to not be able to push the cart and shop at my own pace. The Eagle had to take the Tumbleweed for a bathroom break, leaving me in the middle of the store with nowhere to go until they got back :(

Time to make some phone calls to find out about childcare help.

Baby Steps

The Dandilion has finally decided to let go and walk without support! He took five steps this morning, as I was almost too asleep on the couch to notice. But I woke myself up and hobbled to get the camera, just in time to watch him crawl for the rest of the morning! We'll have to work on performing under pressure :)

Comfort Book?

The Dandilion has developed an unusual comfort item - A Backyardigans Board Book - "Jungle Colors" He likes to hold it when he falls asleep, and is often standing in the crib holding it when he wakes up. Of all the things, he picks a hard book rather than a squishy stuffed animal or soft blankey. I hope we don't misplace it!

I Hate The Phone

I have always hated making phone calls. To anyone, friend or otherwise. I don't really know why, but I was never a person to talk on the phone with friends.

I think I have talked on the phone more in the past 3 days than I have in the past 3 years. OK probably not quite, but I have talked to so many insurance people, doctors, concerned family and friends that the kids are starting to think that it is stuck to my ear. I really hope we get all of the insurance stuff squared away soon, so I can stop making calls.

We did make a little progress today and got a rental car (minivan). Mike got the new car seats last night, so now we can at least get somewhere if we wanted to...

Still a Mystery

Well, I went to the doctor for my knee today, but I still don't have a diagnosis. Around lunch today the pain started to get worse (it has seemed a little better for the past few days). By the time I got to the doctor and crutched my way into the hospital, it was killing me. I was practically in tears as the doctor tried to have me move it - and I barely moved it at all. She looked at it breifly and said that it looks like it might be my MCL but refered me for an MRI to be sure (big surprise there) so now I have to wait to find out when they can do that... then I'll probably have to wait and see a doctor to have them read it. Maybe it will be all better by then - lol.

I hope it starts to feel better soon. I bumped it twice walking up the stairs when I got home and cried the whole way up carrying the Dandilion. The Tumbleweed got pretty upset seeing me crying. But she got over it when she figured out that Mommy wasn't going to get up to stop her from doing just about anything. She felt even better after eating a lollipop and a pop tart an hour before dinner. Oh well.

Cheese Head

The Dandilion's new favorite food is cheese. He is trying hard to learn to say it (I think). So far it sounds like "Seeees" He can usually eat a whole cheese stick at a meal, but for some reason today at lunch he his head must have been itchy because he managed to smear cheese all over his head. Yuck. Especially on a 90 degree day.

One Step Closer to the Olympics

OK, not for me personally - lol - but I went with friends to watch the girls who will be vying for spots on the team compete at Nationals. Lots of fun. We are so in sync about what we like and don't like, so we would comment in unison when something good/bad happened. I miss being around competitive gymnastics.

At the end of the meet they honored the 1988 Olympic Team. I don't think that many of the little girls in the audience appreciated it, but I sure did. They were my first idols growing up - Pheobe Mills, Chelle Stack, Brandy Johnson, Missy Marlowe, Kelly Garrison, Hope Spivey and Rhonda Faehn. Ah, the good old days.

I Miss My Strollers

... and so does the Tumbleweed. We saw someone else at the Triathlon today with our BOB stroller and she commented "Hey we used to have that, but now we don't. I wish we had moved so the dump truck didn't bump us."

The Triathlon was not much fun with the umbrella stroller loaded with a million things on a sandy beach either. :(

I Hate The Phone

I have always hated making phone calls. To anyone, friend or otherwise. I don't really know why, but I was never a person to talk on the phone with friends.

I think I have talked on the phone more in the past 3 days than I have in the past 3 years. OK probably not quite, but I have talked to so many insurance people, doctors, concerned family and friends that the kids are starting to think that it is stuck to my ear. I really hope we get all of the insurance stuff squared away soon, so I can stop making calls.

We did make a little progress today and got a rental car (minivan). Mike got the new car seats last night, so now we can at least get somewhere if we wanted to...

Crunch

Thank goodness for seatbelts and car seats and safe cars. While our car is no longer useful, and our strollers completely crushed and tangled in the car, we all walked away from a pretty bad accident. The kids barely had a scratch on them. I, on the other hand, am hobbling on a bum knee and nursing some air bag burns & seatbelt bruises.

Before I forget the details, I want to write them down...

The kids and I were out & about for the day as our roof was being done. After stopping for lunch, I headed from Shrewsbury back in the direction of Millbury for storytime at Barnes & Noble. But, the Tumbleweed fell asleep on the way there, so I decided to drive around for a bit before heading back to the Y to drop her off at an afternoon childcare program that we had signed up for earlier that day.

After meandering my way through Millbury & Grafton, I got back to Rt 20 to make my way back to the Y. We were nearly there when traffic stopped in front of us. I came to a stop, but the big dump truck behind me did not. He did try to swerve, but hit us in the left rear, sending us into the dump truck in front of us and the side guard rail.

After some really great concerned citizens helped us from the car, and helped us collect some important belongings, we were off to ride to the hospital. After much waiting and a couple of x-rays, I was released, with no real diagnosis. My knee hurts and I can't bend it, but otherwise we are all OK. We are very thankful for that.

Extra kisses for the kids today :)

Big Dolts

Cute moment in the car...

We had been to Michael's - a familiar stop for us. The Dandilion had gotten his hands on a package of stamps from a display and put it in his mouth. I decided that since it was making him happy and it wasn't harmful, he could keep it. We paid for everything and got in the car and he continued to mouth it.

A few minutes later I hear the Tumbleweed say "No Buddy! That's for big dolts!" Followed by him crying.

She had taken it away because my little scrapbooker knew that she isn't allowed to play with my stamps because "They are for adults." It took me several minutes to stop laughing. :)