REBOUND! Great Weekend

God Bless Antibiotics!!! The abx had kicked in by Saturday am. We went ahead and went on our planned weekend getaway to the mountains and had a FABULOUS time. Mom had an antique show in Roanoke, and Saturday was Dad's birthday. So, we stayed at a hotel in Waynesboro and met mom at Natural Bridge on Saturday, hiked there and had a great time before all heading back to the hotel for a nap. That was followed by swimming in the hotel pool, a nice birthday dinner, and playing on the hotel "putting green." Sunday mom headed back to the antique show and the three of us headed to Shenandoa National Park and hiked there before driving back home Sunday afternoon. Well...Dad drove, Lilly & I slept. ;)

Birthday boy opening presents w/ some assistance...

Here is the fabulous golf shot series...note her fabulous grip, her unique stance, and her ability to watch the ball after her great follow through! Since she's in red...maybe I'll call her Tigress...but she keeps insisting she is Baby Jaguar. Anyway...using this great swing, I am proud (and amazed) to announe that 4 balls actually went it! (Much to the chagrin of her grandfather)

The family at Lace Falls at the end of the Natural Bridge trail. (For those of you who haven't seen Natural Bridge...it is GORGEOUS. Its privately owned/operated and a bizarre combination of lovely state park and See Rock City/South of the Border. We skipped the kitchy stuff and just did the nice, easy hike to the falls and saw the Monoccan Indian Village (where the "Indians" were portrayed by people whiter than me).
On the way back from the falls, Lilly and I ditched our shoes and waded out into the water. She had shorts on until she slipped and fell in a puddle...but this was probably her favorite part of the day.

More golf shots: Sat Night after dinner we "played golf" on the "putting green" (think astroturf with 4 holes next to the hotel parking lot). Lilly was thrilled because she got 4 balls in and Papa only got 2. So - she rubbed it in, and then stole all of the golf balls and declared they were eggs and she was going to sit on them until they hatched. Here she stashing the balls in her pockets & then guarding her nest....

Sunday was a much harder hike...3.4 miles isn't much for a grown up, but pretty significant for a 3 year old. And, it was STEEP. We hike down to a waterfall and then it was all UPHILL coming back. We had a little picnic lunch on a rock in the stream below the waterfall before finishing the hike. Lilly did great. I ended up carrying her probably about a mile total...and had thought I would have to do a lot more, so I was impressed. The other exciting part was seeing 2 BEARS right at the end of our hike. I had never seen a bear in person before (not counting the zoo). Even when I went to Alaska I didn't see one...so seeing a mama bear & her baby (baby sounds too small...think preteen) definietly caught my attention. Very cool.

Examining acorns, picking up rocks, poking sticks at bugs....all thingsLilly enjoyed on the hike.

Our picnic site:

Here Lilly is unimpressed with the idea that we now have to hike back UP the mountain to get to the car.

The "WE DID IT" Shot...Lilly & Mommy at Jones Run Falls!

Rough Week!

So...after all the Didgy scare I thought things would get smoother for a few days, but I was wrong. SInce Monday we have been to the Pediatricians' Office twice (three times if you count the trip just to drop off the urine sample), had my car die once, been towed once, and forked out almost $400 in unexpected auto expenses. Yuck.

First thought Lil had a UTI, but turned out to be negative (after two+ unsuccessful hours of trying to get a urine sample at the doctors office on Monday. Then she came home and I finally got one...but I swear that girl has incredible willpower...she only tinkled a tiny bit in 15 hours!!!). Back Tues to drop off teh sample, only to have it be negative. But, taking her off all drinks except milk & water combined with baking soda baths and forcing fluids seemed to do the trick of what we assume was an irritated urerthra. Wed she started acting like she does when she has strep...green nose goobers, but INCREDIBLY affectionate and cuddly (very unusual) and mean as a snake. After big fights this morning about nothing, I called and got an appointment for this afternoon.

(oh yeah - and Wed the car died at work and then Jerry came to help and it worked long enough to get Lilly & get home where it died again. Then Jerry replaces a battery and a wire and it worked. At least we thought it did. I was able to drive to day care this morning & from there to my first mtg. After that it was dead. again.

Back to Lil...this morning I couldn't get her to change out of the shirt she insisted on sleeping in last night (long sleeve Halloween shirt my mom found on sale). When I picked her up to take her to the doc office, she was in a different shirt. The teacher explained in this amusing only because she was serious tone of voice that someone had dressed Lil in a long sleeve shirt today and so they made her change before playing outside. I congratulated her on being able to win the battle I clearly couldn't tckle this morning!

Meantime, I had gone to a mtg this morning, after which my car was once again dead. So, had it towed. Since I have an all wheel drive car, it has to be towed on one of those giant flatbeds...and they only take cash...all very sketchy, but I was grateful. Where I was REALLY grateful was when the Saturn place gave me a loaner without batting an eye...so I was able to go back and get Lil and get her to the peds office on time. Got there...they said they didn't think it would be strep since there was no fever, but her tonsils were actually touching so they swabbed her...which of course confirmed mother's intuition and diagnosed her strep.

Ran around more to get the antibiotics, etc., and then the car was fixed and we were very grateful to have that back. SOmething about being a single mother makes me freakishly dependent on my car.

I am exhausetd and secretly a little bit happy that I have an excuse to not go to work t0morrow. That has been really nuts recently, but that story is for another day.

Checking In...

Yesterday was a bit scary.... About half an hour after we got up, I found my cat in somewhat of a stupor trying to breathe. FREAKED ME OUT. I threw clothes on me & lilly, and then threw the cat in the carrier and sped off to the vet. Once there, they said he wasn't even stable enough for an x ray! Scared the crap out of me. After about half an hour on O2, they were able to do some Xrays and discovered he was in the throws of an asthma attack. So, we had to leave him there all morning so the prednisone could kick in and he could stay on the O2. Once home, he was zonked for the day, and still wheezing, but not the panting, drooling stupor he'd been in that morning. He is still pretty rough, but definitely on the mend. I was supposed to go into work today, but mom took Lil so I could stay and work from home to keep an eye on my sweet cat. Having Lilly not help nurse him to health has helped too...he goes to run away from her and then can't catch his breath to run! Very sad. I so love my cat...really scared me yesterday. Iam so grateful he is on the mend. Lilly was pretty shaken by it all - first scared for him, but then the sibling rivalry kicked in and she switched her bahavior to start demanding a little more attention! Here is a pic from last week when he was breathing a little easier....

Last weekend Maren was in town and we had fun swimming. Then funniest part was her, with hat and potato chips in hand, headed to the pool.

Lilly has been really into hats recently, and I found her trying on hats in front of the mirror the other day. I asked her what she was doing, she said she was trying to decide what to wear to Granny Jo & Grandpa Ken's house (Jackson's grandparents in Ohio). Too cute.

Here is a look at Lilly likes to spend her time at home.... she loves to cute "fringe" with her new kiddie scissors. She concentrates hard, and has been known to spend more than an hour at a time perfecting her fringe. But, MOST of the time she plays with her Diego toys. Here they are in circle time (like Lilly does at school).

July Fun

We've had a fun week. Found a Diego Slip & Slide on the Food Lion clearance rack Wednesday, so you KNOW that had to come home with me. I was working on mulch while she set out to tackle the water frontier. She didn't really get the whole concept of running and sliding on it, and in a moment of sheer stupidity I attempted to demonstrate on the grass. Felt that in my back immediately! But, a few pain killers, a bag of frozen peas and a good night sleep seemed to work wonders. Lilly never got the slip and slide motion, but she sure had a good time!

Then tonight mom & dad came over and we had dinner. Mom & Lilly once again found a frog in the hose. Lilly has named him "Rocky." There was great commotion trying to reel the hose back in, as Rocky wanted none of it and hopped into a boxwood. Of course, Lilly was in quick pursuit with Mae Mae assisting and the two of them initiated the great frog hunt of 2009. 2 boxwoods and a brick wall later mom caught him and put him back in teh hose box, only to have him immediately hop out of there with Lilly chasing on his heels crying "ROCKY!" Too funny. You will be glad to know that poor Rocky, as of bedtime, was still alive, hadn't suffered a stroke and appeared to be avoiding a complete nervous breakdown by hiding in the mulch.

4th of July!!!

Had a fun 4th...

Unfortunately we didn't win the "wagon contest" in the parade again (would have made 3 years in a row...so we are ok letting someone else have a turn!). BUT, we had a great time decorating the wagon, enjoying the parade and the neighborhood festivities. My parents and grandmother came to watch the grand event & then stayed for a fun dinner. Lilly was a little more laid back about the 4th this year...probably because Jackson wasn't here like prior years (he's in Ohio with family). But, we are thrilled that, unlike last year, there were no stitches or ER visits today!

Actually, I think Lilly's favorite thing was playing with the water jug I had set up in the front yard so folks could have some ice water. She probably played with that for at least an hour. Then...later when I was doing yard work in the back she still kept offering to get me a glass of water so she would have an excuse to go play with it some more. Very cute.

Unlike yesterday when she declared she wanted to be a "different kid" (her words) and not where red, white and blue on Red, White and Blue day at school...she went along with the spirit of the day and wore the colores well.

Hope everyone had a great 4th of July....

From the Mouths of Babes...

So yesterday was a treat for me. My mom picked Lilly up from school, took Lilly back to her house for the evening and then to school this morning - so I had a night off! For the first time in more than 2 years I headed out to dinner and a movie with a friend...(The Proposal...very funny chick flick). True to luck, the power went out in the middle of the movie, but it came back on eventually and we got to see the whole, funny film.

So...when mom brought Lilly's things back today she shared this little tale...

Lilly knew Mae Mae was picking her up after nap at school yesterday and she was very excited...so she woke up long before the other kids. Miss Caludia (a slightly older, very proper skinny, southern woman who ALWAYS wears her "blond" hair in a boufant) was looking at the newspaper while the kids napped, so Lilly was looking at it with her. When Mae Mae got there, Miss Claudia laughingly told her that Lilly was looking at the adds in the shopping circular, pointed to the wine bottles and declared that "Those give you headaches!" Apparently Ms Claudia was beside herself with giggles. I asked my mom if she took the opportunity to let Ms Claudia know that I don't drink wine, as it gives me migraine headaches...and my mom said no...she thought it was just too funny as it was and let Ms Claudia enjoy the moment. Great. My mom! My daughter! Now every time I bring Lil in a little late Ms Caludia will think I've been hitting the bottle!!!