Is this a test?

Jason and I feel extremely blessed that Charlie is such a healthy little monster.  He's been in daycare for almost a year, and other than a consistently runny nose, one ear infection and two stomach bugs, he's been healthy.  In fact, up until this week he'd only been on antibiotics one time in his life, for the ear infection -- and yes, I did say up until this week.

Coincidentally, this week I also had my second business trip since Charlie joined the family -- a whirlwind trip to Wake Forest, NC to delve into the fascinating mysteries of VoIP and SIP Trunking.... zzzzzzz.....

Regular readers might recall that Charlie's first stomach bug actually occurred during my trip to Pine Forest, NC in January...and struck Jason and me, as well as Charlie.  Then, the next stomach bug occurred during Jason's trip to Daytona -- thankfully skipping us that time.

Call me crazy, but there is a definite pattern here.  Either Charlie has learned very young how to successfully fake serious illness, he is so overwhelmed by the sorrow of his parents' trips that his immune system shuts down, or God is testing us -- for what exactly, I don't know.

Anyway, back to this week.  As I climbed into the car at 4:15 Monday afternoon to go pick up Charlie from school, my phone rang.  It was Tracy, the owner of his daycare.  She assured me that this wasn't an emergency, but Charlie's right cheek was swollen.  In fact, Miss Nikita had seen him on the playground and immediately ordered him to take whatever was in his mouth out.  Upon his blank stare, she actually peered into his mouth and was shocked to discover there was nothing there.

I told Tracy that I was on my way and immediately dialed the pediatrician.  I was set to leave for Wake Forest in 16 hours and would be darned if I was going to head out without a diagnosis -- or at least a treatment plan.

Unsurprisingly, Sweetgrass did not have any openings in their remaining 45 minutes of the day, but I was transferred to the nurses line to leave a message, and told that I would receive a call back within 3 hours.  Hello?  This was an emergency.  Sure, Charlie was perfectly unaware of his swollen cheek until he discovered that it would bring him attention and candy...but my baby was swollen.  I needed a doctor!

Forty minutes later, Charlie and I were relaxing with Donna in her living room basking in her nursely knowledge and loving concern, respectively, when my phone rang again.  It was the pediatrician's office.  I told her that Charlie's cheek was absolutely huge, but that otherwise he seemed fine.  Then she asked where we lived -- success! 

I hopped off the couch, snatched up Charlie and explained that we were a mere five minutes away.  As the clock ticked to 4:56, she told me that if I could be there in five minutes a doctor would see us.  Yippee!

We actually squealed into the parking lot around 5:04 due to a less than cooperative Otis (he wanted to come along) and a ridiculously law-abiding Kia Spectra. 

After the standard formalities Mrs. Dr. Rogers (not a typo -- Dr & Dr Rogers (a married couple) both practice at Sweetgrass and refer to each other as Mr. Dr. Rogers and Mrs. Dr. Rogers -- cute!) arrived for the examination.  She was convincingly charmed by Charlie being Charlie and set to examining his cheek.

Initially Dr Rogers believed that it was just his body's response to a bite he had received Sunday morning, but she still planned to recommend an antibiotic in case it was an infection -- nothing serious of course, just Strep or Staff.  EXCUSE ME!  A possible staff infection?  I watch Discovery Health -- those can be deadly.  Overtreatment, here we come.

Then after she really got a better feel of the bump, it's solidness concerned her, confirming the need for antibiotics (no problem) and she asked that I call her before leaving for NC the next morning, just to let her know how he was doing.  I love Sweetgrass.  Where else will the doctor stay after hours to see you, take the time to reassure you and  play with your son, and insist on an update the next morning. 

So there you have it.  We are six doses into our round of antibiotics -- strawberry flavored, by the way, since Daddy is the one that picked them up.  Our cheek is back down to normal size, and as far as we can tell, other than enjoying on-demand kisses and the jelly beans that accompany each dosage, Charlie appears to be unaware of his possible deadly infection.

It crossed my mind that perhaps God was testing me to determine my dedication to my job -- Tuesday's trip was actually listed as "MANDATORY" on my calendar...to the point that when we thought it was going to conflict with Talladega, I was told I would have to fly to the alternate training in St Louis.  But then I remembered that I have zero dedication to my job -- I'm unendingly grateful for the perfect work-life balance it provides and I give it my best effort when I'm working, but dedicated? No.  Not so much.

So maybe God isn't testing me, but showing me that He is in control even in "worst-case-scenario" situations, and that He will get us through them?  Perish the thought, but maybe He's preparing me for a more demanding job in the future?  Maybe He's just opening my eyes to the fact that Charlie has a fully capable and hugely loving father who can also single-handedly keep the world spinning on its axis when necessary? 

Who knows?  But today I'm grateful for cell phones, our loving nurse for a neighbor, Sweetgrass Pediatrics, jelly beans, a healthy two year old and his wonderful Daddy.

Yikes!

Our poor little chipmunk...

I think he'll survive, though...

Discussing possible treatment options with Daddy...

Thank you, Easter Bunny (Bawk! Bawk!)

Just as I fondly remember the Cadbury Eggs commercials of the mid-80s, we're working on wonderful Easter memories for Charlie -- and despite his general disinterest in TV, it's safe to say the candy will play a pivotal role when he looks back.

The thrill of Easter weekend actually began Wednesday night when Daddy arrived home from Washington DC.  Despite over an hour long flight delay, Charlie was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed when Daddy got off the plane, charming the rest of the passengers and even playing skycap for Daddy.

One more day of school, then Charlie and I both had Friday off.  After a long, rainy day (thank goodness for sunshine...Charlie is not an indoor kid!), we all met Calvin, Chris & Sophie for an evening of bowling and pizza.  I'm not sure who had more fun -- the boys bowling (with 9 pound balls, since I'm apparently selectively dyslexic) or the parents watching them.  Despite a few "stuck" balls, the game was a raging success -- I even broke 100!

Saturday was primarily devoted to Easter Dinner prep, but Charlie and Daddy did have some serious fun dying eggs while I made dinner -- with Mommy and Daddy learning that while he does his best, handling eggs is a level of careful Charlie can't quite manage yet... oh well!

Sunday morning dawned -- well actually pre-dawned with some demanding puppy dogs, but standing on the back porch at 5 AM allowed us to stop and truly remember the miracle of that early dawn two thousand years ago, when the stone rolled away and we all received the most precious Easter gift of all, if only we'll accept it.  While I would have loved to sleep until sun-up, I am grateful to have had those few moments to reflect on what really matters.

Then came the sun and one extremely excited 2 year old -- did someone say candy -- before breakfast?!?!?  The Easter bunny was so kind as to messenger over Easter baskets from Kansas City and El Paso, specially prepared by BaBa and Grandma.  In addition to candy, Charlie scored a candy fan,  and a giggling chick, which led to the quote of the day when Charlie tickled the chick under it's wings: "It likes me!"

After church we all raced home to put the finishing touches on the "Our Little Orphan Easter," a gathering of some or our closest friends and neighbors, who like us, are unable to travel home for Easter for one reason or another.  We truly love sharing an afternoon of laughter, prayer, delicious food and eggs with our South Carolina family.

Just as the day was winding down and we were trying to convince Charlie that he needed something other than candy in his stomach, who should make an appearance in the neighborhood?  None other than the Easter Bunny, himself!  Apparently rather than kicking back with a margarita, he decided to make some very surprised and impressed kids' days with a tour through Reminisce.

While I have to admit that daily chores and responsibilities can push me to the point of frustration, when I sit back and truly consider the blessings in my life -- the practical and emotional, yes, but more importantly the foundational blessing of my salvation and my freedom to celebrate and share it with the people I love -- I am overwhelmed with gratitude and love.

Happy Easter!

He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.   Romans 4:25

"That Daddy airplane?"

"I got it"

Big Boys

Strrrrrrike!

Loving the buzzer!

"In there?"

"I get your nose!"

Happy Easter!

Handsome Boys

The gangs all here!

I see it!

Whoa!

I really like him!

Only five more hours until Daddy-time!  Charlie has been a trouper, but Jason's back-to-back trips to Talladega then Washington DC have taken their toll.  He loves me.  He appreciates everything I do, but he wants his Daddy -- and I couldn't agree more!

The funny thing though is that despite missing Jason terribly, these past five days have been great.  Charlie and I have had a wonderful time playing and eating and laughing and reading and just being together.  So much so that last night I had a realization -- I like him.  I really, really like him.

I know that sounds crazy, but hear me out.  Obviously, I love Charlie with all my heart.  In fact, the frame on the nursery wall may say it best:

Before you were conceived I wanted you.

Before you were born I loved you.

Before you were here an hour I would die for you.

This is the miracle of love.

 - Maureen Hawkins

But actually liking someone is different.  I firmly believe that we choose to love people and while we can grow to appreciate people's qualities or characteristics, we either like them or we don't -- it's our personality's reaction to their personality -- and unless one or the other changes drastically, it's highly unlikely that you'll like someone tomorrow that you don't like today or vice versa.  You may appreciate them.  You may even choose to love them.  But honestly like them, not so much.

As I said, I have loved (adored, cherished, delighted in, etc) Charlie since before he was born.  I have appreciated his smile, his milk-breath kisses, his belly laugh, his bear hugs and more for over two years.  But it wasn't until the past few months that we saw more than glimpses of Charlie's personality.  And now that we do, I really, really like him.

Of course, we have a lot in common.  We're both morning people who love to laugh, live to eat, and adore the feeling of wind on our face (be it swings, boats or sea breezes -- I think I see another convertible in the future...), plus we whole-heartedly agree that Jason hung the moon.  And I'm sure that it also doesn't hurt that Charlie's primary goal in life is to be just like Jason -- the person that I like very most in the world. 

Now, it's not as if I was worried that I wouldn't like him, and even if we didn't click I know that I would still adore being his mother and spending time with him, but "click" we do -- like Macaroni & Cheese or Big Bird & Snuffy or Otis & Louie -- more of our mutual favorites.

Don't get me wrong, despite this revelation I'm still very excited that Jason is coming home -- as in blow my hair dry and put on a dress excited -- but this time I don't feel like I have spent the past five days alone taking care of our child, and Jason is coming home to bless me with adult conversation and assistance.  This time I feel like I have spent the past five days enjoying my second best friend in the world, and Jason is coming home to join in the fun.

Talladega, Alabama!

"Cooking" Donna's Birthday Cake

No more moley-moley!

Elmo have mustache?  I want one!

Here Fishy, Fishy...

Despite the fact that Charlie claimed to have "learned to swim!" after his very first lesson, I have to say that 10 weeks later we've seen a dramatic improvement.
Our very last swim lesson was Saturday morning and our little boy became a little fishy.  Throughout the weeks Charlie has alternately participated and refused to participate in various practices.  Always a fan of the 5 little monkeys jumping into the water, he's rarely enjoyed blowing bubbles (though who could blame him with the high chlorine content) or being a "little pancake" floating on his back -- his fear of which was actually one of the main reasons we signed up for swim lessons in the first place. 

This week, though, it was almost as if he understood it to be the last lesson and reminiscent of his mom's college days, stepped it up a notch for the "final exam".  Charlie was kicking and paddling and floating and blowing bubbles like a pro -- Miss Cheryl even chose him to demonstrate going underwater while Mommy let go!  I was so proud!

While Jason and I had vaguely discussed signing Charlie up for some sort of lessons this year, taking this class at the Y was actually a last minute decision, based only on the fact that Philip, his buddy from church, would be in the same class.  And I have to admit that on the first Saturday morning back in February, I wondered if it was a mistake.  The pool was tiny, the air was thick and hot and the room was crammed full of very loud parents and kids of all ages -- not the setting I had imagined -- plus our registration had been lost, so Charlie wasn't on the list, and Miss Cheryl seemed very hesitant to add a ninth member to the class. 

We muddled through the first lesson though and celebrated with an afternoon playdate with Philip.  Over the weeks we've had a few more playdates, learned some great songs and developed a love for throwing plastic toys and "swimming" after them -- not to mention spider-walking along the side of the pool and sit-diving into the water.   

Grateful as we are to have a 2 year old who can now somewhat relax while floating on his back and periodically stick his face in the water and to have a host of fun games to play when the pool opens in less than two weeks...the very best part of swim lessons was the cuddling. 

As I've bemoaned time and again in my posts, Charlie is not a particularly "cuddly" baby -- he's far to busy to sit and snuggle, but in the pool for 30 minutes a week, our little Mr. Independent clung to me and laughed with me and snuggled and gave kisses, and I loved every second of it.  I would highly recommend swim lessons to all parents...not so much for the skills but for the fun and the hugs.  It just doesn't get better than that!

Not so sure about this...

Made it through the first lesson

Mom blows bubbles like a champ!

The Itsy-Bitsy spider walks down the shiny rail...

Floating...almost...

Fun Times!

Near Tragedy...

I lost my camera! Four days of Charlie's life are completely undocumented and there is nothing we can do about it.

Yes, I realize that this statement shows just how crazy I am, but we missed swim lesson with Daddy in the pool, Charlie's response to the "mini-air show" (viewed from the Outlet Mall parking lot), Saturday night bliss following dawn to dusk with Daddy and innumerable songs, dances and smiles.

Lest I sound like a complete wackadoo -- at least one grandparent was appalled at the thought of a 4 day gap in Charlie's life, and more or less insisted that I find my camera immediately, figure out how to use the camera on my phone, or get myself to Best Buy without further delay...and I never told the other three.

Thankfully, following an extemely thorough search of the Yukon, I found my camera beneath the passenger side floormat, and the paparazzi is back in business. I apologize for the lapse and promise to be more careful in the future...

Last picture pre-blackout

Willing to cheese it up when Mom found the camera, to show off his new boots

(originally Mommy's by the way...)

Mommy's Little Cowboy

A bit of housework!

Setting the table for Mommy

(note he's even putting the napkin and fork on the left side!)

Milestones

Since he's walking (aka running), talking (constantly) and pretty much doing everything for ourself that a 2 year old could conceivably do (other than using the potty, of course), it has been quite a while since I've had any milestones to report.  Charlie is definitely learning and growing and changing everyday, but he's basically just becoming more boy, boy, boy -- until yesterday, that is.  Yesterday he showed signs of becoming a man.

The first may seem inconsequential, but since it took me 32 years and a ridiculous number of cavities (which my dentist and I BOTH blame on pregnancy) to make this a regular habit, I am proud to announce that Charlie flossed his teeth for the first time yesterday!  Granted, he and I both really just put the little flosser stick thing between his teeth a few times, but it's a start.  I honestly wouldn't have even tried, but my fabulous hygenist, Kelly, hooks me up with a new kiddie toothbrush at each of my visits and this time she gave me cute little flossers, too.  Just imagine the tartar, plaque and financial drain we can avoid if Charlie starts flossing at a young age!

Second and much more important to his physical, emotional, spiritual and eternal development, Charlie said his own prayer last night before bed.  As I've mentioned in the past, we say prayers before meals and before bed each day, and he is a big fan of the holding hands, dramatic head droop, and Southern "Amen", but in general Jason and I handle the actual prayers. 

Lately, Charlie's been chiming in though with theatrical repetion of the "Dear Lord" with which we typically start and a few phrases tossed in here and there from their lunchtime blessing at school.   Well, last night after listening to the entire Easter Story (and asking questions!), we asked Charlie if he was ready to say prayers, and he immediately launched into:

"God made the sun, God made the sea, God made me.  Thank you for the sun, thank you for the fishes, thank you for me! Aaaa-men!" -- a somewhat condensed version of the school blessing. 

Thrilled with mom and dad's obvious joy and pride, he continued, with what will probably be one of my favorite prayers of all time:

"God made the sun, God made the fishes, God made me.  Thank you for the sun, thank you for the fishes, thank you for me,  thank you for daddy, thank you for mommy, thank you for Otis, thank you for Louie! Amen!"

Yes, Jason and I were grinning at each other like fools and looking at Charlie as if he'd just cured cancer.  We know that like the flossing, Charlie's prayer was just a faint sketch of what true faith and understanding will be, but again it's a good start.  And so much more importantly, just imagine the doubt, depression and fear we can avoid if Charlie trusts in Jesus at a young age!

Finally, in addition to blessings too numerous and wonderful to count, we are celebrating the fact that tomorrow would have been my Grandma's 98th birthday.  Grandma died just over 6 years ago, so she never met our sweet Charlie, but I can just imagine her smirk if I'd told her about his prayer, followed by an amused smile of love when she turned to look at Charlie, who would likely have been reading her Little Golden Books or building mounds with the wonderful rocks around her big oak tree, before coming inside and begging for a big plate of Macaroni and Cheese.  I guess they'll just have to wait until heaven...

Grandma with another 2-year old who loved her to pieces

Can't Win For Losing

In previous blogs I have gone on at length about Charlie's addiction to candy.  If the child ever sees Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, he'll be on the first plane to London, just in case it really exists -- he's an addict.

Of course, I'm not necessarily helping matters when I give him tootsie rolls for good behavior or just because he's cute or just to make him smile or just because I want one...yes, I know this, and I'm working on it, but like any 12 step program, it takes time.

Anyway, due to mom's bad example, in our house the word "surprise" is synonomous for "candy".  As in:
Mommy:  "I have a surprise for you!"
Charlie: "Canny!!!"
or
Daddy: "Surprise, I'm home early!"
Charlie: "Where my canny???"

Lately I've been attempting to increase Charlie's understanding of the word beyond sugar -- I mean imagine what will happen if Charlie's wife throws him a surprise 40th birthday party, and when everyone yells "Surprise!" he gets angry because there are no tootsie rolls... (and yes, I have started preparing myself for "the wife" now, because I know it will be difficult for me to concede my roll as the most important woman in his life...)

Anway, yesterday I had the perfect opportunity to expand his horizons.  Before picking Charlie up from school, I had to use my Kohl's cash (yeah!), and after picking out some new bath rugs that actually have non-stick on the back (you're welcome, House Guests), I had a few dollars left over and saw an adorable yellow t-shirt with a "tractor" (aka bull dozer) on the front -- and between my 30% of coupon (double yeah!) and remaining Kohl's cash it was practically free. 

Basking in the pride of a successful hunt, I picked up Charlie from school and waited patiently while he climbed into the Yukon (such an independent little monster!).  As soon as he was safely in the backseat, he turned to me and said, "I want a surprise." 

Based on his recent obsession with all types of heavy equipment, I thought this would be a great opportunity to show him that surprises don't have to be edible, so I told him that I had bought him something and once he was buckled he could have it.  So Charlie scrambled into his carseat, and I rooted through the bag for the t-shirt, holding it up proudly when I heard the click. 

He just stared at it and said,  "I don't like it.  I want canny!"

I was shocked.  I pointed out the tractor.  I pointed out the fact that it was bright yellow.  I grinned stubbornly. 

His response?  "I don't like it.  I want canny!" 

So I asked him, "Charlie, if you don't like the shirt, do you want me to give it to someone else who will like it?"

"Yes.  Give it someone else.  I want canny."

On the bright side, tootsie rolls are much cheaper than t-shirts and bikes and video games and cars...

A little bit of heaven...

P.S.  Assuming wrappers can't spontaneously reproduce, it took me 6 tootsies to write this post...