Sam's Foot

Something happened to Sam's foot a couple of weekends ago during a soccer game.  Unless they go down and are immobile, I have a hard time knowing how serious an injury is.  He was complaining of pain but walking and playing on it, and we iced, wrapped, elevated, etc.  When he had soccer again and was limping during the game and asked to play goal, then cried afterwards because of the pain, I took him to the doctor.
Which took a really, really long time.  Lanie came with us and was unbelievably good and patient, and fascinated. She only lost it once, when she decided she had to use the bathroom, while we waited 35 minutes for them to retrieve the right size crutches from orthopedics downstairs (where I still had to make an appointment, but was closed by the time we left!).  She lay outside the bathroom and refused to move, which was a little inconvenient for other people trying to walk by.  But if I had picked her up she would have had a tantrum.  So I watched her squirm on the dirty, germy floor and tried not to care.  After an appointment, x-rays, meeting with the pediatrician again, and waiting for an air brace, we had been there for a long time.
The doctor put him on crutches for a few days pending the appointment with orthopedics, hoping that would resolve the issue, as nothing was visible in the x-rays.

His foot that appears perfectly normal to me.

Passing time at the doctor, being a helpful brother.

Crutches at school, where there is now a "crutches club." The poor teachers.

Yesterday, Lanie had her annual physical, which I told her about.
"Oh," she said, "I go to the doctor?"
"Yes," I told her, "just like Sam. And remember how the doctor was gentle, and Sam didn't cry?"
"Yes," she replied.
"So Lanie won't cry!" I told her.
"Oh. Yes." she told me, "I'll go to the doctor."
"That's right," I said, "the doctor will look at your eyes and your nose, and your mouth!"
"And my belly!" she said.
"Yes!" I told her, "and you won't cry.  You will cooperate. Like Sam."
"And my art!" she said.  "The doctor will listen to my art!"
"Yes, the doctor will listen to your heart."
"But first," she told me, "I will go to soccer!"
"Nope," I said, "you won't go to soccer. First you will go to Samantha's, second you will go to the doctor."
"Hmmm..." she said, "no, I will go to soccer and then to the doctor's."
"No," I said, "you are not getting hurt at soccer.  You are going to the doctor's because you are healthy."
"Okay," she said. And limped away.

Update: Off crutches and gradual release back to no walking without the air brace.  Everyone is relieved, particularly the school nurse and teacher.  I got a lecture about his level of activity on crutches when I picked up yesterday.
And an email the first day.

Vivian's Room

The kids have been rearranging their rooms lately, I'm not sure why.  It's mostly happened when I'm not home.
Yesterday Vivian decided to redo the entrance to her room as well as the interior furniture arrangement.  Now you can only enter through a tunnel.

There is also a pillow fort beneath the loft bed.

Miniature Golf

Before we left the Cape, we went miniature golfing.  This is a tricky activity for Vivian if she is hungry or tired, or just in the wrong mood. I was hoping for the best, but she hadn't been feeling very well, so anticipated it might not go well. Her body also moves very quickly during physical activities and she doesn't quite aim.  Meanwhile Sam is athletic, but also competitive, so he is determined to do well. Lanie it turns out, is quite good at hockey and when she hit the ball, was quite good at golf too.

 It was fun for a while, but the further Vivian got into the course, the more restless and frustrated she got, went eventually led to her throwing her club, losing her ball in the water, and hitting her ball into the path of another golfing group on their green.  

After the course with their pirate gear.

After the course, feeling a little grumpy.

Garbage Disposal Disco

Because who doesn't want a little pizazz in their sink.

I did get it out, intact.  Both the ball and the disposal work still! 

Easter 2019

A few photos from Easter- Chris went to see his parents as his mom is ill, so the kids and I spent the morning at home and then went to my parents' house in the afternoon for dinner.  Everyone was tired from a busy week and from family members being away here and there all week.  I think they are ready to be back in a routine!

Egg dyeing.

I was passed this very sad note by Sam.

The Easter bunny came and brought books. Lanie's is to help her stop using a pacifier : (

Today Lanie is with Nana, and apparently she put the Easter bunnies to bed.

The Easter bunny appeared at our door and even though I knew he was coming he scared the crap out of me when I came down the stairs. Jack who barks at anyone and anything was not fazed in the least.

The Farm

It a joke in our family that my kids do not appreciate farms, at all. There's a little farm about ten miles away that Sam hates, mostly because he went there several times in succession and then for a field trip.  We joke about sending him to camp there.

He was away for a few days with a buddy, so I decided to take advantage and took the girls today.  Unfortunately it was pouring rain, so I detoured and drove to get the kids bagels.  Lanie immediately fell asleep in the car.

When we arrived it was only raining moderately, so we got out and went to pay.
"You must be members to come out in this rain!" the cashier exclaimed.
"Nope, just crazy," I told her.

We went off on our way and Lanie insisted on staying in the stroller, to be fair she was half asleep.  We saw the owls and they decided they were scary so we walked down to the chicken house.  That was too smelly for them (it was smelly).  We continued onto the piglets who they did like, but initially they were sleeping.
They concluded the pigs were boring.  Things didn't look up until we left the piglets and headed to the cows, the rain cleared and to their delight, the cows pooped.  Multiple times.  After that we caught a piglet pooping, a goat doing a super long pee, and a sheep poop.  All the poop.

 

Lanie had to turn away from the cow because it was looking at her.  Then Vivian discovers the cow poop and you can hear it falling- I guess they get their excitement about farms from me... 

Cape Cod Getaway

My parents treated the kids and I to a night in the Cape at hotel that caters to families.  Despite a chilly wind, we enjoyed the beach, some beautiful skies, and our trip.

Keeping Them Safe

A few funny things I've found lately: