I am very sad to report that today we had to say goodbye to our beloved family cat, Casey. After nearly seventeen good years his kidneys finally couldn't continue functioning. Watching him go was one of the most difficult things I have ever done and I honestly don't know if I could go through it again.
Casey, you will be missed. 
Everyone, I'd like you to meet the tiny person who has been making me ill for months now. Seeing that little face makes everything seem just a little bit easier...
I didn't expect to blog much during this recovery time but my absence has been longer than I thought it might be. Sitting at the computer has not really been an option for me. I have been spending most of my time with my leg up - on the couch. Peter has been reading my email to me as well as any blog comments. He says he feels like an assistant to a celbrity. Ha ha. But he managed to get an old laptop running for me so now I can blog more easily and check my own email. The freedom!
I won't bore you all with the details of my recovery. I keep getting asked how my ankle is healing, to which I reply "Fine, I think." How should I know really? (I'm having an x-ray on Wednesday and I'll be told then.) I have not really had any pain since about a week after my surgery. Only discomfort when my ankle is down. These days it feels okay down but still starts to swell rather quickly. As long as everything looks good with my x-ray on Wednesday I should be able to start putting some (definition of 'some' has yet to be determined) weight on it. I have booked myself to go back to work the second week of March. I am really hoping that was not too optimistic. I just went by what my doctor said.
I have already had two sessions of physio. The second of which was last Friday. I think I blew my physio's mind when he saw how much range of motion I had gained in only a week. Clearly the guy doesn't know who he's dealing with. He gave me exercises - I did them. I improved a tremendous amount in only one week. Perhaps he is used to people not actually doing the exercises he gives them. Personally I am going to do whatever it takes to get up on my feet as soon as possible. Besides, I'm sitting on the couch most of the time it's nice to shake things up a bit with a few exercises.
The pregnancy seems to be going along fine. I have my ultrasound next week and an appointment with my midwife tomorrow. I have noticed this baby is WAY down low. It's noticable to me because I carried Miss A up, like super high. I suppose this will have everyone convinced I'm having a boy this time but I won't be convinced until I hear my midwife tell me one way or the other after the birth. The sickness seems to still be hanging in there... which is another story entirely.
I feel like a total bore right now because I am not doing ANYTHING. I find myself telling Peter about interesting things I saw on television on any given day. Sheesh. We did get out to see a movie on Valentine's Day. 'Juno'. I HIGHLY recommend it. It's such a cute little movie.
I am amazed that I have not totally lost my mind yet after this many weeks of being so isolated and having to depend on everyone so much for everything. It has certainly been a test of my ability to 'let go'. I'm sure this experience will make me a better person. I can say I have spent most of this time just being a really frustrated person.
That's all for now. Thanks again for all your well wishes and concern. Miss you all.
This is Papa D. Just to let you all know, Mama D is recovering from her broken ankle. Gramma D is feeding us well and making sure Baby A behaves herself. Here are some pictures of our recent adventures...
Baby Hulk:
after Hulking Out:
Mama D lying on the couch looking great:
Mama D lying on the couch looking great again:
Hello all friends of Mama D
So. Hi. I've been... away. I was planning on writing a post at the beginning of January explaining my absence. I was simply going to post this picture:
and then a brief explanation of how during the first few sickly and dark months of pregnancy I am pretty much unable to tolerate being near the computer for any time longer than it takes to check my email. I have thought of many of you often and keep checking in on you. I have wanted to send emails... It just hasn't happened.
And then... last Sunday evening we called some friends to invite them skating with us. It was an absolutely beautiful evening. The skating oval was beautifully aglow with its many lights. I was the last to get on the ice. I was standing next to Miss A and we were just about to begin skating. She started to fall backwards. She had a helmet on and I'm sure she would have been fine but I instinctively reached out to try and break her fall a bit. I lost my balance and my feet slipped out from under me.
Let me stop here and explain that I have been skating all my life. I grew up in a small town where you skated in the winter and you swam in the summer. At thirteen I began teaching beginner's lessons. Shortly after we moved to the city. I didn't take any further lessons due to the cost but I still spent a lot of time on skates during the winter at community center rinks. I haven't skated nearly as much in the past few years but it is not something that you forget how to do. I CAN SKATE.
So my feet slipped out from under me. Nothing out of the ordinary. I couldn't count how many times I have fallen since I first learned to skate. I have never injured myself from a skating fall. Bruised my tailbone - sure. But that's it. I don't know if it was the mild weather, thus causing the ice to be a bit softer. If it was the extremely rough ice that caught my skate, or just no reason at all but once I was solidly on my behind I knew that something was horribly wrong with my ankle. And I calmly told Peter and my friends as much.
"Something is really wrong with my ankle."
They all looked down. And I believe I might have heard someone say "Oh no." My knee was still facing upwards but my foot was at a very strange angle and my toes were pointing more towards the ice than they should have been. My friend K is an Occupational Therapist which doesn't make her a doctor but it means that she is accustomed to seeing and dealing with injuries. We had a sled with us for Miss A so they maneuvered me onto it and pulled me to my friend's vehicle. I impressed several young athletic looking guys who skated along behind the sled in case we needed any help. They kept telling me how they couldn't believe how calm I was - that I wasn't freaking out - that they would be freaking out. I finally told them I was too pissed off to freak out. I couldn't believe that this had happened. I was pregnant. I had a two year old. I was a hairstylist. This couldn't be happening.
But it did happen. To save you the WHOLE terrible tale I will simply say that my ankle was dislocated and badly broken. They gave me some amazing drug which knocked me out for a minute while they popped it back into place and wrapped it until I could have surgery. I had surgery on Monday afternoon and got out of the hospital on Wednesday afternoon. My mother has been a saint. She has looked after Peter and Miss A when I was unable to and as I am still unable to she continues to do so. Miss A has been on 'holiday' since Thursday afternoon. My sister took her out to her place about one hour away. I miss her but I admit to sleeping really well at night and in general feeling less stressed out than I have since this happened. I know she is in the best possible hands, that she is happy and doing well and having a wonderful time. I think she'll be home on Monday.
Our church has already been amazing having meals brought over for what will seem like an indefinite amount of time. At times like this it is comforting to see how amazing people can be. Whenever I get discouraged about the goodness in people I try to remember things like this.
So anyway. This is where I have been. If I continue to be rather absent, this is why. I apologize to those of you who I should have called or emailed but who are finding out this way. My brain hasn't been at it's best. Thank you in advance for all your good wishes and concern. 
So, hey. Merry Christmas! I'm pretty sure I won't be blogging until it's over. I'm swamped. I still have to send out cards... So obviously, they'll be late. This is so not like me. Oh well.
Here's a few happy wintery photos as my present to you.
Sledding
Making "Snow Ones"
NOT MY HOUSE!
It's Friday again and that means it's time for Say WHAT? The AMAZING 80's quote trivia game. In case you haven't played before, here is the down low – At the bottom of this post you will find a quote from an 80's movie. If you choose to play you must, without using the internet as a resource, guess which 80's movie the quote has been taken from. But here is where the rules have changed. If by Sunday we still don't have a winner anyone may go ahead and Google away. The first person to give the correct movie wins! Fun, huh? Leave your guesses in the comments section and if you are the first to correctly identify the quote, you win! I announce the winner on Sunday and that winner receives acknowledgment, linkage and if they have a profile picture I post that also. I recap the winner every Friday and include all of the aforementioned information. And hey, even if you don't know the answer just give me a shout out. I like to know who's stopped by!
Bon was our winner last week.
Time for today's quote. Don't forget to come back on Sunday (or maybe Monday if I'm lazy) to see if you are a winner. Have fun and good luck!
"I don't like you. I certainly do not love you. Do we have to have sex?"
If you don't already know, I'd like you to meet Robert Pattison - cast as Edward Cullen. And yes, I approve.
Has anyone had any experience with, say, how many Christmas oranges (or ornanges) is too many in one day? (for a 2 year old) So far I don't think we've gone over three in one day. But that is not with serious distraction. I'm slightly concerned that we could have a blow out over here.
And also, any suggestions on how to keep said toddler from putting another piece of orange in her mouth before she's swallowed the first?
Dora Dora. It's the only thing she wants to watch. Not only that but specifically this episode. What could be better than Dora AND Santa? Nothing. That's what.
It's Friday again and that means it's time for Say WHAT? The AMAZING 80's quote trivia game. In case you haven't played before, here is the down low – At the bottom of this post you will find a quote from an 80's movie. If you choose to play you must, without using the internet as a resource, guess which 80's movie the quote has been taken from. But here is where the rules have changed. If by Sunday we still don't have a winner anyone may go ahead and Google away. The first person to give the correct movie wins! Fun, huh? Leave your guesses in the comments section and if you are the first to correctly identify the quote, you win! I announce the winner on Sunday and that winner receives acknowledgment, linkage and if they have a profile picture I post that also. I recap the winner every Friday and include all of the aforementioned information. And hey, even if you don't know the answer just give me a shout out. I like to know who's stopped by!
MNS won last time. Who will it be today?
Time for today's quote. Don't forget to come back on Sunday (or maybe Monday if I'm lazy) to see if you are a winner. Have fun and good luck!
"Many nights, my friend... Many nights I've put a blade to your throat while you were sleeping. Glad I never killed you, Steve. You're all right..."
We are home. Home is so good. I will try never to take home for granted again.
I don't want this to be a whiney post. I will simply say that last Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday were the most exhausting and stressful days I've had in some time. Traveling with toddlers is no fun. Kudos to those of you who do it and don't find it so bad. Maybe it's just my kid. I'm sure it is, she seems to be an enigma.
My niece's wedding was beautiful. The hair went exceptionally well. Which is nice since I'm related to her and if it turned out badly I'd have to look at the pictures to remind me for the rest of my life.
Here are some fairly anonymous photos which should satisfy those of you who were curious about the hair, the dress, etc...
She is ridiculously gorgeous, I know. My favorite quote from the wedding day was from her husband. He said something like "And I am so very thankful for my wife," he gestures to her "How does that happen." Although it's not as if he is hideous or something.
Oh, and sadly... This
is the best picture we have of us from this wedding function. We all looked so nice too...
First.
Mns won Say What? It was Platoon.
Second.
I'm sorry for my absence I've been asked to help write dramas for our Church for the Sundays leading up to and also for Christmas Eve. At first I thought I may have gotten myself in over my head but it's actually going really well and I'm actually nearly finished. It is going to be so weird to have line that I have written be performed by actors on stage. Crazy. Anyway, THAT has kept me pretty busy. Also, we are leaving tomorrow to head to my niece's wedding in a city 6 hours away. I am trying to get packed for that trip and I am also going to be doing hair so that adds to the stuff I need to remember and the stuff I need to bring with us. Sigh. So, yeah. Haven't had much time to blog. Or read blogs.
Third
Say What? is cancelled this week.
Be back next week!
It's Friday again and that means it's time for Say WHAT? The AMAZING 80's quote trivia game. In case you haven't played before, here is the down low – At the bottom of this post you will find a quote from an 80's movie. If you choose to play you must, without using the internet as a resource, guess which 80's movie the quote has been taken from. But here is where the rules have changed. If by Sunday we still don't have a winner anyone may go ahead and Google away. The first person to give the correct movie wins! Fun, huh? Leave your guesses in the comments section and if you are the first to correctly identify the quote, you win! I announce the winner on Sunday and that winner receives acknowledgment, linkage and if they have a profile picture I post that also. I recap the winner every Friday and include all of the aforementioned information. And hey, even if you don't know the answer just give me a shout out. I like to know who's stopped by!
Wow! I forgot again to post a winner. It was hard to pick. Carrie guessed a Karate Kid movie but Elicia kind of guessed the 3rd. Which it was. I feel so mean when I pick quotes from sequels...
Time for today's quote. Don't forget to come back on Sunday (or maybe Monday if I'm lazy) to see if you are a winner. Have fun and good luck!
"Maybe I finally found it, way down here in the mud. Maybe from down here I can start up again, be something I can be proud of, without having to fake it, be a fake human being."
So I totally underestimated my daughter on Saturday. At the end of my work day my coworker asked if I was taking Miss A to the Santa Claus parade. Firstly, I had no idea the Santa Claus parade was that evening. Normally it is on Saturday mornings. (And I am working so I could never go.) Then I explained to her how I wasn't sure that would be such a good idea because it would likely just involve a lot of screaming and certain individuals trying to jump on floats or end up getting run over by one. I wasn't optimistic.
But later on I felt guilty. I decided that I wanted to try to take her. Even if it was awful, we could always pack up and come home.
And then it wasn't awful. In fact, it was pretty fun. I bundled her up warmly, buckled her into the stroller and we watched the parade together. She sat very patiently even between gaps in the floats. She gasped appreciatively at the lights, animals, vehicles and people. Pointing and asking "What's that?" frequently.
(A pretty impressive 'Transformer' float)
Finally Santa and his reindeer came. I thought they were in a bit of a hurry. I didn't even have time to get a decent picture. In the end I was so glad we went and I was so proud of my big girl!
(Quite frankly, this picture scares the crap out of me.)
It's Friday again and that means it's time for Say WHAT? The AMAZING 80's quote trivia game. In case you haven't played before, here is the down low – At the bottom of this post you will find a quote from an 80's movie. If you choose to play you must, without using the internet as a resource, guess which 80's movie the quote has been taken from. But here is where the rules have changed. If by Sunday we still don't have a winner anyone may go ahead and Google away. The first person to give the correct movie wins! Fun, huh? Leave your guesses in the comments section and if you are the first to correctly identify the quote, you win! I announce the winner on Sunday and that winner receives acknowledgment, linkage and if they have a profile picture I post that also. I recap the winner every Friday and include all of the aforementioned information. And hey, even if you don't know the answer just give me a shout out. I like to know who's stopped by!
My good friend The Big Fugr won last week. I had a feeling he might...
Time for today's quote. Don't forget to come back on Sunday (or maybe Monday if I'm lazy) to see if you are a winner. Have fun and good luck!
"Remember the game plan. First you win a point, then you lose a point. Keep the score at zero-zero. Pulverize him for the full three minutes. Then in sudden death you get the point, we win. I want him to experience pain. First he suffers."
