Mike told Zach it was time to brush his teeth. Zach said, "OK, that is a great idea.
We went to Mike's work Christmas party on Saturday night. Zach went to his teacher's house to make Christmas cookies. He had a great time. He apparently went poopie and potty at the same time (in the toilet) and played in Kyle's (teacher's nephew) room and decorated cookies. Xmas party was nice. I had a great dinner.
You'd think those guys that predicted the end of the world on 12-21-12 would have picked this day for marketing and drama purposes.
When Zach puts his pants on, he sometimes gets both legs in the same hole. When this happens he flips his legs and says he is a mermaid. The things he picks up at school.
A few of many good pictures from Thanksgiving 2012.
Zach put on his underwear and pants by himself this morning. "The tag goes by my butt!" "Bottom isn't a nice word to say Mommy. I say butt."
He is learning Christmas carols at school. He is very good at the "Hey" part of Jingle Bells. We have started putting a sticker on the calendar everyday until Christmas. Christmas season is a big deal this year. He ran right up to Santa at the Bethany Walmart and sat on his lap.
He asked if we should go see Rudolph at the zoo. I thought that was a clever connection. Exotic animals are at the zoo. He has been talking alot about the zoo in Des Moines lately. He really liked the playground and the animals.
This is the first year for our artificial Christmas tree. I have to say, I am loving it. The allergy load in the house is much lower. Zach had a good time decorating the tree. Mostly he liked rolling the balls through the bows and onto the skirt. Mike and I set up the tree while he was asleep one night. His little face was so precious when he saw it the next morning. "Its beauuuuuuutiful." Then when Mike and Zach were at Ace Hardware, Zach got some more balls to decorate the trees outside.
His favorite show is Team Umizoomi. He calls it Zoomy Zoomy. Milli, Geo and Bot. I was just informed that "Bot goes to the the robot store. Milli goes to the flower and pattern store. Geo goes to the shape store." Milli (millimeter) Geo (geometry) and Bot (robot with belly screen that helps solve problems) teach math skills like patterns, counting, shapes, sorting. The one that is on now just converted Umicar to Umisled to go down the snowy hill. It is pretty slick.
Zach loved spending time with Abby and Nate. He really likes and pays attention to Abby and has an immediate connection with Nate. It was so cute to see them wrestling together over Thanksgiving.
I have been so anxious to sign Zach up for karate, but I didn't want to push him into anything too young. Well, they offer a karate class at Kidz Kabana. The other day he told Mike that he wanted to do karate. So we signed him up. He'll start in January. With the new job, I'll be able to stop by and see him learning his karate.
Mike and Zach are making breakfast rolls. The timer just went off. Zach says, "Well what do you know. Good timing." "The ROLLS are done MOMMY." Then he started to spin around and laid down on the floor. " I got busy and then lay-ded down." "I got a Wocket in my pocket!" came next. He is saying a lot.
I accepted a job at Carondelet Home Health which will start somewhere around January 7. It is a transfer within the St. Marys/St. Joseph system, which will become part of the HCA system pretty soon. HCA is not affiliated with any one home health organization, like some other hospitals. So Carondelet Home Health is excited about growth opportunities, especially around the huge HCA hospital in Independence called Centerpoint. Not so coincidentally, my territory will be a part of Independence. It will be a big change, but I am excited for it.
Last night I met some of my friends for the holidays. It was really fun. We ended up at a "Latin" restaurant on Southwest Blvd that is owned by the family of a Hispanic girl that Laura works with. It was really good.
I just got my first, "Don't worry, Mommie." Zach was leaning backwards on his "muffin man truck." I told him to be careful.
On Sunday, he went to the pumpkin patch for the first time. He ran, climbed, went on the children's train, the children's tractor and the hayrack ride to the pumpkin patch. He pooped in the porta-potty and picked a lumpy green pumpkin and overall had a great time.
Tonight Zach took a bubble bath. As we were putting his pajamas on, I said,"perfect" when he got his foot in right. He said, "I'm not perfect." I say, "Oh, because nobody is perfect, right?" He said, "Yes. Nobody is perfect….except Miss Spider."
When Steve and Kyle visited last weekend for Steve's birthday, it was a big deal for Zach to show Uncle Steve how he could go #2 in the toilet.
A day or so later he asked for Uncle Warren to show him the same thing.
Fall was beautiful the last week or two. Yesterday and today the cold rain and winds brought down many of the leaves. However, the Sweetgums are just starting to turn, so we have act 2 coming. I like to think of this fall as nature's way of flipping off that severe drought we lived with this summer. It is such a relief to see the resilience of so many plants and trees. My rose bushes, not that fab in the first place, looked dead most of the summer. Now they have the prettiest little rosebuds.
This is the "Gated" house just down the road from us. Their driveway trees were awesome for a few days. Now, not many leaves left.
We went to Powell Gardens with Steve and Kyle.
This is Kyle driving Steve's truck to Powell Gardens and our pretty gravel drive this fall.
This is the chapel. It is really pretty. Many weddings take place there.
This is a little area with a framework covered by wisteria. It is very beautiful, unlike the Jones wisteria which is not beautiful but very good at growing. Just down the step from the boys is the pond. Lovely area.
Friendly passed away on 10-16. She was alive at 6:30 a.m., but cool and breathing lightly. I pet her a little and moisturized her mouth, which was hanging open. Mike checked her around 7 a.m. and she had passed with her mouth closed. He and Zach buried her behind the hedge tree by the compost pile. It is sad to lose a piece of living Jones family history. She was a tough animal. Mike estimates her age at death to be 21-22 years.
St. Mary's entered into negotiations with HCA, a for profit healthcare company and the one from whose college I obtained my BSN, this week. It makes me quite sad as I was getting attached to the little community hospital with the Catholic mission to care for the poor and be a part of the community. Father Kevin, is from Africa, he sings a song over the PA system everyday around 1 or 2. With that accent it is hard to understand and kind of funny, but very sweet. He came be the with family during a code last week. He looked like a super hero. His stance and face. He was so strong for the family. He put his arm around the wife and never took it away even as they rolled down the hall to the ICU. I've never seen a priest at a critical moment before, but they do not jack around. Unfortunately, all of that will change. HCA is not a good employer. I haven't applied at KU for over a month, but in the last week I have received calls for 2 interviews there. One in pre/post surgery, which I have wanted for a long time. Another is a brand new neuroscience unit on the new floors in the new hospital . . . cushy. I also got to interview at St. Mary's for an emergency department position, which I think would be interesting for a while. I also think, if anything HCA would keep the ER open as a satellite, because they have done that before around town. I guess it is up to fate. My friend Amanda at St. Mary's and I plan on rocking Shangri La skilled nursing if all else fails. I think we have convinved the ortho resident to join us.
I read somewhere adults forget how to run. Blurry picture, but look at Zach's form. It is amazing. He looks like he should be carrying a football (not that he will have time for that sort of thing what with his duties at the cotton ball testing facility.)
Zach knows all the bug names on Miss Spider's Sunny Patch. I asked him who the girl bug was and he said Shimmer. His favorite bug is Squirt. Mike's favorite is Bounce and my favorite is Shimmer.
Yesterday, he told me I needed to "trim" my fingernail.
He wore the new shirt Grandma and Grandpa bought him. I was layering for the weather. He had a short sleeve shirt underneath, but noone could get him to take his new long sleeve shirt off. He wore it for the morning at Kidz Kabana, for his nap, and outside in the evening. Mike had a bit of a struggle to get him out of it and into his pajamas.
And by the way, this boy loves his little deck. That puddle on the pavement is a bubble experiment. He ate a grilled cheese for lunch on the steps this afternoon.
He is mainly potty trained. The number 2 has clicked in the last week or so. Mike took him to the hardware store. He was talking to the guy in the paint area and Zach yelled, "Daddy! I have to POOP. It is coming out! Hurry!" So they ran to the bathroom and he made it.
Today at HyVee we just had one more thing to get and Zach tells me he has to go to the bathroom. He pooped there too. He is bombing the greater Lee's Summit area. I hope to God these toilets are relatively germ free.
He loves his hippo chair because it has a "milk holder."
He is eating a little potato at dinner time because it will "make him stronger" - think that is from Iowa.
Yesterday Zach was sitting with his legs tucked under him. It was time to put his tray table over them. He said, "Mommy, my legs aren't listening."
Dad said when he and Zach went fishing and they didn't catch anything Zach said the fish were "sleeping." I asked Zach about it and he remembered.
Last night he was able to tell us when he started to go number 2. We raced into the bathroom. He worked very hard for quite some time and was successful. Of course I told him a week ago, and it has been built up since then, that we would make chocolate chip cookies (refrigerator ones) when he went poopy in the toilet. And of course he did this at 8:45 at night. So we warmed up the oven and had a "cookie party" at the kitchen table. If you can't go to bed late on the day you intentionally poop in the toilet for the first time, then I don't know what a good reason would be.
We took him to Lake Jacomo a couple days ago. The geese are very tame. They get very close but turn away when you step toward them. Well (against my judgement) Zach was able to walk very slowly up to a goose, when he got about a yard away the goose started running. Zach started running too and chased that goose in a circle and watched it jump in the lake. When it was in the water, Zach said, "Ooooh Dear." Then was off to do other stuff.
Tonight, at approximately 8:30 p.m., Zach pooped in the toilet for the first time ever. All were very excited. He got two gummy worms for going number two. At 8:45 p.m., a very excited Zach is still proclaiming his success. "Twice, twice, twice." Close enough.
This is a picture of Zach on the day he decided he wanted to wear his big boy underwear to Kidz Kabana. He also wanted to wear his "snazzy shoes." He made it the whole day without any accidents.
He made it another day without accidents, while at school, today. When he got home tonight we were doing well, but time got away from me and we didn't go for about an hour. I have never seen so much piddle come out of a little boy. It just kept running out, through his pants onto the floor.
If he completes a sticker chart, he gets a gummy worm. This could be the best sticker chart I have ever made. You have to look really hard in the picture to see, but I drew little circles for his circle shaped stickers. He ran through this one in a day. Now all he has is a big fish.
Tonight Zach was eating watermelon for dinner. He was concerned about the seeds. He said that if he ate one he would, "grow into a beautiful flower."
He has told a couple stories lately that start with, "When I was little …" Today it was, "When I was little I used to climb that tree." He was talking about the Sweet Gum off the back patio. The picture below was from last summer.
Lately at night, he wants to read a story. Instead of turning on his bedroom light and prolonging bedtime, I have been making up little stories. It is fun when he wants to hear them again. They are nothing special, but they usually include an animal and Zach. Vince the blue jay and Leonard the turtle are the latest friends.
I am getting so strong. I had to do a set of exercises for this challenge the gym is doing this month. I ran a 1/2 mile with NO problem on the tredmill. I was talking the whole time. A week or two ago I had to do some short sprints. That nearly killed me, really. Now they are getting easier. Today it really felt like I was hauling the mail. I will say one thing, 2 exercise classes in a row is different than one session with a trainer and one exercise class. I am SORE. That trainer is one of the best investments I have ever made.
Finally a break in the heat today. I am going to go sit outside for a bit. The weatherman said that if we have another warm winter like last winter that the mega-hot summer temperatures would not quit because the earth will be reflecting so much heat. This is creepy. The trees are dying. Limbs are falling off.
P.S. I found this picture when I was looking for one of Zach in the Sweet Gum. He looks so comfortable.
Today on the way home, Zach said, "Sure is a lot of traffic." Then when we got home, I started to sing an old Joan Jett song, but I caught myself after 2 syllables because it is kind of un-positive. I say, "I haa . . ." Then a little voice pipes up, "I hate myself for loving you." I guess he's heard that one before
Here is a link to one of Zach's favorite songs. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tpl6ncyxLGw
I think he likes the words Superman and Kryptonite and the part about holding hands and also he likes to dance to it.
Zach has a new tshirt. He sure is starting to look like a little boy. He says his shoes are "snazzy." He says that is what I called them. I din't remember. I spilled some if his yogurt this morning. He said "Oh shucks Mommie." He us also starring to make car noises when he plays with cars.
He has to go to Kidz Kabana because I am going to attempt 2 exercise classes in a row. My trainer says I can do it, but he is sort if crazy like that.
I bought a hot air popcorn popper for Zach. Walmart had them on sale with all the back to school college stuff. Zack loves watching the popcorn pop and fall out into the bowl. It is better than microwave popcorn because we can control the butter and salt. Fun times.
The library has a new computer just for kids. Zach learned the mouse fast. The air conditioner quit this afternoon. Zach and I went to the pool and Mike got it going. Just has to hold until the repair man can get here tomorrow.
I have made it mostly through the summer semester. I have one more project to finish on Thursday. I never really did get motivated. I am starting an exercise challenge at the gym on Friday. I have a schedule all made out. All I have to do is follow it.
All but one of my patients at work on Friday were probably there because of complications of dehydration due to the extreme heat. One guy, not my patient, was 39 and worked so hard he had a little heart attack. It will be interesting to see who is there tomorrow.
Mike has watered the plants twice a day for the whole summer. They are doing really good considering. Some of them are beginning to look a little stressed. There are whole, big trees with yellow, dead leaves. Not in our yard thankfully.
Zach has a new dance he does when he is really excited about something like toast, or the pool. He gets his little rear moving and goes back and forth on his feet and waves his hands while turning in random circles. Miss Nicky said he was hilarious when they were dancing in his class the other day because he was really shaking his booty.
More than half of the continental United States was in moderate to extreme drought in June -- including corn- and soybean-producing states -- damaging crops and impacting prices at the grocery store.
Some say if the hot, dry weather continues, this year's drought could rival the "dust bowl" years of the 1930s:
Mike and I went to the Brandi Carlile concert Friday night, got a babysitter and everything. It was fabulous. Zach's diarrhea persisted throughout the week, but he never acted sick. It has sort of resolved. Today he had All Bran for breakfast and told me he had a All Bran poop later. He is getting back to normal.
On the way to Kidz Kabana this morning-
Zach- Mommie, is that a baby animal in your hair?
Turns out I had grabbed one of his baby animal rubber bands for my hair. For a while I thought I had a bird nest in my hair.
The utility company had to cut down a big tree in the nice neighbor's yard. Zach was interested in the machines, but then decided he needed his gun mufflers, then decided it probably wasn't too safe to leave the patio area. Eddie agreed.
Zach has had diarrhea for the past few days. Yesterday he only had 2 dirty diapers. His diaper rash is better today. He'll probably go to Kidz Kabana, because I need to work on a paper. Over the weekend, his diaper rash was painful. Mike set him up on his lion pillow in the living room and turned a fan on. So every time we had to change his diaper, he'd say he wanted the fan. Last night he made it to the park for a little while. He wanted his "suns-cream." I think he is saying it like ice cream. His balance is getting really good.
Just learned that I did not get the wound team job at KUMed. I am sad, but also I my last shift at St. Mary's they let me float to Mother-Baby. I don't want to work there, but it is fun to work at a hospital where I can get experience doing a lot of different things. I am going to try to float to ICU and ER too. Will get some shifts in at KU to keep my place there until something good pops up or maybe not.
Zach: F____, F____, F____, F____
Mike and ME: trying not to laugh in shock
Mike: Zach, that is not a nice word to say.
Zach: I like saying it. F____! It is fun!
Mike and me: That is really not a nice word. Sometimes Daddies say things that little boys shouldn't repeat.
Zach: silence
Not sure if silence is acceptance or he is thinking we are full of it. At least Miss Stephanie teaches him some manners.
Grandpa made Zach a map to Leech Lake. It had three pages and looked like a book. It had the stinky pig farm area, airplanes on sticks and the potato farm among other landmarks. Zach didn't quite understand it at first, but when we got in the car he really liked it -- even if it was upside down.
This is the "Gated" house just down the road from us. Their driveway trees were awesome for a few days. Now, not many leaves left.
This is the chapel. It is really pretty. Many weddings take place there.
This is a little area with a framework covered by wisteria. It is very beautiful, unlike the Jones wisteria which is not beautiful but very good at growing. Just down the step from the boys is the pond. Lovely area.
