Thursday, October 18, 2012

10-9-12

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.





10-18-12

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.





Thursday, October 4, 2012

10-4-12

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.)


10-2-12

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.

Friday, September 14, 2012

9-14-12

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.


Saturday, August 25, 2012

8-25-12

Sometime during the last few months, Zach has gotten really good at giving hugs. He will run up and hug you really tight. I love it.


Fall is on its way. These are the pictures that popped up when I started my computer this morning. 



Friday, August 24, 2012

8-24-12

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.