Last week was crazy. Appointments every day, things going on, papers and homework to finish... It was nuts!
Spring is clearly in the air, and the weather feels almost humid today. My bedroom feels kinda steamy, and I am like the cats, sitting in my chair by the window while Skye naps on my bed. Brie went out yesterday and bought her a weeks worth of new clothes because she has limited things that fit her right now. She fits well into the 6-9 month size, but has only a few items in that size, so Brie got her a bunch of adorable things for spring and summer in size 12 months. The first outfit I put on her today looks adorable on her, and I admit, I am a sucker for babies in slightly too big clothes. I had to tease Brie though--she was adamant that Skye was gonna be a tomboy, and NOT wear pink very much; most of what she bought were dresses and skirt outfits, and very girly-girl. I love it! Plus Skye loves to wear dresses and play with the skirts.
Eric and I had a difference of opinion over the rose garden this weekend. I gave in (fairly ungracefully I might add) because he wanted to cut the roses way back, while I was thrilled with all the buds and branches that were leafing out, but up higher on the branch. In MN I cut back the branches that were dead, and cut back to above where the new growth started, but I let the tops (with all their buds) stay, just to see what they were going to do. I did the cutting back myself, but I wasn't happy about it. I am sure in the end it will be fine, and I think a part of what caught me off guard was that they were already budding in mid March--in MN I wouldn't see the start of new growth until mid May. We have the crocus all in flower now, and the tulips and the hyacynth are coming up as well. The maple tree is all in bud with scarlet buds, and the lilac bushes are also budding. I was really worried about the one that seemed to get attacked by something last year (bugs? aphids? the leaves got really funky and chewed looking, but I never saw the cause). The one I was most worried about isn't looking as robust as the other, but it does have buds on it, so I am cautiously optomistic. The forsythia is in full bloom and we are blessed that those are looking good--Eric had been concerned about them too.
I got my paper finished and turned in. I was a little worried about how it would be graded because I had met the spirit of the requirements, but fudged a bit on the letter of it (lost 4 points because of it). I was supposed to interview an expert in child development--a nurse, a doctor, a clinician of some sort--with expertise in prenatal or neonatal development. I chose instead to interview two mothers of children born with rare developmental (genetic) disabilities, including the place development diverged from the norm, what the outcomes look like, and what the experiences were like for these mothers in forming both relationships with their children with the added stressors of NICU involvement (and specialists), AND, the learning processes they experienced in learning to care for children who would develop differently from the norm. We needed to also discuss best practices as related to research and our interviews, so I took the themes developed from my interviews and applied the literature review results I found to them, discussing implications, as a clinician, for working more effectively with families who have chronic/developmental/challenges so that the interventions are supportive, knowledgable, and respectful.
Over-all I was very pleased with the paper, and I was especially thrilled with what I learned in doing this, as I interviewed two mom's I know personally (one far longer than the other), and have an emotional attachment to both of the children (ok, they are teens now). There were perspectives I thought I knew that were validated, and there were also things I had just assumed, and was completely wrong about. I am so grateful to both of these ladies for letting me pick their brains about a time in their lives that was so stressful and overwhelming in many ways. There are parts of it I wish I could have expanded more on, but given the constraints of time and length, there is much I didn't address, or only lightly touched on, but talking with each of them was an experience of laughter, of shedding tears, of sharing commonalities, and of relating on a different level. I have no regrets about diverging from the letter of the requirements because I gained more than just a good grade (got an A on the paper, and an A for the term).
With the exception of sewing the border on it, I have the quilt top done for the silent auction at the school. I will get those sewn on today, and get the backing trimmed up to match it. Then I will send it to the school (or hand deliver it to the teacher) so that they know what I want on the back (the top is just so the kids can see what it looks like, and to perhaps generate some interest in advance). Once I have it back I will machine quilt it, and bind it off. I figure I will cut it close, but if I give just a few days for them to have it at the school that should still give me time.
I continue to have slow but steady success on my WW's plan. Tomorrw is weigh in day for me, but I have lost 4.6 lbs so far. Eric too has lost about 7 lbs, and he too is pleased. It's gonna be a process for me because of my thyroid issues, but if I stick with it, I will be satisfied with my results as time goes by. I am committed to getting a bike too for me, and have been looking at them and pricing them out. Liisa and I were laughing but I am serious about using the bike to get Skye and I to the pool this year--good exercise, good sun, and fun! (which also means buying a bike cart too--one of those meant for babies/little kids).
I am dreading heading downstairs. The dogs got into the trash after (I am guessing) the kids left for school. When I went downstairs to make Skye a bottle and get coffee for myself, there was trash, coffee grounds, spinach stems, and fast-food cups and wrappers all over the kitchen floor, as well as dragged around the laundry room and sewing room. And Po peed on the counter in front of the sink, a major flood that can't be missed. I was so upset I was ready to open the back door and invite them to run free! Honestly, I would never, every really do it, but man I was furious this morning! I'll be going down and cleaning it up after Skye wakes up, but she was fighting her nap and when I tried to lay her in the crib she got way upset. She finally gave in with her bottle, but I didn't want to move her off the bed once she was out. She cannot be trusted to be left alone any more though because she rolls, she squirms, and she scoots.
I have some concrete goals for myself between now and April 11th when my new term starts (Adolescent Psych this coming term), and I suppose I can start on some of the things I can do quietly in my bedroom while the baby sleeps... Time to move forward!
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