I got my baby back

Saturday around noon, Clint and I headed to my mom's house to pick up Summer. When we got there, the kids were anxious to go sledding again. We bundled up and headed to what I now know as the sledding hill. As a child, I don't ever remember sledding down this hill in particular. We always went for the steep one at the end of my mom's street. Anyway.....Leah, Summer and myself all loaded up on the sled a few times. One time Scratch went down with us. Then we had a snowball fight. What good packing snow it was this time!!! I got to see the snowman they had built the day before which was awesome. We had some chili for lunch and then headed home because Clint was having a little trouble breathing. On the way home, we decided to head straight to the ER so I called my dad to come get Summer. I was so bummed having to give her up when I had just gotten her back. By the time we got home from the hospital, she was asleep in her bed.

Yesterday, we had a funeral to attend. Summer seemed to handle it pretty well. She wasn't too noisy during the funeral, although she did ask me what all the flowers were for. There weren't as many questions as I thought there would be. We even went to the graveside service which didn't bring on a lot of questions. She had fun stomping the left over snow. Before we left, we made our way over to my Pepaw's grave which wasn't too far away. She wanted to know where he was and I said under you. When we got back in the car, she asked what it was like in heaven. Then she told me she is ready to go there. I am soooo not ready for her to go there, but she is all excited to see what it will be like. So much for playing it up, right?

She got a new porcelain tea party set last week. She is serving me right now. I'm on my second cup. LOL It should be a fun day. I just wish I could shake all these yawns. I think I could sleep for a couple of days right now, but I'm sure I won't get anymore until tonight. Here's hoping a nap is in our future!

Is it really Friday already?

Well, it looks like we will probably be going home today, but my baby is having a cousins sleepover at Memaw's house tonight so we will not be getting her back. For those of you who don't know, my hubby also has kidney cancer (diagnosed in 2007) and received his first treatment (besides surgery) this week at Vanderbilt. Things have been going okay, but he feels like complete crap and the mere fact that he is allowing me to type while he lays in the hospital bed beside me is a miracle. They stopped his treatment after 6 doses (supposed to get 14) because of his liver and kidney function. His platelets are also low, and he received a transfusion last night. If they remain steady or increase, we will be getting the heck out of dodge today. I am looking out the window as I type, watching snowflakes fall to the ground. It is so pretty and I almost hate to leave before the world turns wintry white and beautiful. But, we don't want to get snowed in here and not be able to see our precious little angel tomorrow.

She has had a great week. Nanny took her to get some crafts earlier this week which she really enjoyed. Then yesterday, she spent the day with my aunt Leisa and did even more crafts. She even got to go to the video store and pick out a movie which is a first for her (we have Netflix at home). Last night, I was a little down and called my mom. Summer surprised me by wanting to talk to me. So, I had to regain my composure and talk to her. What a sweet voice she has. "Where are you? Where is Daddy? I love you!" It made my day because usually when I call, she is too caught up in playing to really want to talk to me. I sure do miss her and can't wait to give her a big hug and a million kisses when I see her again.

Making the most of our time together

Yesterday morning, I said my goodbyes to Summer. She wanted to run from me so I would chase her so I played along and got a few more giggles and smiles out of her before I had to leave. I told her I could pack her up in my suitcase and at first she said no. But, then she said ok. I told her she would have to stay in there all week and she replied that she didn't think she would be able to breathe. :) So smart. Last night, she was building a hospital at Memaw's house. Then they played LPS dr. and she told my mom all the animals had to stay with her (Summer) until their mommies and daddies came to get them...which would be a long time. I guess she is living out her reality through her play time.

We had a great weekend, filled with fun activities together. She is really into doing "activities" now. We did several pages in a few of her workbooks - dot to dot and cutting lines. She is definitely becoming better at cutting with scissors. I also found a book in the free bins at McKays called "365 TV Free Activities to do with your child." She LOVES it. After the first activity, she couldn't get enough and wanted to do more, more, more. I am starting to think we might actually need to put her into a mother's day out program or something before kindergarten. I could always invest in more preschool type books and do them with her myself. The time we spend together is so precious that I hate to give it away to a stranger. Of course, a break might just do mommy good sometimes.

We got her two used games for the Wii: Alvin and the Chipmunks and Disney Princess Enchanted Journey. They both require you to use the nunchuck and the remote so it will take a while for her to get used to that since her hands are still rather small compared to the remotes. A few minutes into them both, I ended up playing for her. LOL I definitely like the chipmunks game better. Someone from church is going to let us borrow their Diego game which they say will be easier for her. Can't wait to see it.

For now, I am not having too big "Summertime" withdrawals. There were a few tears shed on my part before I left yesterday. We have been too busy here to really think about much other than getting through the treatments. So far, so good.

Big girl

Today, after our shower, she said, "I want you to carry my like a big girl."

Yep, she's growing up. Yesterday after our shower, and almost every other one before that, she said, "I want you to carry me like a baby."

She's all dressed up like a big girl too in her frilly skirt, shiny shirt and tights. Who knows what the day will bring, but we've already changed two of her bears clothes and practiced tracing letters....and showered. I am thinking that since she is such a big girl, we might get her a game of her own for the Wii. She is really wanting Littlest Pet Shop, but I don't want to fork out $30 or $40 and have her not play it. We will probably check out our local resale store and try to find it or something else a little more pocketbook friendly. :) Of course my girl says, "Just go to Target and get it." The funny thing about that is we rarely ever go to Target. She must not realize they sell them at Wal-mart too. She doesn't really have a good concept of money either since she gets things all the time without anyone worrying about the cost. We'll be working to correct that although we'll hopefully never have to be penny pinchers. One big problem I see in the world today is nobody knows how to save anymore. It is always spend, spend, spend. Put it on the credit card. I do not want my little girl growing up thinking it is okay to accumulate masses of credit card debt to get the instant gratification a lot of Americans have come to expect. I've got to teach her to think ahead and plan for the future. Although you can't take it with you when you die......

Yikes!!! She's a bugger eater!

Yep, it's true. Sad, but true. So, here's how it goes last night:

Me: Don't eat your buggers.

Summer: But, I like them.

Hmmm.

Not sure how to stop it because she is a bugger maker right now. Her nose is snotty and buggery just about every time I look at her. I tell her to get a tissue or get her one myself and she blows them out. But, sometimes a few crusty buggers are just hanging around and she will pick them. Now not all of them go to her mouth, but even if one does it is too many in my opinion. I tried to explain to her that it is germs and stuff that her body is trying to get rid of, but she "likes them." Now, onto more pleasant subjects....

We have been seeing quite a bit more of Lexie lately which is nice. She is the doll above wearing a hat I got her at the clinic. It is crocheted like her favorite blanket so I figured she might actually wear it or at least be comforted it by it should she be without the blanket but have the hat. The other day I took the girls to the mall playground which was fun. Afterwards, Summer rode home with her Daddy. As they were riding down the road, Clint was acting like he was going to throw Teddy out the window. He would hang him out and pull him back in. Well, when Summer had a try at it, out the window he flew. I was on the phone with Clint at the time and all I heard was "Summer I'm going to shoot you." Then he hung up. I had no idea what was going on, but was filled in with "she threw Teddy out the window" when I called him right back. Well, I wouldn't say she actually threw him out so much as he accidentally fell out of her hand when she was imitating her dad. Funny how a few words can change your view of what actually happened.

Summer had fun making this snowman at Willow's house last week. We are going to put a magnet on him so he can decorate our fridge during the holiday seasons to come.

Fishing for cats....what fun!

Leah and Summer enjoyed the tea party, but not as much as me and my sis. Summer's favorite part was putting sugar into her tea. She always seemed to need more, but it is okay because she probably only had a sip of it.

Me and my sis with our girls....great memories.

Okay, so the pic below is of the "house" that was in my living room until yesterday. We finally cleaned it up yesterday afternoon before Summer convinced us to go to Olive Garden for dinner. We went a few days ago, but on the way to the car she lost her green crayon. She was very upset because she had brought her menu and the crayons to the car...losing one in the process. So, we needed to go back and get her another green crayon. Not that we don't have green crayons at home, but they are NOT Olive Garden crayons. LOL So, last night sure enough she toted her red crayon and menu back to the restaurant and got another green crayon. Now, they are both in the living room floor with her newest creation which she built after I went to bed last night. I am assuming she was playing restaurant but I will have to wait until she gets up to verify that. Wait, here she comes. Well, she says she doesn't remember. Maybe I should give her a few minutes to wake up.

We are off to another play date today. I am so lucky to have friends with kids her age that she can go play with. Not only do the kids benefit, but the mommies too because then we can catch up and talk about adult things. Let's hope there is no bugger eating today, at least in public.

Sleepovers, fun and death...oh my!!!

This week is flying by and before I know it, I will be away from my baby girl. :( She had two sleepovers last weekend, one with her cousins which she had been wanting to do for a long time. Next week will be a really long sleepover at her Memaw's house and possibly a night at my aunt's house if she is up for that.

Monday we took some lunch to some friends at the clinic and then proceeded to hang out for a while. It was strange being in the clinic with no appointment, for me at least. Summer enjoyed it and played and did crafts as usual. It was fun for me too talking to the other parents and kids, but I know some of the other parents thought it was odd to come there without having to. We were lucky and got to sing "No More Chemo" to one of her fellow cancer warriors, Kennedy. That also meant Summer got cake. I restrained myself even though it was chocolate. After that we met up with Daddy and Josh for lunch followed by a trip to the playground. Summer enjoyed the swings the most.

Yesterday, we went to Bunco where Summer played with some friends and helped me roll the dice a little. She did a great job rolling and even helped us win the first round. On the way home, we stopped to get the cow we bought. When I had it loaded in the trunk, Summer asked me what it looked like. LOL I told her meat. A little bit later, she asked me a question that caught me off guard. "What will it be like after we die?" Hmmmm. I really wondered what was going through her head to make her ask this and even got a little worried that she is thinking about death, but I answered her like a good mom would. I told her it would be awesome because no one will be sick anymore or hurting. I told her we will get to see the people who died before us and Jesus and angels. That seemed to answer her question enough. I wonder who she was thinking about when she asked that. Maybe the cow.

I am currently struggling with the "house" she has built in the middle of the living room floor. I'm about ready for it to be cleaned up, but she seems to think it isn't finished yet....and that it will take a long time. Maybe one more day will be enough and then she will pack it all back into her room. I foresee a visit with Thomas in our future. Fun, fun, fun.

Early bird

This morning Summer was up before I could crawl back in bed after my trip to the gym. 6:30 a.m. is time to be sleeping not creeping around the house. But, she was hungry and wanted to watch cartoons. She had some pineapple and strawberries while I crawled back in bed only to be awaken half an hour later so she could ask me the name of her new beanie baby bear, Halo. I've got to teach her to read so she can look at the tag herself whenever she forgets. :)

Yesterday, she tortured played with Thomas for a good while. We had lunch with my dad and hung out at the lake house for a while. Then we made a quick trip to Wal-mart to pick up a birthday gift for my niece. We are having a tea party at the English Rose tomorrow morning which will be a treat for us all. I just hope the girls will eat the little sandwiches they make. On the way home, Summer asked where we were going and I told her home. She said she wanted to go somewhere else, but didn't have anywhere in particular in mind. So, I suggested we go to the carousel (yeah, I rock like that). As soon as we parked, we hopped on the bike and headed to the park. We pulled up in front of an empty and noiseless carousel. Apparently, it was not open even though it was 4:15 and the hours of operation are from 3:00-6:00. The door was open, but no one was in there to work it so we hopped back on the bike and took a spin around the park. Then she decided that we should get off and play. So we ran across the field together a few times getting some exercise (her idea). Then we climbed on the animals surrounding the water fountains which were off due to the cold weather. It was fun and nice to be outside getting some fresh air.

Last night we went through three big boxes of stuffed animals and divided them into two different donation piles - one for the Discovery Museum and one for kids in Nicaragua. She only claimed two of the animals for herself - an angel bear (Halo) and a dog (Butch) like the one Memaw and Nanny have from when my nephew Sawyer was born. We are headed to the museum this morning for a PlayGym class. She is so excited and keeps asking if it is time to go. Guess I better get off here and get our bellies full so we will have energy to play.