Slacking.

Well, my resolution to be more social seems to be taking a nose dive. Despite spending yesterday morning with my dad and stepmom, I'm feeling like my socialocity is lacking, and I should be out doing more than I am. Granted, we're leaving for Mexico in a week and that leaves little time to be planning things (I'm trying hard to work my way through a list of chores to be done by that point!). After I get back, I have specific things I'd like to try to accomplish:

1) Get together with my friend Jenn-from-across-the-hall (who's no longer across the hall, but that's how we refer to her here) and her 3 boys.

2) Maybe meet Lisa-chan and her 2 chan babies at Ikea? Or Woodfield?

3) Get my Angus-fix.

Ok, that list is really small, but if I can do all those things in the month of April, I'll be happy!

On to Jackson accomplishments: he now dances. Yes, I said he dances. This just means he puts 2 fists on his chest and turning his torso from side to side for 5 seconds. We have no idea where he learned it, but it's CUTE AS HELL to watch! If we ask him to dance, this is what he does. He doesn't need music, and he has about as much rhythm as his pappy. Please don't tell his pappy I said this.

The weather still sucks. It's cold again--in the 40's, which is better than the 20's or 30's, but it's all still cold to me.

COLD!

Shoooooot....we're back to being cold again. At least there's a bit of sun mixed in some days, which really makes a (positive!) difference, but it's no longer walk-around-outside kind of weather, which is hard to explain to a 1 year old who's jonesing to go outside. Sorry, kid. Not today.

We've had some really good news here. Steve (Paul's brother) is CANCER-FREE!! We're all still a bit stunned, but it looks as though his stem cell transplant worked wonders and cured him of cancer. I'm amazed at how fast it was, I mean it hasn't even been a year since his diagnosis, and some people go through years and years of treatments (his sister, for one). I can't believe Steve is done after just 9 months. He still has doctor appointments to go to, and some drugs to be taken off of, and he has to watch his diet and be careful around sick people (he has the system of a newborn, so he'll eventually need vaccines and such), but he's basically done with the really hard stuff. It's pretty amazing!

That means that Paul is finally back home on weekends. I can't tell what this alone means to me. Jackson has truly missed his daddy being around. YES, he's only a year old and I realize he won't remember Paul being gone for days on end, but it did have an effect on him. He just clings to Paul sometimes, and it's sad, but he'll get used to him being around again. I'm grateful for the extra hands! And I really, really missed my best friend. We have such a good time together!

We're going to Mexico next month for a week....sans Jackson. When he first booked the trip, I was so apprehensive, first about saddling Jackson with someone for that long (not that he's a bad kid, but he IS a handful!), and about leaving my baby! The closer we get to the trip, the better I feel though. Paul and I really need this time away to just have a break from life. He's been really mentally taxed with everything that's happened with his brother, so getting away from it all will be so good for him. We may end up spending the week laying around, watching movies and bad 70's TV, but it'll be good to have a clear mind at the end of it all!

Keep your fingers crossed for some warm weather to return soon!!

New stuff

Oh, it's so nice to get outside these days!! This whole week, Jackson and I have ventured outside to walk around, most of the time just walking around the outside of the house. Jackson caught a cold this week (started with a slight runny nose on Monday, then a full-blown cold on Tuesday, but it's petered out a bit since then) so we didn't really get out (in the car) anywhere, however I did take him on a stroller walk around the 'hood one day, and we've walked around outside everyday. It might sound simple but it's been really nice!! I realized that this week was the first he's ever really walked on grass. He was unsteady at first, but didn't seem to mind it once he got going. He really seems fascinated with going from concrete to grass and back again. The different textures under his feet really have him curious.

We went to the doctor yesterday for his 15 month appointment. It was weird this time. Since his 12 month appt, he's grown 1.5 inches but really hasn't gained much weight. Well, this got the doctor questioning what he's eating, if he's getting enough nutrients, etc. and it really freaked me out. I mean, I think she thinks I don't feed him enough. REALLY??! Because, if you've seen him, he certainly doesn't look like he's starving! There are times I feed him and suddenly, he'll vomit the last few bites I'd given him and I realize that I've likely just overfed him. He eats so well--mostly everything we eat, though I do still prepare food for him. I have what I call "casseroles," which consist of mostly veggies (squash, carrots, onions), chicken, brown rice, and some spices all blended together. I don't find it to be particularly appetizing, but he seems to like it, especially when I serve it mixed with whole wheat macaroni. He eats eggs, cottage cheese, applesauce, and oatmeal on an almost-daily basis. I just don't see that I'm feeding him wrong! Anyway, I was talked off that ledge by Kate, who said that it's probably normal for his growth and weight to level off at some point.

The other point the doctor seemed concerned about is the fact he's not really talking. She said that if he still isn't saying anything by 18 months, we should consider getting him to a speech therapist. Now, I can see where some might be concerned, but this is something that really doesn't concern me much. It might if he didn't understand what we say, which he does VERY well. He can follow simple commands, he knows a lot of different vocabulary, and he can actually make a whole lot of sounds that most people don't hear because he clams up when he's around anyone but us. He can say "yes" and "Daddy," though he doesn't always say them appropriately (he's getting better with "yes" though). For months, I've asked him to say mamamama, but he always says bababababa, and I've wondered if he knows the difference between them. He says something that sounds like "bow" (as in bow-wow), and we're not sure if he's trying to say bottle or ball. He never seems to use that appropriately either. He can do the sign for "more" and he seems to use that when it's appropriate. That's the only sign he can do though.

We'll see what the next few months bring. I imagine there will be some big changes with him (speech-wise), but I've said from the start that when Jackson's ready to talk, he'll do so in his own time. He has a mind of his own about such things.

On another note, I'm thinking so much about my friends in Japan with all the tragedy that's happened there. My friend, Kumiko, was in her office in Tokyo when the earthquake hit, and she ended up having the spend the night there because the trains stopped running (she works about 45 minutes from her home). She did eventually get home and everyone there was safe. Now with the radiation, this is causing a lot of new concerns. Thankfully, my little town of Sakai was safe from the tsunami (far enough away from water), though they did feel the earthquake. I think EVERYONE in Japan felt it. Everyone I knew there is safe though, and for that I'm thankful. I don't know what will happen with the nuclear plants, but I hope that my friends will all be ok. It's such a stressful time for everyone.

Enjoy the nicer weather we're having!!

The end.

Our sweet dog, Bailey, was put to sleep this past Friday. Over the last few months, she's grown more and more incontinent and somewhat senile. It was so sad to see, and we made the decision last week that it was "her time." We spoiled her rotten all week--gravy on her food everyday, treats every hour (even after she peed on the floor), lots of belly rubs (which had become rare, sadly).

Then the last car ride. She always got so excited when we took her in the car, and Friday was no exception. It broke my heart in a million pieces when I asked her that last time if she wanted to go in the car, and her tail wagged and ears stood on end with excitement. I cried the whole way there.

I took her to the clinic where I used to work, and Dr. Lisa was absolutely wonderful with her. She agreed wholeheartedly with our decision and even let me be there when she inserted the catheter (only because I'd worked there before). Tears rained down on Bailey's head as those last drugs went in and she went quietly and peacefully to sleep. It was a sad day, but neither the first nor last I'll experience. Someday, we'll adopt another dog, but it'll take a little time to get to that point.

Now our house is a little lonelier. Doors to the outside aren't opened as frequently, and the kitchen floor is an absolute mess. Her bowls and many beds are clean and packed away until the next time.

Good night, dear Bailey...sleep well.