...and Rory found the dog's water dish

... and Rory found the dog's water dish.  Over.  and.  over.  Do you think he somehow thinks it's a miniature bathtub?  If we open up the laundry room door he makes a crawling beeline towards it.  He splashes and has a good old time.  At least he hasn't found the toilet yet. 

Sick Baby!!!

Rory got his first major illness last Thursday.  Droopy eyes.  Cough city.   Snotty nose.  What can you do except feel horrible for your precious little guy?   Not to mention fret like a wildebeest because it's so super scary. 

When your happy go lucky baby is coughing until he throws up, that's when I ask for help.  In addition to praying for him, I took Rory to the baby doctor and she came up with a diagnosis of Bronchitis.  I could tell she was a little worried about it.

The little monkey fell asleep in my arms while we waited for them to set up a breathing treatment.   He was a little better afterwards and they suggested renting a nebulizer and gave us a prescription for the medicines for the treatments and a steroid that would help him. 

They also gave me a card with a medical supply store where I could pick up the nebulizer.  I called Kim on the way to the store to tell her about Rory's diagnosis and told her I'd get back to her after getting the nebulizer.    

If it wasn't freaked out enough, after arriving at the medical supply store and finding it to be an empty building with a couple of boxes stacked in a corner I decided to call them and explain that their place of business appeared to have been robbed of everything inside.

"Oh yes, well we are no longer in your city, you can come to our other location in Vero."
"That's nice, it's an hour and twenty minutes away."
"Okay, well bye," the nasal woman said.

I called Kim. who was still at school and I informed her that by no means were we  going to be able to get a nebulizer in town. 

"That's really strange," Kim says,  "I was telling the ladies on our team about Rory having bronchitis and KC was literally just returning a nebulizer to Amanda that the two shared whenever their girls got sick.  Like, it was literally in her hands.  Amanda just smiled at me and said, 'you'll probably need this.'"

I about fell over.  How does God always know what we need exactly when we need it?  I mean, I shouldn't be surprised really.  He's God after all and He takes care of the birds and clothes the flowers, and I know that he loves his children even more than those! 

Sidenote:  After a few days with the treatments he is feeling MUCH better!

Alpha

I've never been a needy person.  In fact, at times I used to prefer being a lone wolf.  Sure, I'd wander back into the herd when there was going to be a party or everyone was going to hang out or something, but now I can only vaguely remember the days when I used to be able to chill out by myself with for hours upon hours just watching movies, reading books or writing. 

This week has thrown me back into that old life if only for a few days.  Kim and Rory flew up north because sadly Rory's Great Grandma passed away.  We know she went to be with the Lord, but we still grieve for her.  I was disappointed that I wasn't able to go with them, and also quite depressed to be here by myself.  We will miss Great Grandma! 

In an attempt to curb the depression, Kim says most people would be happy to have a couple days off, but not having the little Ror-ster or my wife nearby has been crazier than you'd think.  Who knew I'd nuzzle into a pack so deeply that I'd hate to be away for even a couple days? 

It sure has surprised me!  Not just this instance in particular, because my omega wolf complex has been slowly crumbling away over the years.  With getting married and having Rory, I'm completely different.  Totally changed.  Alpha.

Just sitting here typing this feels strange in itself, because no little baby is needing attention right now.  My formidable scrabble partner isn't prancing around the house or reading a book in the bedroom, or even asking me to put something away because she can't reach.  I'm not distracted, and that in itself is distracting me. It's too quiet. 

Unless something moves outside that is, and Bella goes all ninja on the blinds.     

I miss you guys!  I can't wait for you to come back.  I think I'll go howl at the moon now.

Comic by Bitstrips

A Story with Rory!

Rory came to school last week as a reward to both my class and Kim's.  The students who were able to behave got to read a story to him.  They loved it more than candy!  In fact they loved it more than a movie and popcorn!  They could barely contain themselves from laughing and giggling and making faces at him. 

Grammy D was a trooper and made the five minute trek to school and braved the loud classrooms and giddy kiddies!  I gave her a medal of honor!  She deserved it!  Not everyone can handle the noise level in a classroom.  Personally, I like to have the kids constructively chatting about whatever we are learning about.  I think experiencing something and then teaching someone else is the best way to learn.  Who wants to sit there and listen to me all day?  Not that they physically are capable of doing that anyway.  Especially in 1st grade! 

(Sidenote:  I'm proud of how far they have come!  Some of them came from not being able to read a word and now they are blending humongous multi-syllabic words.)

 "Rory is going to be coming soon!  Oh look here he is!" I say as Grammy D walks through the classroom door.
  "That's not Rory!" a kid exclaims, completely perplexed.
  "Yes it is!" I say, "He has grown a lot, since you last saw him on Johnny Appleseed Day!"
 "Oh," the kid says.
 "Now, everyone gather on the floor in a semi-circle and we will pass the book around!  Everyone gets to read one page to Rory!" 
  "Yay!" the kids cheer.
 "Wow, umm, okay!" I say, pushing kids back.  "You guys are a little bit too close!   Back up a little!  I don't need all of you on my lap.  One baby is enough!"

  The drove of kids scooted closer every time Rory smiled, giggled, laughed, or made mouth noises!  He sure was putting on a show for them!  My son, a ham!  Can you believe it?  After every kid got a chance to read a page, I opened the floor for questions.

"Yes?" 
 "I have a baby brother and he...." a boy begins.
  "That's not a question.  That's a statement," a girl informs him.
  "Yes, good call, sweetie.  Any real questions?"
 
There were tons:
 "Why is he chewing on the cat in the hat?"
 "What does he eat?"
 "Can he walk yet?" 
 "Why is he snorting?"

  "Can he stand up?"
  "He has been working on it.  Maybe if we all say 'yay' and clap our hands he will do it!"
  The room erupts in a shouting "YAY"!  It's enough to blast my ears apart.  However, Rory made me a truth teller because he stood in front of the class and clapped his hands together for a good ten seconds.
   "He has baby ears," I say.  "We have to be quieter when we cheer."
  "How come he looks like you?" another kid asks. 
  "Yeah!  He has the same eyes as you!"
"And he has your ears!"
  "Well do you remember what we talked about earlier this year about animals and their young?  Sometimes...." I begin.
  "They have the same traits!" a girl shouts the answer.
  "Exactly right!  Just like a mommy deer can pass down her big black nose to her fawn, a human baby can have the same kind of eyes as his daddy or mommy."

After a while Rory had to leave and the kids were sad to see him go, but they totally enjoyed every minute of it!  As did I.

Comic by Bitstrips