I've already told a lot of you this story in person, but I'll put it down here cause it's so cute.
So, poor little Abby the Dog had surgery on her leg and she's been licking her incision, so the vet gave us a cone to put on her. For awhile, we took the cone off at night so she could sleep without it, but she would just lick her leg at night and parts of the wound started looking infected. So the girl at the vet said to keep the cone on all the time.
One night, I was getting Ellie to bed and Abby was next to us and Ellie told me to take the cone off so Abby could sleep next to her. I told her that we can't do that anymore because the vet told us not to. Ellie's eyes immediately filled up with tears and she threw herself on me and buried her face in my neck.
"Abby's not comfortable!" she wailed. "She can't sleep with the cone on!" I hugged her and told her I know it's hard but Abby was licking too much and the girl at the vet's office told us that we have to keep the cone on all the time. Ellie was mad.
"How would the vet like it if she had to have a cone on her neck? She wouldn't like it at all! So she shouldn't make Abby wear a cone all the time!" I was seriously about to bust out laughing as I pictured the girl at the vet with a cone around her head, but I put on a solemn face and agreed that she probably wouldn't like to wear a cone. Not at all.
Ellie selflessly declared that she wished she could have the cone on her own neck instead of Abby and she gave me another tortured sob, but she finally resigned herself to Abby's fate. And I have to admit that Abby is quite the pathetic creature right now, when she nestles her head on the big plastic cone to try to sleep and rams it into things when she tries to walk around.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Saturday, October 25, 2008
I do hate those things, but I don't want to hurt em
I was driving home from dinner with Aunt Gen when a possum ran out in front of my car and stopped in the middle of the street. I swerved and almost missed it. I could feel my back wheel clip the creature as I winced, hunched down over the steering wheel, and swore under my breath.
I looked into the rear-view mirror and saw the possum run to the other side of the street. It looked okay. Phew! Then, of course, I immediately came up alongside a police car. I was sure the policeman was going to pull me over for swerving wildly around the street, but he (or she) didn't. I just drove past, through the light, and down the road.
That was a scary ride home!
I looked into the rear-view mirror and saw the possum run to the other side of the street. It looked okay. Phew! Then, of course, I immediately came up alongside a police car. I was sure the policeman was going to pull me over for swerving wildly around the street, but he (or she) didn't. I just drove past, through the light, and down the road.
That was a scary ride home!
Monday, October 20, 2008
Life at the forest (preserve)
After years of looking out my front window at pavement and an endless stream of cars, it is a little strange to see wildlife around me.
We have enjoyed watching the bird village that Papa built in the backyard with feeders and baths. We've even enjoyed seeing the interloping squirrels and chipmunks who climb on the feeders and scavenge under them.
The deer have been particularly fun to watch. Ellie and I went for a walk today and saw six deer in an open field, all chasing each other in a big game of tag. They were small and didn't have antlers, so we figured they were young. When we turned around to head back, we saw a big deer with full antlers in another field. So cool.
Earlier today Greg and I had quite a show when a hawk came swooping down, straight at the window next to where Greg and I were sitting. It stopped short and landed on the deck as if it were pulling up a chair to sit next to us, us on the inside and the enormous bird on the outside. It grabbed a black bird that was hanging out in Papa's village and sat on it, just looking around for a moment before flying away with the black bird in its talons.
The hawk flew just to the other side of the yard and sat on the black bird again, this time for quite awhile. Then it flogged that poor bird mercilessly, throwing it up in the air and letting its limp body fall to the ground, then throwing it in the air again and letting it fall. It did that over and over. I can only guess that it was making sure the bird was dead. Greg ran upstairs to tell Nana to look out the window and I sat at the window watching the show and pondering the brutality of nature as I chewed the last few bites of my chicken fingers.
We have enjoyed watching the bird village that Papa built in the backyard with feeders and baths. We've even enjoyed seeing the interloping squirrels and chipmunks who climb on the feeders and scavenge under them.
The deer have been particularly fun to watch. Ellie and I went for a walk today and saw six deer in an open field, all chasing each other in a big game of tag. They were small and didn't have antlers, so we figured they were young. When we turned around to head back, we saw a big deer with full antlers in another field. So cool.
Earlier today Greg and I had quite a show when a hawk came swooping down, straight at the window next to where Greg and I were sitting. It stopped short and landed on the deck as if it were pulling up a chair to sit next to us, us on the inside and the enormous bird on the outside. It grabbed a black bird that was hanging out in Papa's village and sat on it, just looking around for a moment before flying away with the black bird in its talons.
The hawk flew just to the other side of the yard and sat on the black bird again, this time for quite awhile. Then it flogged that poor bird mercilessly, throwing it up in the air and letting its limp body fall to the ground, then throwing it in the air again and letting it fall. It did that over and over. I can only guess that it was making sure the bird was dead. Greg ran upstairs to tell Nana to look out the window and I sat at the window watching the show and pondering the brutality of nature as I chewed the last few bites of my chicken fingers.
Friday, October 17, 2008
On the way home
Ellie and I went to the grocery store and as I drove us back in the car after shopping, we were both sitting quietly lost in our thoughts.
I was thinking that as things happen in my life and events unfold in the world, it will sometimes hit me that I wish my mom could be around to see them. I know my mom would have loved watching the coverage of this election. And I would have loved to see her reaction to Barack Obama. I know she would have agreed with his politics and she would have been drawn in by his intelligence and charisma. And I know she would have thought that he's a total hottie. So I was thinking how it sucks that she never got to see Barack Obama.
As I was thinking this, Ellie said from the back seat, "Do you know what I was doing?" And I said, "No. What were you doing?" She said, "Praying." I said, "What were your praying?" And she said, "I was praying to God to make your mom alive again."
I was thinking that as things happen in my life and events unfold in the world, it will sometimes hit me that I wish my mom could be around to see them. I know my mom would have loved watching the coverage of this election. And I would have loved to see her reaction to Barack Obama. I know she would have agreed with his politics and she would have been drawn in by his intelligence and charisma. And I know she would have thought that he's a total hottie. So I was thinking how it sucks that she never got to see Barack Obama.
As I was thinking this, Ellie said from the back seat, "Do you know what I was doing?" And I said, "No. What were you doing?" She said, "Praying." I said, "What were your praying?" And she said, "I was praying to God to make your mom alive again."
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Six going on twenty
We had a great birthday party for Ellie with the family in Chicago. Ellie got some wonderful presents, including a Hannah Montana-style outfit from Uncle James. Ellie finished dinner early and while the rest of us ate, she quietly slipped upstairs and changed into the outfit Uncle James gave her. She came down wearing her jeans, a sparkly butterfly t-shirt and a pink pullover sweater. Everyone ooooohed and aaaahed and we all clapped uproariously at how cute Ellie was and how stylish she looked in her new outfit.
All except Greg, who sat quietly at the table with sweat beading up on his forehead as he watched his daughter age 10 years in front of his eyes.
Stylin' clothes. The bane of a father's existence.
All except Greg, who sat quietly at the table with sweat beading up on his forehead as he watched his daughter age 10 years in front of his eyes.
Stylin' clothes. The bane of a father's existence.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
We made it
I am Lisa in Illinois now!
We are so tired. We were so sad to leave our friends. We are excited and scared but happy to be here and looking forward to whatever comes next.
One funny Ellie story: We were getting in the car and I wasn't in yet and Ellie yelled from the back seat, "Mommy, get your butt in the car!" I gave her a stern look and said, "You don't order me around and talk to me that way." She immediately smiled and asked me so softly and sweetly, "Mommy? Will you please get your butt in the car?"
We are so tired. We were so sad to leave our friends. We are excited and scared but happy to be here and looking forward to whatever comes next.
One funny Ellie story: We were getting in the car and I wasn't in yet and Ellie yelled from the back seat, "Mommy, get your butt in the car!" I gave her a stern look and said, "You don't order me around and talk to me that way." She immediately smiled and asked me so softly and sweetly, "Mommy? Will you please get your butt in the car?"
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Her first disaster movie
We're going crazy here so I haven't had time to post. I know you all understand. But I'm tired and resting now, so I'll post a little snippet of our day.
Ellie and I drove all over the place today running errands and I kept her busy by telling her the story of the Titanic. No, I am not a sick mom. Well, yes I am, but I didn't think to talk about the Titanic. She went to a friend's house to play yesterday and they watched the movie Titanic. I would not have thought of it as a kid's movie, but apparently it's her friend's favorite movie. I asked what she remembered of it and she couldn't remember much of anything. She wanted me to tell her what happened.
I said, "Well, don't worry, after the ship crashed, they got all the kids out." She said, "The ship crashed?" I said, "Oh, didn't you get to that part?" She said, "No, we turned it off before that."
Hmmmmm.... so now I must explain a big disaster where lots of people died. Should I candy coat it? Nah.... well, maybe a little. I explained the whole thing about the iceberg and how they didn't have enough lifeboats and I said they saved all the kids and mommies and daddies but some people died. And that was sad but the good thing was that they learned from their mistakes and now all big ships have enough lifeboats so if there's a crash then everyone will be saved.
And then she wanted to know who Rose was on the Titanic and I explained that even though there really was a Titanic and it really did crash, that the people who made the movie just made up a character named Rose and she wasn't real. And I have no idea of that concept made any sense. I'm thinking it didn't.
Ellie and I drove all over the place today running errands and I kept her busy by telling her the story of the Titanic. No, I am not a sick mom. Well, yes I am, but I didn't think to talk about the Titanic. She went to a friend's house to play yesterday and they watched the movie Titanic. I would not have thought of it as a kid's movie, but apparently it's her friend's favorite movie. I asked what she remembered of it and she couldn't remember much of anything. She wanted me to tell her what happened.
I said, "Well, don't worry, after the ship crashed, they got all the kids out." She said, "The ship crashed?" I said, "Oh, didn't you get to that part?" She said, "No, we turned it off before that."
Hmmmmm.... so now I must explain a big disaster where lots of people died. Should I candy coat it? Nah.... well, maybe a little. I explained the whole thing about the iceberg and how they didn't have enough lifeboats and I said they saved all the kids and mommies and daddies but some people died. And that was sad but the good thing was that they learned from their mistakes and now all big ships have enough lifeboats so if there's a crash then everyone will be saved.
And then she wanted to know who Rose was on the Titanic and I explained that even though there really was a Titanic and it really did crash, that the people who made the movie just made up a character named Rose and she wasn't real. And I have no idea of that concept made any sense. I'm thinking it didn't.
