Tornados and Covid

This is a weird morning with tornado sirens first thing.  We're all okay but a squall line with potential for tornados went through and the peace and quiet of a soft rain was interrupted. 

I'm here, just not much to say or not in a place to get the words out.  Things are just clicking along with the kids, grandkids, retirement, just life.  I've hardly had time to paint what with just not being in the studio for various reasons.  This past week we had Min a couple of days and night because Mighty Max was in the hospital with Covid.  The middle of the night I believe Monday his momma took him to the hospital while Nick stayed home with Min, then he brought her to me.  He went to the hospital to relieve Af so she could go home and rest, she had Covid too.  Min and Nick were negative but we think Min had it first, just not a bad case.  Max only had to be in overnight after they gave him some steroids and did an echo on his heart to make sure all was well.  He was and is good, and now home.  He's still a bit croupy but much much better and all are negative.  

He sucks his blanket like a pacifier.

All is right in their world now. 

I did get a bit of painting done with mostly watercolors with Min and at the studio to finish up an oil I started a couple of weeks ago. 

Max Update

Thought I would share a little update on this little boy...I should say BIG BOY!  He had his heart doc appointment on Monday came away with glowing reports that he is thriving!  The blood clot the were watching and is completely gone!  He is down a pound to 24 pounds but that is to be expected because he is mobile now.  He crawls all over the place.  

He's testing foods a little at a time, thank goodness and is one of the happiest babies I've ever seen.

His big sister is his best friend and they just play and play and play.  I watched Min while they were in OKC at the doctor and when they came back they tried him on the Y-Bike.  OH MY...he was able to peddle his little feet all around the house, with parents behind.  It was quite amazing to see.  Next up...walking soon, and FOOD!

What a champ our little Mighty Max is.

Happy Birthday Max

One year old. One year ago today our Mighty Max was born. He brought so many challenges with him, this boy born with half a heart. He has weathered it all (along with his wonderful parents) and now we celebrate his first year of life with overwhelming joy and gratitude to all who have been on his side, his parents, his doting big sister Minerva, his loving family all around, and the medical teams that have made his precarious beginnings such a success. There is still journey left to travel but this sweet boy handles it with such a big attitude and smile. We so love him, our Mighty Max, HAPPY BIRTHDAY

(black eye from falling on a toy-typical boy, or baby)

It's A Grand Life

All I can say is this has been a YEAR!  Today I just want to enjoy the pics of my grands and daughters.  I have been truly blessed.  The video is Max ALMOST crawling Thursday night while our unofficial daughter, Rachel (B's bestie from her school days) and I watched the kiddos.  Gosh, he was almost there and yesterday he DID IT!  There is a video but I can't seem to get it from my phone to my computer.  It's in a text message and I saved it but it's too big to send to post here.  This is the next best thing.  This little kiddo is progressing in leaps and bounds and I would bet he crawls in a couple of months and then starts trying to walk.  He will be a year January 4 and what milestones he has accomplished.  

The month of December has been extremely busy for my kiddos and their babies with all kinds of functions.  Thursday while I was grand-sitting this one got to ride in a carriage at Woodward.  I'm sure she was on cloud nine as she is so in love with any kind of horse.  She is going to LOVE her Christmas present!!!

Friday night A's choir sang at Cain's for the Jacob Tovar Christmas Spectacular.  It was all ages so she got to go and see her grandad do his dance thing.

There has been a lot of cousin time too.  They are all having such a fun time, especially Max...lol!

Last night they went to Mass at Holy Family and for the second time R got to join them.  

Then it was off to Roppongi for ramen noodles, Min's favorite.  Even Max got to sample some of the noodles.  He is still in a struggle phase of trying to eat some but is getting better every day.  All in good time, all in good time.

These girls, more like sisters than cousins.  

Man, it is times like this when I so wish my mother could have lived to enjoy the grands.  She would have reveled in the joy that they are.  

Watercolors, Baby and Food

Just a little catch up from the past week.  I gathered up all the watercolor notecards that I've done so far and packed up the watercolors for a brief bit.  I needed to clean up the front room to ready for Christmas decor.  I'm very please with how all have turned out but my mind is still whirring with new ideas.  This weekend I may get it all out again.  

At the studio, what limited time that I've gone in, I produced these three, in oils.  I cannot get Christmas out of my head so I am just going with it.

These may be gifts...

This past week I also got to watch Mighty Max for the very first time.  It was only for a little over an hour but exciting and SCARY!  He still has a feeding tube and a heart monitor which scares the bejeeszus out of me, but we managed.  He was quite happy watching Miss Rachel until he wasn't happy.  I could see it in his eyes, sleepy.  So I picked him up, put him on the couch beside me to change his diaper.  Do you know how long it has been since I have changed a little boys diaper, probably 40-50 years!  I was very quick though because he got upset very fast and held his breath crying, setting off the monitor!  YIKES!  I finished and hoisted him on my shoulder and shooshed and hummed, patting his backside and he was asleep in seconds.  Whew!  But, my poor arms.  He is a hefty 27+ pounds and I have bursitis in my right arm, prohibiting me from lifting him or holding for long.  Just don't have the strength.  Af said I could put him in his bed but I could not stand with 27 pounds of dead weight and grab his feeding bag and monitor to get him in there so we just stayed put.  I wasn't too sad about that.  He is so sweet and cuddly.  The big guy has a mouthful of teeth and today has started cutting a molar!  He may be delayed a bit in some milestones but not in growth.  Plus he's actually eating small bits of food which is a big deal.  

The weekend we finally jetted off to the cabin and hosted Saturday evening's dinner with our little group.  I asked what The Hubby wanted to fix and he said beef tenderloins.  Okay, so off to Fresh Market to get two beautiful tenderloins and make my credit card SCREAM!  They are not cheap but usually what we do once a year for the group, our Christmas present to them.

I also needed to decorate a bit because in a couple of weeks we are one of the host cabins for the progressive cocktail party.  I've never decorated for Christmas at the cabin before.  I purchased a small tree and went through my ornaments that I thought would be great for the cabin vibe, kind of rustic.  It turned out so sweet.

The evening went FABULOUS and everyone had such a fun time.  The meal was great, the company awesome and a few gifts were even exchanged early.  

Merry Christmas

Catching Up

Lots of weekends to chat about here.  This past weekend was a chili cookoff at the wigwam.  There were some very yummy chili's to sample and vote on.  I made a vegan version, trying to up my game in the vegan world for my kiddos.  It was very tasty but didn't win.  The Hubby even saw one of the cabiniters look at the sign "VEGAN CHILI" and sneer, he thought that was so funny, I did not.  I'm trying to be supportive, he is NOT!  

Then after a quick 40 winks of a nap I headed to a ladies only meet and greet at another cabin.  Such fun and so many ladies there.  Got to meet several new cabin owners which is always fun.  The weekend was rainy, rainy, rainy and chilly, still is.  Fall and winter are here with a vengeance.  We've not really even had a fall or a spring.  All we get lately is hot and cold, none of the lukewarm stuff we love.  The weekend before the skies were stunning.

Last weekend I had a girls weekend at the cabin with two of my oldest friends.  Actually there should have been four of us but one was not well and spent all weekend in bed.  Dang it!  Honestly we didn't do much except sit on the screened porch by a fire, watch the multitude of birds, read books, eat my first go around of vegan chili and talk and talk and talk.  It was so relaxing.

Also, a couple of weeks ago Max and family hit the big OKC to check out how he's doing off oxygen.  This boy is a tank and doing so well at 9-1/2 months and 25 pounds, that and he has sort of been released by the surgeons and just considered a cardiac patient.  

They go back today to again do an ultrasound and to fix his feeding tube he tried to pull out.

Yes, he's getting rowdy and that is such a good thing. We've had Miss Min since last night and most of today while they make the trek yet again, once a month now.  It might be a longer day because of the feeding tube thing.  

It's finally kind of getting back to normal around here.  His momma, our daughter, has been so relieved that she is now pursuing a dream of hers, to start a caroling company here in Tulsa, The Tulsa Carolers!  She has hit the ground running and is booking tons of gigs.  Yesterday she was interviewed and had a photo shoot for Tulsa People Magazine!  They found her!  So exciting.  You go girl.

Now that November is upon us that means,  Yes I know Halloween is tomorrow night but that just means Thanksgiving and very quickly Christmas!  I always do the family Thanksgiving so that needs to get planning and I've already started Christmas shopping for the grandkiddos!  I also said Yes to being one of the hosts for our annual progressive cocktail party at the cabin. We were going to last year but with the the impending birth of Max we didn't know when he might show up and I couldn't commit.  So this year I did!  We've NEVER decorated for Christmas at the cabin so I have to get that started.  I have another box of decorations in the attic I told The Hubby to get down and he was reluctant to rummage around in the multitude of boxes.  I told him that if he got all the rest of the boxes of Christmas down, plus the extra tree that is up there I would PURGE!  I need the extra stuff to take to the cabin INSTEAD of buying more!  He was quickly on board.  The attic is cooler, he can do it, I CANNOT!  I can sort of climb the ladder but standing up there is not my bag, AT ALL!  I have before but hell, I'm older and dang heavier, not a smart idea.  I may pop my head up and direct him if I need too, I think I can do that.  

This cocktail thing each host house on the progressive thing is responsible for a cocktail to serve.  I'm not much of a cocktail making person so I thought I will do prosecco and cranberry juice with floating cranberries.  It's festive and quite yummy.  I've already bought plastic champagne flutes, cinnamon scented tea lights and luminary bags to put along the walkway and the fence line.  I think the smell of cinnamon in the air will be quite fun.  Just had a thought about cocktail napkins....Oh this mind of mine.  I'll let you know if I can make happen....Later gators.