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.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Today, this girl, my baby girl has a birthday, her 44th.  She will FOREVER be my baby girl (both girls actually!)  You know I had dreams when I left high school, to get married and have babies.  She made my dreams come true.

She was the first grandchild for my parents and the first girl in The Hubby's family of a fistful of boys.

The Hubby's mother was absolutely thrilled to finally have a girl in the family and loved every single day of it.

My butterbowl hat wearing baby!

Our little Tippy. 

Baby bird...

She was a Papa's girl, and Granny.

Her Uncle Steve was beyond thrilled to have a niece.

Cousins...

Ha, 8's The Place, my t-shirt is from our local television station.

Big Dan and my baby, she loved him.  He was a man of very few words and kind of gruff but he did love her, that day anyway...ha.

Remember Cabbage Patch dolls, this is Dina Lindy.

Friends...

Oh my does she look like Snicklefritz or what...

Shuggie (Granny or Greatgranny (as they called her) dog.

More friends...still to this day.

Happy Birthday my love.

All Around Update - A Tick Up On Good News

Baby Max update:

A&N went to the most recent fetal medicine appointment and news is on the upswing a bit. The ultrasound showed that although the mass has increased in size slightly, that the artery also has increased in size and blood flow is significantly better. The tumor is still there and it’s grown but so has the aorta and the left side of his heart IS PUMPING!! It’s looking really good, as far as we could see today.

He’s a big, active guy and very healthy, despite the heart tumors. He is growing in every other way and the lower chamber is activated and pumping. All of these are good things to hear. We’re not out of the woods yet.

B&B's recent upheavel in their lives.

I totally forgot that daughter #1 and her family, on Labor Day were visited by ONG (gas company), out of the blue. Apparently someone reported they smelled gas in front of their house so ONG came out, tested and yes gas leak and pulled their meter. They were in a state of shock and told that ONG would fix the outside lines but the inside was their problem, their cost. Their lives right were not in a place to handle that cost and since Labor Day they've been without hot water, taking showers where they can, boiling water (electric range) to do dishes. Well, yesterday with another meeting with ONG (I don't know exact details,) ONG is paying for ALL OF IT!!!

Sis, small update:

They did the biopsy a bit early and she might get to go home earlier than expected. The test results may be at least 10 days out. She's lonely and bored sitting there in her room and apparently neither of her children have come to see her or her hubby. I'm guilty there too, but Covid and my knee are hindering that visit for me. The hospital she is in has the most horrendous parking and I'm not sure I can manage the walk. I might be able to go with daughter #2 today if she drops me off at the door. Daughter #1 went to see her yesterday.

36 Years Ago Today

36 years ago today I was in the beginning stages of labor that morning.  It was a Friday morning, and it was also payroll day at the office.  I was, according to the doctor in those early days of predicting birth dates, three weeks late, like my first child six years earlier.  I also had in tow a 6 year old.  So I loaded up The Kid and off we went to the office to work in between contractions.  They were hard contractions and I was able to do my work then head back home and wait.  

Several hours later I called my doctor who told me to go ahead and come in to the hospital.  The Hubby came home and we loaded up taking the 6 year old with us to be with my parents.  My first child the labor was only 6 hours after waiting at home most of the day with minor labor pains when my water broke and then it was INTENSE!  With this pregnancy the labor was much like the first, manageable pains at home but the water still intact.  We got to the hospital and waited and waited but the labor stalled.  It was later in the evening and everyone, including me was tired so my parents took The Kid home and waited for news.  The doctor said I should rest and gave me a sleeping something to rest and told us that the next morning if nothing had happened in the night he would induce.  That scared me but I was too tired and sleepy (sleeping pill) to worry.  The Hubby walked my parents out to their car and I rolled over to nod off when suddenly my water broke.  When my water breaks well, all hell breaks loose.  The labor pains started up fast and hard very quick and we were on.  I can't remember if they went to find The Hubby but when he returned upstairs we pushed a few times and were whisked away to the delivery room.  The doctor who delivered was not the one I had seen in the practice at all but he was the one on call.  I was on the table trying to push but the stupid sleeping pill was too much.  I'm susceptible to meds a bit too much and could not wake up.  They even slapped my face a bit to try to get me to cooperate with the pushing.  Finally, she was born but there was no crying, NOTHING!  We heard the doctor say, "double cord" which meant the cord was wrapped around her neck twice and she was blue, not breathing at all.  For one split second we were elated with our baby girl the next we were terrified because there was not a sound, no breathing.  But the doctor was quick and she was crying in just seconds, loudly.  It was absolute relief to hear that cry.  

The next thing I can remember was being in a recovery room with a nurse nearly on top of my stomach pushing and kneading to get my uterus to contract down and stop bleeding.  The sleeping pill was keeping me pretty much out of it but after a bit I woke up in the darkened recovery room and it was so very quiet, but as my eyes adjusted to the dim light I saw The Hubby sitting in a chair looking down at the bundle in his arms touching her sweet head and kissing her tenderly.  All was good and we had another beautiful little girl.  

My mother came and stayed with us like she had for the first one and it was of great help because I developed a horrible bladder infection that took me down.  I also had a horrible headache and ended up sleeping on the floor, flat to help.  But all in all my down time was short because by that next Friday I was back at the office doing another payroll. My mother stayed at the house while I went in I think.  It's been a few years.  

We have two beautiful daughters and they each have beautiful daughters.  We are very blessed with our girls, all of our girls.  

Happy Birthday my dear I love you forever.