The super busy-ness began few months ago, when my dad was in the hospital and then transferred to a short-term rehab facility. I did my best to make the latter a bit more like home with those 3M stickers for hanging pictures. Those stickers even get used in our own home because I have terrible commitment issues when it comes to frame arrangements.
Friends have been a saving grace during this time. All those cliches about finding out who people really are during tough times are true. I feel wildly fortunate to have great friends.
George got new shoes. You may not think this is important, but George sure does. They have Mickey Mouse on them, so he shrieks "MIIIEEE!" every time we put them on. And if we DON'T put those on him and dare to put another pair on his feet, he freaks out and cries. The kid is a serious Mickey fan (woohoo!).
A few months ago, I signed George up for the gym daycare. Best $10 a month ever. With El Hub constantly working insane hours, going to the gym is the best way for George to get to play with other kids without me hovering, for me to get my workout on, and for El Hub not to receive texts from me that go WHEN ARE YOU COMING HOME THIS IS ABSURD (confession: he still receives those texts from me sometimes, but on average I've increased my tolerance from 8pm to 10pm). I took this photo during one of the evenings when we got stuck leaving the gym when it was pouring rain out, and George was adorably fascinated by it.
Before and After
We kinda sorta finished our bathroom update. Kind of. I should do a proper post about this one because I am so elated about it. Goodbye, faux green marble formica. Ways in which I dramatize my joy over this: 1) I avoid ever using our guest bathroom anymore because it's just not as pretty, and 2) I taught George to say "Ooooooooh" when we go in the bathroom.
George had his 18-month appointment. He's still a little guy, but he's a healthy guy, and that's what I care about. Also I bribed him with a new $2 wooden airplane toy from Target, and he can now make "whoosh!" flying sounds as he zips it through the air.
George apparently thinks he's grown more than he has though, as he's taken to putting on our shoes. Nice try, kiddo.
Did I mention that George loves Mickey? He put the hat on voluntarily and then kept it on for a hot walk. That might even be more extreme than my own love of the mouse.
My mom sold their house last week and is moving out in a few days. She'll be moving in with us until she can find a place to buy. Speaking of where she'd like to buy, she wants to live in our neighborhood. El Hub is okay with this, pointing out that my mom has been a mother-in-law to my brothers' wives for over 20 years now, so she's pretty good at it at this point. I'm okay with this because my mom is awesome (I take after her, of course). I'm so okay with this that I printed, folded, stuffed, and labeled 80 letters to my neighbors with small houses, asking them to pretty please sell their house to my mom.
Skipping back to the topic of Dad, he ended up going from short-term to long-term care which involved moving to a new facility. And then another new facility a week after that. (I'm telling you, I could write a book.) George likes the television at Dad's new nursing home, Dad likes George, and I like watching them hang out together, so there's a lot of happiness at visits.
And finally, George has learned to shout "CHEESE!" when he holds a camera up to his face. Maybe if he likes photography, I'll actually be in some of these photos I post someday.
