I definitely work hard at not wishing each stage of his life away to something better but when it comes to long winter days, playing independently for a barely three-year-old is a short-lived activity.  Our little man would be in heaven to have a dozen siblings to run around the house with.  Since that’s not in the cards, I admit that am looking forward to a time not far from now when we can add a few “Cole Activities” to our list.  Pre-school.  Soccer.  Both are right up his alley: friends, singing, running, kicking a ball, learning…all are part of his Top Ten list of favorite things to do.

Right now we go to our 9-year-old neighbor’s ballgames once a week and it’s all Cole can do to sit on the bleachers patiently until the game is over and it’s his turn to shoot the basketball.  Classes, teams, practices, field trips – he will love them.

In the meantime, we have installed a 6′ trampoline in the basement, he rides the wiggle car and scooter in the house and we look for any opportunity to have a friend over to play Nerf guns.  Oh, and the TV is on.  A lot.  It’s like a little friend in the background while he plays and I try to do something other than have him attached to my hip, climbing on my lap or throwing a fit because I’m not paying attention to him.  His current TV faves include Dora, Go! Diego Go!, and Spiderman and His Amazing Friends.  Netflix access on the AppleTV is great but we’ve had to nix just about every other Spiderman show that has ever been made because they are a little high drama and dark for a little person.  I’ll be honest.  They kind of scare him.  That’s ok, though.  Spidey and his friends Firestar and Iceman were staples while Jason and I were kids – isn’t it funny when the things we liked top the list of our kids’ favorites 30 years later?

But his latest Movie-of-the-Week is Cars 2 of which I have seen some parts a million times and all parts zero times.  That is motherhood in a nutshell.  Being able to sing the entire theme song for Wonder Pets and retro Blues Clues but never really sitting down to watch the thing from start to finish.

He’s just carried his trusty two-step stool into my office and is now sitting right by my chair, waiting for something to come out of the printer and telling me, “I’m not touching any-sing,” as he almost shuts down my computer with the chubby-finger-push of a single button.

That’s why the television is on.  A few minutes to get something done – like live my life in fifteen minute increments.

Ah, Cole.  I love that you want me near you.  Please don’t change that.  I don’t think I could bear it.  But could you go play with your race cars for awhile?

It’s a win-win and the list of great boy and girl sitters we have proves it.  Yep, you read that correctly boy AND girl sitters.  I LOVE hiring boys (like Gordon that you see in the above picture) to babysit Cole – the house might be a little bit messier than when the girls come over BUT I know that Cole has had a blast wrestling, running, playing ball and doing all the “boy stuff” that he loves so much.  Both sitter and child are usually tired and happy, with grins spreading across their sweaty, red-cheeked faces from all the fun they have had.

But back to our activity.  Given the fact that many of our 10-11 year-0ld Activity Day girls are getting excited to start babysitting outside of their own homes soon, we decided to start them on their own “Babysitting Kit” complete with lots of info on how to care for a child, how to show responsibility and activities to make them want you to come back again.  I thought that a bomb could have gone off outside and the girls would not have turned their attention away from the lesson that my partner Jessica was teaching.  Honestly, I had no idea they would be so into this idea and want to take preparing for babysitting so seriously.  It was fabulously cute!

Now, I want to tell you that I have all kinds of downloads for you to print out and use at your next tween/teen activity but I can’t.  You see, we borrowed this idea from the fabulous ladies who came before us in this job and simply copied the info that they had compiled.  As a matter of fact, my partner Jess was in charge of this activity and I don’t even have a copy of the handouts myself because we needed to use them all for the girls that came that day.

What I am going to do is tell you what info Jessica went over, the resources included in their kits, and some activities that she helped them create to start their bag of tricks off on the right foot.  The rest you will have to fill in but there are all kinds of resources online to help you.

First, this Notes on Babysitting pdf had a lot of the info that Jess went over.  Our version looked cuter but this is a good place to start and you can take what you want from it to create your own handout.  Also, find a printable here that can be filled out for each family that they babysit for.  We gave each girl a large manilla envelope to keep forms, tips and activity idea sheets contained within their bag.  In doing a quick search for resources I found lots of ideas out there – including some YouTube videos of teen babysitters showing us what they have put in their babysitting bags.  You decide what works for you and the babysitters you are teaching without overwhelming them with too much info.

Here’s What Happened:

1.  Lesson about how to be a responsible babysitter, ideas of how to care for different aged children (including dealing with a diaper), and simple activity and game ideas.

2.  Question time for the girls to ask about any concerns they had.  They were very thoughtful in their questions – you could tell it was important to them that they do a good job.

3.  Assembling 2 activities for them to put into their bags and discussing a third activity.

About the Bags:

Jessica had 9 canvas bags that her mom had found at the Dollar Store (lucky!) so we didn’t have to fork over any cash for those.  But with 12 girls, we needed a few more.  We found these canvas bags at Wal-mart in packs of 3 for about $6 which made each bag $2.  It was more than we wanted to spend but since we only needed a few, it was fine and they looked almost exactly like the free ones we had so we went with them.  There are often totes for $1 at various dollar or discount stores if you keep an eye out.  I noticed some at Old Navy that would have worked fine.  They had something printed on them but that wouldn’t have been a big deal.  When you’re on a budget, you take what you can get for the right price.  Besides, these bags are to get the girls started – if they want to transfer their kits to a different or perhaps larger bag on their own then that is great!

We could have spent time decorating the bags but decided against it.  The important part of the activity was to teach and prepare them to be better babysitters so we focused on that instead of decorating the bag.  But you certainly could do this if you choose.

About the Activities:

Included in the list of songs and activities that the girls could do with the children were a couple of simple games that Jessica had ready for them to compile and place in their bags.  Each took about five minutes to put together and were simple but fun things that make a babysitter great!

1.  Cotton Ball Race

Use a piece of string (about 12″-18″ long) as a finish line.  Flick or blow cotton balls across a table or floor to see who can cross the finish line the fastest.  You could even set up an obstacle course using toys or household items that you must flick your cotton ball through to get to the finish line.

2. Sink or Float

Fill up a medium-sized bowl with water.  Choose household items (waterproof!) and have the children predict if it will sink or float in the water.  Then try it out to see who is right.  Jessica gave each girl a stash of a few things to use but the babysitter and children could also use items found in the house as long as they are careful that nothing will be ruined with water.  Then you can even predict how quickly different items will sink by holding a “Sink Off” between items, narrowing it down to the fastest sinker!

3.  Hidden Object

This activity didn’t require any items other than what is found at a home.  Use a sock (can even be your own!) and hide an object in it.  Have the child touch and feel the shape of the object and try to guess what it is without looking.  After they guess the object, let the child choose the next object to place in the sock for you or the other children to guess!

End Note:

This activity was meant to teach about babysitting and get things started with a babysitting kit.  It was not meant to be comprehensive.  Our local hospital offers a babysitting class that fills up very quickly and teaches teens how to care for children – we encouraged them to sign up for that class before they started babysitting.  We also discussed having their parents help them add to their kits with other activities, stickers, treats, and other appropriate items.

But the big idea is that we would like to revisit this activity in the future and add items to their kits.  We couldn’t cover everything in one hour but multiple activities throughout the year would be a great way to build up their kits and their excitement for babysitting.  For example, I think that the next thing that needs to be added is a first aid kit with a lesson from a nurse or health professional on basic first aid skills.

We also thought that other activities we hold could include something that could be added to their babysitting kit.  Perhaps the whole activity isn’t focused on babysitting but they could make something that could become a part of their babysitting kit.  I’ll let you know where we go from here on that idea.

What it all boils down to is that lots of tweens are excited to babysit.  A lot of them like children and are eager to earn their own money.  Getting them started on the right foot with information and resources to be successful gives them confidence and helps them become the responsible babysitter that parents are looking for.

Plus, I know that I’m training my own batch of sitters for Cole!  Lucky us!

Is it possible that you have only been with us for three years?  I watch the slideshow of baby photos that kicks on when our AppleTV is on pause and can’t believe you were ever so tiny.  I want to grab each photo and hold it, stare at it and remember each moment that still slips through my fingers.  People always ask me, “How’s your baby?”  You’re not a baby any more, little one.  A boy.  Riding your scooter around the kitchen island.  Learning new tricks on your basement trampoline.  Memorizing the moves to “This is Halloween” on Just Dance II.

And talking.  Talking, talking, talking.  Something has happened over the last couple of months.  You are processing information differently and I can see you thinking through a conversation.  Coming up with your own conclusions and often getting them right.  You are becoming a person.

Pre-Party with the Saunders

Of course we had to celebrate the big day in style, with both sides of the family and the Saunders – our adopted family.  You are getting old enough that you understand and can get excited about a party so I went with a theme this time.  I wouldn’t say that you necessarily LOVE just one thing right now – you like lots of things.  Dinosaurs.  Anything with wheels.  Anything that involves a ball.  Trains.

And superheros.

After coming across the vintage comic book party done by Hostess with the Mostess, I was sold.  I know how long it takes to design all those bits and pieces that make a party pop, so I opted to purchase andersandruff’s party pack of printables.  Trust me, there was enough DIY involved without having to start it all from scratch (like the Super Wreath I made for the front door).  Cole, you caught on fast as I went shopping for superhero capes for the little cousins and the fun started there.  You were my right-hand-man every step of the way, usually hauling out the scotch tape dispenser and safety scissors to accomplish your task.

You helped me order the capes – telling me the whole time that you were going to have pink.  We steered you to the blue simply because we knew that cousin Claire would have a meltdown if she didn’t get the pink one like the other girls.  I used my brand new Silhouette Cameo to monogram the back of each cape (already in love with my Cameo – more on that another day) and we ordered superhero masks to match.

Super Max Rocked His Cape & Mask

You were very generous with the tape as we turned Melissa and Doug blocks into buildings to create a skyline.  And then the balloons.  You stuck with it as we pumped up 60 balloons and tied them to a ribbon to string across the ceiling.  No wandering off the job for you!  I have to keep reminding myself that being able to focus is a great quality….even when that means my tasks take twice as long as your attention span refuses to wither.  I find myself sneaking around the house, quietly opening the dryer door if I’m in a hurry so that you won’t hear me folding laundry and want to come help.  I love your help.  Really, I do.  It’s just that sometimes we need to chop! chop! get the job done fast!  And by fast, this mother of a three-year-old has learned actually means, “in secret.”

We used butcher paper as the table cloths and added some black and white images for people to color if they chose while hanging around.  Then I found a school teacher website that made instant word searches and crossword puzzles with any words you choose!  So, I stuck some of those activities to the butcher paper as well, knowing that the tweens and teens would like figuring out what your favorite snack is or how long your mother was in labor.

The photo backdrop was my favorite part of the party – I fell in love the instant I saw it on Hostess with the Mostess.  I covered a huge sheet of foam board in fabric, covered the top section in wrapping paper and added the superhero logo.  I used duct tape the day of to attach the pieces together because I know that this background is definitely something that I will be using in the future and wanted to make it as adaptable as I could.  I think every event needs a fun photo booth instead of the blah walls or same-old background that we always see in our house.  This is a keeper.

I turned back time and served my grandparents’ recipe for “Band Booster Hamburgers,” which are simply grilled burgers simmered in yummy sauce before you add all the fixin’s.  Why are they called “Band Boosters?”  Because it’s what they served as boosters for all the fundraisers at the school when my mom was growing up – marching band, sports teams, you name it.  You can call them whatever you want but in our family, they are “Band Boosters.”

Add some salads and appetizers from family members, an array of cupcakes from the local Sweet Tooth Fairy shop, and some of your favorite treats like mini Reese’s peanut butter cups, chocolate covered pomegranates (Sam’s Club), and ice cream with sprinkles, and we had a full spread fit for the crowd.  I added my personal favorite of chocolate covered raspberries (also found at Sam’s Club) so that everyone could oooh and ahhhh at the juicy scrumptousness that happens when you bite into one of those.  Be sure to let them sit out for about 20 minutes for maximum yum.

Grandma Judy Gets a Super Kiss!

You loved every minute of it, Cole.  Blowing out the candles.  Singing yourself, “Happy Birthday.”  Playing in your new tent with the tunnel – and the flashlight to go with it.  It doesn’t take much to please you as long as you are surrounded by adoring fans.  No, I won’t do it every year – too much work.  But it was fun to have the energy and the desire to “go the distance” this time and make a real party out of your day.

Grandpa & Grandma Hall

You are loved.  Greatly.  Abundantly.  Fiercely.  And aren’t we all lucky to be a part of the Super Cole show?

We talked about this phrase about leaves and turning them over.  What does it mean?  We talked about things that we wanted to change in our lives.  Ways we wanted to be better.  Times that we have set goals and succeeded and times that we have not.  What makes us not succeed at a goal?  These girls already have had experience with accomplishing and not accomplishing goals that they have set for themselves.  Some want to play soccer better.  One wanted to do some kind of gymnastics trick.  One wanted to make a different choice concerning a friend.

We can all change and become better.  That is the purpose of this life – celebrating our successes and looking toward the future to become even better than we already are.  Throwing off old habits and shouting to the world I. AM. BETTER. THAN. THIS.

I love setting goals.  I don’t like setting them in January.  There is too much pressure, honestly.  I like setting goals along the way – when I feel strongly about making a change, I set a goal to change.  So, yes.  This post might seem a little late for you to use but really it’s not.  Improving who we are can start anytime.  In fact, it SHOULD start anytime.  And if you don’t follow through with the goal set, start again.  There is always another day to make a fresh start and move forward.

For our activity, we made little banners for each girl.  Five flags = four goals and one spot for their name.  Everyone knows that goals are easier to accomplish when they are cute so we made these cute by placing pennies on colored cardstock and lightly spray painting over the top of the pennies with white paint.  The pennies were the mask and when removed, created darling dots on the cardstock flags.  The girls were thrilled to know that I had made the pattern myself so you can bet that we will be teaching them this technique at an activity in the near future.  It’s a life skill – think of how much more fun a science fair project will be when it’s painted with polka dots!

I believe that some goals help us actually become better than other goals.  In order to set a “good goal,” we should keep a couple of things in mind.  Goals should be:

1. Specific (be a better friend vs. talk to a new person every day)
2. Measurable (make new friends vs. invite a new person over to my house by next Friday)
3. Written Down (put it in a place you can see it)
4. Accountable (tell someone your goal!)

After discussing how to set effective goals, I decided to divide their goal-setting up into 4 areas to create a full and well-rounded life.  Each of these areas was represented by one flag on their banners, with the center flag being the spot for their monogram and name.

• how can I be a better friend?
• how can I be a better family member?
• how can I feel the Holy Ghost (spirituality) in my life?
• how can I improve physically or educationally?

click on image to download journaling spots

The girls then spent time thinking about goals that they want to accomplish in each area, writing them down and practicing how to make them measurable and specific.  They then assembled their banners by gluing down the goal journaling spot and stapling each flag to a ribbon.  The final touch was adding their pre-printed initial and name to make it their own.

We wrote our goals in pencil so that when we accomplish something, we can erase that goal and set a new one.  Always moving forward.  Always trying to become better than we already are.  And with such a cute way to remember what our goals are, we are sure to succeed!

What are you ready to accomplish?

That’s this activity’s ranking in the list of experiences called Activity Days.  So even though you will see from the background of some of my pictures that this activity was done during Christmastime, I have decided to still share it with you.  Seriously, apple pies can be made any time of the year!  So put this activity on your calendar soon and then you’ll see for yourself that it belongs in the “favorite” column, too.

Honestly, if you could see 12 little 10-year-olds busily moving from station to station in my kitchen, peeling this, pouring that, sprinkling those, rolling more….then it would be your favorite, too.  Here’s how it went down:

1.  Find someone who knows how to bake a lovely pie and would be willing to teach a bunch of girls (Nancy was our pick and she is even lovelier than her apple pies).

2.  Pre-mix pie crusts for how many pies are needed, roll them into balls, cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate (Nancy did this part – see, I told you she was even lovelier than the pies).  It’s not ideal to pre-make the crust dough like this but it’s reality when you have a dozen pies to crank out in 90 minutes.

3. Have each girl bring their own pie dish and 5-6 Granny Smith apples (be prepared for softer apples, too).  We just told them to being 5-6 apples and I wish I had just said Granny Smith up front.  It would have been easier – even if someone forgot and brought something different.  Granny Smiths are more firm and work on the peeler/corer/slicer the best.

4.  Ask a bunch of mothers or fathers to help with the activity.  This was an all-hands-on-deck kind of thing and went so smoothly because we were prepared with people to help.

5.  Gather some supplies in multiples: apple peeler/corer/slicer machines like this one, rolling pins, one bowl for each girl, large spoons for stirring, measuring cups and spoons according to recipe (Jana was our ingredient queen!), and knives for peeling (when the apple is too soft to work with the machine…or the machine gets jammed….or the apple gets stuck…trust me, you need some paring knives).

We ended up with about 5 peeler/corer/slicer machines for 12 girls.  You’d think that was plenty – and it was.  But we realized quickly that one adult had to stay in charge of helping each girl with the various machines and fixing them when they jammed or the apples were too soft.  We had two fabulous moms with paring knives in hand, ready to take the apple off the machine once it got jammed and peel/slice it by hand (Patty was there to help but Monica saw a need and decided to stay as well – love her for that!).  I had also tried clamping all of the slicers to my countertop beforehand and some of them wouldn’t fit the depth of my granite.  So, we used a board and the edge of cutting boards to clamp the slicers.  It required someone helping to hold the board down but I like when they have to work together so it was great by me to do it this way.

Each girl had a mixing bowl from my cupboard that they used to transport and mix all the filling ingredients and apple slices.

There were three stations:

• apple peeling/slicing (3 adults)
• measuring sugar and other ingredients (1 adult)
• rolling out the crust (2 adults)

After a 10 minute lesson from Nancy about pastry handling (less is better!) and how to build their pies, the organized chaos began!

The girls moved from station to station according to what they needed.  The timing wasn’t exactly equal for each station so we just had them go to the next station when they were ready.  Amazingly enough, it actually worked this way!  By the time the 90 minutes was up, we had 12 beautiful girls with 12 beautiful pies – edges pinched, centers cut for steam and some of them with a leafy decoration or two from extra dough (thank you, Staci)!  It was one of the most gorgeous sites I have ever seen.  The proud looks of each of those girls who knew that THEY had created something from scratch was quite the image.  And as everyone pitched in to help clean up (especially the saintly mothers who worked their tails off), the place was spic-and-span by the time the clock chimed 90 minutes.

Let me tell you something.  I have never baked a pie (I was the jammed slicer/corer fixer).  But a whole bunch of 10-year-olds have.  And I’m so happy to have been a part of giving these girls this experience.  Chalk it up as one of the best activities ever – but a word of caution….I believe that it worked so well because we were organized and prepared – with tools and capable people.  This is not an activity for the feint in heart!  But well worth the effort if you just take a little time to think it through and stay organized.  I would also recommend saving this activity for the 10-11 year-olds instead of the 8-9 year-olds.

The grins stretched ear to ear as each girl proudly held their pie high and carried it home to bake.  Yum.  Pie is always better when made with love and by the end of this activity we had 12 dishes overflowing with plenty of sugary, apple love!

Coming Next: a goal-setting activity for Activity Days and Cole’s Third Birthday Party!  Stay tuned.

Yes, it’s made by using a men’s necktie.  Yes, it’s so cute (and lightweight).  And yes….it’s even better as a bracelet.  I have to come right out and say it.  Bracelets are an easy accessory to give – they just can go with so many more outfits than a necklace might.  All you have to do to adapt this necklace tutorial is:

1. use half the length of the necktie.
2. use only 3-4 beads and knots.
3. that’s all.

Even in my coughing, sniffling state I could still tie the thing around my wrist by myself (requires a little acrobatic creativity but it can be done).  Four fabulous gifts checked off Kendra’s list – all in one evening!  So whether you choose to create a necklace or a bracelet, you’ll end up with something fun, simple and oh so chic!

Yes, I am obsessed.  But as I told these fabulous 10-11 year old girls, gratitude is a magic trick.  If you feel like complaining, or being sad or your feelings are hurt or you think your parents are lame….think of something you are grateful for and it will change how you feel about yourself, your experiences, and your life.  It won’t fix whatever happened, but it will help you fix how you feel about what is happening.  That’s why it’s the ultimate magic trick.  A guaranteed way to be happy: expressing gratitude.

So why not teach these girls how to express gratitude each day with one little sentence in a cute mini gratitude journal?  It had to be done, don’t you think?  But don’t worry, if you want to use this idea don’t think that you have lost your chance simply because Thanksgiving is a few days away.  As I told the girls, this lesson is not about Thanksgiving.  It’s about how to be happy.  And that can be taught any time of the year.  Just pick a date sometime during the year.  That’s a good day for this project.

After a short lesson about where negative feelings come from and how to use gratitude to overcome them, we dove into the project.  We only had an hour to work with for the lesson and project and because I am new to working with these young ladies I wasn’t sure what their independent crafty ability was.  Therefore, I got the project ready for them to a certain extent.  They each chose a little kit created from my stash that looked like this:

It included:

• (2) chipboard pieces cut 3″x 5.5″
• (50) 3″x 5″ ruled index cards (found at Dollar Store)
• (2) strips of cardstock (I used double-sided printed) cut 3″x 10.5″ and folded in half
• (1) paper flower embellishment (3″ diamter is what I had on hand)
• (1) circle-punched pattern paper flower center
• (1) pop dot adhesive for flower center
• (2) ribbons cut 10″ long
• gratitude journal tag and THNX tag (click on image below to download the titles I designed for this project)
• glue sticks
• something to help them poke the ribbon through the holes of their journal

I didn’t want to deal with hole-punching at the activity so I decided to use an office hole puncher (more heavy duty) to pre-punch all the holes in the chipboard covers and the index cards.  I made each hole the same distance from the edge so that the chipboard could be turned either direction and still line up.  The ruled index cards got their holes punched on the left edge (same distance as on the chipboard) so they could use the lines on the cards for their journals.  When lined up, the chipboard extended about 1/2″ beyond the right edge of the cards.

I also didn’t want them to cover the pre-punched holes with paper or have to line up the paper with the holes so I decided to use acrylic paint to cover about 1″ of each chipboard piece where the holes where.  More work for me beforehand but easier during the activity.  And it only took about 15 minutes to do them all so I was ok with that.

First, using lots of glue, they covered the two chipboard pieces with the cardstock strips, placing the fold on the edge of the chipboard to help them make it straight.

Then they added the pop dot adhesive to the flower center and attached it to the flower.  They used glue to place the flower on the front journal cover.

To finish off the front cover they added their own name to the top of the “gratitude journal” tag and glued it to the front.  They glued the “THNX” tag to the inside of the front cover to help them remember the purpose of this project.

Finally, they made a little pile: 1) back chipboard cover 2)  index cards 3) front chipboard cover – lining up all the holes.  They poked one ribbon through each hole, using a friend to help.  To make sure the ribbon “binding rings” were loose enough to allow the journal to open properly, they placed a pen along the edge of the binding and tied the ribbons in knots around the pen.  After removing the pens, they had enough give in the ribbon to turn the pages.

With my partner, Jessica, lending a hand, it only took about 20 minutes to help each girl complete their journal.  We then challenged them to write something every day that they were grateful for.  Something short is great.  One sentence.  For practice, we had them write the date at the top of the first index card and make their first entry into their journals.  It gave us the opportunity to reconfirm how simple it was to do.  They realized that it took only about one minute to write something.  No hard at all!  I put my gratitude journal by my bed so I can remember to write in it each night and offered that as an option for them.  By filling in their first entry, they also realized that they could write more than one entry on each card.  They were definitely getting excited and catching on to the principle of expressing gratitude.  We even talked about how they might miss a day or two but to keep moving forward.

Final challenge?  Let’s see how we do writing down one thing a day till Valentines Day.  Then maybe we can make it to the end of the school year.  Little bites.  Doable goals but ones that require some commitment.  We’ll see.  I know the power of gratitude in living a happy life and I believe that the sooner a person realizes even a portion of this power, the happier they will be.

Why not learn it when you’re 11 instead of figuring it out when you are 30?

Carolie, we love you and love you and love you.  Enough to have a professional photo taken of you with our little guy!  Now that’s sayin’ somethin’!

Also, check out my guest post over at my friend Beth’s blog, I Found Beauty.  It is fitting that I’m there today because Carolie truly is a beautiful person that we are blessed and lucky enough to have in our family.  Happy, happy day to you, CC!

Then we swapped.  I was healed enough to come home but not care for Cole so I headed back to my own bed while the little man went to party it up at aunts and uncles and grandma’s houses.  Just like with everything else, our family has to do things a little differently to make life happen.

It’s very true that my recovery has been incredibly good.  We are all substantially shocked and happy about it.  No, I cannot lift anything more than 10 pounds for 8 weeks, so for right now we also have different aides living in our basement to be on hand to roll Jason at night or shift him in his chair and all those little things that I used to do.  Let’s face it – it takes a lot of people to replace a mom.

I feel pretty good but I don’t really want to start giving myself jobs and tasks.  I keep up with the laundry.  I have made dinner a few times.  The house looks pretty good and I’m managing my online workshop that is going on right now.  Beyond that, I’m not really ready to do much.  I fall asleep every afternoon whether I am trying to or not.  I’m still healing.

However, about 4 days ago I realized that all this sitting and relaxing and recuperating was getting to me.  I started to get a little bluesy.  Not physically ready to have Cole back yet, I pondered what to do to get out of my funk.  Have you ever heard of a ride-along?  It’s when a civilian spends time riding along with a police officer or paramedic or firefighter…or I suppose any occupation could offer ride-alongs to allow someone to get to know their business.

With the thought of giving myself actual purpose, I texted my friend:

Me: Hey, are you taking Jenna to dance today?

Patty: Yes

Me: Can I come?  I don’t care if you have other stuff to do, I just need to get out….(etc.)

Patty: Yes – I will pick you up at 3:50!

Thus began the ride-alongs.  No agenda for me.  Whatever the person driving needs to do is what we do.  I am just along for the ride.  Four friends and four ride-alongs later, I am feeling great and ready for my little munchkin to rejoin our household today.  I can even start driving myself (practiced that yesterday) and since Cole can climb in and out of just about anything, I think we’ll be in good shape.  I can’t wait for our family to be together again.  I keep glancing out my window, waiting for Grandma’s car to pull into the driveway – excited but anxious because this is a big step in my recovery process.  Can I handle a two-year-old?  With playdates and naps for both of us, I think we’ll be able to do it.

But I’ve definitely learned something over the last week.  Need a pick-me-up?  Starbucks is great but try a ride-along.  Cole thinks that Band-aids are the cure to any ailment, but trust me, ride-alongs do wonders in the healing process.

We’ve been planning for months, waiting and waiting and waiting for my belly to be ready for the reconstruction and repair.  Everything about it has gone more smoothly than expected.  Everything.  The surgery itself.  The recovery.  The fact that I went home from the hospital just less than two days after instead of the expected four.

I have eaten scrambled eggs and hash browns for breakfast about six times – the first being only 18 hours after leaving the OR.  The powers at be seemed to like that part.  They also keep asking questions about passing gas and other things and let’s just say that I should win a blue ribbon in that area.  It’s extremely important, I guess, and I’m doing well.

For some reason I haven’t wanted to talk about this surgery on the blog.  I don’t know why.  No reason, actually.  Maybe I just felt like I would rather just get the job done and move on. I had TOTAL confidence in my surgeon and the surgery itself.  No stress whatsoever.  But I was anxious about things going wrong with the recovery and having months and months of yucky pain to deal with.  Yes.  I’m pretty sure that’s the reason I haven’t talked about it till now.

However, I am normally a dismal Facebook-status-keeper-upper.   But for some reason, adding little snippets of life in just a minute or two are exactly what this healing body is in the mood for right now.  Had no idea that Facebook-statusing it would actually give me something to look forward to instead of sitting on the sofa, being sad that I have already worked my way through ALL of season 3′s Drop Dead Diva episodes!  Boo.

So if you want to hear about the baby steps I’ve been making since my surgery last week then feel free to click here to see my latest status updates.  No sense repeating them here, then they are already there.  Right?  If you’re not interested (Mom, it’s ok if you’re not), then don’t click and be sad with me instead about having to wait for the next season of Drop Dead Diva.

By the way, my pseudo-pregnant looking belly is at least half the size it was 12 days ago.  I’m crossing all of my fingers that the swelling will only get better…or should I say less…from here.

Here’s to healing!  XOXO