conversations with invisible pigs and sheep

I love reheating waffles and pancakes for breakfast. They are the best low-salt choice for Jim — full of calories from fat, and practically no sodium. I’m trying to switch him over to real maple syrup, because that has no salt at all in it. Having such a low sodium breakfast really opens up his options for the day.

Anyway, I just turn on the oven, pop in a foil wrapped waffle, and 20 minutes later breakfast is done! In the meantime I can make my oatmeal and tea, and either catch up on the internets or unload the dishwasher (depending on how selfish I’m feeling).

Yesterday we did some housecleaning, including mopping all the moppable surfaces on the first floor. Because I finally got a real mop. My last mop had its head destroyed on first washing, so much for that. I still have to chuck the pole. And I learned that a Swiffer is good for quick cleanings, but man, a real mop CLEANS. Like, got up all the boy messes in the bathroom that I thought had stained the grout for good. Now the bathroom floor looks new.

As of yesterday, Colin has broken three pairs of my glasses — yesterday was the new pair that replaced the first broken pair. In the interim, he broke the backup pair I was using while the replacement pair was made.

So, it will be contacts for a while. I’m going to try and get both frames replaced. The older pair from a year and a half ago was in stock last time, just not in a color I was in love with. But if they are still there, I may get them anyway.

Last night Colin woke up as I was going to bed. And he was burning up. Being the mom who prepares for the imaginable worst, I had packed the boys’ thermometers and other small first aid items. Result? 101.9 temp. His only other symptom was being awake, so there wasn’t much to do with him except give him some tylenol and try to get him back to sleep. Which he did. At 11pm. But then he slept until 5am, woke up (still feverish), but slept for the better part of the next three hours. He fussed and rolled around a bit, but I slept light enough to keep an eye on him.

When he woke up for good around 8, the fever was down, although not gone. We’re laying low instead of going fishing/boating. Colin is acting normal although cranky, but food and abundant drink is helping to abate the crankiness.

Saturday we went to my parents’ friends house on Lake Greenwood, and recreated redneck style. They have a boat on which the five adults, two kids and golden retriever fit comfortably, and we took it out about two or three miles (under four bridges) to an area where there’s a sandbar. We anchored the boat and got out and swam in the waist deep water.

Jim was initially panicked because he thought the water was over his head. I forced him to realize he could touch, and after that he was unstoppable. It was like the world’s biggest pool to him. We even walked over to the area where the sandbar made a (very) small island, and picked up some shells and dug in the dirt.

Colin was equally happy. The lifevest helped him float very well, and he was just passed from adult to adult, happy as a clam. What an experience it must have been for him!

After that, we went back to the house, and hung out on the boat while Colin napped on the bench seat. So Jim and I took out their waverunner for a very short trip. After Colin woke up, we got dressed and came home for a pizza dinner.

pool + noodle = poodle (per Jim)

We got to go swimming yesterday. The pool is nice and shallow. Jim can touch bottom around the perimeter. Colin was cranky and wanted to play on the playground instead.

Colin has taken to sleeping in the pack n play without any difficulties. I just put him down in it like his crib, and he’s slept there last night, today for a long nap, and then just now for his “night nap”.

Last night we arrived at Nan and Poppy’s around 10pm. It was about a 16 hour trip in all. 12 hours of drving and four hours of meal/potty/stretch the legs breaks.

Some highlights from the trip:

Jim playing Pokemon battle while Colin played talking maracas — they each had their own favorite toy and played with them in relative peace.

I threw Colin’s monkey back to him to make him happy. It landed on his head. We then had five minutes of Colin putting the monkey on and off his head to entertain us (while I was driving).

Pokemon kids meals from BK for lunch. Jim then REALLY wanted BK for dinner, which I said we would do. However, dinner time came, and no BKs were around. I warned Jim, and then ended up going somewhere else, where he refused to eat. Until I told him then had dinosaur toys. Then we had dinosaur/Pokemon battles after dinner (And I didn’t see a BK until after 9pm!)

Jim took pictures of us with my phone.

The South Carolina monsoon we drove through. What’s up with everyone driving with their flashers on?

Colin’s backpack harness — not only was it (a) cute, and (b) liked by him; it made wrangling him at rest stops ten hundred times easier.

Dad’s Kung Fu Fighting mix CD kept us rocking

I inadvertently made all the right driving decisions — especially taking 895 around Baltimore. This dropped me right off onto 295 to take around Washington. It brought back memories.

It’s a quiet pre-holiday afternoon/evening. The MANS have gone to the movies, leaving Colin and me to our own devices. We’ve spent the last hour or so outside playing with the water park.

We’re getting into our routine — we’ve got a playdate at the park with one of Jim’s preschool classmates, and karate on Tuesdays and Thursday. I plan to work in library day once a week, but this week is too short to try.

I’m looking forward to a quiet night. There’s a nice breeze and shade outside, which makes it completely pleasant. Now if I could just figure out how to get dinner worked into the deal (without having to make it myself).