Oh, my friends! Missing I've been. Not!
Missing leisure time for mental clarity to spare? Some.
Where was I? Paris, checking out April, Rome? Lunching with the Pope? Undercover in prison? I'll never tell. Yet.
Things are, pretty much as they were. Some background machinations grind forward (can you hear it?) and the day-to- day, a lot of them 18 hours long, roll on.
Charlie grows overnight. He has three four teeth now and teething has been hard on the little guy who, in innocent turn, makes it hard on his family. Missy told me that for the first time in ages he slept through the night. The look on her face was as if she had been drifting at sea for a week and was watching the Coast Guard Rescue Helicopter descend, basket at the ready. What was the magic formula, the combination of feeding, napping, and fresh air? Don't bother to write it down because it will be gone by tomorrow.
He's a free range baby and, as such, I like to sit on the floor with him, occupy and protect. Getting up from the floor ten or twelve times a day, lifting a 22 pound human gyroscope, and rasslin' a baby alligator for a diaper change, 8-10 times a day has been physically challenging. I misjudged a balance point day before yesterday and wrenched both my right knee and hip. Not to worry. A day later and things seem stable and the pain has diminished a great deal, but I have been warned.
It scared the shit out of me. From ninth grade through my first year in college I was on and off crutches six or eight times due to knee injuries of the football type. I had to pretty much give up being athletic, including ice skating, which really broke my heart a bit. I went from being a star doer to being a sullen and jealous watcher.
And now, in the last fifth of my time, I'm terrified of losing my mobility and not being able to carry out my primary mission - taking care of my grandson. Serious lifestyle challenges call for serious responses.
Such is my preoccupation.
Stitching? Not so much.
I have three commissions and the dye season, optimal temperature and humidity, is just weeks away.
The miracle garden is well underway. I'm going to look at a replacement of the Joseph's Coat rosebush later.
My main characters have been telling me their stories while I sleep and, working from nightstand notes, I will be capturing them and roping the action into my first rough draft.
And the cream cheese frosting on my red velvet cupcake (in my dreams of course) is that baseball is back!!
The Braves, although radically transformed, are 4 and 0. Beating the Mets in the home opener last night was bittersweet. I used to share special games with my Dad long distance. Now I've transferred my gloating or moaning to my brother, who puts up with me.
The Braves, although radically transformed, are 4 and 0. Beating the Mets in the home opener last night was bittersweet. I used to share special games with my Dad long distance. Now I've transferred my gloating or moaning to my brother, who puts up with me.
Trade Craig Kimbrel away?? It's OK, I'm over it. We got Grilli.
5 comments:
Please take that warning seriously ... my husband and I both developed back problems as our grands passed the twenty pound mark. A physical therapy consult may be a good way to avoid future problems.
Oh, I hope the wrenching was temporary! But lifting is something to be done carefully, that's for sure. I have a good friend who ended up having back surgery a few years ago after she hurt her back lifting a 40 pound bolt of fabric, dropping it and trying to pick it back up. I do most of the lifting in our household, and have learned to be very mindful of how I do it. Meanwhile, hope Charlie's teething eases up for everyone's sake! Lack of sleep is always difficult... ask me how I know! :-)
it's a matter of not moving on impulse
anymore, but slowing down, thinking first. I've learned that in the last
couple years. I CAN continue moving
bales of feed etc but cannot move bales of feed AND haul around 50lb bags of
pellets and dog food AND blah blah blah.
caring for a baby is constant tho...every day thing, many times a day, yes, so
i guess it's watching closely and learning if there are ways to minimize the lifting part... change him on the floor where he is. stuff like that.
I think of you.
I love the light on this little guy in that photo!
I can tell you, from my experience...slow down and focus when lifting him. Gone are the days of quick random movements. Also, use furniture nearby to hold onto as you get up. Sit with your back supported. And when getting up, as silly as it may look, it is much easier to turn to your hands and knees and then rise up...then pick him up. I'm sure I'll be thinking of you tomorrow at work as I do these lovely moves all day long!! One of my 13 month old babies is well over 25 pounds! It does get much easier as they learn to get into sitting, pull to standing or begin to walk on their own. The killer days are when they do not support themselves at all and are just dead weight. Sorry for the long comment, but this is my dept. - I do it 5 days a week :) Take care, Nancy
Nancy - long posts = long comments. Why not. Holy cow..Charlie was 8mo on the first and is easily 22 lbs! The reason for the tumble was my foolish choice ot rising support furniture - a rocking recliner of all stupid things! And I've been doing that Crab Rise from the floor for years! Thanks for the tips!
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