After School With Grandma

What to do?  What to do?  There was a 2 hour early dismissal from school today so we had a 45 minute wait until Bobby's regular ABA therapy session.    

Grandma Carolyn came to Morgantown this morning to run an errand with me and came along to help spend the 45 minutes.  We decided to stop and get Bobby a snack, pick him up from school and stop off at the Westover Park to let him play.  Boy was he excited...especially because Grandma was along when I picked him up from school.  He got out of the car, for some reason stopped and took off his shoes and socks, and ran right over to the play unit while carefully making sure not to drop a french fry.  If you follow my mom on facebook you probably saw many of these pics today since they were taken on her phone.

Finally the french fries were finished and the climbing began...

Time to go to therapy.  I was a little worried that he would be very fussy since this is definitely not the  usual routine.  Thankfully he went in the building like any other day.

Time for therapy...

After therapy was over, we drove back through Westover Park and stopped at the pond.  I was extremely nervous taking him out by the water but he was a champ.  He went right to the dock and looked over at the small fish swimming around.

After the pond it was time to go home.  Of course, as soon as we got out of the car Bobby wanted to go SWIMMING!  My, oh my, was it cold!!!  Did I mention super windy too!!  Bobby just hung out on the deck for a while...

He finally got in, but didn't stay too long...

After dinner Bobby wanted to "ride in car," so....

we went for a ride in Grandma Carolyn's car.  Not sure what his fascination is with Grandma's car, but he definitely has one.  

Grandma went home after the ride, Bobby got a bath, and now we are hanging out in front of the tv and playing on the computers.  Boy I'm tired!!  What a great day!!

Happy Retirement Mom

I had a great childhood.  I grew up in a happy home and I give all the credit to my Mom.  Our house, especially our backyard, was full of kids everyday.  My mom made big homemade meals daily and we generally had a crowd at the table to eat with us.

My parents separated when I was little but I don't recall my mom talking bad about my dad to me, instead she focused on taking care of her kids.  My mom babysat 5 kids to supplement her child support when we were younger.  As the children all became school aged, my mom went to work at a convenience store to make sure that all of our needs were met.  Even though we could not afford it, my brother and I went to private school until the 8th grade.  She also made sure that I had braces to fix my horrible teeth, and for that I am extremely grateful.                                                                                                                                                                                                  

My Mom with her favorite, and only, grandson of all time, Bobby

When I got to high school the child support payments stopped coming because my dad was laid off from the mines and hadn't found a steady job, so my mom did what she needed to do to take care of her family.  She started cleaning houses for people.  Meanwhile, our house was in dire need of repairs.  My mom was out searching for a better job.  I remember sitting in a parking lot outside in our car while my mom was inside interviewing for a job.  I hoped and hoped that she would get it, but now as an adult I realize just how vital getting a good job was and I should have been on my knees praying to God that she got the job!!  However, she didn't get that job.  

Thankfully, one day someone that she went to high school with came into the store where she was working and told her that the gas company was hiring.  My mom put in her application.  Praise God, my mom got the job, she now worked for Hope Gas.  However, she wasn't going to be doing a secretarial type job....she was going out into the field and working along side the men who were doing the manual labor jobs.  My mom was going out and digging ditches to take care of her family.  How many almost 40 year old women do you know that would say yes to this??  My mom did!!!!  Who knew how valuable a lesson that this would be me in my life with Bobby.  You do what you have to do to take care of your family!!!!  Thanks Mom for being such a great teacher.

I'm not sure how many years she worked in the field, but she read meters, dug ditches, laid pipe, drove machinery and many other unfathomable jobs.  I was so excited for her when she finally got a new position with the gas company as a dispatcher.  The major pro of the job was that it would be much, much, much less physical, the major con...shift work.  One week day shift, one week afternoon shift, one week day shift, one week afternoon shift and finally, the worst, one week midnight shift.  She has lived this life for many years and our holiday life has revolved around these crazy shifts.

As thankful as I am that she landed this life saving job for our family, over the past few years I really have hated the thought of her driving to work at such odd times, especially in the winter.  She had to keep her trunk packed with clothes and necessities just in case she got stuck at work.  I also hate the thought of her being alone at night working midnight shift.

Well today it all ends.  Twenty-six years in the making.  My mom will be retired from Dominion Hope Gas Company after her shift ends today.  CONGRATULATIONS MOM!!!!!  You are an awesome role model.  Thanks for being such a great Mom, friend, and Grandma.  We love you and can't wait to come and celebrate with you today!!!

Spring Break 2013-Day 1

We (Mommy and Daddy) picked up Bobby from school on Friday and took him to his daily behavioral therapy before coming home to begin a 10 day spring break from school.  While at therapy, Bobby kept laying his head down on the table...oh no, this only happens when he is sick.  His therapist got him through quickly because this is his typical behavior before he throws up.  We grabbed a bag for the ride home, just in case.  We made it home and he ran into the bathroom as soon as we got through the door.  Poor kid, please don't let this be like Christmas break...if you remember, he was sick with the flu for the entire break.

Please excuse the big rip in the blanket, this is Zoi's one weird vice...she likes to "chew" on this blanket for some crazy reason.

Bobby laid around off and on all evening and was a little more on the grouchy side.  You could tell that he just didn't fell well.  He did, however, continue to have an appetite.  He disappeared upstairs around 8:30, so I went to check on him and he was in bed fast asleep and thankfully he slept until 7 am.

I didn't have much confidence in Saturday, his first full day of spring break.  He still acted like he didn't feel well.  He was still grouchy and kept repeating "Rhino, Rhino, Rhino"....meaning, I want Daddy to take me for a ride in the Rhino.  Daddy complied and while Bobby was sitting in the Rhino waiting to take off, I said "wait."  I went inside and got the good cold medicine that we can't get Bobby to take since it tastes awful (I know because I take it when I'm sick).  I got the medicine, filled up the little medicine cup and said "drink this if you want to go for a ride."  He finally took the cup and drank half of the medicine and shivered as the awful taste went down and then he poured out the rest onto the garage floor.  I said, "that's ok, we have more," went inside and filled the cup half full.  He fussed, but finally drank the rest of the medicine so that he could "ride Rhino."

After riding for a little while, he went and played in the yard...

Then about a half hour later from the time that Bobby took the cold medicine, he decided that it was time to JUMP...

Looks like Mommy knows best.  He was back to normal after the "good stuff."

He had a fun time playing outside, but it was time to go inside to make dinner and wait for our dinner guest to arrive.  I made a knockoff Primanti Bros. sandwich for dinner...

Complete with the internet version of their coleslaw and homemade french fries.  Yum-O!  While having dinner, Bobby snatched Daddy's hat off of his head and decided to wear it himself...

I could not get over the fact that a man's extra large hat fit Bobby this well.  Oh my, where did my baby go.  In a couple of months he is going to be 9...how does this happen???!!!!!

Grandma thought that he looked super cute too and wanted some kisses from Mr. Bobby!!

Bobby loves his Grandma!!

Spring Break count down....One day down, nine to go.  Hopefully we find some fun things to get into. Looks like playing in the snow is in our near future!!!