Orion is 10!

The actual day of Orion's birthday, we went to two of his favorite places to get candy.

Birthday boy official portrait.  :)

In front of Rocket Fizz

In front of the Indian and British Grocery.  They are both big fans of a few things they make in the UK.

The following weekend, it was time for the party!  It was a knight theme, along with an animal show with Reptacular Animals.  First up, shield making.

Everybody really enjoyed the animals, even my dad!  Although Akasha was not so keen on the snakes and hid in the house during the tarantula.

Sarah did an amazing job on many things, including the cake and the shield she made Orion.  Towers are frosted paper towel rolls and chocolate dipped gluten free waffle cones.

Also made by Sarah, this castle/target.

Notice Akasha resisting temptation to blow the candles lol. 

A Visit from Tammy

My sister and her fiance came to visit for a few days, which was great timing for a couple reasons.  For one thing, my dad's mental state seems to be really declining these days, so this might be her last chance for a really interactive visit.  As it was, he didn't really know who she was, but would believe her when she told him he was her daughter.  Then they would leave to go to the store, and  my dad would say something about "my friends who were just here".  :(

It was also good to get all 3 of us kids together who are in the trust and talk about his upcoming health issues and other things.  Dad was not very participatory in the conversation, but I think it was still a good thing to all sit down together and at least try.  

I have a few photos from the visit, but I can't access my dropbox right now.  Hopefully I will remember to come back and add them.

This Sucks...

I guess this will be one of those Keeping It Real posts.  I have an old friend in the area who I have been talking to online a bit.  He offered to come over and keep me company now and then, but it turned out to be very agitating for my dad.  :(  He walks through the room every few minutes and scowls at me or motions me aside to ask me who he is.  Even though I tell him it is an old friend, he keeps saying, "Where's your husband?"  or "You aren't with your husband anymore?"  No amount of explaining seems to decrease his anxiety and scowling.  I know he is from a more "old fashioned" generation, but this has been really surprising.  He has stayed friends with many of my moms female friends after she passed and doesn't seem to think it is weird to see them on a friendly basis.  Double standard I guess.  I could just not care I guess, but it bothers me to see him like that and doesn't make for a very relaxing visit to have him making faces at me every few minutes.    Just...  argh.  That is all I guess.  Sometimes a post can just be a vent.  I don't have to come up with a magickal reframing for everything.  Some things just suck.

Really Not Great Health Update

For years my dad said he was afraid to quit smoking because it is what his body is used to.  Now, when he finally has quit, and after a 4 week course of rituxan, his scan not only showed no change in the lymphoma, but a lung tumor has popped up as well.  :(  The oncologist says based on the way it looks in the scan, it is likely to be malignant.  Guess another biopsy it in our future.  Double  :(

My Dad Stopped Smoking :o

This is beyond startling.  It actually happened a couple months ago, but I didn't say anything because I didn't think it would stick.  He has been smoking since he was a child!  In the past, he would buy a carton at a time, and let me know when he was almost out.  Then we would go to the smoke shop.  One day he just didn't ask.  I couldn't believe it.  I went to the store to get him some Nicorette gum, hoping that would help it stick.  I offered him a piece a few times a day for the first few days, then a couple a day, then one.  I gathered up all the lighters so they would not be a reminder.  And the days went on...  At a recent doctor visit, he said he had quit years ago lol!  I am thrilled and relieved.  Although he always smoked outside, he sometimes used the stove to light them and left the gas on once!  Here's to hoping they are gone for good!

My Birthday, AKA Fourth of July

In the spirit of trying to keep a sense of normalcy in our lives, I wanted to have a good old fashioned Fourth of July.  My parents were known for their big parties every year, so there is much nostalgia around  this  holiday for me.  Not to mention it being my birthday!  The interesting thing, however, is that I have pretty much despised anything red, white and blue my entire adult life.My mom made me homemade clothes in these colors throughout my childhood, any by my teen years, I had grown to loathe them.  Case in hideous point:

In didn't even have to be a summer thing.  Here I am at Christmastime in an even uglier ensemble:

But I digress.  One of my favorite things to do is make decorations and crafts around various holidays, and I got to thinking there is no reason to pass my weirdness on to my kids.  So I got over myself and pulled out all the stops.    We made paper lanterns to hang on the patio...

Only Orion loved his so much he put it in his room instead lol.

I made this from a disposable foil baking pan!

Daddy, in the meantime, was busy putting together our "blob" - an idea I found on Pinterest - basically just plastic sheeting sealed with duct tape, then filled with water. 

I even made special themed food.  Who am I?

The blob was a huge hit.

As were these things I made with plastic bottles, duct tape and balloons.

They were supposed to be for popping confetti but turned out much more amusing with water.

And what would the Fourth be without water balloons?

Very impressed it was bigger than his head.

We topped off the day at the local fireworks show, which I didn't get any photos of, but both of the kids really loved it.

Phrasing is Everything (Also Another Health Update)

The stent procedure went well and the change in my dad  has been nothing short of amazing.  He is eating 5 or 6 times a day sometimes and more active than I have seen him in a long time.  Today he had his first dose of rituxan, which had to be done in a hospital in case he had a reaction.  Everything went fine, but I wanted to make a note about a realization I had.

My dad is a classic example of the stoic males of his generation.  He often complains about pain, but when I ask if he wants a pain pill, he usually says something along the lines of, "No, it isn't that bad." So when the nurse at the hospital asked about putting some pain meds in his IV just in case he experienced discomfort, I started to ask if he wanted it, but realizing it was fairly standard, instead I said, "Would you be OK with the nurse giving you some medicine for pain?"  He tends to be an easy going guy and especially compliant with health professionals, so it was no problem.

Must remember this at home when I think he should take a pain pill or do other things in general he is likely to say no to!