End of February

 Bertram's birthday is tomorrow. We're having the family party today. I still can't believe he's going to be 9. I still remember this tiny baby, the chubby cheeked toddler, preschool. Now he's lanky, and funny, and smart still with a mop of curly hair. He's generally a very easy kid, and a good listener. He puts himself to bed at night.  He graduated from ABA this week. He was ready. Well, he says he was ready a long time ago. I think he did it for the right amount of time.

Bron had her first psychiatry visit a couple weeks ago. It went well, she's looking forward to the next one. We have quite a few strategies, but she won't implement them, try as we might. She was off school this last week, but the previous week, she was sent home twice. I'm not sure what to expect when she goes back tomorrow. Well, that's not true. I expect it will be more of the same, unfortunately. She is funny, and smart and kind. But she can be difficult, when she really digs in her heels.  Which is often.  She's reading over my shoulder...

My mom is here, which is awesome. It's always good to have an extra set of hands.  Plus, I love hanging out with my mom.

I took the kids to the aquarium with my dad on Monday. They did well, a good time was had by all. I'm glad we (my dad) has a membership there.

I think I mentioned previously, trying to talk with Bertram about sex. He has shut down all attempts, because it's "weird". So maybe he knows more than he's letting on. But he's been broaching the subject a little bit here and there.  Hopefully, we can have a good conversation at some point in the future. I bought him a book (sex is a funny word), but he doesn't like the illustrations (they're sort of psychedelic, for lack of a better word).  

February catch up

 The biggest news is we bought a car. A new car, not just new to us, I think it had 3 miles on it when we drove it home. I think more exciting than it being new, it's electric. It's very comfortable and fun to drive. It has all the bells and whistles. But considering that our current cars were an 07 and a 2010, anything new, even without the bells and whistles would have been amazing. My dad gave us a some money for the car, we used part of our savings/tax refund to finance the rest through our credit union.  The only thing I don't like about the car is the colour. It's silver. I really wanted a blue car.  I've never had blue (I've had rust orange, hunter green, silver, red, and now silver again).

Bron seems to be getting kicked out of class more frequently since the beginning of the year. She's hitting or kicking, or being generally disruptive.  She just seems kind of angry. And I can't think of any sort of triggering event. There have been no big changes, no traumas. We have an evaluation with children's psychiatry later this week. Hopefully we can help her better express herself.

Bertram has been doing pretty well. Nothing too exciting going on with him. He's had substitutes for the last 3 weeks, because his teacher caught covid. Hopefully, she'll be back today. For the past 3 weeks, he hasn't had any homework, which is a blessing and a curse. Homework is something that is a spot of contention, so sitting down together to do it sometimes feels torturous. But with no homework to do, he doesn't actually have a lot to do after school. I guess on no homework days, I should make him read or do chores or something.  But his behaviour has generally been good. He is set to graduate from ABA at the end of the month.

Aaron has been going on a lot of job interviews as of late. He really doesn't like the way his department is being run, and when he, and other employees voice their concerns they're brushed off, gaslit, or ignored completely. It seems very frustrating and demoralizing. So he's had quite a few interviews (all this within the county), and a few 2nd interviews as well. So hopefully he'll find something that is a better fit for his talents.

I'm presently in Virginia visiting my sister and her new baby, Eddie. Well, I'm staying with my mom and stepdad, but the purpose of the visit was to meet the baby. He's a very serious baby, at least so far. It was/is a short trip Thurs -tues. 

My scrappy quilt 2 is about 80% done. I've had to do a lot of hand quilting. I'm getting quicker, but it's a slow process.  My other current project is my temperature quilt. I've kept up with it so far, except I need to get ahead on my cutting. Maybe, finally get all the squares cut.

It's 2023

 

Somehow, 2022 is over. It went slow and fast at the same time. I feel like we spent a good portion of the year being sick, or recovering. I always try to remember highlights, and it's all a blur. But the highlights are in the blog, so they're not lost to the ethers.

The last few nights I've woken up between 2 and 3, and stayed awake.  Last night, I took Ambien and melatonin, and the same thing happened. I guess maybe I should have just stayed up til midnight.

I haven't been to the gym in, probably, 2 months. I'm going to get back to it. Probably when the kids' break is over. It's difficult when everyone is home.

I finished the big quilt. Well, it still needs binding, but that's Aaron's job. The actual quilting is done.

My sister had her baby! I'm an aunt! She had him about 3 weeks early, due to preeclampsia fears. He's a tiny bean, and so cute.

We celebrated Hanukkah this year. That was fun and the kids really enjoyed it. They wanted to play dreidel, but we couldn't find the one we have.

Christmas was good. I think I was over stimulated by the end of the day. Just too much everything.  Plus the house was exploded with stuff, and that always stresses me out. Aaron got me a new sewing machine. It's computerized, and does a ton of things. I need to watch some videos and learn all the things. It will even do freehand quilting.

It rained all day yesterday. The kids were playing on their own, so I got the new sewing machine out and started making a new Scrappy Thing. I spent the whole morning happily sewing.  Mid-day, I had to take Monty to training. Once again, he didn't participate and was stressed and scared. I did t sleep well the night before, so I napped after Aaron donated blood.  We got burgers for dinner, and I went to bed early, for all the good it did.  Bert was planning on staying up til at least 9, possibly 12. I'll ask him in the morning.

Year End 2022 survery

  1. What did you do in 2022 that you'd never done before?
Got the flu and covid

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Sort of.  I lost weight (12 lbs) but gained most of it back

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
My Seester!!!

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Not that I can recall

5. What countries did you visit?
Some day, I'll have an answer for this question.

6. What would you like to have in 2023 that you lacked in 2022?
Actual family vacation.  (but that's not looking good at this point)

7. What days from 2022 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Dec 21, the day my nephew was born

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
making quilts, exercising.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Nothing much that I can think of.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Covid in January and the flu in December.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Stuff for the kids.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Aaron, he puts up with a lot.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Bad drivers

14. Where did most of your money go?
Rent. And Amazon

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Flying first class

16. What song will always remind you of 2022?
Anti Hero, by T-Swift

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? happier
ii. thinner or fatter? slightly thinner
iii. richer or poorer? about the same

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Kept the house neat

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Being lazy/depressed

20. How did you spend Christmas?
The usual, will spend it with the in-laws

22. Did you fall in love in 2022?
no

23. What was your favorite TV program?
Project Runway and Ink Masters.  Also, Abbott Elementary

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No, just the same people

25. What was the best book you read?
I can't remember, I didn't read much this year.

26. What was your greatest musical (re)discovery?
The Cranberries

27. What did you want and get?
To Fly first class

28. What did you want and not get?
Covid to go away

29. What was your favorite film of this year?
Probably Turning Red, maybe Encanto

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 39.  I can't remember what we did. 

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
No world-wide pandemic

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2022?
Overalls

33. What kept you sane?
Anti-depressants

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
No one in particular

35. What political issue stirred you the most?
Anything Trump related

36. Who did you miss?
My mom and seester

37. Who was the best new person you met?
I don't meet people

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2022:
Most things take hard work

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Runnin' on Empty

Mid December

 Everyone has been sick. It started with Bron and went to my MiL and FiL, then Aaron, Bertram, and lastly me.  Aaron has been sick for almost 3 weeks at this point, since Thanksgiving. He still has a cough, but aside from that is nearly back to normal. Bertram has been sick for a week, decent fevers, coughing, stuffy nose. I had it as well, but only had a real fever for a couple days. Now, I'm just run-down, and stuffy. We finally got Bert in to see the doctor today, and it looks like it's the flu. Even though we all got our shots, we got it anyway (for the first time ever). He has to be 24 hours fever free before returning to school. So hopefully he can return on Tuesday.

So Bertram was home all last week. Aaron was WfH all last week. Bron went to school at usual.  I worry Bertram will have a hard time catching up, as school work isn't his forte to start with. We've been working in his math book, and online program. But we have a lot of writing to do, which is his weak point. He missed a lot of fun stuff too, his last anime drawing class, the regular art class, science at school, his class musical performance, the book fair. It was not a great week to be sick, though, there is rarely a good time to be sick. 

Bronwyn had her book fair this week as well, and enjoyed getting new books, she chose one for Bert too, which is really nice. She had her musical performance as well.  A little holiday musical. I couldn't go, I was sick, and I needed to stay with sick Bertram. Aaron took her. And everything was too different: school at night (especially school at night), no backpacks, parents being there. She ended up not participating, and sat in the audience instead.

Waffles got spayed at the beginning of the month. She still has her cone on. She hates it, but is navigating a little better.

Monty is still being a good boy. His first training class on Saturday.

I finished the subway quilt, but I hated the binding, so I tore it off, and need to buy a new one.

I'm slowly getting the quilting done on my sister's quilt. I am doing some by hand, much to me chagrin. But the quilt is so large, it's very hard to maneuver in the machine, and my machine is running a little loudly. I think we need to get it looked at. 

6am Catch up

 We had an ok Thanksgiving.  We  went to Aaron's cousin's house, which is fine.  But Aaron's parents' house is more conducive to entertaining.  I wasn't feeling super social to begin with.  Then I got to hear the two old men complain about how drag queens are somehow corrupting the children.  Not sure how, but they are.  So I most hung out alone, and played on my phone.  I brought Monty, so I walked him once or twice.  Sophie's dog really liked Monty.  Like he kept trying to hump Monty.  Monty was not happy about this.  Dinner was good.  I was bummed that there was no sweet potato casserole.  I like to make it, but someone else was bringing sweet potatoes and I didn't want to step on any toes.     

We did a little Black Friday shopping.  Mostly at Joann's.  We've been doing a lot of quilting lately.  More on that later.  We also went to Target, but only for usual things.  I bought a couple things online, mostly pants for Bertram.  He seems to have gotten tall all of a sudden, and his 7s are too short.  Almost all my Christmas shopping has been via Amazon.  And I'm nearly done, I just need Rebecca, and my step dad.  I'm going to make cookies for my FiL.  Saturday we went to Maker's Fair for Small Business Saturday.  We bought a few things.  I want to go again next year, sans kids.

At Maker's Fair, with her purse and dino.

We also got the Christmas tree up, and the decorations out.  Usually we do this Black Friday, but Aaron was feeling particularly sick that day, so we did it Saturday, which didn't feel right to me.  And because it didn't feel right, we didn't put out the outside lights.  I just don't feel like it.  (Or feel like having Aaron spend an hour+ doing it, though I usually do it).  I have the kids stockings done, little gifts for Hanukkah, bought a menorah, and candles.

Waffles got spayed this week.  She is still in her cone, because her surgery suit isn't here yet.  Hopefully today.  She's starting to be more like herself again.  But, hates the cone, of course.

Aaron has been sick for about 2 weeks.  I think it started as a virus, and became and infection, if that's possible.  He got amoxicillin this week, which is helping.  But he's still not 100%.  He was off work for 3 days.  Actually more, because he took a day or two before Thanksgiving.  He's starting to improve.  But is coughing a lot.  It's driving me crazy.  

A while back, in August, I started working on my sister's king-sized t-shirt quilt.  I started it, then took a 3 month break for no reason.  I made a lot of progress this week.  I got the top finished, got it pin-basted, and stitched in the ditch for the vertical lines. Before I basted it, I noticed the backing fabric was too short, so I had to get another sheet (twin-sized this time), to add about 5 inches to the quilt back.  I started quilting in each square, making a sort of baffle-box, though not really.  

Completed t-shirt quilt top

I also finished the scrappy quilt. It was one I made on the fly.  No plan, or pinning or ironing.  I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.  For some reason, I don't have a completed picture. 

Nearly complete scrap quilt

A while back, I bought a batch of pre-cut strips from Joann's clearance bin.  I had this for a long time.  I came across them, and decided to make a subway tile quilt with them.  I had to buy supplemental fabric, and it ended up being lap sized.  I did different quilting.  I've never done triangles.  They turned out pretty good, though, I can tell my basting isn't as good as it should be. I decided to attempt the binding on my own.  Usually Aaron does it.  I bought machine quilting thread.  Which is apparently not made for my machine.  The bobbin kept getting jammed.  It was really irritating to have to fix the bobbing every 3 minutes.  So, it took a really long time.  And I thought I remembered how to do the corners, but I didn't.  So, the binding looks terrible.  And I don't like the colour with the quilt.  I think I'm going to take it off, and have Aaron redo it, in a different colour.

The subway tile quilt, done, but not redone.

The other thing Aaron and I have been working on together is Christmas quilts.  We made one for Aaron's mom, and we're in the process of making one fore his bio-mom.  I cut all the squares.  Aaron did all the sewing.  It turned out a little busy, but very Christmasy.  

The fabrics, all laid out

Monty in front of the basted quilt.

Aaron and Bron playing a video game.

animals on me and the scrap quilt.

Making the gingerbread house

My new ornament

Monty, in his purse

Always sewing.

3am catch up

 We had conferences with both kids (it' that time, it wasn't a special conference). It really cemented, to me, that Bertram has the right teacher this year.  We found out in his DreamBox (online math), he'd never finished second grade.  So we've been playing catch up on that.  I told him once he's caught up, he can enroll in coding.  So we've been working on that a few nights a week.  He told me he is caught up now, but I need to find out from the teacher.  Bronwyn's conference was fine.  Nothing too surprising there, except she has an enemy, Wilder.  They do not get along.  I think he is an ASD kid as well.  But her teacher said she's very smart, but she's working on her fine motor.  I've been thinking that I maybe need to ask Kaiser for private OT for her, but with our current schedule there is no where for it to go.  But there has been talk about Bronwyn graduating from ABA.  I don't think Bertram is too far behind her.  So once ABA is done, we'll have a very open schedule.

Bertram has started 2 art classes.  An anime drawing class at the community center, and a regular drawing class after school.  Both are one day a week.  He's been enjoy them, and I love seeing his skills grow.  I think he has a lot of potential, especially when he slows down.  He's always in a rush to get things done.

Bertram had his walk a thon at the beginning of November.  He did 6 miles.  I think he could have done more, but he was just done.  So really he walked 8 that day, since we walked there and back.  I walked all the laps with him, per his request.  All Bert wanted was the Kona Ice snow cone.  Once he got that, he was ready to leave.

My dad is finally starting to feel well, after his surgery.  I was getting worried, because he was kind of despondent.  But he seems to be on the up and up now.  My mom's cancer wasn't quite a simple little cancer, as she needs radiation therapy as well.  It's hard because I had accepted this small, easy breast cancer, and now it's not that anymore.

Dogs:
We had to put Fiona down.  She was doing more and more poorly, and losing more weight and bladder control.  It's hard because there is never a "right time" to do it.  I just kept hoping she would die at home, so I wouldn't have to make the decision.  I started looking for a new dog almost immediately.  As I had a dog-shaped hole in my heart.  We went to the first shelter on a Saturday.  It was a really nice shelter, we visited all the cats, and looked over the dogs.  We met Honey, who was nice, but huge.  And she got too excited for her size (based on the size of the kids).  When we left the shelter Bron was very upset that we didn't leave with a dog.  The next day we went to the city animal shelter, where there were a lot of Pit mixes and Shepherd mixes.  Both breeds are generally bad with cats.  We met a smallish dog.  But he didn't warm to us, and didn't seem like he'd be a good fit for the family.  We went to the last local shelter the same day, and there we found Monty.

Monty has found his niche in our home.  He and Waffles get along, or tolerate each other.  Oona is still a little on edge when Monty is near.  He doesn't particularly care about either of them.  He has been my constant shadow since he came home.  He generally doesn't let me out of his sight.  He is fine with the rest of the family, but really, he only has eyes for me.  He's gotten a little more barky with people and other dogs.  He barks at someone when he meets them the first time, then usually not again.  He walks well on lead, but we're still working on "sit". I've signed him up for training classes at PetSmart (PetsMart?)  That will start in a few weeks.  But he is doing well.  He pees when he gets up, then we do a morning walk, a mid-day walk, and a quick outside in the evening.  We're not walking very far, because when we tried to do that before, he refused to walk any further, and I had to carry him.  Since I was carrying him, I figured I'd order a bag to put him in.  I assumed he'd tolerate, but not like the bag.  But he really enjoys being in there.  He's a snuggly dog, and generally speaking a good boy.

refusing to walk further

happily in his bag.

The kids got their covid boosters. Bert put on quite a show, crying, and falling on the floor.  We had the screamingest kids.  

I donated whole blood last Saturday.  I felt fine afterwards, which is unusual.  Usually I feel fine after donating platelets,  I really enjoy donating blood and platelets. I feel like I'm doing some good in the world, without actually doing anything.

I've been doing a lot of quilting recently.  My cutting skills are improving slowly.  I cut rectangles for a quilt, I have yet to start sewing it.. I made a quilt from scraps.  That turned out really cool.  I still need Aaron to do the binding. I cut the squares for Christmas quits for Aaron's mom and bio-mom.  Aaron got the top of the first one put together last night.  It's a little small, so we're going to add a couple inches of sashing to all the sides.  I worked on Rebecca's quilt some, but that is easiest to do when no one else is home.  It's a big quilt and takes up a lot of space (the whole dining area of the kitchen).

scrappy quilt, before it was done

close up.

rectangle brick-y quilt

fabrics for the Christmas quilts.