Fun with Friends

Nothing like jumping on a hotel beds

For February Vacation we were lucky enough to be able to visit our friends from Colorado Amanda and Adelina who happened to be visiting New York. It was officially our first visitors! Yay! We met up in Hartford, CT at the Children's Museum and boy was it fun! Here are some pics....


Hampton Inn in Hartford

View of Hartford from our room

Giant Beluga Whale

Snack time with Adelina and Amanda

Flying an airplane

T Rex is coming to eat the kids



Getting ready to watch the planetarium show

Astronaut Mady

Watching the show- Ooooooooo

Noah doing his thing- building an airplane

Lunch in Hartford

Hop Along

Today I walked around the whole day with NO crutches!!! I can't say there was no discomfort involved but I feel like I'm free! In honor of this I thought I would share some of the 'crutchisims' I've had to endure over the last 8 weeks. For those of you who have been on crutches I hope you'll laugh because you get it and for those of you who haven't, I hope you'll just learn to walk more carefully and never ski again so you never have to :)
1. When going to bed make sure you put your crutch next to you so you don't have to ask your 3 year old to get it for you. When he can't find it in the dark (since he's up at 6 am and it's still dark) realize he wont be that concerned and will tell you "OK, just hop on one foot Mommy".
2. When it's time to make breakfast, just serve Pop tarts. Because when you try to get the cereal and milk to the table but can't carry them while holding crutches, you will have to toss the cereal box across the room to the table while hoping it doesn't explode when it hits and repeat for the milk (unless you slide it across the floor while pushing it with one crutch).
3.  Don't be a hero! When your loving family takes you out to lunch but doesn't bring the crutches and then your brother decides to park as far away from the door as possible (probably to get exercise) instead of dropping you off. Don't say "It's okay, I'll just hop". Insist they get the damn wheelchair out and push you. If you decide to be a hero: when your hopping back to the car and the pain is too much don't start hopping faster to get there faster, you WILL fall!
4. There is no comfortable way to sleep with a giant boot on, with it elevated on 5 pillows on your back. Just so you know.
5.  Your crutch is not a limb. Therefore, you cannot feel other people's toes under them and those people will not appreciate have their toes crushed.
6. If you have children they will now consider you permanently disabled since they have short memories. You will probably hear things on a regular basis like "before you broke your foot..." and "You can't do that now because your foot is broken"
7.  If your spouse is being naughty, crutches make a very good beating stick and they can reach farther than an arm.
8. Someone without a broken leg invented public restrooms. The Handicapped stall is at the far end of the bathroom which if you made it to the bathroom chances are making it all the way down there will not be an option. Also the soap, water and towel are all too dang far from each other. You have to hold onto your crutches, get soap, then wash then do a 180 and walk 5 steps (with wet hands, while holding crutches) to get the towels- What the heck?! On second thought, just carry a diaper and hand sanitizer.
9. Last but least, get used to being called "Hop along" or some variation for the next 8 weeks.

Here are the kids walking 5 minutes in my shoes- per se

Daddy Stole my Super Powers

Today we were getting into the car when Noah sadly reported "but I have no super powers, Daddy took them and now I can't fly"
Me: "It's ok, Daddy will give them back"
Noah:  "But now the green goblin can get me"
Me: "He will give them back, Daddy give him back his powers" (Joe still hasn't caught onto what is going on)
Daddy: "Huh?" then "oh ok, here buddy" handing them back
Noah: "but he still has my wings and I can't fly"
Me: "Well daddy can beat the bad guys, it's ok"
Noah: "No! He can't"
Me: "Daddy give him his wings"
Daddy: Already back to the front seat and buckled in "Ok" then he gets out of the car to hand him the 'wings'
Noah: "wanks, daddy" he then proceeds to put them on and hit the switch (button in the center of his chest) and the wings appear (his arms) like magic.
Me: "great! Now you can get the green goblin"

This entire conversation took place with very serious faces and no laughing. Where do kids come up with this stuff- it's so cute! And how do we not just completely lose it?

Next day:
Mady is baking S'mores in her easy bake oven and deciding who gets the first one. Now, if you have an easy bake you know it takes awhile and with this recipe you can only make 1 S'more at a time which takes 10 minutes. This might as well be 4 hours in kid time- point being the first one is the coveted one.
Mady: "I think I'll give the first one to.....thatha"
Noah: "I want the first one, stupid" (I know he's 3, that's a terrible thing to say)
Mady: "fine I'm not giving you any since you called me stupid"
Noah: "I hate you sissy"
Mady: moving on "the 2nd one goes to....me!"
Noah: "mommy, sissy is mean to me, she said no"
Me: "well let me tell you a secret about girls, if you want them to be nice to you you have to be nice to them. Tell Sissy she looks pretty or her hair is beautiful"
10 minutes later the first and coveted S'more comes out of the oven...
Noah: "Sissy, you're so beautiful"
Mady: "Here Noah, you can have the first one"
I of course start laughing and he says "it's not funny mommy". I'm not sure if I'm good for solving the problem or if he's good for being a man already ;)
Kids are so funny!

My Cup Runeth Over

Well here we are in beautiful Norwood, MA. The move was way easier than I ever expected. It was as seemless as possible- aside from the VERY long airport jaunt which included having a full pat down by a lovely TSA agent who tested my hands, clothes and "boot" for explosives and also a 25 min wait for a handicap cart to escort us to the gate. I made a mental note once we got here "Self, don't ever move across the country with 2 small children alone while still suffering from a broken ankle and being unable to walk". Awsome!
The first morning I woke up in Mady's iCarly bed (the kids slept with Daddy) to hear Noah getting up and helping himself to the kitchen where he found his Grandma who he calls "ThaTha". I listened to them playing and talking and having a great time. It made me realize that we are in the right place and we made the right decision. I was so happy I can't even explain. I felt truly at peace- a feeling I haven't felt in a long time.
Later that day Noah asked me "are we gonna stay here forever, and ever, and ever"? I said "Yes, is that ok?" and he said "YES!" They spent the next 2 days playing with their Dad, Thatha, Auntie Kelley, and Auntie Cheryl. They were so happy. Me too!
I've surprised myself. I moved here about 15 years ago and I was not this brave. I think I cried non-stop for at least 2 weeks after my sister left. Before this move, I prepared myself by meditating (something that is new to me). My friend Dianne taught me a technique and it seems to have really helped. I haven't had that feeling even one time. I miss everyone back home and I'm sure I will get home sick once the vacation feeling wears off. For now I'm just going to ride this ride and enjoying for once, the feeling of my cup actually running over :)