Graysen's Birthday Weekend - and Snow!

 None of us can believe this girl is 8 years old.  I've pretty much missed a whole year of her life, but she remains still the light of my life (one of them!) and a joy when I do get to see her.  I'm still waiting for lots of pictures, so I'll come back and plug them in when I get them.  Or do a whole separate post.

Elise gave her an astronaut Barbie, and she was thrilled with it.  For Christmas, she had gotten an astronomer Barbie and Kate an archeologist Barbie.  They've got the A careers covered quite nicely!

I so far haven't received a picture of Boo the Pomeranian that was my gift to her, but here she is reading me the book about Jiffpom - another Pomeranian - after she got home.

Going back to Thursday....  It was a day that I wasn't much looking forward to with a freshly vaccinated arm and only one day since the last PT, but it passed without incident and tolerable pain.

Emily and I stayed connected about any symptoms, but I had nothing interesting to offer.  When I got to PT, I think I was somewhat of an anomaly.  Almost everyone on the staff had had some sort of reaction to both vaccines, and they are all young!  I felt bad breezing in without one complaint - but not TOO bad.  I think I did better with PT too, because I was working hard to get out of there that day and home to my long weekend where I could be left alone!

The worst exercise I have seems so simple.  I just stand in front of a wall and put my palms outstretched on the wall.  Even that little motion is agonizing on the right.  But that's not enough.  Then I have to walk my fingers up the wall as high as I can get.  It's the only one so far that almost makes me cry.  I gritted my teeth Thursday and went up about 10 to 12 counts, which got a compliment from Laura.  But wow!  I'm making myself try it every time I see a wall, and I can still go up, but just starting out I have to do those deep breaths and psych myself up.  

I'm beginning to resent this man's smug little smirk!

Some of the other things are falling into place better, but I have to do 30 counts AFTER I feel discomfort, so nothing is really fun.  Everyone told me it would be hard, especially with the rotator cuff involved, so I'm working hard to be better by spring.

I'm already going to keep Katherine a couple of days next week since Graysen has parkour classes.  I don't like to think about what that involves.  Piano seems much nicer to me, but she's excited!  I'm not sure what two days are involved, but I do hope we can get outside.

After the weekend we're having, I don't have too much hope for the weather.  I never do until May anyway, but this was a wild weekend with 67 MPH winds on the Ridge and lots of snow.  It didn't look very deep because the wind would blow the snow off the ground and into high drifts, leaving ice on the surfaces.  Because of that, the snowplows weren't able to manage the streets well, and we were pretty much all trapped inside.  Lots of trees fell on house, and fences were knocked down.  Our balcony, which usually doesn't get wet or snowy under the worst circumstances, was quite covered.

But we had power!!

Layla wasn't sure what to make of this unusual ice formation.  She took a few bites of it to check it out.  Elise coaxed her out long enough for her to decide that wasn't good for kitty paws.  She leapt around a little bit and then popped right back in.

I'm not sure there are many children who complain about the snow, even if it wasn't ideal for building snowmen or playing.  The drift beside my car was almost deep enough for sledding.

We celebrated Graysen's birthday on Friday night at the apartment, because it was looking like snow for sure on Saturday, and there was.  It was just a special night with no masks - and we really shouldn't have relaxed that much, even with the vaccine.  Those sweet real kisses though!  And forward hugs!  I'll gather those photos from someone, since my camera died after one.

  Her little party at home went on as usual, and the Wheat family - their schoolmates Harper and Ellis - spent the day with them.  I know there was Mod pizza - vegan - and peanut butter pie from the recipe from the Original Oyster House in Mobile - balloons, games, crafts, and much more fun. Like a blizzard hot tub experience.

For a little bit more fun, they're all headed to the school for some sledding this afternoon.  Such a special birthday.  

We're always missing Mike, and this picture popped up in my memories from a few years ago.  I think this is just how he would have reacted at seeing those hot tub pictures.  Or he probably would have been in there with them.