Three Words - Kids' Sized Frosty!

I took the boys to visit Daddy today at the hospital. It's a little sad when every single time we get in the door, whether from the park or our backyard, Dexter says, "Hi Daddy!" when I open the door. At bedtime, he asks for a hug from Daddy. At naptime, he asks for a hug from Daddy. I have to remind him that Daddy's at the hospital.


It was a pretty normal morning of sun (which I have missed very much, but not as much as I miss Richard) in the backyard, the boys in the pool, and me reading a book.

Lunch, pack up all the stuff Richard wanted me to bring to the hospital, and although running late, we finally got into the car by a little after 2pm. By the time we got down the road, both boys were asleep as planned.
Nice.


Traffic. Not nice. I'm not going to go into detail, but between the airshow, the construction on hwy #1 keeping most of the speed limit to 80km/hr, and everyone coming home from camping (sniff sniff), it was a gong show. The boys and I didn't arrive at the hospital until 3:39. Yikes!!!

We have a courtesy car until Tuesday or so. Something about the a/c compressor and bearings. I don't know, but I was happy they gave me a car to use! Thanks so much Ken for using your one day off back at home to help me sort that out. Thanks so much Mom, Kim, and Paul for watching the boys while I was out with Ken.

Anyhow... back to Richard. The boys were WONDERFUL! They brought their matchbox pop-up car thingies from home and I packed the dvd player too. We brought cards that we made for Daddy. Daddy was mighty happy to see his boys (and me too). I was worried about Dexter and how he'd be, especially since Richard is in a shared room, but he was great!

Richard's platelets were back down to 28. His hemoglobin is dropping. I think he said it was down to 115 (they transfuse at 80). His blasts were .3 or something originally and they are up to 1.something now. YIKES. The Leukemia is trying to work hard. Good thing the chemo starts tomorrow. Richard looked good, but looked like he missed us really badly. We miss you too, Richard. He wasn't in as much pain, and I think he said he hadn't had any morphine that day and this was to be his first night sleep without pain meds.

I packed his chocolate chip banana bread and pizza pockets into the freezer (which is now under lock and key... more on that later).

We visited until about 5:15pm when it was time for Richard to take a shower. I took the boys downstairs for some dinner that we packed.

It was a great visit. Richard and I fit in some cuddle time too. I, of course, forgot to take a picture of Richard with the boys. :(

After leaving the parkade, I drove the boys to the playground across the street. They got out some energy.


Top that all off with another $19.50 for parking, and maybe $10-$15 for gas, and of course, since the boys were so wonderful..... kids' sized frosties for 79 cents that I just couldn't pass up (once we were in Abby), and, well, you may as well just punch me in the face.

Okay, now let me vent...

Who are the greedy buggers charging $19.50 for parking for 3 hours? Here's what we know... almost everyone parking in these parkades is either sick or visiting a loved one who is sick. Now who is this sick being that owns the parkades? Is it a 'big business' or just one person that I can find and slap?

Here's the other thing, the fridge.
So, I go to the patient fridge to label Richard's stuff and put it in there. There are padlocks on the fridge and freezer!!!!!!! What????
I have to go get a key!
Who are these sick sick people? The only people on this floor are LEUKEMIA patients, their loved ones, and the nurses who care for them. Who would steal food from someone who is ill and has messed up taste buds?
What is wrong with this world?

Wooooo, whew.... phew...... whoa.... breathe Sonja.... just breathe.

haaaaaaaaa.

Okay. I'm fine now. Thanks for letting me get that out. I'll end with pictures from my phone.


Marpole Community Centre back on Wednesday

Dexter climbing.


The waterpark before it got turned on.


Look Mom - No Hands!

They had lots of fun in the sand.

Dexter didn't mind spinning on the tire swing. AJ LOVES to spin. Dexter, not so much.


me - "Dexter. AJ's going to play in the waterpark. Do you want to play in the waterpark? Bathing suit on?"
*****no answer*****
me -"Dexter! Swim trunks?"
*****no answer*****
me - "Dexter. AJ's getting wet. Do you want to get wet?"
*****no answer*****
then....
Dex - "I play in the sand!"

Of course, once I called AJ over to get dried off so we could pick up Richard, Dexter starts asking to go in the waterpark.
Sorry buddy, you missed your chance.


Just another morning at Thomas Swift.

AJ - "Mom, can you take a picture of me with my Transformer?"
AJ - "Mom, can you take a picture of me doing this?"

I think that's AJ up there, but I can't remember. Both of them were up there and then one poked their head down. I'm pretty sure that's AJ.

That thing spins.


Saturday at Gram's. Ken helped me take my car in to get fixed. Mom, Kim, and Paul stayed and watched the kids.

Dexter not falling asleep on the way home even though it was past his bedtime. Probably because he had two naps that day instead of one.

AJ sound asleep within minutes of leaving my mom's.