All Stitched Up & Ready To Go

He's really, real & he's finally here.  Fred the Monster has arrived.  Grandma Meredith put the finishing touches on Channing's new best friend as Channing took his bath this evening.  

It's amazing what we've learned about Fred already.


1.  He's five-and-a-half years old.
2.  His favorite color, like Channing's, is blue.
3.  His favorite cartoon is Chuck & Friends.
4.  He's 'that tall.'
5.  His favorite pass time is being tossed up into the air and 'letting' Channing catch him.  

Oh and 6. Fred's favorite food is waffles.  Fred LOVES waffles.  Channing said so.  

He also said the thing that would make Fred the happiest monster in the whole wide world would be to have a friend, a BIG monster.  Yes, even before Grandma Meredith placed the last stitch in Fred's little blue belly button, Channing had the monster knitting book out.  This time, he picked Hugo.  Apparently, Hugo likes popcorn and that makes him the perfect companion for Fred.  And Channing.

365 Project-Weeks 19-22

I feel like a hoarder, a photo hoarder to be precise.  Weeks and weeks worth of photographs and stories are waiting to be shared.  Weeks!  The photos are crying from the confines of iPhoto, begging to be let out.  


As I'm off to the oncology center this morning and have just a few minutes to spare before dashing out the door, I'll share once more from the 365 Project.  Here you go-Weeks 19 through 22.  Enjoy!

1.  Channing & his crawly little friend having a face-to-race chat on our front walk.  2.  Angie brought a fantastic two-sided puzzle when she came to visit.  Channing wasted no time in showing Grandma Kathy how great he is at making matches.  3.  A red umbrella day.  While it wasn't raining, Channing seemed to think it was appropriate to carry the umbrella around for a while one morning.  4.  Tasty bites.  Oh how I love me some baked brie.  The left bite has brown sugar & pecans melted over it.  The right bite was topped with a mixture of fresh berries, sea salt, olive oil and a drizzle of honey.  My mouth is watering.  5.  Chemo day.  Eating popsicles while certain drugs are administered can prevent nasty mouth sores.  I just like seeing the bright colors in a place that can sometimes seem a little depressing.  6.  Boingarooski!!  7.  One of the many balls in Channing's ball collection.  This one is hollow in the middle, allowing Channing and his neighborhood friends to crawl inside.  Too fun!!

1.  The ceiling of one of the green houses at Gertens.  Channing kept asking if we were 'in the forest' and making exclamations about adventures as we browsed aisle after aisle of plants and flowers.  2.  One must keep a watchful eye out when eating cupcakes.  You never know who's going to try to steal a bite of your frosting!  3.  Fred the Monster has a little friend.  Channing made sure he got some love too when visiting the yarn shop.  4.  I was told NOT to take a picture of Channing's new haircut thus he tried to cover it up when I pulled out the ol' camera.  5.  The very beginning of Fred.  He's come a long way since then.  6.  A post-swim hot chocolate and a bit of ship watching on a recent visit to Duluth.  7.  One last dip in the pool before leaving Duluth and returning home.  

1.  The every present and always watchful Mr. Bunny.  2. Pinterest.  Yes.  I am totally addicted to Pinterest.  This is frequently my view on the nights WM is out of town and WC has gone to bed.  3.  Mega bubbles.  Channing wanted to make the big kind one day.  We tried.  Unsuccessfully.  4.  The little man of the house is still working on his baby care skills.  At this point, he could probably teach some adults a thing or two.  I'm not kidding.  This kid's got it down!  5.  Channing enjoyed a sand filled morning on Horseshoe beach over Memorial Day weekend.  Loving the rolled up jeans and the sandy toes.  Just can't get enough of them!  6.  With a little coaxing from Grandma Kathy, Channing finally got over his fear of the 4-Wheeler.  7.  The 2012 Horseshoe Cup Champion eyes up his competition as his group approaches the back 9.  Truthfully, WM won this year, but if you ask Channing he did.  

1.  A little bite of heaven, cinnamon roll bread from Toby's bakery.  2.  Channing pays no mind to the temperature outdoors.  Even when it's a gazillion degrees out with 200% humidity, he begs to go outdoors to play.  This pregnant mama isn't so fond of that type of weather, so we occasionally have to compromise.  On this particular day, compromise came in the form of a fort made of the dining room chairs and a bunch of random blankets from the linen closet.  3.  Another indoor distraction for little ones-paper airplanes!!  I've made an entire fleet of them now.  To Channing each holds just as much magic and fun as the one before.  1 piece of printer paper = hours of entertainment = one happy boy + one happy mama.  4.  A quick trip to the General Store in Minnetonka resulted in a fabulously tasty lunch with Grandma Kathy and a basket filled with Father's Day goodies for WM.  Channing personally selected each an every one of them, even the egg separator.  5.  Just relaxin' on Grandma & Grandpa Flynn's deck.  Sometimes a guy's just got to kick back and relax, if only for a minute or two.  6.  Daddy's big helper thoroughly enjoyed a trip to Home Depot to purchase a storm door and excitedly talked about all the tools required to complete the installation all the way home.  He truly thought he had it all figured out and that he was going to be the one doing all the work.  7.  WM's favorite day of spring, the day the soft shell crab appears among all the fresh sea food at Byerly's.  

Happy Accident

It took bribery this time around.  If Channing cooperated and allowed me to photograph him for a little Father's Day project, I'd give him one York Peppermint Patty Bite for each pose he didn't whine about.  At first, the bites were definitely needed, but after a time they were forgotten.  Channing, the model, found his groove, and we went with it.  


Truth be told, I was after just one shot.  I got it.  The result?  


Well, to start with one very happy accident.  There is something about this picture of him that grabs me and pulls me in.  

In trying to capture a photo of little boy toes against Daddy's big ol' baseball glove, I pulled back and unexpectedly caught this.  Makes me want to scoop him up, smother him with smooches and keep him small forever.  

And, then there was the intended result.  WM was more than pleased to find this in his pile of gifts on Father's Day morning, making both the photographer and the model very, very happy.

Funny thing about this gift.  It has yet to be hung on the wall.  As it is within his reach, Channing keeps stealing it and claiming it as his own.  I often find it propped against the wall in his bedroom where he insists it must be hung.  Silly boy.

Thankful

Tonight...Tonight, I am thankful to be bald.  Yes, an odd thing to be thankful for.  However, the reality is if I wasn't bald already, I'd be well on my way to being there.  I've been pulling out my non-exsistant hair for well over an hour now trying to get Channing to bed.  Seriously.  


We've (hopefully) negotiated for the umteenth and final time.  The house is finally silent.  I do not hear the pitter patter of little feet sneaking down the hall, a little boy on a late night quest for a bandaid or in search of a glass of water or needing to pee or needing lotion for his itchy bug bites or...or...or...The peace of a house with sleeping children has descended.  Finally.


It's time for this mama to play catch up, to finally download and sort through hundreds of photos amassed over the past few weeks, to take a quiet walk down memory lane while the gentle evening breeze floats in through the open window and to enjoy a little me time. 


[sigh]


Without further ado, the 365 project-Week 18.  

1.  Mom Drawings.  Well, that's what Channing calls DrawSomething.  He's very good at helping out.  Very good.  2.  Sporting his pizza chef tattoo and getting ready to serve up his fresh baked pizza pie.  3.  We're finally getting around to a little decorating in our master bedroom.  Channing was holding up fabric swatches for our new headboard and, of course, giving his opinion on what should be ordered.  4.  Practicing writing the letter 'C' in on the shower door.  Yes, he's wearing his swimming trunks and rash guard in the shower.  Whatever keeps him happy, right?  5.  Slicing and dicing.  The Swim Suit Chef helped to make salad one night before dinner.  6.  Snuggle buddies.  'Nuf said.  7.  Snugglier buddies.  Channing helped to love up Laurie's pooch, Rustie.  

There is still much sorting and sifting to do.  Hopefully, this will tide you over.

Red Umbrella-Over the Hump

I just checked.  It's been well over a month since a Red Umbrella post appeared on this blog. A month!!  I think this picture about sums it up:

It's gone by in a blur.  I'm now more than halfway done with chemo.  I'll admit it is beginning to wear on me.  A pattern is beginning to emerge.  Treatment = instant reflux.  Food, even water, bounces up and down my innards like some sort of crazed express elevator.  Ever been on the Tower of Terror at Disney's MGM Studios?  Yeah.  It's sort of like that.  It makes sleeping, even sleeping while sitting up, difficult.  Sleep becomes an elusive friend.  At night, my dry mouth glues itself shut and I wake, choking.  No matter how much water I drink I. Don't.  Feel.  Hydrated.  

A week after treatment, the reflux is more under control, but the nausea and the fatigue sets in.  Taking a shower becomes a monumental task.  After 5 or so days of feeling like I'm newly pregnant again and, at times, overwhelmingly exhausted, it's over.  I feel almost normal.  

I'm not complaining.  I'm sharing.  I want others to be able to learn from this experience of mine.  There aren't many resources for pregnant women going through chemo.  This could all be so much worse.  I get that.  I am grateful it is not.

Baby Flynn continues to take it all in stride.  I am amazed.  I am awed.  I cannot wait to hold this little miracle of ours.  As with chemo, we're on the downward slope, being past the halfway point.  

Channing's been busy preparing for the Big Arrival.  He practices on his doll.  The clothes are changed frequently to allow for diaper changes and baths.  His baby is bottled and burped.  And loved.  

My oh my, how this wee one is loved.  It's a sign of what's to come and it makes this mama so very, very proud.