What a Week!

I haven't sent an update forever. As usual. This week, though, is well worth documenting. It all started with getting our new puppy Cavachon, named Charlie on Friday night. And then with Anna breaking her arm Saturday morning. She was holding onto the railing while walking down the stairs when Andrew climbed over the banister and slid down, knocking her over. She broke both bones in her forearm and they were at an angle. The doctor at the instacare told us to go to the ER to have her sedated to set the bone, but the doctor on call at the ER decided that it didn't really need to be set. So we waited until Wednesday to see an Orthopedist and the first thing he told me after looking at the x-rays was that she needed to go to the ER to have her arm set. I explained to him what had happened, which he thought was very strange and then he set the bones straight in his office with an x-ray machine on so we could see her bones. It would have been cool except for that Anna and I were both crying. And the nurse told me that Elizabeth and Andrew couldn't be in the room with us--they would have to wait in the waiting room. When I explained to her that they are 5 and 4, she told me I would have to choose who I wanted to be with. I chose Anna and went into the radiology room and saw a small corner behind a wall and convinced the nurse that Andrew and Elizabeth had small enough butts to sit there. Luckily, she obliged. Now Anna has a hot pink cast. The doctor had to take his saw and slit open one side to allow for more swelling from setting the bones. She gets a new cast Monday. She hasn't been sleeping well and talks about her "big owey." My favorite question is to ask her what color her cast is, because she always says green. She loves the color green.

On Tuesday my piano teacher forgot piano lessons and I got a speeding ticket on the way home. When I finally got home, I ran over Andrew's bike in the garage. Elizabeth called me from preschool crying because she wanted to go home and the dog peed on my carpet for the first time. Thursday my babysitter forgot to come and I couldn't ever get a hold of her. Friday my garage door fell off the tracks and bent. And my garbage diposal stopped working. And I broke the needle off of my sewing machine and I needed to finish my quilt block by Saturday. And Jeff has been out of town all week. Today I have been waiting for something to happen and I have been driving very carefully and watching my kids carefully when we are outside. Nothing terrible has happened today. We did have 3 people come to look at our house.

The kids, though, are doing okay, Anna excepted. Andrew did well in his soccer game today. He was running around strongly for the first half but the second half he was walking around not really paying attention. He got to play goalie, which he enjoys, and his team won 2 to nothing. Andrew is very much into Monoploy and we play almost every day. His math skills are getting very good. Tonight he bought Water Works for 150, so he gave me a 500 and said, "mom, now you have to give me 350 back." I think that is pretty good math for a 5-year old! He still plays the piano all day and makes up songs and asks me which one I like best. Today he was playing all the left hand parts to Elizabeth's songs. She has mastered her twinkles, Honeybee, Cukoo, and Lightly Row. I am proud of her. Anna sings all the Suzuki songs as well and loves to sit up to the piano and push buttons on the metronome.

Elizabeth still does tricks all day. Her new favorite is to do headstands on the stairs and kick her legs up to the stairs above her. And then she yells to me to help her get down. She plays all day with Anna, with her crafts, with Andrew and with her friend Elise. She amazes me everyday with how sweet and kind she is and how willing she is to help me out. I tell her every night that she has a very special part in our family.

Anna is Anna. She giggles and laughs and asks me to tickle her. She still loves Dora and we are planning her half birthday party for next week. She picked out the cake mix and frosting today. She will do anything Elizabeth wants her to, so Elizabeth guided all the decisions. Anna loves Charlie and talks to him like he is a baby. She loves talking about our dog. And holding his leash and filling up his water bowl and holding him on her lap. Luckily, Charlie doesn't mind.

That was a long update. Luckily, I have managed to keep my wits about me. I do find myself turning in circles sometimes, but I have had people help me. My neighbor has been a life saver, and I have felt so blessed to have her as a good friend. And my parents and Melissa and Michelle have helped a ton too just by talking to me on the phone.