Thanksgiving week...

This week always goes entirely too fast. My parents have been coming down to visit this week for the last several years. They get here on the Saturday before Thanksgiving and leave the Saturday after. They left today.
We cram in visiting my brother's house, shopping, playtime with kids, shopping, outings, eating and shopping into one week and it's never long enough. There is always great anticipation by Hayden and then he can't get enough of Grandma and Grandpa. Maya was all over them this year! I think they both memorized her books in the week they were here.
This is a short post, I am tired from a day of decorating and sewing and have a crappy cold. I always, always enjoy my time spent with my parents. But, it is always so dang hard when they have to leave. I can't hold back tears, I can't hide my sadness. It really sucks living so far away from my family.
There, that's it. That's pretty much the reason for the post. I don't have pictures to share. I always seem to forget the camera when they are here, just too much to do.
I'm just really sad to be so far away from 'home'.

Hayden vs. Maya

I don't know if it's a girl/boy thing or just the difference in two different kids. Since they are my own, I thought they'd have some similarities; I'm still looking for them!


Hayden: Tried a few times to open cupboards and then realized he couldn't get in, so he left them alone. I do have a couple that are child okay for fun. :)
Maya: She figured out out to open the child-proof cupboards. You know, the ones with the little white lever thing?

Hayden: We didn't have a dog, but had a cat. Never went to the bowl to empty or eat.
Maya: Into the dog dish, all the time. She starting to veer away when we catch her starting, but she still darts for it.

Hayden: Bathtub... We had the bathseat that hooks onto the edge of the tub and swivels. Never attempted to get out until he was almost a year and half and by then he was fine to be out.
Maya: She figured out really early on how to stand up, at about 11 months. We've since taken the seat out and let her move around.

Hayden: Has yet to break a dish, just broke a porcelain cat I had on a low shelf as a crawler. My fault, not his.
Maya: Has already broken two dishes. One corningware dish which I am now down to only one (thanks to myself and my mom) (see above about child-proof cupboards) and Saturday she pulled off a placemat from the table with a plate already on it. Scared the crap out of her!! Maybe that will deter her...

Hayden: STILL wants to just ride in the stroller. He would go for hours as a little guy in the mall. As long as it was moving, he was good.
Maya: HATES being in the stroller for too long. This was apparent at only a few weeks old. She wanted to be held so she could see out. Now, she wants to stand up in the stroller or walk.

Hayden: We never strapped the kid in the highchair. Okay, we did when we first got it, but then realized it was a pain and he would just put his arms up when he wanted out. He sat, ate and waited basically
Maya: Has figured out how to stand up in the high chair and will do so within minutes and now has to be strapped in.

Hayden: Is a bit of a picky eater.
Maya: Tries anything to eat and usually eats anything.

Hayden: Cars
Maya: Purses

Hayden: Wasn't really a climber. He got the stairs and those had the gate, so it was no biggy. He figured out how to get on the coffee table, but the fun wore off quickly. He didn't climb onto stuff to get stuff, just pointed and looked for someone to get it.
Maya: Moves tubs, chairs and whatever so she can climb onto anything. Figured out up and down the stairs too fast. Will attempt stacked tubs to get to the top if available.

Hayden: Napped twice a day no matter what.
Maya: If she takes a morning nap it HAS TO BE 30 minutes or less or there is no afternoon nap.

Hayden: Bald, then straight locks at nine months.
Maya: Full head of hair. Then, at nine months, spiral curls.

Both: FREAKING ADORABLE!!! :)

Catching up

The last two weeks have kind of gone by in a blur. Two weeks ago today, my Mom called me and told me Grandma had died. I still get teary and am still completely sad.

I flew out to Minnesota to attend the wake and funeral and stay a couple extra days to help. It was a weird flight and drive home. I flew with Maya and my brother. It wasn't like we were crying the entire trip, I think it was that we were both just dreading what we were flying home for. I left Hayden home with my Mom-in-law so he could still go to preschool. He had such a fun week planned, that I figured it would be better for him to just stay. Buddy had been planning a big hunting trip for like a year and had put so much time and money into it, Grandma would have wanted him to go. My Sis-in-law was flying out the next day. So, that's why just the three of us.

We arrived on Monday and went straight to Grandma's apartment. Mom was there, and the second we hugged, I lost it. In a way I was happy that Grandma wasn't still living at home. I didn't have as many memories attached to her in the apartment, so it was easier to walk around there and not break down.

Tuesday was the wake and I think it was actually a good one. The great-grandkids were running around, laughing, making noise and having a blast. They were told to quiet down a few times, but we all kind of realized that Grandma would love the noise! And they played freely.

(Maya and I either before or after the wake, I can't remember.)

Wednesday, the funeral, went well and was an emotional day. It's hard to remember things from the day. Afterwards, the family met up at my parents house and reminissed, talked and enjoyed the time together. It's been a really long time since we have all been under one roof together.

Thursday was a day of cleaning out the rest of Grandma's stuff from her place. It was rainy, dreary and chilly. I didn't mind though. We don't get those days here in Arizona. However, with the rain again on Friday, came snow. That, I don't miss. Not in October anyway.

I wanted to get back home on Saturday so I could be home to take Hayden and Maya trick-or-treating. I think I should have stayed in Minnesota. Halloween was a bust. Maya, loved her costume and was the cutest flower. She ended up falling out of her stroller and kissing the pavement causing a nice scratch on her nose and a bruise on her forehead. But, she kept on. Hayden is another story. I was so excited to take him since last year he had ran up to every house, knocked, said trick-or-treat and came home with a bucketload. This year, not so much. He HATED his costume, CRIED all the way to his teacher's house and cried all the way back. I was just so mad and already a basketcase emotionally, that I did not accept this well. Lots of yelling, threats and hands flailing were done by me. I realize I could have handled the situation better, but, at the time, I was just exhausted.

(the best I got of the two of them together)

One house was all we went to. I look at the bright side as this: we hardly have any candy that I would end up eating!

This week has gone by in a blur. I was extremely lazy. My mom-in-law, thank the Lord, stayed until Wednesday. I'm still tired, but am moving more. I still find myself zoning out and thinking of my Grandma. I have yet to completely unpack my suitcase, it's still on my bathroom floor wide open with only a few things in it.

This loss is going to take awhile to fade. I have three boxes of her things being shipped as I type. Opening them will be emotional. I'll make sure to have the Kleenex box prepared.

Slow Dance

This was a poem found in my Grandma's home. She had gotten it in a Christmas card at some point and must have thought it meaningful, because she kept it.
It was printed on the back of the funeral program and read during the service. It is now framed and out so I will see it everyday. The author is unknown.

Slow Dance

Have you ever watched kids on a merry-go-round
or listened to the rain slapping on the ground?

Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight
or gazed at the sun into the fading night?

You better slow down; don't dance so fast
Time is short, the music won't last.

Do you run through each day on the fly?
When you ask "How are you," do you hear the reply?

When day is done do you lie in bed
with the next hundred chores running through your head?

You better slow down; don't dance so fast
Time is short, the music won't last.

Ever told a child we'll do it tomorrow
and in your haste not see his sorrow?

Ever lost touch; let a good friendship die
Cause you never had time to call and say, "Hi?"

You better slow down; don't dance so fast
Time is short, the music won't last.

When you run so fast to get somewhere
you miss the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
it is like an unopened gift thrown away.

Life is not a race; do take it slower.
Hear the music before the song is over.