Facebook Archive - October 2021

Oct 6 - Ian had his first hockey games this past weekend and loved them. I'm so grateful he has hockey. It brings him so much joy.

Oct 13 - We figured out over the weekend that Ian’s feet had grown and he needed new skates. We determined the size and model and Shrop paid for the skates and the overnight shipping from Canada so we could get them ASAP. Ian loves his new skates and we got them molded and the blades cut just in time for practice Tuesday. We donated the old skates to the rink.

Oct 19 - Today I learned my kid knows all the lyrics to “Careless Whisper.”

Me: “Where did you hear this song?”
Ian: [stares at me]
Me: “Like is there a TikTok with this song?”
Ian: “It’s *the* quintessential sax riff. Everyone has heard it forever. So I just googled sax riff and found the song.”
Me: “I guess it is pretty iconic. But I didn’t think you had heard it.”
Ian: “I came out of your vagina and somewhere in the hospital this song was playing and at that moment I thought, ‘huh, this place has sweet sax riffs, I wonder what that song is.’”
Me: “And you just had to wait until you could google and read to figure it out. Good job.”

Oct 20 - Ian's 12th birthday is Friday and we have big plans for sushi dinner, a 7 am hockey game Saturday, followed by a Covid vaccine. Everyone is excited about that.

Oct 27 - Ian turned 12 on Friday and I let him wait until the following day after his hockey game for his Pfizer vaccine and flu shot. He chilled out for the weekend and Monday and seems ready to rumble now.

Oct 31 - Ian did a great job on his pumpkin today

Oct 31 - That’s my astronaut escorting his next door neighbor around the neighborhood. Warms my heart.

Facebook Archive - September 2021

Sept 8 - First day of sixth grade and middle school at Blair! Round trip to drop him off was about an hour, which is great given the traffic and bus shenanigans

Sept 8 - As of today, Ian is in a building with other children and adults for 6.5 hours each weekday! My house is blissfully quiet!

Sept 10 - (on motorcycle) I told Ian if he couldn’t find me for after school pickup today, he wasn’t looking.

Sept 13 - Ian: “What’s with the bucket of fabric on the table?”
Thus begins our journey into cloth napkins …

Sept 15 - Ian started hockey yesterday, and while the parents can’t seem to understand how masks work (don’t tell me your 8yo mite player is vaccinated), we had a great time. He played well, he had fun, he packed and unpacked on his own. My job was just to drive, pay for jerseys, and buy him drive thru second dinner. I read an actual book in the lobby!

Sept 15 - School is going great for Ian. It’s such a joy to see him easily navigating middle school after a year and a half of virtual school and quarantine. It’s also a big win to be able to text him and find him for pick up. Modern problems require modern solutions.

Sept 15 - Ian requested that I update everyone on his second day of hockey practice. He got dressed and packed his bag at home. We drove to the rink and I didn’t even go inside, but just stopped the car enough for him to roll out.

Stella and I walked 1.5 miles around the neighborhood and then settled in to wait in the parking lot. Just as I left to pick up second dinner, I got a call from the rink. It was Ian calling from the snack bar.

“Hi, Mom. I started to go low so I had to get off the ice early. Are you still outside?”

I doubled back and we got him some food and a drink. He was a bit weepy when I picked him up, apologizing for leaving early. I told him he did everything exactly right and we’ll get his sugars dialed in better for suicides on skates by next week.

I know that feeling of having to stop something you were enjoying because of low blood sugar all too well. He was sniffling in the passenger seat, “I was having so much fun I didn’t want to stop!”

Bags are unpacked, washer is loaded, and Ian just finished his shower. He did so great. The coaches were nice to him and the rink staff were wonderful. I’m still just driving, buying stuff, and picking up second dinner.

Sept 22 - We bought two IKEA cubbies so Ian can store his sweatshirts and more books in his room. He and I assembled them together and it went well.
Ian loves school and hockey and it warms my heart every day to hear about it. That kid is pretty great.

Facebook Archive - August 2021

August 11 - Ian is visiting Granddad and Uncle Lee this week and having a blast. I got to see some friends this week after a brief road trip.

August 13 - Poor Ian saw me carrying Mollie’s limp body in from the yard last night and fell apart. “Is she dying? I don’t want her to die! I’m calling Shrop!”

August 18 - Ian just went to his “Transition” day at school to get a tour of the building, pick up his Chrome book, and learn about all the offerings. He even made some new friends already. We’re celebrating with Doumar’s and the dogs might get a French fry.

August 18 - Me to Ian: “Well, pick a back pack I like because I’m living vicariously through your back to school shopping!”

August 23 - Ian came into my room at 5:30 this morning saying he couldn’t fall asleep. Not back asleep, but asleep for the first time. He walked the dogs with me this morning and continued on his day until 3:30 or so when he fell asleep on the loveseat only to be woken up to Stella nibbling his toes.

It was amazing how he reverted to his toddler form. Sobbing at the affront. Crying “No!” and “I don’t wanna!” as I escorted him to his bed. He was asleep again in seconds.

Sometimes he’s almost grown and then he’s just a baby. Sometimes in the same day.