Crafty Mom: August 2011

I have been horrible at posting in the last few months but I really want to make more of an effort so here is an update on where we are today:
Casey:
Casey is really enjoying his job. Who knew that an internship during school would lead to his dream job? Nuclear Pharmacy seems to really agree with him. He is state certified and the next step for him is to get board certified, which will really be an awesome accomplishment. As he tells me, there are less than 500 board certified Nuclear Pharmacists in the world so to get that certification will be something really special.
He loves his new-ish car, a Mazda RX-8 that he got back in November. He is always doing something to it, whether it is a new intake or new tires. This last week he got a programmer to adjust his computer so he now has an economy mode, sport mode and valet mode! He also has had the opportunity to race his car a couple of times out at Miller Motersports Park, a feat that appeals to his inner daredevil and freaks out my not-so inner worrywart!
Casey has been handling his diagnosis of diabetes really well. When he had his six month check-up, the doctor and her intern were shocked to see his A1C levels as well as his controls on his blood glucose levels. They said that except for some professional athletes, they have rarely seen anyone who has an A1C level as low as his! At that six month check-up, he discussed with his doctor his desire to get an insulin pump and after a trial back in July, he finally got his pump last Thursday. When he went in to his appointment to set it up at the counseller was shocked to find out that Casey had got online already and read the owner's manual before so he was not only familiar with the pump but could actually program it by himself while she stepped out of the room! As he told me the other day, it seems fated that he became a Pharmacist because he has the knowledge to control his diabetes and still live almost as normally as before.
Wes:
Wes is five and half months old as of this week and I can hardly believe it. He is growing so much and so quickly that I have a hard time dressing him since an outfit that fits him now may not next week!
He has excellent head control at this time, which allows him to sit well in his Bumbo or in his walker. He is also able to start eating solids and we have tried rice cereal (eh), applesauce (yay!), banana (seemed to like the taste but not the texture) and as of yesterday he tried a strawberry-applesauce mix (the best hit so far!).
He can roll over both ways, from belly to back and back to belly. He had done it a couple of times and since he knew he could it seemed he was content to leave it at that but this week he has been rolling all over. He can squirm over the Boppy, which I use to help him during tummy time, and pillows and is trying to get up on his knees. The problem is he doesn't use his arms so he pushes around on his face!
Wesley is a talker, just like Mom! He talks to himself, to me, and anyone who will listen, including the dogs. He loves to squeal and laugh, or just babble to himself. I feel like "Mama" is going to be first since I can here him say "Om" but I also swear when I ask him questions he says "Yeah"!
Me:
My biggest change lately has been that I have quit work, officially, and am now a full-time stay at home mom. I thought that it would be easy but there are some days that I think a full time job would be less exhausting. I knew that I wanted to be with Wes everyday and see all the changes that he goes through, but I kind of assumed it would be a breeze. Some days are obviously longer and harder than others, but I love that he now reaches out for me and nothing is as great as seeing his eyes light up when he hears my voice!
I have been lax on housekeeping lately and I need to hop back on that horse, but the last couple of weeks have been slightly trying. I have a baby who is growing and possible teething so there is fitful sleep and crying jags; my youngest sister just got married on August 20, so there was lots of last minute things to help her with as well as getting all of our outfits ready; and my grandma had a series of mini-strokes a week and a half ago.
We had my grandpa's birthday party on August 7 and I am so happy that I went. My grandma was there and held the baby and held him for quite a while, which I got a few pictures of. I get to keep those memories of her and him, while she was still capable of holding him un-assisted. The next day she fell, which seems to be when the first of these mini-strokes began. She had three falls on Tuesday and another Wednesday and on Thursday morning one more. One of my cousins just happened to call her and upon hearing she fell, went to the house to help her up and then took her to Insta-Care to check her out.
Since nobody really had all of the information regarding her last few days in addition to her current (at the time) symptoms, a stroke wasn't at all on our family's radar but that afternoon my youngest sister, a LPN, went to see her and after seeing her condition decided to take her to the emergency room. At that time there was slurred speech, a noticeable problem with her limbs on her right side as well as cognition issues. After several hours she had been officially diagnosed as having had a stroke.
Since that day, my grandmother has been in the hospital every day and has been going through speech therapy, physical therapy and occupational therapy to help her build up what she can. We know that getting grandma back to her old self is never going to happen which is hard to accept. However, we know that she is lucky that she isn't impaired any more than what she is. Walking is something that takes a little effort but she can do it; getting to a sitting and standing position seems harder than the actual walking but that is one of the things she works on in therapy.
Luckily, my grandmother was able to attend my sister's wedding this last weekend, which meant a lot to everyone. She had a pass from the hospital for several hours and it was great to share this moment with her.

SO, this is where we stand right now. A lot of balls in the air but that is good. The next few months are sure to be jam packed as well. My other sister is going to get married in November so there is a lot of planning going on with that, we are trying to pick some days to head out to Vegas in December as an extended-family trip with my parents and both of my sisters and their new husbands. Both Casey's and my birthdays are coming up as well as many family members, plus the holiday season. I see the next few months as going quickly, but hopefully, smoothly as well!