Yesterday was the official start of summer. Of course, I didn't need to look at the calendar to let me know this- I only needed to look outside. The magic of the summer evening has returned.
I had nearly given up, worried that the bug barrier we sprayed in our yard in the spring killed them. I have to admit that I was nearly as happy as Robby when I looked outside and saw that the neighborhood was filled with lightening bugs.
Robby, unconcerned by the fact that he was wearing his pajamas, frantically put his shoes on so that we could go on a "bug hunt." I slipped on a pair of shorts that were on the floor, grabbed the bug box and went after him to join the hunt.
Robby and I must have been quite the spectacle running around the yard chasing bugs. I was wearing my pink Winnie the Pooh nightgown with what turned out to be Scott's shorts underneath. My shoes didn't match because I put on the wrong leg in my rush to get outside. (That certainly isn't an excuse most people can use!) Robby was running around the yard with his shoes on his wrong feet wearing a Spongebob pajama top and pirate pants.
We had a great time catching lightening bugs, and Robby's bug catching ability has certainly improved over the winter. He thinks that we caught "one million and eighty one" bugs. I estimate the number closer to thirty. In any case, I had a great time running around the yard with him in our mis-matched clothes and shoes trying to catch the little glowing bugs. His giggling filled up the neighborhood!
On the way back into the house, Robby told me that he wanted to be a lightening bug. I agreed, telling him that it would be fun to fly around the yard and twinkle. My fellow bug hunter stopped in his tracks and he became serious. "Momom, you would not be a good lightening bug. Your bum would be too bright if it glowed."
There went my feel good, I'm a super Mommy happy moment! I spent the remainder of the evening evaluating my backside. I became defensive about the fact that I would indeed make a magnificent lightening bug.
About Me
- Peggy
- I am a below knee amputee. More importantly, I am also Mommy to two boys, a very active 10 year old (Robby) and an mischievous toddler (Timmy). I have learned that being a parent with a disability can create some unusual and sometimes humorous situations. This blogger is available for hire! Let's talk and learn how a blog can expand your business.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Fan Page
Almost a year ago I started the AmputeeMommy Fan Page on Facebook. Much like this blog, it has been slow to take off. I had a vision of creating a supportive community for amputees where support, advice and friendship was fostered. For months I was the only member posting on the wall, always thrilled when somebody wrote a response.
Just as I continued blogging when I was fairly certain my only readers were my mom and mother-in-law, I tried to keep the Fan page active despite the lackluster response. I was beginning to lose hope, but I am nothing if not stubborn and persistent! Finally, about three months ago the page started to turn a corner.
I am thrilled with the activity the page has been receiving. The support that it is garnered for those who reach out to celebrate victories and setbacks is heartwarming and affirming. The videos and photos that have been posted are uplifting and have made me smile- even on days when Robby Rotten has been wreaking havoc!
I am proud that my goal for the Fan page is being realized. Finally, after a year, we have created an uplifting, encouraging and loving place where amputees of all experience levels and from all backgrounds can meet and share encouragement and ideas. Thank you for making this possible!
Scott works diligently to make sure that the place remains "safe" and void of unsavory devotees. If you are looking for friends who understand and are ready to offer a cheering section, check us out! There is always room for more encouraging and loving fans.
Just as I continued blogging when I was fairly certain my only readers were my mom and mother-in-law, I tried to keep the Fan page active despite the lackluster response. I was beginning to lose hope, but I am nothing if not stubborn and persistent! Finally, about three months ago the page started to turn a corner.
I am thrilled with the activity the page has been receiving. The support that it is garnered for those who reach out to celebrate victories and setbacks is heartwarming and affirming. The videos and photos that have been posted are uplifting and have made me smile- even on days when Robby Rotten has been wreaking havoc!
I am proud that my goal for the Fan page is being realized. Finally, after a year, we have created an uplifting, encouraging and loving place where amputees of all experience levels and from all backgrounds can meet and share encouragement and ideas. Thank you for making this possible!
Scott works diligently to make sure that the place remains "safe" and void of unsavory devotees. If you are looking for friends who understand and are ready to offer a cheering section, check us out! There is always room for more encouraging and loving fans.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Father's Day Fun
Our house was in full celebratory mode this weekend. Scott's last day of school is today, meaning that he will be home for summer vacation. As if having his Daddy home everyday isn't exciting enough, Robby was in full Father's Day preparation. He loves nothing more than a party or any occasion that necessitates a cake!
It feels like time has just flown by during the past few weeks. If it weren't for the non-stop Hallmark commercials I wouldn't believe that Father's Day was Sunday. Thank goodness the advertisers wouldn't let me forget!
I took Robby shopping a few weeks ago where he found a kite that he thought would be perfect for his Daddy. I agreed and we bought it with the understanding that it was to remain a secret until Father's Day. I was impressed with how Robby kept his vow of silence on the subject.
Correction- I was impressed until Saturday afternoon. Scott and I were talking about Father's Day, in particular what he wanted for dinner. Robby chimed in, "I cannot wait to give you the special blue and yellow kite that we bought you for Father's Day. Daddy, you are going to love your kite surprise." So much for a surprise! We went ahead and gave Scott the kite when we got home.
Sunday morning Robby and I woke up and made Scott breakfast in bed. (We ran out of regular bread so we substituted Goldfish shaped bread for toast.) Robby was so proud carrying the plate of quasi-warm eggs and fish shaped toast to his Daddy! The two boys cuddled in bed and watched Scooby-Doo for the remainder of the morning.
Robby had a wonderful time showering his Daddy with hugs, I-love-you's and Happy Father's Day wishes all day. In the afternoon he helped me bake a cake. After spreading the batter in the pan, Robby asked me if we could bake two more cakes. He explained that he wanted to make one for Mr. Bill because "it makes him smile" and one for Mr. John (our other neighbor) because his daughter is "very far away." (She is currently deployed and serving in Afghanistan.)
I was proud of my little guy's thoughtful idea. My kitchen became a disaster area covered with flour and sugar, but it was worth it. Robby looked adorable as he proudly presented the cakes to the two men. Hopefully the gesture made their Father's Day away from their children a little happier!
It feels like time has just flown by during the past few weeks. If it weren't for the non-stop Hallmark commercials I wouldn't believe that Father's Day was Sunday. Thank goodness the advertisers wouldn't let me forget!
I took Robby shopping a few weeks ago where he found a kite that he thought would be perfect for his Daddy. I agreed and we bought it with the understanding that it was to remain a secret until Father's Day. I was impressed with how Robby kept his vow of silence on the subject.
Correction- I was impressed until Saturday afternoon. Scott and I were talking about Father's Day, in particular what he wanted for dinner. Robby chimed in, "I cannot wait to give you the special blue and yellow kite that we bought you for Father's Day. Daddy, you are going to love your kite surprise." So much for a surprise! We went ahead and gave Scott the kite when we got home.
Sunday morning Robby and I woke up and made Scott breakfast in bed. (We ran out of regular bread so we substituted Goldfish shaped bread for toast.) Robby was so proud carrying the plate of quasi-warm eggs and fish shaped toast to his Daddy! The two boys cuddled in bed and watched Scooby-Doo for the remainder of the morning.
Robby had a wonderful time showering his Daddy with hugs, I-love-you's and Happy Father's Day wishes all day. In the afternoon he helped me bake a cake. After spreading the batter in the pan, Robby asked me if we could bake two more cakes. He explained that he wanted to make one for Mr. Bill because "it makes him smile" and one for Mr. John (our other neighbor) because his daughter is "very far away." (She is currently deployed and serving in Afghanistan.)
I was proud of my little guy's thoughtful idea. My kitchen became a disaster area covered with flour and sugar, but it was worth it. Robby looked adorable as he proudly presented the cakes to the two men. Hopefully the gesture made their Father's Day away from their children a little happier!
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
Wall of Legs
Lined up along a wall in my living room I have an arsenal of prosthetic legs. I'm sure that it must look strange to guests who enter our house, but each leg has a purpose and a defined use. I never realized how much planning it would take to be an amputee!
I have a leg for walking. Receiving my Proprio foot was a life changing event. Despite its numerous attributes, a microprocessor does have limitations, hence the reason for my other legs.
I have a swim leg which I also use to play in the snow in the winter and run through the sprinkler in the summer. I also wear my swim leg when we dance in the rain, throw water balloons or play puddle tag.
When I want to run, jog or kick a ball, I wear what is referred to as my "running leg." I don my MOD III anytime I want to do a higher impact activity. Truth be told, Robby prefers my "running leg" because he knows that I can play tag while wearing it. He has even tried to hide my Proprio in an attempt to force my wearing the activity leg.
One of the most frustrating things about being an amputee is the need to constantly change prosthetics to suit the activity. Being active takes planning, and I'm not exactly renown for my planning abilities! More than once I've had to stop doing something or have had to return home because I had the wrong leg.
I would love a "one leg fits all activities" prosthetic. Despite the strides made during the past few years, this is not yet a reality. It would be liberating to have a leg that would work optimally in all conditions and situations. Until then, I'll try to plan ahead and keep my "wall of legs" at the ready.
I have a leg for walking. Receiving my Proprio foot was a life changing event. Despite its numerous attributes, a microprocessor does have limitations, hence the reason for my other legs.
I have a swim leg which I also use to play in the snow in the winter and run through the sprinkler in the summer. I also wear my swim leg when we dance in the rain, throw water balloons or play puddle tag.
When I want to run, jog or kick a ball, I wear what is referred to as my "running leg." I don my MOD III anytime I want to do a higher impact activity. Truth be told, Robby prefers my "running leg" because he knows that I can play tag while wearing it. He has even tried to hide my Proprio in an attempt to force my wearing the activity leg.
One of the most frustrating things about being an amputee is the need to constantly change prosthetics to suit the activity. Being active takes planning, and I'm not exactly renown for my planning abilities! More than once I've had to stop doing something or have had to return home because I had the wrong leg.
I would love a "one leg fits all activities" prosthetic. Despite the strides made during the past few years, this is not yet a reality. It would be liberating to have a leg that would work optimally in all conditions and situations. Until then, I'll try to plan ahead and keep my "wall of legs" at the ready.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Another Poop Blog... Yes, Sorry!
I realize that my need to stay busy borders on compulsion. I decided that this summer I was going to slow down and simply be in the moment with Robby and Scott. During the past few days I've been trying to relax my pace as well as reduce my activities. It has not been easy.
Yesterday the weather was absolutely gorgeous. Not wanting to work in the yard but wanting to enjoy the weather, we headed to the Animal Park. Robby could not have been more excited.
He chatted the entire drive to the park. Upon entering, he retrieved his cones of animal feed and we proceeded to visit his beloved goats. The most amazing thing happened while Robby's little baby goats were eating.
The event was the source of conversation for the remainder of the day and evening. Robby chatted about the incident to every park visitor we encountered.To my chagrin, he even ran over to share the news with our neighbors when we got home.
The baby goat pooped. For some reason, seeing the goat defecate is the source of both wonder and amusement for my little five year old. Witnessing this awe inspiring and comical event also seemed to remind Robby of the humor of the word "poop."
Last night, every other word out of his mouth was "poop." He didn't want a cheeseburger, but he hungrily ate his "poop burger." He refused ice cream but frantically asked for "poop cream" when I closed the freezer.He asked for a "poop bath" before getting into his "poop jammies." Before going to bed, he grabbed "poop bear" and gave me a "poop kiss." Each newly created word was followed by a loud and hearty laugh. (He was the only one finding the new game funny.)
Out of a desire to maintain my sanity and to escape the poop-inspired antics, I found myself outside picking up sticks at 7:30 PM. The mosquitoes were biting my ankle but the blood-letting didn't deter me. (I did find some satisfaction in the fact that only one leg was being bitten to pieces.) I was happy for the excuse of a chore to escape my house.
I had hoped that I had written my last "poop" blog. I was wrong, and I hate to complain. However, his poop jokes aren't funny to most people over the age of five and are beginning to drive me crazy. If he remembers the unflattering word game today, I am going to have to abandon my no housework vacation. Clearing out a forest of poison ivy will feel like a vacation compared to listening to another day of poop inspired jokes!
Yesterday the weather was absolutely gorgeous. Not wanting to work in the yard but wanting to enjoy the weather, we headed to the Animal Park. Robby could not have been more excited.
He chatted the entire drive to the park. Upon entering, he retrieved his cones of animal feed and we proceeded to visit his beloved goats. The most amazing thing happened while Robby's little baby goats were eating.
The event was the source of conversation for the remainder of the day and evening. Robby chatted about the incident to every park visitor we encountered.To my chagrin, he even ran over to share the news with our neighbors when we got home.
The baby goat pooped. For some reason, seeing the goat defecate is the source of both wonder and amusement for my little five year old. Witnessing this awe inspiring and comical event also seemed to remind Robby of the humor of the word "poop."
Last night, every other word out of his mouth was "poop." He didn't want a cheeseburger, but he hungrily ate his "poop burger." He refused ice cream but frantically asked for "poop cream" when I closed the freezer.He asked for a "poop bath" before getting into his "poop jammies." Before going to bed, he grabbed "poop bear" and gave me a "poop kiss." Each newly created word was followed by a loud and hearty laugh. (He was the only one finding the new game funny.)
Out of a desire to maintain my sanity and to escape the poop-inspired antics, I found myself outside picking up sticks at 7:30 PM. The mosquitoes were biting my ankle but the blood-letting didn't deter me. (I did find some satisfaction in the fact that only one leg was being bitten to pieces.) I was happy for the excuse of a chore to escape my house.
I had hoped that I had written my last "poop" blog. I was wrong, and I hate to complain. However, his poop jokes aren't funny to most people over the age of five and are beginning to drive me crazy. If he remembers the unflattering word game today, I am going to have to abandon my no housework vacation. Clearing out a forest of poison ivy will feel like a vacation compared to listening to another day of poop inspired jokes!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Stink Bugs Stink!
Yesterday morning Robby and I lounged around the house. After I rode my bike (on the trainer) I took a shower and prepared for a day of doing nothing. Robby asked to go for a bike ride, so I switched legs and we headed outside.
We happily pedaled around the neighborhood singing "The Wheels on the Bus" with gusto. It's good that most of my neighbors are either elderly with impaired hearing or employed because I'm sure I'd receive complaints if they were able to hear us! What Robby and I lack in talent we certainly make up for with enthusiasm.
During the ride I began to smell the unmistakable odor of stink bugs. Those invasive little bugs have descended on our house like the plague. "Find the stink bug" is now one of Robby's favorite activities; the game can keep him busy for hours before he finally quits.
When we finally got home, we settled in to watch a cartoon and to make lunch. The stink bug smell was overwhelming. No matter where I went in the house the smell seemed to follow. I was beginning to feel grateful for my self-imposed day of relaxation because I was beginning to feel nauseous from the odor.
In the late afternoon, with the smell not dissipating, my frustration was rising. No matter how many bugs I moved out of the house, I couldn't get rid of the musty odor. I gave up, finally sitting down on the couch, kicking off my leg and turning on the TV.
Um... does anybody know how to get smashed stink bugs out of a liner and socket? Apparently a family of stink bugs crawled into my "play" leg. Unbeknownst to me, I was smashing and pulverizing them between my liner and socket with each step. No wonder the smell was following me everywhere I walked.
The socket has been wiped clean with Clorox wipes and the liner has been run through the washing machine. I'm not confident that the smell has been removed from the liner because I haven't been able to remove all of the little bug parts from the fabric. I really need to remember to look inside my legs before putting them on!
We happily pedaled around the neighborhood singing "The Wheels on the Bus" with gusto. It's good that most of my neighbors are either elderly with impaired hearing or employed because I'm sure I'd receive complaints if they were able to hear us! What Robby and I lack in talent we certainly make up for with enthusiasm.
During the ride I began to smell the unmistakable odor of stink bugs. Those invasive little bugs have descended on our house like the plague. "Find the stink bug" is now one of Robby's favorite activities; the game can keep him busy for hours before he finally quits.
When we finally got home, we settled in to watch a cartoon and to make lunch. The stink bug smell was overwhelming. No matter where I went in the house the smell seemed to follow. I was beginning to feel grateful for my self-imposed day of relaxation because I was beginning to feel nauseous from the odor.
In the late afternoon, with the smell not dissipating, my frustration was rising. No matter how many bugs I moved out of the house, I couldn't get rid of the musty odor. I gave up, finally sitting down on the couch, kicking off my leg and turning on the TV.
Um... does anybody know how to get smashed stink bugs out of a liner and socket? Apparently a family of stink bugs crawled into my "play" leg. Unbeknownst to me, I was smashing and pulverizing them between my liner and socket with each step. No wonder the smell was following me everywhere I walked.
The socket has been wiped clean with Clorox wipes and the liner has been run through the washing machine. I'm not confident that the smell has been removed from the liner because I haven't been able to remove all of the little bug parts from the fabric. I really need to remember to look inside my legs before putting them on!
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