Aligners

After weeks of waiting, Robby's aligners arrived yesterday. He has been self-conscious about the gap between his front teeth for years, although he only revealed his insecurities recently. I've always found his gap adorable and charming, but if it is something that bothers him we wanted to help him find a solution. After lots of research and consultations, we opted to go with the invisible liners treatment option.

Over Easter break he had a 3-d scan of his teeth and mouth captured and sent to the lab. Yesterday afternoon, after nearly a month, his aligners finally arrived. He was excited to open the box and get started.

Unfortunately, his excitement waned as soon as he felt the discomfort of the aligners. Similar to braces and other orthodontic treatments, Invisible aligner treatment is not pain-free. As his teeth are gently shifted into a new position, his mouth will be sore. I am hoping that the discomfort is short lived, because my Koopa was miserable last night. 

In four months, Robby should have a brand new smile. My goodness I am going to miss his little gap. But I'm certainly looking forward to him feeling more confident. It will be nice to have him smile (for real) in photos again!

 

Screeching

My leg is squeaking. Not an occasional little squeak, but something akin to fingernails across a chalkboard. Each step emits a loud screech which lasts as long as the foot is weighted. It sounds like cicadas are being tortured as I walk around the house!

At first the screech was annoying. After several weeks, the annoyance has grown and has since morphed into aggravation. It has gotten to the point where I have to stay as still as possible when the boys are live streaming classes because of the unnerving sounds.

A de-laminated foot is the culprit of my cicada screaming foot. I am in the process of getting a new prosthesis, and I'm hoping that it happens sooner rather than later. In the meantime, I won't be sneaking up on anybody!

Butterflies

Yesterday we had another exciting day in our house. Two of Timmy's caterpillars popped out of their cocoons, stretching their wings for the first time. I was making dinner at the time when I noticed the cocoons start to shake on their perch. I called out Timmy, and we were able to watch the miracle of butterfly "birth."

Timmy was amazed as he watched the butterflies emerge. I wish I had a video, because his offering encouragement to the butterflies was absolutely adorable. "Come on little guy. You can do it. I believe in you. Stretch the wing a little bit more. I know you can do it. Yay! You are born. Happy Birthday Butterfly."  He then followed his coaching by serenading his butterflies with a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday to you. 

I'm not sure which was more impressive: watching the butterflies emerge or witnessing Timmy's reaction. 

 

Water Class

Yesterday was an exciting day for Timmy. The stars (and schedules) finally aligned, allowing him to enjoy his very first in-person class. Several weeks ago I signed him up for the "Science in the Park" through our county recreation board. The series of four classes ended up being a single experience due to low enrollment. Thankfully, yesterday's class met the minimum participant requirement to proceed. 

My typically outgoing and confident little boy became shy and nervous as we drove up to the class. I knew that he was excited, but also scared. Because this was a class and not daycare, I had to stay on site throughout the two hour experience. He initially clung to me but, after about 20 minutes, he acclimated and really didn't give me a second thought.

The class involved learning about the water cycle and aquatic animals. He enjoyed the games that were played and interacted beautifully with his classmates. I saw both the relief and pride wash across his face when he called out the correct answers to his teacher's questions. It was great seeing him with his peers!

There is no doubt that his favorite part of the class was the creek exploration experience. He grabbed his net and walked into the creek like he was a boss. He wasn't about to let the cold temperature (the water clocked a whopping 51 degrees) stop him from his mission of finding an aquatic animal. While all of the other kids were hanging around the shore, mine was waist high catching craw fish and baby salamanders. 

Despite his only having one class instead of four, he had a great time. Hopefully the pandemic will continue to fade so we can do more of these experiences.

 

Celebration Saturday

Between Timmy's birthday and Robby's performance, Saturday we were in full-blown celebration mode. Friday even was hectic as I prepped and prepared for the birthday/ performance party. Between cleaning and decorating the house and wrapping presents, I was exhausted by the time I finally went to bed. Even though I was tuckered out, my efforts were worth it when I saw the smile on Timmy's face when he woke up on Saturday.

My sweet little Hamlet thoroughly enjoyed his 7th birthday. He was surrounded by love and completely spoiled throughout the day. Between enjoying his favorite meals, ripping through a small mountain of presents and spending time with his Nana, I don't think he could have asked for a better day. 

Even though it was Timmy's birthday, I wanted to make sure that Robby's band performance was not overlooked. He worked hard for the past few months and deserved to shine on stage. I was so glad that my Mom made it down for the show. I know that having her in the audience meant a lot to him. 

Looking around my house Saturday night, it was impossible to tell that I had spent the previous night cleaning. Bits of wrapping paper, decorations and toys littered my previously clean floors. I spent most of Sunday uncluttering my house from the celebrations on Saturday. 

Happy Birthday Hamlet- and Rock On Robby

This weekend will be full of excitement, chaos and emotions. Robby has his rock band performance on Saturday, the culmination of months of practicing and hard work. He is both nervous and excited and, although I know he will lean more towards scared on Saturday morning, I have no doubt that his adrenaline will kick in and the hours of practicing will take over. He is, quite simply, going to rock it!

Saturday is not only the big band performance, but it is also my sweet little Hamlet's 7th birthday. How could my little baby, my greatest surprise, be 7 already? Wasn't he just a wee little baby? And now he is running around, digging up worms and learning to read. Time is moving way too fast for my comfort.

The birthdays of my boys always fill me with a quagmire of emotions. I love to celebrate them, but each candle blown represents the passage of time. Sigh. Being a mother is wonderful, but I was woefully unprepared for how much it would sting to watch them growing up. 

I miss my tiny little baby, but I adore the young boy that greets me with a mischievous smile each morning. He has such a wonderful mind, full of questions about the world. He possesses the confidence to try and he doesn't fear failure. 

Unfortunately, these same qualities have also led to some nail biting experiences. The time he climbed the ladder and decided to dance on our roof nearly put both of us in the grave. I have caught him with puppy blanket hung around his shoulders as he prepared to leap from the top stair of the deck, convinced he could fly if he believed. 

Timmy likes to flip on the trampoline and roller skates faster than I would prefer. He is fearless on his bike and he picks up snakes with the care that he handles butterflies. He is an enigma, keeping me young while simultaneously making me age with worry.

Happy Birthday Sweet Timmy Hamlet. Being your mom is, without a doubt, one of the greatest gifts I've ever received.

Inside Again

After a fantastic farm adventure in the beautiful weather, Mother Nature decided to keep us inside. Between the cold temperatures and the howling wind, it felt more like November than April. Timmy was sad that we couldn't play outside, but when he saw the trees swaying he finally agreed with my decision.

Our day was spent catching up on work and household chores. With a birthday coming up this weekend, I want to make sure that the house is cleaner than usual. (It is hard to believe that my sweet little Hamlet will be 7 on Saturday! My goodness the time has flown.) My Mom is coming down on Saturday to celebrate the birthday and to attend Robby's band performance. Even though she is well aware of my housekeeping skills, I feel like I should make more of an effort than normal.

Today will be cold and rainy, so we will again be sequestered inside. After such a fun day under the warm sunshine, it is hard to stay inside. I hope the weather turns again soon, because I had a taste of adventure and I'm yearning for more!