Grandaddy Clarence

Sadly, we lost Chris' paternal grandfather last Thursday, September 24th. Clarence had been diagnosed with bladder cancer earlier this summer and it was quickly determined to be stage 4 that had spread significantly. He then suffered a heart attack and stroke within a week of eachother. He wanted to be home and that is where he was when he passed away. Chris had just seen him on that Monday, and while he hadn't felt like that would be the last time, he knew the time was near.

This was the third grandparent we've lost in as many years. My grandmother in 2007, Chris' maternal grandfather in 2008 and now Clarence in 2009. Meredith was small enough the past two years that she didn't grasp any of it. This year was a different story though. The whole funeral thing is a bizarre tradition even for adults, so how can a child make sense of it? It is amazing how much levity a child can bring to such a grim occassion though. That is why I felt like I needed to have her there. Not for Clarence, but for Chris, his dad and his grandmother. She asked a lot of questions (as she does about everything these days) and I tried to answer them as honestly as I could while keeping it on a level she could understand and not frighten her. The permanence of it is the whole concept she (Nor I!) really doesn't get. The funeral was on Saturday in High Point on a cool, yucky, rainy day. After being with Chris for so many years, his family is my family too and seeing the person you love grieve is heartbreaking.

Robert Clarence Elliott, 83 years old

June 27, 1926- September 24, 2009

Rest in Peace Grandaddy.

That's my kid...

So, you know how you could always tell the kid who wet his pants at school because he had to wear pants that were a couple sizes too small from the front office (usually poly plaid)? I'm soooo afraid that is going to be my kid!
I walked into daycare today and there she is, wearing these tight blue sweatpants and I immediately knew. Now, I'm pretty with it when I pack her bag and am always sure she has at least an extra pair of everything. So I quickly thought in my head that I must have messed up and didn't pack her bag right, but NO, that actually meant that she didn't wet herself just once, but twice!! The worst part is that she had a great weekend and hasn't had any accidents in quite awhile. I know my daycare lady thought we had been putting her in pullups during the day over the weekend based on our conversation and I swear, she only wears them at night and has been waking up dry a lot lately too.
Ugh, I'm just done with this mess. Dear Lord, just throw me a bone here...PLEASE!!??

Sleep

I finally caved and stuck a sleeping bag under my bed for Meredith. It has become almost a nightly ritual for her to come into our room between 2-4am, but she seems content with sleeping on the floor lately instead of kicking us all night long in bed. So, several people had suggested to just keep a sleeping bag under the bed so that everyone can get back to sleep more quickly. It worked perfectly last night and we all got some sleep.
Having my sleep interrupted so much lately for only a few minutes has been making me crazy, how in the world did we Mom's get through being up all night with a baby!?

bath stalling

"But Mommy, I don't need a bath. Smell me, I don't stink! Pulleeeaaasse." (insert crying and kicking here).
I thought we were past the bath struggle. There is always something.