Potatoes on Parade! Blog Catch Up

Since our amazing trip to Australia, the Martin family has been even more GO, GO, GO than normal.  One thing I have definitely let fall to the wayside is this blog.

While I have only covered about half of our trip, I want to take a moment to give the grandparents (my most attentive blog audience) what they really want...

A Potatoes Update!

I'll begin with the memories and mayhem made while we were on the other side of the world....

Leaving Alexander for this trip was difficult, and at first we were not sure how it would work.  Thankfully, my parents were able to tag team staying at our house with him so that he was able to keep routine and be with people he loves dearly.  Zoey also won out on this deal, as it meant she would have someone home with her during the day!

We got to talk to Alexander once nearly every day, after he had eaten dinner, around our breakfast time.  My mom also blessed us with this little write up, which we received after sailing the Whit Sundays

Milestones, memories & mayhem as reported by Gammie, stateside:

    Thus far (it is Friday) the week solo with Xander has been terrific despite human errors on Gammie’s part.  Here’s a recap:

Gammie bought some high-powered water guns from a crafts fair.  Then I discovered WHY there are restrictions imposed on regulated stores such as Target and Walmart.  The water gun over-filled and exploded in my eye.  It could have been worse…the spigot is right at Xander’s level.  Aunt Jan (all the way from Michigan) called Jenifer, Xander’s neighbor, and she drove me to the emergency room with Xander in tow.  We were lucky he was well behaved and when it became obvious it was going to be awhile for Gammie to be seen, Jenifer took Xander home, Leaha came over and Jenifer came back to pick me up.  It was more than a corneal abrasion as the tough plastic actually exploded when it hit my eye.  At first, the concern was grave (pressure was 52, normal is 17). Out of the woods re: losing the eye.  Xander was not upset at seeing Gammie all patched up—he thought I was a pirate so every night’s bedtime story has been How I Became a Pirate.

2.While waiting in the ER, I asked Xander to pray and did not begin the prayer with Dear God, just God.  Xander took my hand quietly and said, “Gammie, I am not God!”  I think he was afraid I thought he was!

  Going to the Yacht Club, Xander said, “Gammie, you are going to love this!  There’s lots of people and good food!”  

  Crying at school stopped on Wednesday.  Tuesday, I played the grandmother card (this was before the eye injury) and dropped in at a random time.  I was going to pick Xander up (it was 11:30) but he was playing and laughing on the playground.  Wednesday, he went in with no tears and was playing when I picked him up at 2:30. And, his best friend, Mia, is now in his class so he hugged her before we left.

Gammie got two umbrellas that change colors when wet.  Going to the splash pad with the umbrellas was a real treat!

   Each morning I ask Xander if he had a dream.  One morning he said he dreamed about Mommie.  I went into all these voices, pretending about what she might have said.  He said, “No, Gammie.  She didn’t sound like that.  She didn’t say anything at all; just hugged and kissed me.”
Yeah, I totally cried when I read this!

       Saturday it was pouring rain so we spent the morning at the mall and got a very late nap.  We played on the tiny, tiny playground, played in the bounce house, had lunch then rode the carosel.  It was 1:30 before he was asleep for nap—it’s 3:30 now and he’s not awake yet.

 

 

His racing hat

They also got to have dinner with Craig and Heidi, who came down to the beach while Daniel and I were gone

My dad came down for the second part of the trip and the two of them had a blast.

I love this shot Papa caught...Between his hair and the lighting, looks like a pic from back when I was a kid!

Every day after school, they took a swim in the pool, then played at the yacht club, and after dinner, took Zoey for a walk.  Potatoes inevitably complained about getting in the stroller for the walk, but when my dad explained that he had had his turn for play and fun, asnd now it was Zoey's turn, he would be a good sport about it.

My dad brought Potatoes a bunch of new books, his favorite of which was Green Eggs & Ham.  They read this each night, and got in the practice of trying new foods by saying it might be green eggs and ham!  Win for Papa!  Win for us!

Funny story....I guess my parents didn't notice the 5+ ice packs I have in the freezer, because when I picked up Potatoes from school the day we got back, I opened his lunchbox to find a thawed bag of BREASTMILK being used as an ice pack!!!  My mom said she'd been using it thinking it was an ice pack and I guess my dad did, too!  While the packs are now nearly three years old and I would never use them, I keep a couple on hand for things like burns or pink eye, because seriously that stuff is magic.  Never thought to use it as an ice pack!  I wonder what his teacher thought...Hahahaha

Potatoes did so well with us being gone, as I knew he would because of how much he loves Gammie and Papa.  What we did not expect was for him to be fully potty trained (including nights) by the time we got back, no more tears at school drop off, and willing to try new foods!

We are so blessed to have so much love surrounding our little family.

We are now all nearly recovered from having strep throat (yes, all 3 of us!), on day 5 of anitbiotics, and trying to enjoy as much family time as possible.

Here's a quick photo drop to stay up to date...