Little Guy, age one, who goes to day care with my own little man, got his new arm yesterday.
Little Guy's foster (hoping to adopt) mommy is the daughter of Little Man's day care providers. She's had him since he was very young. Little Guy was born with only half of his right arm. His mommy took him to Shriners Hospital in Sacramento. Over several visits in a several month period, they evaluated him, casted the very first of many prosthetic arms he will use in his lifetime, and presented him with it just yesterday. We had dinner at their church this evening and his mommy was proudly showing off how well he was doing with it.
Being only one year old, Little Guy doesn't quite understand all about it, how it works or what to do. The new arm is very simple and doesn't have too many functions. After all, it's mostly just for him to get used to the feel of wearing a prosthesis.
Little Guy will have many choices in his life. Will he mostly use the prosthesis, or will he be more comfortable simply learning to do things one handed? (I've been impressed by how well he does one-handed already.) How will he deal with his disability, and what will his attitude be? Right now, he's a sweet little baby and his mommy is encouraging him to do everything he possibly can in whatever way works best.
He's fortunate that he has the Shriners, the Ronald McDonald House, and that wonderful woman who is the mommy of his heart even if the social workers haven't yet made her his mommy on paper.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Decluttering
There's so much clutter everywhere.
At home, where we REALLY need to clean out the garage. (Imagine actually being able to park a car in there!) Some things are gone now--Little Man's baby bath and his Pack 'n Play; his high chair and his bouncy seat; emergency food from y2k that probably isn't in that great a shape any more. Some things stay--His water table for the backyard in the summers; our growing "Christmas stuff" collection (Why Dear Hubby insists on buying several new strands of outdoor lights each year when the size of our house has remained the same is a mystery); our wedding albums; Little Man's adoption files. And some things have been added: a tricycle, a child's helmet, a big preschool art easel/chalkboard that we REALLY need to drag inside more often for little man to play with.
At work, it's much the same. Old adaptive equipment catalogs and workshop notes hid volunteer hour time sheets that were lost in October and just found 2 weeks ago (a month after the final 2006 totals were due). Cardboard packaging for cassette machines seems to multiply on its own. There are the zip code directories from 1995, and a microfiche (yes MICROFICHE!) reader machine from who knows when. And there is more scratch paper on my 2 bottom shelves than I could ever use even if I didn't retire until age 70. Lots of that will go as we prepare for Extreme Makeover/TBL Edition.
Some things will stay: Our tape-playing teddy bear mascot; art from a reading disabled inmate patron advertising "NLS Books on TAP"; a handmade sculpture of a girl sitting and listening to a Talking Book record player; just one old flexible disc record that I HAVE to keep as a souvenir. Things that mean something to our library and remind us of what we do. And what will be added: new carpet; new paint; a new collection of descriptive videos; and the constant flow of more new books than we can ever hope to shelve.
Life is like that. You have to make the energy to move with the changes, to get rid of what's no longer needed, keep what is meaningful, and make room for what must be added. Sometimes it's easier just to keep the status quo rather than investing the time. But in the end, it is worth the effort.
At home, where we REALLY need to clean out the garage. (Imagine actually being able to park a car in there!) Some things are gone now--Little Man's baby bath and his Pack 'n Play; his high chair and his bouncy seat; emergency food from y2k that probably isn't in that great a shape any more. Some things stay--His water table for the backyard in the summers; our growing "Christmas stuff" collection (Why Dear Hubby insists on buying several new strands of outdoor lights each year when the size of our house has remained the same is a mystery); our wedding albums; Little Man's adoption files. And some things have been added: a tricycle, a child's helmet, a big preschool art easel/chalkboard that we REALLY need to drag inside more often for little man to play with.
At work, it's much the same. Old adaptive equipment catalogs and workshop notes hid volunteer hour time sheets that were lost in October and just found 2 weeks ago (a month after the final 2006 totals were due). Cardboard packaging for cassette machines seems to multiply on its own. There are the zip code directories from 1995, and a microfiche (yes MICROFICHE!) reader machine from who knows when. And there is more scratch paper on my 2 bottom shelves than I could ever use even if I didn't retire until age 70. Lots of that will go as we prepare for Extreme Makeover/TBL Edition.
Some things will stay: Our tape-playing teddy bear mascot; art from a reading disabled inmate patron advertising "NLS Books on TAP"; a handmade sculpture of a girl sitting and listening to a Talking Book record player; just one old flexible disc record that I HAVE to keep as a souvenir. Things that mean something to our library and remind us of what we do. And what will be added: new carpet; new paint; a new collection of descriptive videos; and the constant flow of more new books than we can ever hope to shelve.
Life is like that. You have to make the energy to move with the changes, to get rid of what's no longer needed, keep what is meaningful, and make room for what must be added. Sometimes it's easier just to keep the status quo rather than investing the time. But in the end, it is worth the effort.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Read me a story
so tonight instead of reading Little Man a story--he "read" me one!
The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle. It's repetitive and cute, and perfect for a 3-year-old to "memorize" the basics of and "read" back.
"Wanna Fight?" "If you insist. . ." "Oh no, you're not BIG enough!" "And he flew away."
Can't thnk of a better librarian-mommy moment.
The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle. It's repetitive and cute, and perfect for a 3-year-old to "memorize" the basics of and "read" back.
"Wanna Fight?" "If you insist. . ." "Oh no, you're not BIG enough!" "And he flew away."
Can't thnk of a better librarian-mommy moment.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Book Review: Liberty Falling by Nevada Barr
Tough yet vulnerable Anna Pigeon, worried about her sister who is very ill in the hospital in New York, spends some time on the Ellis and Liberty Island National Monuments. While dealing with her sister’s crisis, she faces dangers of her own.
I enjoyed Anna as a heroine—she’s well written and very real. I enjoyed how Nevada Barr was able to describe the “behind-the-scenes” settings of the Monuments, the part the tourists never see, and make you feel like you are truly there. She is deft at writing suspense while still keeping her characters and their situations engaging.
I didn’t really care for the mystery or its resolution—in my mind, the plot took second place to the settings and characters. But I did enjoy the book and probably will read more.
I enjoyed Anna as a heroine—she’s well written and very real. I enjoyed how Nevada Barr was able to describe the “behind-the-scenes” settings of the Monuments, the part the tourists never see, and make you feel like you are truly there. She is deft at writing suspense while still keeping her characters and their situations engaging.
I didn’t really care for the mystery or its resolution—in my mind, the plot took second place to the settings and characters. But I did enjoy the book and probably will read more.
Book Review: Aunt Dimity's Death by Nancy Atherton
Take a pinch of mystery, a bit of a ghost story, a bittersweet wartime romance, and a thoroughly engaging heroine who finds a little romance of her own. Add some lovably quirky supporting characters and a cozy setting and you have a recipe for a delightful reading experience. Lori never thought Dimity was real—until Dimity died. Finding out the mystery behind Dimity’s life, with the help of Bill Willis, helps Lori heal from her own heartbreak and embark on new adventures. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more in the Dimity series.
Three
Bundle of energy, you’re on the run
Chasing and playing, life’s just full of fun
Interested, curious, forever on the go
There’s always something new you just have to know
“Why, Mommy?”, “Can’t I, Daddy?” “But I don’t want to!”
“Where is my truck?” and “Where is my shoe?”
“Can we go to the park now?” “Can we play a game?”
“Should I have some raisins?” “Who’s that? What’s his name?”
“I’m not tired! “I’m NOT sleepy! I still want to play!”
“Don’t NEED to go potty now!” “I want to stay!”
“Let’s watch a little Blue’s Clues!” “Let’s play with my toy!”
This is the mind of a three-year-old boy
“Can you make it better?” “Can I give you a kiss?”
Could we wish for anything better than this?
“I love you too, Mommy!” “Will you sing me a song?”
Words we had dreamed of for so very long
Our Little Man, our sweet boy, our precious delight
God watches over you by day and by night
With your heart full of wonder, what blessings are in store—
And before we can catch our breath, you will be FOUR!
Chasing and playing, life’s just full of fun
Interested, curious, forever on the go
There’s always something new you just have to know
“Why, Mommy?”, “Can’t I, Daddy?” “But I don’t want to!”
“Where is my truck?” and “Where is my shoe?”
“Can we go to the park now?” “Can we play a game?”
“Should I have some raisins?” “Who’s that? What’s his name?”
“I’m not tired! “I’m NOT sleepy! I still want to play!”
“Don’t NEED to go potty now!” “I want to stay!”
“Let’s watch a little Blue’s Clues!” “Let’s play with my toy!”
This is the mind of a three-year-old boy
“Can you make it better?” “Can I give you a kiss?”
Could we wish for anything better than this?
“I love you too, Mommy!” “Will you sing me a song?”
Words we had dreamed of for so very long
Our Little Man, our sweet boy, our precious delight
God watches over you by day and by night
With your heart full of wonder, what blessings are in store—
And before we can catch our breath, you will be FOUR!
Library Mommy
Welcome to my new blog!
I LOVE: My Husband, My Son, My Parents, My Brothers, My Sisters-in-law, My Nephews & Nieces. . . My Lord. . . My Library. . . Harry Potter (Books & Movies), Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series, the Little House series, the Betsy-Tacy series, the Anne of Green Gables series, the Lord of the Rings series, and the Clan of the Cave Bear series. . . The comic strips For Better or For Worse, Baby Blues, and Jump Start. . . Star Trek (any series), Babylon 5, Touched by an Angel, M*A*S*H, and Life Goes On. . . The Backyardigans, The Wonder Pets!, and Blue's Clues (can you tell I have a preschooler?). . . Pizza, Mexican food, and anything chocolate. . . my fraternal organization, playing my electric keyboard, my friends, and many more things!
I LOVE: My Husband, My Son, My Parents, My Brothers, My Sisters-in-law, My Nephews & Nieces. . . My Lord. . . My Library. . . Harry Potter (Books & Movies), Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series, the Little House series, the Betsy-Tacy series, the Anne of Green Gables series, the Lord of the Rings series, and the Clan of the Cave Bear series. . . The comic strips For Better or For Worse, Baby Blues, and Jump Start. . . Star Trek (any series), Babylon 5, Touched by an Angel, M*A*S*H, and Life Goes On. . . The Backyardigans, The Wonder Pets!, and Blue's Clues (can you tell I have a preschooler?). . . Pizza, Mexican food, and anything chocolate. . . my fraternal organization, playing my electric keyboard, my friends, and many more things!
Here is our little man, on the day he arrived. He was six weeks old. Now he's a rambunctious, happy-go-lucky little three-year-old--but still the light of our lives!
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