Archive for July, 2009
July 8, 2009 at 9:59 pm · Filed under moon (rachel)
According to Moon, this was her best birthday ever. Which I hope she’ll be able to say every year from now on… happiness increasing on a yearly basis, that would be cool.
I can hardly believe it was 18 years ago that I was in a state of euphoria after completing the most difficult (and nerve-wracking) physical task of my life, rewarded with a jaw-droppingly beautiful newborn girl. (If you didn’t see this picture four years ago, here it is again.)
It’s a privilege and a joy being her mom. She is one of the best people I know, and I’m not even being biased. (I mean it.) A few more pictures. (The cake was delicious, by the way.)
July 8, 2009 at 10:18 am · Filed under moon (rachel), spiritual
The Daily Om for today, Moon’s 18th birthday:
Permanently Parents: The Changing Nest
Once individuals become parents, they are parents forevermore. Their identities change perceptively the moment Mother Nature inaugurates them mom or dad. Yet the role they undertake when they welcome children into their lives is not a fixed one. As children move from one phase of their lives to the next, parental roles change. When these transitions involve a child gaining independence, many parents experience an empty nest feeling. Instead of feeling proud that their children have achieved so much—whether the flight from the nest refers to the first day of kindergarten or the start of college—parents feel they are losing a part of themselves. However, when approached thoughtfully, this new stage of parental life can be an exciting time in which mothers and fathers rediscover themselves and relate to their children in a new way.
As children earn greater levels of independence, their parents often gain unanticipated freedom. Used to being depended upon by and subject to the demands of their children, parents sometimes forget that they are not only mom or dad but also individuals. As the nest empties, parents can alleviate the anxiety and sadness they feel by rediscovering themselves and honoring the immense strides their children have made in life. The simplest way to honor a child undergoing a transition is to allow that child to make decisions and mistakes appropriate to their level of maturity. Freed from the role of disciplinarian, parents of college-age children can befriend their offspring and undertake an advisory position. Those with younger children beginning school or teenagers taking a first job can plan a special day in which they express their pride and explain that they will always be there to offer love and support.
An empty nest can touch other members of the family unit as well. Young people may feel isolated or abandoned when their siblings leave the nest. As this is normal, extra attention can help them feel more secure in their newly less populated home. Spouses with more leisure time on their hands may need to relearn how to be best friends and lovers. Other family members will likely grieve less when they understand the significance of the child’s new phase of life. The more parents both celebrate and honor their children’s life transitions, the less apprehension the children will feel. Parents who embrace their changing nest while still cherishing their offspring can look forward to developing deeper, more mature relationships with them in the future.
July 6, 2009 at 5:11 pm · Filed under ludwig
Ludwig is on an antibiotic and a painkiller for the post-surgery infection. His appetite hasn’t been the best, but that’s partly because he also is going to need some dental work. At least he is AWESOME for the vet. I ended up taking him back today, because he has been coughing on and off most of the weekend. It seems to help to take him for a walk or get him barking (which pretty much only happens on walks), but last night’s coughing fit sent me back to the vet.
Partly because I’m feeling cruddy, too. Getting hardly any sleep didn’t help my condition. Anyway, Ludwig was hacking and sneezing, and it sounded so awful that I got up at 3 am and held him while patting his back for an hour straight. I already hadn’t slept much because Moon was up late and I was doing the mom-can’t-relax-until-kids-are-also-in-bed thing. I mean, she was only in the living room chatting on her computer, but I was stressing anyway. I think I slept for about an hour pre-Ludwig’s cough, and then drifted a little until it was time to get up for 6 am step aerobics. Ha! Ha! I literally couldn’t move. My voice was raspy. But at least Ludwig had stopped coughing.
I stayed home from work and tried to rest. I called the vet to see if there were any appointments available. Long story short, Ludwig has bronchitis, which likely started as kennel cough (he hadn’t had that vaccine for some reason). He had x-rays, and is starting a second antibiotic. We also can use a cough suppressant as needed. Since the cough is productive, we’ll probably only use it at night.
One more thing. His right (AKA only good) ear has a yeast infection. The vet cleaned it as well as possible, and prescribed ear drops to be given twice a day. The two antibiotics ought to help with that, too.
Poor guy. The thing is, he is so good-natured that you wouldn’t know anything was wrong. He doesn’t act like he’s in any pain, but he must be. Maybe he’s so used to it that it doesn’t register.
So I need to write up a schedule as soon as my brain is working at full capacity again. Or even partial capacity. I rested this afternoon, but what I really need is a full night’s sleep, in the dark.
July 3, 2009 at 1:16 pm · Filed under family
Since I just celebrated another year, it’s only fitting that I went through my entire collection of blog posts to spruce it up for greater consumption. What I learned is that most of it is boring enough that I shouldn’t worry about real-world friends/family finding it and eagerly reading every word. I made a bunch of stuff private (mostly mom-type musings that I know my kids would hate having out there now). Some stuff is actually missing, which is no big deal. I’ve given up on trying to remember every detail of my life. I’m a sporadic diary-keeper.
I do have some pictures, though. In other news, fireworks are scheduled for tonight. I’d rather have them on the real 4th of July, but apparently it will save a lot of money to not have to pay overtime to all the cops and fire fighters who will need to be on duty while the controlled explosions are taking place.
July 1, 2009 at 4:19 pm · Filed under ludwig
Hey, it’s my birthday. My family picked out a pie from Hubbard Avenue Diner for me, and we’re going to Quaker Steak & Lube. Par-tay.
Ludwig continues to be a source of joy, and I can’t imagine getting through this past week without him. Yesterday we visited the vet. He completely enchanted the staff, earning extra treats, lots of attention, and the privilege of wandering all over the office. Several people offered free dogsitting. And he got to meet a friendly collie, which made me wonder if he kind of misses having other dogs around.
Ludwig rarely barks, but the other day at the park he saw two yellow labs and started vocalizing at them. We weren’t sure whether he was being friendly or freaked out. Now, though, I think we need to find him some canine friends. He does enjoy his valkies, and barks while prancing around in circles whenever one of us reaches for his leash.
Anyway, the vet said his incisions appear to be infected, so we’ve started antibiotics. Ludwig also has some fairly bad tooth decay, so we’ll be getting his teeth cleaned as soon as the other stuff clears up. Otherwise, he’s an awesome 10.8 pound bundle of love and fur.
