Ailane

recap

By Andria ⋅ March 19, 2008 ⋅  Email This Post ⋅  Print This Post ⋅ Post a comment

The week that I abandoned you all, Blake turned 4 months. Friday, March 7th, to be exact. And, in true fashion, we celebrated by going to the doctor for a check-up and shots. His 4 month statistics were as follows:

Weight: 17.10 (90%)
Height: 26.5 (90%)
Head: 44 (90%)

I think they didn’t measure his length correctly though, because the nurse didn’t fully stretch his legs out, and that is the same length as where he was at 2 months. But, he’s a healthy little bugger, and his pediatrician said I am doing a great job. I have decided to put off feeding solids until 6 months, and she was okay with that. He screamed for about 5 minutes after his shots, nursed, went to sleep, and slept the whole way to Houston practically after that.

After his appointment, I went to pick up Ailane from school, because we had planned a trip to the East side. Of Texas, that is. Ailane has perfect attendance (seriously, I LOVE school, and love the break it gives me. So, she goes EVERY. SINGLE. DAY) and I couldn’t sign her out until after 10, the point at which the school gets their $35 from the state for each child, and she wouldn’t be counted as absent.

We then left for Houston, where Jason had to meet with someone, and I had planned to go to either the zoo, or one of the museums. The weather was iffy, so I decided to not traipse all over Houston, and instead stick to the area, and settled on the Houston Public Library. Believe me, nothing says fun like dragging your kids on a Friday, one of whom was so BORED THAT SHE COULD DIE, the other bordering on the edge of hysteria due to his chubby punctured thighs, to a public library. We settled in the children’s section, and I read book after book to Blake, while trying to keep Ailane within eyesight. At every other table in the library, were homeless men dozing in their seats. Blake has started this squealing business, and at one point, he squealed, and a homeless man’s head jerked up. He turned a page of the book in front of him, and then fell back asleep. Ah, the life. And before I get flamed for assuming that these men were homeless- let me just say, that I know. Okay? The smell, and the bags at their feet gave it away.

After about an hour, Jason had concluded his business, and we left for the outskirts of Beaumont, where most of my family resides. They were excited to meet him, or, “the Yankee that Andria married”. My grandfather promptly took Jason under his wing, and instructed him on all the ins and outs of hunting- hog hunting, in particular. When he asked Jason if he had ever went hunting, Jason told him that his father was a hunter, but that he never got to go hunting with him. Later on, my grandpa commented that it was sad that Jason lost his father as a kid. He was actually 25, but to a Southerner, the fact that you didn’t get to go hunting with your father before the age of 5 is tear-worthy. My grandpa has planned to rectify that.

“I’m scared to go hunting with your grandpa.”
“You don’t have to go.”
“Yeah, but I’m afraid not to go.”

My grandfather has the nickname of “Dynamite”, because, well, he has an explosive temper and doesn’t ever back down. His health is failing, and he only has 15% function of his heart. But, I think he might outlive us all. Over the years, he has repeated stories of our youth, almost as an attempt to make sure that the memories stick with us. It’s sad, to think of him one day not being there. In the meantime, I listen to the stories, and laugh. Shake my head at the thought of him meeting all of my mother’s and aunt’s dates on the porch, with shotgun in hand. He is a strong man, with a big heart. He turns 75 on Saturday.

Jason met all of my mother’s siblings, with the exception of Clint, who is in Dubai serving our country. I think he was somewhat overwhelmed with names and connections, of my aunts, uncles, cousins and their children. They all loved him though, and are looking forward to this weekend, when we celebrate 4 birthdays: Jason (the 20th), my grandpa (22nd), mine (24th), and my uncle Jim’s birthday (26th).

We stayed the weekend, and then came back with Blake only. Ailane went home to my parents ranch, where she would spend her spring break. When it was time to pick Ailane up, my mother offered to meet me halfway, but instead I enlisted her help. You see, I needed my hair and eyebrows done. As in, NOTHING had been done during the duration of my son’s life outside of the womb. So, I traveled back to East Texas, so that my mother could hold Blake, while the weedwacker attacked my head.

Seriously, I was in bad shape. As in, it took 3 hours, start to finish. I had begun to wonder if Jason was slipping Nair in my shampoo, because I was losing copious amounts of hair. I know that you lose hair after your pregnancy as a result of dwindling hormones, but really. The amount of hair was beginning to equate to the likes of Sesquatch. My stylist used Niloxin (sp?) on my hair, which is a shampoo intended for those who have chemo or radiation. It opens the follicles, and stimulates hair growth. She then did a herbal treatment, which left me all tingly and yummy smelling. Then, we chopped my hair off. As in, 6-8 inches. For the most part, I love it. The only negative thing I can think of is that my hair is now curlier. Which is why I usually leave my hair long. The longer it is, the more weight is there to weigh down the curls. Now, when I wake up, I look like little Bo Peep. Adorable on children, on a grown woman? Not so cute.

I ended up staying the night at my parents, which is what I think they had planned from the beginning. My dad is fascinated with his grandson, and has a slew of toys for him at their house. There are more outside goodies than we have yard for here at our house, so until he gets a little bigger, they will stay out in the country. It’s a nice break when I am around my family, because they take Blake from me. Don’t get me wrong, I love little man, but my arms get tired on occasion. Every time I would turn around, Blake and my dad would be missing, and I would have to go search for them. I would find them walking in a field, looking at the cattle and horses, or out by the barn, where my dad was propping him on tractor seats and showing him the bunnies in the cages. Later that night, I bathed Blake, and my dad asked to be able to snuggle with him. I left him in the bedroom with Blake, and went back to the kitchen where my mother was cleaning up after dinner.

“Did dad ever do that with me or Katie?”
“What?”
“Snuggle.”
“No.”
“Why the change?”
“Because, it’s a boy.”

In the South, boys are still valued over girls. It’s somewhat sad, but true.

I had decided to bring Capone the wonder dog with me out to the ranch- and dear Lord, the dog died and went to dude ranch heaven. Dad watched him while I was at the salon, and he said that Capone ran out to the road, and abruptly stopped, looked around, and looked back at dad as if to say, “Seriously? Nothing is stopping me? I can just run?!” And run, he did. He chased cows, horses, and ran with the other dogs. Friday morning, we went out on the lake so that Ailane could do some fishing before we came back to Austin. And yes, I wore my pajamas. Look, if the lake is part of your property, you have a perfectly legitimate excuse to go out on the boat in your pjs. Capone was so excited. Poor thing. He loved it out there. As I write this, he is curled up on the floor, bored out of his mind.

Now, we are back in Austin, and are going back to my grandparents this weekend for a birthday/Easter celebration. And then, I am done with going anywhere for a while. Riding with a dog and two kids in a small-sized SUV isn’t exactly thrilling. Unless, you get your kicks from screaming and incessant “are we there yet” variations. Besides, if we take any more road trips, we are going to have to take out a loan to pay for gas.

“I run, and I run, and I run…”

Great weather to go fishing in.

It doesn’t bother Capone though.

What is Ailane looking at over there?

Just our swamp gator, Capone.

Me and my sweet boy.

Ailane, concentrating. She had a fun week, and didn’t once fix her hair.

Tags: Ailane, Blake, cattle, country, dog, fishing, horses, lake, parents, road trip