better

Things are feeling better.  Not like crazy up down up down yesterday was horrible but today is all the sudden better kind of better.  But better because after last week, better was about the only way I could feel.  

I remember listening to that song where she says, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger" and I thought, "Whatever.  What doesn't kill you makes you closer to dead."  I told my friend and we laughed and laughed.  I am right.  We were both having crappy weeks.  

But things are feeling better.

Trying to pin point the reason.  But it turns out there are probably lot's of reasons.  The first one was that I got plenty of chat with friend time.  After telling Karl that I was about ready to run away from all my woes he made a point of making sure I had some guilt free friend time.   I went to lunch.  I went shopping.  I didn't buy a single thing.  But I really like shopping and just the act in itself made me feel better.  Whatever the case.  I was grateful for the extra endorphins.  I needed that.  

We shuffled the kids around so Samuel and Eva weren't sharing anymore.  It seemed about time.  They acted like they were sick of each other and couldn't stand sharing rooms anymore.  But the first morning we got up, this is what Karl found.  

(Had to take the picture down.  Eva was embarrassed.  Guess she is old enough that her peers are blog readers now :).

It makes my heart all gooey.  Just knowing that deep down under all that tattling and teasing, they truly like to be with each other.

How about this kid?  Karl had a meeting in UT and took Maximus along so he could go see the therapists and dr. there. 

Someone asked where Max was.  I didn't even know her.  I didn't know she knew Max.  She was sad he wasn't here.  She said there is just something about him.  I had to agree.  She said I had a biased opinion but hers was unbiased.  She said all she needed to do is rub his cute little head and she felt better.  She said he was magic.  I had never heard that one.  But I had to agree.  Magic Max.  

We've also had some milestones.  Good ones.  Those are finger puppets on his left hand.  I had a hard time believing it as it was happening.  He was wiggling his fingers.  I remember the day when he wouldn't let anything near them.  That was just a few weeks ago.  Now he plays with them.  

I also cut those fingernails.  All five of them.  That means he has five fingernails on his left hand.  We weren't sure that was going to happen.  I thought a couple of them were goners.  But they are come backers!  Hooray!

I also got to squeeze his thigh and he laughed.  I remember mourning that I wouldn't be able to do this anymore.  But now I can again.   His left one is healing up so nicely.  He is still itching his right one to death.  We will work on that one.  Because it is so much better to squeeze two healthy baby thighs.

Here he is chilling at the beach enjoying a spam musubi.  That's right, the beach.  We stayed mostly on the grass away from the sand and water but we did get lots of vitamin D and fresh air.  Just what we needed.  With the help of lots of SPF, we spend the day outside while Eva and Samuel rode in a bike-a-thon for their new school.  

Maybe things are looking up because of all the great garden produce we have been eating lately.  Our ward has an awesome garden going and having garden tomatoes makes me feel like a rich woman.  

We did a lot of sugar therapy, too.  We went to our favorite shave ice place, Uncle's Shave Ice down in Poipu.  And for whatever reason the girl kept packing the ice on.  Until it was a giant snow ball.  A giant delicious one on top of mac nut ice cream with sweet cream on top.  It really was bigger than Baby Maximus' giant head.  Sugar, lots and lots of sugar, always makes things feel better.

We were at our neighborhood farmers market and we bought a bunch of star fruit from this lady.  Samuel loves star fruit.  I love that we can buy these sweet, juicy, tangy fruit for 25 cents here.  We moved on to the next stall and this lady came up and put this lei on me.  The gesture was so sweet.  How did she know she was supporting my better-ness?

We found our pool key and we got some more sunshine time.  I took the older kids while napping Maximus and working Karl stayed home.  I got sunburned and for some silly  reason that kind of makes me feel better.  Samuel showed up with two sets of fins with every intention to use all of them.  He was pretty amazing with them.  That kid.  Sun, funny kids... better.  

Yes.  Lot's of reasons to feel better.  We are also getting more settled in.  The fridge issue is not resolved but the insurance people are working on it and even though it is enough decisions to put me in a coma, I still feel a little better that someone is working on it.  

I have a little vacation from stretches and sippy cups and diapers and high chairs and car seats since Karl and Maximus are on the mainland taking care of things.  That means that the house is pretty clean right now.  So clean that we even cleaned the baseboards.  That's a big deal for us.  I will relax and rejuvenate.  

Friends, kids that like each other, Magic Maximus, good food, sunshine, sugar, nice people...I feel a little better.  So glad.