Art

If you think it's weird that I am posting photos of my blue foot on my blog, then you obviously haven't been reading me since the post-my-placenta days over at Tales.

This is nothing....

but isn't it something? I tried to change the temperature of these photos to bring out the blue a bit, because the photos don't do it justice. I am amazed that the blue goes all the way to the toes and how the line is drawn right there at my heel.

Gotta keep my eyes open for the art.

While my foot heals, I engaged in a little art-making myself....

I am astounded that I made no mistakes, that my brain did not fail me, I could think this through and figure it out. I got the best Christmas colors with a gold stripe....I wanted it to be Grandma Kitsch, and I achieved it. My pattern-as-I-go approach actually looks planned!

This boot cozy....has been my bright spot.

Read more!

Mommy College: The Discipline Book

The Discipline Book, by William and Martha Sears is a great reference book for all kinds of discipline issues.

Their discussion on spanking in particular made me feel much better about my choice to spank in the past, and encouraged me to explore different (better) disciplining techniques in the future. Their explanations for and against various punishments were not as concrete as Unconditional Parenting, so it helped me feel less guilty as a parent, but Unconditional Parenting was so polarized to one side, it motivated me more to see things completely differently. I am glad I read them around the same time, to compare and contrast methods.

The Sears brought up issues that I had thought a lot about, but didn't know an expert would point out. Phoebe is a twitcher and a tooth grinder, and there was a whole section on how to squelch this behavior. I am not sure if their techniques will work on her, but that validated my concern for her twitches. Mostly I am watching her overall anxiety levels and trying to find correlation between events in her life and her twitching. I am worried less about it now, knowing that a lot of kids behave in this way.

I saw on the back of the book that there are a ton of Sears books out there, so I am curious as to whether or not the material overlaps. I think for a used copy at 1 penny on amazon, it's a nice reference book to have on the shelf in a bind.

Read more!

Stock

Thanks for letting me know Mrs. Rose! Actual website here.

Read more!

Something Blue

Read more!

Progress

It's kind of cool to be able to see the healing process right before your very eyes. 20ish years ago when I broke my left wrist and then 6 weeks later my left arm (come on, this does not surprise any of you), my little arm was in the cast, and then magically better once the cast was removed. This time around, I get to check in on my foot.

HOUR 1:
I sent this pic to my mom: "do you think it's broken?"


DAY 3:




DAY 6:


I have taken a big leap the past few days...getting better....and my feet will look even prettier once I have some of this awesome matte polish on.

Read more!

As if you needed another reason to love TARGET

A high point of the foot injury: of COURSE I've always wanted to try one:


Look at that lady pushing the stroller behind me, she's totally jeal.

Read more!

New Moon

You know how when you are a really big fan of something, you dress up and go a little cookoo when a new installment comes out?

Well, I would consider myself a medium fan of the Twilight Series, but I am still going to see New Moon THIS WEEKEND. And, I am sort of dressing up.

I'm going as Bella at the prom.



Get it?

Read more!

Letter

Dear Subway Stairs,

I'm still mad at you for breaking my foot (yes, I blame you, that will not change). And I ask you to please not ever do that to me again. I have to walk really really slow. It takes me about 10 times as long to go anywhere as it did back in the day, you know, when I could walk.

But, I wanted to thank you too. Walking slower in my city makes me see new things, smell new smells, and lifts my spirits. I love the city even more now that I have experienced in slow motion.

So, I forgive you.

Love,

Kage

Read more!

Third Person Thursday

She traded in her plaster splint situation for a fancy aircast yesterday.

Now she can sleep without a lot of weight on her foot, but she can't bear down, even though an expert doctor man switched her from non-weight-bearing to weight-bearing. She still has pain. She's getting creative about how to get around. The 4 AM pee-break involved scooting on her butt from the bed to the bathroom and back. She is so glad she has hardwood floors. She also depends on a heel-toe zig-zag dance especially when she's in the kitchen.

She worries about her good foot. She tries to concentrate on NOT breaking it.

She has had a lot of time for reflection since Monday. She has been reflecting on the good old days, back when she could walk. Ha!

She thought about how high her life was in March 2008, and the big long dip to the bottom when she had the seizure. Then the progressive dip to her lowest point in November. She was boxed completely in, darkness all around and the only way out---to climb up. She's been climbing ever since...for an entire year she has been trying to reach that high, happy place that was March 4, 2008. She sees it in the distance, sees that light at the end of the tunnel, but now she's taken a few steps back.

She feels she is on a precipice, she's looking down into that darkness, feeling a gravity that is strong, trying to pull her straight back down. She finds there is power within herself to choose, and she has to make the choice over and over again throughout the day. Time to stand up, make some food, pick up the kids, go somewhere, get dressed, take a shower, get from point A to point B.

She's searching for the lesson, searching for a reason. She has tried not to give up these past 18 months. Now, that last corner to round to March is going to be recovering from a fracture in her foot. Her husband says this happened to give her family an opportunity to serve her. She is perplexed. She is vulnerable, she is hanging on by a foot.

Read more!