I don't feel old...or do I?

It's been a busy week. I celebrated my 35th birthday yesterday.  I'm not sure if I feel my age.  I mean, what does 35 feel like?  I guess it depends on the day.  Most days I don't feel like that is an old number.  Then I look at everything that's happened to me in the last year...5 years...10 years.  Wow! 

We just hired a few a new staff member at Romp n' Roll.  She was born the year I went to college!  It's only when I hear things along those lines that I feel old.  Anyway, it was a good birthday.  As low key as I would like with well-wishes from many friends and family.  As with any holiday this year, though, something was missing.  A pretty big something.  I suppose that is the most difficult thing about life these days.  No matter how good things get, you remember that something (or someone) isn't there to share the experience. 

Earlier this week, Roger went down to the James Center where ASK launched the Kourageous Kids exhibit, showing all the courageous cancer warriors who are being served through the clinic this year. The theme this year was "Hats Off for Kourageous Kids" and we donated one of CJ's hats to the cause.  Another reminder that September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.  Also, it's not too late to register for the ReeseStrong 5K this Saturday, 9/18, in Mechanicsville.  Roger will be running in his Team CJ pink and purple.  Feel free to join him!

Richmond Rocks books are selling at Romp n' Roll-Mechanicsville all month to benefit CJSTUF.  Books are $14.95+ tax and 30% of the proceeds will benefit our organization.  This is an adorable children's book written and illustrated by local Richmonders.  Not only does it support CJSTUF but it also supports local small businesses!  You can pay for the books with checks, cash, or credit card so get your autographed copy today!



We received some more donations this week towards Roger's Double Marathon challenge.  So far, the vast majority of the donations are going towards the University of Miami Hurricanes side of things.  Are there any Hokies out there that want to see Roger run in a turkey suit?  If they are, they've been vewy vewy quiet!  The challenge continues till November 13th so let's see if we can meet the 10K fundraising goal!

Busy week ahead with Board meetings for the foundation.  By the way, if you haven't noticed yet, you can now access this blog directly through our website.  We've added a tab at the top of the page and the blog will feed there every time we update it.  Thanks to all our supporters who continue to follow us on Facebook and through this blog. 

Today marks 8 MONTHS since we started this journey.

Today marks 8 MONTHS since we started this journey. That seems like a long time. And yet the year seems to by flying by. I can't believe we are already thinking about Fall....Halloween, Thanksgiving, and (gulp) Christmas. Crazy!!! Charlotte has been doing well the last couple of days. Her biggest symptom is being "tired". She just doesn't have the energy level of a typical four year old. Our days have been busy with treks to OT, PT, the clinic, etc. Saturday we even went to the Children's Museum so Charlotte could show granny her Kourageous Kids picture. We played there for a while as well and she had a good time. As always, it is SO nice to have my mom here. It definitely allows Roger and I the flexibility to work as we need to. Plus she has a GREAT time with her granny and Uncle Kolbey too. Friday she had a minor meltdown in Physical Therapy. She is working on some tough stuff including bending down, getting up from one knee, and picking objects up off the floor. All things that are challenging to her. We were about halfway through when she just broke down crying (correct that:WAILING) about how she was tired and didn't want to work anymore. We're using a rewards system and everything but I guess we're just going to have to "ramp up" the reinforcement schedule (shout out to all my fellow behavior analysts!!). I foresee M&Ms being added to the reward lineup. Tomorrow is one more clinic trip for the Velcade and then we're off of that for two weeks. Have to work out things with her Accutane prescription because (true to form) things got a bit mixed up in the transition between Texas and Virginia and since Accutane requires an act of Congress (practically) in order to get a prescription filled we have to jump through more hoops and cross more t's. Sigh. Busy week ahead and then Charlotte is off to NM with Daddy so Aunt B can shave her head along with 5 or 6 other brave souls for the Head Shaving Party: West of the Mississippi version. They will just be gone for a long weekend. Before I forget, I have been nominated by someone (I wonder who???) for the Richmond Mommy Makeover Contest. This is the same website that sponsored Roger's Great Richmond Dad contest. I have the opportunity to win a makeover (insert joke here) if I get enough votes....SOOOOO if you feel I am deserving of such an honor (???) cast your vote HERE. Voting ends next Saturday, the 26th.

A Busy Day

Guess I wasn't kidding when I said, "so much for my 15-minutes."

Today was supposed to be a lazy day for Charlotte and I - putting up pictures in the office, shelf braces in the downstairs closet, eating cereal with no milk,"watching shows that Charlotte likes," things like that. Rachel went in to to do birthday parties and I offered to come help a little since the two "helpers" were new and could use a little extra on-the-job-training.

I was on the way down when I got a message from Rachel that Charlotte had been invited to the 1pm Birthday Bash so I turned around and came back to get her. We slathered sunscreen on her for the second time since the accutane has the wonderful effect (among others) of making her extra sensitive to the sun. We also changed her dress because some of the jam I had given to her on bread for lunch found it's way to her very nice blue dress that Aunt Phyllis had found for her this morning.

It was ok since I went and got that pink dress she wore in the Kourageous Kids (sp?) photo shoot. She looked adorable of course. While we were there, Michelle Reynolds' (wife of my cousin Jeff and mother of Savannah) mother came in with an interactive bear that was a gift from her "Women Of The Moose" organization. It's very cool with headphones and a DVD and I'm thinking I might have more fun firguring out how it works than Charlotte will once I do. Thanks to them for that!

Well, not long after that, we found out that one of the helpers wasn't coming in to work so I officially became "on the clock. It wasn't too diffucult to do since CJ was an actual guest of the first party. The hard part was going to be what to do with her during the second party. We'd figure that out when we got there.

That question was answered when CJ was sitting on the chair behind the front desk and suddenly started crying saying that she had hit her head on the chair. The padded chair that she had been lightly bumping her head against since she could sit there. What it actually was (probably) was the onset of some of the side effects of the Accutane. One is headaches. So while mommy got her an ice pack and held her while she cried (quite heavily actually), I got the car and pulled up to the front and Rachel loaded CJ into her seat.

She was pretty groggy and unhappy on the way home so we stopped at "Old McDonald's" and got a small milkshakeshake. Charlotte wanted to wait and "eat" it at home so we started off and before we got out of the parking lot she was asleep.

When we got home she woke up a little but I shooed everyone out of the house and got her comfortable on the couch and for one blissful hour (plus 15-min or so) the house was silent and Charlotte slept. I dozed too which was nice.

When Rachel got home, CJ woke up and complained about her head again. We tried to give her liquid Tylenol but she wouldn't have it and only wanted Meltaways. I think it was effective as much as a placebo as anything. CJ and I went to hang out in her "upstairs room" because she was still a little tired and wanted more quite time. After a little while of looking out at the trees getting buffeted around by the wind, we read a book and went back downstairs for dinner, meds, and "something Charlotte likes" on demand.

We did all that, watched some Thomas The Tank Engine, and got ready for bed. She read her books, threw them out of the bed, and at last check, was sining to herself in the dark.

By the way, the second party went very well and Rachel and Lindsey rocked on the BB without me.

I discovered a good way to get her to take the Accutane without changing the routine too much. I mixed it with the Amoxicillin she's used to taking already and she didn't have any more trouble with it than usual. The hard part is getting the Accutane out of the capsule and into the oral syringe. Rachel figured out that it's actually liquid in there! Who'd a thunk it? So now we pop a hole into the end, drip it into a large lid and mix it with the Amoxicillin, then take it all up into the syringe and then we do the usual dance of talking her into taking it.

Here's something fun to do if you live, or plan to be in Grandpa's and Juanita Bonita's neck of the woods next month:

The Good Shepherd lutheran Church in Morristown, TN is sponsoring of a Benefit Pancake breakfast along with Applebees Resturant from 7-10 am on July 18, 2009 for Charlotte at the Morristown location on AJ Highway. Tickets cost $5.00/person for all you can eat pancakes, bacon, coffee. Applebee's provides the cook and food and the members of the Church will wash dishes and wait on customers. Tickets will be available at the door or from Charlotte's grand parents (Grandpa and Juanita Bonita) at the Hamblen County Car Club Cruise-In on Saturday night or the Church.

Next events for us here in Ashland are the Home Business Bazaar at St. Anne's Catholic Church on June 27th and the July 4th parade and pahtay! I've been asked to be a judge in the best apple pie contest and I want to get as many of the nominated great dads together as possible to march in the parade. It's completely casual and doesn't take long to walk. It's mostly for the kids (and bassett hounds).

Did I mention that as soon as Charlotte "rings the bell" we're getting a dog? Hanover SPCA of course.

So go watch "Little Miss Sunshine" twelve times on the Oxygen channel.