Passing of a good friend

This weekend brought some sadness to this house amidst the joy of Halloween and our Autumnal walk through Bernheim Forest. On Saturday, with a heavy heart and stricken with guilt, I took our cat Jezebel to the vet for the last time.

Jezebel has been a part of my life for over seventeen years - I acquired her after a weekend house-sitting stint for my sister back in 1992. I was not a cat person at the time, but this kitten would not leave my side. She was a stray, found during a storm underneath a dumpster. My sister already had two if not three cats at the time and really had no room for another. This kitten was persistent in her affection, playful and we immediately connected. She was mine.

At that time, my life was in transition. I was less than two years out of college, living in my first apartment on St. James Court and very much living the life of a bachelor. She was the perfect pet - self sufficient - she did not require a great deal of up-keep. But she was always happy to see me and could not wait to lay on my chest and nuzzle her head against my chin. She was a very calming pet and always full of love. Jezebel made it through a total of eight moves and several roommates (and cat-mates and even bird-mates) and was there for me as I fully transitioned into adulthood. She was a part of my family.

Within the last two years, Jezebel had been on the decline. She was having glandular problems, was not grooming herself, and seemed less interested in litter boxes. Though never hostile with the kids, she did not prefer to interact with them, taking refuge in the basement. Finally, the last three weeks, she could not hold her urine and had a bad odor about her. She just wasn't herself. Though I will always second guess myself, I made the very hard decision to put her down. She was the best cat in the world and I am missing her dearly.

A beautiful Bernheim morning

Halloween with family and friends

It was so nice to celebrate Halloween over the weekend. Friday night we had pizza and walked across the street to the Bellarmine University Halloween party with Kristin's family. They line the campus with hundreds of carved and lit pumpkins, and they hand out candy to the kids. The party was cut short (for us) due to rain. Because we had to skip the Krispy Kreme station, Grandpa Paul and I jumped in the car for a quick stop through the KK drive-thru to provide the doughnuts at our house.

Halloween day was spent at my Dad's house for some clam chowder and yummy homemade yeast rolls provided by my sister Chrissy. The kids, including Cousin Claire, got to canvas Drayton Drive with their Papa Joe and Aunt Chrissy. Then we went to celebrate a little more with our friends, the Wards.

All in all, our little Belle and our Cardinal Quarterback had a great holiday. We will most likely hold on to the candy until after new years.

A guide to Rowan-speak - lesson #1

Myrna - more
Yeow, Eow - kitty cat
pssssss - please
hssssss - horse
huh-eeeen - Maureen
Ball -ball

They get their moves from Dad

Wow, check out that new golf club in the right hand corner

October funk

Runny noses. Slight fevers. Cackling coughs. The kids have a touch of the funk and stayed home from school yesterday with Kristin.

Some changes

Kristin quit her day job at the Girl Scouts and will focus on home life and real estate. Her last day at the GS office is tomorrow. This will be a big change for us, but more importantly, a big relief for Kristin. She's been working two jobs for several years now, and she deserves an easing up. She is looking forward to more time with the kiddos, and the chance to focus a bit more on her chosen career. I'm proud of her for making a good decision.

Sweet Duet

Mojo's Birthday 2009

Ready to PAR-TAY

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This is Grrrrrrrreat!

Crap

I had to go home to change my new, crisp, white dress shirt yesterday after dropping Rowan off at school yesterday. Seepage issues.

Friends

Apparently Mojo and Rowan were sitting together playing in the school playground when Kristin went to pick them up yesterday. That makes me happy. I get to pick them up today and I can't wait.
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Ro and Papa Joe

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Now it's Rowan's turn to cry

I took the kids to PDO (parents day out) today. Mo couldn't wait to get into her room and was inside before I knew it. Rowan was cool, calm and collected - at first. We were fourth in line to enter Rowan's room. They have one of those half door rigs where the bottom half was closed and the top portion was open, and parents simply pass their child over the half-door to the teacher. As each parent did so, each child would begin to cry, only when they were in the arms of the teacher. Not a whimper until the hand-off was complete. Rowan followed suit. As I walked off, there were four crying toddlers and two scrambling teachers. They are seasoned pros, and I'm sure they got everything under control before I hit the street. I just think it's funny -

New shooze

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First day of school 09

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Big Girl Bed

Maureen hit a few milestones in the last couple of weeks. First, she has officially stopped using her crutch, I mean pacifier at night. We switched to night-only over a year ago except for critical, high stress times where additional soothing was necessary. Her cigarette, one might say. We've been talking up the Passy Fairy for some time now, telling her that if she stopped using her pacifier, the Fairy would come during the night, take away her passies, and leave a present. One night about a week ago, she decided it was time. The Fairy had to leave an IOU, but returned the next night (after a successful night's sleep sans passy) with a magical princess tea set. That night, however, Maureen woke up early in the a.m., asking Kristin if the Passy Fairy took all her passies. Kristin told her that all the passies were gone because she did such a wonderful job the previous night. After a pause, Maureen asked if Rowan has any clean passies. She still had the urge. She managed to get back to sleep without the plug.
Saturday, we went to Sam's Club and bought Mojo her first big girl bed - actually, a mattress and box springs, and to Target for some special, Princess Sheets. Dad made the mistake of not fully listening to Mom, and we had to exchange the mattress for the one that Mom had originally wanted, but no problems, and Maureen was none the wiser about the exchange. She just spent her third night on her big girl bed, and all is well.
Today is the first day back to the Parents day out program, otherwise known as school, for both Maureen and Rowan. Maureen is in the older 2's class, and Rowan is in the toddlers class. Maureen is ready and can't wait to get back to her friends. Her best friend and partner in crime Poppy will be with her again. Rowan, however, is in for a big shock. He is very much into his separation anxiety stage. Also, he is prone to fits of hitting, and this weekend, he started biting. Yes, we have a good chance of being that family with the biter. We hope he can curb the impulse to sink his teeth into a fellow student. We've been on the other side of the scenario with Maureen being the victim. We'll just have to see how it goes.
The other big adjustment awaiting Rowan is having to wear shoes. He's been barefoot for most of his life, and will now have to wear closed-toe shoes from 9am to 2pm. We've had shoes on him from time to time, and he has problems walking with them on - a tad clunky, you might say. It will definitely be a big adjustment for the boy, but some change will do him good. And I think we are all ready for the added structure school will bring.

Laborday week 09

Laborday weekend is coming quickly and I am very much ready for the long weekend. I guess its time for what's become the monthly update. School (parents day out) starts up a week from today and I believe we are ready for a little more routine. Rowan will be in the toddler class, and Mojo will be with the older 2's - I'm sure she would be fine with the 3-year-olds, but this way she will still be with her Buds from last year. I just hope she doesn't get bored.
Rowan is in for a shocker. He's become attached to his pacey and lovie - or lamb blanket - lately, and he'll have to do without in the classroom. I'm anxious to see how it goes. He seems like a totally different person with his new haircut. Lots of fun!
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Rite of Passage

Today Rowan got his first, ever haircut, at EG and Mark's Barbershop in the Gardiner Lane Shopping Center. EG and Mark have been cutting hair in this city for a very long time - in fact, I got my hair cut by them when I was a boy - some forty years ago. Rowan cried just a little, but did really well, and the barbers handled the situation like true professionals. We were in and out of there in 15 minutes. And of course Mama got teary-eyed at first sight when we came home. We picked up some Krispy Kremes on the way home to celebrate. He looks sharp, not at all like a hippie any more!

Quick walk to Bellarmine

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Chillin

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Whoa, ho, ho; listen to the music

While waiting for dad to come back with Mike Lennig's fish at the State Fair: