Capture, savor, and celebrate right now.
After a few weeks of having all three of us here together Chris is back to meetings (the new legislative session begins next week) and Simon has one more day off school today (it's a "professional development/planning day"). I am ready for a bit of "alone" time around here to get some more work done before the baby actually arrives.
I finished cleaning up, clearing out, and reorganizing Simon's room yesterday. One of the things that was most fun was having him rediscover toys he has not played with for awhile that still bring him entertainment and joy. I am glad to have that entire project completed and can move on to my list for the baby room (thanks for all those kind words on the sneak peek).
One of my favorite things over the past couple of weeks is that Simon has really gotten into reading. REAL reading on his own.
Our normal routine is to read a book to him each evening before going to sleep of his choice (we intervene or make suggestions depending on how late or early it is). One night last week he picked Green Eggs & Ham, climbed up on his bed, sat criss-cross, and told Chris he wanted to read it that night.
It took over an hour for Simon to read Green Eggs & Ham the first evening.
After the excitement (and a bit of fatigue all around) Chris had the brilliant idea to come up with a simple way to track the books he reads all by himself: each time he finishes a book he can add it to a list we are keeping on a bulletin board in his bedroom. That in and of itself was enough of a motivator for him to get down to business and it has been working like a charm for the last week.
The next night he read Robert the Rose Horse.
Tonight he fell asleep while Chris was reading to him. He had spent part of his afternoon reading Green Eggs & Ham (on his own on the couch) and starting on Horton Hears A Who.
I so hope this is just the beginning of a lifetime love of reading.
In addition, I would like to ask for your prayers and positive thoughts. Many of you know that I have had a bunch of moles removed over the last year and a half (actually more than 20 since August 2007). This past week I received some results indicating that the most recent one I had removed from my upper chest area is stage one melanoma (this is more serious on the spectrum than the melanoma I had removed in the past which was only on the surface of the skin). I should be getting more information this week as to what the next steps are in this situation.
Consider this your friendly reminder to have your own skin checked by a dermatologist if you have any suspicions or conerns.
Prayers are with you Ali... Thinking of you + your family.
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Ali -
I know this can be a scary time, my thoughts are with you.
Regarding Simon's bedtime reading at night, we had the same problem with some books taking too long to read. We started sharing the reading with our son, he reads a page, we read a page. Cuts the time in half!! Just a thought.
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I too have had this type of melanoma on my neck. I was diagnosed October of 2007. I had a wide excision Mohs procedure done. I know how scary this can be as I am a single mom of three kids and was scared to death. Everything will be okay and you will just need to get checked out every six months or so. I am glad you caught it early and I will say some special prayers for you and your family! Take care! Shelley Haganman
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My thoughts and prayers are with you .... keep us posted.
We love you.
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Just to say thank-you for so generously sharing so much of your life with us, and I am thinking of your with lots of warmth and caring.
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Thinking of you and praying for postitive results. Cancerous moles and Melanoma have become so widespread. It is so serious and scary. You will have so many people sending good vibes and prayers your way that a good outcome is most certain! I can't wait to find out which name you chose for your daughter. Best wishes Ali!
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~Lifting you up in prayer~
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Ali, I am sending positive healing vibes to you all the way from Australia. With our southern sun we have to be very sunsafe here in Oz especially in our current summer months.
My positive thoughts are with you always. Take care.
hugs,
Manola xo
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Hey, Ali... just wanted you to know I will say an extra prayer for you today. Also, my sister has had to have dozens of moles removed, and for her every one of them has either been dysplastic or melanoma. The worst one she had was late stage 3... but thankfully they have been able to remove all the tissue around, as well as lymph nodes and she has been clear in the nodes. She is diligent, but in catching them before stage 4 she has been fortunate to not have spreading.
Just thought it might help to know that she's had many of those scares, but as long as they are caught in the early stages she has had great luck. I am praying the same for you.
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What a wonderful thing it is to see a child catch fire for reading! I'm so pleased for you!
I'll be keeping you in my prayers. Be well.
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Ali, best wishes for good news. I just went through 6 months of issues with my cervix and some cells that showed stage 3 cancerous growth. Everything is looking fine right now, but the waiting is what drove me nuts! I'm sure whatever happens everything will work out just fine.
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Ali be strong you are in good hands both here on earth and from above. You have given us so much inspiration, now it is our turn to lift you up in your time of need.
I am so excited to see how much Simon loves to read, he is so darn cute.
Hugs and prayers,
Irene
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I'm sending you positive energy and love!
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Sending positive thoughts and energy your way...
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Ali, Im sorry to hear this and I know what you are going through. My younger sister has stage iv metastatic melanoma and everyday is a gift and a battle...She did not get hers in time and didnt act fast so please keep up with everything and take care of yourself.
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Don't forget Yertle the Turtle by Dr. Seuss! That is an awesome one!
My prayers are with you. Keep positive thoughts!
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I didn't read all the suggestions, but try partner reading. He reads a page and you read a page, and he reads a page and you read a page. Works great!
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I didn't read all the suggestions, but try partner reading. He reads a page and you read a page, and he reads a page and you read a page. Works great!
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Ali,
Sending good thoughts and prayers your way! Having gone through some medical issues myself lately, I can fully understand the anxiety and feelings you are experiencing.
Wishing you a positive outcome, Ali!!
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Lots of good thoughts heading your way.
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Lots of prayers and positive thoughts going your way. Isn't it so exciting to see it 'click' with your child and the reading takes off? How empowering for Simon!
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Sending you my positive thoughts.
We also love Green Eggs and Ham, and one of my online names is Sam_i_am.
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positive thoughts coming your way. x
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You are in my thoughts and prayers Ali. I have dealt with abnormal cervical cells in the past and know how scary the process can be.
It's an exciting time when children begin to read on their own. One of the most rewarding things of parenthood, to pass on a love for books and reading. Even in this day and age of console games and such, reading is still a great way of entertainment, especially during adulthood.
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Ali, you will be in my prayers, of course. My 81 year old Dad had 2 stage 1 melanomas removed from his neck last spring. He is fine. Other than removing them, he didn't even have to have any other treatment. Let's hope you have nothing to worry about either.
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