Birthday Boy!
By Natalie | August 2, 2010 at 4:53 pm
Grant had a great birthday last weekend. We had a fairly low-key pool party at my parents’ house with family (summer birthdays are easy when you have access to a pool!) He’s so excited to be four! Before his birthday, he kept a running list of all the things he’d be able to do when he was four. They included shooting a deer, climbing in the attic with a flashlight, using big tools, and finally taking that last step in potty training. I’m happy to report he’s accomplished at least one of the things on his list, and fortunately it did not involve firearms, a ladder, or power tools! He was pleased with his arthropod cake, and I thought it turned out pretty well, too. I made a roly poly in honor and memory of all the ones he’s terrorized/investigated in the backyard this year. (The cake balls are supposed to look like rolled-up ones.) His favorite gift was a “Disgusting Science” kit, which he absolutely needed after seeing it in the store due to his new-found fungus obsession–I can just see me making a cake that looks like it has mold growing on in next year!
I added pictures from the rest of our busy summer to his photo section, too!
Topics: birthday, summer | 7 Comments »
Still here
By Natalie | July 16, 2010 at 11:23 pm
We’re sorry to make you worry, Jeannie, but no, we haven’t disappeared completely. We’ve been very busy–mostly in a lot of really fun ways like VBS, a party, a cruise, and camping. I’ll try to at least update the pictures soon. Grant is growing like crazy, and he’ll be four next weekend. Four! Where does the time go? He’s requested an arthropod cake with dinosaur candles. (Great, now I have to learn the classifications animals. Parenting is hard!) He’s still quite a funny guy, and there’s so much I could share. (Soon!)
Today sweet Maddy would be seven. It still feels so…wrong that she’s not here. When I think about the day she was born, certainly one of the most monumental days of my life, and then realize that that whole person is gone…I really can’t describe how it feels. We’ve missed so much.
We’re heading into that difficult time of year that used to just be July with Maddy’s birthday and August with the anniversary of her death. Now it’ll extend into September with the anniversary of Annette’s death and October with her birthday. And then it’ll be time for the holidays again. Honestly, the thought of it overwhelms me.
Thank you for remembering our girls and continuing to check on us.
Topics: Uncategorized | 9 Comments »
Pictures, finally
By Natalie | May 22, 2010 at 11:05 pm
It’s been a busy, busy couple of weeks, but I’m finally here with the CureSearch Walk pictures I promised plus a few more. You know it’s overdue when even Kirk is starting to complain that I haven’t updated! Of course, that’s probably because he wants me to show off the photo shoot he did with Grant last weekend. (Those are in Grant’s photo section.)
After the walk, we all crashed for a little while, then geared up to help Samantha and Ryan move into their new place Mother’s Day weekend. Mother’s Day was nice, but I have to say it was also nice to have a distraction.
We also had Samantha’s graduation from Tulane Medical School last weekend to celebrate. Tulane allows students to have a friend or family member who has a doctorate degree “hood” them during the graduation, which adds a very nice personal touch to the ceremony. Unfortunately, they wouldn’t allow both Mandy and me to hood Samantha, so we randomly selected one of us to do it and Mandy got the honor. So that I wouldn’t be left out (and probably somehow as a ploy by my mom to get all three of us in regalia on the stage at once), Samantha’s friend Sheena asked me to hood her. I’ve enjoyed getting to know her over the last few years, so that actually worked out really nicely. And participating in academia again for the day was sort of fun, too. (Although, I probably would have agreed to put on my robe and hood for a picture, mom.)
We’re so proud of you, Dr. Z!
We’ve also said goodbye to our good friends, Cameron and Jennifer, and their boys Micah and Ben, who are traveling around for the next few months on their way to leave the country to be missionaries. We love you guys and we already miss you!
In between all of that, we’ve been continuing to enjoy the bugs in the backyard and our new inflatable kiddie pool, which Grant tells everyone is HUGE. He’s all but swimming in the 8 inches of water in it, so I can’t wait to see him in a real pool. I can’t tell you how many times a day he says, “Watch this!” as he runs, spins, and flips his way across the yard and flails himself into it, then comes up sputtering and laughing. You’ve gotta love that. Even as you cringe and pray he doesn’t break something.
Topics: CureSearch Walk, graduation, summer | 5 Comments »
CureSearch Walk
By Natalie | May 5, 2010 at 9:00 am
I’m feeling a mixture of elation and exhaustion after Saturday’s first New Orleans CureSearch Walk. Together, all the teams ended up raising more than $70,000 for childhood cancer research. There were close to 1000 walkers present, not to mention all the “virtual” supporters. I was privileged to be able to stand on the stage and look out at the sea of faces–kids, their families, doctors and nurses, and friends–and feel the energy and passion that we all shared, no matter what walk of life we come from, for kids with cancer and reaching the day when we can give them the cures they need. It was an amazing, inspiring thing to be a part of. I couldn’t stop smiling (or crying, at times).
Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who donated, walked, or simply prayed for the rain to hold off until after the walk (it did!). I want to extend a special thanks to our New Mexico friends who held their own walk and picnic with my sister Mandy and her family. You guys are so sweet!
I’ll add some pictures to this post when I can remember to get them off Kirk’s laptop. For now, check out the blog of the photographer who donated her services to the walk: Twirl Photography. Thanks for checking in!
Update: Here are more pictures!
Topics: CureSearch Walk | 3 Comments »
WWL Interview
By Natalie | April 29, 2010 at 9:37 am
Topics: CureSearch Walk | 7 Comments »
Already planning his Halloween costume
By Natalie | April 21, 2010 at 11:00 pm
Somehow we got on the subject of Halloween costumes tonight. (You’re shocked, I know.) Grant said he was going to be Spiderman and very enthusiastically demonstrated how he was going to catch people in his webs. We asked him what we could be, thinking maybe he’d make us superheroes, too, or some other exciting characters. He insisted that I should be a fairy (isn’t that what all girls like?), and after a lot of thought, decided that Kirk could be…a rock.
A rock. I can’t make this stuff up.
One more funny thing: One day when Kirk was leaving for work, Grant told him goodbye,and then said, “Bye, Mama!” I laughed and told him I wasn’t going anywhere, to which he responded, “You can go and I can stay here by myself. I’ve got this all under control!” Since then, “I’ve got this all under control” has become one of his new favorite phrases. So see? He’s not just a miniature Kirk–he’s part me, after all!
Spring is quickly becoming Summer in New Orleans. Our caterpillars are now chrysalides (Hey Jenn, I found out that’s the plural for chrysalis. I know you’ve been losing sleep wondering about that.), which has been completely fascinating to watch. Oh yeah, Grant thinks it’s cool, too. He loves the caterpillars almost as much as catching roly polys in the backyard, which is where we’re spending every possible minute these days. He could live out there if we’d let him. He has some new rain boots that he insists on wearing–on the wrong feet–every time we go outside.
I just love that boy.
Just over a week left until the CureSearch Walk. (Still plenty of time to sign up!) The total amount raised for the New Orleans walk is almost $30,000, which is very exciting. I’m scheduled to be on an interview about it on a local morning news show next Thursday. I’ll try to post that here if I can. Please consider joining or donating to our team, Marching for the Maxey Girls, if you haven’t already (did I mention there’s still time?).
I’ll try to update with pictures soon. I know that’s what you really want to see!
Topics: CureSearch Walk, Spring | 3 Comments »
T-shirts ordered
By Natalie | April 12, 2010 at 11:14 pm
I’ve placed the order for the team t-shirts. Thanks to everyone who ordered one!
Grant and I have been busy learning about Spring, which coincides nicely with his recent insect obsession. We have plants that we’re watching sprout from seeds (he’s constantly checking to see if the “seed coat” has fallen off) and just received our caterpillars on Saturday that we’re going to watch turn into butterflies. He doesn’t understand why I won’t let them sleep in his bed with him, or mine at 4 am, for that matter, but he’s taking great care of them. (Because it just creeps me out, that’s why!!)
Don’t forget to sign up for the walk! www.curesearchwalk.org
Topics: Spring, animals | 4 Comments »
CureSearch Walk T-shirts
By Natalie | April 5, 2010 at 11:44 pm
We’ve decided to make team t-shirts for the walk. They’re $10 each, and they’re available in sizes YXS – 3XL (more size info here). I’m going to order them next Monday, April 12. If you’d like one, please email me (nataliemaxey(at)hotmail.com) or leave a comment here letting me know what sizes. Update: If you leave a comment here, I’ll have your email address through the guestbook, and I can send you a “bill” through PayPal (or you can mail me a check, if you prefer).
Here’s a preview:
To join our team, either as a walker or a virtual walker, go to www.curesearchwalk.org (and follow the drop-down menus) or follow this link to the New Orleans home page. Then click on the link on the right side for our team, Marching for the Maxey Girls. From there you can join or donate. Thank you!
Topics: CureSearch Walk | 10 Comments »
Whew!
By Natalie | April 2, 2010 at 12:23 am
As of this moment, Grant has finally gone 24 hours without Tylenol. Whew! The stories and songs are still pretty entertaining, too. Today he had an idea that big dump trucks and concrete mixers could take all the things out of The Monkey Room (the indoor playground we like to go to) and bring in real, alive dinosaurs that don’t have wires coming out the bottom that move all by themselves. He spent a lot of time discussing the size of the doors they would have to make to get them in there. Then there could be a big tube that kids could crawl through to get to the dinosaurs, and then kids could slide down the dinosaurs backs and tails. It would be called the Dino Room, and it would lots of “kid-fun and dino-fun.” I think he was trying to draw it, but couldn’t quite sit at his table long enough. Purple marker did somehow end up all over his shirt while he was explaining it to me.
It is such a relief to see him getting back to normal!
He and I spent the evening on 4West tonight, helping families sign up for the CureSearch Walk. It’s on May 1, only a month away, and I’d like to ask everyone to please consider joining our team, Marching for the Maxey Girls, forming your own team, or simply donating to this important cause. It’s only $10 (although you’re certainly welcome to donate more), and you can be a virtual team member even if you can’t come to the walk. If you’d like to visit New Orleans, though, that’s also the second weekend of Jazz Fest, so it would be a great time to come!
Otherwise, we’re doing okay. Kirk’s been traveling a lot for work, and we’ll be glad to have him home for a few days.
I managed to get Grant an Easter outfit without too much drama. Since Maddy died, not being able to pick out an Easter dress has always been one of my triggers. That, like everything else, has been compounded since we lost Annette, too. Growing up in a house with three sisters and a mom who could sew absolutely anything, coordinating dresses were just part of every holiday. We still keep that tradition up at Christmas. I so wish I could have frilly dresses, tights, and white patent-leather dress shoes laid out for this weekend. Or better yet, be up late putting the finishing touches on something I made them myself. It’s hard to express how sad, how bitter I am that I can’t have that.
But Easter is not about dresses. It’s about the hope that Heaven offers. As horrible as all of this is, I can’t imagine facing it without the knowledge that one day all will be restored–no, not just restored, made new.
Have a Happy Easter. Along with much more important things, I’m going to be thanking God for plastic eggs. I’m really learning this year what a stroke of genius those things are. We dyed a few eggs early, and Grant forgot where he hid one for awhile!
Topics: CureSearch Walk, Easter, tonsillectomy | 7 Comments »
Maybe a little better
By Natalie | March 28, 2010 at 9:50 pm
Prepping to remove Mommy's tonsils
After a rough couple of days, our little man seemed a little better today. He’s been mostly okay as long as he’s had pain medicine recently, but when it wears off, usually just before the next dose is due, things quickly get very bad. I’d read enough horror stories on the internet to know that some kids don’t just sail right through tonsillectomies, so we knew it was just part of the process, but it’s still been tiring, to say the least. The only thing that he seems to think will help him is a warm bath, especially when he wakes up in pain, so we’ve been giving him baths at all times of the day and night. Kirk’s mom is a firm believer in the power of a bath for babies and little kids, and it looks like she’s right this time. Of all weeks for her not to be here!
But, like I said, today was a little better. I’m hoping within a few days I’ll be able to stop waking up every four hours during the night to make him take this yucky medicine, and we’ll all get some much-needed sleep.
At the risk of sounding like I want to keep my child drugged for my own entertainment, I have to say that I am going to miss “Hydrocodone Grant” just a little. He’s been noticeably…freer…in what he says, and his stories and songs have gotten more funny and creative. His songs even rhyme more and have more variation in the melodies. Today he told me a long, long Halloween story (no, he hasn’t forgotten about Halloween) that ended with a possibly longer song (all stories have soundtracks and end with songs around here). The heroes of the story were the Baby Halloween Babies Rescue Team of Babies.
At least he gives us plenty to laugh about!
Topics: tonsillectomy | 6 Comments »