knitting librarian

My boss generously allowed me to come in late today for our 9th graders’ first day of school so that I could see AJ off to Kindergarten. I was really worried that I was going to be an emotional wreck, but I barely shed a few tears once he was inside the building.

We got up and got dressed, had breakfast and then I took Zoe to daycare while AJ and John finished up breakfast and went out to wait for the bus. We waited for nearly 30 minutes for the bus to arrive. It got to the stop about 25 minutes late. We took pictures of AJ and our neighbor Destin who is going into second grade this year. Apparently, like us, every parent putting their child on the bus today took pictures before and after their kids boarded, so they were running way late. After the bus rolled out, John and I drove up to a nearby parking lot and left his car there so we could go wait for the bus at the school. We waited there for another 10 or 15 minutes. I’m not even sure that AJ would have noticed us there if it weren’t for us calling his name. They were very organized, calling the kindies off the bus first and escorting them in separate from the rest of the children. He couldn’t tell me much about his day initially other than he’d had strawberry milk and chicken nuggets for lunch. The best part of his day was riding the bus. The next best part was seeing his friend Garrett from preschool during the after school care program. After some time, he did recall that they’d heard the book The Kissing Hand, gone to art class, and laid down for a rest—oh, and he also had corn and apples with cinnamon at lunch. Tonight at bedtime we kissed each other’s palms so we’ll have kisses if we need them. (Love that book!)

Zoe took her first steps without holding on to anything or anyone today. No camera because we were at church and then at my folks. Will try to get something this week!

Well, we saw the PA at Zoe’s doctor’s office last week. She said she didn’t see anything too alarming at this point but that we’d watch it. The PA said mostly she’s just spoiled (she was joking).

She said we could “try” high-top shoes with hard leather soles (like the walking shoes I—and probably most of us—wore as a getting ready to walk baby.) Everything I’ve read online says that’s not recommended.

I did go to a Stride-Rite store (they sell adult shoes too, not just SR) hoping that I could get her measured and then find something for less on eBay so I played it as though I hadn’t been to the doctor yet. They didn’t want to waste their time and mine measuring her if that wasn’t what the doctor was going to recommend. I was less than impressed. They told me they haven’t sold a pair of the hard-bottom shoes in more than 10 years and recommended a store in a neighboring town if that’s what the doctor recommends.

We went there next. They were awesome. They did have some hard-soled shoes and a softer rubber soled shoe but they were close to $50 and they told me that really she should be primarily barefoot while learning to walk.

So, here I am, a week later with no shoes. I’ve stopped putting the robeez-like shoes on her feet for daycare to keep her barefoot while trying to cruise—which she does some now, but mostly under protest. At this point, my plan is to wait until Zoe’s 15 month appointment and see how she’s doing at that point. If I need to get more supportive shoes, I’ll figure it out then.

Last night I baked a cake and made dinner for our family (for Sunday). My brother, SIL, and nephew were supposed to come to my mom’s for birthday dinner for AJ today. We got a call at the time we were expecting them to arrive that they weren’t going to make it. It’s too bad, AJ would have loved to see them.

Zoe was walking around with a push toy today and we realized that her ankles are really turning in pretty bad. Badly enough that it might explain the whining she does when we encourage her to walk and why she holds her legs straight out when we try to stand her up, so I’ll be calling the doctor’s office tomorrow to have them look at them. I hope she can be seen soon, although I suppose it’s not urgent. Time will tell what the solution is for that, but it might explain why she hasn’t been in a hurry to walk or stand up so far. What do they do for pigeon-toed kids now-a-days? I haven’t heard anyone talk about their child having that problem in my “generation.”

AJ had a really good day today. He wasn’t all over his sister, he behaved, he took his rest without a battle. After rest, we went out to my friend Theresa’s to visit for a bit and he was great there too.

T’s daughter was playing with me and she ended up getting mad and hit me (not hard, but still it wasn’t nice.) She ended up in time out until she said sorry to me. When we left about an hour later, she still hadn’t said sorry. She’s her father’s daughter, that’s for sure!

We came home and had dinner with John, AJ played with the neighbors for a bit and then came inside for his book (we started The Adventures of Captain Underpants today) and bed. John initially suggested that I should give Zoe a bath, but when I chided him that he could do it as easily as I could, he actually did! I’m so proud of him! I think that’s the second bath he’s given her since she was born.

We’ve been sitting on the porch for the last hour or so, laptops in hand, and enjoying each other’s company. We occasionally share what we’re reading/doing, and then go back to our own little reverie, but it’s been nice. I’m off to bed really soon!