Keeping Busy

Since we've been back from our vacation, we have been trying to keep busy. Mr. Mustard started working on Dancing with the Stars, which has the same BBC crew as Top Gear. He's really enjoying that and is already putting in long hours.

I had my 6 week post-partum check-up yesterday. It was very hard, to say the least. About two-thirds of the waiting room was filled with women who looked like they were about to give birth right then and there. The woman sitting behind us while we were waiting kept talking very loudly to her 3 year old about how the little girl's baby brother was going to be born next Wednesday, and whether the little girl wanted to see him on the "TV screen" (ultrasound). I had to go wait out in the hallway. The staff in the office was very nice to me and very understanding. I think our doctor prepared all the nurses and ultrasound techs to make sure they knew our situation and not to say anything insensitive. That was a relief.

Today we had a great day. Paprika and I went up and visited with Devon, a mom from our grief group. Her precious identical twin boys, Blake and Ethan, passed away in March of this year after being born prematurely at 23 weeks. She has a beautiful daughter, Riley, who is one week older than Paprika! Paprika and Riley had a great time playing together. Riley is very coordinated and wanted to jump, climb, and scale everything in sight. I have a feeling Riley has many tricks to teach Paprika. Before we left, Paprika had learned how to jump on Riley's bed, and wanted to follow Riley around even though it was time for Riley to take a nap. I hope that Devon and I get to be great friends and that our girls grow up together- how special that they would have another person to lean on who knows what it is like to grow up as the older sister of twins who are in Heaven. It was really wonderful talking to Devon and knowing that she understands my grief and that she doesn't judge me for my thoughts- not even the darkest of them.



Last weekend we took Paprika to the Rose Bowl for open swim. She loves the water and could stay in the pool for hours if we'd let her. We passed her back and forth without her inntertube, and she kicked and kicked, and even went underwater several times. She is a pretty natural swimmer. Since she loves the water so much, we've signed her up for swim lessons again. We start in September, and I think she'll really love the lessons. Natalie Coughlin and Michael Phelps, watch out! ;-)