2022, Covid, and Big Successes

We are nearing the end of March and this is the first time I’ve written a blog in 2022. This year did not start out great to say the least. Everything from January 3rd until the middle of March is a complete blur. Shamus and I were mourning and the kids were mourning but not understanding really what was happening. I know the kids weren’t sleeping and Penny was acting out and Rory was particularly clingy and I vaguely remember there being a lockdown in there somewhere? Like, how are we nearly to April already?

This week the four of us all got the ever anticipated Covid. We all made out okay. Each of us had a rough day or two but we did better than many others. We’re nearing the end of our isolation period so we’re all currently losing our minds from boredom and seeing each other’s faces constantly. Bright side: we all got it within a few days of each other, so we just have to isolate once and not a bunch of times. I also don’t think we gave it to anyone, so that definitely puts my mind at ease. That’s been a big fear of mine through this whole Pandemic.

Also, shoutout to family and friends who dropped us something, I think, every day, and checked in! We have the best people in our lives!

The Friday evening before Rory tested positive (the first in the house), Penny made a huge stride in her aversion to the outdoors. When I got home from work I told her that her cousins, who live up the road, had gotten a drum set. So she made it known that she wanted to walk to “Aunt Vanessa’s house”. Her stipulation being that she had to bring a big green seat with her, and I’m like, “you do you, girl” so off we went – green seat and all. We had a quick little visit and then I told her we had to go home.

But, as soon as we left Vanessa’s she started walking the opposite way of home. I eventually had to get Shamus to drive by and pick up the green seat so I could follow her to where ever she was going. Turns out, she was walking all the way across Mount Pearl (an approximately 40 minute walk) to my mom and stepdad’s house for a freezie.

To be clear, this child usually cannot tolerate outside. We try not to force her and if she has to go out, she’ll often cuddle into me until she’s comfortable and we definitely can’t go without her headphones. But she went, on her own volition, with no headphones, without her green seat for comfort, up and across main roads, all the way to nanny and poppy’s house. She also pointed out her cousin’s daycare along the way. My favourite part (I mean…besides all of it) was when we were walking down a long stretch and it seemed like the road wasn’t going to end, Penny looked up to me and said, “ah…it appears to be stuck”.

I also enjoyed when we got to mom’s house and she had mom read some subtitles on a Wiggles episode…and then requested she read it in French. She tends to overestimate our abilities. Much to Penny’s dismay I still cannot Juggle or read Mandarin. She IS teaching me Auslan (Australian Sign Language), however.

So, unfortunately, after that awesome experience, the next day she woke up with a high fever. In between naps, she requested to go for another walk and we haven’t been able to. I thought that may dissuade her from the outside, but yesterday her and Rory played outside in the yard. When Shamus, Rory and I decided to come in, Penny stayed in the yard for about another hour playing on the swing. This is unheard of for her. It used to be a fight to get her outside and then maybe a 5-10 minute adventure if she did. I’m so proud of her, and I’m so proud that she got there on her own. For the sake of transparency, she DID climb over the backyard fence the other week when she had a 30 second window of opportunity, but I refuse to let that steal my joy!

I’ve been noticing a lot this past week of – constant in your face – family time, that the kids are getting really good at figuring out what they want and when they want it. Penny can tell me what she wants for supper without prompting. Rory can tell me when he’s hungry (hilariously he says “macaroni and cheese” to indicate he’s hungry because that’s what Penny used to say even though he doesn’t actually eat macaroni and cheese).

Rory changed around his bedroom the other day and seems really pleased with himself – I didn’t realize he didn’t like where his bed was! Penny asked for a certain shirt yesterday – she’s never shown an interest in her clothes. Rory will recognize when he is tired and cuddle up with his tablet and tell me to move if I’m getting in his way (he steals my spot on the couch a lot). Yesterday I mentioned to Penny that we may go camping this summer and she then suddenly wanted s’mores. She’s never made s’mores in her life to my knowledge! I assume it’s in an episode of something? Probably Bubble Guppies.

I just love taking in the small (and big) moments and noticing how the kids are learning, changing, and growing up. I’m forever grateful that our home is their safe space and they feel comfortable asking for whatever they want or need in that moment and know we’ll do our best to accommodate. Well, except speaking French, Madarin, or juggling, evidently. You win some, you lose some.

I won’t share any sick photos of the kids, but here’s some shenanigans Penny got up to. Wanting matching tattoos, and then a cowbell on her ankle. Not going to lie, kinda wanna steal that as a tattoo idea.