homemade cupcakes are better

This weekend we didn't do too much. We went to the National Museum of American History and only made it through about half of it before we were both tired and no longer interested. He walked the whole time, without his cane. He said his left leg was more tired than his right, probably from the compensating. But, we took the metro in to DC and back, so that was an adventure in itself. I was uncharacteristically calm that day which I decided was how I would always have to be if we ever took kids on the metro or to a big city with all the hustle and bustle. It's much more relaxing when you're not in a rush and don't have a time frame to go by. Or maybe I should just always be like that.

Yesterday my parents came up. That usually always stresses me out. Nothing like a mother to push all your buttons at the same time, and immediately after arriving. I think only mothers are capable of that. I love her dearly, though. Jason often has to remind me "She's just trying to help..." We went to downtown Bethesda and found a Barnes & Noble. A childbirth book was recommended to me by a friend, and I was on a mission. We spent the whole time in the kids section and Jason bought a Halloween book for baby boy. I think it looks a little scary, but mom says it's OK because it won the Caldecott medal so it must be good. Ha. I got my nephew a couple books and a lego game thing - he's turning 8. I really doubt eight year olds enjoy getting books for their birthdays, but they have so. many. toys. This was a three story B&N...I could've been in there for a long time. Then we walked down the street and found a satellite location of Georgetown Cupcake which was featured on the TLC show DC Cupcake. We paid $15 for 6 cupcakes and saved them for dessert. We found a trendy restaurant that didn't look too terribly formal or expensive, and tried it for dinner. Not impressive. Just OK. And then came back "home" to eat our cupcakes. My dad stayed behind because he hates shopping and didn't want to come with us. We were not impressed with the cupcakes either. But, I guess we had our famous experience.

Back to the daily grind today. I did not want to get out of bed this morning. I randomly wake up and cannot fall back asleep these days. This morning it was at 0430. I browsed Facebook and played Words with Friends. It felt like I had just fallen asleep and Jason's alarm went off. I always have to wake him up to turn it off. I never used to have to do this. But thankfully it was a relatively short day. Just meeting with his nurse case manager, PT, then OT. Tomorrow he has the same, plus wound care, minus the case manager. But he also signed up for an Army Marksmanship Unit training which is all day tomorrow and Wednesday. That should be interesting. He loves Top Shot, and apparently he always scores perfect at the ranges they do. I've never seen him in action. I would love to go shooting with him just for fun at a range though. I think they do those kind of trips here, but we haven't been able to go yet.

Baby is big. Well, not big enough, but much more noticeable. Last week we went to the doctor, and all is still well. Fluid looks good. She didn't measure my cervix again because she said they stop that after 28 weeks since baby is viable. So that was a little scary. But he was head down, and heartbeat was in the 140s. Now when I feel something hard up on the top of my uterus, I know it's his butt. I love watching him make my belly lopsided at night when I'm laying in bed. It's still crazy that there's a human growing in there. I don't know if it hasn't hit me yet or what, but I cannot commit to a name. Connor? Austin? Carter? Owen? Colin? Declan? Cooper? Just too many choices.

His nurse case manager was talking to him about convalescent leave today. Thirty days of 'freedom'. But not really, because he'll still have to go to appointments and such, they'll just arrange for him to go wherever he takes his con leave. Personally, I think this is silly. Why are you going to make someone take leave and then oh by the way you still have to go to all these appointments. That's not much of a vacation. He's like "Oh yeah, so you can go back to Colorado and all, since you have a house out there." Yeah, but all his friends are deployed, he's not sure if he'll be able to drive his car since it's a manual, and I'm going to be pretty pregnant by then, not sure if I can fly. So we go out to Colorado and go to appointments and sit at home? That's the same thing we do here. Or do we go "home" to KG/Bowling Green and have to divide our time between parents houses? That gets old. Or do we just stay here? So many choices. I asked if he could take it after the baby comes - but they said it's supposed to be a healing time for him, to rest after all his treatments. Understandable. We're thinking maybe he'll take it from middle of December to middle of January and then he'll have his paternity leave tacked on there as well. No clue what we'll do, though.

So many things still to do - apply for VA grant for his car, TSGLI, seating clinic for custom wheelchair that takes forever, etc. On the bright side, we're down to one finger bandage - the ring finger graft looks beautiful. It's just a matter of getting the range of motion back in that finger. He seems to think it will never happen. I think it will. One day. He did push ups today for the first time. He did about 10, and then wanted me to time him for two minutes to see if he could do 42. He then did about 15 and decided he was done. "Well, I wouldn't pass a PT test right now." Duh. No one expects you too! But that's a good goal, honey :)

He got a box today with some of the personal belongings we requested. Finally. The rest of his stuff is still in Kandahar because the Army hasn't signed their DHL contract yet or whatever. I emailed his RearD CO about getting at least his wallet back because it has is license and debit card and all. They ended up sending us his computer with the charger, digital camera, old cell phone and charger, iPod and charger, and wallet. Whoever packed that box went above and beyond, and he's very excited to have his music back. I have to say, over the two years he's been with this company I have not been impressed with his leadership, but the RearD and all the administrative people we've dealt with throughout this process have been absolutely fabulous. I only hope it stays that way as he transitions back to wherever he's going.

This song has probably been out for a while, but I caught the lyrics today. Now I'm buying it on iTunes.

"She got the call today

One out of the gray

And when the smoke cleared

It took her breath away

She said she didn't believe

It could happen to me

I guess, we're all one phone call away

From our knees

We're gonna get there soon..."