Update

 Had a really nice 68th birthday. We pigged out on Kentucky Fried Chicken. Not fancy, but exactly what I wanted!

Two days before, I had a PET scan. The scan is easy enough but not being able to eat carbs of any kind is a bore. And nothing but water 6 hours prior was a bummer.

But...I saw my oncologist two days later and found out the scan came up negative. Good news is good news!

Got my hair cut today. It is the ONLY thing I'm doing in February, other than (I hope) a trip to Atlantic City in two weeks. I'm just tired of doctors.

My next medical thing is a follow up to see how my jaw bone is doing. I should be able to get my bridge done soon. It will be nice to have teeth on the right side of my mouth again. 

My angel. He turned 5 months on my birthday!

Christmas Eve 2023

 

Tommy's wearing a "Baby's First Christmas" shirt that I made

Katherine and Patty.

Sleeping in Heavenly Peace.

Nick and James

Michael, Megan and Tommy

Mickey's excited for Christmas!

Megan, Tommy and Uncle Nick.

More Tree Dec Pics

 

Katherine and Andrew and a Christmas Cow

Decorating the tree in 2023

 

Tommy was fascinated.

Mike sets up our first 'fake' tree. It's very pretty and so much easier.

Snuggling with my angel boy. Raven Littlepaw joined us.

With Grandpa

First picture of Mike holding his grandson. Tommy really seemed to like being with Grandpa! (Nov. 9, 2023.)

 

First Halloween

 

More Pics

 

2 1/2 months--a cuddle bunny!

Tommy Pics

I crocheted his little bumble bee outfit. Also made the bib!

 

A Nice Dinner with Family

 Michael and Megan came with baby Tommy for dinner last night. Katherine was there, too. (James was at work.) Nicky finally got to meet his nephew! He still can't hold him because neither Nick nor Tommy has had the dTap shot, but Michael promises everyone will be able to be close to Tommy in about a month. In time for Thanksgiving!

We had a nice dinner of ravioli lasagna and sfigotelli (sp?) for dessert. 

Tommy had formula. It will be quite a while before he gets solid food. 

My little angel:

Michael is 41

 It's hard to believe I gave birth to my oldest 41 years ago. He was born on a Monday, Columbus Day, in 1982 at 5:37. (I will always remember that time because it's the train I took home from the city when I was younger.)

Now he's a happily married man and a daddy!

We had dinner at our favorite restaurant, Catfish Annie's. Michael had twin lobsters. We were joined by Megan (her parents babysat Tommy), John, Noreen and Michael's cousin, John Joseph. We all really enjoyed ourselves! (Mike paid for the dinner, John paid the tip.)

One Month Old

 

Tommy was one month old yesterday, Sept. 25.

He had a checkup today and his daddy says he's a healthy baby!

Much Better

 Megan spent a few days in the hospital with a double kidney infection but seems to be doing much better now. She's spending a few days with her parents to get some rest. Michael has been taking care of his son (happily) but needs to catch up on some things he couldn't do with a newborn to care for. They might visit on Sunday--I hope.

Mike and I babysat on Tuesday so Michael could visit Megan in the hospital. Tommy was an Angel from Heaven. It felt so good to hold him in my arms.

My little dollbaby

Feeling Bad for Megan

 She came down with a fever of 105 degrees and had to go to the  hospital. Turns out she has an infection in both kidneys. The fever has gone down a bit but she's not out of danger yet. 

Not only that, she's stuck in a bed in the hallway since there are no rooms available at the moment. I wonder why so many people are sick.

Tommy is in good hands between Michael and Megan's parents. He's a bottle baby so that's not a problem. 

I just hope Megan comes home by tomorrow. That poor girl just can't catch a break.

Tommy, Sept 14

Sleepy little chubby cheeks

 

Tommy Comes Home

 

We got to visit our little grandson a few days after he came home. It was so wonderful to hold that sweet baby in my arms! I don't think I could ever get enough of him.

First Day Home

A Trip to AC

 We had planned a trip to Atlantic City a long time ago, never expecting Tommy to come 2 weeks early. Glad we got to see him before we left. We're back now and will visit soon, as long as Megan is up to visitors. Healing from a C-Section takes time!

Anyway, it had to be our best trip to Caesar's ever. I had 3 good-size wins (besides smaller ones) of $90, $200+ and 300+ We were playing for Tier Credits (they get you things) because it was 10x and if we got to 1000 we'd be in the Diamond Club through 2024. We were able to do that and will enjoy the benefits through the end of 2024.

I pretty much stuck with a few games. I like this one this is like a gumball machine and another called "Wrecking Ball" where you get to smash buildings. My overall favorite is a Buffalo game. I even have that on my phone, although the phone version is Make-Believe.

The gumball game.

It will be a few months before we go again. I have to say, winning is a real high!

We meet our Grandson

 

I can't say how it felt to hold that beautiful baby in my arms, but I don't think I could love him any more. He's a good, solid baby at 8 lbs. and so good! His Mommy says he's "pretty chill." He came home Sunday. I can't wait to see him again!

Happy Little Family

 

So much love and more to come from Grammy and Grandpa!

He's here! Welcome, Thomas MIchael!

 Megan went in the hospital Wednesday at 2. They started the induction process at 11 pm. All through Thursday we waited for something to happen. Michael said epidural helped with the pain. Later they gave her oxycontin (I think) to help move things along. She got to 6 centimeters last we texted.

Then early Friday they decided on a C-section. She'd been in labor more than 24 hours. Poor Megan was so scared but so brave.

Friday, August 25th, 4:32 am:

Thomas Michael arrives!

8 lbs, 21 inches long. Look at those chubby cheeks!

Thank you, Lord, for this beautiful, healthy boy!

Quite a Week

 Megan was so beautiful and healthy at the shower. She seemed to be having a great time! (I swear it will take 2 hours to open all her gifts.)

Michael says she felt very bad gall bladder pain that night and he brought her to the hospital. It looked like she was going to have surgery, but they decided not to do it.  At one point, the pain was so bad (says Michael) that they gave her morphine. Who knows why they sent her home.

Then a few nights ago, she was having terrible cramps. They told her to drink water and if it didn't subside after a certain point to go to the hospital to be evaluated. She actually called me, rather than texting, to tell me what was going on. It seemed possible Thomas Michael was going to make an early debut.

She had this thing that closes up the cervix (I can't remember the name) that was done a while back to keep the baby from being born early. This was removed and the contractions soon subsided. She was able to go back home again.

Megan says she now has "Frequent Flyer" miles at the hospital.

We are going there tomorrow for dinner. It's better this way because Michael can't leave her and she shouldn't be that far from home. Poor girl is on a boring diet because of the gall bladder. She says the first thing she's going to eat after the damned thing is removed is a big, fat Italian hero.

I hope Tommy waits a bit longer. Mike and I are getting DTaP vaccinations on Tuesday. These will prevent us from spreading whooping cough, which can be deadly. I guess it lies dormant in some of us.