The attic...

Dear Nicky,

Mom took you guys to visit a friend of hers for most of the day. Everybody raved about both of you. I took this opportunity to clean out the attic, which was dusty and dirty and webby. There was weird craft type stuff on the floor, there were old dirty carpets by the bindleful. It took me all day. I heard you guys had a nice time, though, and that at Granny's you ate a big slab of shepherd's pie and loved it.

Love,
Dad

Tired and twitchy...

Dear Nicky,

I feel like I'm gonna lose my mind with tiredness, sometimes .

Love,
Dad

Nice PT...

Dear Nicky,

You did impressively well at Stones today, both with PT and speech. Then we came home and we all three pretty much hung out all day. Both you kids took a three-hour nap after lunch. It was nice and quiet. You totally get around to every room in the house with your commando crawling. Later, Mom watched you guys while I went to get twine for the recycling and then I put you to sleep when she went to a meeting at Stones. We had a lot of laughs as I changed you; I blew a lot of raspberries on your belly and sides. The you went right to sleep.

Love,
Dad

Tech difficulties...

Dear Nicky,

I hear this cable company might be giving people a hard time. Later, pal.

Love,
Dad

Zero energy...

Dear Nicky,

I think you have a cold. You're hard pressed to sleep, fussy, and whiny. I'm on the go constantly. It'd be helpful if you could drive.

Love,
Dad

On my own...

Dear Nicky,

Mom went back to work today, and it was just the three of us. It wasn't bad at all, but I am very tired now.

Love,
Dad

Tomorrow...!

Dear Nicky,

Mom goes back to work tomorrow. I'll be alone with two kids! Aw, it'll be fine. I did a lot of cleaning of stuff today, under the refrigerator and stove, some leaves, the balcony. I mopped in all the rooms upstairs. I'm beat. Mom took you guys over to Granny's while I was doing this. She seems to think she's doing me some huge favor when she goes out, leaving me behind to toil, and toil.

Tired eyes...

Dear Nicky,

We're all fatigued today because we were up late last night, and everybody's been sick. Mom taught you to blow kisses today, and your speech is seemingly progressing geometrically. Amazing!

Love,
Dad

Catchup...

Dear Nicky,

Sorry I was so brief with the last note, but I was so tired, like most of the time, that I could barely move. Anyway, we are now a two-car family. Yesterday I drove way out to this place almost in Pennsylvania. It took a long time because there's the haggling, the paperwork, the prep. But it's always nice to have a new car. It's roomy, clean, modern, and has a crazy amount of storage space. I left our other car at the dealer yesterday and today we went to pick it up. Mom drove it home and I drove you guys around for a while because you were asleep. You've had a little cold the past couple days, but you're doing better now it seems. But now Junie has it too, we think. What can you do?

Love,
Dad

New car...

Dear Nicky,

We got a new car. It took all afternoon and evening. I came home beat-tired, man. More later.

Love,
Dad

Both tired...

Dear Nicky,

Went looking for a car today, very tiring. You're tired too. You've got a cold, I think. It could be teething again. Lately you've also been waking up whining in the middle of the night. One theory is that it might be growing pains. Hope it's big growth, because it sure sounds uncomfortable.

Love,
Dad

First time away...

Dear Nicky,

My darling boy, you're so brave and good. Today was the first time we took you to a little morning day care place down the street. Mom and I joked around in the days prior that it'd be so nice and quiet, but when we got there we almost couldn't go through with it because we were too worried that you might not like it, that t wouldn't be right for you, or that, worst of all, you'd be afraid. Handing you over to strangers, very nice strangers admittedly, reminded me of the time we took you to the hospital for your heart surgery. We stood at the entrance to the operating room, and I held you, and I felt your little body tense as you resisted being handed over to the nurse. Oh, that was a scary day.

But today we had all these worried thoughts in our heads, but we needn't have worried; you took to new and challenging situations like a duck to water. Later, when we came to collect you (two hours later), the women who took care of you said not only were you no trouble in that you didn't cry or vege out, but that you were an absolute pleasure, that you were wonderful. Yep, Mom and I could have told them that.

Love,
Dad

Like a light...

Dear Nicky,

Tonight you went to bed at five, and it looks like you'll be sleeping through the light. You've been awfully cranky the last couple weeks . Hope you feel better.

Love,
Dad

Need more napping...

Dear Nicky,

We're all very tired. Your sister wasn't so bad today. You need to nap more during the day. It's tough on all of us when you don't get enough rest.

Love,
Dad

Just a nice day...

Dear Nicky,

Mom and Granny went to the mall this morning, so it was just you, me, and your sister till the afternoon. It wasn't bad at all. I mean, your sis did her usual crying thing, but what can you do? You continue to eat well and move well. Your spirit is indomitable, and I'm proud to be your father.

Love,
Dad

Just great...

Dear Nicky,

You continue to do well with self-feeding and drinking. It's a thrill for me to see it. And it seems to have come out of nowhere. For the longest time it felt like all we did was press you to try this, to try that, with nothing but frustration as a result. Then out of the clear blue sky, pow! Mom took you to Stones again today, where you again did well despite being tired. See, you have a tendency to wake up early, around five, then you eat and then you'd like to take a nap, but unfortunately, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, you have to be at Stones, which makes it tough for you to be on top of your game. So tomorrow, if you wake up early Mom's going to give a bottle right in bed and try to get you to go back to sleep. Very interesting.

Love,
Dad

Amazing kid...

Dear Nicky,

You're just amazing, you know that? You're a fantastic little kid. You're making such progress, it's phenomenal. You're eating great, no texture issues at all. You mastered the straw cups in a couple days. You're saying words and understanding speech. Pretty darn incredible the progress you've made! I'm so proud of you, your courageous little spirit, your strong little body, your powerful determination!

Love,
Dad

A new semester at Stones...

Dear Nicky,

Mom took you to Stones this morning. She loves taking you whenever she can. You did great! See, what happened was you woke up around four-thirty this morning, because you went to sleep so early the night before, so you had a very early bottle and cereal and then took a two-hour early morning nap. You woke up refreshed and raring to go to Stones, which is only a few minutes away from our new place. Later you worked really well with your home PT, who basically told us you're the best kid he works with. I had to go to a medical clinic this afternoon because I've got this cough that wracks my whole body. I was in and out in less than twenty minutes! Life is so much better in the suburbs.

Love,
Dad

We toil on...

Dear Nicky,

You've been gone all day. Mom took you and June out to Granny's yesterday and you slept over there. Today I woke up feeling less sick than I did last night, and started toiling right away. Got you registered for a little day care place, went to the store, went to another store, went and bought a new TV, set all that stuff up. Then when Mom finally brought you home it was already time for you to go to bed, so I barely saw you today. Makes me sad, but I'll see you tomorrow.

Love,
Dad

Nyquil...

Dear Nicky,

So I think I'm coming down with a cold, so I took some Nyquil. It's wiping me out. I've got to go to sleep, or at least have some chocolate. Today we took you guys over to Granny's. I don't know what you all did the whole day, but I bet it was nice--if Junie didn't scream too much.

Love,
Dad

Sheesh, pal...!

Dear Nicky,

I spent a lot time traveling and buying, traveling and buying. What a pain! Plus my sinus are acting up again. And your sister is exhausting. This afternoon you drank from a straw holding the bottles yoursel. Pretty amazing, the progress you've made.

Love,
Dad

Strides, more of 'em...

Dear Nicky,

Ah, my boy, you are just so happy and pleasant most of the time, all you want to do is learn, explore, and please. You touch your head, you eat adult food, you say rudimentary words. It's fantastic!

Love,
Dad

Great strides...

Dear Nicky,

You did great in speech today. Your therapist brought a student observer with her and you wowed them both. I had to go shopping, so I missed most of it, but Mom filled me in. Then we all went to Doc Mock's to get Junie looked at. For dinner we had hot dogs cooked on the grill. A couple times tonight your sleep seems to have been disturbed by bad dreams. I hope you sleep peacefully the rest of the night.

Love,
Dad

Just a darling boy...

Dear Nicky,

I forgot to mention yesterday that your PT is going to recommend getting treatment twice a week instead of once a week. Not that you need it especially. As a matter of fact, he told us that you do more in one session with him once a week than his other clients do in two. But he figures since these other kids get it twice a week, why shouldn't you? So, more work, but with the potential for greater gains.

Today your DI came over and was so impressed with everything you did. She was like, "Nick can't do this at his age," etc., but then you would just go ahead and do it. She was falling in love with you before our very eyes. See, she's a nice enough person, but I think her experience is limited in terms of number of years in practice, and more important, with the degree of children's impairment she's dealt with, in other words I think she's dealt with very severely impaired kids, and that's why her viewpoint seems to originate in a somewhat negative area. Well, you're gonna show her is all I can say.

Love,
Dad

Nine past ten...

Dear Nicky,

What a busy day we all had today. From the moment we woke up it was go, go, go. We had to first get you and June and Mom off and out because the cleaning girl came. Also, we had a plumber come and install a new sump pump and two battery backups just in case of emergency. Now at least we have more peace of mind and don't have to worry about water in the basement. I hope we didn't get totally soaked on the cost, but I don't think we had a lot of time to look around. What are you gonna do? Homeowning is a costly thing. You guys drove around and went to Granny's while the plumber did his thing, and during this time I tended to our lawn. I put new soil in the divots and seeded both the front and the back yards and put down protective and nutritious mulch in areas that were especially blighted and bare. I got finished just as it started to rain, which was exactly perfect timing for my seedlings. I think I did everything okay, but only time will tell, as it always does.

Love,
Dad

Labor Day is right...

Dear Nicky,

I did a lot of yardwork today and am extremely beat, so I just want to check in, say goodnight, etc.

Love,
Dad

Sump pump...?

Dear Nicky,

So it rained all day yesterday, right? Then it stopped. But even so, the foundation drain in our sump pump well shows no decrease in the amount of water running out of it. Something somewhere isn't right. I don't know if there's a blockage somewhere or we need a new sump pump. At least the pump is working. We got a plumber coming, but not till Tuesday. Tomorrow is Labor Day. I think I'm going to be laboring without relent on something. Sheesh. Mom gave you some mac and cheese with broccoli and you loved it, by the way.

Love,
Dad

Like a hurricane...

Dear Nicky,

Man, it rained hard all day today. Our lawn really needed it, and it was a good test of our house's waterproofness. No leaks and no flooding, and that's good news. We didn't go anywhere or do anything particularly exciting today, and I did no major chores. We finally got some seating down in the TV room, a nice couch and loveseat thing. Not the greatest quality in the world, not the worst; our choices were limited due to the narrowness of the stairwell and doorways, etc. There's a rip on one of the pieces, but the guy told me he'd send a replacement. I hope he doesn't try any funny business. I live in dread of being taken advantage of. That's because I'm such a pushover sometimes. As you well know, the way you charm us with your winning ways.

Love,
Dad

Gloomy Friday...

Dear Nicky,

It was kinda dreary out all day today, and it finally started to rain late this afternoon. There's a hurricane or a tropical storm coming our way. I hope it doesn't cause flooding around here. Even though it was dreary out, I didn't mind. I like it out here. Mom took you and June out for the whole day to visit Granny and Aunt Erin. It was a long day and you were all tired when you came home, especially Mom. As usual, I did a bunch of stuff around the house. Nothing major to report today.

Love,
Dad