Missing shoes...

Dear Nicky,

This morning was your first day back at Stones after our trip to Disney, and I guess it must've been reasonably intense because you were asleep when you came home. But you woke up as soon as I laid you down on the couch and took off your shoes. "Play Wii," you said. How could I refuse? So we played some Wii, but you started getting too loud so I put on a movie instead. Then you had a nice dinner and we watched a little Star Wars Episode I, which you seemed to love. Then it was up to bed, where June had a meltdown because I didn't include Count Dooku in a Star Wars story I was telling her. Anyhow, after everybody was finally asleep I looked around for your shoes half an hour. It was like the disappeared off the whole planet. I even thought I might have thrown them away. Finally I found them, under a jacket of mine on a far corner of the bench. Your feet looked a little red this afternoon, so I clipped those elastic bands that hold the sneaker tongue in place and hopefully they won't pinch you anymore.

Love,
Dad

Sunday swim...

Dear Nicky,

Today we went to church and you seemed to do well in Sunday School. Granny and Granddad came over after we rwturned home. Later we tried to go for a walk in the Great Swamp, but the trails were still too deeply covered with snow. Mom then took you for your afternoon swim lesson, which she told me you did great with. Meanwhile I took your sister down to the gym and put her in childcare while I did some light card and ab work. Afterward she and I had dinner at the gym cafe then we came home, whereupon you were both given a bath and put to bed by Mom.

Love,
Dad

Our routine...

Dear Nicky,

Today we played a lot of Wii, went to Whole Foods and Target. I made us a nice steak for dinner that you ate well. The day went quickly without much happening, although I did find a mouse in one of our window wells this morning. I captured him alive and took him outside the house.

Love,
Dad

We're back...

Dear Nicky,

We has a lot of fun at Disney, but now we must return to reality and our everyday lives. We left Florida in the early afternoon. The weather was spectacular, as it was during our whole trip. We were a little concerned because they were saying the weather was going to be so bad arriving in Newark, with terrible wind and rains. The flight was a little delayed, only fifteen minutes late in arriving, but it was a little turbulent at the end. You thought it was funny and laughed the whole time; June was so blasé about it she fell asleep. We got home and played some Wii, then had some food and a bath, then off to bed. We had a great time together.

Love,
Dad

Today we swam...

Dear Nicky,

You loved your swimming lesson again today. We might go back next Sunday. Tomorrow we fly to Disneyworld.

Love,
Dad

Home early...

Dear Nicky,

We were lucky June, Mom, and I didn't go anywhere after our lunch because shortly after we came home, you came home too, an hour and a half earlier than we expected. We did our routine, then I patched you, and you played some Wii. Meanwhile Mom went and got some of your glasses fixed. When she came back, you three went to Granny's house while I went to the gym. You came home asleep and Mom took care of and put you to bed.

Love,
Dad

Kings for baloney...

Dear Nicky,

This afternoon when you came home, after potty and getting a patch for a while, we needed to go the store for June's thing tomorrow. So I got you guys into the car and off we went

Love,
Dad

Grapey...

Dear Nicky,

This morning I went to the docs and got a new scrip for your meds, since the old was unflavored and you clearly hated it. We were going to go down to Target this afternoon but you came home sound asleep and wouldn't wake up, so that was out. Junie and I snuggled while you slept, then I made steak for dinner, and gave you guys a bath. It wasn't a perfect day but somehow it was very peaceful for me. And I loved snuggling with you when it was your time to go to bed.

Love,
Dad

To the docs...

Dear Nicky,

Well, you're on an antibiotic again. Just a week after seeing the ENT and getting a good review and a clean bill of health, you're now taking Augmentin to deal with a sinus infection. It was a pretty good day, though, in terms of productivity. Got your meds, stamped and mailed those invites for the Candlelighters, spoke with my lawyer regarding my mother. You ate a nice breakfast and a nice dinner and you're going back to school tomorrow.

Love,
Dad

Monday blahs...

Dear Nicky,

This morning I got a call from Stones; you seemed tired and groggy. No more goldfish for you. You'd eat them morning, noon, and night if we let you. Better to eat some toast. .

Love,
Dad

Guests for dinner...

Dear Nicky,

This evening we had company for dinner. You did pretty well, as did June. Not much else to say, really.

Love,
Dad

Swimming lesson...

Dear Nicky,

This morning I took you to your swimming lesson in Summit. You sure love it, and you're quite fearless at it too. And oh my does the teacher love you! It's really quite wonderful to see you have so much fun. We came home and played some Wii, had a snack, then I went to Target, came home and hung out while Mom went out for a while. Then Laurie came to babysit while Mom and I went out.

Love,
Dad

Good hearing report...

Dear Nicky,

Mom took you to the ENT today for a hearing test and an exam of your ears. The audiologist who administered the hearing test was astonished at how well you did. The doctor was pleased with how your ears looked, with no redness or swelling, and he reached in and removed the last ear tube that was just sitting there in your ear canal. His notion regarding further tubes is wait and see. If you continue doing well with your ears, and your nasal spray keeps working, we might not need another set of tubes.

Love,
Dad

NyQuil...

Dear Nicky,

Just took some NyQuil, may pass out any minute. Forgot to patch you this afternoon. Sorry about that, I'm still mourning my Wii. Just tried toplay it, but the magic was gone. Guess you'll have to be my magic from now on.

Love,
Dad

Loopy loopy loopy...

Dear Nicky,

You guys ate well this evening, but you acted like nuts when it was bath time. You were however perfect little angelsmwhen it came time for bed. No demands, no crying, you just went right to sleep.

Love,
Dad

Another day...

Dear Nicky,

Sometime in the middle of last night I woke up to find you snuggled tightly between me and Mom. It's always one of the cutesy things. This morning I got a call from your school nurse saying that you had scratched your own ear. Talk about over reacting. We did the usual when you came home; you're a good boy and finally used to the patch. I made us a nice steak dinner that you kids both enjoyed, then we went to bed. Shortly thereafter you had to get up and go potty, which you did, profoundly. Then you were out like a light.

Love,
Dad

Sneaky little so and so's...

Dear Nicky,

I don't know how or which one of you did it, but you wiped out my Lego Star Wars save data. I know it sounds petty and stupid and trivial, and I do feel rather stupid for fixating on it, but I had 1.2 billion points, and was 95 percent totally complete with this game. Now it seems pointless to try and do it all over again. Thanks, kids!

Love,
Dad

Back from the NH...

Dear Nicky,

I made the long drive home today, leaving Yiayia with Papou for a while. They're going to reasses her in three weeks regaring her surgery. I'm so tired but glad to be home.

Last night here...

Dear Nicky,

Visited my mom for a while today, she did a lot of PP and did it reasonably well, then went and had a soggy lunch with my dad, whom I then took grocery shopping while I ran up to Target to get some cleaning supplies. I later used these cleaning supplies to clean my parents' house a little bit, since it was pretty dusty and sandy. Afterward I went to walmart and got my dad some pajamas, then back to Target to return some stuff. Then I came back to the hotel and went to get some fish tacos at the place across the way. Service was really slow but they comped me my entree, bought me a second beer, and gave me a gift certificate for a free entree next time. Very impressive. I heard you had a good time on your playdate this morning. I can't wait to see you guys when I come back tomorrow.

Love,
Dad

Old folks home...

Dear Nicky,

Lemme tell ya, old folks in poor health are depressing. Yia-Yia is in rehab and she's doing and looking better since I was last up here. But some of the other people I saw were really sad looking. Yesterday was her birthday and since I was traveling all day I only saw her for the first time this morning. She was bright eyed and way more lucid than when she was in the hospital. Hopefully her brain is just taking a long time to clear up from all the meds she was and is on. Anyway for her birthday I printed out some pictures of our family, a big 8x10 collage in a frame and a bunch of little ones in a photo album. Papou and I also signed a card for her that plays Happy Birthday when you open it. I also gave her this little stuffed animal--a St. Bernard--that I said you and June picked out for her. She loves it! I basically spent the entire day with her, and even went with her to yet another X-ray appointment, where she was surprisingly pleasant and cooperative. I finally left around five thirty or so when they started her feeding again. Then I went to Papou's house where he had prepared a meal of roasted chicken and fried potatoes. Not bad, unlike this floppy spaghetti I had to choke down yesterday so as to not hurt his feelings. Oh well, we all have different ways of coping with stress, and him thinking it's really helpful to make us time consuming meals is one of them. Missing you a lot and hope all is well.

Love
Dad

New Hampshire yet again...

Dear Nicky,

Well, here I am again in the Granite State. The drive was fine but as usual, terribly boring. Papou made some awful spaghetti and meatballs that I managed to choke down as to not hurt his feelings. This morning Mom took you to see our old pal Dr. Solo to check out your ticker. He's happy, nothing new, no new concerns, which is good news. Tomorrow I go see YiaYia to see how she's doing. I hope she's looking better than last time. Today was her birthday but I doubt she was aware of it. I brought her some picture of you guys and a little stuffed toy, which my dad will no doubt deride. We will also go get some x-rays to see how her broken hip is doing. I don't think we'll be having a lot of laughs in the next couple days. Take care of your health when you're young, my boy.

Love,
Dad

Ice storm....

Dear Nicky,

Today the weather was lousy but at least we were all together. I made you guys some pancakes for breakfast, which you loved. A huge freezing rain storm covered everything in thick ice, and I spent a good part of the morning chiseling us out and then helping some neighbors. You and Junie mostly played Wii, but had fun without it too. Later the three of us took a trip down to Target to get some stuff. You guys were a handful there, lemme tell you. It was also frustrating because a power failure had prevented the gates on the pharmacy from opening and that kept us from getting some mess we needed. We came home, you ignored your dinner, had a bath, and went to bed. Tomorrow I'm going up to NH for the weekend to see my folks, because Yiayia is still in rehab. It'll be a long, lonely ride, and I'll miss my little family.

Love,
Dad

Early dismissal...

Dear Nicky,

Not that I don't love you or anything, and I'm always happy to see you when you get off your ride, but sheesh, today's early dismissal from Stones was a great inconvenience and an over-reaction on Stones' part. I mean, sure the roads were a tiny bit slippery, but really, they couldn't have waited two more hours? You know what you do when you drive on slippery roads? You put your car in a lower gear and drive slower. How hard is that to understand? Apparently it's very hard because many people just don't understand the laws of physics. Three thousand pounds of cheap metal isn't just going to stop on a dime even under the most optimal conditions, let alone icy roads. So when you got home it was business as usual, then we went to get Junie. You went up and down the steps like a champ. And you ate a good dinner and had a banana afterward. Mom put you guys to bed tonight because Junie was becoming a pain in my butt. But there's good news there too in that she seems to have shaken her cough that was threatening to hack up a lung just a couple days ago. They're predicting a major ice storm overnight, so we'll see what tomorrow looks like. It'd be great if it weren't so bad that they have to cancel schools because I need the time to get stuff done before I head back up to New Hampshire on Thursday. If I head up.

Love,
Dad