Friday, September 11, 2015

St Louis Science Center

 Labor Day we had a big day planned in St. Louis with Mr. G's sister and family.  We were all very excited.  The night before around 1:30am I hear a scream.  I instantly jump out of bed and take off sprinting toward what I think is a hurt little Sissy G.  Apparently the door was halfway open to our bedroom and when I tried to run by I whacked my foot into the door.  Mr. G then got up and I told him to find Sissy G because I thought she was hurt.  He found her on top of Bubby G's bed....apparently scared to get down.  Mr. G came back to check on me and I told him that I think I broke my foot.  We turned the lights on and took a look at my foot.  Nothing.  I mean....no swelling, no bruising, not even a red mark from where my foot hit the door.  NOTHING!!  I was feeling pretty silly at this point thinking obviously it's not broken.  However, I could not walk on it.  No matter how hard I tried, it just hurt too bad to walk.  We all made it back to bed and Mr. G and I spent several minutes laughing about what I looked like running into the door.  Definitely not my proudest moment.
The next morning I got up to try and walk and still could not put any weight on my foot.  There was some slight bruising but still nothing too bad.  We decided to still go to the Science Center, but that I would just have to use crutches.  Considering my previous 12 knee surgeries....I'm a pro at crutches.
Everyone piled into the elevator at the Science Center.  We had 5 kids with us....all 4 years old and under.  We had two strollers....and thanks to the nice people at the Science Center....
 We also had a wheelchair for me to ride around in.  Sissy G got to ride on my lap for a while enjoying the sites while cuddling up with mommy.
 Bubby's expression when he saw the big T-Rex dinosaur up close.
 The first thing we did was dig for dinosaur bones.  The kids got to use shovels and brushes to sweep away rubber pieces that were hiding pretend dinosaur bones underneath.
 The kids had a blast.
 Little G checking everything out.
 My nephew playing with the pretend dirt.
 Inside this glass container was colored smoke that if left alone would turn into a small tornado.
 But the kids could never stop playing with the smoke long enough to let the tornado form.
 The kids were standing on the platform waiting to see what a small earthquake feels like.
 Big girl checking out something on the Nano.
 Happy boy getting his feet tickled by his aunt.
 Watching a mini-roller coaster and waiting patiently for her turn.
 My nephew having fun turning the wheel to make the roller coaster go.
 Everywhere you turned there was another neat activity for the kids to try.  And considering it was Labor Day, the place was not too crowded so the kids were able to try everything out.
 Using a vacuum tube to shoot balls up into the air.
 You can just barely see Sissy G and her aunt having fun trying to get their parachute to fly.
 With Mommy stuck in a wheel chair it was nice for Sissy G to get to spend some special girl time with her aunt.
 Getting to work on a building project of some sort.
 This was in the bridge that goes over the interstate.  Bubby G is crouched down looking through a window, seeing the cars pass by underneath him.
 My new wheelchair buddy.
 And Sissy took Little G's spot in the stroller.
 All the kids huddling around to see the cars pass under them.
 These two cuties always have fun when they get together.
 Do you think they like each other?
 Checking out the traffic.
 Sissy G trying to get a look too.
 Smiles!!!
 The kiddos comparing their height to one of the tallest men in the world.
 Everyone had a blast at the Science Center.  We had planned on doing more but my foot was still hurting and so we decided to go to an Express Care to get an X-ray done.  Sure enough....a bone on the outside of my foot was broken.
The next day I saw an orthopedic dr to get a shoe so that I could walk.  This was a life-saver considering I'm a stay at home mom with the youngest not able to even crawl yet.  I need to be able to hold him and walk around and thanks to this shoe I can do that with minimal pain.
It wasn't quite how I expected the holiday to go, but we all still had a lot of fun.  And technically, I got my first broken bone (other than the two stress fractures in my back, the one stress fracture in my knee, and the time when they broke my leg bone to put a wedge in during one of my many knee surgeries).  Nothing like your first broken bone.

Saturday, September 5, 2015

First Day of Tumbling

 Yesterday I signed Sissy G up for tumbling classes and today she had her first class.  
 Watching the older girls tumbling before her class started.
 She was ready to do some tumbling herself.
Let's just assume this disgusted look was given by accident and not the fact that mommy kept asking her to say "cheese."
Much better.
 I can't believe how big she is getting.
 Her teacher was introducing herself and taking her shoes off to get started.
 Stretching.
 Learning how to do the butterfly stretch.  The teacher was trying to get Sissy to bend down and sniff her feet.
 Anxiously waiting her turn.
 Finally Sissy's turn.
 Learning how to do a somersault.
 She was having fun.
 Big girl getting ready for her next move.
 The other little girl wasn't quite as interested in the tumbling part as she was rolling herself up in the rug.
 More somersaults.
 The teacher was telling her to spread her legs. (Don't mind the rug and foot in the picture....the other little girl was still rolling herself up.)
 And then touch the floor...
 And then roll.
 Time for a back-bend.
 Reach up high.
 And lean back.
 Hopping forwards....
 Hopping backwards.
 Poor girl has a little bit of her mommy in her.
 Handstand time.
 I think this was supposed to be a cartwheel.
All done and time to pick out some stickers.  Sissy G had a blast doing tumbling and I really enjoyed getting to spend some special one-on-one time with her.  I am proud to be her Mama.