Has it been a whole week already? It has flown by. I guess we've been busy, yet in some ways it doesn't seem like we've done a whole lot. It has been nice having the week off together though, and I'd say we have taken advantage of the time to relax.
The big news of the past week has been an ill cat. He started throwing up last Sunday afternoon, and wasn't keeping any food down into Monday, so in he went to the vet. They did an x-ray to see if he swallowed anything (didn't look like it), then gave us some drugs for him and sent us home. So, for the next couple of days we had to schedule our days around being home to force the medicines down his throat every few hours. He was a pretty sad-looking thing, not acting himself, just laying around and for the first couple of days he kept hiding (under the bed, in cupboards, behind the couch). We got him some canned wet food to try to convince him to eat (and keep him from getting dehydrated), and by Wednesday he was nibbling at it a little and starting to act more like himself. Then Thursday afternoon, after we forced his next dose of the anti-vomit med, he promptly threw it up along with everything he'd eaten. Sigh. Back to the vet. They offered to keep him for a couple days for observation, complete with repeat x-ray, bloodwork panel, IV fluids, the works to try and get to the bottom of it. Yikes. Especially since he was starting to act more normal, seeming interested in the food, etc. Could it be that forcing the meds on him (since it takes two to hold him down and squirt it into the back of his throat) is causing him to puke? Well, she conceded, stress can cause vomiting. So, plan B: give him some subcutaneous fluids to make sure he's hydrated, bring him back home, stop all the medicines and just keep an eye on him. Lo and behold, by today he's pretty much back to his old self. The only noticeable side effect so far is that he now thinks he's entitled to the Fancy Feast for every meal (warmed up in the microwave no less)... sorry cat, you better start getting used to the dry kibble again.
Oy... so that's been a fun way to spend the week. But we've been out doing other stuff too. Monday, in between getting the car tuned up and the cat checked out, we managed to squeeze in time for a Penance service, so we got to Confession in preparation for Easter which is nice. Tuesday morning Joe came along to my doctor's appointment to hear Bumble's heartbeat again. (No real news on that front; everything's healthy, no dilation, baby's head is down -- same as the last 2 weeks.) We went out for breakfast at the new IHOP and then picked up some things at Target. That evening we headed downtown for dinner and then the Chrism Mass at the cathedral. We ran into Father Sean as we were walking over to Pearl Street Grill for dinner, which was fun. Apparently a lot of the priests gather at Pearl Street for dinner before the Chrism Mass too; makes sense because it is so close to the cathedral. The Mass itself is one of my favorite things about Holy Week. (Okay, who am I kidding, I love everything about Holy Week, but the Chrism Mass is still kinda new to me.) This was Joe's first time going and I think he enjoyed it as well. We saw both Father Sean and Father Mark from St. Pete's, along with many (most?) of the other priests from throughout the diocese. The bishop presides over this Mass and blesses the oils that will be used for the sacraments throughout the year (it hit me, as he was blessing the Chrism, that this year it will be used for Bumble's baptism!). The priests all renew their commitment to service and then they all concelebrate the Eucharist together. I still think it is pretty awesome. :-)
Wednesday we headed out to Babies R Us to buy the last of the things on our checklist. So, theoretically we are now totally ready for Bumble's arrival. (Yeah, sure. ;-)) Thursday we got the laundry finished up (including all the baby clothes), did the grocery shopping to get our pantry and freezer all stocked up, and then went to St. Pete's for Holy Thursday Mass. I love Holy Week, have I mentioned that before? My favorite part of Holy Thursday is singing Pange Lingua in Latin while the priests process around the church with the Eucharist. *sigh* So that was beautiful, and then we went for dessert in Hamburg before heading home, and Joe ran into an old friend from his Bob Evans days. Small world. :-)
Friday we went back to St. Pete's for Good Friday. (It might not be "our parish" anymore, but it still feels like home there, so we wanted to go there for Easter and all.) Also awesome, except for the really annoying, distracting, misbehaving kids that ended up sitting in front of us. :-/ But I try really hard to be understanding when things happen like that, and I think I am getting better. (I try really hard to realize that one of these days I'm going to be that mom with the kid who just won't behave, and I hope people will be understanding when that happens.) So, it was hard to concentrate on all the prayers with that going on, but I was still glad to be there. We ran into Joe's mom at the service, and ended up taking both his parents out for a fish fry for dinner, which was really nice too. :-) (I eat fish! It's even good!)
Now it is a beautiful Saturday, and we're hanging out at home. Joe made me a wonderful breakfast this morning. This afternoon (once I get my butt off this idiot machine) we might go for a walk in the park, just to get out for a while. Then we'll have a yummy dinner and head off to the Easter Vigil. Which I'm sure will be wonderful, as always! I have missed being part of RCIA this year (I think I have missed it more than I even realized) but it will still be exciting to welcome the new members into the Church, and to see some old friends, while we celebrate the most important holiday in the church year. So I'm excited for that, and for tomorrow's Easter dinner with Joe's family. :-)
In Bumble news, there really isn't any. Technically the baby could come any time now, but I haven't reached my due date yet and I really don't expect to go before then. I'm still feeling pretty good, but my hips are starting to ache more after sleep (apparently lying on my side for long periods is putting on pressure that they don't like by morning). I'm up to 3 pillows in bed now and there's hardly room for my poor husband. :-) I'm a little tired of the super-swollen feet too, but I guess that's just the way things go. It won't be long now and though I'm not impatient to get this kid on the outside, I am looking forward to meeting it, and to certain side-effects of pregnancy that will hopefully go away once my body is my own again (see: achy hips and swollen feet). Still, it's fun feeling the baby roll around inside and I think I will miss that. On the other hand it will be fun dressing it up in the cute little clothes and diapers I've got laying around. :-)
Unemployment hasn't set in yet; I think because Joe's on break, it just feels like I'm on vacation too. Maybe next month, when I don't get a paycheck, it'll hit me. :-P