Beautiful Willow
Sometimes it’s hard to realize it’s actually 2016. If my Father, James
Henry Hastie, was still alive he would be turning 100 this year. And “just
yesterday” it was Y2K, which was unexpectedly uneventful! On Monday, January 4
Lyla played with Maggie Rae & Eli at our house. After Wayne took them to
Tuscaloosa so they could ride home to Starkville with cousin Vann, I played
with Lyla then took her to eat at Taziki’s and spent the night at Lyla’s.
Tuesday, January 5 was “back to school” for everyone. I stayed at Lyla’s &
Willow’s until Friday and then took Lyla to our house until Sunday afternoon. The
usual daily routine was to help Angela with Willow & often take her on a
walk. We went to the “people” & the dog parks & all around Mt. Laurel.
And in the afternoons I would get Lyla at 3:00 pm at school & go to Mt.
Laurel park until 5:00 pm. Except on Tuesdays when we had to leave at 4:00 pm
so Brock could take Lyla to ballet lessons. Thursday January 7 I went to the
pediatrician with Angela & Willow because Willow had some blood in her
stool which will necessitate a change in her diet. Although relatively minor, it’s
still tough to have anything out of the ordinary happen to a baby! Lyla got
sick during the night Thursday & stayed home from school Friday. Unfortunately
she also got sick at my house on Saturday while eating a Ritz cracker in the
bathtub. I’m writing this in June and Lyla still occasionally mentions vomiting
the cracker…usually when she notices the Ritz cracker box in the pantry. She
has not had any more Ritz crackers at my house! January 8 began the routine of
Lyla spending almost every Friday night with me & sleeping with me on our
sofa bed in the den. Fortunately she always sleeps well. Saturday, January 9
was the first time Willow had a bottle because that was Angela’s first day back
at work. On the way home from my house on Sunday Lyla & I stopped at Chuck
E Cheese & she had a great time. I love to watch Lyla interact with
children she doesn’t know & get them to play with her. She is a little shy
but also very outgoing & loves playing with other children. Monday, January
11 Alabama defeated Clemson to win the National Championship & on Tuesday,
President Obama delivered his last State of the Union Address. Angela & I
watched his inaugural address January 2008 in my office at UAB. A lot has
happened since then! On Thursday I went to Lyla’s classroom to read with the
children. I enjoy doing it every month & seeing how Lyla’s reading skills
are progressing. I also took Willow to breakfast with me at Jimbo’s restaurant
in Mt. Laurel. After spending the week at Angela’s, Lyla & I went to my
house Friday, January 15th. On the way home we stopped to play at Chic Fil A
and then had a wonderful evening at Let’s Play. Saturday we played at my house
& had supper at Taziki’s before taking Lyla home & staying to hold
Willow until Angela got home from work. Monday was MLK holiday so I returned to
Angela’s Tuesday and stayed until Friday…helping with Willow until time to pick
up Lyla at 3:00. On Friday there were snow flurries! Lyla went home from school
with Madi where she had a great time until I picked her up to go to my house. These
snow flurries were the only “winter weather” in 2016! Lyla spent Friday &
Saturday night at my house & we went to Madi’s birthday party at “Head Over
Heels” on Sunday afternoon before I took her home. I stayed at Lyla’s again
Monday-Friday with generally the same routine of helping with Willow during the
day & going to the park with Lyla after school. Although I never get up
with Willow during the night, it is easier to sleep at their house & be
rested to help the next morning. After school Friday, January 29 I took Lyla to
buy new shoes & then went to the toy store where she played a long time…and
bought 2 new owls (see picture above). Saturday was our last January day
together and we went shopping at Sam’s, had grilled cheese sandwiches &
milkshakes at Johnny Rockets, got a book on Chinese New Year for “share” at
school, visited at Kristen’s house where we picked up “bouncy walkers” for
Willow, went to Let’s Play then had supper at Taziki’s and then I got to hold
Willow while Brock got Lyla bathed & ready for bed. Then I went home and
spent the last day of January without Willow or Lyla. How lucky I am to be able
to spend so much time with these precious girls & watch them grow. It is
also wonderful to watch what good parents Angela & Brock are. I’m grateful
for my years at UAB so I could afford to retire and not work anymore when Willow
was born!
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