Natalie and My Boys

Three of my favorite people in the world came to see me this past weekend! Natalie came for a quick overnight Saturday to Sunday. She got to hold lil Henry a couple times and treated the two of us to another of the four Indian restaurants around the RMH. Delicious again! I think i've certainly fulfilled my Indian craving by now! We also spent a lot of time doing what we do best together: chatting and catching up. Our lives are both so busy and so different, and it makes for EXCELLENT conversation!

Then, later Sunday night, Samson, aka "Smart Cookie," and my super lovey hubby Ron, came to visit and it was EXACTLY what I wanted; I've been missing my family like crazy. Sam was a lot of fun, and Ron had stocked up a ton of hugs and kisses for me. The three of us had a wonderful time together!!!

The boys arrived around 2:30 am Monday morning, and much to my surprise, CHOP Security gave them a ride to the RMH; I had planned to get in the car to come get them, so all i had to do was sneak down in my slippers to let them in! Sam looked so cute in his coat and boots over his footie pjs! Those first 10 minutes were kinda fun and weird at the same time. It had only been 2 weeks since i saw the gang, but immediately Sam seemed so much older, and 'talky-er' and wiser and taller. He seemed EIGHT YEARS OLD, and not just four. And Ron's dimples and smiling eyes warmed my heart like he did on our first date 7 yrs ago. I think i can liken the reunion to "falling in love" all over again. Absence truly does make the heart grow fonder!

The three of us managed to get in some ZZZs before waking to a new sunny day. We grabbed some eats in the kitchen before heading to visit Henry - the first time for Sam! Sam had gotten over the cough that kept him from seeing Henry the first time around, but now Ron had gotten it, as well as just getting over a little bug going around. Ron and Sam wore masks and our visit was brief. Sam asked me again about Henry's cleft lip, and i explained it to him, and that was the end of that. Sam thought Henry was cute.

All through the day, Sam didn't feel like eating and i didn't force him, and by mid-afternoon, he said that his tummy hurt. He didn't make too much of it, but he did mention it a couple times. And then, all of a sudden, his head was in the room trash can! And that happened a good 4 or 5 times. Poor bugger. Soon he was laying on the bed with a cool cloth on his head (I remember loving my mom doing that for me) and the next thing we knew, he conked out that way. It was about 6:30, suppertime. So Ron and i took turns going down to get something to eat. Ron came back to tell me there was a magic show going on that he wanted to check out, and he came back with a big balloon sculpture of a monkey in a palm tree. Sam loved it when he woke up!

The next morning we checked out the local "Philly Diner" on the corner and Sam only wanted toast and bacon which was fine with me. We decided to stay back from the hospital for a bunch of 'sickie' reasons and spend our time together. We ran some errands and walked around the city and came back to the room for a while. Sam watched some movies and we played a game.

That afternoon, we headed out to a Salvation Army to just snoop around. I was personally looking for a few different tops to change up my wardrobe here in town (i found three!). After that we headed to Chuck E Cheese to meet up with Katie and her kids.

I haven't been to a Chuck E Cheese in over 25 years!! I remember there being games and pizza and a big singing Chuck E Cheese, but beyond that, i had NO IDEA what they had done with this franchise. Now its a kid HEAVEN! There are a TON of games and rides to occupy them while Mom and Dad sit and relax (if they so choose).

The one free thing that they had that completely consumed Sam's entire focus was this great big "Sky Tube." It's basically a big gerbil tunnel attached to the ceiling where the kids can scoot around and weave into different sections. They climb up a platform in the middle and then scatter off. They can either climb back down or ride a slide down. He was all red and sweaty within the first 10 minutes! So much for having the stomach bug, eh? At one point, a mom came over and told us that she wasn't sure what happened, but that her kid came down from the tube saying that Sam hit him. Soon Sam came over holding the side of his head and started crying, saying some kid hit HIM.

We told him to stay outta the tube for a while and we introduced him to all the "Stuff That Takes Tokens!" The whole joint is about tokens! Play games, try to get more tokens - which all leads to spitting
out tickets that you then cash in to get OTHER STUFF. Katie had a fun 'rule' in which all the tickets any of the kids got were tossed into a pile and would be divided by four at the end. That worked well since Sam and Maya and Charlie wouldn't get as many tickets as Keller would. Sure enough, at the end, each kid got 110 'credits.' Of all the stuff Sam could pick, he chose a crazy straw, a long Tootsie Roll candy and a trick screw-thru-the-finger toy. A fun night for all of us.

Wednesday morning came too soon, and after rousing and packing and eating a little, we headed over to the hospital for one last visit with Henry as well as saying our goodbyes. Henry was SO ALERT and was very much looking at Sam and Daddy. I'm glad they got to see him like that, because its FUN! Sam was smiling at Henry and saying hello. Then, they were off; Ron had to work at 4 later that day. We said our goodbyes and before i knew it, my boys were off and i was flying solo again. I did not cry this time because i have a good feeling that we'll all be reunited again sooner than not, and THAT will be nice. Very nice.