The Life & Times of Finnegan Buckley The terribly exciting and ever expanding world of me, myself

Hangin' with my peeps

So, BIG day today.  Auntie Brett came and got me and we went to her pool again.  I love going to her pool because Cali and Mackie are there and they’re lots more fun to play with than Mom.  We got to swim all morning, hang out by the pool and eat some snacks, and then go back in and swim some more.

That was, until Mom came to pick me up at noon.  She said it was time for lunch and a nap, and to tell you the truth, I was almost in a coma by the time she showed up so I was ready to go.  I didn’t even have any energy left for a half-hearted protest.  So off we went.   Ahhh…nap time….zzzzzz

After what seemed like 10 minutes of napping (although mom told me it was pushing close to 3 1/2 hrs) Cali came and woke me up.  Not Happy!  Just…Need…5…More…Minutes…zzzzzzzz

But when we got downstairs and out into the yard I saw all the balloons, all my friends, lots of food, and big presents stacked everywhere.  And did I mention food?  I didn’t know where to run first, so I ran straight for the balloons and POP!  Oops.

So we did lots of running around, popped some more balloons, and then it was time for presents.  Yeehaw.  I’ve never seen so many presents in one place at one time.   So much cool stuff.  I got a huge working crane that picks up and moves boulders.  An awesome new bike helmet with flames on it!  Oh, and a train!  Choo choo…  I even got a bubble machine.  It was just like being on the Lawrence Welk show.

But mom totally saved the best for last.  Check out the gigundo cupcake cake that she made.  And the dog cupcakes!

Big wheelin' it!

As Saturday’s go, this one was right up there with some of the best.  First Mom & Dad took me to Target, where I got to play in the toy aisle for a while.  I suspect that they were really scoping out toys for my upcoming birthday, but I pretended not to notice.  I tried on a few really cool batting helmets…tested out some awesome cups that campers use, which twist up and down (So Cool!)…and emptied out the bin full of balls a few times.  And of course I visited with my beloved dump truck.  My favorite thing is getting a running start and then letting it go, and watching it race out into the aisle.  I love seeing how many shoppers I can trip and/or scare the crap out of.

From there we went over to REI to get mom a new tire for her bike.  When we were on a ride last week we ended up with a flat and mom had to push the bike all the way back home with me on the back.  Didn’t bother me one bit but mom looked a little sweaty by the time we got home.  Well….on the bright side…at least she still got a workout.

From there it was back home for lunch.  My most favorite – PB&J!  And for a special treat today, some chocolate toffee pistachios that someone had sent my dad in the mail.  Soooo good!  Not as good as mom’s brownies, but good nonetheless.

After that me and dad took a little nap.  Dad likes to pretend that he’s just helping me to sleep longer but we all know the truth…dad just likes to nap with me.  I’m the perfect excuse for him to take a nap on a Saturday afternoon.  Otherwise mom would have him building an addition on the house or something.

So after our nap is where the day really starts to get good.  We went to pickup up a kiddie pool from a neighbor.  It was a big green turtle and it had a cover so that the gross bugs don’t land in it.  When we got it home mom scrubbed it out real good and then dad filled it up with water right away.  The anticipation was so overwhelming that I just had to dive right in.  No waiting for it to fill  up.  Splash!  Wow, diapers really hold a lot of water.

Then Auntie Caitlin showed up for dinner.  We played in the driveway for a little while and did some coloring with chalk.  I tried to let my inner artiste’ come out and color all over Auntie Cait but she wasn’t having any of it.  Hmph.

After dinner we decided to go to the Real pool.  Woopee!  The pool is my favorite.  Especially now that I can say ‘pool.’  Now I can demand it whenever the mood hits me.  So off we went in the red wagon, loaded up with pool toys.  When we got there I had the whole pool to myself since it was so late in the day.  Double woopee!  We splashed around for about an hour.  Or, correction, I splashed around for about an hour.  Mom, Dad and Auntie Caitlin all watched from the sidelines in their pool chairs.  It was still a blast though.

About halfway through the lifeguard came in and tested the water with some scientific looking little tubes.  Mom and Dad were joking with him about how the water is probably worse in the far corner of the big pool, where all the drinkers hang out, than it is in the kiddie pool.  And I have to agree on that one.

So now it’s time to pack up and go home.  Booooo.  Booooo.

But we get all our stuff in the wagon and Dad comes over to haul me out, and he sees something suspicious floating in the pool.  Duh duh duh duh!!!  Help!  Get me out!  Somebody save me!  Everyone, run for your lives!  The way they were looking around I knew it had to be something really really terrible.  Aahhh!

Mom and Dad and Auntie Caitlin then do some whispering among themselves…what to do…what to do….

Mom finally walks over to the lifeguard who, by now, is sitting pleasantly in his lifeguard chair.  She exchanges some words with him, something to the effect of “you may need to test the water in the kiddie pool again.”  And then I hear the lifeguard say “Uh oh, you mean Code Brown?!”  She nods and then skulks away.  As she walks by me she mumbles something about being too embarrased to ever go to the pool again.

Oh god, no!  Say it isn’t so!  Not sure what that is, but it sounds REALLY bad.

But off we go, back home.  Apparently no one’s been harmed so we’re free to go on our merry way.

We get home, mom doesn’t even wait until we’re in the house, she strips me naked in the driveway and starts rinsing me off.  Hmmm…very strange.  Not sure what to make of it.  But I let her finish up.  She’s gotta do what she’s gotta do, right?  So when she’s all done and she goes over and dumps everything in the trash can.  I take that opportunity to relieve myself on the driveway….I’m feeling artistic again so I try to right my name.  I think I got it too!

I hear mom yelp, which of course, shuts off the flow immediately.  Sigh….mom, you just don’t understand boys.  But apparently Auntie Caitlin does.  I heard her tell Mom and Dad on the walk home that apparently it’s really comfortable to ‘Code Brown’ in a pool.

Still trying to figure out how she would know that….

Pre-Op Room

So Monday was not my most favorite day.  It started in the early morning hours…I was rudely yanked out of my bed at 5:30 am and thrown into the car.  No diaper change…no clothes…not even a pair of shoes.

I thought, woohoo, big adventures await.  The possibilities were running through my brain – the beach, the aquarium, the zoo, or maybe even another plane ride to god only knows where.  But no.  We pulled into the hospital parking lot.  Uh oh, this can’t be good news.

After about 20 minutes of playing in the waiting room we were whisked into the pre-op area and lots of people in PJ’s kept coming in and out of our little room.  Some even had really funny looking hats on.  And they gave me a wicked cool nightie that left my backside exposed (finally! My boys get a little air!), and an AWESOME pair of bright yellow socks that gave me big bird feet.  The nurses were actually pretty cool and they took me exploring while we were waiting (waiting for what, I have no idea, but I’m sure it’s probably something pretty awesome!)  We got to check out some really cool equipment that had lots of buttons…a bunch of people lying down on their beds (I bet they’re going to the same slumber party as me!)…and a TON of people wandering around in their PJ’s.

At the end of the hallway we went in to a room where they asked me if I wanted to sit on the bed and take a look at the mask that the big guy was holding.  He said it smelled like bubblegum so I figured, how bad could it be?  I took a humongous breath and…Hmph…what?

Next thing I know someone is calling out my name – and it wasn’t my mom, mind you – and I’m laying on a bed with a tube coming out of my arm.  Aaahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  GET ME OUT OF HERE!  This is the worst slumber party I’ve ever been too.  I am SO not coming back here ever again.  If any of you come near me I’m going to go all ninja on you.  I know karate!  And don’t even think of trying to butter me up with that orange popsicle.  Just leave it on the nightstand and be on your way.  And don’t let the curtain hit you in the arse on the way out!

After what seemed like a lifetime, my mom and dad came around the corner to save me.  It’s about time folks!  A lil’ help here!  Geez.

To be fair though, my mom looked like she was about to hurl her cookies all over the recovery room.  At least I got to sleep through the whole thing.  And now I’ve got a cool scar that I can show off to all the girlies when I’m in high school.