homebodies, funerals, ironing boards and misc

[same_sky]

I did not leave my address this week until six o'clock tonight. We did go outside and poke around in the yard a little for the last three days but I didn't go anywhere. I think Evie was getting tired of me by yesterday, and admittedly, my patience was getting kind of short with her, too. I am not someone that needs to be out of the house all the time, certainly, but this was more than should have been necessary. I'm not entirely sure what the deal was, either, because there was absolutely nothing keeping me at home except my fierce desire to NOT GO ANYWHERE. It's even a pretty good shopping week and I couldn't bear going. Crazy! Anyway, by this afternoon, I had turned into a grump and finally decided that it would be good for my sanity to get out of the house. We had a nice dinner and now I feel a little more human than I did.

Well, also, I was going to be out of town on Thursday for a funeral, but I finally decided at the last minute that I just couldn't take Evie to a funeral. I mean, I had the car packed, the night before, with boxes that needed taken to my parents already. I was about to broach the subject with her while we were getting ready for bed, just to prepare her for the day, and then realized that to take her to this funeral, I didn't need to worry as much about how she would behave, as far as everyone else was concerned. I would also have to explain the concept of death, which just seemed a little too hard to contemplate. It was a friend of the famiily--my parents' neighbor/tenant. E has seen her before but wouldn't remember her. I took her to my grandmother's funeral but she was just three months old--a, no choice and b, it was a close family member and c, she had no clue where she was anyway. Not so much now. Added to my previous fear of her being squirmy during the service anyway, and I just gave up. What do you think, would you have taken an almost-three-year-old to a funeral, if it was the only way you could go? Or not?

You may have seen this on Facebook already but I did have a little bit of craftiness today. It hardly counts because it was such a simple little project, but it made me happy. I sewed a new ironing board cover. The old one was beyond useless, because there was no longer anything, anywhere on it, that held it in place on the board. What made me happy, though, was that I sewed it using my Granny's fabric. It's a nice yellow with a tiny floral print.. nothing that exciting in itself, but it will make me think of her every time I iron something and that is worth more than anything else.

And.. that's about all I've got. We've been making plans for our trip to Sweden and trying to figure out what we're going to do with a 15-year-old AND a 3-year-old. It's us; half the fun of doing stuff like this is the planning and preparation. My grandfather is home from the hospital, which I am so thankful for. And, it's Easter! Which means that the Easter Bunny will be here. I just tried to convince M that Easter was a gift-giving holiday but he didn't fall for it, or rather, he told me that he had given me a European vacation for Easter. I do not think so, mister. And also, I am up two hours past my bedtime and I am going to regret that grievously in the morning, I fear.

Comments

[carrieb.livejournal.com]

I think you made the right call with the funereal. I wouldn't take a very small child (or even an older child) to a funereal unless it was a really, really close family member and there was no babysitter avaiable. That's just too much information for a little one to process. I know opinions vary on that idea, though.

[stress-kitten.livejournal.com]

Took Rhys to a step-cousin's funeral (at the family's specific request) at 30 months old. He lasted about 5 minutes during the service.

He also, when the pastor said "We're here to say goodbye to Eric Hatlelid" responded "Goodbye" in a loud, clear baby voice.

He was really, really appreciated during the family get together, however. There's something really helpful in family-oriented families about having young children running around reminding everyone that life will move on.

[e11en.livejournal.com]

I have taken Ingrid to funerals at almost two, and four years old but one was a very close friend and the other my grandma. Had they not been people that close to me, I wouldn't have done it. I think you made the right call.

[grain-damaged.livejournal.com]

I took Sophie once to her Great Grandmother's funeral but she was so little it didn't matter. Yeah, I think you made the right call.

Also glad to hear I'm not the only one happy to putter around the house the house for a week straight. ;^)