"Guava jugo please."

First good news, Grandpa underwent surgery and is doing fine. His toes and part of his foot were removed, and that is so much better than the initial prognosis. Dr. L (surgeon) surprised P by calling after the surgery. SS and I were shopping when P called me immediately after talking to the surgeon, and it made me feel so good to hear the relief on Sunshine's voice. If you are keeping count, P has now faced almost losing his wife, son, daughter and father. Although we knew Grandpa was strong enough for this surgery, the residual from the initial hospitalization shock was lingering in P's mind. Grandpa will be under observation for the next two weeks, to look for signs of infection and other complications. If he does not require more surgery then he will be transferred to Oahu for rehab. It looks like he will spending Christmas there. As much as we are sticklers for Christmas at home, if we had the means we would break that rule this year. It is going to be a difficult Christmas for Grandpa and if we could, we would all be there. It was funny that both P and I had thought about it.

The good news on the home front is that SS is doing much better, has been fever free all day. She slept with us last night, and had previously unknown restful sleep. No kicking, rolling over, punching, or contortionist moves. We have never had such a peaceful night with SS between us. That lethargy worked on our favor. As good as it was I slept little because I was watching her like a hawk all night. SS had a good day, we went shopping, and I must admit that I should do my shopping while she is at school. The thing is that I have had SS by my side for two and a half years, I have become accustomed to my shadow, my helper, my shopping buddy. She did very well, was rewarded with gummy butterflies and did not nag me to eat one before we paid for them. She is getting the concept of paying before eating.

SS's appetite has been abysmal for about five days now. We usually get a minimum of 27 ounces of milk in her daily, and if she had 9 ounces over the weekend it was a lot. During the weekend she pretty much had a bite of a chicken tender as her sustenance. We have discussed her famine and feast stages, and while we profess to have come to terms with it, we do worry, especially when it goes on for so long. On Friday I was so concerned that if we had a chocolate bar at home, I would have given it to SS for breakfast, just to have something in her tummy. If you know us that is a HUGE no no. SS was not even having dry Cheerios, her favorite morning treat.

Yesterday we were not only concerned about her fever, but the fact that she was in the worst famine stage we had experienced. Since she had a low grade fever and was lethargic we knew food was the last thing on her mind. P went to the market to get popsicles and pot pies. SS had a popsicle but declined the pot pie. We were offering her anything we could think of to get some nourishment in her. SS did not want milk or noodles. Finally P gave me the "give it up woman, you are not helping the situation by harping on her" look and I just held SS.

A few minutes later SS said "I want that drink." but not in her usual funny, drunken like tone, it was a whisper. I asked her what she wanted to drink and she said "guava jugo please." Awwwwww, running a fever and minding her manners. BTW, it should be "jugo de guayaba por favor," or "guava juice please." Our kid is knee deep in Spanglish language delay, but her Baba is proud. P and I laughed at her request since most homes are not prepared to fulfill her request.

SS does not drink apple juice, and we have tried many other fruit juices. We are also mindful of nutritional value and we nixed sugary juices. SS loves orange juice, it is nutritionally acceptable, and it was what she was drinking daily until our trip to Puerto Rico. Abuela had it in her head that the Puerto Rican in SS would love guava-pineapple juice. The Abus also stocked up on orange juice, but it meant a lot for them for SS to drink something from the island, Heck, as long as it wasn't arsenic we did not care. SS developed a taste for the combo, but it is not easily found in the U.S. However, we found guava juice and good old Dole pineapple juice is easy to find.

Since our return from the island we have a juice rotation for SS. We get her a gallon of freshly squeezed orange juice. When she is done with that, we mix the pineapple and guava juices, then we start all over again. That is SS's juice rotation. JJ used to call his orange-pineapple juice combo "witches brew." With him it was a gallon of orange juice, and when he was half through, I would add the pineapple juice.

We received SS's first Christmas presents a while ago, and almost messed it up by almost opening it in front of her. It was from Amazon, although I thought it was the long sleeve tops I ordered Online and she badly needs. I shook it and realized it was not clothes, but it was half opened anyway. SS screamed "TOYS, MY TOYS." It did not have a name, it said from SS to SS. But by the way it was addressed I immediately thought it was from the grandmothers in southern California. P was not sure and wanted to hold off the thank you call until he knows. I might have to eat crow about this, but they way is was addressed my money is on the grandmas. Thank you, SS is going to go stir crazy over those items that indulge her Buzz fixation.






SS made a harmonica with her Bristle Blocks. Her love affair with music is still going strong.