Weekend update, a belated thank you, and an apology

My girls and I headed south two weeks ago to see family. Hubby and son stayed here because of work and baseball obligations. While the girls and I were gone, a sweet family offered to have our son during the day not one, but THREE days, while hubby was at work. Jen is a saint! ;)

By the time I got home with a severe ear infection in both ears that had the doctor chastizing me for waiting so long to see him, Jen and her sweet family had headed south on vacation.

So, the first time I saw them again was yesterday at our loooooooooong back-to-back tournament games on a hot Saturday afternoon. And my mind was elsewhere.

Doesn't help that I have an ear infection in both ears. I've been on antibiotics since Tuesday night (almost five days) and, while the infections are improving, I still feel like I'm trying to hear through water and am still experiencing a little bit of pain with fatigue.

I'd like for my attention at my son's baseball games to be primarily focused on my son and the baseball game. That's a goal, anyway.

For the tournament that began two days ago, I had no sitter for my son's twin sister, who is on the autism spectrum. Entertaining herself at one baseball game is a challenge for her; I usually wind up leaving the game for home or spending more time at the ball park play scape than watching the game. I see other children who are younger than she who are able to entertain themselves while their siblings play baseball and I try not to compare, try not to feel frustrated, try not to host a pity party for Penny right there.

When I don't have a sitter and I choose to try to bring my autie along to the game, I feel like I'm walking on eggshells at a baseball game. My attention is so divided.

Friday's back-to-back games were earlier in the day and I chose to skip the first game and take the girl to the second game. As I settled in to watch the game, I met some parents who have known my husband and son through baseball since last fall who told me they had never seen the wife and mother (me). Now they know why. I was able to park in the shade by the field and take advantage of the entertainment system in the van. It kept my girl busy so I could watch baseball.

Saturday, I didn't have the luxury of parking the van close to the baseball diamond, which means I lost the use of the entertainment system in the van to help her pass the time. We arrived about a half hour after the start of the first game, and I had low expectations, was ready to leave if necessary. We did hit at office supply store early Saturday and found some neat Crayola Color Wonder (princesses and glitter! oh my!) and markers to buy, and to my astonishment, my girl used them to keep herself entertained through not one, but TWO baseball games. We went to the play scape twice, but not for huge chunks of time.

There were other little girls around who might have enjoyed sitting on the blanket with my girl and coloring, but I was afraid to invite them, afraid it would upset my daughter so much that we'd have to leave. What a dilemma. I said nothing, hoping that something natural would happen. I probably appeared to be rude to the other parents.

Anyway, this morning, I was rejoicing in the fact that while more of my attention was on my daughter and the egg shells (hoping she wouldn't scream or screech when she was at her limit there), that a good portion of my attention was able to be focused on watching the game, on my son for almost TWO entire games.

And then in the middle of my little celebration for this big accomplishment, I realized one horribly embarassing thought.

Yesterday afternoon and evening, when we were watching our sons playing ball together, petting her dog, chatting about their family vacation, I failed to mention, acknowledge, or thank Jen for entertaining my son for three days while I was gone to see my parents. She took him to a movie, bowling, and I don't know what else - without her, I wouldn't have been able to leave town. My son had a ball with them. And with all the other stuff on my mind (ear infections, baseball, twin w/ asd), remembering that and thanking Jen didn't cross my mind - until this morning.

And thoughtless me, didn't even say a "thank you" in person. What kind of neighbor am I?

I have to repair that.