Wordless Wednesday: Brotherly Love

Makes my heart melt...

Mother's Day Adventure

I cannot imagine anything scarier as a mom, than having to send your child into surgery.  Even with all C's breathing issues, we have been lucky enough to never need more than moderate medical intervention (and that is scary enough!)  Let me start at the beginning...

On Mother's Day, I ate these delicious strawberries from Hubby...

Followed by a family trip to the playground...

Followed by a family trip to the ER...

Wait!  What?!?!  The ER?  Yes, you read that correctly.  C was being silly on the slide, and after numerous warnings from Hubby, he fell off.  Hubby was pushing N on the swing, and I was supervising from the nearby picnic table.  I saw C fall, but he jumped right up and ran over to me.  Hubby and I thought that he dislocated his elbow, but since neither of us were comfortable trying to pop it back into place, we (very calmly) walked everyone to the car, and drove to our local ER.

I don't think I have ever been so scared.  C's coloring kept getting paler and paler, and he was getting quieter and quieter.  Hubby and I were doing our best to stay calm, but I'm not sure we would have been able to if we knew what was to come.  Luckily, my mom and sister were able to meet us and grab N since we didn't know how long we would be there.  And boy, did that end up being a LOOOOONG time! 

Without boring you with all the details, let's just say that Hubby and I were less then impressed by the ER experience there.  However, after an x-ray (don't get me started how unimpressed we were with that), we found out C had BROKEN his elbow!  What??  Craziness.  Also, because of his age and the type of break, we needed to go to Children's Hospital in DC.  Eventually, C and I took a hospital transport into DC and met up with Hubby (he drove our car), where our hospital experience greatly improved.  

In the ER at Children's...

Could this kid have any more Mario stuff!?!

A little Mario reenactment.

A little game play.

Notice how C is awake in all these pictures.  I have no idea how he was awake so long.  He was given so many pain meds, but he was not sleeping!  He fell around 4pm, and we didn't get a room until around 2am, when he finally fell asleep...

He needed to get pins put in his elbow to help keep the fragment of bone that broke in place so it would heal correctly.  He was scheduled for surgery first thing in the morning.  During this whole time, the only thing C wanted was a popsicle, but he didn't get one until the surgery was all done, but boy did he enjoy that popsicle (and many after!)

Afterwards, we spent most of the day in the hospital bed just chillin' out...

But we finally got to go home!  A little more than 24hours after he first fell...

He was in his soft cast for about a week before we took him back to get another round of x-rays (executed much better than in the original ER!) and he got to pick out the color of his new cast...

Orange of course!

And of course he got a special treat of Sweet Frog after...

He has since healed and is now out of the cast.  Growing up, I remember friends being in casts for months!  He was only in his hard cast for 4 weeks.  He has healed amazingly, if you didn't know he had been in a cast, I don't think you would have been able to tell.  He does have a scar since they had to cut in order to get the bone back in place, but that should fade with time.  

And now when we go to the playground?  Mommy and daddy are a little more nervous and stand a little closer....but C is as adventurous as ever.  

Summer Fun: Play Dough Edition

The other day we were having a tough morning.  N was cranky and I knew the usual activities just were not going to cut it.  So, I looked in the toy closet and pulled something out that I have been trying to avoid...play dough.  Don't get me wrong, I love play dough; however, N still loves to put everything in his mouth, and I just didn't have the time to make edible play dough because we needed entertainment NOW.

So...the iPod came out, and we jammed to Brady Rymer while we "play doughed" (it's a word, trust me...no need to look it up).

And, like any good activity, snack followed.

To say play dough was a success would be a major understatement.  In fact, I think there's some outside right now that needs to be cleaned up...

The Fever

I'm pretty sure Hubby is going to cry when he reads this post, but I just can't keep it in any longer!  I am starting to get The Fever.  You know the one...the one that is caused by seeing all the squishy new babies on Twitter and Facebook.  I don't have it full on yet, but I can definitely feel it starting.

It wasn't helped any when we got out our old hard-drive that we store all our old pictures on and I saw a bunch of little C pictures.  This of course, lead me to looking at N baby pictures.  And I have to say, we make some cute babies!  Why wouldn't we want another?

Baby C

Baby N

So, a request to all those lovely people posting pics of barely used babies (ohmygoodness, I can smell the newborn smell!), please stop!  I can't stop myself from looking at them, and then thinking of the smell, and then remembering what it feels like to cuddle with a small little being who doesn't talk back...it really would help hold off The Fever a little longer.  

Happy Anniversary!

Hubby and I have been married for 9 years!!!  Wow!

I can't believe it's been 9 years!  A lot has happened during those 9 years....we've moved, traveled (not as much as we would have liked though), got a dog, had a couple kids, fought, made up, gone through some hard times, and lived through some wonderful times.  I've had a great time making beautiful memories, and look forward to many, many more!

I had to include a picture of the cake...my sister and her family made it!  It was beautiful!!!

Happy Anniversary, Hubby!  I love you more than I did the day I married you!

Wordless Wednesday: Pizza and Milkshakes

Life is Unfair

Life is so unfair sometimes, especially if you are 4 and have a younger brother.  I have to take a minute to talk about C.  This poor little guys has been asked twice in the last week to leave something early that he was so excited for, because of N.  I know that disappointment is a part of life, but I hate that kids need to learn it so young.

N is at the age where he's really starting to stretch himself.  He's wanting to go longer between naps, but he still needs them.  If we are out, he will not just fall asleep, he will push himself until he breaks.  This causes meltdown of epic proportion.  My usual happy, smiley, giggly little boy, turns into a screams, crying, red faced little monster.

As a mom, my heart breaks when I have to tell one of my boys no.  I know that they need to hear it, and I tell them no, often.  But, I hate when the reason I am giving is "Because your brother is upset."  I remember being little and hearing that we couldn't do something I wanted, or had been promised to me, because my little sister was tired or didn't want to.  And I was 7 when my little sister was born!  I was old enough to understand that it wasn't just about me.

C is 4, and he is a wonderful, caring big brother, who for the most part understands that when N is upset, we need to leave.  But it still breaks my heart to see his eyes fill with tears when we can't go on the carousal at the mall, or we need to leave the concert early, because his brother is having a meltdown and is tired.  Don't get me wrong, we don't do everything he wants to do all the time just because he wants to, but we do try to do little things that he asks for when we can because they make him happy.

I've been trying to make sure we do a few things that C wants to do.  These are things that won't be affected by N's behavior.  We go to the playground right outside our house, because as long as he's playing N is okay (once we get into the is another story if a snack and drink are not ready ASAP).  We set up "movie pillow" while we watch a movie together so N can run around if needed.  And we give C time on the computer because it's something he enjoys that N can't do yet.

I'm very proud of my big boy.  He is a great big brother, and I just hope that we are able to show him that even though life isn't always fair, it's pretty fun most of the time.

Epic Outing Fail

Monday was what I considered my first real summer day off with the boys.  I had some fun things planned.  Ms. Knick Knack (a local children's entertainer) was performing at the town center right next to our house, and I knew the boys would love it.  So, Monday morning, we headed out to see Ms. Knick Knack.

Now, if you don't have experience with children, there is one major rule to planning an outing.  This is something that most parents/caregivers don't tell others...you know, it's one of those things that you just keep to yourself because if you had to figure it out on your own, so should everyone else.  Well, I am going to share this secret with you because I had such an epic fail that I don't want others to experience this.  I want to reiterate that I know this rule...I might have even invited this rule, but I did not follow it.

Rule #1 to planning an outing with kids:  Do NOT, under any circumstance, tell them about said outing until you are there...or at least on your way.  


Sunday night, C asked if we could go to the pool Monday.  I, without thinking obviously, replied "No, we're going to see Mr. Knick Knack tomorrow morning."  Crap...I said it, now not only do we have to do this activity, but C will be up and ready at 4am because he knows what's going to happen.

So, Monday morning (even though N did not sleep well the night before, which would have usually called a halt to anything requiring leaving the house until after nap), we left the house an hour earlier than needed because C was sooooo excited.  Instead of going into the gory details, here's a few pictures to show you just how wrong this day went.

After waking at 4:15am, he finally fell asleep, in my bed, around 7:30.

All good so far.

About 45min later...on our way home.

Since we were there so early, we had to walk around the town center to waste time, which is something I had planned to do after the show so N would be sleepy, and maybe even nap.  Which meant that N had had enough of being out in the heat by the time the show started...so a complete and total meltdown start as soon as the show started.  Poor C was asked to leave early.  I felt so bad.  Not to worry though, a new yogurt place opened up, and between N's screams, C and I went in and he got a bribe treat for the ride home for being such a big boy about leaving early.

I think the hardest part was that neither of my boys are big on tantrums.  Usually, N would just nestle in for a snuggle and go to sleep...but not this day!  Oh well...I'm sure I helped some moms feel extra good about themselves that day and I got some sweet snuggles when we finally got home and out of the car.  

Making Mud

A couple weeks ago, it was a rainy day and I couldn't take the boys out.  But, boy, were they crazy!  You know what I'm talking about...running around like wild animals, screaming through the house, jumping off furniture...well, you get the picture.  And I kinda understood how they were feeling, I was a little antsy myself.  So...project time!

Worms in Dirt...Yumm!

The boys had a great time "baking"!  

The final outcome...

We made individual cups, which made it super easy to limit the amount they were allowed to have at a time!

Wordless Wednesday: Balcony Edition

We have a nice big balcony and recently replaced the carpet and cleaned it up.  The boys (and Hubby and I) have really enjoyed being able to play in the fresh air!