"That was a fun summer day!"

At the end of each day as we get ready for bed- Aidan has given his approval of the fun summer day... We have been so happy to be able to get out of the house and the weekends have been so much fun lately... the weather has been pretty cooperative. We have been starting our weekend days by walking out to the lighthouse or going to watch the "waterfall" (a.k.a. the dam) at the state park... The boys have loved it. We love it. And we have had graduation parties, birthday parties and my neice and nephew's dance recital too... lovely start to the begining of good weather.

Our lighthouse is a little tilted... I think it sank a little when they were re-doing the concrete around it if I remember correctly. I think this picture makes it a look a little more leany then it actually is.

The end...

Matching/Sweet/Silly

Hugs from Aidan who was VERY concerned about Owen's boo boo! Aidan has an ultra sensitivity to other people's injuries or disappointments. He is often petting Owen when he is upset (even if Owen is upset over getting in trouble for doing something to Aidan). He says- "it's okay Owen, don't cry..."

And silly...

Emergency Room Duty

When the boys are being especially ruckusy, David or I will disclaim "emergency room duty". Like a reverse "I call it!" Today, I didn't even know that there was reason to assign David the duty. Pleased it was Friday, the end of the work day better yet- I walked into daycare and looked around for the little guy (big guy stayed home with daddy to give his leg a rest today- he overused it it looked like and was having a hard time walking). I didn't see Owen as I looked around- and then looked over at our daycare lady. She was holding something with a towel over it. She said- "we just had a boo boo." For some reason, I didn't catch on... I was thinking, "oh, that's too bad... so- where's Owen." (Remember... Friday, the end of the work day...) Turns out, as you probably now have imagined, she was holding Owen, who had a little incident. He was running and bumped into the couch and gashed his head open. At that point, Owen stirred and looked up at me and pointed to his head and said- "I hurt da head!" I asked him if he wanted to go to the doctor and he said, "YES!" (Kind of like, "duh mom, I'm bleeding from the head! What are you thinking?")

His head was only bleeding very slowly- just needed dabbing every now and again, so I swung by home to change his shirt and called grandma Cheri to see if she wanted to accompany us on our adventure. She was up for the challenge (thank goodness!)

I didn't take a "before" picture, which I am sure you are all grateful for. It almost looked like he had a hole in his head- it was very wide open- so even though it wasn't really bleeding- we figured it needed stitches to close it up.

Owen was really an EXCELLENT patient. I was kind of surprised... no- I was quite surprised- truth be told. We went to the ER desk and the lady asked how she can help (not looking up at Owen) and Owen said "I hurt da head!" and pointed to his head. She melted- and got us right in to triage. ER was bustling- so they actually sent us through to fast track (hooray!). The doctor came in and said he wanted to avoid giving Owen a shot (another hooray) and instead was going to put a topical medicine on his head- but that it had to sit on his head for an hour (oh). Owen hadn't eaten, and by now it was a little after 6pm. But, we did have a diaper bag and grandma had her purse that she carries way too much in (thank goodness!) and Owen ended up having a dinner of goldfish, gummy snacks, m & m's, chocolate, and more gummy snacks.

Eating along with playing with the hospital staff who would come in from time to time to visit the very appealing little patient passed the time pretty quickly. The doctor came in to stitch Owen up, and they strapped him down on a papoose board- putting his arms in a pillowcase and then velcroed the rest of his body down. They also had an assistant and a nurse and me holding him down. The funny thing is, Owen just laid there and laughed at the lights in his eyes. Then they covered his face with one of those papers that is open only where they are going to stitch. Under the little paper- Owen said, "Where'd Owen go?" Then the doctor cleaned him. He flinched a little because it was cold. He was talking- kept asking where he went and where mama and grandma went- (and of course we answered)- then he was very quite. The little dude fell asleep while he was getting stitches! He woke up when the doctor cleaned him again- and was proud of his band-aid. He thanked the doctor and the nurses. The doctor also told us what to watch for with a closed head injury (but wasn't his head OPEN? that's why the stitched him!) Anyway, he said, he may throw up once or twice just because of the trauma, but if he throws up more than that- then bring him back because it might be a sign of a concussion. Grandma said, well, he might throw up because of the dinner he ate. Thank goodness no vomiting- for either reason!)
And we went home via a fast food restaurant since it was after 7:30 pm when we were leaving (and of course, to top off the rest of the healthy dinner, Owen got some chicken nuggets and french fries).

Here are some pictures of the brave little guy.

He's FREE!! (Almost)

Aidan had his post surgery appointment yesterday-and GOOD news- everything looks great- and he is free to be out of his brace except for nighttimes and naptimes (naptime... that's funny)- so I guess pretty much nighttime. He was also given the okay to walk... still limiting the running and jumping, high impact sort of stuff. Aidan was exhausted when we were leaving the hospital (it is a long day- x-rays/then the doctor/waiting rooms/etc. after our trip down)- so he didn't try walking right then. We stopped at a store on the way home for a break (it's a four hour trip each way) and Aidan walked for the first time in a LONG time without us saying "Aidan, get down... be careful...etc." He was grinning from ear to ear. I wish I had my camera. He is still pretty unsteady on his feet. Walks with a swagger. The doctor said he will loosen up pretty quickly. He said most kids with this condition are also pretty bendy/flexi so they loosen up well- just let him walk it off, pretty much. We don't have to go back for a follow up appointment for another four months! Hooray!
It has been too long since I have posted. I plan to get better at this again. I'm finding it harder to do being back to work full time- which is why I am posting this on my lunch hour!
We have also been busy having fun recently- visit from grandma/grandpa from Florida, great grandma's 80th birthday, friend's twins 5th birthday party/mother's day/birthday festivities... all of which I failed to take pictures for- ugh. I do have some very cute pictures of the boys that I want to get up here soon- so stay tuned!

GOODBYE CAST! and pins... hello brace

In recovery- woke up so pleasantly- smiling and polite.

We think the hardest part (maybe most painful part) will be weening from the video games... Here also shows Mario in his split cast (they split the sides so it can be take off- but saved if w.e wanted it)

Aidan and Mario cast free!!

Little doggie present from the doctors... Mario and his cast shell.

Phew... getting to ride in the car seat! Hooray for safety!




Aidan in his brace- I'll get a better one later where you can see the whole thing- but it's not bad. (They made the straps red because that's Aidan's favorite color).

The pins that came out of the little guys hip!! Ow!

The irony of insurance...

Aidan had his surgery today... and happy news, it went exceptionally well. We are cast and pin free!! We have the pins to prove what was in his hip- gosh- looking at the size of them, I am surprised they weren't sticking out the front and back of him (they are very long) but apparently held him together very well. Turns out, Mario's surgery was a success as well... we found that the doctors removed his cast too... our doctor is so great!! I'll post some pictures tomorrow.

Aidan's surgery started at 3... his doctor was out at 4:30 to tell us it went well and that when Aidan was going home when he got out of recovery. YAY!!

Then... we were escorted to recovery when Aidan was waking up and we found the resident, the orthopedic assistant, and two nurses standing around Aidan. They were puzzled...I was relieved to find out that the puzzled looks had nothing to do with Aidan's condition... but that they did not have the appropriate brace in stock- need to order it and it won't be in until tomorrow. They said that in order for insurance to pay for said brace... we would have to be admitted overnight.

Now, I'm far from a mathematician.... but it seems to me that a night in the hospital will cost FAR more than a brace will. If I were "insurance" I think I would opt to pay for a brace, hey, even spring for a night in a hotel for us so we can come in for an outpatient visit tomorrow rather than pay the thousands of dollars that it costs for us to be in the hospital overnight. But, hey- Aidan is happy to be out of his cast- the surgery worked- I really can't complain. It does help to explain the high insurance costs though... doesn't it?

David is at a hotel- so at least one of us can get sleep tonight. (Since Aidan is in the hospital- they won't take his IV thing in his hand out even though he is not getting anything through it, remember... they were totally prepared to discharge him- and he tends to try to pull that out every ten minutes her so- even in his sleep... so he has to be monitored pretty closely).

So, Aidan and I are hanging out. He is saying he just needs to get his "second cast" of now (he has a brace on that they were trying to make work- but they want one with more support). He will have to wear the brace 24 hours a day for the next month or so (but can take it off for baths and to get home). Then the doctor said he will probably back it off at that point to nights and naps.

I have some cute pictures of the little man who continues to be a superstar patient. Like I said before... I will post them tomorrow. Thanks everyone for the continued thoughts and prayers!

Cousins, coloring, and gaming

We've had a fun couple of days while Aidan has been housebound when the cousins came over for a visit. Here's Aidan with his boy cousin contemplating what of art they are going to create.


More creating...

Hey! What happened to my hair? (We haven't gotten Aidan's hair cut since he has been in a cast because we don't want the little hairs to get stuck down in his cast- so it has gotten a little out of control!)

Here's girl cousin being artsy...

And spending a little time for some video games of course!