Daddy's day!

We began father's day by going to the beach... with plans to go onto lunch after. So- here we are starting out our walk. First walk on the beach this year (I mean, our first real beach walk... we have walked to the lighthouse at the city park by means of the beach- but not with intention of walking down the shore like today).
Awww... what a cute daddy and kids!

Aidan is looking so grown up to me... We still get so may people asking us if the boys are twins. It's so funny. I don't think there has been a time that we have gone out of town for the day when we haven't been asked if the boys are twins, including this weekend. Aidan and Owen are looking so different in ages, now especially. Aidan looking like such a little boy and Owen still chubby toddler.

Checking out a drifted log...

Oops!! This is why we didn't end up going out to lunch. Owen was running down the beach, tripped and landed face first in the "river"- he calls it. Owen said, "I don't like that! It's too messy!" It's so funny he says that because it seems to be contradictory to his personality- I would think the messier the better for him!

"My voice hurts!"

I am home today with Aidan who is sick... He told me his voice hurts... and it sounds like it does- Here's a picture before we went to the store to get some tylenol which we were out of unfortunately... Doesn't he look like he doesn't feel good? He did well at the store- then, about an hour after we got home, Aidan started to cry and tell me his head and tummy hurt. Poor little guy. He seems to be going through a better feeling moment at the time. Hopefully he is feeling better soon!

"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!