Presto

 he's turning into a little boy

right before my eyes!

 at 15 months,

he started walking,

got a haircut,

molars...

 he loves to play outside,

in the wading pool,

and the gravel,

he has discovered Otter Pops,

cheetos,

and how to use the word "MORE"

a couple of my favorites...

 his little navy blue salt water sandals,

and these conductor short-alls

and best of all,

the way he pats me on the back when

i put him to bed at night



four generations

the ladies in my life,

teach me.

love,

tenderness,

compassion,

honesty,

forgiveness,

joy,

patience,

empathy,

laughter and giggles,

tidiness,

 sweetness,

and youthful glee

i am surrounded by great

women.

i am blessed to call them mine.

growing

 My Preston boy is growing, and so is his hair.

  Documenting his hair at 15 months.

 I made an appointment to get his baby locks cut. 

 He was fascinated by the cape, the lights, the attention.

 I asked for a longer cut, so she used scissors.

Notice his little curls in the back,

it was hard to see those go....

Behold the finished product.

One handsome little boy,

who looks a little older

now.

sometimes sammy

 Sometimes, I am in wonder of this Sammy boy.  The boy who eats peanut butter and jelly for breakfast, sometimes "fast eggs" or occasionally cereal.  He calls his cereal, "honey nut the cheerios"
I laugh, every time, and he never knows why.  It's one of the bright spots in my morning.  Maybe because I'm  the one who's slightly nuts.

He's the boy who told his dad last week, "I'm glad I'm a boy, so I can have dangerous toys."  It's true, I've seen play hammers  and paintbrushes and even legos turn dangerous when he is  around.  His imagination turns them into other toys and he can pretend for hours.

Today he was a caterpillar in a chrysalis waiting to turn into a butterfly....he didn't wait long....not enough patience.  Sam showed me his trick today, a front flip on the trampoline.  The sight of it, nearly stopped my mother heart.  Too dangerous, I said.  And, by the way, when did he learn to do that?!

Last week he got a letter welcoming him to the Two Way Dual Language Program next fall.  Can he really be starting school already?

   Sammy is the boy who is convinced  that white crayon doesn't show.   This picture would suggest differently... 

Today I wanted to record some of the things he has been doing and saying lately.  Because, he is growing before my very eyes.

Then as the day progressed, things didn't go exactly as we had planned.  Rules were broken, consequences had to follow.  Tears followed and anguish over lost privileges.  It was a morning that felt hard to be a mom.  I'm sure it felt hard to be a 5 year old boy.  It's hard for me to see you sad.  By afternoon, we moved on and tried to learn from the process.  Then tonight before bed he said, "Mom, sometimes when I get in trouble, I feel like you don't love me."  To him, my Sammy boy, I said, "I love you sooooomuuuuch and that's why we have rules and consequences.  I want you to be safe because I love you."  We had a big hug and stories.  I hope that he remembers both.  That the rules are for his safety and that I LOVE him soooomuuuuch.

fixed

 Shortly after Evelyn was born, we noticed a little bluish lump under the skin at the base of her neck, over her collar bone.
 It looked almost like a little blood blister.  The pediatrician thought it could be a branchial tract or cyst.  It was recommended that we sent an Otolaryngologist.   Our local Dr. agreed and said we ought to head to Seattle Children's where they would be able to remove the tract.  They said the tract could be as long as 2cm. up towards her tonsils.  We could only see the very end of the area.

We put the surgery off for a couple of years because it never bothered her.  The main risk would be infection and we were able to steer clear of infections.  This year we decided we should have it removed before she started preschool.  Our Dr. here set up an appt. with a specialist in Seattle.  It was determined that we would see the surgeon on 4/19/12 and surgery was scheduled for the next day.  It was to be in-patient surgery with a one night hospital stay.

We tried explaining what was going to happen to Evelyn.  Fixing something that she never even noticed...hmmm.  We told her the doctor is going to fix your neck.  She told everyone, "I'n goin to the docca and he goin to fix my neck!"

When we met Dr. M on the 19th.  He quickly recognized the nodule to be a branchial or sonovial cyst.  He would remove it the next day.  Surgery would be about half of the originally planned time and No overnight stay.  Great news!

 

 The bad news was that she could not eat before surgery.  She was schedule for admit at 10:30am.   

The waiting room had great fish tanks. 

 She was given a special bracelet with her name.  Her little bear was also given the same special bracelet.

 We were taken back to the pre-op room, where she was given a gown, slippers and special cleaning wipes.  We changed her and then waited.

 Due to some delays in the O.R. she didn't get taken back to surgery as soon as expected....

 We watched movies,

 we played games on the phone (thank goodness for that)

 She was a brave girl, considering she went about 24 hours with no food.

 She colored some pictures, using the glass door as her easel.  Isn't she the cutest little patient in a gown? 

 Finally around 1:00 she was taken back to the O.R.  K.C. was allowed to wear a special suit and take her back and hold her while the gave her some gas to make her sleep.  They waited to put the IV in until after she was out.
She was in surgery for around 30 minutes.  Then she went to recovery to wake up. Waking up was hard for her.  She didn't like all the "attachments" she had, a pulse ox, i.v., etc.  When I came in to see her, there were many nurses gathered around trying to calm her and keep her IV in.  She eventually calmed down, drank some juice and fell asleep.  She slept most of the evening.

Here she is, the next day.  You can see her wound under the steri-strips.  She had some pain the next day but by the second day was doing great.

no words

  April 7, 2012

 stella and natalie

 nana & papa with stella

nana sewed stella's beautiful dress

 aunt kelley with preston

 grandpa williams and stella

 

There really are not enough words for me

to describe,

the magic of the day.

My oldest child

choosing to be baptized by her daddy.

So much family 

to love her

and guide her

through her life.

She is blessed,

we are blessed.

 

bundles of joy

My cousin Rachael is expecting, identical twin girls.

While she was here last weekend,

we celebrated,

because babies are amazing,

and so is becoming a mama.