Last Day of School

Well, he didn't get to actually attend the last day of school, but I did take his picture anyway, and we did go to school to say goodbye to his teachers and friends.  

When I took the beginning of the year picture, I remember thinking how big he looked.  Now that I look at it again I think he looks so little and so BIG in the second one.

Get ready for summer, buddy.  We're still going to have a fun one, I promise!

Boo Broken Bones!

*Sigh*  I guess it was really only a matter of time - we are the parents of two boys, after all!

On Sunday Caden and I were jumping on a trampoline together.  We were not jumping high at all, but we must have gotten out of sync and he came down as the tramp was coming up and he came down SCREAMING.  After JZ and I realized how much pain he was really in and had him try to put weight on it, we zipped off to the hospital. A couple of hours, one X-ray, and LOTS of tears later, we learned our biggest fear - a buckle fracture in his left tibia just under his knee cap.  They didn't cast him right away in case of swelling, so they put him in a splint until we could be seen on Wednesday.  He was not allowed to do much with the splint, so he spent two full days looking a lot like this.

Every once in awhile we could convince him to change positions a little (but not much because he was so worried we were going to hurt his leg)

Don't let the smiles fool you.  He was a hurting dude.  And frustrated.  And angry.  And sad.  And a whole lot of other emotions he couldn't even begin to tell me about.  In case you're wondering, Hurting+frustrated+angry+sad = a lot of yelling.  It was heartbreaking to see him look like this (a more accurate picture).  

He just wasn't himself at ALL

On Wednesday Papa and I took him back to the hospital to get the cast on. We built this activity up big time.  JZ had to work, so Gaga stayed with Asher and Papa got to accompany us. Papa is a good one to take on outings like this - he lightened the mood and kept Caden laughing...

Don't let these smiles fool you either.  He was terrified.  Eventually, when he realized the cast tech (the same one we had with Asher!) was an ok guy and wasn't going to cut his leg off, he calmed down. A little.

He has to go back next week for an X-ray (through the cast, who knew?!?) to make sure things are beginning to heal well.  After that, it will be another 4-5 weeks in the cast.  Since his injury is so high up on his leg, he won't be able to have a below the knee, walking cast.  The hope is that he'll be in this cast for the entire time. I have had several people ask me about waterproof casts and, although they do make them now, Caden can't get one of those either.  They said that they never put waterproofing on a cast with a 90 degree angle like the one at Caden's foot because water will pool at his heel.  Bummer!

When we got home we tried to show him how he could crawl around but wouldn't do it.  He was happy to get to be on the floor playing trucks, but telling him that I wouldn't get his trucks for him, that he needed to try to crawl over there to get them was awful.  He was so mad!  After a five-hour nap (no joke, 1-6pm!) he woke up in a much better mood.  JZ and I were in the kitchen making dinner, and I looked into the playroom and saw this

He was doing it!!  I was so proud of him - and of course cried watching him.  Later, he figured out he could still push his garbage trucks around like he used to (just a little slower).

Whew, what a day!  I have to admit that watching my youngest learn to walk and my oldest learn to crawl again is a little much for this mama's heart.  And I also admit to throwing myself a pretty good pity party that afternoon while I canceled everything I had planned for the summer - a family vacation, swimming lessons, summer camp, and t-ball.  I was at a loss as to how I was going to do my tutoring this summer. I had planned for Caden to go to day camp or to child watch at the Y while I tutored 2 hours a day, 3 days a week.  Now he can't go to either of those places.  I was trying to figure out how my back was going to last 6 weeks of carrying 35 lb + cast Caden and 25 lb Asher everywhere.  Someone is going to have to learn to walk soon! I looked at the "Summer Bucket List" we had created and mentally crossed off lots of the things on there - the park, bowling, an amusement park, putt-putt golf, swimming...

This morning I have pulled it together a little more. I am still bummed that so many things have had to be cancelled or rescheduled, but that's how it is.  We can still do some of the things on our bucket list while he's in his cast (I hope lots of animated movies come out in the theater.  C loves movies!), and we'll have some serious fun to catch up on the last half of the summer.  I have had lots of people volunteer to watch the boy(s) while I tutor, so we'll figure that out too.  Caden has to learn to adjust to life in a cast and so do I.  

So, it's not the summer I had planned for and envisioned, but we'll make the best of it. - we have to!  As my friend Megan pointed out, God must be allowing us to learn some sort of lesson from all of this.  Stay tuned to see if I figure out what it is!

And...if He wants to teach us another lesson some day, I hope we can learn it through a broken arm instead of a leg!

Birthday Bowling

Daddy-O is now the big 3-6.  To celebrate this momentous occasion we went bowling. 

Of course, this was not Caden's first trip to the bowling alley, so he acted like a seasoned pro.

Killer shoes, right?

That is, when he wasn't playing games

Even Asher got to get in on the fun

That is, when he wasn't playing games

Or eating

Caden even got to help Daddy-O open his gifts. 

This is a terrible pic of JZ, but I just couldn't help but post it because I thought the excitement on CP's face was priceless.  He's saying, "Oh, a card!"

Happy Birthday hubs, we love you lots and think you're pretty great!

Who's a Walker?

Well...a walker might be stretching it a teensy bit, but we definitely have a toddler on our hands.  On May 1, Ashy took his first step.  He made one timid step from me to Nana and then the next day he took another one from me to JZ.  Then, miracle of miracles, he took 4 more from the coffee table to me while JZ filmed him!

He was so proud of himself and, if you couldn't tell by the ridiculous smile on my face, so was I!  His main form of transportation is still crawling, but he's standing alone for longer periods of time, "spider" crawling, and will take a few steps when he forgets he's not supposed to.  

Just the other day we were reminiscing about a time that we could put him down and he'd stay put.  Those days are long gone now, but we are so excited to watch our little doodle grow, do new things, and chase after his big brother.

Go Ashy, go!

Let There Be Pool!

After a LONG winter and almost non-existant spring, we are THRILLED that summer has arrived.  Last week we opened up the Zahrte pool!  It's only big enough for two and is pretty chilly even though the water had been sitting out all day, but it does the trick.  This was Asher's first time in our little pool and he used it much like a bathtub - splashed, kicked, and probably peed in it.

They didn't last too long in the pool - it really was cold, but it was fun while it lasted.  

Yahoo for summertime!  

Still 4?

Caden:  Mommy, am I still four?

Me: Yes baby, you will be four for a long, long time.

Caden: And then will I be three again?

Me:  *sigh* No, you'll never be three again. What comes after 4?

Caden: 5!  I'm going to be 5?!?  Wow, 5 is big!

Me: I know!  So, let's just enjoy you being 4, k?

Here is Caden's official 4 year old picture.  We had a little drama this week trying to get pictures taken - CP has run a low grade fever with no other real symptoms off and on all week.  Consequently, trying to coordinate with the photographer was proving to be tricky, so I abandoned and took him outside during a moment of fever-less-ness and did the best I could.  Lucky for me, his handsomeness and personality shines through despite my lack of photography skills.  

CP went in for his 4 year well child visit about a week and a half ago.  Big guy was:

35 lbs (50%)

41.25 in (75%)

BMI - 14.46 (15%)

Unfortunately, he had to get some shots that day.  Our pediatrician recommends getting kindergarten shots over with at 4 because anytime over 4 is allowed and they just get bigger, stronger, and harder to hold down at 5.  Check.  Shots at 4 it is!  Tough guy did great.  The word "shot" was never actually used - they used "injection" and "vaccination" when talking with me, and "pinches" when talking to CP.  

A warning to all my friends with children younger than mine - I thought the 2 mth shots were bad, but the 4 year shots are WORSE!  The fantastic nurse had him lie down on the table with me leaning over him whispering sweet nothings, and holding his hands.  The nurse explained that they were going to give him some medicine in his legs and it was going to pinch a little.  CP was all good with that and was lying on the table talking with me and then - WHAMO- three "pinches" in his thighs.  It reminded me of the first set of shots because he didn't have any idea what was coming, but this time he could verbalize - "Owie!  Stop it, I don't like that.  No more pinches!!"  - accompanied by a lot of sad, dramatic sobbing.  Luckily, a new toy out of the toy box and lunch with Papa and Gaga (who are here now, yay!) fixed it all.  He didn't have any real reactions from the "pinches" - just some pretty good bruising which, according to CP, made his legs shorter.  Huh.  

Whew, glad all of that is over!  CP still thinks it's pretty great to be four - and we think so too!

Beep! Bang! Crash! Caden's Having a Birthday Bash!

Setting: 3 months ago, while we were preparing for Asher's birthday party

Caden:  "Mommy, when it's my birthday, I want a garbage truck party."

Me:  "Really?  A garbage truck party?  Not Buzz Lightyear?!?  Huh, I'm not sure what I'm going to do with that..."

Fast forward to May...

Ta da!  If it's a garbage truck party you want buddy, it's a garbage truck party you will get!

We had the best time at Caden's 4th Birthday Trash Bash!  This was the first year that we invited kiddos that JZ and I didn't know - Caden wanted to invite his whole preschool class, and they all came! We had 27 kiddos plus their parents and a few siblings at our trashy shindig.

The kids were able to play outside on the playground and on the indoor slide.

We had a dinner time party and Caden was VERY clear about what he wanted to eat - "Chicky nuggets, but not the ones like Ashy had (Chick-fil-A).  I want chicky nuggets from Old McDonald's."  Done!  

The biggest challenge of the party was the cake.  A garbage truck cake?!?  Nobody makes those!!  I searched and searched (keeping in mind my baking and financial limitations!) and finally decided to take one of his invitations to King Soopers and they made an icing copy of the picture.  I added a few garbage trucks around the outside and, voila!  Luckily, he was thrilled!

Mostly he was thrilled about a room full of people singing to him!

Oh, the presents.  Present time is always a little overwhelming.  It gives me a little anxiety...

Caden and I had talked a lot about present opening etiquette - open the card, open the gift, say thank you.  I knew I was asking a LOT of a four-year-old but lived up to the expectations.  He waited patiently while Grace read him his cards, 

opened the gifts one at a time, and then said thank you.  We also talked about how we wouldn't be taking anything out of the box until we got home.  That was the hardest part, but he did it!

The other kids were so patient too!  There were a ton of gifts to get through and they all waited and watched intently.  

It wasn't too tough to convince him to go home, however.  He was ready to get home and play with all of his new toys!

Caden loved his party and we loved celebrating him.  He must have said 10 times, "I love my party!"  This morning when he came downstairs all sleepy eyed, he said, "Are all my new toys still here?  That was so nice of my friends to bring me presents!"  

Happy Birthday, Caden!!  You deserve every bit of fun that you had.  We love you buddy!!