Jameson’s Surgery

We have been worried about Jameson’s circumscion for quite awhile.  It basically looked like the poor kid hadn’t been circumcised and (not to be to graphic) it was really uncomfortable for him when we gave him a bath.  Nuff said.  The pediatrician had been telling us that he had afat pocket and it was pushing the skin down and as he thinned out it would be more normal looking.  After 4 years of doctors telling us this and realizing that James is very skinny we decided to go directly to a pediatric urologist and get a second opinion.  After one look at “it” the Dr. decided that Jameson was a definate canidate for a revision.  The sad/scary part is that to do this they have to put him completely under in a surgery center and give him a spinal block as well.  I love my Jamers but he can be really resistant to new situations and I anticipated this to be the worst experience of his )and our) lives.  The morning of the surgery we went to the surgery center after telling him that he was going to get his tutti fixed that day.  After the “uncomfortable” experiences (i.e. holding James down so we could put medicine on his weinie while he screamed his brains out) I felt we owed it to him to at least prepare him somewhat for what was about to take place.   At admissions we put on our matching hospital bracelets and James was pretty excited about that.  I was bracing for the moment when he completely lost it and freaked out.  The nurse came and took his vitals and completely relieved my fears by telling me that they don’t have him put a hospital gown on, start an IV or anything like that until he was already put under.  The time came for James to go back and he just hopped up (blankie in tow) and went with the nurse and told us “bye Mom and Dad” as cheerful as ever.  I waited around the corned to hear the scream as he realized he was in the operating room but it never came.  30 minutes later he was done and in recovery.  The nurses all came up to me and told me how cute they all thought he was and how they all loved him.   He immediately wanted an otter pop and to show us how he got a “sleepy candy mask” basically a genius idea where they scent pediatric masks so when they put the kids out they just tell them to smell the yummy smell in the mask.  Genius.  We brought him a Thomas stuffed train which he loved.  I was so proud of my little champion.  He ate a banana, 3 otter pops, and 2 donuts within the first hour after surgery.  He never even took his pain meds and was basically back to normal 4 hours later.  I would strongly encourage anyone who is considering this for their little guy to totally do it.  It is so much les traumatic than what I was thinking that it would be and now James’s member is just perfect.  When he took off his bandage and saw his swollen little thing he exclaimed “Mommy my tooti is much bigger!” 

California

We love California.  It is our go to vacation spot for quick little family jaunts.  We (really I) will use any excuse whatsoever to get out there go to Disneyland and of course hang with our dear friends the Waldron’s and the Ricedorff’s.  It is true that I am so far behind on blogging that neither the Waldron’s nor the Ricedorff’s still reside in Cali but these pictures from last July were so cute I couldn’t resist.  When we go to visit we always visit this awesome community in Irvine that has a million lagoon like pools and awesome sand for the kids.  Luckily we know someone who lives there and they graciously allow us to use the facilities when we come down (over? up?).  Here are some pics from the fabulous event.

 

Family Movie Night

We rarely take the kids to the movies because it’s pricey and we have 3 small children…..enough said.  That being said we do make the occasional trip to the movies if there is something coming out that we think the kids will love and we will be able to tolerate.  Despicable Me was one of those movies that fell under the going to the movies category.   If you have not seen this movie SEE IT.  It is so funny and also teaches and engages the kids.  Well maybe it doesn’t exactly “teach” kids but it has a good message.  I love the looks we get at the movies.  People are thinking we look so young to have three kids and we are even crazier to bring them all to the movies.  I am a responsible parent and do not allow my kids to scream or act crazy in the movies.  I also recognize that the movie theatre is the place to ditch all thoughts of nutrition and allow the kids the popcorn, juice, and candy that they desire.  Here are some pics from our lastest jaunt.  Notice James and Lucy not wanting to pry their eyes from the previews to take a picture

Camping With the Beazer’s

We met he Beazer’s our first Sunday moving to AZ.  Christine is from upstate NY and Taylor always tell me that New Yorker’s always find each other.  I guess our awesomeness just attracts other such awesome people.  Needless to say we invited them over for chicken finger subs and games and it has been love ever since.  We LOVE hanging out with them and have been camping with them a bunch of times but this particular time we wen up to there family cabin in Payson for some modified camping (my favorite kind.)  This means you get to all the fun camping stuff but then get to come back to a cabin, take a shower, and sleep in a bed.  We met up with them at a fishing hole that was AWESOME. We will definitely be back.  The kids love it and with Allan’s help caught some great fish.  Soon after that they all started to strip and swim in the fishing hole.  I love that my kids can get down and dirty with the best of them.  They have so much fun and it make me remember how fun it is to be a kid.  After we were done fishing and splashing we headed back to the cabin and roasted marshmallows and wen to sleep.

The next day we went to a place called Fossil Creek.  I was a little skeptical because of the way they were describing it.  I thought it would not be as cool as Allan was telling us it would be.  You see you need to drive on a crazy dirt road for like 15 miles and feel like you will maybe die and just when you can’t take it another second you are there.  This place seriously looks like it belongs in Hawaii or at least Mexico.  It is tropical looking blue water with natural rock slides.  The water was freezing so I most definitely did not get in but Wes sure did.  James had fun scaling the cliffs and Lucy hung out with Sada Beazer her sista from anotha mista.  We kept laughing at how much our skinny little jungle boys looked like Molgwie in their little underpants climbing up rocks cliffs. My kids are not always in their underwear but this particular weekend we forgot swimsuits.   The kids (and Tay and I) had a blast.  Weston must have caught Jungle Fever because he decided that he wanted to change Lucy’s poopy diaper.  He did a nice job I must say.  I can’t wait to go back to Fossil Creek.  On the way home from our camping adventure Taylor realized he forgot yet another pair of sunglasses behind and decided to put mine on so he could drive.  Priceless.

Losing Dean

I am including this blog post not so much for readers right now but more to make sure that I have a record of this for my family (since we make the blog into a book.)  Dean Evans was the very first friend Weston made in his kindergarten class at school.   He sat right next to him and they became quick friends.  Dean was the sweetest boy.  We had him over to play and really enjoyed getting to know him and his amazing mother Patti and little brother Reed (who is Jameson’s age).   One day Wes came home from school with a note to give me and I almost threw up in my car when I read that it was to inform us that Dean and Patti had passed away in a car accident the previous night.  The school had called all the parents in Dean’s grade at school (so they could prepare their children) but I didn’t get a call because I held Wes back into kindergarten again this year.  Wes asked me what was wrong (after seeing my reaction to reading the note) and I told him that Dean was in an accident with his Mom and they had died.  This was Wes’s first experience with death and I wasn’t sure how he was going to handle it.  He cried that car ride home and we all talked about where Dean was now, with Jesus.  I could tell through all the talks we were having with him on eternal families and death and where we go after death that he was really just taking it all in.  I tried not to push him.  For the next few days at random times he would come and ask me “Dean is in heaven now, right Mom?”  I would hear him tell his brother to be careful in the car because “his friend Dean died in a car accident".”  The funeral fell on a school day and Taylor and I debated whether or not Weston (age 6) should go.  He definitely wanted to come to say goodbye to Dean but I had no idea if it would be traumatizing for him.  I didn’t know if he would see Dean and Patti’s bodies and if he did would that be a negative image in his mind for the rest of his life?  We decided to take him after we talked to the principal of his school and she recommended that he go.  Walking in to the funeral I immediately lost it.  I am not a crier and this is probably only the 2nd time Wes has even seen me really cry.  It broke my heart to see this precious little life cut short and to see my  amazing friend who I had talked to not days before gone so quickly.  Weston looked scared as we got in line to say our final goodbyes to Dean and Patti.  When he go to “Mrs. Evan’s” casket he asked “is this Mrs. Evans?” I told him it was and he just whispered “good bye Mrs. Evans.” When he approached Dean he stood there and looked for a minute and said “it still looks like Dean.  I can see his freckle under his eye.”  Dean was buried in his soccer uniform with is favorite soccer ball and silly bands.  Wes did great through the service and was very matter of fact about the whole experience.  On the way out he turned to me and said “Dean loved soccer.  I bet him and Jesus are playing soccer right now.” 

What struck me about his experience is how absolute and perfect a child’s faith is.  I don’t know if it is because they are closer to the veil or if they are just little spiritual warriors.  Wes never doubted or has doubted since where his friend is and in a time where he was really saddened by his loss he was truly comforted by this knowledge.  Dean is still on his mind and he brings him up in his prayers and in the little situations that remind him of Dean.  A few nights ago in his prayers he asked Heavenly Father to take care of Dean in heaven.  He knows he will see his friend again.  He has said that “if I die I will be in heaven with my friend Dean.”  He isn’t being morbid but truly just expressing his faith in eternal life and his absolute knowledge of it’s truth.   I’m so thankful for Weston and his good example to me.  I are truly blessed by being honored to be this amazing little boy’s Mom and am so profoundly grateful for the knowledge I have of eternal families.