Our Big Boy

Well, I think that my baby is not such a baby anymore - and that makes me so very sad. . .

Yesterday, when he woke up, he decided that he wanted to wear undies. I agreed, but was not expecting much success and boy was I surprised when he had NO accidents all day and I did NOT remind him a single time! He had done it all by himself - with the exception of nap and night, of course. I even posted on facebook last night that I think it might have 'clicked.'

Well, this morning I was not sure what to expect, but when he came into the bathroom shortly after waking and took his diaper off, I had a feeling that he had figured it out. Then he did something I was not expecting - he pooped on the potty!!!! For those of you with kiddos that are/have potty trained, you understand just how BIG this is and he did it all on his own! I did not remind him or ask him, he just knew what his body was telling him!

A little later, we were preparing for  Science Club at our leader's house. I tried to put a diaper on him, but it turned into a HUGE battle, so I just packed extra clothes and, once again, he did great! I reminded him because I did not want to be cleaning carpet's, but he did awesome!

Tonight we are going to celebrate his new accomplishment with a little celebration and cake, much like we have with the other two. I am so very excited, but so very sad at the same time. Very soon, all signs of a baby will be out of this house. . .Luckily, Wesley knows that he will always be my baby and even insists that I call him baby most of the time!

I truly did not think that we would see this day for quite some time, but he was ready. He chose the time. He did it on his own. And I am a very proud mommy of my special baby!

He LOVES his 'big boys'

Strangers

Tonight, we learned firsthand of the kindness of strangers. . .

I took the kiddos to McDonald's for a special treat. Normally, on Tuesday and Thursday they have $1.99 Happy Meals, so I had promised the kiddos all day that if they were good, we would go and get one. However, once we arrived, we realized that this is not the case anymore and I refuse to pay full price for one! I pulled the kiddos aside and informed them that we would not be getting the Happy Meals, but that we could still get chicken nuggets or a hamburger. They were a little disappointed, but that quickly faded when they remembered that there were games! The kiddos ran off to play and I stared at the menu trying to figure out how to get dinner for them with the cash I brought for 3 $1.99 Happy Meals. As I was contemplating my options, an older couple walked up to me. They were waiting for their decaf coffee and hot fudge sundaes when they heard me talking to the kiddos. This couple spoke to me for a moment and then the gentleman handed me a $20 bill. He told me to get them some dinner, that since he can not get his own grandkids Happy Meals, that he wanted to do it for mine. I tried to argue, but it did no good and so off I went, buying 3 Happy Meals. After I paid, I took the change and brought it to the man. Again, he insisted that I keep the change and buy them some ice cream or another Happy Meal later!

As they walked off to enjoy their date, I stood there waiting for our food with tears rolling down my cheeks. They had no idea that today had been a hard day. They have no idea whether we struggle or not. They just saw a young mother trying to figure out the best way to be cheap and wanted to step in to help out.

When I brought the food to the table, I had each kiddo write a thank you note to the couple and before they ate, we delivered them. Robert, Hannah, and Wesley each passed on their note and we all exchanged hugs and thank yous.

This mystery couple taught all of us a very important lesson tonight - one that I will never forget. So whoever they are, wherever they are, I hope that they know just how grateful we are for their kindness.

Rosaries

Back in October, we celebrated the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary by making a candy corn/pumpkin rosary. The kiddos had such a great time counting and laying out all of the candies, that we decided to do the same only with candy hearts - little Sweet Tart ones for the Hail Mary Beads and larger chocolate ones for the Our Father's.

*Forgive the blurriness - this was done with my phone that was recently introduced to the toilet!

 The kiddos sorted the sweet tarts by color and then counted out 10 of each. We then chose the chocolates. The kiddos were given the option of using different ones or the same ones, and they chose to use all of the purple/pink ones. They sorted out all of those and then we were on our way to making the Rosary!

Before we began, I told the kiddos that we were going to be praying for Precious Jack as we laid out the Rosary and glued everything down. We made it through the entire Rosary before the first wimper of not wanting to pray anymore! I was quite proud of them all!

*Again, forgive the blurriness - this was done with my phone that was recently introduced to the toilet!

In 3 of the 4 corners, Robert, Hannah, and Wesley drew a picture of Holy Mary. In the final corner, we wrote "Our Family Rosary." We had a great time making it and praying it for Jack!

Martin Luther King, Jr Day

What a fabulous day we had today. Daddy had the day off, so it was extra enjoyable! We started the day off with a small breakfast and school work. Once that was done, the kiddos helped me make breakfast #2 - bacon and eggs to be delivered to daddy in bed! After cleaning up from that, we all decided to make chocolate chip cookies - and they were YUMMO! Before long, it was time for lunch and nap. While the little ones were napping, daddy and Little Robert went to run an errand. When they returned home, they had 4 new fish (named A, B, C, and D) with them, bringing the grand total to 7!

You can not see them, but they are all in there

Once A, B, C, and D were settled into their new home, Daddy and Little Robert left for the neighborhood park to play some baseball!

 

 

Once the little ones woke, we decided to go for a scavenger hunt. We were looking for "Giraffes and Elephants and Eagles and Caterpillars and Butterflies" - basically, just about everything! We did not find those, but we did find the neighborhood ducks and tried to feed them, but all we had were pretzels, and we found out that ducks do not like them! However, we did enjoy chasing and catching them :-)

 

 

 

We came home from our hunt and played, cleaned, cooked dinner, and prepared for bed. All of the kiddos were out in no time, so I think it is safe to say that they enjoyed themselves!

Post-Op Appt / Biopsy Results

After much anticipation, I finally had my post-op appointment today and here is what I learned:

• There is a "tumor" on my liver. He gave me the name, but I was more focused on the fact that it is and forever will be benign, that I never wrote it down. :-)
•  He was quite encouraged that the pain has been slightly relieved.
• With the improvement in pain, he feels that should we decide on the final step, it will not be as invasive as initially thought. So, instead of a large incision and hospital stay, it would be a smaller 2 (or so) inch incision and I would go home the same day.

I left there feeling very good - not only was my liver fine, but should nothing work and this next step be required, it will not be as invasive as initially thought. It will still be a more difficult recovery than my laproscopic surgeries, but compared to what was first presented 6 weeks ago, this is MUCH easier. . .

I return to my pain management doc next week to talk/update him on everything and see what, if anything else he has to offer. And then it is up to Robert and I to discern and pray for wisdom and guidance. . .

Role Reversal

Well, I am a lucky lady - today Daddy and I switched roles for a bit. . . I packed a picnic lunch for the kiddos and brought them to daddy while I went out to eat with one of his co-workers! I know that Amber and I had a great time, and I am pretty sure that daddy and the kiddos did as well!

 

 

 

Thank you, Daddy for the special treat - I had a great time having adult conversation! And, Amber, we must do it again soon!

Friendship

I have been thinking a lot lately about friends, but today, as I was snuggling with Little Robert, I began to really ponder what makes a friend. Sure, there are lots of people that I call friends, but out of those people, who would really be there in a time of need? Who could I call in the middle of the night if I needed to?

In my head, I sort of made 2 columns - one that I could count on and one that, while still a friend, they did not meet the 'criteria' of the prior column. It truly surprised me that the second column far outweighed the first. Do not get me wrong, they are still friends, just a little different than the first small column.

And then when I looked at the first column again, I realized that there were friends on it whom I have not spoken to in quite a while - maybe even since high school. But I would still feel just as comfortable now as I did years ago, and when we talk, it is like nothing ever happened, that time has stood still. There were also friends in that column who live hundreds of miles away, but I know that they would be here in an instant if I needed. Or friends, that I have called on in times of need, yet I have never met them personally - a spouse of a friend or such.

That does not mean that the second column is any less valuable. They are the people that I know will be there, but I might have to think twice before calling. Or be a little more guarded with. Maybe I do not truly know them yet or the distance between us has become too great. Or maybe their life is just so busy with their own families, that I do not want to be a burden. Regardless though, this column is just as important and has its own unique qualities.  

When I asked myself, could I make it without having friend column one or two, the answer is no. Each of them play such an important role in life. . . And each person on each column plays a different role. I know who to call if I need to vent about my husband or my kiddos. I know who I can call on a moments notice and ask a favor. I know who I can call and say we need a girls night. Every single friend is just as important as the next. . .

Lord, I ask You to bless my friend who is reading this right now.

Where there is pain,
may they find peace and mercy.

Where there is self-doubt,
may they gain a renewed confidence.

Where there is weariness or exhaustion,
give them understanding, patience, and strength.

Where there is fear,
reveal your love, and offer to them your courage.

Give them greater vision, bless their finances,
and raise up leaders and friends to support and encourage them.

May their spirit always be joyous and
their days rich and full with love and happiness,

And may they always know that they have a friend

The post that I have been avoiding. . .

Well, there is good news and bad news in regards to this most recent surgery - not sure which to share first. . .

Good News: The surgery has helped *some* and the recovery has been flawless. I am still tired and sore, but that improves with each passing day. We are beyond thrilled for a smooth recovery as this has not happened with ANY of the surgeries since Wes was born, almost 3 years ago. We are so grateful for this blessing and all of your prayers.

Bad News: The surgery has helped *some*. Prior to the surgery, the nerve pain began in my lower right pelvis (about 2 inches above my c-section scar) and extended into my groin. For the most part the pelvis part is gone, meaning that the adhesions were pressing on that section of the nerve, but from about my c/s scar down, the pain remains - the area that he could not get to in this surgery. This is quite discouraging to me, but I have to keep in mind that it did lessen the total area of my pain and for that I must remain grateful.

Our prayer was for relief and an easy, uncomplicated recovery. All of this *has* occurred, just not in the full capacity that we had hoped for. I have had to remind myself many times that my plan in not His plan. So, for now, I follow up with my surgeon 1 week from today and will see my pain doctor after that. I also spoke with an herbalist and an acupuncturist and we will see where that brings us.

I am trying to remain positive and not focus on the negative. Big Robert is doing an incredible job in helping me with this. He is my cheerleader and confidant. . . I am trying so hard, but it is honestly difficult. My prayer now is for courage, trust, and endurance as we continue on this journey that is evolving and ever changing. This journey that I must remind myself *has* improved. . .

Life

Well, this past week, life has been quite. . . well, crazy! We have had some great times and some trying times as I am only 1 week out from my surgery. I just wanted to do a quick recap of all that we did this week, so here you go:

Sunday: Happy New Year! We did not ring in the new year like we have in years past with our dear friends, the Espiritu's, as I was only 3 days post-op, but daddy did wake me at 12:01am to give me my New Year's kiss! He took the kiddos out for a few hours this morning as I was still pretty sore and not feeling great. When they came home, we all huddled on the couches and watched some of our new movies and played with some new toys - the iPod and Kindle! We also did puzzles, read books, played games - Just had a great time! By night, the kiddos were exhausted from the day of playing. After dinner, they each did a few sparklers with our neighbors, Brendan and Aayden, and then came on it to bed.

Monday: Daddy stayed homes from work, which is always a wonderful surprise. We were able to sped a lot of quality time with him, as well as take down all of the Christmas decorations. He took the kiddos on an outing for a bit so that I could rest, which is always nice! Again, we ended the day with some sparklers in the front :-)

Tuesday: Today was my first day solo since the surgery. I was anxious, but as of this point, the recovery was flawless. We had a lazy morning until about 10, and then began our school day. We learned about muscles (Uncle Will would be proud that they now know about the three types - Cardiac, Smooth, and Skeletal!) and finished up our math and reading work for the day. I am loving watching how the kiddos are becoming so involved with school. They are truly loving learning and I am so grateful that we are able to Home School - a gift that could not happen if it were not for daddy! After school, we ate and napped/rested. I tried something new with the girls, but quickly realized that it was a BAD choice. I allowed them to read quietly instead of sleep. I left the lights on and told them the rules - suffice it to say, this has not happened since! We get our quiet reading time at a different time and nap time is back!  After rest, we worked on some sight words and I am thrilled to say that they are really evolving in this area - Praise God! We played inside and relaxed for a bit as it was TOO cold to go outside - we had a fire in the fireplace by 3p as we were that chilly! As the day came to a close, the kiddos became quite cranky and earned an early bedtime! Before they laid down though, Daddy had the idea to set out a bucket of water so that they could see the ice in the morning. . .

Wednesday: Today was all over the place. Our neighbor was out of town, and we were animal watching. Well, one of the kitties became quite sick - I called and she asked if I would take her to the vet, so I did (It turned out to be a pretty intense virus). Once we arrived home, we began our school work - math, religion, and phonics. Then, we made cards to celebrate the Feast of The Most Holy Name of Jesus - a few days late! They loved making the cards and learning about this feast day. Robert even made one for Mrs. Yip, his CCD teacher! The rest of the day was uneventful until about 5p when I learned that Daddy's Uncle Jack had been called to Heaven. The children and I prayed for his soul and all of those left behind and then prepared for Little Robert's CCD class. Daddy arrived home and then the oldest boys left and I put Hannah and Wes to bed. Hannah did not last in her bed for long before she came to snuggle with me and was out in minutes! We realized while we were snuggling, that we had never checked on the ice from the night before, but luckily, we were expecting another hard freeze tonight!

Thursday: Today was a beautiful day, but before it warmed up, we were able to observe the transition from water to ice and they loved it! It was the first day that the kiddos were able to go play outside. So, after school, lunch, and naps, they did such and spent the remainder of the afternoon basking in its glory! This gave me an opportunity to prepare all of our lessons for the next 2 weeks, which is always a blessing! Also today, Wesley decided that he was ready to be a "Bid Boy!" We found some training pants and on they went. The older 2 LOVED helping him out and reminding him to go potty, although, Wes became tired rather quickly of their constant reminders! I took a cute picture of his little toosh in undies and sent it to my Mama. She responded with a message that informed me that Trey's mom had passed away on Wednesday. Now, Trey is my little brother JoJo's dear friend. They are both 13. Trey and his mom lived alone and he went to wake her to bring him to school, when she would not respond, he called 911. Please keep this precious child in your prayers. From what I gather, he does not have any other family - I simply can not imagine. Daddy arrived home just in time for dinner. We ate, played, did some more sparklers, prayed, and then went to bed.

Friday: Today I was having a severe case of mommy guilt, so I decided to take the kiddos to Home School Group. It was just a play day at the park, so we packed up a lunch and went. They loved every moment of it and I was able to have some VERY good quality time with adults. While there, I was also able to speak with a fellow member who is an herbalist and she recommended quite a few things that would be safe for me to try, so we will give that a go. While I think that the park was a bit much for me, I am glad that we went as the kiddos had a fabulous time with their friends. When we arrived home, all of the kiddos were in terrible moods, so we sat down and just watched movies. Finally when they perked up, we were able to play some board games and some imaginary games like "Puppy Pirate" where they the puppy (Hannah) has to stay away from the pirate (Robert). They also practiced their karate skills - not sure where they learned them from, though! Hopefully the rest of the day will be quiet and uneventful. I definitely see an early bedtime as they are still quite cranky, just not as fussy as they were when we first arrived home!

Post-Op Day #4

As all know from my prior post, I had surgery last Thursday. All went as expected, minus the liver involvement. My surgeon biopsied what he thought necessary and we will know the results in 2 weeks. Until then, we pray, trust, and believe that all is well - which it will be :-)

The recovery is going great - I am on Day #4 Post-Op and, while still slow, I am doing more and more. The best news is that there are - Dare I say it?!?!?!? - NO complications. The kiddos are quite concerned about the missing belly b, but that will *hopefully* come back with time, although I do worry more each day about its present state!

Thank you for all of your prayers - they are all greatly felt!