Pajama Day

All pajama'd up and ready for school. Mommy loves pajama day!

ENT Post-op

Had Cole's post op appointment with the ENT today. Things could not have been better! His ears both look beautiful (even the right one that wanted to just hold on to ear infections) and there were no issues with the hearing test. According to Dr. Stan, the tubes look great and we'll see him in early July for another check. As I've noted before, Cole has been so much happier since he got tubes and that had made life much better for all of us. Sometimes modern medicine is wonderful.

Catching up

Haven't posted a lot this week because there wasn't that much going on - I worked from the couch every day with ice packs on my knees trying to speed up recovery. Mid week I ditched the crutches and have been working on my flexibility and stretching every day as well as walking (hobbling) around. Hoping that I'll see a big difference in another week (crazy that last week I could barely move!).

We had a great weekend. Stayed close to home and just hung out. Eli & Cole were both in great moods and that made it a lot of fun. Eli told me many times this weekend "You're my best buddy every Mommy" and it was always followed by a hug. Only today did I learn that he's been telling Daddy that he's his best buddy ever too! Eli has also started telling us that he loves us on his own. It's so sweet for him to come up, give me a hug and tell me he loves me - for no reason! Now, I know that one day he'll be mad at me for something and tell me just the opposite so I'm soaking it in while I can!!

Friday night, Eli & I made some yummy cookies. Saturday was home chores, laundry, making baby food, Tim & Eli picked up sticks in the yard and went on a bike ride later in the afternoon. Today the boys all went on a walk around the neighborhood while I did some chores and then, Tim & I had a special date afternoon. We went to see 'Valentine's Day' and really enjoyed the movie and the time together. We definitely don't get away enough!

The worst part of the weekend was when I dropped my digital camera (I did this also in early 2008). I dropped it while it was on so it jammed up the lens. I got it to work sort of but the pictures were blurry on the left side of the lens. So I have limited decent pictures from the weekend - lots of fuzzy ones though!

The weekend was really great. Like I said, the boys were sweet and wonderful. I'm feeling better and we seem to have been in a good grove as a family. We even got some sleep!! Hope everyone else had a good weekend. Now we're getting geared up for the work week ahead.

Headed out on a bike ride

Cole got into playing Monster Trucks with Daddy & Eli

Sweet Eli hanging in our bed pillows

Daddy & Cole - Tim's almost smiling

Hanging in the garage playing on bikes

Cole's first time swinging - wheeeee

Swinging with Daddy

happy happy happy

Cheeks

Now tell me that those aren't some scrumptious little cheeks!

Post-Op

Had my post-op appointment with my orthopaedist today. From the looks of things, I'm recovering quite well. Today they took the stitches out and just put steri-strips on and checked to see how much flexibility I have and how much swelling. With the constant icing I've been doing and not overdoing the moving around, the swelling is not too bad. My flexibility is good right now as I can straighten my leg and bend it to about 90 degrees. For 4 days off surgery, that's pretty darn good! Today I've been working with just one crutch and have taken a few steps with no crutches. I feel like a newborn pony who is learning how to walk and learning to trust her legs. I also had Dr. B explain the pictures to me that they took during the procedure. Apparently the back of my knee cap looked like a shag carpet. It was gross looking - supposed to be shiny and smooth but far from it. They cleaned it up and made it as smooth as they could. My meniscus looked really good and my kneecap alignment was great so, as I noted before, no lateral release to realign my kneecap. The bad news is that there are worn spots on the inner part of my femur at the knee joint (it's called medial something). Dr. B recommended that I take up throwing darts or something much less dangerous to my body. In all seriousness, he said the marathoner or triathlete life isn't for me any more. Where I am now, I'm probably a candidate for knee replacement in 20-25 years so any high impact activity will just speed that up. Not anything I want to make happen any faster than necessary! So, that means no more running for me and I'm ok with that. I want to find a way to exercise and be healthy while not having the pain. I foresee time spent improving my swimming stroke and working on my cycling. Probably a focus on weight training to support my improved knees and possibly some yoga.

I've got a few more days before I can drive - hopefully by Thursday. I've got a few exercises to work on at home and then I go back in 3 weeks for another check. Wish me luck!!

Frosty the Snowman, Valentine's Day and lots of Grandma time

This post is being written from the couch, where I have pretty much been since coming home Thursday. It's so different looking through pictures to see what fun everyone was having as opposed to being part of the fun. Here's my attempt to describe the fun in our weekend.

Saturday morning we woke to a few inches of snow on the ground. Not only was Eli excited but Grandma was excited. It had snowed at her house after she left and she worried that she wouldn't see any snow. After breakfast, inside play time and some snacks, Grandma & Eli headed outside to play. They were out there for about an hour and a half making a snowman, playing on the swingset (apparently Eli got stuck in the swing with his big boots!), scooping snow with a spoon and just playing. They came inside, got warm and changed clothes and then it was off to the mall for the boys, Tim & Grandma. Lunch at Chick-fil-a, a failed attempt to build something at Build-a-Bear and some mall-walking later, they headed home for a nap time that never was. Eli did not take a nap AT ALL yesterday. He was quite the handful by bed time.

Today was play-a-polooza with Grandma. She played LOTS with Eli and also with Baby Cole. Cole was good and actually took a morning nap so Eli got more Grandma time. She also prepared country style steak for us for dinner (in the crock pot now) before she left. Right now Tim is upstairs with both boys b/c Eli didn't want to watch tv with me downstairs when he got up. He loves the playroom. Unfortunately I can't go up the stairs just yet so alone I sit. Tim has been Super Daddy this weekend and, for the most part, the boys have been really good for him.

I'm so thankful that my Mom came this weekend to help us. I have NO IDEA how we would have managed without her help. Thanks a bunch Mom! You're the best!

And Happy Valentine's Day to everyone. Hope you have a great day.

Grandma & Baby Cole playing Sat morning

Sweet Cole loving his exersaucer

Checking out the action from inside

Back to the snowy slide

Whooosh!

Hitting snowballs

Making of Frosty

Eli's pal Frosty - so cute how Grandma got him to put his arm around Frosty

Grandma & Eli with their creation

Daddy even went outside for a few minutes

Strolling around the mall - Eli looks so thrilled

Look at those cute feet - both have one foot propped up

Eli got to ride on the ice cream truck at the mall

Snuggling with Grandma

Happy Valentine's Day - a heart of chocolates with a Monster truck on top and another Monster truck, After Shock - what else would you expect for this Monster Jam loving boy?!

Valentine's Parties

Today was our first Valentine's celebration - parties at the boys' school. Of course, I had them special red shirts to wear, especially for Cole's first V-day. I tried to get a picture of the two of them this morning but Eli was quite uncooperative.

Since I spent my entire day on the couch, Grandma went to the party in my place. Eli was so excited to have her there and he was introducing all of his friends to her. As usual, Eli very much enjoyed the party food and playing with his friends. My friend Kara came over with Owen and Faye to visit and were here when Eli & Grandma got home from school. Eli enjoyed playing with Owen. A short while later, Tim arrived home with Cole and we all just hung out. Cole was very tired from his day and was asleep before 7pm. Eli was wide open having a blast with Grandma. He has been ALL about Grandma. He will have a very fun weekend with her here.

My Little Heart Breaker

Eli ready for the party to begin

Yummy snacks

Eli & Grandma

Tonight, Baby Cole & Daddy looking all cute and sweet

Bionic Woman

Today was the day - the 1st day of my transformation into Bionic Woman. Ok, so that's not exactly accurate. Today was my arthroscopic knee surgery. It was a quick day and I'm happy that it's over. Over the past few days I had many friends ask me if I was nervous. I kept responding that I didn't have time to think about it because I was so busy getting life in some kind of order that I wasn't nervous. Staying busy served me very well!

This morning Tim & I got to the hospital about 10:15am. Got checked in, paid my part and then was taken back to pre-op. All of the folks that attended to me were amazing! My nurse even gave me a hug before I was wheeled back to the OR. First they did my weight, blood pressure (believe it or not, it was 105/56 even with everything going on!!) and ran through my medical history. Then it was talking to anesthesiologist, getting an iv and them prepping my knees. The iv thing was not the most fun part of the day. They tried in my left hand and once they started the medicine, my vein blew so they had to redo in my right hand. Doesn't that sound fun?! After all this was done, Tim got to come back to see me. My doctor and a few other nurses attending the surgery came by. It was the weirdest feeling to be wheeled to an Operating Room. I have never been in one before. LOTS of lights and equipment and stuff. They hooked up a bunch of monitors to me, secured me to the table, put a little medicine in my iv and I was out. Next thing I know, I was waking up in a recovery room. That's a weird feeling - completely missing time. I never even knew I was asleep! After a while, they let Tim come back to where I was. I enjoyed a few Chips Ahoy and some water (hadn't eaten since 7pm last night) - MUCH enjoyed. Tim had pictures that the doctor gave him from the surgery and boy were my knees bad! They photos show such rough edges and proved to me that the surgery was very much needed. The doctor asked him if I did a lot of running. There's a very thin spot on the end of one of my bones that has him concerned about any future high impact activity.

They hooked me up to these very cool ice packs for my knees that have a cooler of ice / water running via pump and circulating around my knees. You can see them in the pictures below. It's weird having little motors running. I feel pretty good right now. Doc says the pain meds in my knees will probably wear off tonight / tomorrow and I'll feel it more then. Fortunately they didn't have to do a release on my knee caps so that was GREAT news. My recovery should go much quicker as a result. No effects right now from the anesthesia other than a metal taste in my mouth probably from a breathing tube. They warned me that I might get sick tonight - I sure hope not!!

So that's the update from here. All went well - thank you so much to all my friends that called and sent emails wishing luck. My mom is here now to help with the crazy boys while I just watch the madness go by. I'm so lucky to have her close and have her help.

My knees are wrapped and then these packs have ice water circulating through them.

My pumps

A Bedtime Story

So sweet tonight. Eli "read" Cole a few books for bedtime - his own doing. We walked in the room and he climbed in the chair and grabbed a book. He recited two books, told Cole the general story of one and I read the last one as he flipped the pages. Eli's little 2-1/2 year old mind is amazing! Oh, and aren't their matching pjs adorable?!

Just doing, Just being - our weekend

This weekend was spent mostly at home doing things around the house and just being together. With everything that has been going on and all that is coming up, this weekend was very much welcomed!

Lots of activity in the kitchen. Eli was my little helper. We made a bunch of food for Cole - sweet potatoes, acorn squash, butternut squash, cinnamon apples and we baked teething biscuits. Other baking - a Valentine's Day sugar cookie experiment and a loaf of wheat bread. Yummmmm.

Saturday Eli & I went to the gym and today we all went to Brier Creek for a few errands. That was about the extent of our travel. We mostly played at home and worked on getting ready for the upcoming week. Both boys had a good weekend and made me laugh many times with their sweet personalities and funny antics.

Here are some random pictures from the weekend.

Cole is trying hard to stand on his own. He wants to take off running after Eli.

Tim's broken heart - this cookie was one of my cookie experiment and the edge was broken off when I stacked the cooking racks. Everyone had at least one cookie with their name on it. Eli, being the wonderful brother he is, volunteered to eat Cole's cookies.

Swinging and hanging out. Not too long before Cole's too big for the swing.

Cole tasting one of the teething biscuits I made. He really liked them.

Eli practicing with his scissors. I saw them cutting magazines at school and thought it was brilliant! He had so much fun.

Eli has learned how to use his screwdrive to take the wheels off and the engine out of his race car. He has also learned how to screw them back on. Quite impressive!

We practiced catching the football today. He missed this one

but caught this one!

Heading out for a neighborhood walk tonight. I LOVE my double stroller!

Tonight when it was time to get ready for bed, we let Cole lay down in Eli's bed. Eli loved it and climbed in to go to sleep. He got under the covers and told me to turn the light off. He wanted Cole to sleep with him. We let them play for a while and it was the cutest darn thing.

Cole trying to grab Eli

Oh my sweet boys!

More playing - these two just laughed and giggled until I took Cole to his room.

7 months old

My 7 month old sweetie

Happy 7 month birthday Sweet Baby Cole! We have all made it past the half way point to your first birthday. You're growing and changing every day. It's so much fun to watch. Here are your Month 7 highlights:

• STILL waiting to witness the roll over. You are not a big fan of being on your tummy but I can't get you to roll yourself back over.
• We spent more time dealing with ear infections and lots of doctor visits but you got tubes put in your ears two days ago and already seem to be much happier as a result. You even slept all night last night! You did wake up at 1am but managed to soothe yourself back to sleep. Hopefully you'll realize that a good night's sleep is a good thing. =)
• You are sitting up on your own now, actually very well. You so much want to do everything that Eli is doing. I find you all the time grabbing his toys and playing with them (especially Monster trucks!). Eli loves you so much and you two are going to be a hand full!
• You're an eating, but not drinking, machine. You love solid foods but still don't drink very much from your bottle. Favorites still tend to be any and every kind of squash and sweet potatoes. We also introduced carrots this month and you loved them, however you didn't like the black beans. You've also discovered puffs and really want to feed yourself all the time.
• You have started jabbering up a storm. Sometimes it's like you and I carry on our own little conversation.....and I love it!!
• You are very close to 20 pounds and we'll be upgrading your car seat this weekend. No more bucket for you!
• We got to enjoy your first snow. Bundled you up like a little smurf in the blue fuzzy suit and we enjoyed being outside. You were too cute!
• You are doing so great at school. You love your teachers and they love you. You're quite the snuggle bunny and get lots of loving there.
• (Late addition) Forgot to tell you about your teeth! Your bottom right tooth has come through and the bottom left is breaking the surface now. You'd try to eat a cheeseburger if we let you.

Month 7 was again filled with ups and downs and, due to the winter, a lot of shared sick between you and Eli. We made it through and are going full speed into Month 8. Thank you for your sweetness and the precious memories we're making.