2 more sleeps....

Last weekend we spent numerous hours outside, sucking up some Vitamin D and enjoying the not-quite-as-cold.  Which meant we had a sore kiddo come Monday.  Oops.  I forget to make him take it easy.  He doesn't tell me when his arm hurts, I have to guess based on his attitude.  And I have to give him tylenol in the morning or he for sure has a meltdown by the afternoon.  And it's not until he's worked himself into quite a temper that he will admit that anything hurts.  He's decided he hates taking medicine (and yes, we have tried every kind out there).  

So Wednesday couldn't come soon enough - the visit to our new surgeon!  Brian decided to come as well, which made me happy as I was glad to have him meet the new guy too, and knew that Ethan might be a bit of a mess.  Our hospital is such a happy place though - video games in the waiting room?  Yes, please!

 Long story short, we felt very comfortable with this guy and we scheduled the surgery for this week.  I'm tired of my baby hurting and I'm tired of worrying about it all.  We're ready to get it fixed and move on!  Of course now I don't sleep at all, but it's only 2 more nights till we check in at the hospital.
Friday was Dr. Seuss day, and the absolute best thing to counter all my frustrated, anxious feelings.  We made hats, we read books, we had fun (even the teachers) celebrating reading.  And the spread of  cupcakes was amazing.  Though people kept giving Ethan more and more after school and that boy was a sugared up mess by the time we got home.

Yesterday was Ethan's last bball game.  He made another shot - very exciting as his coach had been gone at the other game that he scored at, so he was suuuuuuper happy.  It was an emotional game for me, being the last and also the last big event until his surgery.  The team prayed for him and promised to sign his cast next weekend at the team party.
After the game, we had an ice skating party for some friends from church.  We had not been to the rink in months.  Lucas was soooo excited to get to skate for the first time.

 At first, he just kind of laid there on Brian's arms... scared to move.

 He got a little coaching from his brother....  (who was doing awesome out there)

 But he still didn't push off of Brian....

 Until we left him alone on the side....

 And by the end of it he could skate a ways by himself and had a blast.  I could not believe how independent he was.  Ethan was just a skating machine, though both were super excited to eat cake and sing happy birthday.  It was a lego party and had all sorts of cute touches - very fun!
Then we tried to go bike riding.  Fun for the dogs and Lucas.  Not so fun for Ethan.  I think we'd just overdone it and he was a crying, screaming machine.  I finally (after coming back home) rocked him a while and sang him his baby song and he was able to calm down and asked for some ice.  He explained that his pain level was up to the ceiling and then it was my time to cry.  Oops.  Poor kid.
We got out ye olde ice pack and put on a cartoon (though he was much more interested in Wheel of Fortune when that came on) and left him alone.

Lucas and I started building trials of a project I'm doing with my kids in the next two weeks - building various regions' Native American homes.  

The Northeastern Woodlands' Longhouse

 The Northwestern Plankhouse

 Great Plains Tipi Frame

It is amazing to me what can be done with paper bags and cardboard.  And I'm thankful to have the project to distract me.  The models will be made by my kids, but I had to be sure it could be done first.  And I had to do some problem solving.  The only thing left that I'm still not sure of is the dried grass for the thatch houses and wigwams.  But I'll figure it out.  In the meantime I have a whole lot of cardboard sitting in my living room.  Poor Brian.
And now I better get to cleaning.  All this creativity kind of makes a big, giant mess....  But, in a lot of ways, I think this is why my job is so satisfying.  I get to do what I love - work with kids - but also push my intellect and creativity to new levels.
Think of us early Tuesday morning and shout out a prayer for us.  And really, we could use a prayer or two to get through the next couple of days.  And I'll get back to making messes and building things....  Sorry Brian....