Lump Answers

Today we met with the pediatric surgeon. I was nervous, anxious, hopeful, not hopeful, all at the same time. I asked Brad to come with us for support if I needed to get all demanding and stuff with the doctor. I showed the lump to the doctor and he knew the second he saw it what it was. I think I heard a choir sing in my head at that moment. Just hearing him say, "I know exactly what that is." was already a huge relief.
Diagnosis... Epigastric hernia. Right now it is small enough that he doesn't need to do surgery to repair. If the lump grows, starts to bruise or becomes tender, we will need to have surgery to correct, but for now, my worrying can stop about this little lump. But I mean, lets be honest, as moms do we ever stop worrying about our kids??

Best Laid Plans...

One thing about having kids is never count on making plans. I've been trying to get together with a friend of mine for I think years? And I'm not exaggerating. Every time we make plans one of us or one of our lil ones falls ill. So, this time we thought we'd outsmart the powers that be by not making plans and just let each other know neither of us had plans if we just so happened to feel like getting together this weekend. That is what I had planned for part of our Saturday. Tonight the boys were going to spend the night with Grandma and Grandpa and allow Brad and I to go to a movie (we even had tickets purchased already) and have a real date night. Yeah, that all went down the tubes when we got woken this morning by Blake screaming and coughing. After debating back and forth I decided Blake needed to see the doctor. Diagnosis...sinus infection. Blake slept from the time we got home at 11:30 and didn't get out of bed until 5:30. Then he laid on the couch, then he got tired of laying inside so he grabbed his stuffed animals and went outside. He didn't feel well enough to play evidently, so this is where I found him a second later...
POOR GUY!

Sound Off

I just have to vent a little here. I'm frustrated. I think I partly have myself to blame however. My frustrations began why back when Brady was really sick and I knew in my heart of hearts something was seriously wrong. I'd take him to the doctor however and he would say oh he's fine, just give it some time. Because he had the M.D. next to his name and I do not, I took his word for it instead of listening to the mommy instincts screaming inside of me that was saying no, he was not fine. It literally took multiple visits and me crying in the pediatricians office before he finally referred us to a specialist. Turned out he was aspirating, getting formula into his lungs. If we had waited any longer Brady would have ended up in the hospital with pneumonia. If I had either demanded something sooner from the pediatrician or gone around him myself and started taking Brady to different specialists, perhaps we would have had his issue diagnosed sooner. I should have learned my lesson then. Last month at Brady's 9 month check up I brought up the bump in his belly that the physician's assistant had thought was a hernia. He in turn dismissed that as a possibility but had no clue what it was. He was baffled and finally decided we should start with a dermatologist. I knew right at that moment in my heart of hearts that was the wrong way to go. The lump is not on his skin, it is inside his belly, protruding out. But once again, I thought he's the doctor, I guess we'll start where he recommends. So we made an appointment and had to wait an entire month to be seen. Today was our appointment. The doctor looked at the lump and said, "Oh, this isn't even on his skin, I don't know what this is." Um, yeah, another $30 copay down the drain. She thinks the lump feels benign and doesn't think it should be of concern, but she doesn't know. This lump clearly isn't normal and until someone can tell me they know its benign and they know I shouldn't worry, then I won't. The dermatologist then referred us to a pediatric surgeon. They will examine the lump and decide if they feel it needs some sort of imaging (sonogram or cat scan) or ultimately surgery. Thank God we only have to wait until the 31st for this appointment. I just want to put this lump business behind us.
To end on a sweeter note...today and tomorrow the boys' school is closed for teacher in service. Brad stayed home with the boys this morning and played so hard with the boys Brady just tuckered out on the couch in the middle of playing.

The thing about dad's...

Alarm goes off at 6. Get ready, get Brady up, changed, fed, dressed, bags together for the boys' school, work all day, come home, get dinner ready, get boys fed, bathed, in bed, wash bottles, make new bottles, do any laundry that needs to be done, etc. etc. Doing all of this is exhausting and when dealing with a two year old and a 10 month old, one of which is in the throws of the terrible two's and very strong willed and stubborn, it can be hard to just stop and deviate from the norm or ever allow your kids to "break the rules". That's the thing about dad's though, even with all of the stress and exhaustion they go through I think dad's tend to be better at that kind of stuff...remembering to stop and smell the roses or in yesterdays case, not yelling at a stubborn two year old to get into the house when they got home from school/work instead of playing in the puddles out front (yes we got rain!).
I wasn't home yet, but Brad said Blake was having SO much fun and dancing and singing in the rain. I love that Brad let Blake do that and Blake got to enjoy all that being a two year old is all about.

Happy Anniversary Mom & Dad

2 kids, 3 grandbabies and 34 years of eyes only for each other. Happy Anniversary! Thank you for your endless love for me and my boys and being an example of a lasting marriage. We love you!

Look at this cutie!

My sweet nephew...4 months. I can not wait to love on this guy again!

10 Months

2 months until ONE. Hey time, stop going by so fast!!! Brady, you just don't understand how stinkin cute you are! You are such a love bug and I love being your momma and watching you grow. Here is what you are up to these days...

• You are a master crawler and get from one end of the house to the other in the blink of an eye.
  
• You pull yourself up to standing and are starting to cruise while holding onto the couch or ottoman.
  
• You are fearless. Grandma says you are going to be a high diver when you're older. Your favorite thing is to pull yourself up to standing on the couch and then throw yourself backwards onto the couch, laugh hysterically and then pull yourself up and start again. I try to explain that momma won't always be there to catch you if you miss the end of the couch but you don't seem to care.
  
• You ADORE your big brother and are trying to grow just as fast as you can so you can run around with him.
  
• As of last week you're starting to try foods outside of pureed fruits and veggies. I'm very excited for you to be eating table food and start fattening you up!
  
• You still have only your two bottom teeth but you have four on top and one more on bottom fighting their way to the surface.
• You love to laugh, squeal and babble. You and your brother love to have squealing contests to see who can go the loudest.
  
• You say mama and dada and love to "talk".
• Aside from diving backwards your next favorite activity is jumping. I call you my little jumping bean.
  
• You sleep between 10-12 hours each night and your favorite way to sleep is on your tummy.
• You are still the happiest baby I have ever met. Your smile is one of the favorite things of my day, every day.
  

Love you sweet 10 month old boy!

Sweetest end to a day

Bedtime conversation tonight...
"Goodnight Blake, have sweet dreams"
"Sweet dreams Momma!"
"I love you Blake"
"I love you! Good night Momma!"