Twelve

Yesterday Colin turned 12.  I cant believe its been 12 years already.  The last  year before Colin officially becomes a teenager.

I asked Colin what he thought about turning 12.

"Birthdays are always fun. Not having to clean at all. I guess I feel older.... getting to my adult years. Ummmm I don't know. I feel kinda the same. Not really any different. I'm not a different Colin thank I was yesterday - still sorta the same. I have to be honest I feel the exact same as yesterday."

haha - but I have to say I think he had a pretty fun day.

He woke up at 6am to play xbox with his friends. He loves to sleep in so that surprised me until he told me his friend Adam only gets to play video games on the weekend. Colin only gets a little bit of video games each afternoon but this week his little brothers attitude got video games and tv taken away from all of them for several days. So Colin was excited to play all morning.

He gets on and plays with his friends and they talk through their headsets.  Its fun to hear them talk while they are playing.  A lot of it is about the game they are playing but then they will start talking about their day and maybe what someone said during science class.  You sit and listen long enough and you can get a lot of good information. 

We had been trying to figure out what Colin wanted to do on his birthday but he kept saying his birthday was so far away. In mid April I asked again and he said his birthday was still 13 days away and he had time.  So a few days before his actual birthday he decided he wanted to take some friends and play laser tag.  All but one boy could go.  Brent said of course everyone wants to come - Colin is such a great kid.  And he really is. He is so easy going and just fun to be around.   

 Norah held her own with all those boys. Shes the glowing person in the picture.

Its his last year before he becomes an official teenager.  Sometimes I can hardly believe it.  I told him the other night that he used to be my biggest snuggler.  And now he rarely snuggles. So then he came over and gave me a big hug.   And I know that's normal but sometimes its hard on his momma seeing him grow up so fast. But it is such a privilege to watch this boy grow up and be his parents.

And a night playing laser tag with a bunch of 6th grade boys is really fun and hilarious.   It was fun to put faces to the names we've been hearing about and it really was such a great group of boys. Colin knows how to pick good friends.  Colin kept thanking me over and over.  I think our last minute plans ended up pretty well.  He said it was an awesome day.

Happy Birthday Colin!  We love you!

Famous Explorer Project

 Joel has been working on his famous explorer report since January.  He choose John Glenn and we've enjoyed learning along with him.  His class had a Gala for the parents to present their person.

It was the Monday after my tongue surgery so Brent took off work to come drive me.  I took out the gauze so I wouldn't embarrass Joel and thankfully didn't drool all over myself.  And I didn't have to say a word so I'm glad I was still able to make it and watch Joel present.

We are very proud of him. He did a great job presenting to a room full of parents and students.  

 

Another tongue surgery

I went to my follow up appointment last Thursday and had surgery the next day. I kind of figured he couldn't fix my tongue without surgery.  But I was hopeful and then crushed. But I know it needed to be done.  I couldn't read a book to Norah without having to stop and rest my tongue.  It would bother me when I ate, when I talked and even when I ran.  He took another biopsy and sent it off to a different lab to get a second opinion.  But he said its most likely just scar tissue that formed from the first surgery.  This time it was much scarier recovery.  I was so sick coming out of it and passed out in the car and when we got home. I think I scared Brent pretty well.  I wasn't allowed to talk for a few days so I basically stayed in bed watching movies on the ipad and writing notes when I needed to communicate.  I had to go do swim team interviews for a swim coach that Sunday so I went with gauze in my mouth and just wrote out my questions that the other board members then asked.  Its been a lot harder this time to recover but I hope this is the last time I will ever have to go through this.

Today is Colins birthday. And I can talk again - a little bit..... "Hah-eee Birfff Day to Cawin" Its awful. And I'm sure Colin is glad his mom sounds like that as I meet all his middle school friends tonight at his Laser Tag Birthday Party.  Ha! But really the kids have been so sweet and helpful but I know they are also very very ready for Mom to get back to normal.

Spring Game

We just got back from another weekend in Blacksburg. The weather was amazing and the boys had fun at the spring game.  

The boys liked to ask me who I thought was going to win...the Hokies or the Hokies!

But this girl was not having a good weekend.  It started the Sunday night before when Norah didn't want to eat dinner and complained that her stomach hurt.  She went to bed early but woke up and ate a few bites and seemed normal. Then she didn't eat any lunch at school and sat with her teacher instead.  After not eating much dinner she was on the ground in the fetal position with her stomach distended and crying/begging to be taken to the doctor.  After 3 hours at patient first they ran a few tests and it came back that she was just full of poop. She thought that was so funny (see her face in the picture below) So we went a whole week trying to get this girl to poop.  I gave her Miralax Monday night and half a dose on Tuesday but then just did pure prune juice to get things moving.  And by Tuesday it was moving. 

She would poop several times a day.  She was still complaining about her stomach hurting though and I thought maybe I should keep her home this weekend and actually should've.  But she really really wanted to go. Her stomach pains are awful for a few hours then would go away and be fine.

Lots of bathroom stops on the way up where she would poop/pee each time.  But we made it.  And then we went to the game and she wanted to sit really close to see the players.  Before the game started I had taken her to the bathroom at least 4 times. Then the game was about to start and I spent an hour in the bathroom with her. She would poop/pee then be done so we would wash hands and then leave to go back to our seats and before we got down the ramp to the stairs she would have to go again. So then she would poop/pee again and we would wait longer to make sure she got it all out.  Then nothing more would come so we would wash hands and then go back to our seats and again before we go to the stairs she would have to go back to the bathroom.  Poor thing started sobbing. At one point I'm sitting on the gross stadium bathroom floor indian style so she can prop her feet on my legs to help her try to get it all out. Shes sobbing and shaking and asking "what is wrong with me".  Then she hears Enter Sandman start to play and this girl knows her games "they are starting the game with out me!!!!!"

She finally says mommy take me home so we leave and I carry her out of the stadium where she passes out asleep on my shoulder for over an hour.  

Poor thing.  But then a few hours later she's completely fine and dancing around. 

We waited at the library for everyone to finish. I also sat a lot on that bathroom floor helping her poop.

 The weather was just beautiful! crazy that today they are having snow flurries. I did get to enjoy that in between bathroom breaks.

 She doesn't seem sick here.  Its all so strange and honestly didn't and don't know what to do.  I just keep calling her doctor and asking a ton of questions.  She does want us to bring her in if it doesn't get better

 I tried to get a good picture.

And she was fine for a few hours then it was bad again that night. 

A great place to read a book 

 Norah slept most of the way home. She felt so bad she didn't want to stop and see Jeff's puppy so brent took the boys and I took Norah home.

 She did lose her first tooth on this trip! I think I will always remember the weekend when she lost her first tooth! We've been going to football games since Colin was a baby so the fact that this is the first time I've had a sick child at one is pretty good odds I'd say.

 I kept her home from school yesterday.  She was just miserable. Her doctor said she could have a blockage or there's just some really impacted stool that hasn't come out yet.  She said to keep with the prune juice like we had been doing.  Yesterday she was constantly running to the bathroom so I hope she got it all out.  She's eating normally again today so that's a relief.

She was cute in her bow that she wanted in her hair.  If you don't feel good you can at least look good! 

Restaurant

After Christmas we turned Colin's room into a playroom and moved Colin into Joel's room.  Its going better than I thought and we all love having the playroom.  We promised them a gaming system but it took them months to agree on one.  Colin finally told Joel he could play on his laptop anytime he wants to so Colin won and got his xbox. While Colin is playing Joel has been playing this game on the laptop. Its some restaurant game where he has to set up and run a restaurant.  Its very entertaining listening to him play

Joel to the computer screen: Sorry sir I will not give you that cheeseburger. You have to settle for the tea. I will not have you throwing up on the table that cost me $100

He has a 2 star review because customers come in around closing and he kicks them out.  He used to have a 3.5 star review but someone came in and ordered everything off the menu and Joel was highly offended and then refused to fix any of it. 

At this point I think its safe to say that retail or food service isn't a career path for Joel.  

Oh and he is also getting sued.  He gave them $1000 and refuses to give them any more 

Spring Break

We spent a lot of time outside during spring break.  

 One morning Norah and Hannah wanted to take their babies for a walk.  Hannah's mom watches other kids during the week so I took some kids in a wagon around while she had the double stroller.  Norah and Hannah were in front, then Crystal with the double stroller, then me with the wagon and then Joel and Colin wanted in on this walk so they were behind us.

One day we met friends at the zoo.

It was a fun and relaxing spring break.  We have 44 more days until summer.... not that we are counting or anything.