About W (or Hospitalizations Explained)

Note: Please go here to read about our BIG news, and then cast your vote. And, I didn't plan this at all, but I am posting this on the second anniversary of W's first surgery.

For quite some time, I've wanted to explain about my younger son's condition, but I also wanted to be sure the post was thoughtful and genuine. So, here we go. W has obstructive hydrocephalus. Some of you are nodding, but some of you may be thinking obstructive what? Hydrocephalus literally means water on the brain, which is inaccurate, it's not water really, it's cerebral spinal fluid (CSF). CSF cycles through everyone's brain, but for W, it was unable to pass out of his brain quickly enough. So, at his six month check up, the pediatrician recommended a scan of W's brain, because instead of a curve, W's head circumference was just going straight up on the growth chart. (One of the reasons the doctors measure babies' heads). Never would I have thought that I would be praying so hard for my baby to just have a big head. The pediatrician called me the day of the scan (never a good sign, bad news is fleet of foot) and explained that there was excess fluid. We would need to see a neurosurgeon and have an MRI. I foolishly asked if he would tell me what they thought was wrong. Never ask, let them tell you what you need to know. He told us he thought W had a condition called Dandy Walker Syndrome. I knew better than to Google it, but I did it anyway. When we saw the neurosurgeon's nurse practitioner, she also discussed Dandy Walker. Here's where it pays to have more than one person in the room (besides the patient) when talking with medical professionals. I heard, "W has Dandy Walker." My husband heard, "W may have Dandy Walker." We had the MRI, which required having W put under with anesthesia. They gave us a CD of the MRI films and off we headed straight to the neurosurgeon's. The surgeon looked at the films and, praise God, it was not Dandy Walker. W has an arachnoid cyst which causes his obstructive hydrocephalus. Arachnoid? Like arachnophobia? Yes, actually everyone has an arachnoid membrane in their brain, named this because it looks like a spider's web. W has a cyst in his arachnoid membrane, and the cyst does not allow the CSF to leave his brain as quickly as it should. So, his head was growing bigger quickly to accommodate the excess fluid. The neurosurgeon scheduled W for surgery to place two shunts (basically tubing) in his brain as well as placing a valve behind one ear that allows the fluid to flow out of his brain and into his abdomen. The valve is controlled by a magnet and allows the medical folks to adjust the pressure (or how quickly the fluid is flowing out). So all of this is under the skin and, unless you're really looking behind his ear or at his neck, not noticeable.

So, of course, we were scared, angry, full of questions for the doctors, the universe, God. Some of you know my father died of brain cancer when I was expecting my oldest son. Now, here I was three years later going to the same group of physicians about my younger son. It didn't seem fair, and (I will be honest here) it still doesn't. Yes, I know there are things that are so much worse, but that thought doesn't help me each and every time I walk into that office.

The surgery was quick and successful. We stayed in the hospital only one night. W had gross motor skill delays (some other minor delays in other areas, but gross motor was the big one) because his head was heavier than a baby who did not have this problem. He crawled later and hated tummy time with a passion. Thanks be to God, he has pretty much caught up now. He still isn't able to go up and down all stairs on his own, but part of that is due to exposure as we don't have stairs in our home. He goes to preschool and seems to be doing well there. He jumps on his bed, gets rowdy, he's a boy. What does it mean for him in the future? No contact sports, future surgeries (to lengthen the tubing as he grows, the "hardware" won't last forever, etc.) The doctors say he's fine to fly, swim. I limit his play with magnetic toys (not easy in a house full of magnetic Thomas trains, but thankfully, W has done very well with the "little boys with shunts can't play with magnets" rule and H understands he can only play with magnetics when W is napping). The doctors say it's unlikely the magnets on the toy Thomas trains could change his valve setting (thus changing the pressure in his brain), but I took the trains to the neurosurgeon and he said, "it's possible." You can imagine, that's all I needed to hear. We also teach him to use the other ear (the one without the valve behind it) to use the phone as cell phones can have magnets in them and some can alter the setting.

You notice I use the term the doctors "say" quite a bit. Let me explain why. Most folks we know who have experience with shunts have the shunt placed and don't look back for years. W's shunt was placed in March 2008. In November 2008, W vomited off and on for a week, the pediatrician at first thought it was a virus, but then after about a week, W became very lethargic and could not keep anything down, not even fluids. The neurosurgeon's office couldn't see us, so we hightailed it to the pediatrician's who immediately sent us to the emergency room. After a scan and x-rays of his abdomen, the doctors immediately saw that the tubing that the CSF flows through had broken at W's neck. More surgery, but thankfully not brain surgery really, just reattaching the tubing. Tubing breaking is rare, but that is the most common spot for it to break. (Crazy Christmas #1 - the surgery was early December).

Now, fast forward to December 23, 2009, W comes to me after playing completely normally a minute earlier, racing around pushing dump trucks with his brother, and says, "Mommy, my tummy hurts." Within two minutes, he throws up...and my stomach turns over and clenches because I immediately think, "It's the shunt." I look at C, "Oh no," I say. He says, "We don't know it's the shunt." W throws up a few more times, and then settles down for a while. I put him on the couch to sleep with me. He wakes up around 11:30 pm and throws up, and then continues to throw up or dry heave about every hour and a half until 6:30 am. We head to the pediatrician's the next morning (Christmas Eve day). We can't see our usual pediatrician, but I am calling to make the appointment while we are driving there. It doesn't matter who we see, I know where they are going to send us. After the doctor confers with the neurosurgeon folks, we are sent to the ER. They give W IV fluids to help with dehydration and discuss tapping his shunt (involves putting a needle in his head, nuff said) since all the scans and x-rays look fine. Tapping runs the risk of introducing infection, so the doctors are going back and forth. The only other explanation is that he has a virus. He is pretty sleepy during most of this time. They prep him to do the tapping by shaving a bit of his hair and putting numbing cream on a spot on his head. The neurosurgeon on call just happens to be the doctor who performed surgery to remove as much as possible of my father's brain tumor. A great doctor, but forgive me if I really didn't want to ever see him in this setting again. Anyway, W's neurosurgeon has been paged about W, and he calls to say not to tap the shunt as it could be a stomach virus. They send us home for Christmas. Christmas day, we video the opening of presents. W is not too interested, showing a little interest in a toy, but mostly, just sitting on the couch and sleeping off and on. He throws up during the videoing. The next morning he throws up again, and we are off to the ER. We are admitted to the hospital and stay for four nights. C and I both get cold/sinus infections during our stay. The pediatric doctors still can't find anything wrong, so they want neurosurgery to tap. W's neurosurgeon still doesn't think we should tap based on more scans. They send us home, "maybe it's just a virus." A virus that lasts this long? I, by this time, am positive it's the shunt. We are home for New Year's Day, and January 2nd we are back in the hospital (this time we are a direct admit from the pediatrician's office). We stay one night, have scans and blood work and are sent home again! We are to follow up with our pediatrician and our neurosurgeon ASAP. Finally, on January 5th, we see W's neurosurgeon who says the most recent scan does show a very slight change. They tap the shunt, W is the bravest boy ever, and the neurosurgeon's nurse practitioner says something is definitely strange. We go ahead and schedule surgery but are told that if W seems better, to let them know. W is definitely better but not 100%, so we head to the hospital for surgery. We talk to W's neurosurgeon about how he is doing, and he decides not to perform surgery. Instead, we have another scan two days later. Since then, W seems fine (knock on wood). The best guess is that he had some "brain gunk" clogging the tubing or valve, and when they tapped the shunt, they also flushed it and the flushing got rid of the gunk. So that's a very long story to explain why I often use the phrasing "the doctors say." I am not doubting the doctors' abilities and knowledge. W is here because of God's grace and the oftentimes amazing acts of these doctors. My dad liked to say: there's a reason they call it practicing medicine. They are human, too. Crazy Christmas #2 ends.

When we first found out about W's condition, I was talking to a friend (HGS), and she said the kindest and best thing anyone could have said to me. I was so scared. I asked her, "How am I going to do this? (meaning take care of W) What if I can't do this?" Her response was something like this, "Of course you can do it. Who else could do it? No one is better able to take care of W." In the same vein, a wonderful lady who is halfway across the country from me sent this to me in an email: "God placed W in your home and in your heart because he equipped you to be the loving mother you are to this little boy." That email is on my refrigerator, in case I need reminding. (This wonderful lady's sister was my niece's biology teacher in March 2008, when my niece asked her teacher about W's condition, lo and behold her nephew had the same condition, caused by the same type of cyst). When I think about all that we went through with my father, I do wonder if I was somehow being prepared. When I was praying, "Why, God, why?" I did finally get an answer. There was no booming voice or burning bush, just this thought suddenly in my mind, "Your imperfection is still My perfection." (Trust me, that was God's voice, the one in my head is not that profound). I took that to mean that I should count my blessings, and W is one of God's perfect blessings. One He chose to bless me with. Don't take all that to mean that I don't get frustrated, angry, etc. I do, more often than I should. I am frightened to go out of town, to take a vacation. I struggle to treat W, and our lives with him, as normal.

So, how is he? He's wonderful, a beautiful, laughing, energetic little boy. Rough and the toughest little cookie around. Smart, funny (yes, funny, even if he maybe doesn't always mean to be), a great little brother to H. So, there you have it: the long story about W.

PS Check out the awesome Heather at The Extraordinary Ordinary and on the right hand side of her blog, go down to the "browse by category" drop down and choose The Noggin' to read and learn more about hydrocephalus (she even has an illustration to show how the tubing works).

Next November, I'll Be a Turkey

Happy new year! I know I'm a little late. Where have I been? Well this Christmas will definitely go down as one of the worst, I'm afraid. I spent Christmas Eve day in the ER with my youngest. Came home that night, only to return two days later and stay at the hospital for 4 nights (which of course resulted in C and I getting sick and still being on meds right now). Came home and returned to the hospital for a one night stay on Jan. 2. W seems okay now. Although, we've all had some kind of horrific cold/sinus infections that don't seem to want to go away. These hospital stays are all related to W's condition which I have yet to talk about here (not because I don't want to, but because I want to do the whole thing justice). Some of you may remember we were in the hospital in December 2008 as well. Let's just say, I'm going to be like a turkey come November 2010, feeling really nervous about the holidays.

However, I'm trying to be positive and hope the worst is behind us now. H will be 5 years old very soon! Unbelievable! I do wish us all (your family and mine) a very healthy, happy 2010.

Thankful for Two

Today, when I think of the many things I am thankful for, one that is at the top of the list is for my two boys. I am thankful for them both individually, of course, but today, when I saw W share his Doc car with H without my prodding, I thought: I'm so glad to have two. I went to the kitchen where we were frantically cutting, cooking and googling how many TBS in 1/3 of a cup, to tell C, "I'm so glad we have two. Two to grow up together and learn from one another." One for each of my arms to wrap around to pull into a mommy-special group hug. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! Blessings to you and your loved ones.

It's a Beautiful Morning

Actually, it's rainy, but I sometimes really enjoy a dark, rainy morning. It makes staying inside and sewing completely guilt-free. After dropping H off at school this morning, W and I came home to enjoy a snack that included hot chocolate for me, yum. Then I checked out a few of my favorite blogs and discovered that I have won something from A Lil Welsh Rarebit, woohoo! Sorry to have been missing around here for a bit. I've been sewing a pretty goodly amount (for me). Pictures to come of my projects soon. I was hoping to take some today, but the weather may push it back a day or two. I am also trying to adjust to our new schedule now that preschool is back in session. W is going a couple of mornings, so I have some time all to myself. But instead of feeling like I have more time, I try to squeeze all of my errands, grocery shopping and the like into that time which makes me feel busier. (If that makes sense at all). H is really learning a lot already. A few weekends ago he wrote the numbers 1 through 12 out on the dry erase easel, um, wow! Then, we talked about The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. C and I are so excited to see and hear all that he is learning. W loves music time at school. He's a little dancer (he gets it honest, I boogie around the house often). And, W is now sleeping in his big boy bed! No more crib. Oh, and I've been reading too. Maybe I can do a book review of one that I absolutely loved. All of my reading has been for book clubs, promise.

This past weekend Mel and family came for a visit. I was so excited to see them. I got to hold that little sweet girl of hers, and she is a darling, let me tell you. The boys entertained us all what with all the running through the living room and loud voices. Of course, I also got to show Mel some of my latest sewing projects and fabric purchases. We also continued work on the boys' swing set this weekend. My mom came over to help watch the boys, so I could help C with the swing set. We made some good progress, and H really stayed out with us most of the time. He is really, really into space shuttles right now. He watches clips on you tube as long as we let him. So, he sat in the "fort" part of the tree house and pretended it was a space shuttle while I did the countdown and acted as Mission Control. It was so fun for me too! I love to see his imagination in action! I always hoped I would be able to play with my children and enjoy it, but I sometimes feel so busy. It was great to play. I sometimes forget how fun it is to pretend. Let's hope I always remember!

Bumper Crop

We harvested our first two squash a few weeks ago, and both boys were quite excited, sure to point them out to Daddy when he arrived home the evening of the day we picked them. It's fun to see their interest in our tiny garden. They help me water the plants and like to walk over to "take a look" at them. C fried those squash up recently (using an egg from our neighborhood for the egg-wash before flouring). They were yummy.Plants aren't the only thing growing around our home. Looks like my oldest is going to need some new pajama pants come fall.




















These are some berries and berry stems off a few of our trees. On the first day he began picking them, H explained that he's making a few collections for me because I am special. Then a few days later, he was gathering some more and said, "You're our mom and Dad's wife, so you are special." Now, hearing words like that is, indeed, a bumper crop.

Cars Play

I don't know if I've mentioned that I decided to let the boys watch the movie Cars, but I did. They love it, and I do believe they would watch it all day long. W starts in the morning, "Watch Car movie 'night, peeeze?" However, it seems that we actually re-enact the movie, as Lightening McQueen (the Hot Wheels-size version) goes missing for a few days each week. Don't even get me started on how long the blue car has been missing. W insists on calling Mater Hopper. We can only surmise that he is trying to say 'copter (short for helicopter, which Mater rides in at the movie's end). C laughs at how we (meaning the adults) get sucked into this movie. I think if one day I can actually watch the whole thing without getting up to wash dishes, get snacks, put up laundry, etc., I might be able to resist the pull. For now, though, it does often pull me in for brief periods. I love the "oldies" songs, so fun..."life would be a dream, sweetheart." Some of the language (and overtones) are really not very G-rated, but at least for now, all of that seems to go over the boys' heads. Must go rest now, tomorrow is the last day of preschool picnic.

Nothing Better

"There's nothing better than sitting at the window, watching the raindrops, and eating a juicy popsicle, Mom." That's what my four year-old just said to me. He makes me smile so often. My little one was using a hot wheels car as a phone last night. He holds it up to his ear and says, "Hey, Caillou! What doin'? Bye, Caillou!" Then, he takes the phone away from his ear, turns it over, and pretends to push a button (as if turning off the phone). I adore that sweet little cutie. So, really, it's those sweet, funny things they say that are my gifts on Mothers' Day and every day. I love my boys!

View From Here

I wasn't feeling so well yesterday, so I was resting on the couch. W woke up from his nap and while walking around found his bowl and cup from earlier in the day. He placed them on me.

I think he was trying to tell me something, "It's time for my afternoon snack!"
I was suffering from a terrible headache. It may be caused by the antibiotic I'm taking, but regardless, I get headaches say once or twice a month that really knock me on my rear. Back before they decided that Celebrex (an arthritis medication) was bad for you, I took some for a foot ailment. I realized that it completely got rid of my headaches when I got them. I think that means I have tension headaches (a piece of ice straight to the forehead works wonders for them, too, which I hear also means tension headaches). Mine usually start in my neck and work their way up. I really need to mention this to a doctor, because, Tylenol doesn't help, and yesterday's was bad enough that I thought about calling in reinforcements to watch the boys. Enough whining, I'm going to give myself another headache.

Make That Winter White

Well after all my Spring talk, we've got a winter wonderland here! The view out our back door was so beautiful last night, I went back to H's room (I had just kissed him goodnight) and carried him to the door to look out. Then, I was all inspired and started reading some Robert Frost poetry before going to sleep. There is just something about snow that really brings out the dreamer and kid in me. We got almost four inches (which is a good bit around these parts). Oh well, you know what they say about March, in like a lion, out like a lamb. So far, we've got the first part right.

So we played, shoveled, brushed off shrubs and finally, came in for some snow cream. I think this snow was too wet to make good snow cream, but that didn't stop me and W from eating it up. H is a bit pickier (as you may already know if you've been here before).

This final picture does speak a thousand words. Just imagine: this mommy letting W get that far ahead of her walking outside, uphill, in the snow. Sweet children, they make every day sparkle like snow in sunshine:)

Ten Things Thursday

Ten things that have made me smile recently are below!

1) C and I are taking H to the circus, and I think we are as excited as he is (or maybe more since he's never been)! Do they still have the spinning blue flashlights?




2) H and W have really started playing together more. Now that W is more mobile they "chase" each other around with W occasionally saying, "Boo, boo, boo!" to scare H.





3) I took another knitting class this week and started my first project knitting in the round, which looks like this:





At least, this is how it looks on double point needles. There are circular needles which would look a little more round. It strikes me as very funny/ironic that knitting in the round looks like a square and a tic-tac-toe board!

4) W has been playing us some tunes on the piano in the evenings and is quite proud of himself.

5) H has been drawing on the dry erase side of his new easel. (We got him this easel because he doesn't have much interest in writing/drawing/coloring).

6) Tonight is the last night C will be home late due to working on an assignment for school (at least for this week)!

7) Seinfeld from 7-8 on our tv, thank you programmers, this mommy needs it.

8) Getting the news that my great friend, Aunt J, and her husband will most likely be visiting (from England) in late summer or early fall.

9) Finishing Peace Like a River (stay tuned for the review in February, I liked it) and starting to re-read Pride and Prejudice for my local library book club.

10) Dreaming about returning to college in a year and a bit to slowly work toward a degree in something I love.

To Sleep, Perchance to Dream

First, let me explain what's been going on with me. I've been sleeping on the couch. Don't worry there's no trouble in paradise, but there are some germs! H started with a sore throat and coughing last Thursday evening (while I was at sewing class, the minute I walk away, the germs must make their move), then W started sniffling Sunday evening, and last, but by no means the least sick, C started feeling bad Tuesday. So, it's been sick house around here (again). Luckily, H and C seem to be mostly better, and W is just still battling a runny nose. Thankfully, everyone slept well last night. I didn't have to get up to give W his pacifier at all! Hooray! The night before was another story altogether. Of course, H said his ear hurt tonight. More to worry about. Every time I ponder a third child, I also question whether I could handle worrying about another one. I know worrying is useless, and if someone could tell me how to push the off button on my worry, I'd be more than happy to give it a try.

I got a new Cookie magazine in the mail today. It's stressing me out a bit. I usually devour my Wonder Time magazine in just a few days. This month, not so much. Cookie? I'm like two and a half issues behind. If I don't read them, I feel like I wasted my money, made a bad decision (oohh the guilt). I'm still pushing through Making Your Children Mind Without Losing Yours. So, who am I blaming? It's the phone, the iPhone, I tell you! I can't put the little handy dandy thing down. Getting W to sleep at nap time? Use the iPhone to browse some blogs. Letting H play in the bath before getting out? Check emails and reply (really browse some more blogs). If only it were easier to comment on blogs and post to this one with the iPhone, then I'd be a bit more productive. I am getting better at commenting from it. It seems the only thing that can make me put down the iPhone is a fiction book. I really am going to have to put the thing in time out (as someone commented at Eat, Play, Love). We really do need to do some serious scheduling in this family.

This is where the dream part of my title comes in, but maybe it can be more than a dream. The boys need to go to bed earlier. Sometimes it's apparent that H should be in bed as he becomes so whiny and irritable. It is just a matter of getting my and C's behinds in gear to get H to bed earlier. Feed him, get him in pjs, do the normal routine, just earlier. W is going to be a bit more of a challenge. He is still taking two naps a day (H did until 18 months), but W's PT has expressed surprise that he's still taking two naps. Not sure if I can expect much before we go to one nap a day. I also have to buckle down and make a weekly menu and grocery shop for it. Right now, my grocery shopping is often haphazard (meaning I don't have a set day, my dad shopped every Saturday morning, why don't I do that?). There's more, but I better get to bed. And, honestly, my thoughts as I drift off to sleep after saying my prayers are of sewing and knitting projects I want to do. There's colorful yarn and glorious fabrics playing before my eyes. No scheduling happening in those dreams.

Just a couple of cute things. W has offered his PT a kiss goodbye on her past two visits, isn't that the sweetest? He also behaved wonderfully during his haircut this week. H used some of his wooden train track to make a track for W and gave him a couple of trains to play with. I told him that was nice of him to share with his brother. He said, "Yes, it is nice, and maybe he won't tear up my track if I let him have his own." Always thinking that little guy :)


Note: I responded to the comments on Meltdown Makers.

I won at MOPS!

By guessing the number of pumpkin candies in this

I won these

at this month's MOPS meeting! It's a cute Halloween bowl filled with some candy, a candle holder, and a small pumpkin. I was so excited, because I actually used my Sid the Science Kid estimation skills to guess the number of pumpkin candies in the jar! C laughs at me, but I think I learn almost as much as H watching Sid and also Zula Patrol. We also tie-dyed shirts for our children and made a cute "build a pumpkin" game at MOPS. I'll try to post pictures of the shirts when I complete them (I need to add pumpkin eyes, nose, and mouth with fabric or fabric paint). The best part of MOPS (for me) is just talking to other moms and laughing and commiserating about some of our shared trials and joys.

I spent most of Wednesday sewing at home on my old Kenmore (it was my grandmother's). I was making a little zip pouch, and it did not turn out so well. The zipper foot for this machine is not easy to use, and I had to keep re-setting the pressure on the presser foot to get the material to feed. I even took the presser foot to sewing class to ask the teacher. She looked at the zipper foot, mentioned it might be for an invisible zipper, and shook her head. I'm thinking that's not a good sign. I am thinking of asking my aunt to come over and give the Kenmore a test drive. She is an avid sewer and could give me an opinion. I am still trying to figure out exactly how old the machine is... I have the model and serial numbers but still haven't found an internet site to tell me the age. Anyway, I refuse to spend money on a new machine until I know I am going to stick with sewing. So, I am going to try to work on a tote here at home that doesn't have any zippers! (The Kenmore seems to do everything else pretty well without any "feeding" problems!) I did finish another purse at sewing class last night, but I don't have the button to sew on yet. I will post a picture when I get the button on there. My next project is pajama bottoms! Mel and I met up at a really big fabric store earlier in the week. Wow, it's a bit overwhelming to have so many fabrics to choose from (poor Mel, Indecisive could be my middle name), but so inspiring to see ALL those fabrics. Thanks for meeting me, Mel.

In other news, W and H got their flu shots today, C got his yesterday, and I have to find out when they are giving them at our family doctor so I can get mine! We are hoping to go an Apple Festival tomorrow, but H seems to be getting a cold. We'll have to see how everyone is feeling. Also, I know I am behind on blogging about the books I've read and need to do those. Last weekend, I helped host a couples shower for a dear friend who is getting married next month. It was fun and held very close to our house, so we weren't out too late. I forget how much I enjoy socializing :) C came home before me and told H I was helping clean up the club house where the shower was held. So, when I came in, H asked, "Mommy, did you have fun cleaning up the club?" He's keeping us hopping with questions about the Milky Way galaxy (see Zula Patrol above). W has his two top front teeth, two bottom front teeth, and his left eye tooth and now his molars are coming through on top and bottom. Is that crazy that he doesn't have all the other teeth in between? I can't believe I forgot to ask the doctor about the teeth when we got the flu shots! Wow, the boys have been great letting me type this. Of course, Super Why was on the telly ;)

C-Words and Mops

So, it's been awhile, but I've been busy with some things that start with C. First, circumcision. My poor little W had to be re-circumcised. (I know everyone doesn't believe in circumcision, but we did it, okay. Please don't fuss at me about it). He's a tough cookie, though, and seems to be trucking right along except for a reaction to another C word: codeine. I do not tolerate codeine well, but W seemed to be doing okay with it. Of course, he was dopey, but no rash or anything like that. Then, yesterday, on the way home from taking both boys to the doctor to be sure all they have are colds (yet another C), W throws up all over himself and his car seat. I promise you we were less than two minutes from home. If only I had driven a little faster. We are pretty sure it was a combination of the codeine laced Tylenol and riding in the car. So I now can say I know how to take a Car seat almost completely apart. Thankfully, my mom was with me and able to help get everyone and everything cleaned up. So, no more codeine for W. Let's hope the childen's Motrin can keep him happy. One of the reasons I decided to be sure they have just been dealing with colds is that a friend's son was hospitalized for two nights due to croup/bronchialitis. He is fine now, but I didn't want to risk the boys' colds developing into something more serious. I had believed H to be almost completely well on Monday, but that very night, he woke up coughing several times (coughs- another C-word).

A good C-word this week is cell phone. Due to my husband being a complete phone snob, he decided he must have the newest/latest/greatest iphone. So guess who got his old iphone? That's right, little old, technologically-challenged me! Checking blogs and email from your phone is awesome, addictive, and dangerous (when you really should be paying more attention to other things like driving).

In other news, I've joined a local MOPS group that is just starting its inaugural year. I went to the very first meeting this morning and really enjoyed myself. I think I am going to like it! Thanks to my friend S, who let me know about it.

Wow!

W pulled up to standing for the first time! Yeeha! I can't wait to tell his PT tomorrow! Now his feet were quite a distance apart, but he still pulled himself up!

Commando Crawling

So the forward movement actually has a name; per our Early Interventionist, W is commando crawling! He is very mobile nowadays. In fact, we had to pull out the pack and play last night, because I can't leave the room for a few minutes any more and expect to find him in the same place (or even remotely near where he was when I left). He is also starting to try to pull up on the couch, just a little, but still, it's great to see progress. He definitely wants to stand up more now (which means I have to really stay right with him since he hasn't learned to bend his knees and fall down on his bum!) Anyway, it's great to know that his crawling style has a name and is something many other children do. I forgot how hard it is when they become mobile, and this time it's even harder since H has all these toys that are not okay for W to get in his hot little hands!

We Have Forward Movement

I do believe that W is able to move in a forward direction when on his tummy without my hands behind his little feet to help! Hooray! I've been having a few "pity party" days lately with my worries about W, so it's nice to see some much-prayed-for success. Speaking of success, H came to me today while Thomas was on to tell me he needed to go use the potty. For him to stop watching Thomas and come tell me is fantastic. He is really doing a great job!

I'm excited about the Olympics. C actually knows an athlete that will be competing which just makes it more interesting. The last time the summer Olympics were on, I was expecting H, so that makes it seem like a really long time. I think part of my excitement is knowing there is something on the telly that I'll enjoy watching. I've been known to watch Curling during the winter Olympics! It will be interesting to learn about Beijing. I really liked seeing the sites of Athens in 2004 (via the tv, of course).