AAHHHHHHH!

My last post was in July, yikes! We fell off the blogosphere.....again. :)

Seriously, I don't have a good excuse. New Year resolution: I will be a better blogger.

xoxoxo

Pictures!

Okay so I remembered I could use use my iphone's firewire to get the pictures...yippeee! Ben has been WONDERFUL this morning; no headaches and very few complaints of dizziness so I am eager to update the dr.s on how he's doing....we might get to go home.

These pics are of the pre op visit on thursday. Sam was feeling really frisky and was a little impatient so I had to skip out on the appt and have an impromptu photo shoot with him in the hallway. Dan stayed in and discussed the procedure and then we went home.

The next day we were back in the hospital at 5 am for surgery.




The night before the surgery we had a little bon voyage party with my parents, my brothers, Omar and T.J. and some friends. Everyone wished him a speedy recovery and he even got some cool gifts to keep him company in hospital.

DS and Wii games!!!--Nothing could be sweeter to this 5 year old.


One last kiss before surgery!
And he's off! Notice the champion's face: he was ready to go. The surgery lasted 3 hours.
Waking up from surgery. His good pal Baby Jaguar (who was in the operating room this time and for the last year's ACE procedure) was there to bring him comfort.





Stinky guy thinks this is hilarious! He is such a stinky dude.

Ben's recovery

We are at the UC Davis hospital going on day 6 as Ben recovers from a surgery to untether his spinal cord. He has had some minor complications so we are still here....today seems to be looking better. We are still here because he has been having headaches and dizziness which are signs of a possible cerebral spinal fluid leak.

At this point doctors are monitoring him, if the symptoms continue we will have an MRI or CT scan later today and then go from there. There is also the possiblity that the symptoms will go away and we'll be good to go home. The surgery itself went smoothly and he is not having any trouble with the wound. Overall, it hasn't been too bad. I would love to post pics but I don't think I packed the appropriate cord to get them onto the computer so those are on hold for now.

Thanks to all who have had Ben in prayer and in thought; we appreciate all the support!

Hello friends!

So it's been a while... we have been moving, working, keeping 4 guys busy during summer and have not been too interested in blogging. But just so you know we're still here I thought I'd post something today. I will have to find the camera to post some summer pics before time flies away from me but in the mean time know that we are well and enjoying the days!

whew- that was a looong week!

The first pics are of the end of the year field day celebration. I volunteered for the day and my station was called the "Gotta go relay." So cute! The kids had to grab a sponge out of a bucket of water, run with the sponge to the other side of the field then squeeze the water out of the sponge and into a small cup. The cups had a black line and whichever team to reach the black line first, won. Super funny to watch the kids, they loved this! Earlier in the day I had the three legged race. We were out there for almost 4 hours, thus the funky sun hat I am wearing. Never mind that.



On Friday Kindergarten had a mini field day, it was so much fun but especially awesome because I loved to watch Super Ben being a stud muffin...again, isn't he adorable? He is so speedy with those things; they so don't even slow him down. Even other parents commented on how awesome he is and what a great attitude he has. He really is a special child.

Look! He even won the race! Go, Ben, go!

And he can ride a tricycle like a champion too!

Plus, he is super foxy!!!

Just before the Kindergarten field day we had an awards ceremony to go to for the older boys outstanding achievements. They received Perfect Attendance again, Eric didn't miss a day of school this year while Peter missed one day for being sick in the beginning of the school year. I didn't get any pictures of Eric's award because I didn't make it (juggling 4 kids, one activity is bound to be impossible) which stinks because it was the All Achievement Award. He was honored for his work in Math, Science and Reading. So happy for his efforts! Too bad we don't have pictures to share. Pete earned the Writing Award. As soon as his teacher was introducing the award Dan and I looked at each other and knew it was for Pete. She said "a child with an impressive vocabulary, a great sense of humor and an incredible imagination." Yup, that's our Peter.


And just because they're getting so cute, I thought I'd share that our tadpoles are now froglets, well some of them, one is a frog, two still tadpoles. Pete loves them!

Maybe a little too much!

Aren't they sweet!

Thursday was kindergarten graduation. I didn't make it because I was on a field trip with Eric to Valley Days (you'll see that below) So Dan, my mom, dad, and brother Peter went to watch the big ceremony. I hear it was amazing, and I bet it was. Here is Ben with Mrs. Salley, it was her birthday so she was given balloons and Grandpa brought Ben his. (Dan dressed him, btw)




Here is Eric as a cute little pioneer child. Third grade went on a field trip to Valley days. I was in charge of the tin punching station- one word: EXHAUSTING. A hammer, a nail, a little piece of tin, the object? To create a design on the tin. Multiply that by too many third graders and you have a tired mom with a very sore arm.

It was a fun day though, and nice to spend time with my big boy.

Eric and his buddies.

After leaving the boys at school, Sam and I had to run over to a film festival with some of my friends. We were there for only a minute, just long enough to take some ribs for the road. Sam is so my child!

He was going to town on that poor rib!


Getting sleepy....but still hungry.....


And he's out!!

It was a long week.