He's Hangin' in There...

We've made it through another week with the cast on!!! It was officially two weeks yesterday!  We've played everything that I can think of in all areas of the house...

We've built block roads to run our cars on.

We've built castles and had fun knocking them down.

 We've propped L's foot up and let him enjoy lunch in his play room.

And then we took a bath....BIG MISTAKE!

Josh found this cast cover online that says you can actively swim and dive in it.  So, we ordered it and when it  came in (last Thursday) we put it on Landen's leg,  pumped all of the air out so that it was skin tight and let him sit in the shower. It.Stayed.Dry.  Landen loved the shower so much that he wanted a bath to play.  So, after getting him out of the shower, checking that his cast was still dry, and pumping the air back out of the cast cover, we sat him in a very shallow bath to play.  That's where it all fell apart.  When  we got him out to dry off and put his pj's on...his cast was soaked!  So soaked that water POURED out of the heel section of his cast!!  After blow drying his cast on cool setting for an hour and a half we realized that it wasn't going to dry out.  So, we went to bed, Josh and I physically ill and frustrated with ourselves for even trying it.  Josh called the doctor the next morning while I played with a sweet little boy in a stinky, itchy cast.  We scheduled an appointment for a cast change that afternoon at 4pm.  The tool that they saw a cast off with is loud and scary, especially to a 3 year old.  It wasn't fun by any means but Landen did great and was all smiles on the way home...

We had a regular appointment with the doctor scheduled for yesterday, Monday,  March 25th.  So, Landen and I went out in the wintry mess of snow and 25 mph winds to get there. We waited longer than we've ever waited in the waiting room, all the while I am reassuring a very anxious, scared Landen that they are just going to take pictures (x-rays) and the doctor will come in to talk to us.  So, we finally get called back after 20 +  minutes, get the standard 2 x-rays taken, and then go back to the room to wait for the doctor. After  45 minutes of my sweet boy begging me to go home while waiting for the doctor, I just about came unglued! Finally, he came in...asked if we had a fresh cast, glanced at it  and said "Oh, it's not straight enough at the bottom. I will have my cast guy come in and wedge it so we don't have to put another new cast on."    First of all, I have no idea what "wedging it" means but if it keeps us from having to endure another cast change then let's do that.  Second of all, if you had either been here for the cast change or left specific instructions for the cast people then we wouldn't have this problem.  Lastly, I'm still very upset with myself...I  guess if I hadn't let him take a bath, we wouldn't be in this situation to begin with.  Ughhh...at this point, my migraine is in full swing and I am  not a happy mama.  But we had to tough it out, the cast  guy came in (he's super great with Landen), brought the huge, loud, scary machine and cut a slit in the bottom portion of the cast, while Landen had an anxiety attack and broke out in hives thinking that they were re-casting again!  He then stuck a plastic spacer in the slit, wrapped more  red casting around it and was done.  

However, we weren't...we had to go back for another x-ray and then wait another 20+ minutes for the doctor to come back in and tell us it was good and we were  FINALLY  free to leave. It was a huge ordeal!  I felt like I had ran a marathon. The sitting and waiting with your anxiety ridden toddler who no longer believes what you say because you promised only "pictures and a chat with the doc"  is draining.  We were both very happy to schedule our next check- up for TWO whole weeks away (where he'll have to have another cast change to get one that goes under the knee only)  and go out into the 25 mph gust of snow to our safe truck!  We ended up being there for two whole hours which felt like  FIVE!

Landen ate his Pop Tart and drank a cup of orange juice on the way home... yet another BIG mistake!  Evidently his tummy hadn't settled from the nerves and after I got him into the house he said "Mommy, my tummy hurts" and then .....well you can guess what came next.  It wasn't pretty!   We got cleaned up, put on his pj's and snuggled on the couch for the rest of the afternoon.  After a two and a half hour nap he felt much better.   Thankfully!!!

It hasn't been  an easy road but we're making it, one day at a time.  Landen is now raising his broken leg up as high as his head and scooting all over the house.  Last night, he even managed to get himself off of the couch into the floor before we even realized he was doing it!  He's definitely hangin' in there!!!  Love that boy more than I can tell you.

Busy Boys & Broken Bones

I can't believe a month has past since I last blogged. 

We've been so busy...

  We've played football...or  kickball as Landen calls it.

We've finished up Ethan's Winter Super Saturday class at WKU.

We've had  neighbor friends over to play in our pj's. 

 We've played in the melted snow.

We've went to a boat and RV show and posed with the sharp car at the entrance.

 We've gone to the Louisville Science Center for the second time.

We've checked out Circus World for the first time.

And unfortunately, Landen has broken his right leg!   On Saturday, March 9th, he was feeding the ducks at the park with his dad and brother, got his foot stuck in a little "trench", fell and snapped his shin bone all within a matter of seconds.  Josh rushed him straight to the ER thinking that he has sprained his ankle badly and after x-rays we learned that he had a shinbone fracture. They splinted it and we had to go back on Monday to get the cast put on.  Getting the cast on might have very well been one of the worst experiences of my life.   There is nothing worse than your child being in excruciating pain and their being nothing you can do about it. But he's adjusted to having the cast and is doing very well.  The hardest part now is keeping him entertained since he can't put any weight on his foot.  We have prayed many prayers this past week or so and we know many others have prayed for him too. We are so humbled by God's mercy and grace.  And we feel so blessed that it is just a broken bone with a very clean break that will heal quickly.   Here are some pics of our little guy laying around...

Waiting to get his cast put on.

Back at the doctor's office for a check-up.

Playing with  Mickey on the couch.  Love that sweet smile!

Valentine's Day

For Ethan's class Valentine box he looked at some different ideas on Pinterest and decided on R2D2 from Star Wars.  I found a little trash can at the Dollar Tree that was perfect for the job!  Ethan decided to name him E2R2 after his own initials...I thought it was a very clever idea!

I was at the store looking for the perfect Valentine's craft for Landen and I since I knew that Ethan and I would be making his box together.  Nothing in the Valentine isle really caught my eye so I was headed over to the groceries when "Valentine Cupcakes" caught my eye in the middle of the walkway.  Landen loves cupcakes and he's obsessed with helping in the kitchen.  So.... I thought they would be the perfect Valentine's day task for my little guy....I was right , look at that grin!

Getting started...

Mixing the batter...

It's looking yummy...

Watching the cupcakes cook...

Icing the cupcakes...

Putting "spwinkles" on...

"Ta-Da"

The finished product

Landen was saying the cutest things while making the cupcakes. He said "I a great he-per" and "I a big he-per" when we first started making them.  And then while icing them he said, "I ha ta keep going" because he got tired half way through, ha! When he got icing on his finger he said "It's on my pinga!!"...he can't handle ANYTHNG on his hands.  When he finally got to eat one he said, "It's ta-licious!"  :)  He's precious!!

 Later in the day, I went to Ethan's school Valentine party.  The had ice cream sundaes and passed out Valentines!  Ethan was SO wired all evening from all of the sugar and excitement.

Ethan with his school buddies and his camo dog that was sent to school for V-day
 (He tore the balloon and candy off the dog right away for some reason.)

These were my V-day gift from my super sweet hubby!

 And finally, last night after dinner and showers the boys opened their Valentine gifts from their dad and I...

Landen with his V-day loot

Ethan with his goodies....I told him to try to look more excited and I got this...

Ummm,  is there a happy medium face??  LoL!

                                          What a WONDERFUL Valentine's Day we had!!!

A Date Day, The Weekend, and Time with my Little Guy

So, my Valentine's date with the hubby turned out very nice!  Last Friday he took off work and after dropping the boys off that morning we headed to TN.  We went to the gun range and practiced shooting which was a lot of fun!  I've never been to an indoor range and we rented a different gun than the one we own, which was fun to shoot.  After the gun range, we grabbed a quick lunch in order to make it in time to see "Silver Linings Playbook" at 1pm.  It  was a really great movie...we both enjoyed it. After the movie we shopped for a while (we went to Barnes & Noble to pick up a newly released book for me, Best Buy to browse, and then to Academy & Dick's Sporting Goods to shop for Josh and the boys) and then had a nice dinner.  We picked the boys up from my mom at 8pm, so we made an entire day of it.  It's so nice to spend time together, just the two of us, from time to time.   I love that man and am so blessed to have him in my life!

On Saturday (2/9), we headed to the local park to sign Ethan up for Spring baseball.  We decided to ask the lady at the "t-ball table" if Landen could play (the flyer said 4 years and up) and to our surprise she said he could!  We just had to sign a waiver since he is only 3 years and 2 months old.  He is so excited!  I just hope he listens to his coach and I sure wish we could get him potty trained before the season starts, ha!  I saved all of Ethan's t-ball stuff but of course Josh is on the hunt for the "perfect" t-ball bat....yes, I've tried to explain to him that Landen doesn't know the difference in an old bat and a new "better" one but he is just excited.  It makes me smile to think of how thrilled he is that both of his boys will be playing baseball now.  I'm still thinking "Well if Landen doesn't seem ready, we'll pull him out and wait until next year" and Josh is planning the child's entire baseball career!

After sign-ups Ethan had Super Saturday at WKU and as we passed Chaney's Dairy Barn on the way to B.G. the boys begged to have lunch there.  So we did!  It was delicious and the boys enjoyed playing after ward.

It look so nice out but it was C..O..L...D!!!

On Monday,  Landen and I played all day at home.  He wanted me to take pictures of him with my phone as he made different faces/poses...

(Surprised!)

(Dancing)

(Saying "cheese")

(Being Silly)

 We played so much that that evening he fell asleep in his playroom on the rug.  I covered him up and just had to take a picture to show his daddy.

On Tuesday, we met the Smith's at Hopscotch's to play again.  Landen and Xander had a ball.  And then we had lunch with them at Chic-fil-a, where the boys played some more.  I didn't take any pictures but I wish I had.  Landen kept saying "Where my friend go?" every time Xander would get out of his sight and he shared his bowl of grapes with him....too sweet!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!  We've been crafting a Valentine box and baking Valentine goodies....can't wait to share pics from our special V-Day fun!!!