Carson's First Easter!

Wow...hard to believe that since we've added Carson to our family we've already celebrated Halloween, Carson's shower, Thanksgiving, numerous cousin and friend birthdays, Christmas, New Year's, Debbie's baby shower, and now Easter! He's going to think that being part of our family is just endless parties...he's actually partly right!

Here's a picture of the loot the kids found on Easter morning...
...which sort of looks like Christmas morning, doesn't it? (You think we overdid it??) In our defense, when Meggie was small she was on a restricted diet that did not allow her to eat chocolate -- she had issues with her bladder and chocolate is a bladder irritant. (She's thankful that wasn't a permanent diet!) As a result, her Easter basket had to be filled with non-candy items...even when her restrictions were lifted, we maintained that tradition. I'd rather my kids get clothes and books than the cavities and bellyaches that accompany all that candy! (There's a little candy, but not much!)

Here's Carson checking out his new "Cars" book...
...right before he dug in and tried to have a candy-only breakfast! Nice try, Little Man...now eat some Cheerios!!

After Church, we headed to Grandma and Grandpa B's house for our annual Easter get-together. Aunt Debbie and Uncle Brandon showed up so Sophia could meet everybody...
...and Sophia looks a bit bored by it all, don't ya think?? Technically, Sophia is not related to Grandma and Grandpa B (since they are my in-laws), but they've known Debbie since she was a preteen and were thrilled to get to meet her daughter. (It didn't occur to me until much later that they hogged the baby and I never got a turn to hold her!!)

Before setting the kids loose on the egg hunt, we gathered them for a traditional picture...
...and the traditionally "goofy" picture they always insist we take!
Here, Meggie (the oldest cousin in the B family) is blocking the door and teasing the others..."Are you SURE you wanna go out and get your eggs??" Their answer was a resounding scream of "YES!!!!!"
Carson's off and running...
...while Meggie handles the bag-holding duties for him! What a nice big sister!!
He sure looks serious about gathering eggs, doesn't he?? (Don't you just LOVE his adorable outfit???)
Getting his loot from Nana -- a Spiderman paddle ball, very exciting!!
Opening the eggs to see the rewards of the hunt!
Before the kids headed to change into comfortable jeans and sweatshirts, we got a quick family picture...sorry, folks, didn't get my lovely foot-immobilizing boot in the picture!
We were laughing with Grandma that Carson loves to come to her house...and it's probably because every time he's been there it has been a holiday party complete with gifts!! Hope he's not too disappointed when we visit when there's no occasion! (I'm sure he'll be fine...Grandma spoils him rotten, as she does all the grandkids, so he'll still feel pampered!)

Closing out with a few pictures of the kids...
...'bye for now!!

Coloring Easter Eggs...and Vacuuming the Kid??

Last night we had another first with Carson...coloring Easter eggs! We even made Meggie take part. Of course, in her typical teenage ways, she acted like it was the dumbest activity we could have forced her to take part in -- but I think she ended up having a little bit of fun. A few pictures of the festivities:

Carson checking out all the colors Daddy prepared...

...while Meggie "pretends" to have fun.

Carson was quite impressed with this green egg that Daddy colored for him...

...but soon after Mr. Independent decided Daddy needed to step away!

Carson's favorite part was dropping the eggs into the coloring -- he always made sure there was a huge splash!!
Carson, are you having fun with the eggs?? I think that smile says it all!!

First thing this morning, Carson wanted to check out the finished products one more time.

After we colored eggs, Carson got yet ANOTHER haircut! (That boy's hair grows like weeds!!) His hair is so thick and wiry and makes him such an itchy mess by the time we're through, so Daddy decided to try a new cleanup method...
...yes, folks, he's vacuuming the boy!! Actually, it works great and Carson LOVES it!! I haven't heard him giggle like that in a while!

We'll have more pictures from Easter Sunday (wait 'til you see Carson in his new Easter outfit...so cute!!), but I'll end this post with another pic of the loving Big Sister with her adorable Little Brother.

Has it Really Been Ten Days Since my Last Post?

Life has truly been hectic around here...sorry I've neglected my blogging duties! (And no, Trish, I did not break my fingers -- HAHA, very funny!!)

Remember on March 8th when I posted the blizzard pictures? (And I wasn't exaggerating...we really WERE on a blizzard warning.) Well, these pics were taken on March 12th...four short days later:
Can you believe it? From blizzard conditions to playing outdoors (amidst the piles of still melting snow) without coats!! CRAZY!!!

Last Thursday, Carson had a second appointment with his orthopedic doc. We got to review the MRI results and the x-rays of his wrist. Interestingly, his MRI showed that he DOES have all the required muscles in his arms, they are just extremely atrophied. The doctor isn't sure those muscles will ever gain full size or function but he again insisted I NOT let anyone operate on Carson. The doctor was VERY impressed with how much better Carson looks compared to our first appointment in November and kind of chuckled as he told me (which I already knew) that our Little Man will probably accomplish things he should physically not be able to do...his determination has gotten him so far and the medical interventions we are providing (OT, PT, splints) will keep on pushing him onward.

The x-rays were QUITE interesting. I did not know this before now (or I learned it in nursing school and forgot it), but the human wrist should have eight bones in it. Carson's wrist only has THREE! The other five bones never ossified (hardened) -- and we don't know why. Based on that fact, really Carson's wrists should be floppy; the contractures in his wrists from his arthrogryposis are actually HELPING him have more function in his hands and wrists, preventing the floppiness! (Talk about a hidden blessing...)

OK, more pictures to break up this otherwise boring post:

Carson and his "hot date" Sarah

What happens when Carson steals Meggie's drink at Panera, then realizes what he thought was water is really Sprite?? This happens...
...followed very quickly by this.
What a crackup!! Panera is Carson's new favorite restaurant. He loves their "jelly" and "yogurt" -- peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a drinkable yogurt for dessert -- and we eat there once a week at least! (Kinda pricey, actually!)

By the way, for those who inquired about my poor toe...I went to get my foot x-rayed Monday evening because, while the bruising on my broken toe was nearly gone, the bruising on the top of my foot was not. I was afraid I might have broken a bone in my foot as well. Anyway, the x-rays showed my foot is NOT broken, but the doctor told me it appeared I tore some ligaments away from the bones in my foot. AACCKKK!!! So, I was given a LOVELY postop shoe to keep my foot completely flat, allowing healing to occur. (Apparently, every step I was taking for eight days was either preventing healing or making the injury worse!) Should go nicely with my Easter outfit! Ugghhhh!!

Meggie took these pictures on Monday:

Nice mid-flight picture, Meggie! Look at that boy's vertical leap!!
Meggie made me put this one in...she said it looks like Carson is dancing and it cracks her up!
All smiles with Meggie outside in the yard...
...turns to all tears in the family room as he pouts about being forced to come back in the house.
I'm sure there's more I could post, but Daddy and Carson are playing wrestlemania in the other room and the screams of laughter are VERY distracting!

I'll close this out with a picture (taken in January at my sister Debbie's baby shower) of my adorable kids. Enjoy!

You Have GOT to be Kidding Me!

Last night I was sitting on Carson's bed, putting him in his bedtime splints, and needed to scoot myself back a bit since I was close to the edge of the bed. I put my left foot down on the floor and pushed off...and heard the most horrific "snap" sound! I broke the toe next to my big toe...it turned lovely shades of purple almost immediately! (Who knew toes could break so easily??)

The pain in my foot is so bad, I nearly fainted THREE TIMES this morning (once in the shower, twice after trying to wear a shoe) and had to call in sick to work! Are you KIDDING me??

The good news (or maybe the bad news) is that Carson is home with me today and getting LOTS of use out of his doctor kit since I'm laid up on the couch. I lost count of how many shots he's given me...maybe we'll consider this on-the-job training for a medical career!

Pray for quick healing...I'm really suffering here!

We're Having a BLIZZARD!!

Uggghhhh...it started snowing yesterday morning around 8AM and didn't stop until today around 4PM! I don't know the official count, but we got probably eight or more inches of snow in our yard, with some pretty high snow drifts.

The boys went out to "shubble" (aka shovel), as Carson calls it. A few pics:
Here, Carson decided to get Daddy with a snowball...
...not realizing Daddy would get him back with a shovel-full of snow!
Is it me, or does this picture make it look like we live in the Arctic??
Carson decided he wanted to help with the "shubble" duties...
...until he found this HUGE snowball. (The boy is easily distracted by any type of ball!)
After a couple of hours outside, Carson had had enough. Here is my freezing cold Little Man, glad to finally be indoors! (Notice his red cheeks...) After hours in the frozen tundra, do you think Carson wanted soup? Hot chocolate?? Not my Little Man. His lunch of choice was...
...Cheerios! What a goofball!! Stay warm, everybody!!

ANOTHER Busy Weekend...and the MRI!

This fun-filled weekend started on Saturday with our friend, Max's, birthday party. Carson and Max still basically ignore each other, but Carson had a blast playing with Max's cousin, Charlie. Chelsie and I tried, yet again, to get a good pic of the boys...no luck...
...as this was the best Chelsie could get! (Chelsie, I stole this from your blog!) That's OK...we have YEARS of photo ops ahead of us with these two wild men!

On Sunday, I woke up with a horrible migraine headache. However, we had promised Debbie and Brandon we would bring dinner (plus, I wanted to see Sophia), so off we went after I took many migraine pills and tried to sleep the morning away. A few pics:

Carson was very excited to meet Baby Sophie...
...until she got "too heavy," and he gladly gave up his turn holding her!
My sweet baby niece...don't you just love her blonde-tipped hair??? Adorable!!!!
Since I had a migraine, I didn't go to Church Sunday morning. Daddy dressed Carson and got the kids to Church. They say adopted kids often start looking like their parents...
...well, Carson is definitely already DRESSING like Daddy! What do you think of those matching outfits??

Here, Carson and Uncle Brandon are hanging out, watching Sophia in her baby swing.
A kiss goodbye..."Lub you, Sophie!"
Last week, Carson got a letter in the mail from Aunt Edna. (Aunt Edna is actually Daddy's aunt, so I guess that makes her Carson's great-aunt.) Unfortunately, Carson's MRI ended up getting scheduled for the same day as Grandpa B.'s knee replacement surgery. Knowing that, Aunt Edna wrote him a little story (reprinted here with her permission):

Carson and Ultraman

Ultraman has a little friend named Carson. Carson and Ultraman met in China and together they flew to the U.S.A. with Carson's family, Daddy (Kevin), Mommy (Teresa), and Meggie (big sister). When they got to the U.S.A. they had a big job to do. Carson had a lot of doctor and hospital visits to get him big and strong.

Ultraman was with him all the time. He even gave Carson new braces to help his legs mend.

They still have a lot to do! It is a big job. They are both strong and will win this fight.

Carson has a wonderful family too. They will make sure he gets all the help he and Ultraman need to win!!

Aunt Edna is a WONDERFUL artist -- we have quite a few of her paintings in our house! -- and she drew pictures of Carson and Ultraman at the top of this story page. He was QUITE excited to see their pictures together!

Can I just tell you, as I drag my poor Little Man to appointment after appointment, I start to really feel guilty...like I'm punishing the poor guy. It really helped ME to read that story...and Aunt Edna is right, we will make sure Carson gets all the help he needs to win! Thank you, Aunt Edna...that story will be a treasured keepsake!

Yesterday, Carson had the MRI of his arms. Since his scan was at 1:30 in the afternoon, he couldn't eat all day. Knowing that staying home was gonna be too tempting, food-wise, we started the morning off by getting in the car and running errands. He could have clear liquids until 10:30 a.m., so he drank green tea (his new favorite) out of his cup while I was driving. We ended up at Aunt Debbie's house, where we had a popsicle party...
...while we watched Sesame Street! Since he is NEVER allowed to eat in the family room, this was a BIG DEAL!
When Sesame Street went off, Carson climbed up on the couch to "sa-nuggle" with Aunt Debbie and Puppy Dog while we watched the Curious George movie. Mission accomplished...he didn't mention eating ONCE! After the movie, we headed to the hospital.
Here we are at the hospital, in the prep room, where he cooperated quite nicely while they took his blood pressure. (It was very weird to be a customer in the department where I work!) On the schedule board in the hallway, under Carson's name, someone wrote "Ultraman"...do they know my Little Man or what?? Very funny!
Chilling out with Grandma, watching Toy Story.
Since Carson can't have inhaled anesthesia (too risky for kids with low muscle tone, which he has), he got some oral Versed to make him loopy for the IV insertion...worked like a charm but, man, he slept FOREVER in the Recovery Room!

This is Ebony...
...one of the nursing assistants in my department. The first time she met Carson, she pinched his cheeks and he has NEVER forgiven her! When he sees her, he typically runs the other way. Since he was SO zonked, she took the opportunity to pinch those awesome cheeks again...
...and this time he had no complaints! (Of course, he was snoring at the time.)

After about an hour in the Recovery Room, we decided we had to wake him up...this was getting ridiculous! Ebony got a cold, wet washcloth and wiped it all over his face, neck, and torso...
...Nurse Rosella tried to sit him up...
...Daddy thought he had the magic touch...
...and still he slept!! After nearly two hours in the Recovery Room, he finally woke up for me...and this is what started....
...and continued...
...and continued.
He sobbed until we got to the van, then he started shrieking inconsolably (because Daddy, who drove separately, had to get out of the van to drive his truck home). Then as we neared the house he just got mean. I told him to close his eyes and sleep..."I no nap!" He hung his head like a sad little drunk, forcing his poor bleary eyes open for the entire ride. "I no go home!!!" was his second pronouncement from the back seat. As we got in the garage, "I WALK!" was his gentle suggestion...which he couldn't do because he was tipsy as a drunk! What a hoot!! It was hard not to laugh at him!!

Thankfully, that day is over and he was back to his sweet little self this morning! We don't have results yet of the MRI...and even when we get 'em, I'm not sure what we'll do with the information. Guess we'll all have to stay tuned...