Max and friends update... written over several days...

Written August 14th 2012 It has been a little hairy since my last blog post.  I have been getting ready for and then working at a trade show in downtown Seattle for my company Garden Critters.  We sell steel art, aka heavy art, so Jerry and I needed to make a display and then figure out how to get it set up and such.  It all went fine and last Friday we set it up and Saturday my show started.  Set up day I was gone from 7 am until almost 11 pm so I didn’t even get to see the kids that day.  I have been leaving early, before anyone is up so I don’t see them until after seven at night when I get home.  Last night Saxton said she didn’t want me to work anymore.  I told her I only had one more day, but that I was really hoping to get new business for my little company so that we can keep going.  I think they might have taken the fact that I am home for them all the time for granted just a bit, so maybe this is good for everyone.

Max has turned into my snuggle bug when I get home.  Normally he is go go go, but I think he misses his momma.  He is doing better.  Jerry took him to his doctor appointment yesterday and they actually removed part of his cast off his good leg.  Although Jerry sent me a picture of his leg and the break looked worse, this led me to start bawling in the middle of the trade show and poor Jerry received a barrage of texts until he was able to explain that the Doctor sees new growth and he really is fine.  I am still skeptical, but that is the way of the mom.

Jerry has been amazing.  He took time off of work to care for Max and the other kids while I am working the show.  Max is easier, yet harder to take care of.  He has to be carried everywhere and obviously carried carefully because of his cast.  After yesterday, when they took off a bit of his cast, he can sit a little better, but before that he really couldn’t sit.  So you have to prop him up or hold him up. 

Sunday, August 12th, Jerry took all of the kids to get Max's hair cut.  Because he is on his back so much and his hair is longer, it is knotting up.  He had to sit on his lap, but Jerry said he did very good.  Afterwards they went to Costco for a few things and Jerry told me how awesome Saxton was to let Max sit in her lap in the cart.  She didn't even complain when her legs went numb.  What good and helpful littles I have. 

Fast Forward... Written today!!!

Sage entertaining Max in Seattle.

The Cousins and the girls
near Pikes Place Market

Last week we had an fun visit from my two nieces and nephew (two of which I hadn't met yet.)  It was very fun to have dinner with them and get to know one another.  Last Friday, the 17th I took them and my other nephew Tyler and Sage, Saxton and Max and we went into the City to do some sightseeing and let them have at city shopping.  The girls and Max were really good and Sage was very helpful concerning the fact that I had Max in my pouch all day.  She offered to wear my backpack and help lighten my load.  He wasn't able to nap until the way home and I was really impressed at how well he held it together.  He is like his momma, and he likes to go and explore and being so restrained is really a bummer to him. 

Wednesday Max noticed Saxton was sad and said, "Saxton crying." it's very cool to see how he is not only learning several words a day, but also how life works and about other people's emotions. He now hugs and kisses regularly.  He'll say, "hug, hug." It's very cute.  Sage worked with him on saying please and thank you and now he'll even say no thank you.  His please sounds more like "peas" and his thank you is quickly said and sounds like, "tank you." 

Wednesday night Jerry and I took Max for a walk in his wagon. It was our second trip on a walk, earlier I took him on his first ride on his bike since he broke his leg.  He ran into his friend Zack and they hung out.  It's hard for Max because his two little buddies can run around, but he can't.  That night a bunch of neighbors were outside and we ended up staying out until almost nine. I love that we can all just mingle and watch our kids play and interact. We're very lucky at the support we've gotten from all of them.  If any of you are reading this... THANK YOU!!!

Yesterday we had another Dr. Appointment and thankfully the X-ray showed some improvement. However Max is in his body and full leg cast until at least September twelfth. The girls had went with our neighbor Amy to Wild Waves, so we met them there. Max was actually able to ride a few rides including the carousel, which he loves. He calls the horses "neighs." We also watched the sea lion show and all really enjoyed that. The kids were so cute clapping because the trainer said the Sea Lions liked it.



At the end of the day I finally took him near the water. I wasn't sure how he'd react at not being able to go in, but he did fine. I walked with him, splashing through the shallow end of the wave pool and then we went over near the fountain where I put him near the water sprays. He laughed and enjoyed the feeling of just being near the water, even if he couldn't get wet.  He was really good all day for being so limited and it was sure nice for the girls to have a fun day with their friends. 

We biked to Tacoma Boys today!

Max at battle last evening!

Life has been interesting and with my show has been a bit of a juggling act handling it all.  The kids start school on September 4th and 5th, so that means school shopping and gathering supplies.  Thankfully the weather has been beautiful and we have been able to get outside a lot.  We went to Chamber's Bay on Sunday and today the girls and I and Max biked up to Tacoma Boys to get a few things.  They did great, even uphill.  Since Max got part of his cast removed from his good leg, he can now sit in a highchair and in his wagon.  We still have to have him in the car seat he received at the hospital. (see picture, he was so tired after Wild Waves yesterday he crashed on the way home.)  He is a trooper during the day when we have to run errands and such, but still is having a hard time with sleeping.  I was talking to my boss today (he was up early this morning and had a hard time falling asleep last night) and she was commenting how hard it is to get comfortable in a cast (she broke her leg this spring) and you just can't sleep well.  When he was in his full Spica cast, he was pretty immobile in bed and we could prop in such a way that he would be comfortable and not move.  However now he can pull himself up in the crib and then I think it's hard for him to get back down and get situated to where he feels good.  I just feel bad for him. Hopefully on the 12th he will be free, but then mom won't, she'll be a mess as she tries to protect him from falls that could possibly hurt him again.  I guess at that point I will need a big ol' dose of FAITH and an extra guardian angel for his care.