Go Sharks!

The soccer season has started once again and Carter is on an instructional league through OBGC (Olney Boys and Girls Club). They play games like sharks and minnows, and passing drills for the most part and then the last 20 minutes or so, they scrimmage against each other. Their team is called The Sharks which Carter thinks is "cool." You know what else is apparently cool? Wearing shin guards and getting a treat after each 'game.'
(Go Carter Go! Check out his face. That's his 'game face' when he gets excited and determined. He juts out his lower jaw and sticks his neck forward, tightens his shoulders and makes fists. It's too funny and cute. He makes the same face when trying to catch up with the big kids in the neighborhood or at the park on his bike).

Poor baby

Bryce has been having these abnormal bruises with masses behind them all along his spine for several months off and on. Sometimes they are directly over the vertebra and other times spotted along side of the spine. Always looking like an index finger print. He also has a sacral dimple the pediatrician has been watching since he was an infant. With those two things, his pediatrician recommended we go see a neurosurgeon at Children's National Hospital in DC. The same place he has surgery on his arm last November for a consult. We talked to the neurosurgeon who wanted to do an MRI. So, here we are on the MRI day to rule out any spinal issues such as a tethered cord or abnormalities that would require spinal surgery. It was such a long day and Bryce was such a trooper. Being almost 3, they needed to sedate him to keep him completely still. The MRI lasted just over an hr. We practiced for the big day by using a oxygen mask my friend gave us (she is a nurse) which I think helped a lot. Poor thing just looked at me with his big blue eyes and whimpered as I held him, with the mask on his face giving him "laughing gas" before they inserted the IV. He didn't try to pull away, but just looked into my eyes with his eyes so big with fear and wet with tears. I bet his body felt funny and he was scared. All I could say was "mommy's here" over and over as I held him. After laying him on the stretcher to get the IV with propaphol to sedate him for the scan, and being told to go wait in the waiting room, I left, went to the bathroom and balled for a good 15 minutes. My little baby, so trusting, so innocent, and not even fighting, just scared and tearful whimpering... I could not stop picturing his eyes. I didn't want to be away from him. I didn't want him to be scared. I suddenly was scared. What if something was really wrong with his spine?
They came and got me when he was done so I would be there when he woke up. It just an unsettling feeling seeing your baby with an IV, hooked up to monitors, and an oxygen tube in his nose. He woke up about a half hour later and didn't cry or anything. He wanted the tube out of his nose and IV out of his hand. The tube came out, but IV needed to stay a bit longer.
He was a little loopy and said, "My so brave at the doctors. My didn't cry like this, wah, wah..." I told his he was so brave and he could have a Popsicle if he wanted one. He was very excited b/c all morning he kept saying, "My SOOOOO hungry!" He couldn't eat or drink anything for the day and he last ate/drank at dinner the night before and was up at 6am. Poor thing. He kept the Popsicle down and so a bit later was able to leave to go directly to see the neurosurgeon for the follow up appt and read the results. All in all, we were there from 7:15am and after seeing the neurosurgeon, left at 1:30pm. LONG DAY!
Turns out, his spine is okay. Thank goodness! The dimple is just a deep dimple with no connection to the spinal cord which is great. The bruising however is still a concern for the doctors. The next step is to do a full blood work up and check for blood disorders. But for now, the MRI is done and Bryce is doing well. I just hate putting my baby through these tests- especially after all he's gone through, and continues to go through with his arm. I wish I could take it from him and do it all myself!
(playing Dr the night before his MRI. This is Bryce's turn to be the Dr. Check out those glasses!)
(Bryce's turn as the brave patient. We practiced taking deep breaths and counting slowly to ten).

(Bryce thought it was so special he got his own hospital gown. He said, "now I'm a princess!" Clearly he needs more guy friends! :)
(waiting, with sheepie of course for the anesthesiologist. The whole MRI process from start to having him wake up again was 4 hrs. Too bad the DVD player only had 10 minutes of power in it. Grrrr!)

Happy Birthday Brycie!

Whenever I hear or say this phrase now I hear a parrot in my head repeat it twice in a high pitched voice. He got this parrot as one of his birthday gifts from us and loves it. He really thinks it is talking back to him or something. But for the whole day he said to it, "Happy Birthday Brycie!" and when the parrot said it back, he was so thrilled!
Anyways, we celebrated his third birthday this past Saturday at my parents home. They just got one of those huge trampolines that we played on, rode bikes and scooters, threw rocks and walked in their little pond in the back, ate hot dogs (one of his favorite foods right now... gross, I know), ate cake and opened presents. Whew! The Harris's came, and his little friends Ethan and Brianna Martin with their father, and of course my mom. Dad was away on business. :(
It was a nice day and they all had a lot of fun.
Bryce has blessed our lives so much with his gentle, easy going nature. He is always smiling and loves to share and play with other friends. He is so incredibly active and very coordinated for his age. He loves to ride his tricycle, Thomas "big boy bike" with training wheels, scooter (2 wheels), climb, run, jump...
He loves airplanes, trains, and boats right now and one of his favorite games other then pretending he is a puppy is to pretend his is water skiing. He shouts "hit it" and holds on to an imaginary rope for a few seconds then falls down to the floor. He puts his imaginary ski's back on and starts the process over again. Sometimes he likes to be the boat driver- on his trike with me being "pulled" (walking) behind. This gets us to and from the bus stop faster. :)
He loves books and will sit and read to himself, sing to himself, and talk to himself or stuffed animals and that darn parrot. He loves animals- especially puppies. He is fascinated/scared/loves the Grinch and the story of the three little pigs. He loves Carter coming home from school and hugs him for a long time each day when he gets off the bus. He also blows hundred of kisses to him as he gets on the bus and leaves for school. He is so funny and has quite the sense of humor. Each night he prayer for our neighbors hamsters, sunny and sky.
I can't believe he is three already. He lights up our lives and home and we are so grateful to have him as part of our family. We love you! Happy Birthday Brycie! Happy Birthday Brycie..... (- the parrots echo in case you missed that... :)
(starting the birthday off right with breakfast in bed. Carter almost more excited than Bryce at this point and insisted on being the one to help make it, tuck Bryce back in bed before he carried it up,etc... Bryce wanted big brother to eat with him in bed which Carter was more than happy to do)!

(Carter decorating with streamers all over the front and back yard. Very excited to help).

(Bryce LOVED the cake I made him and all day asked people, "you want to see my motor boat cake?" It was so easy to make and quite clever too might I add...:)


(just laying on the ground talking to his new friend...)

(Ended the party off right by "wading" in the little pond).

Labor day weekend

Posting this a little late, I wanted to put up pics of our labor day weekend at deep creek lake. We are so blessed to be able to go there so often- whenever we can! It is getting cooler, but we still managed to get out there and ski and tube. The boys go SO fast now in the tube and Brady tried his hand... or leg at slaloming which didn't end up so well (as seen below). At least he was still in one piece!
(the boot of the ski stayed on his foot, but the rest of it not so much... how weird is that?! I've never heard or seen anyone literally break a ski before).
(The boys always start by throwing rocks in the water with clothes on standing on the dock or shore, but somehow they always end up in underwear, cold weather or not!)

(Carter quacking, trying to catch the duck).
(Early enough in the day- and cold enough that not many boats were out so I could go with the boys tubing without many waves and just glide over the water... at the beginning anyways).
(Bryce "water skiing." Check out those huge ski's and don't forget the pretend rope he's holding on to! It's so cute. But he doesn't look so happy I am taking a picture of him playing one of his favorite games).
(The boys with Grandma and Grandpa Petersen in front of their lake house).

What to say...?

What is one supposed to say when walking along minding my own business and a neighbor asks first, "how are you feeling?" as if I just recovered from a major surgery or accident. Feeling actually pretty good today having worked out this morning by choice and not being paid to teach, I respond, "good. I'm doing well, thanks."
This is then followed by, "you look miserable."
Seriously??!
Good thing she didn't catch me on a day when I actually felt miserable. In fact I had just showered and rested a bit before seeing this neighbor. Hmmm... do I really look that bad? Maybe it's time to start wearing make-up on a regular basis and not just for church? Nah. She was probably just referring to my ever growing baby belly. And yeah, at 6 months, one might develop a swagger of sorts (okay, it's really more of a waddle, but still...). And yeah, I have 9 pound babies and this being the third, I'm showing sooner and bigger. Does this really warrant such a comment?
Although, I suppose I should keep in mind that this is the same neighbor who asked me when I was due when I had already delivered Bryce about 6 weeks prior.