Feb 28, 2009

"Poop Rocket" and update on the kids!

Payton found the magical giggle words for Cohen. I tried to have Payton say something more "socially acceptable" but it didn't have the same outcome as "POOP ROCKET"!



Cohen and Tessa are growing so fast. They are now 6 months!!! Tess is the busy-body and doesn't stop wiggling from the moment she wakes up. Cohen goes with the flow. He is sooooo easy going and hardly makes a peep, Tessa is either happy or really ticked off, there isn't an in between. She is rolling over both ways and scoots on her head. She arches her back, tips her head and pushes really hard with her feet and would go across the room if we'd let her. Cohen...well.... he just lays there with his arms out and smiles. He is really good at that. They both love food and Cohen is definately the bigger eater except anything green makes him gagg. Tessa loves the green stuff. They are complete opposites is MANY ways.
Tate is totally potty trained. He doesn't even wet at night or nap time. He just started over Christmas while we were snowed in. I wasn't totally ready for the whole potty training routine but he did it all on his own. Looking back I see it as a blessing in disguise. Now with a lot of the attention going to Payton I don't know when I would have gotten to it. He still is having major anxiety over doing "the duty". He starts running around in circles in a total panic, flapping his arms and crying. I have to pick him up and put him on the pot and let nature take control. He fights it as long as possible (usually a day or so).

Payton is doing great. His incision is healing really well and is hardly noticeable now that Payton picked the scab off. He has been having a really hard time sleeping since he came home from the hospital after his craniotomy. He worries about when the next doctor appointment is and is anxious about having his "power port" put in on Monday. I hesitate to ask for a med to put him on to help him sleep because I really don't want anymore drugs and aweful chemicals in his little body. Maybe his chemo will make him tired enough to help him sleep.

I don't know if anyone noticed but I added a link to a Caring Bridge site on the side of this blog. It is a site to keep everyone in the loop on his treatments and how he is doing. You can leave notes on the guestbook and I will read them to him. It is a great way for him to know people are thinking about him. They definately make him smile!!!
(Cohen chewing on his "potty word finger")

Feb 12, 2009

Doing great!


Payton is home and is impossible to keep him from acting "normal". We rented LEGO Batman for the Wii to try to glue him to the stool but he can't do it. We have to constantly get after him...NO WRESTLING, NO RUNNING, NO JUMPING, PAYTON DON'T DO THIS, DON'T DO THAT. I don't know who started the rumor that adults were stronger then kids because I don't see it. The hardest part is trying to get all the sticky's off him. He doesn't want anything to do with that. We meet with two different Oncologist's next week so we HOPEFULLY will know what our next step is. Thanks to everyone for meals, prayer, gifts, phone calls, and love for our family. We can't do it without you.

Feb 10, 2009

Payton...my hero!!!


I can't begin to express how much I love my little man. He is the best big brother to his siblings and is an amazing example of courage to everyone around him. I don't know how such a big heart could fit into a little body. I love this picture of him before surgery. One last picture of his flawless face.
Payton wanted Indiana Jones figures for being brave. This is him still very much out of it but showing them off. His incision goes from his left ear to above his right eye. It looks kind of gruesome now but it will hardly be noticeable soon. He is recovering incredibly well and being so tough. The next step is to meet with the Oncologist to see when we start chemo/radiation and for how long. We hope and pray that his tumor will respond to the treatment so he can function as he does now and just adjust to the loss of sight in his left eye. We will have to take this one step at a time and will always be on guard. He will be battling this for the rest of his life and just hope we can stay ahead of it.
Thank you everyone for your prayers. They have been answered in so many different ways. We are blessed beyond measure. We love you all and thanks a million times over.