Category: health

children, eyesight, health, mommyhood, surgery

The Informant

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By the later afternoon, little T.Puzzle understood the necessity of keeping his eye shield in place. He also realized that he could make his way in the world without his glasses. It wasn’t ideal, but he could manage.

However, as bedtime approached he was adamant that he didn’t want to wear the shield to bed. Well, too bad because it’s doctor’s orders.

I turned to my greatest ally.

“Full Speed, make sure little T.Puzzle keeps his shield on at bedtime and through the night. You let Mom and Dad know if he tries to take it off.”

In this instance, it helps tremendously to have a big brother willing to rat his little brother out over the slightest infraction.

Full Speed shows T.Puzzle who’s in charge in a wrestling match a few weeks ago.

“Yes, ma’am!” Full Speed replied.

Full Speed was as good as his word and little T.Puzzle kept that shield in place all night.

One night down, several more to go.

With Full Speed on my side, I know we can do it!

children, eyesight, health, surgery

Times Two

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Full Speed knows something is up. Little T.Puzzle’s first surgery is tomorrow and the air in the house is soaked in anxiety (mainly mine).

I’m taking both boys to the eye doctor this morning. As I picked out little T.Puzzle’s regulatory Thomas shirt for him to wear, Full Speed said he wanted to wear the same.

He never says that anymore. I think it’s his way of showing support for his little brother.

Maybe we’ll make it through after all….

Two is better than one
children, health, life in pictures, mommyhood, terrible threes

A ‘Full’ Life

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I took little T.Puzzle for his pre-op physical. He still holds on to an element of three year old unpredictability that makes trips to the doctor more exciting than they should be. When the doctor prepares to examine his mouth, he clamps it shut and throws his hands protectively over his lips.

The doctor switches gears.

“Why don’t I look in your ears instead?” she asks little T.Puzzle.

He immediately shoots both his hands up and theatrically covers his ears. He also manages a sliver of a smile while maintaining a rigidly closed mouth.

Impressive.

The doctor turns to me.

“Looks like someone is really full of it today.”

“He’s pretty much full of it every single day,” I say.

Despite his contrary efforts, Little T.Puzzle passed his physical with flying colors.

Luckily, he’s full of dimples, too, and that has saved him more times that I can count.

Little T.Puzzle prepares to dive into the most ginormous slice of pepperoni pizza I have ever seen courtesy of the Mellow Mushroom.
health, kids, life in pictures, mommyhood

Bump!

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Before I get back to my regular observation and report of my daily life with the boys, I have to share how our recent family vacation started.

It started in the emergency room of course.

Good times.

My sister and her family arrived around one in the afternoon on their first day here. Kids were running here and there, adults were attempting to converse and Full Speed was taking his energy to a whole new level. He was beyond spastastic.

As the gang (I call them a gang because they clearly outnumbered the adults) of kids began the customary running loop at the center of our house, Full Speed gets into a rumble with a stationary door and loses.

Badly.

His head hits the edge of the door with a sick thud, he drops to the floor and starts screaming. I take one look at the bulging, bloodied mass forming on his forehead and nearly vomit (seriously!). You could actually see his blood pulsing furiously through the huge, goose-egged bump.

And off to the emergency room we go. My visiting family had only been with us roughly 30-45 minutes before this happened.

Welcome to my world, Family. Welcome to my world…

Full Speed’s injury about two hours after initial impact. By this time the swelling had gone down considerably and his energy and spunk had returned. No concussion and no stitches needed thankfully.
children, happiness, health, mommyhood

You Can Dance (for inspiration)

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Full Speed and I had a dance-off with Mad Dog as the judge. We did it to honor our recent viewing of ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ which is a television competition.

Even though I unleashed my best moves (they were almost as amazing as my cooking skills), Full Speed was the hands-down winner. Later when we were eating dinner I asked him where he learned his amazing and award winning break-dancing moves. These moves are a spectacular display of energy, creativity and boundless, pounding movement.

“Well, Mom, I didn’t learn them, I was born already knowing them,” he replied in that self-assured way that only Full Speed can.

Interesting. I certainly don’t possess any break-dancing genes/ability. I’m going have to ask Mad Dog to break it down for me when he gets home from work tonight. I’d like to see the original break-dance genes in motion.

Bust a move.