Here comes the 1st grader!

Shortstop has been so excited to start school.  He was a little nervous in the middle of the summer and once we realized why, we were able to help.  There was a kid in his class last year that was less than kind and it really affected all aspects of Shortstop's life.  We emailed the director of the school, found out they are not in the same class, told Shortstop the good news and the excitement and relief began.
Clothes shopping isn't super fun when it is just uniforms so we just looked online and bought it all right then and there.  No fun school shopping dates around here, sadly, but it's ok.  We do go to back to school night and got to test some cafeteria food and see his classroom.  Mark and I met his teacher and both walked away feeling very positive and good about what this year will bring.  His teacher is Mrs. Segbefia and is more strict than last year's teacher, which is a good thing for my talkative active boy.

We had our back to school caveman feast.  I love that this is our tradition now.  I even found out my oldest sister decided to do this with her kids who are teenagers and they had a blast too!

Mark of course gave him a Father's blessing which is always a special moment for him.  He loves being the dad and using his priesthood to bless him family.  Fullback even wanted one as well.

The first morning was great.  It was emotional for me to pack him a lunch, for some reason.  It just felt so weird to be the mom packing the school lunch.
We said goodbye to our big first grader and took lots of pictures!

 Showing his grade and being like Michael Phelps

 I am going to miss all his help during the day with his little sister

 Bye buddy!!

Fullback said "OK...now I will wait here for him to get home."  Talk about heartbreaking!  He has done so well though.  He loves playing with ACE and he and Shortstop get along better because they have time to miss each other.  And he and I have so much fun just being with each other since little sister takes so many naps.  Sometimes if I am busy doing something I say "Go play for a minute" and he responds, "Nah...I just want to sit by you, my lovely mom."  

We consoled ourselves that first morning by going back to bed and watching a movie

Shortstop had a GREAT first day.  He loved the three recesses and the note I put in his lunch.  That has been one of his favorite things, getting to read notes and jokes and poems I write on his napkins.  Sometimes he even saves the napkin instead of using it!

Fullback and I made chocolate chip banana bread as an after school snack for the man of the hour.  I can't believe how old he looks in this picture!  We missed him so much!

But it has been a full two weeks and he still comes home happy each day and is excited to wake up and go the next day.  One morning when Mark went in to wake him, he groggily said "Dad, I don't want to get ready.  I am tired and it is too hard to get dressed."  Mark said "Ok buddy...wanna talk about that?"  Right then Shortstop threw the covers back to reveal he was fully dressed and ready to go.  He is very big into tricks and jokes lately which cracks me up.  He often says to Fullback in whispered conspiracy "Hey buddy...let's make mom laugh ok?"  And when I do, Shortstop gets the biggest grin on his face and pumps his fist in the air exclaiming "I did it!"
He does express concern that he is not the most athletic kid at recess and he talks about being and playing alone a lot.  It breaks my mother heart but he seems ok with it and it is not a negative thing for him yet so I try not to project my own emotions.  He has always done better with older kids or adults...kids his age just don't respond to how social and outgoing and quirky he is.  He is talkative and silly and I hope his teacher can still see that he is a good boy who wants to keep the rules and is super creative.  My prayer every year is that the teacher will truly understand how strong and capable my little boy is even though he masks it with sounding bossy or bored or just a little disruptive.  When I truly listen to him and let him just talk, I am amazed at how intelligent, loving and spiritual he is.  We would all be better off being more like Shortstop.

Summer fun

This summer went by so fast, as I'm sure everyone's did.  I feel like June was busy with tee ball, then July we had lots of family events and then all of the sudden, it was time to get ready for school.  So the last two weeks of summer, which were the first two weeks of August, I asked the boys, especially Shortstop, what they wanted to still do and we made a list.  It was a busy couple of weeks!  But we had a great time.

Church History Museum:

Liberty jail replica

The boys loved making shapes on these lighted tables

Of course they found the book nook...makes me proud

The ark with a TV showing Bible stories was a big hit

Touching the gold plates

Trying to lift them!  So strong!

City Creek:

We had lunch, went shopping at the Disney store and of course ran through the water fountains.  I had told them they could get wet but I didn't have any towels or a change of clothes.  It was a warm enough day, I wasn't too worried...

But then the clouds came and I felt bad so I bought them new outfits at Gymboree.  How cute are they?!

Seven Peaks:

She was ok with the water...

...but much more comfortable in her yoga outfit.  I can't even!  

We played for a couple of hours and then the heavens opened!  We hunkered down in our half tent to see if it would stop lightning and thunder but when we realized we were one of maybe 3 other families still there, we called it a night and went home.  Fullback was so scared we were gonna get blown away!  

The rainbow on the drive home

Zoo:

We headed up to Salt Lake with Aunt Rachel and her kids for a trip to the zoo!

This boy loved the elephants and didn't want to leave

Best cousin buds

You can see the exhaustion on Shortstop's face!

And of course we had to get shave ice on the way home

Water balloon fight:

Since my family reunion, Shortstop has been asking to buy water balloons and have a family water balloon fight so we finally made it happen!  They loved surprising Mark and "blasting" him.

More summer fun:

Earlier in the summer Fullback got to do Dino Camp at a summer preschool.  There is a lady in my sister's ward who does week long theme camps, Shortstop took part of them last summer so it was Fullback's turn.  He really enjoyed it, once he stopped crying.  He would be so excited, I would drop him off, he would cry for a bit but then the teacher said he did great and got more comfortable each day.  He is my little shy buddy and is such a mama's boy (which I LOVE).  But it was good for both of us to do this.

I also signed Shortstop up for three different one day camps and Thanksgiving point but there really are no pictures.  He did magnet camp, dinosaur camp and bugs and butterflies camp.

Of course we enjoyed fireworks on the 24th of July out our windows.  It was so fun to have the boys run from window to window trying to see everything all at once.  We were laughing so hard!  It was a late night and so worth it.

It got HOT in July so I made an ice block filled with toys and marbles and quarters to let the boys chip away at.  Fullback got bored but Shortstop was determined.  Kept him busy for an hour plus.

And we love having Aunt Rachel nearby to enjoy their community pool.  Shortstop is still so timid in the water but is getting a little more brave.  He has no fear with the life jacket but let me take it off him for a bit to see how he could do. I have a feeling he will have to learn on his own and no amount of swimming lessons will help.  He just needs to be confident.

And even though she isn't in very many pictures, ACE was with us at everything.  Haha!  She is just usually sleeping in her stroller so she doesn't get to be a part of pictures.  

3rd time's a charm...

Fullback had his second surgery with anesthesia, third procedure overall on his face mole, on July 27th.  We were gonna do it in September but they had an opening so we decided to just get it over with.  And let me tell you something...this one was a doozy of a surgery.  They got to us sooner and the actual plastic surgeon was much more understanding and spent more time with me this time.  (I think he felt bad we had to go through this again).  The actual surgery was a little longer than the last one so I paced quite a bit in the waiting room.  When they brought him back to me they said intubation was rough and there was blood in the tube so he'd have more of a sore throat and be in more pain.  Lovely.  Then he was much more out of it and distant than the last time.  He sat there not moving just staring off in space for the whole "recovery" time.  The nurse came in and after he ate a few bites of the slushie she said we could go home but she wanted to take him to the car in a wheelchair.  Again, big change.  Last time, he and I walked out hand in hand talking about what we were gonna do when we got home.  We got to the car and I went to get him out of the wheelchair and in the car and it was the first time I looked at his face head on.  He was squinting in the sun but the right side of his face, the one that had been operated on, was droopy and wasn't moving with his squint.  I stopped dead in my tracks and said to the nurse "Ummm...look at his face!  Why is it drooping?  This didn't happen last time."  She also looked surprised and said "Give it a few hours and maybe it is just that they used more numbing agent."  A few hours!!  I called Mark on the way home and just cried.  The reason this second surgery happened was because the doctor didn't want to go deeper last time for fear of hitting a nerve.  Well when they didn't get it all, they obviously had to go deeper this time so did they hit a nerve?!  I was in a bit of cloud and trying really hard not to think "Did I just see his full smile for the last time this morning as they wheeled him away?"

We got home and he wanted to be carried in and was super emotional.  He also did not want to play which was another change.  My mom and dad were in town and had stayed with Shortstop and ACE while I went in with Fullback since Mark had to go to work.  It was so nice having them here to keep playing with the other two while I set up the patient with a movie and blanket and some toys.  

Every half hour I would take a picture of his face.  I wasn't seeing much improving but I was trying to be patient.  He finally decided he wanted to eat, but not much.  He went upstairs after the movie and took a nap.  When he woke up I could see a the tiniest bit of improvement which means it had to just be the medicine...and they must have used a whole lot!  If it was a nerve there would be zero improvement.  Phew!  By the time he went to bed that night, his smile was back and both Mark and I just cried a few tears of relief and gratitude.  

The next couple of days were harder than I imagined since his last surgery was so easy.  He was very emotional, his whole body was physically sore and he was super tired.  I am guessing he was on more drugs, he had to be under anesthesia longer and I wouldn't be surprised if they had restrained him to get him under.  Poor kid!!  But the next week at the follow up they said they tests were all clear and they got it all!!! He shouted "Hooray!" when they told us and then said "Ok, can we go home please?"

This kid was put through the ringer.  He was so brave and so strong and I am so happy everything is ok.  He is my little buddy, he hugs me constantly at random times of the day and he still likes me to hold him when he is sleepy or scared.  He loves to help with his sister and worships his older brother.  His bright blue eyes and smile look like a drawn cartoon character, they are so perfect and adorable.  Our prayers that night when the tests came back were only full of gratitude and happiness.  What a blessing to come out on the other side with nothing serious.  We so appreciated the calls and texts and prayers and Fullback loved the PAW patrol set from Grandma, the racing cars from Mark and the Disney themed edible fruit arrangement from Aunt Paula and Uncle Carl.  Man I love my family!

 He was an old pro at this and knew exactly what would be happening

 "Bye mom!"

 He looks so sad and so beaten up

 Endless popsicles make everything better

 Progression pictures...just heart breaking.  It is hard to even look at these

 Mmmmm...not much better than Mickey shaped pineapple, which is his favorite fruit.  

And there it is...his perfect smile right before bed.  Hallelujah!