Second Eye Surgery

Bryan's second eye surgery took place the beginning of December. There was a lot more to it this time around.  When he had his first one a little over 6 months ago, all they did was poke through a membrane that was preventing his tears from draining out of his tear duct giving him a constant goopy eye.  While the actual procedure went well, it didn't fix the problem.  Within DAYS his eye was goopy again.

Since his eye went back to what it was so quickly, it was determined that his tear duct was too narrow.  On December 3rd, the surgeon put in a small silicone tube through Bryan's tear duct.  It works much like tubes that are put in to help with children who get a lot of ear infections.

Bryan was much less flirty this time around.  In fact, he was down right cranky.  Though you would be too if you were dragged out of bed at 6:30 in the morning, stuck in an overly big dress thing, in a cold room, with all these strange people trying to attach all these things to you and putting stuff in your eye...actually, I don't know how he did so well the last time. 

 Then they gave him something to relax.  Watching that stuff slowly start to work was interesting.  He went from crying, to whining, to staring, to laying, to a dazed"what are those things sticking in the air?"  (they were his feet.  He was sticking his feet in the air)

The relaxer helped him not freak out this time when we went into the OR.  He still didn't want the gas mask on...until he tasted it.  The anesthesiologist told me it was strawberry flavored.  Which explained why my son fell asleep licking the mask.  Which was a silly sight and really helped me not cry this time. (as apposed to screaming. So heart breaking.)

His immediate recovery was a little more difficult in that it took him longer to be fully awake and realize that I was holding him.  He screamed and cried for at least 15 min.  Then more after he was actually awake.  It didn't help that they had to do an IV this time and wouldn't take it out of his foot until we left.

When we got home, he took one little nap and was completely fine.  Spent the afternoon driving cars on the dogs, and cuddling with freckles.  I swear that dog knew something was up.   He never lets Bryan cuddle, but they sat like this for a while.

The best part? It seems to be working!  I mean, we wont know for sure until they take the tube out in a couple months. (no surgery.  Just a plain office visit for that)  But I haven't cleaned nasty green stuff since then.

I'm so thankful for Kaiser and their amazing Nurses and Doctors.  We have been very fortunate in the care that Bryan has received from them since the day he was born.

I'm also grateful that other than this, (and flu last year) Bryan has been a healthy growing boy.

Crazy December

Well, you already know that I had December was a crocheting, sewing, DIY like crazy month.  So what did we do in between?

Bryan had ANOTHER eye surgery.  We are really hoping it is the last.

B has also got even more into music.  He discovered these rock band drums in Uncles room and has been obsessed with them.  I think the drums are his new favorite instrument.  Why wouldn't they be?  He loves music.  He loves hitting things.  It is the PERFECT instrument.

We spent more time with family than usual.  I feel like half of it was at Joann's.  Which never helps my craft store addiction.  Then there was the weekends of Mom teaching the SIL and I how to sew.  Abuela was also able to come back and visit.

This pretty much describes us.

We cant forget the awesome Scentsy party that my SIL hosted.  I love that stuff

We almost became a 2 pet family.  A couple weeks ago, weirdo, the kitty, had a stroke that left her completely immobile.  Poor Bryan was having a hard time with it.  Not because he understood and was sad, but because he didn't understand.  He LOVES her.  More like he smothers her with love...literally.  He was struggling with not being able to pick her up, or snuggle her.
Eventually we got him to understand that there is no touching kitty in her box. Though now that she is up and moving, we have remind him to be gentle.  She can walk (wobbly and sideways mostly) but flops to the ground if she turns too fast (at which I fully feel guilty for every giggle)

This was just the tip of the iceberg for us.  December just seemed too full, and too short this year.  Luckily, we made it out and January has proven to be much more relaxed.  How has your year started?

Goodbye Holiday Rock. I'm Crawling Out.

Oh look!  Here we are.

It hasn't just been a Holiday rock I've been under, but the DIY Holiday rock.  Every year I get excited to make all the nieces and nephews personalized gifts, (you remember the Elmo and the Sock Monkey hats?) Even after starting earlier and earlier, I still am panicked the week before.  Well this year, I started 4 MONTHS EARLY and I still had the worried I wont finish panic.  (Only this time, it lasted the entire month of December, and was still fixing grommets Christmas morning.)

Learned how to sew pajamas too

Other than that, we had a pretty fun December.  Christmas was much more fun this year.  Bryan is understanding more, and actually wanting to participate in things.

Found time in our busy schedule
to make lots of Pie

All of  the bottom half of our tree was un-decorated the first morning it went up.  We still have ornaments stuck under our bed.  So glad they are all plastic.

It was a Hot Wheel Christmas for Bryan.  He couldn't be happier.  My sister got B a "My First Remote Control Car" and he refused to even look at anything else, until Daddy showed him all the other cars the Uncles got him.

The only reason I was  able to capture him opening this box at home was by ripping the paper off the window to reveil...MORE cars!  He dropped everything and ran right over.

We also built some putty snowmen.  And had a visit from some friends.  Uncle Danny brought the boys (Bryan and our friends son) Batman and Hulk toys.  Hulk fists were a big hit with the boys.  Mostly to have one of the guys wear them, and beat them up.

I have already started my DIY Christmas for next year.  Hopefully I wont turn into a hermit again.
Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. (or if you celebrate something else,  I hope that was also wonderful)
Here is to looking forward to the New year full of challenges, growth and love.

Love Dare 26: Love Is Responsible

Welcome new and returning readers! Today's post is a special post.  We are going to be talking about the love dare.  Specifically, day number 26 of the love dare.  New to the love dare?  Well stop by Taush.O here. You can find week 1 here.

Look at this cute couple.  They were so in love and care free.  They thought marriage was going to be a breeze.  And, isn't that man just dreamy?(hint to you love dare...ers, that is us. 5 years ago)

Well, we learned that marriage is NOT a breeze.  I'm going to end the wind analogy there, because I probably shouldn't compare it to a tornado. 

 

I think part of what makes marriage so hard is that no matter what, each of us has our own ideas of how it will be.  Of how easy our spouse would make it.  My hubby does make my life easier, but it takes a lot of work for that to happen.  That is where today's dare comes from.

LOVE IS RESPONSIBLE

As husbands and wives, we have certain things our spouses need from us.  Duties that we must take, and promises that we have made.  We are responsible for the work that goes into growing our marriage Into something beautiful.

Another thing we are responsible for in our marriage?  Our actions.  Specifically the mistakes that we have made.

Honestly, I asked to do this specific dare.  Why? because of that part of it right there.  It is something I have been working on.  It may come easy to you, but it has been hard for me.  I am so stubborn, and try to convince myself that I don't make mistakes.  That I am always right.  When I am not right?  Heck no can I ever tell my Husband.  That is were dare 26 comes in:

Not to interrupt this serious moment, but I made that printable myself, and it rocks.

I feel like this is one of the most essential parts of not just a happy marriage, but a happy self.  Sometimes we get so caught up in what we feel the other person does wrong.  We want it to be all their fault.  What I have found through my struggle, is that more often than not, it isn't.

Once I started praying for myself earnestly, It became easier to not only realize where I went wrong, but inform my hubby that I was wrong.  He doesn't walk all over me, but when I am wrong, now I can admit it.

I have had a bit of a head start on this dare because I have been working on it for months, not just the day. but I can tell you that by being responsible with my actions and words, and coming forth when I've made a mistake, I am so much happier.  It has made possible fights, short/nonexistent, and  My love for this man has grown more than I thought possible.

And I still find him oh so dreamy.

 The next dare is covered by Nicole, found here

18 Months

     I Still have a couple more trips to write about, but taking a break to post about this big boy, and later tonight, the Love Dare.    

 Today was our 18 month check up, which means shots.  Bryan took it like a champ.  Poor kid looked at me like a traitor.  But a banana chip later, we are best buds again.

Bryan is growing perfectly along his growth chart.  Wears size 4 diapers, 18 month cloths, and size 6/7 shoes(depending on how wide they are)

He is still only saying Me, Mama, and More, but I can get him to mimic most sounds.  He is really into mimicking actions as well.

Favorites-Food:Yogurt and craisins, Animals:cat's, Toys:Cars, Music:Mini Pancakes and It's Raining Tacos, from Parry Grip, and Best Day of My Life from American Authors. Movie: Horton Hears a Who.  Other:He loves to play the piano, especially when I sit down to play.  He has also recently gotten into going through and smelling all of my Scentsy stuff.

Told you he likes cats

      I love my snuggly mamas boy.  Everything about him is perfection.  The big "good morning" grin I get, and the silly songs we sing.  All the smooches.  There are lots of smooches.  Sometimes, I get them for no reason at all.

Later, I will be posting about the blogger love dare,  Put together by the Wonderful Tausha at Taush.O.  40 bloggers, taking on the Love Dare from the movie Fireproof.  If you haven't watched it, you should.  I will be taking on Day 26.  If you want to start from the beginning, Tausha has a list right here.

Los Angeles

Last week, my sister went on vacation, so like a good sister, I stayed behind with her two youngest for an entire week.  In all honesty, she did give me an out a couple days before she left.  I told her "no", that it was ok, I could do it.  What I really thought was "Heck no woman!"  I had been looking forward to spending the week with those two pumpkins for months.  But now that I am not chasing after 3 crazies, back to your regular scheduled programming.

Way back weeks ago, I said that we did some traveling, well here it is.

Los Angeles

outside the consulate, waiting for daddy and Grandma

We wanted to pack in as many things to see as we could because, well, who knows if Abuela will have another chance?

Though, I don't know if it is because I've been there before, that I'm old at heart, or some other reason, I found everything so underwhelming.  Hollywood blvd, was just sorta blah.  and NOTHING but night club, after night club, after night club.  There was the museum for L. Ron Hubbard.  AKA "Sneaky Scientology Recruitment Building".  I don't have anything against Scientology, it just made me laugh because I did not expect it at all.  Though it really was a cool to learn about all the amazing things L. Ron Hubbard did with his life.

Santa Monica, however, was very whelming(Anyone? No...*back to the nerd closet*)

The beach was just B-E-A-utiful.  So much cleaner and altogether nicer than Santa Cruz.  And the water was gorgeous and perfect for a hot day.

The Hubby playing volleyball with his mommy

Bryan just loves the sand.  What he doesn't love?  Sharing his toys with Daddy.

There were so many street performers on the pier.  One even took our request for a song so Bryan could dance. He loved it.  We gave him a dollar to put in the mans box, which he walked up to it, looked at the dollar then ran away with it.  This kid knows whats up. (We still gave the man the money.  We are not teases)

Chocolate ice cream for the win

What is my favorite thing about our trip?  We met so many different people there.  It was such a wonderful experience.  And such wonderful warm people too.

Abuela

     The past two weeks, we have had a lot of fun visiting with the Hubby's mom.  Seeing as she lives in a completely different country, It is not something we can do often.  It was actually the first time Bryan has met her other than through the computer screen.
     Bryan had a lot of fun following her around the kitchen and playing with her.

 He helped her make masaco. (a dish made of fried and mashed plantains.)

 She even taught me to make some things. (Like stuffed eggplant.)

She brought B lots of gifts

Including 2 bikes that he LOVES. 

 And an awesome Batman towel poncho.  That doesn't fit me. I tried assume...

It was such a blessing she was able to visit.  I learned so much about cooking, Spanish(I now think in Spanglish), and the culture that my husband grew up in.

I was able to be spoiled and spend more time with my family.

We traveled a little (more posts about those)

My favorite thing though, was watching her and Bryan play and get to know each other.