Cast Update

Good news! Max's big cast is off and he got a splint to wear for two weeks instead of another cast! The doctor said it was healing perfectly, and if we were to x-ray it again in six months you'd never know anything happened.

So glad to be done with the cast!

Lots of Videos!

Playing catch up and sharing a bunch of videos from the past month!


 

https://youtu.be/gcP91uueZes


https://youtu.be/8-Zr8ETDwKk


https://youtu.be/2-scfgW_5mo


https://youtu.be/7V83RR1X4NM


https://youtu.be/NKEW30AFUV4


https://youtu.be/o4K1i30dU1I


https://youtu.be/J_-vIlKDeqc


https://youtu.be/HG5F0LynOxA


https://youtu.be/CIN5a7yNJ2s

First Big Boy Injury

Back dated to May 14, 2015

This morning Max was playing on the playground at school with his friends in a little playhouse. He saw a garbage truck driving by and as he hurried to exit the playhouse to see it, he tripped and landed on his arm. Max's teacher gave him lots of ice and TLC, and called to let us know he fell, and said his arm and hand were a little swollen and that he wasn't using it much (kept it in his lap during lunch, etc.). 

After consulting with our doctor friends (faster and cheaper than calling the pediatrician!) they advised us to take him in for an x-ray. The local children's hospital has an urgent care center near our house, so I was able to take him there, fortunately. Even though it said there was a 45-60 minute wait, we got taken back less than five minutes after I finished the registration process. He got examined by a doctor who ordered x-rays of his wrist. Max was a CHAMP during the whole x-ray process and we only had to re-do one x-ray (because he moved). He was able to sit in my lap during the x-rays which helped. 

The doctor reviewed the x-rays and said Max fractured his wrist. :-(  They put him in a splint and sling and said to make an appointment with the pediatric orthopedist to get a cast. Fortunately I was able to get in this afternoon for the cast. The orthopedist said both arm bones have a "buckle fracture". Max winced with pain and said, "Ouchie!" when the doctor rotated his hand back and forth, so he ended up having to get an above the elbow cast. We go back in two weeks to get it checked out and re-casted. There's a good chance the second cast will be below the elbow (just depends on how the healing is going). In all, he will probably be in a cast for four weeks (total).

I couldn't believe how calm and brave Max was the whole time. He cried at school when it happened, of course, but didn't shed a single tear the rest of the day. When the nurse was putting the cast on and had to apply pressure to make sure it hardened correctly Max had tears in his eyes and was taking deep breaths. That's it! He had such a good demeanor even though it hurt, and he didn't get a nap beyond a few short snoozes as I drove him to and from the various appointments. Even the nurses were commenting that they couldn't believe how calm and pleasant he was the whole time.

So, we're figuring out one-handed life, trying to figure out the best way to get his shirts on and off over the cast, and avoiding getting clubbed in the head with his little cast. Of course, the timing of his injury is lovely... on Saturday we're headed to the beach for a week. :-(  The doctor gave us a brochure for a special waterproof sleeve we can order (or buy at the hospital pharmacy) that is airtight and will keep out sand and water. 

Sending Daddy update photo from urgent care... Max got a splint put on his arm and a sling and we had to sit and wait for it to harden for a while.

Another photo update sent to Dad just after the cast went on! Poor Max was exhausted from having no nap (check out those sleepy eyes!). 

All smiles even though it was a long day...

We survived!

"This is fun!"

Last weekend we made a trip to Hiawassee to celebrate lots of birthday's. Before we left we were able to go on a boat ride! Max LOVED it. He kept walking around saying, "This is fun!" over and over. It was adorable. 

Even in this photo, when we were still at the dock, he began the, "This is fun!" statements. haha

Granddaddy's co-captain!

"Hmm... where shall we go now?"

Max is really in to helping in the yard these days, and had a great time helping Daddy water our new plants....

.... and watering the porch. ;-)

Cutie pie before school!

"Chase me, Mommy!"

One day Max asked for his sunglasses on the way to school. I handed them back without looking and he put them on by himself. When we parked I turned around and burst out laughing. I don't think he had any clue the sunglasses were on upside down.

This photo falls in the "things I want to remember" category. It's no secret that Max adores anything related to cars, trucks, and construction equipment. He frequently drives and parks his cars all over the living room. We are usually not allowed to participate during this activity. We are usually instructed to sit in a particular chair and watch. haha Also, requesting that he stop partway through this activity to do things like eat dinner or go potty require forethought and negotiation. He's passionate about driving his cars. ;-)

For the uninitiated... the cars parked by the pillow are in the "parking lot", the cars in the tissue box are in the "garage", and the long line is a "choo choo train made out of cars".  

Life Lately

Max is such a fun age right now. He really "gets" what's going on, wants to participate in everything we do, and gets a kick out of the funniest things. Just last evening I said, "Whoopsie daisy!" and he doubled over with the most genuine laughter. He kept repeating it and laughing over and over. It was so cute. Here are some pictures from the past couple weeks!


I had a stomachache on Saturday, and our sweet little guy came to snuggle with me on the couch! He was my real life teddy bear. :-)

We (finally) had a gorgeous, sunny day over the weekend and did lots of planting in the backyard. We knocked out a bunch of stuff during nap time, and once Max was up and ready to join us, he helped plant and water a few flowers!

But his favorite part was watering the grass, driveway, and my car.

After playing with the watering can and hose all afternoon, Max was soaked so we stripped him down outside. He thought it was pretty fun (and we thought he looked pretty cute!).

A few weeks ago we hung a bird feeder and Max helped fill it with birdseed (and also sampled a handful. Mom of the Year, here! haha). It took a while for the birds to find it, but now we have so much fun watching little birds come to the feeder. We can see it from the kitchen table, and Max gets so excited when a bird flies up.

Our little yogi practicing his tree pose in the back yard.

Aunt Lisa (who teaches preschool) sent Max a cool dinosaur hat! Max thought it was great fun.

"Max, stand sideways so I can take a picture of the tail part." I love how he stood really still and made this face:

The following photos have nothing to do with Max... just some pretty blooms from our front yard.

Last week the story time theme at the library was dinosaurs. The librarian had barely finished inviting the kids to play before Max started running to the front to try on a dinosaur hat!

We are hoping Max's enthusiasm for mowing the lawn is this strong 10 or 12 years from now.

Max's school had some themed days during Earth Week. He was really excited to bring his elephant to school on the animal day!

Lesson learned: If your two year old smears watercolors on his face, wash it off immediately. He had a blue stained cheek for about two days! Ooops.

First Trip to the Zoo!

A few weekends ago we took Max on his first trip to Zoo Atlanta! (A special thanks to Uncle John, Aunt Lisa, Olivia, and Valerie for the tickets for Max's Christmas gift!!) All in all, he loved it. :-)  So funny, though... he kept asking why the animals weren't talking. I guess he's used to cartoon animals! haha

We got up early and headed down to Atlanta so we could be one of the first people in line. Max, our little extrovert, quickly made friends with some of the bigger kids and they had fun running around and posing with a dolphin statue (why there is a dolphin statue a zoo with no dolphin, I have no idea. haha).

Really cool bird exhibit! We walked around as birds flew right by our heads, and landed on branches inches from where we were standing.

Hard to see, but if you look on the left side of the "cave" in the rock formation you'll see a lion!

Standing by a bronze statue of a famed Zoo Atlanta gorilla who passed away years ago. (Max's favorite part? Jumping off this rock and in to a puddle. haha)

Max loved seeing the gorillas up close! He can do a mean gorilla impression.

Taking a walking break to ride on Daddy's shoulders!

Look how close we got to a gorilla!! 

Max LOVED the panda bears. Unfortunately, this exhibit was extremely crowded so we didn't get to stay too long, and we (Mom & Dad) didn't get a good look. :-(  Max was small enough to squeeze by all the grown-ups and get right up to the glass, though!   

Kangaroos hopping around! (Look on the left side of the photo near the post. A kangaroo is lying on the ground.)

Hanging out in Mommy's kangaroo pouch! haha

There was a little petting zoo area with goats. Max thought it was really cool!

Our train obsessed boy LOVED riding the train at the zoo! It made a loop around one small area, and went through a few dark tunnels (that reminded us of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory... eeep!). I'm sure it lasted all of five minutes, but Max kept pumping his arm and shouting, "Choo! Choo!" the rest of the morning. Also, I think Max is destined to be some type of public figure. Any time the train passed a group of people, he'd sit up a little straighter and start waving, "Hello!".

Max looks so tall and grown-up in this picture!

At the end of the exhibits there is a cute playground. Max had fun going down slides, riding the four-person see-saw, and talking to the big kids. After our zoo adventure we had a picnic lunch in Grant Park (right by the zoo) and headed home! 

Easter and Other Fun

 More Easter fun! Max did another egg hunt in Hiawassee on Easter weekend.

Strategizing with Dad

He's off!

Checking out his loot with Granddaddy

We were in Hiawassee on Easter morning, and the Easter Bunny found Max! When Max woke up he found bunny tracks in his room leading to his Easter basket. The night before we asked him what he thought the Easter Bunny might bring him, and he said he thought it might be a garbage truck. Boy, was he excited to see that he did, indeed, get a garbage truck! (Please excuse my weird voice in this video. haha)

https://youtu.be/Z7xy78UtZF4


A rare family photo with all three of us!

During the public school spring break week, our library offered lots of cool programs. One day we met up with my friend Ashly and her daughter, Isabella, who will be two later this summer. The kids had a great time together!

"You're so cute I just want to smoosh your face, Isabella!"

Later in the week we went to a dog themed storytime and a character named Biscuit came! Max was SO excited. I literally had to hold him back so other kids could take a turn, and I think he visited at least four times. He'd talk to Biscuit, pet him, hug him, give high fives... the kid was in love.

Here's a video clip of Max going to see Biscuit. I think this may be trip #4.  :-)  (At the end of the video, he's pointing to a screen that has a picture of a book cover featuring Biscuit. The other voice you hear is one of the librarians talking.)

https://youtu.be/9gv_6mVABWI

Here are a few miscellaneous videos:

Dancing to the music of his talented Uncle John and Cousin Valerie!

https://youtu.be/SJJ6AsJur5c





https://youtu.be/hzt9DAabcxk