Earlier in the week (Thursday) it was warm enough to take a walk and only have to wear a jacket. We went across the street to the "circle street". Will had fun playing in the remains of the snow. By today most of it is gone, but there is still some in the shade. Today we didn't even need a jacket!
Alex's tube is out! James said he did fine. Something had already come out so if he'd need more antibiotics he wouldn't have been able to have them anyway. He seems to be making up for those weeks he lost not being able to walk. It seems he doesn't stop–even when he's standing still he often is moving his feet back and forth.
I didn't get to go because I am sick. Will is also sick and threw up for the first time. I"m thankful we made it 3 1/2 years before dealing with that. Oddly, each time it happened he was more chipper and wanted more food or drink. And he wanted to go out and play–it was our first day in the 60s. We let him go out and he got sick again, so he was stuck inside. He's doing better now though.
Alex got his last treatment this morning. We're done!
He woke up about 11 pm (the usual time for the last treatment of the day) and we didn't have to bother him. He cried for a minute or two and then went right back to sleep on his own (without being nursed/or having his back patted to put him back to sleep)!
This last weekend we went up to Northern Indiana to see a friend of James' from college and his wife. We had a great time with them and their two boys. Their oldest (E) was 2 when we were marri
ed–he's now 8! (That seems so much older/longer then saying we've been married for 6 years.) They also have a boy (L) who is a month older then Will. Those two had a great time running around and playing. E had fun playing with Alex.
While we were "up there", we went to IKEA on Saturday. What a crazy day to go to that store! We got the things we needed–a new dresser for Will (his old one is falling apart and missing a drawer), drawer organizers, glasses for our kitchen, and some new baskets to replace some I've had for 3 years that are now falling apart (thanks to help from Alex). They live about an hour from the store. Will chose to ride in their van with the other big boys. He had a great time pointing out EVERY TIME they went under a bridge (or under an overpass) and was amazed at the EL (the "bus train" as he called it). James and I enjoyed the peace of driving without Will. 
Once at IKEA Will and L went to play in the playroom. About 30 minutes later we heard James being paged to come back to "Small Land". Then we heard the other dad being paged. We were worried our kids had been kicked out, but it turns out there were some "Bad Kids" there who Will and L didn't want to play around anymore. After that I felt the pressure to get the shopping trip done, the boys were hungry. I got everything and then we had lunch at the Rain Forest Cafe. We came home that evening so we could go to church here. It was a fun time but really wore the kids out.
Yesterday Will said, "When I get big I'm going to be a race car driver and a truck driver. I'm going to drive a FAST car."
Now you know. Is a race car driver who drives a slow car really a race car driver?
…..
We drove up to Northern Indiana this weekend (I'll share more about that tomorrow). Going up we stopped to streach and get a small snack. Will was excited because he got to get a small chocolate shake (that Mommy ended up drinking half of when he was full–to bad they don't make 'extra small' ones). He wanted to order it himself, so I let him. He told the cashier he wanted a "Chocolate small shake" (the cashier heard that as a chocolate milk shake–I had to make sure he got a small one).
I'm not sure if that was what prompted Will's next comment as we waited for our drinks. He saw an African American gentleman next to us and said "Mommy, look, there's a chocolate man!" I was really hoping no one heard or understood him when another black man came in line behind us and Will said "There's ANOTHER chocolate man!" (And, sadly, Will is not quiet.)
The boys have a series of "shakers" they love to shake to music (or in Alex's case, just walk around and shake). Often I'll sing to them "Shake, shake, shake…shake, shake, shake, you're rattle…". One day I decided to sing the actual words of the chorus "shake your bootie". (That is really all of the song I know!) Will thought that was SO funny and he loves to sing that now. I asked him the other day if he knew what a "bootie" was. He said, "Yes, it's a shoe." (As in baby booties? Ah-ha!) We'll let him think he's singing about a shoe.
…..
I have a live version of The Police singing "I Can't Stand Losing You" on my finetune.com playlist (it's a place you can make up a play list of music and listen to it…since I don't have an ipod or anything like that, it's my chance to hear music I like that's not on the radio). Anyway, they break into a great improv part in the song, singing "Daylight Coming, We Want To Come Home….Day-o" (I have no idea the title, can you tell?). Will calls that the Diego song, and wants to know why they're singing about Diego (Dora's cousin). I'm going to have to come up with a good reason by the next time he hears it, he doesn't buy that they are singing "Day-o".
Those were both really long explanations about two small, funny things. Hmmm, sorry about that. It was more so I could remember things that crack me up. It's odd how fast he's changing. I realized today I have no problem giving him "paper" books–it used to only be cardboard, or paper if Mommy is there because he'd tear them. Now he loves to look at all his books and knows how to treat them. Yet can't remember when he changed…it's just interesting to look back and suddenly realize how much he's grown.
When I was in college I had a Residence Hall Dir. who would make a big deal about the first day of March. Even though the weather would most likley be crappy (this is Indiana), March just SOUNDS better, she insisted. And I happen to agree. Also, the first day of spring will be around the corner soon. And this is James' birthday month.
Will associates each month with who ever has a birthday in it right now. So when I told him today was March 1st, he said "Happy Birthday Daddy!". We've tried to tell him there are a few days before Daddy's birthday, but he kept insisting today was James' birthday. Yesterday I told him we need to think what we should get Daddy. Will said "A tractor!" I said, "No, think of what Daddy would want, not what you would want. Daddy already has a tractor." Will said "Daddy wants a tractor Birthday party!" I don't think I'll be trying to make a tractor cake.
Today was Alex's visit to the Infectious Disease Specialists. We're up for one more week of treatments. I knew I was getting my hopes up to be done today, but as I expected Dr. B wants to be cautious (since he doesn't know what bacteria he's fighting) and go for one more week. James had wondered earlier in the week how they would get the tube out of him. If he had gotten a PICC line, it would have been pulled out in the office. But this line will require either a visit back at the surgeon's office or actual surgery again. Dr. B called the surgeon for us and we're waiting for a call back.
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