Little Genius?

I've always know my kids are smart-and friends who spend any amount of time with them re-iterate that to me from time to time, but today Malachi was proving his math skills to me. Here is the conversation I had this morning with my 4 1/2 year old:

Mal: "Mommy, 1+2+3+4 is 10."
Me: (After running the math in my head), "Wow, Malachi, you're right!"
Mal: (Without missing a beat), "And 1+2+3+4+5 is 15!
Me: "That's right!"
Mal: "And 1+2+3+4+5+6 is 21."
Me: "Malachi, who told you this?"
Mal: "I learned it myself. And 1+2+3+4+5+6+7 is 28!"
Me: "Stop it, just stop it! You're too young to be doing MATH!!"
Mal: "And 1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8 is 36!"

So what do you think?

Tenderness...

It was a tender moment...

As I was kissing my baby boy "goodnight", our eyes met. In the last light of the day, we just lay there, taking each other in.

I took advantage of our 'moment':


"I love you, Mathias." I said.


He gently took his chubby little hand, placed it on my face...


...and pushed me away.

Whoa...

Well, as promised, I'm going to spend a minute updating you on Madison's condition.

She's been doing remarkably well, in my opinion. Aside from the occasional soreness, and, as of last night, extreme itchiness, she's been a very bright, positive young girl.

I picked the kids up from my friend Angie's last night after work, and Madison was already almost in tears over her itchy ears. I tried to get home as quickly as I could, but by the time I got home, she was practically screaming! So I caved and gave her two teaspoons of Tylenol with Codeine. I don't know if it was psychological, or what, but that seemed to calm her almost instantly. (That and the Disney Channel).

Then last night as I was kissing her "goodnight", (she was already sleeping) I couldn't help but notice that her bandage was down over her eyes, and the tops of her little ears were poking out the top! I called (quietly) for Seth to come help me pull it up, but we woke her in the process. I don't know if she was hurt, or just scared, but she did NOT like that! Finally, with Seth holding her arms, and I-very gingerly trying to pull up the gauze, we did get it back up to about halfway as far as the Dr. had it to begin with. Then we wrapped her entire head with an ACE Bandage. That seemed to hold it enough for her to go back to sleep.

Seth took the day off today since I took off Monday and Tuesday, and took her back in to see Dr. J. We wanted to know that her ears were still where they were supposed to be, and that our makeshift bandage would hold up until next Monday afternoon. Their appointment with the Dr. took all of 10 minutes, and they were cleared to go! I think we'll all be a little more careful about that thing falling too far down from now on!

Just pray for patience for us, and especially for Madison. Pray also that she will be comfortable these last 4 1/2 days until she can be free from all that gauze!

Thank you for all of your prayers and support!

Successful Surgery!

As Madison lays sleeping beside me, I can't help but thank God that everything went well during her surgery this morning.

Seth was not able to go with us to the surgery as he started a new phase of his job today. He didn't request the day off 2 weeks ago, as is proper protocol where he works. His supervisor just kept reassuring him that he could have as much time as he needed when the time came. Little did any one of us know, Seth was transferred from the shop to the field...today. Seth was unable to get ahold of anyone over the weekend to permit him to actually take the day off, so he figured he'd better show up to work...even if it meant he had to be at the jobsite over an hour away at 7am this morning.

So Madison and I, along with my mom and sister Brittany, arrived at the Surgery Center between 7:30 and 7:45. After filling out a few forms, we were brought to the back to be admitted. Madison cried from the minute she woke up this morning, to when the nurse and anesthesiologist had to pry her off of me to take her into surgery. I tried my best to encourage her, and my mom and Brittany helped me distract her.

Mom and Brit stayed with me for a while after they took Madison back. They even went out and bought me breakfast! But my mom had to teach a class at the Y this morning, so they left after a bit.

Dr. J. said that the surgery would take about an hour, so when we started gaining on an hour and a half, I started to worry. I had brought a book with me, but I couldn't concentrate on it. All I could think about were the irrational things that could be going on in the back...for your sake, I won't go there right now.

Finally, Dr. J. called me back to discuss the surgery with me. He said that everything went perfectly! He told me that he wished I could see her ears, that they looked great! He explained that she would have to wear her "head gear" until next Monday, when we'll go in to have Dr. J. take it off. After discussing her meds, he shook my hand and told me, "Congratulations" (I found that amusing).

Then the nurse took me back to sit with Madison as she slept off her anesthesia. She woke up a couple of times asking to go home, but fell immediately back to sleep. Finally, at about 12:15, we were discharged with a script for Tylenol with Codeine.

Madison occasionally stirs from her sleep to tell me that her throat hurts (they had to intibate her during the surgery since Dr. J. had to maneuver her head around some.) She's hungry, since she hasn't had anything to eat since 9:30 last night; but since she still has some nausea and vomiting, I'm starting her on the clear liquids/semi-solids rather slowly. She has had some water and about a half a cup of applesauce, and that seems to be sitting well with her for now. I've given her tylenol, and if that holds her until 3:40, I'll just give her motrin, and leave the Tylenol with Codeine alone. If regular Tylenol and Motrin work, I'm happy with that.

Thank you all for all of your love and prayers for Madison! I'll do my best to keep everyone updated on her situation.

Madison's Surgery-Before and After Part I

We promised Madison that she would have a brand new bedroom when she had her surgery...I guess a little sumpin'-sumpin' to sweeten the deal. So since her surgery is tomorrow morning, bright and early, we decided to push to finish it so that she could sleep in it the night before!

Here are the befores:

And here are the afters:

I appologize for such a dark picture, but I wanted to show you my favorite feature: the curtains. They're simply white panels with silk flowers hot glued onto them, but I LOVE THEM!

For the past year and a half, Madison and Malachi have shared a bedroom, leaving Mathias with this room as the nursery. We've decided that now's the time for Madison to once again have her own room, and to transition Mathias into his own "Big Boy" bed. In order for this change to take place, this room needed an overhaul. I have yet to hang Wall Art, and you may have noticed that the picture frames are empty, but I'm pretty happy with the outcome!

Surprise!

A couple of weeks ago, Seth informed me that I needed to clear my schedule for Friday night, February 13th. The reason being, that he was taking me somewhere, and I was not to know any more.

He worked out all of the details, including informing me what to wear and making sure the kids were taken care of (as we were going to be gone overnight).

This is where he took me:

This is the Spicer Castle Bed and Breakfast, located on beautiful (frozen) Green Lake in Spicer, MN. He booked us for a Murder Mystery Supper as well, which was a BLAST! We, along with 19 other guests, all gathered to the Main Dining room for a little role-play game of Clue! Seth and I played Richard S. and Liza S. Neak, the snoopy next door neighbors of Sir Roger Watersdown, a ficticious character who mysteriously drowned in his pool. Everyone at the table was a suspect, and it was up to all of us to find out whodunnit!

We slept in a charming little cabin, called the Martha room:

Our "Bathroom"

Cozy little fireplace

Seth and I with the other Mystery guests.

This was by far the best Valentine's Day I've ever had!