M.A.O.

Little MAO not big MAO. I have done a lot of posts regarding Spence lately (with his hand surgery and all) and thought I better give a little update on Mase.

He is busy as a bee and talking NONSTOP. If he doesn't feel like you are listening he will continue to repeat and raise the volume level until you are. His vocabulary is astounding - it's amazing how many words he knows at this early age. He usually refers to Spencer as 'brother' but sometimes opts for the name he's given him 'Macer'...kind of a mix of Mason and Spencer I guess. He is obsessed with 'worktrucks' and loves to say 'goofball' any chance he gets. He loves to run, to read books, to dance (he'll ask for 'dance party' or to 'rock out') and is always walking around with a football in his hand.

I thought I would inlcude a little clip of him showing his great knowledge - although as it gets to the end (literally, the bum, it will all make sense in a minute) he decides to tease me as if he doesn't know the answer. Both of the boys have watched this many times already and CRACK UP when it gets to that point every time. Isn't he just so darn cute?!

I'm just gonna say it...

Richard Simmons BUGS! Seriously: the hair, the bedazzled shirts, the short shorts, and the VOICE. Ohmylanta, I can't handle him. How is he even relevant anymore? I just saw a snipit of him on a talk show and he was saying he turned out his 58th Sweatin to the Oldies workout video. That's right, his 58th. First of all, who is still buying those things and second of all who is having them on their show to promote it?! Oh yeah, and he was talking about how he collects dolls and said 'I have 600 dolls on the first floor of my house'....FREAKSHOW!!!!

Then I started thinking to myself, 'self, what would be more scary...an encounter with Richie Simms or an encounter with a clown?' And you know, I couldn't answer it. And then I thought...wow, Richard Simmons in full clown attire would be really scary...I mean, really, like the end of my life as I know it. And because of my random thought process I have a feeling that I am going to have a nightmare about this very thing tonight. I hope he's not following my blog because I'm sure he's a nice guy and I would hate to hurt his feelings (well I wouldn't hate it as much as I'd feel bad) but even worse, I don't want to give him any ideas.

Some things you just need to get off your chest - phew, I feel better now.

Peppy Patient

Spencer's surgery went very well. Believe it or not the hardest thing that morning was getting him to put the hospital gown on! The facility was beautiful and the staff was very kind. He even got to take a wagon ride back to the O.R. and to the car when it was time to leave. The worst part for us as parents was seeing him come out of the anesthesia...ugh! He had what the doc referred to as 'the screamy ninjies'...not quite a medical term, but pretty darn accurate. But later that day he was already getting back to his normal self and even dancing around.

As I've shared with some of you already - keeping his hand clean, dry and wrapped is a huge pain in the arse! It's been almost completely unraveled once and then some parts of it have been randomly pulled out. The other day he and Mase got into it and I actually heard myself say outloud "Spence, don't hit with your bad hand!"....uh, how about don't hit at all?! To top it off, today while he was outside (yes, we've had a heatwave of highs in the 50's) he was digging in the dirt with that hand! Luckily he had just started and Micah was able to get him right inside...but still!

We go back to the doc this week for our follow up appt and to have his dressing removed...that can't come soon enough! But he is already able to move his thumb like normal and he's happy that it's fixed. We are thankful it is fixed and that he has been in such good spirits!

Yes, even with this blue tape on his hand

he was still able to pull some of the dressing off

The surgical gloves that gave us to put over his hand at

bathtime were too small - so the first night we had to use

a bag which he did not like but wanted a photo of anyway

Thumbs down :(

Hand surgery it is. We went to the specialist this morning (which took 2 hours...ugh) and he said that it is the only option...so we are scheduled for Thursday. Like I said before, it could be worse but we're still not thrilled about having to do this...plus keeping his hand dry for a week should be "interesting"!

And by the way, I think all doctors, no matter their specialty need a little more training in engagement skills! Kavita, KG - maybe we could start up a consultation/training company that specializes in this? Seriously, this doc came to the waiting room and called Spencer's name and then was off like a shot! We had to do a slow jog to catch up to him, and then when we did he never even introduced himself to us. Annoying, right? There were lots of other little things like that (and I know not every doctor is like this) but really, I'm not asking that much. I have experienced many docs like this in my professional life but at least their staff made up for it. That's another thing about being in a small city - your choices are very limited. However, from our time with him I am confident he'll do a great job on the surgery and that's what really matters. More to come later this week....

In a nutshell

I can't tell you how many times people say, "There are hardly any photos of you on your blog" or "Why is your Facebook photo so old?" or...well, you get the idea. Lemme tell you why. Because I am the only one who takes pictures in this family, hence, since I am behind the lens, I am rarely in front of it. I did marry an 'ar-teest', a photographer and a photoshop expert (literally) so I should have the best photo EVER! But I don't. Go figure. That's what I have to say on that topic, in a nutshell.

A dozen and two later...

12 years ago (today) Micah and I went on our first date....and here we are now with two little ones! We went to see a movie - Werewolf In Paris (I know, typical first date, right). And I cannot remember anything about the movie...except that I was sick...but I must have been so smitten with Micah that I still went out nevertheless. I can still remember what Micah wore (probably because I worked at a retail store at the time and sold the shirt to him) but have no clue what I was wearing. It was the 90's so I am sure it was something fabulous. Who would have thought at the time that after all these years we would be married with two kids?! Seriously, who thought that, I wanna know - because considering it took us six years to get hitched I'd say no one did (well except for my BFF who predicted it way in advance - shout out to you BB). Anyway, we were just reminiscing about our first date so I'd thought I'd share it with you. Unfortunately we don't have any photos from that night, but we do have some of us early on:

Okay, Micah looks REALLY young here

One of Micah's co-workers saw this photo one time

and asked if I was his SISTER! Uh, no, try future wife!