Very eventful past week

It has been one crazy-busy week! Let's see - last Friday I has the stomach flu which I caught from Dave (who had it on Monday). This as we had planned to head to the Farm to have a garage sale w/ Dad while Mom was in NC on vacation. Well - we did it anyway and last weekend we had a huge 2-day garage sale.

Then on Saturday - Dave knocked down a building on the farm. He was saying, "Well, a funny thing happened."

While milling around in the garage at Mom & Dad's I found the swing Uncle John made and WD enjoyed it for a while on Sunday morning before we went back to town for Day 2 of the sale.

THEN.... we got back and Monday night/Tuesday morning I had horrible pain in my leg from my back. So bad I couldn't really sleep after 3am. I ended up getting into the doctor on Tuesday morning and the ball started rolling. He didn't like some of the symptoms I gave, and he couldn't find a reflex in my right ankle. So he referred me for an immediate MRI at the hospital. He also referred me to the pain clinic in Ankeny the very next day (Wednesday) and told me that pending the results of the MRI I could need surgery, or at least some injections.

Turns out I have another disc herniation at L5-S1. I met with the pain management doctor on Wednesday and he was very nice, and took all the time I wanted to answer my questions, and he felt (and ended up making me feel) very confidant that he would be able to help me.

Thursday at 12:30 Dave drove me to the Mercy Ambulatory Surgery Center for what I totally thought was going to be 2 shots in the back, maybe a little numbness in the leg (hence needing the driver). Well...it was a little different than that...

They actually had me in an operating room, had like 4 nurses and the doctor, and then when I looked to my right - they were x-raying me the entire time to watch where the catheters were in my spine. It was so surreal!!! I looked up and I could see my own IUD - I started laughing - and I'm sure the nurses were thinking "Oh Boy - She should have opted for the sedation." The whole procedure took 20 minutes, and we were on the way home by 2:30. My pain is better, but still there. I still had to take a couple Vicodin last night as I woke up with pretty strong pain at 3 am again.

This is the closest picture to what I saw that I could find. Very similar, but my was of my low back and pelvis, and this is of the neck. But I thought you might get the idea.

This is what they did, term was actually Intraforaminal Epidural Steroid Injection.

This is what Dave and I came home to - Buddy Too will apparently need to be kenneled from now on, and we now have a new home improvement project.

And this - this is just the cutest kid ever - he was in my kitchen this morning. I hear he's got great parents too! :-)

That crazy boy...

Here William enjoys corn on the cob for the first time (last night 07-19-09).

Here William shows off his shiner. The picture doesn't show it very well, but he got a bug bite the day before at the sitter's just under his eye. Over night it swelled, and turned red, and made him look like he had a shiner.

I walked in to find William like this one morning last week. I love his face - he's so happy Mama is here to get him up!

4th of July

We went up north to Grandpa Don & Grandma Caroline's for the 4th. Dave's sister Cindy & her family were back from Chicago for their annual trip. Dave sister Kathy's family (from Pocahontas) was also there all weekend including our niece Jessica (who's due in November) and her boyfriend Damion. I was a very nice visit, if only the weather would have cooperated more. The nicest day was Sunday - the day we all drove home!

You can see the weather was very nice on Sunday in this picture of WD with G'pa & G'ma.

William spent some snuggle time with his cousin Christi (Cindy's), as cousin Danielle (Kathy's) looks on.

WD is all smiles when the camera comes out - but he was just too tired here with Bobby & Christi (Cindy's).

The drizzle didn't dampen our spirits on Saturday when we watched the parade.

More Fun on the Farm

Amy had to go to South to be prepared for court with her brother Rob's divorce last week and took William with her. But before she had o meet with the attorney, there was lots of fun to have on the farm! WD LOVED the kitties. He wanted G'ma & G'pa to get him one to hold and carry around. And as soon as he put one down he'd run back to have them give him another. The kittens tolerated him SO WELL!
It was a sweltering day so Amy filled the pool and William didn't take long to discover that he LOVED that just about as much as he loved the kitties.

Swingin' & singin' with G'pa Ray.

Playing on the Farm

We were recently at Grandpa Ray's & Grandma Karyn's and WD got to play outside. To avoid laundry issues, I stripped him down to his diaper. I thought he'd like the puddles more - but I dont' think it was the same if he wasn't going to get in trouble for getting muddy. :-)

"I hit the rocks again! What do I do now???"

"Ooohhh...this feels funny!"


"Hey - it's not very deep....or warm!"

OUR Weekend in pictures

PACKING:

WD enjoyed all the fun new "toys" that were drug out for us to go camping.

Here WD shows the newest toy he found - the new shower curtain rod (and his popcorn popper). Happy as a clam one moment...

...not so happy the next moment (this is his tantrum pose).

CAMPING:

Buddy enjoys the shade.

Raspberry prefers to sunbathe.

WD plays in his pen (can you see the "war paint" of sunblock that he's wearing?).

Dave relaxes with a book.

I relax while documenting our fun w/ the camera.

Out hiking.

Buddy Too snuggled up in Dave's sleeping bag.

WD woke up screaming inconsolably Friday night at 11:30pm and I had to take him for a ride in the car until he fell alseep (about 30min.). All we can think is that it was gas from the chili he had for supper. He seemed tired but fine the next day.

The next morning, Raspberry joins Buddy and tries to wake-up Dave by laying on his head (then licking his face continuously).

Blowin' in the wind - on the ride home.

A LITTLE OFF THE TOP.

BEFORE:

The long wavy locks in back.

Another happy as a clam moment...can't help but love them.

AFTER:

The trim didn't seem to phase him one bit.

Shorter, still wavy hair; and according to Uncle Rob it's even more blond.

All boy.

William apparently got curls and blue eyes from his father, and his luck and gracefulness from his mother.

Tuesday Night (5/12) William was climbing (as he tries to do with everything) the couch, and was up on the arm of the couch trying to reach the window when he slipped and fell head-first into the toy basket below. Light bump on the head, and tears. Mostly just bruised pride.

Friday (5/15) WD approached Grandma's friend's dog (Casey) the way he does with our lab Raspberry, and Casey wasn't having it. She nipped at him and grazed his right cheek. Nothing serious, but we are all hoping it doesn't happen again for the sake of WD and Casey's future. He was OK but had a slight black-eye and scratch on his cheek for our Pictures on Saturday morning.

Then Wednesday Morning (yesterday 5/20) he was at the top of our stairs and preparing to go down we were getting ready to to the sitter's and work. Raspberry decided she wanted to go out but chose to go between WD and the railing he was holding onto. This broke WD's grip and I couldn't grab his hand in time do I just got to witness him tumbling towards me. He cried for about 30 seconds, then wanted to look around outside. He now has carpet burn on the left side of his forehead, and the corner of his left eye.

Poor kid. At this rate he'll be lucky if he makes it to age 10!