Marvelous Monday and Fuzzy Freddie

This morning I got a text message from Greg's cousin, Jennifer, saying that she was going to be at Disneyland...so what did I do?? I packed up the kids and headed over to say hi!!!

We met Jennifer and her friend, and we rode the Holiday themed Haunted Mansion, and we were even able to get Karyl on it and for her to enjoy it!! She used to be afraid of it and for the last year refused to ride on it, but we've got her back on the wagon and she LOVED the pumpkins and the other decorations!!

Here are a few cute pictures from this morning...Freddie was such a trooper!!!

Jennifer and her friend on Haunted Mansion....

Freddie and me enjoying the air conditioning on the ride!!!

Karyl super excited to get on the ride and see all the pumpkins and deocrations!!

And here are some pictures of Freddie from yesterday...with his buzzed (fuzzy) head. He looks super cute, right?!?!

He looks so much better with all the Steri-Strips off!! I finally pulled them off yesterday morning during his bath, he just looks a little more normal with them off.

And this picture is for Auntie Kendra....

Between this picture and the one above you get a pretty good idea of what he looks like sans Steri-Strips!! You can see him in person on Thursday =)

Oh those kids....

Here are some cute pictures from this afternoon of Karyl and Uncle David...they drew all over the sidewalk with chalk and danced around. Uncle David even showed Karyl how to make it "rain ice." They took the crushed ice from the fridge and continually threw it up in the air....great...

Anyways, 2 cute pictures of Karyl and David...

Then here are 3 pics of Freddie with his head buzzed. It's amazing how fast this kid's hair grows back. I didn't touch where they shaved his head for the surgery and I can't believe how fast that grew back!! These are also good pics of his scar...all the dried stuff is starting to come off and the Steri-Strips are slowly working their way off. The scars on the side of his head look awesome!!

I know you're wondering so I'll tell you...the orange-ish looking stuff on the front of his head is the stuff from the surgery...it's fading, but there's no easy way to get it off...so we are aware it's there and looks silly!!

And look at those killer blue eyes!!! Blond hair and blue eyes...what a babe he's going to be!!

Lowe's Project

This morning we headed to Lowe's for our twice monthly project. This week it was a Firetruck and they even had the real thing there for the kids to see after they made their trucks!! Karyl still isn't brave enough to climb up on the truck, but she did let the firemen get close enough to take a picture with her!!

Also, if you notice in the background the Corona Firetrucks are white...we always wondered why and I found out today. Apparently years ago they thought they would be more visible but they have discovered that the color really doesn't make a difference, so they are going back to the traditional red for all their new engines.

Who says you can't learn something new every day??

This morning the boys (men) are pouring the RV access/side driveway. Here is the picture of them putting all the stuff down for the bottom layer. In case you're wondering there are 5 guys out there right now sweating in the sun and laughing a little too hard...Greg and my brother, Uncle Misi and the Elders...those poor Elders had no idea what they were in for!!


And this is just a cute picture of Daddy and Freddie from Thursday night...I shaved his head yesterday, so when I get a picture of it with the camera I'll put it up...he looks really good with only a little bit of hair =)

Updates on the boys (and men)...

This morning I took Freddie to see the Neurosurgeon to check on his head and he said he looks great!! He and his PA even started peeling some of the Steri-Strips off and cleaning off the incision (Freddie wasn't too happy about it but he managed!!). The doctor said that it looks like he won't need to wear a helmet to help shape anything and that we caught it just in time because his brain is already taking advantage of the extra growing room!! Originally the piece of his skull they took out was about as wide as a finger...now the space has grown to almost 3 times that size (that's a good thing!!). His brain is growing and expanding and there won't be any long term consequences from the original problem!! He has had no more swelling since the day we brought him home and as far as his personality is concerned he has no idea what happened!! he even broke 2 teeth on Monday that look so darn cute!!

When we left the Dr.'s office they had said that usually kids who have surgery get to pick a toy, but since he was so small Karyl could pick one. They had a room full of toys..not just plastic Dentist's office toys, but real toys!! I suggested Karyl get the CandyLand game since Freddie could play it when he got older too...and luckily I kept her from seeing the 3-1/2 foot Cinderella doll that was perched against the wall, otherwise she would have taken that, I'm positive!!

So, we go back in 3 months to have everything checked, but otherwise he's great!! In 1% of kids the bone grows over in a month so we have to keep an eye out to make sure the spot doesn't close up, but it's been a week and with all the expansion his brain is doing I can't imagine it closing that fast!!

Thanks again to everyone for the prayers and well wishes...you made a difference, we wouldn't have had such a great outcome without you!!

Here are a few pictures of Freddie and of what the boys are working on today since it's Greg's day off...

If you look really closely at the picture above you can see his bottom tooth...

And below...look at how sweet he looks when he's sleeping...

The big question was how do you move a 30 year old air-conditioning unit to cement underneath it without it falling apart...of course Misi had an answer....

And this is what the boys were up to 2 Saturdays ago...apparently sidewalk chalk isn't just for the kids anymore....only my brother would dare to write all over our wall in the backyard

Sometimes I wonder if the boys have a little too much fun working out there.....

Our little champ...

We are home!! The surgery was a complete success, thanks to all of your prayers and calls to the Temples and your happy thoughts. Fredrick is doing amazing and is getting better every day!

The doctors and nurses at CHOC were absolutely amazing...I can't say enough about how wonderful they all were. Those nurses are what I would imagine angels to be like, with neverending patience and unconditional love for all those children.

Here they are at 6am Thursday morning heading to the hospital to start our adventure

Let's start out with the before and after shots...

in the first picture you can see how the back of his head sloped down and he had almost a point on the back of his head...

And after...the back of his head is flat!!!!!

Some last minute snuggles before they took him back for surgery...he had fallen asleep in Greg's arms...he never sleeps in our arms

This is him a few hours after the surgery...he did lots of sleeping that first day which made for a few great chances to cuddle with him on our laps. It was much easier though once that nasty drain was out!!!

Here he is on Friday...day 2 with the drain out and just sleeping so peacefully!!

Here he is on Friday, acting just like good ol' Freddie playing with his foot

Can you believe this, not even 48 hours after having his head split open from ear to ear and his skull cut apart he's making faces at us and just being sweet!!

I know, this one looks a little somber, but you can see his beautiful blue eyes!!

And just so you don't think he made it through completely unscathed, here is a pic of him Saturday morning when the swelling started...he woke up with his right eye almost swollen shut and his head looking kinda lopsided, but that was the worst of it. Both of his eyes were supposed to swell shut, so he did really well!!

He's been home for 2 nights now, and while he isn't back to sleeping completely through the night yet, he's only waking up once and that's probably because we have him sleeping in the swing and bouncy chair to keep him from swelling. He looks amazing and with his hat on you'd never even know he had surgery!!

Thank you again to all of you for your prayers, he would have never made it out of this surgery so well without all your love and support. All of the doctors and nurses that came by thought he had been in there for a week because he looked so great. He really was a champ and we know it was because of all the love and prayers.

We will keep you updated as the time goes on and he heals.

Google it....

Craniosynostosis

Freddie has it, the surgery is on Thursday to fix it.

It's late and I don't have the energy to sit here and explain what it is and all of that, I'm sorry. I had a long and exhausting day at the CHOC Medical Center in Orange and it has been a roller coaster ride for my emotions all day.

Go ahead, Google it....I'll write more tomorrow, or whenever I feel up to it...Good Night.

It's been a while...

I know, it's been a while....but I have some time now to sit and relax (and not work) so I am going to try and get caught up on all the blogging I missed in the past 2 weeks. As most of you are aware, I had to have my gallbladder out last Friday morning so I have been lying low since then but today is looking to be a good day and I think the turning point as far as my recovery goes. This morning I have only taken 3 ibuprofens as opposed to the stronger stuff, and I was able to lift Freddie out of his bed about 10 minutes ago, change his diaper and put him in his bouncer...all without straining anything!!

While I was changing Freddie Karyl was having fun playing with him and making him laugh, so here are some pictures of him.

Look at those eyes...I like to call them "heart-break blue"

Oh, and Freddie talks now =) He babbles, but also says "Da-Da"!! Yay!!! Now Greg and I are one for one in the first words department!!

We also took Freddie for his 6 month check-up and here are his chart-topping stats:
Weight: 21.5 pounds
Height: 27.5 inches

Apparently he is the largest baby they've seen as far as weight and height ever in that office...and thankfully he's considered perfectly healthy!! The doctor again congratulated me on how well I was feeding him and taking care of him and encouraged me to keeo doing what I was doing. I really appreciated the boost of confidence from the doctor, it made me feel like I was doing everything just right for him!!

Oh, and so Karyl doesn't get left without representation, she had to go to the doctor's too (this has been a week for medical problems...) and after weighing her we discovered she comes in at a very sturdy 31.5 pounds!! I can't believe how big she is getting!!