Proud Momma

Yes, all moms are proud of their kids and love them to no end...
But I love mine more! ;)

Jensen, our oldest, broke his right arm last week. Yep. Clean break across the radius just below his wrist, and his ulna was also fractured but didn't have a complete break. All for a pillow fight.

He climbed up to his top bunk to fetch his pillow so he could pummel his sister with it. On his way down, he slipped. The fall itself didn't cause the broken arm, the impact on a toy did. This talking, story-reading bear was laying there on the floor minding his own business, when this kid's arm came crashing down atop his rock-hard backpack. Surprisingly, Jensen only screamed for about 30 seconds to a minute. Daddy, as clever as he is, created a splint out of matchbox race track pieces and a towel. (Awesome job Tim! )

A few seconds later, Jensen and I were on our way to the ER. The entire ride (15-20min) he was calm, and collected... while I was on the verge of panicking. He even asked me to stop talking to him (I was trying to distract him from the arm) so he could rest. We finally arrive; they ask questions and he doesn't "feel like talking" so I give them what they need. He was so calm, I couldn't believe it. The only time he fussed was when they needed to touch the arm to check his pulse in it. Onto our suite in the ER. He became agitated while they were trying to get him to move here, turn this way, let me check this but never lost it. During the x-rays, poking, prodding, IV, he just sat there calm with the expression on his face "just get it over with so I can go home".

So, they sedated him (sleep) to try to 'set' the radius back where it was supposed to be. Seven attempts (yes 7) later they were still unsuccessful. They said that because the ulna was still intact, it made it very difficult to move the radius in place. They finally gave up and called the children's hospital for advice. He and I took an ambulance ride down there. All through that roller-coaster-like ride, he slept, and I sat there feeling so helpless looking at him while my back screamed in pain (no back support in the seat which was sideways).

The children's hospital took more x-rays and was appalled to hear that the ER didn't use any pain medication, and just sedated him for the attempts at adjusting his arm. Pain reliever helps to get the body to relax more so they can move things more easily (that's what they told me). So after waiting several hours to be in the 'safe' zone, where he could be medicated and sedated again, they set up for another attempt to set the bone in place. After three attempts, they were successful and placed a blue cast on the arm.

Jensen was so exhausted from the last 9 hours that it took him quite a while to wake up from the sedation. Finally after all that we were able to go home. I had been up for 25 hours at that point and was pretty much out of it when they explained the discharge instructions to me. Thank God for written instructions!  Daddy came to pick us up and we headed home.

Over the last few days he never once complained about his arm, or anything. He was just himself. I am so in awe of the strength of that child, I mean, he's only 6! So independent, insisting on learning to do everything he did before with his 'new' arm. So proud of himself when he returned to school and realized he can still write with his right hand. Though I'm sure he's most pleased with the fact he can still play his DS.


Stacey, that girl, all I can do is shake my head when I think of her and her personality. Always willing to jump at trying new things on her own. She potty trained herself for goodness-sake! Now she's taking on so many new things. Recently decided she was going to start writing, and practice learning her ABC's. Her first try, she wrote several letters of the alphabet with ease. Now I vividly remember Jensen having difficulty with writing until just before Kindergarten. Her intellect is just amazing to me.

Her personality is what worries me though. She's pretty, she knows it. She's not like some little girls who walk around thinking they're royalty, like Disney portrays. She's very shy and modest... and oh so girlie! That mixed with Dad's personality is oh so dangerous! Very quick-witted, so expressive, and won't take any crap from anyone -- she tells it like it is! I heard her and her brother playing one day and out of the blue she goes "you better watch out for me, baby!". Now, I watch and review EVERYTHING that they read or view. I have absolutely no idea where that came from, except from her own mind.

Jake is another story in himself. It's very obvious he's intellectual. Anything mechanical, or with many parts, he will sit and examine. Always trying to figure everything out. Even people, he'll watch so carefully, you can see it in his facial expressions just how hard he's concentrating. No matter how frustrating something may be, that he cannot figure out right away, that boy will continue to p*ss himself off until he figures it out. Him learning to craw, stand, and cruise are all fine examples. He's 8 1/2 months now and loves to show off what he can do. Standing on his own, doing squats up and down with the biggest "look what i can do" expression he can muster. Earlier today, while eating breakfast, he's sitting in his chair and slowly losing interest in eating. So, I start chit-chatting with him. The whole time he's watching my mouth so carefully. I mention "da da" and his eyes light up. "hmm.. let's see if he can figure this out" I thought. So I lean forward, his eyes still on my mouth, and say slowly/deliberately "Da da". He smiled sweetly, moved his mouth a little, then stopped and stared at my mouth again. "Do it again Mom, I almost got this!" I say it again, a bigger smile he gives. He says "Da!" I smile back at him "Yea! That's it! Da da." Again, that big smirk comes across his face as if to say "ha, I got it now!" and it happens "Da da!" Ohhh! My heart swelled and I cheered "Yes! You did it! Da da!" He said it several more times, clearly proud of himself.

Now we wait for Daddy to get back home from training to show him this new skill.
Speaking of Daddy being gone, he left the day after Jensen broke his arm and the first week of school had finished. (Jensen now in 1st and Stacey in Pre-K)

Those kids didn't miss a beat. Obviously they would rather Daddy could stay home, but when I see how well they cope with such change... it makes my heart swell with pride. Jensen with his 'new' arm, starting a new school year with a new teacher. Stacey, starting school for the first time ever. Jake making great strides in physical and cognitive abilities, and suddenly no siblings to play with during the day. All of them doing so well, no acting out, nothing. Despite having routines changed, Daddy missing, all these new things going on, they continue to thrive and be happy. It's so amazing how resilient kids are!