Avery Update

We got the results back from Avery's MRI and they came back Normal... THANK GOD. The little "lump" they found on his back showed to just be some soft tissue and nothing to worry about. I spoke with the Doctor and we are back at square 1 at trying to figure out what could be causing him pain. The doctor wants us to wait 2 weeks and see if he is still complaining/waking/crying in his sleep etc... and if so then he said he may send us in for an ultrasound of his abdomen to rule out anything there causing any issues.

Thank you ALL for your prayers for Avery... we are glad that this showed nothing, and pray that his pain can go away on its own!

The A Team

been a bit

so things have been pretty crazy around our house. I've had a migraine since Sunday, so my time on the computer has been limited... Avery went and had his MRI yesterday, it was awful having to watch him be put under again... the procedure took about an hour, he threw up 4 times yesterday after the procedue but as of last night he was back to his old self.

Avery now knows how to come in our room in the night, and climb up in our bed without even waking us... this has become his routine since he keeps walking with his back pain... hopefully once we get some answers and get him better he will go back to sleeping through the night in his own bed.

AJ has now gone 2 weeks sleeping through the night... going to bed between 9-9:30 and waking between 5:30-6:30...

I will post results once I get them from Avery MRI.. sorry so short of an update!

Pictures from Centreville Days, the Reston Zoo... and just hanging with the boys

To view the webpage go to: onetruemedia

Stole the show

Avery just lights up a room... not just to me, but to others around. Theresa and I took Avery up to Centreville Days, this past Saturday afternoon. Adam stayed home with AJ, as AJ was napping, and Adam wanted some veg time. As we were talking to C.days, there were some police man standing near his car... by the event. We had been talking with Avery, about how Police are good people, and we thank them for all they do for us, etc etc... so he say the car and asked to see it. I asked the officer if my son could look in the window... not only did he allow that, he talked with Avery, opened the car, let him sit in it, let us get pictures, then told us to have him get a picture near the seal. It was priceless.

SO we go to the fair, and the Centreville Fire department was there... one of the gentlemen gave Avery a hat (and one for his baby brother), and was talking to Avery, asked him how old he was, and other stuff... Avery asked him where the fire truck was, he said it was at the station but to tell him mommy to take him by there on his way home if he was a good boy.. which he promised to be.

So liked we were asked.. we stopped at the firestation on our way home. Not only did Avery get to see the fire truck, one of the guys turned on the lights, let him sit in the truck, and put on all of the gear to show him what they looked like when they went to fight a fire...

On top of all that fun day, Avery got to spend the night with his T.T.... so he was just has happy as could be!

Prayers for Avery - Update

I have never been more validated in my feelings about listening to my gut, and my boys than I was on Friday.

I took Avery into the doctor to see Dr. Javandi (Dr. G has Avery says his name). He examed Avery completely.. then had him stand on the table in his birthday suit to get a look at his back... he noticed a blue spot (very fant) and asked if I saw it too.. I did, it touched and felt around and thought it was a hematoma but under the skin, and was going to get another opion from another dr. In came Dr. Rosbach. Both of them examed Avery, felt the spot, moved the spot.

They said basically they believe it is a cluster of blood vessels (hemotoma) that has come up to the skin. Normally it won't affect anything unless it was affecting the bone/causing pain... if that was the case then surgery would be invovled to remove it. Then he said the T word, he said it would be called a tumor as any type of mass would but that it was begnin... because of the blood work done the week before it should all of his levels perfect so we didn't have to worry about the "C" word. A blessing from God.

So the next step, Avery is scheduled for a sedated MRI (gulp) on Sept 26th at 7am.

Prayers for Avery

The last couple of months Avery has been complaining of pain in his back. We took him to the Doctor in August and they did some blood work up (came back normal), and thought it was most likely an attention getting due to the changes in our family. While we could see their point, we have definetly made it clear that Avery has his time with each of us, and he has shown little signs of jealous (behind minor wanting to be held when we are holding the baby etc). Never the less, she said to give it a month and see if he is still complaining.

Well fast forward, 4 weeks and he is still complaining, he hasn't sleep through the night since the end of July (middle july), which is SOO not Avery because he normally sleeps through anything. He complains about his back hurting at night, crying in the middle of the night in his sleep saying it hurts, when you change his diaper and make him lay down he will say it hurts, so we took him back in, more blood work and urine check and it all came back negative.

His school called and said he has another nose bleed (number 5 or 6) since July. So I called the doctor back and instead of waiting and trying to pursuede the nurse to do something I have an appointment for him tomorrow at 3pm to see one of the Doctors. I pray that it is something as simple as a pinched nerve.. or something minor, but want to find out so that my little boy can stop being in pain and can once again have peacefull sleep.

It takes a village

As my kids get older, I am starting to learn the value in the statement "it takes a village to raise a child" We are blessed to have active family members being a part of our boys life, whether they are local, states away, or around the world. They still all play their unique role in helping to shape/mold our children. While Adam and I are very active parents in our children's life (which if you listen to the news is a rarity in society), we know that there are others outside of our lives who also have a great impact to make on our children, in helping to mold them into the best boys/young men they can be.

They have their TT, that they get to see everyday, and learn from, play with, and exploit... Avery loves to ask TT to "go see kitty" now he wants nothing to do with the kitty, but he knows its his way to get downstairs and play with her down there... he also loves to "spend the night with TT".

They have their "Maw-Gra" Avery's very own created word. He loves going to visit, I think partially because he knows he gets away with more...lol. He loves "presents" and talking on the phone with Maw-Gra and lately all he can talk about is wanting to fly and go see her (we stopped telling him because he he wants to go right then).

They has their Uncles: Steve and Chase, and his Aunts "Ria" and Monica "pronouced "ma-Onica" Avery LOVES to mess with his Aunt Ria, and always ask for "uncle chase" and act like he can't be bother with her... then he just laughs.

They has their cousins, Charles, Ty, Rachael.. as well as other cousins..

They have our close Friends the Caleb's and their son Cameron. Miss Michele.. who Avery just loves to play shy around, and then try to knock her over.. and that is just 2 of our close friends.

I could go on and own, about all of the people close to us, who have an influence in our child's life.

I was talking with a co-worker today at work, and we were talking about schools, and she was asking about the schools we looked at, and we both commented about how as parents we have to communicate with other parents if we want to be able to provide the best for our children... that is when it hit me. Of course if you want to be one of those "do it all myself" types your children will come out great, but there is soo much more in life, that we can't provide for our children, just the experiences, the life lessons that someone else maybe able to share with our kids.

We want our children to come into a room, and everybody want to hold, hug/give kisses to them.. we want them to be loved by others, and not just cling to us.

We are so glad that are boys are loved by sooo many people, and that so many have taken the time to invest in our kids. We are for ever indepted to you. While we know we make the strongest impression on our children as their parents, we also know that all of those closest to us also leave their mark in our kids lives and their hearts.

Bye Daddy

Well we thought the transition to the new school would last longer than a day but I guess we were wrong. I talked to Adam after he dropped Avery off at school, and I aked him how it went and he said "he told me bye" Adam said he took Avery into his class Avery went and sat at the table with the other kids, Adam asked for a kiss and Avery said "bye daddy." I guess we picked a good school. Last night, besides the mound of sand in his shoes from the playground, Avery I think was asleep the minute his head hit his pillow... it is wonderful to know that he is that tired from a full fun day.

Now to my other little ANGEL.. my MOBILE little ANGEL!!! Yes we have movement... EVERYWHERE... AJ is either rolling to get where he wants to go, or inch worm crawling. He was ALL over the family room last night. he'd roll until he hit the couch... inch his way in a new direction and start rolling the other way. It is soo cute to watch him grow, and to see him smile when we come home... or to watch how he watches his big brother. Have I said before how I love my boys?

And another one bites the dust

45-35.... need I say more!

First Day of School

So we began this weekend, (well actually ever since last wednesday), talking to Avery about going back to school. We have been talking about how fun it was going to be, the playground, all the other kids. I had his bags all packed last night, one of his "blankets" for nap time, and his RJ dog (boxer stuffed animal), While I know its not kindegarden, elementary... high school or college it is still a big deal when you are leaving 1 of your 2 more prized possessions in the hands of someone that isn't family. We are blessed to have Adam's mom watch the boys and we can go to work knowing they are safe and loved, and taken care off... but alast after Avery's 3 week "vacation" as we searched for a new school it was time that he got back into a "school" setting. Adam dropped him off this morning, that was quite hard for me, not being there when he was going to school for the first time, but I knew Daddy was there, and could handle it, and I didn't want to make it out to be bigger than it was.

Adam called me after he got dropped off and said that Avery had a muffin, when they got there... that he would run around and play, but then come back to Adam and say "lets go bye bye daddy" Adam said he cried when he left, but it wasn't that bad.

I just calle the school and they said that Avery was doing great. That they were having circle time, and he was sitting down in circle time having a good time. I can't wait to pick him up at school today, I may try to sneak out a few minutes early just to get my little boy.

Be carefull

We had a play group today at a local park, I've posted about this park before. We left AJ at home with TT, because it was just too hot out. The car temp was reading 95-97 outside. Plus it was nice to be able to take Avery on an outing with both of us, and have some good time with us. The road leading up to the park was quite hilly, and Avery enjoyed saing "woah" over every hill. As we were reaching the crest of a rather large hill Avery calls out "be carefull, be carefull daddy" We all just busted out in laughter. How funny it is, that in life you sometimes need a two your old to remind you to watch what you are doing (although it wasn't really needed), it does remind you that they are always watching!

just try one bite

So many times in life we get comfortable with the way things are and don't allow ourselves the opportunity to try something new. We close ourselves off to what is not the norm.

Just 1 bite is what we are teaching Avery. You don't have to like it, and you don't have to eat a lot of it, but you have to try 1 bite. We want him to be able to live "outside" the box, to not conform to just what we are used to, or to limit himself to what he likes, because if you don't try just 1 bite you don't know you might be missing out on something great.

So the next time you are asked to step outside of your box... remember just 1 bite.

Go to School Please

So yesterday Adam and I took off work, to go "school shopping" for Avery. He has been home for 2 weeks, and while he loves spending time with TT, he needs more. So yesterday Adam, Avery and I went and visited 5 different schools (well actually 4, 1 was actually shut down.)

While all schools have good qualities, I think after touring the different schools, speaking with the teachers, and going off "gut feeling" Avery will be starting Sully Station Children's Center next monday. He cried, and I mean CRIED when we left the school yesterday. The kids in his new class were on the play ground and he just had so much fun out there playing with them. I hope and pray that we have an easy transistion and he adjusts quickly to his new school.

More Salad Please

So we've already established that Avery is not your average child when it comes to taste buds. This is the child that doesn't like ketchup on food, but will eat it with a spoon. Won't touch Mac n Cheese, Peanut Butter Sandwiches no way... Will pass up cake for an apple, (well sometimes)... but the other night just took the cake. We were eating dinner, a simple dinner, chicken, mac n cheese and salad. Avery wanted some salad (which he had eaten before), so we made him his own small bowl, and he had 1/2 a chicken breast. We put a small spoon of mac n cheese (we are trying to get him to try new things). He wouldn't touch the mac, not even to eat a chip... BUT he did ask for more salad please... who would have thunk it!

To watch Avery's language develop is such an amazement. He is growing more and more, and his sentences are becoming more complex with time. Having monday off, Adam got up with the boys and I got the treat to sleep an extra hour. As I was getting ready to come down stairs, I hear Avery say "Daddy, get it off of me" could this be my child? Sure enough Avery had went to give AJ a kiss and got slobbered! And was telling Adam to get the slobber off of him... needless to say we all got a good laugh from that one.