Yes, We're Still Here

Apologies are once again in order as we have been extremely lax in keeping this thing updated lately.  But you know how it goes - you get caught up in everyday life things like going to work, caring for two boys, vegging out in front of Big Bang Theory episodes, gardening, drumming, hockey, soccer, consuming copious amounts of Starbucks, reading Barron's - and the next thing you know months have gone by with nary a word blogged.

Once again - the requisite promise that pictures will be forthcoming.

And with that, on to the few newsworthy events of the last couple of months...

In the waning days of summer, we made a trip out to Remlinger Farms (just outside of Carnation).  Dina had bought a Living Social coupon for this.  It is essentially a huge farm with lots of things for families to do such as children's midway rides, pony rides, a small passenger train, food, etc.  We (of course) rode the train. The boys also enjoyed a 'canoe ride', a small kinda-Ferris-wheel ride, and their first pony rides.

We also went to the coast to Ocean Shores.  Dina's uncle's family owns a small cabin out there that he lets family members use.  Dina's brother booked a weekend and invited all of us to join them.  This was the first time at the ocean for the boys as well as myself.  (Yes - I've lived here for almost 1/2 my life now and this was my first time to the ocean - go figure (Puget Sound is technically not the ocean)).  Jonathan and Ethan both really enjoyed playing in the sand, walking along the shore/water, and playing with their cousin Amanda.  It was *extremely* relaxing to just sit on the beach and do *nothing* and simply listen to the roar of the ocean.

Ethan broke his collarbone back in September.  He was at speech therapy when it happened.  At their offices, they conduct various kinds of therapy for children.  As such, they have quite an assortment of different kinds of equipment that, from a child's point of view, appears like a huge playground of toys, climbing equipment, etc.

During speech therapy, Ethan is allowed from time to time to play on various equipment (like a ball pit, say). This particular week, he wanted to try out a hammock.  Since Jonathan's school schedule has changed to a PM class, he has to go to Ethan's appointment as well, as it is scheduled in the mornings.  Jonathan wanted to also try out the hammock and when Ethan's therapist went to go help Jonathan get on, Ethan fell off.  Now, the fall itself was only about 2-3 feet.  It was most likely the way he landed that broke his collarbone.  As was related to me from Dina, he was inconsolable (whereas he normally recovers after little accidents after only a few minutes) and kept crying/whimpering for the next hour as well as favoring that arm.  She then took him to the ER where an x-ray revealed the true nature of the injury.

Amazingly, all they did was put his arm in a sling and give him pain medication.  Apparently at this age, even a break like that will simply heal on it's own after 6-8 weeks.  No surgery, no cast, no splint - just a sling to immobilize the arm.

Ethan has had 2 successive x-rays and as of now it has healed quite nicely and he is cleared for all activities.

In other family news, Dina's mom has just had hip replacement surgery.  She is home now recuperating.

Jonathan continues with ice skating, soccer, and Karate (now having earned 4 black stripes on his belt).  Ethan is still in Gymboree.  Both are now in school (Jonathan is in 1/2 day PM kindergarten 4 days a week and Ethan is in 1/2 day PM preschool for 2 days a week).

Halloween is just around the corner and as such, trips to the pumpkin patch are requisite.  Ethan already had his trip at school last week and Jonathan will have his just a few days before Halloween.  Pictures will be posted - one day.

- bob

To Sleep, Perchance To Dream

Ethan had a series of regular follow up appointments at Children's yesterday (8/6/12).

We got the results from his sleep study and the results were shockingly good!  I almost asked if they had accidentally switched the results with another child - they were so unexpectedly good.  Normally, Ethan's results from sleep studies are not that good - but the doctors always throw in the caveat - but for *him* this is normal, so they generally are not very concerned.  Today - his results were actually *really* normal.  Not just "normal for him".  "Normal" is about 4-5 apnea episodes per hour for children.  Ethan had approximately 1 per hour. 

He was scheduled for a(nother) hearing screen but his ENT examined him first and found he had fluid in his ears - a left over from the cold he just got over last week - so she scrubbed the hearing screen and will reschedule it for 3 months from now. 

He was also tested at Children's by a speech pathologist.  She was also amazed at his progress since she last tested him (back in about January).  He is not quite ready to be discharged from speech therapy as he still has trouble with the k sounds and hard g sounds but she did remark on just how much more she understood of what he said and how far he as progressed. 

His main craniofacial pediatrician saw him and also was so pleased with his progress.  He examined his spine and saw no indications that there might be problems (craniofacial microsomia can also affect the spine however any diagnosis of any problems can't be made until the child is older and bones calcify more).  He will have his spine X-rayed the next time we are in to get a definitive look.  We are still tracking for jaw surgery possibly at age 7-8 and early jaw surgery is now off the table again.  So it was a very good day at Children's.  (As an aside, we were also informed that Ethan is getting to the age where we will start to see the dentists/oral surgeons at Children's as we begin charting the course towards his eventual jaw surgery - we might start seeing them at our next appointments in early 2013).



From the 'other news' department desk:
Ethan is registered for preschool this coming September.  He will be attending the same school as Jonathan but in his age group, he will only be going 2 days a week for 2.5 hours/day.  Ethan will be starting school one year earlier than Jonathan.  We hemmed and hawed on this idea for quite a while - but he seemed so ready for school that we felt we didn't want to hold him back.  We actually asked Ethan if he wanted to go to school like his big brother and he seemed to be very enthusiastic about it and was very happy when we told him that he was indeed going to be going to school later in the year. 

In other sports news... 

Jonathan passed Basic Level 1 in ice skating.  So if he wants to continue (and he said he does), it's on to the next level. 

I also saw Jonathan's swimming class.  This has been the first time in about a month or two that I've seen his swim class.  He's made a *lot* of progress since I last saw him.  He's putting his face/head in the water and he's starting to learn the basic front crawl. 

Also - Jonathan earned his 2nd black stripe on his white belt in Karate class just this last Saturday. 

- bob