Still at home

We're continuing to enjoy being a complete family AT HOME.

Last week, Anthony caught some kind of bug that caused a LOT of fluid loss.

He normally won't drink anything except maybe an ounce of water each day.

While sick, Anthony drank 2 large containers of Pedialyte!

So, we visited the doctor a few days in a row to make sure he was ok, but we didn't have to worry about dehydration!



I've been loving making dinner each night (except the nights that the McCarls and the Andersons brought meals).

It's so nice to have my simple kitchen back.

We discovered that Anthony LOVES spaghetti!

He normally won't eat regular table food (only baby food unless it's chips or cheese), so he had a white shirt on.

It stained, but came clean a day later. :)



Last year, I noticed on one of our visits home how dingy (or dingey?) our towels are.

I bought new towels and hand towels for when we could return home.

The bags of towels had to wait in our storage room for months before Anthony and I returned.

Last week, I finally got the fresh, crisp white towels out for our family to use!


Maggie's school had a carnival the other night.

Schools are a germ fest for Anthony, so he stayed home with Daniel.

The girls did the cake walk, got their hair sprayed blue, and received some serious wound care.

I will not walk into a school the same way again.

There were so many kids sniveling, coughing, and just plain sounding sick!

I'm so glad Anthony stayed home!


We've been enjoying time together.

This past week, we made a lot of valentines with different scrapbooking papers and glitter.

The kids were all excited when I showed them how to make a woven heart basket with paper.


Anthony loves Josh, and he loves to see what Josh is doing.

Anthony for sale! Only $5.99.

Bread sticks on Sunday night. It looks nasty, but is so yummy!

And, pizzas

Daniel and Kelly going to their meeting on Sunday evening.

Andy's eyes were huge when we had a FULL cart of groceries at Fred Meyer, and I was still adding fruit and veggies. Even the bottom of the cart was full.

His comment: "Wow, I must not've fed them much this past year!"

Then, we went to Costco and bought even more to add to what we had bought at Fred Meyer.

We are stocked up on groceries again!

For Family Home Evening, Lilly's activity (and Maggie's refreshments) were decorating sugar cookies that Maggie made with Andy.

Lilly didn't know she had blue frosting in her hair.

Josh has been busy with some of his science kits.

The bottle has citric acid, baking soda, and water. Pretty cool.

HOME

I loaded these pictures backwards, so bear with the scattered post.
Anthony and I are back home, after 14 months in Seattle!
He will still have monthly maintenance chemotherapy in Seattle for 3 years, and daily chemo at home for that time.
But that doesn't matter, because we can be home!

My Christmas cactus started blooming a few weeks ago.
Andy told me it was blooming, and I was so mad because I figured it would be done blooming by the time I returned.
It's still going!

JASON-Here's Anthony doing the "monkey" for you. :)
Anthony misses playing with you.

CARLOS-Anthony's trying to get you to hold his hand. :)

When we arrived home Friday night, there was an awesome bouquet of balloons on our front porch. I was too tired to get a picture then, and this picture doesn't do them justice.

Thank you, Virginia C., for the great welcome!

The girls and I have been working on making some valentines.

It's been fun working with GLITTER.

Our amazing dog, Penny.

Anthony having fun with his Daddy.

Since being home, I've been organizing and cleaning, although it isn't obvious in the house yet.

I send garbage bags out with the kids regularly. Our recycling can and garbage are overflowing.

Can't wait a couple more days till garbage day.

Penny resting in the sunshine.

My room at the Ronald McDonald House was wonderful, being on the same floor as the parking garage and the kitchens. But, it was dark because it was on the lower level with shadows and foliage outside.

My house is so LIGHT, not being in Seattle, and having so many windows!!

Anthony being somewhat-content while waiting to see his pediatrician at home finally.

He was so fussy, and I was worried. After 30 minutes of questions from the doctor, it finally clicked that Anthony was on steroids, and SHOULD be grumpy for another day or so.

He's content again, and was quite cheerful this morning, actually.

My brain feels quite scattered, trying to mesh our home life with the medical life we half-way left behind last week.

Monday, for our Family Home Evening activity, we played Jenga. It was so fun!

Anthony's first and last real time in Nursery at church.

Our pediatrician said no nursery. So, that was that...

One of our favorite nurses, Tracy.

Tracy did Anthony's labs on our LAST day in Seattle!!

Anthony waiting to see Laura.

Andy got Anthony to fall asleep in the waiting room.

Our friends, Nick and Pam.

Josh in the morning...

Anthony sleeping after a full day of videography.

Anthony is the main child being featured for the Ronald McDonald House Hockey Challenge 2011.

Two weeks ago, he had a photography session. Last week he had a videography all day, and then an interview that afternoon. Watch for a link in the next few weeks. :)
At the Hockey Challenge, Anthony gets to drop the puck!

Andy and I being interviewed.

Caity is the girl in purple.

Caity turned 14 at the RMH.

She has fought cancer for a long time, and hasn't lost her hair!

So, Caity is going to shave her head to raise money for cancer.
PLEASE consider donating and honoring this cancer warrior.

She is awesome!

Anthony with Sarah, his favorite physical therapist in Seattle.

Anthony and Caryn, his favorite speech therapist in Seattle. He's eating his nuk toothbrush and a Dorito, while Caryn is signing "play."

Some random notes/thoughts~

Please don't be offended if we didn't call to announce Anthony's adoption. My brain was and is still overwhelmed with exhaustion, medical terminology, possible symptoms, family logistics, etc.

It still feels like my brain is trying to organize scattered thought fragments.

It is so wonderful to slowly get rid of stuff when the children aren't here to argue the case to hold on to everything in this house!

I'm still trying to "dial 9 to reach an outside line."

I love doing laundry, and being able to let it sit for an extra hour or two in one machine or the other, without worrying that someone is going to extricate it so they can use the machines.

I love having matching dishes, silverware, and having silverware that won't bend when bit.

I still have big fear that hopefully will fade as time goes by, of Anthony relapsing. If he did, we'd have to go back to Seattle for a long time, try to find a bone marrow donor match, and just be miserable. The other night, I had a very vivid dream that both Anthony and I needed bone marrow transplants and I was just CRUSHED since I've seen the hell bmt patients have to endure just to survive.

Christopher

The world will not be the same without our friend in it.

We are so proud of Christopher's fight, his ever-smiling face, and his family.

Fun and news

Fun first, news at the bottom of the post... :)

Andy came to visit Anthony and me last week.
We picked him up at the train station, then drove around Seattle.
We saw McDonald's and had to stop for some fries.
Only, it wasn't quite 11AM yet, so we parked and waited for the fries to be ready for the day.
Anthony and Andy had fun while we were in the parking lot.

Later that day, Andy and I went to lunch at my new favorite place, Pallino Pastaria.
Jenny introduced me to the restaurant, and I am so addicted to their brusscheta and paninis!
It's pretty sad when the employees recognize me (we've averaged about one visit per week), but that's a good thing too. :)

What was left of the yummy brusscheta when I remembered we should take pictures.
Because, who can't blog about every little detail, right.

The different paninis and the chips.

Anthony LOVES the chips.

Actually, he loves any kind of chip.

This week, we discovered that he likes PopChips too.

Parmesan Reggiano cheese block on the counter. It was HUGE!

Andy and Anthony played at the Ronald McDonald House later that day.

Fun news-

I've been making a point of going up to the lobby or outside for Anthony to play so he doesn't get quite so bored without the older children here.

Usually, Anthony plays with the train table and a door toy.

Today, Anthony was looking out the window at his level, and TOOK A STEP without holding on or leaning on anything! He was stepping toward the train table.

Some of you may think, "Oh big deal. He should be walking already." This actually is a big deal.

Children with Down syndrome typically have low tone, meaning that they have to work harder to get their muscles to do the same things that are typically easier for the rest of us. Often, children with Ds will start walking later than typical children. Walking doesn't often happen before 2 years or so.

I firmly believe that, were it not for the leukemia and chemo that weakens legs, Anthony was nearly ready to walk at 15 months. I think he would have walked regularly by 18 months. But, leukemia got in the way. Anthony's immobility actually made things simpler for me in Seattle, but I'm so happy his strength is increasing and he is able to start progressing in that regard.

Although it may be a while before Anthony walks, this is literally one huge step in his development!!