Never Before...(Part Two)

Never before Craniosynostosis...

Did I ever miss the touch of sweet soft baby hair that I now miss and is sometimes unbearable

Did I miss sweet snuggles without a bowling ball/helmet in between my sweet boy and me

Did I miss pouring kisses all over his sweet baby head

Did I realize that the baby stage goes so quick, and in the blink of an eye it will be gone but a big part will have been spent wearing a helmet for my sweet babe

Did I get enough time just enjoying my sweet Cannon without every split second spent worrying about craniosynostosis

Did I look at other babies and feel jealous of their head shapes

Did I see a baby and worry about whether they have craniosynostosis, as now I see it everywhere

Did I notice people's head shapes like I do now and wonder what Cannon's will look like someday

Did I wonder and stress about scars or red spots or how to treat either for someone so young

Did I think that my heart could break when a doctor delivers such unbelievable news

Did I know how a diagnosis change so much in our little world

Did I know how such a big word could cause so much heartache

Did I worry about being strong enough

Did I doubt my God

Did I feel so much fear, grief, hurt or heartache

Did I know how absolutely amazing the human body is

Did I know how tough someone so small could be

Never before.

Never Before...(Part One)

Never before I was a mom...

Did I think that I would be used as a human jungle gym!  Oh WHAT fun!

Or that my hair would make such a great chew toy!

Did I think that a princess, (as Chandler phrased me today) would have to clean SO much

Did I think that 8:00am would be "sleeping in" (granted most days I cannot complain as my boys are amazing sleepers!!!)

Did I think that I could love somebody so much

Did I know how adorable it is to listen to little laughter

Did I think that it is okay (okay, well not okay, but tolerable without a reaction) to be spit up on, drooled on, pooped on or have snot rubbed on your freshly put on shirt

Did I picture my life as perfect as it is

Did I imagine the worry or stress that is all consuming once you have little ones to worry and stress about

Did I ever realize how much love one's heart can possess for someone before you even meet! 
Or how it quadruples once you do meet!

Did I think my house would be this messy

Did I think that I was strong enough to endure it all

Did I think that we would have had the experiences we have

Did I know how sweet the precious words of momma would sound when in reference to me

Oh, how I never could have, would have or did I picture it to be like this but I would never ever change it or trade it, as to me it is my perfect!!!

From the mouth of Chandler

So Chandler lately has been full of cute little sayings and ideas.  I wanted to share some of them!

~A few nights ago I was helping Chandler get dried off after taking his bath and Chandler ever so sweetly turned to me and said "Thanks Angel."  I looked at him and said "Ahh, Chandler that is so sweet."  He then informed me that Jesus sent angels to earth to protect us from the bad guys.  Oh how precious!  He then asked "Momma, are you an Angel?"  How was I to answer?

~While cleaning Chandler's face I told him in my sing songy voice what a handsome face he had.  He so earnestly looked back at me and said "It is because my eyes were painted by God.  See (opening his eyes so very wide) he painted them blue because that is my favorite."

~As momma was driving the boys to daycare one morning (running a little too close to being late) I was grumbling about the traffic and drivers going well below the speed limit.  Chandler then asked "What is wrong momma?"  I answered as best I could.  Chandler, the well experienced driver that he is, told me "Momma you should just speed up and pass him. That's what daddy does."  HA!  "Really, Chandler, that is what daddy does?"  "Yes, momma, he just speeds up real fast, like this (zooms his hands together) and then we go around them!"  UH-OH!

~Chandler's birthday is so fast approaching.  It is hard to believe how fast your little one's grow!  Anyway, we have been discussing Chandler's birthday and as we were discussing his "theme".  Chase and I were throwing out a multitude of ideas.  After LOTS of no's Chandler finally said "I should have a goose party!"  A what?  "A goose party!  You know, because I am a silly goose!"  HAHA!

~Recently, Chandler was zooming around the house pretending to be Batman.  When flying by Cannon and I, he told me that he was Batman and Cannon was Pete.  Pete?  Yeah, like Batman and Robin, but only it is Batman and Pete!  I think he might be onto something!  Maybe?

~Chase was feeding Cannon on the couch as I was finishing dinner and Chandler was setting the table.  Chandler announced that dinner was ready and Chase responded by saying that he was busy feeding Cannon and that he would be there when Cannon was finished.  Chandler then replied by saying that, "You mean that you are busy feeding our little Angel?" 

~Whenever, Chandler likes something he will always ask "Momma don't you just love this?" or "Daddy isn't this just your favorite?"  Of course, we always reply yes!  Especially, when he sings one of his made up songs.

~Upon leaving Target one evening we left and it was dark out already and we had not even eaten dinner yet.  Chandler then informed me that we had not "hustled our bustle" because it was now dark and when we had gotten there it was still light out.  Wow!  I need to watch what I say because "hustle our bustle" is a term that I always use to speed up my kiddos at school.  I thought I only used it at school, but apparently I must use it at home too because he has often has reminded us that we need to "hustle our bustle"

~Chandler always announces when he is hungry that he is a "Starvin' Marvin'".  One day after he was full he asked "Momma what do we say when I am full?"  "Well I don't know buddy."  "How about I am a full bull, momma?"  "Yes, I think that works Chandler."  Now whenever he is done eating he always informs whoever "I am a full bull!"  I don't know if bulls really ever get full, but at least it rhymes?

~One recent evening at bedtime prayers this was what was said "Dear Father, thank You for our food tonight, thank You for all You've done for us Father God, thank You for daddy's back feels better, that we can tackle, thank You for Cannon's bone will grow, thank You for Poppy's eyes to get better that way he can see me and daddy and momma, thank You for G-G's head to feel better, thank You for daddy's legs to feel better that way we can tackle more, (pause...pause...pause) thank You for everything Father God!" 

Thank You, Father God for our sweet Chandler!  I am sure there are so many little sayings that I am forgetting, but these were some of the ones that just stood out from this week.  Our little buddy is growing so fast, too fast sometimes, but thank goodness I can treasure so many of his little sayings! 

Halloween!

Momma and Daddy wore their costumes all day so I wanted to make sure to get a picture before the day started.  Can you guess what I was?  Yes, I was pink--no not like the singer, like the crayon color!  At school, another teacher had made all of us Kindergarten gals Crayola Crayon costumes, complete with a hat and all.  We made an adorable set of crayons!  I, of course, HAD to be PINK-my favorite!



Daddy was BATMAN! 



Chandler was BATMAN *mini-batman*!



Cannon was an astronaut! Or as Chandler kept referring to him as a "spaceman"!



Eyes closed-yes I know!  But I wanted a close up of his "space" themed helmet.

The Boys! Ready to go trick-or-treating!

Momma and her boys! Chandler about ready to come unglued because "IT IS TIME TO GO TRICK-OR-TREATING!!!"  Momma promising just one more picture!



YEAH!!!  Our happy astronaut has eyes!!!



So much for a second try!



TRICK-OR-TREAT!




The whole crew! Trick-or-treating!




How Cannon spent most of Halloween and possibly how he felt about the whole thing anyway!  Look at those cheeks!!!



Happy Halloween!

Pumpkin Painting

So instead of attempting to carve our delightful little pumpkin patch pumpkins I thought it would be fun to paint them.  So away we set the night before Halloween painting our pumpkins.  Each family member that was able, momma, daddy and Chandler (sorry Cannon, maybe next year) were given two pumpkins to paint whatever they would like.  Below I posted the final products.  I will let you guess whose is whose but it was A LOT of fun.  I personally have a winner in mind but so does my hubby!



Well..I guess this picture gives away who this pumpkin belongs to.  This pumpkin according to Chandler was a scary blue monster.

  

Working SO hard!





Our pumpkin family!



Can you guess who did these?




Okay, well I think that these are so cute.  Yes, Chandler was inspired by a carved pumpkin that his Yaya did last year for him, and I did help a bit to help turn his pumpkin into Elmo, but the second pumpkin is an original, all by himself completed scary blue monster!




Take a wild guess who did these?



And the winner is?

Pumpkin Patch



ANIMALS!!!  Chandler ever so cutely would go from animal to animal trying to communicate by shouting at them animal their animal sound.  As well as the ALL of the pumpkin patch visitors!!!



Tunnel FUN!



So in order to pick the "perfect" pumpkins.  I seriously walked the entire field of pumpkins.  However, among the potential ten that all of us found, did Chandler like any of our picks?  OF COURSE, not!  He was adamant on picking his very own pumpkin, which we were good with as long as it would make it back home in one piece.  He went through the remaining twenty left in the field and among them all he picked a solid green one, a rotten half green half orange one, one that was covered in bumps and and yuck, an orange one that was broken open, a green one that was the size of a tomato, one that was majorly deformed and so as we tried to convince him to pick one of the many pumpkins that we had found he finally settled on a cute round one that yes was partially still green but at least it wasn't rotten and it was one he found ALL BY HIMSELF! 





DUCKS, RABBITS, GOATS and PIGS...OH MY!




Pig races...how cute this was!  The pigs all had names like Britney Spear, Lindsay Loham, Kevin Bacon, Buzz Lightspear, Woody Would-be, and apparently, pigs LOVE milk.  That is what they race for, the prize for the winning pig is a big bucket of cow's milk!  The cutest part of all, is that the farmer let Chandler say "Get ready, set, GO!" into the microphone and ring the cow bell to get the pigs going! 

Cutest of it all, is that as we were going back home we asked Chandler what his favorite part was and of it...all the animals, the tractor ride, the pumpkin patch, picture posing, pig races, popcorn, he chose the airplane ride?  The what???  Yes, half of us missed it, but up above there are two pictures where Chandler is on a teeter-totor type thing that is in the shape of an airplane.  Apparently, it was the best part of the day because he seriously has mentioned it daily, since our afternoon adventure to the pumpkin patch.  He has also asked several times about the next time when we go, can everyone promise to get on it and let him be the driver?  So fun!    



My Little Helper

I must say that I have always depended on "my little helper" for help, especially once Cannon came along.  It has been so much fun to see how very helpful "my little helper" has become since becoming a big brother.  Chandler...in case you did not know who I was referring to, is always running to get mommy a diaper, or running to get daddy a burp rag, or just running to find the paci that somehow is never where it was left. Well, lately things have been disappearing at a rather rapid rate.  Although I must say it is very wonderful to have someone constantly picking up after me and placing things in places where one would never guess to look, it is somewhat difficult as the living room and Chandler's bedroom are a haven for misplaced items, also, under mommy and daddy's bed.  It was AMAZING all the lost goodies that we recently found under there.  It was like Christmas!  However, I truly must share the most recent run-ins that I have had with "my little helper". 

So, amongst the hustle and bustle of the week I normally try to keep up with a daily job of doing some laundry, because with little ones it seems like an undaunting task if you just let it pile up.  Last week was no different.  On a busy night where there were many many things to do I threw in a multitude of Cannon's clothing, blankets, washcloths and towels.  Things were going well.  Upon the cycle ending, I opened the washer door and I immediately noted something was WRONG.  The little crystals that you find when a diaper gets too full or when a diaper explodes were ALL over the washing machine.  That's odd?  How did...OH NO!  I quickly removed all the clothing items and not only were there lots of diaper crystals that had exploded from a once dirty, but now newly washed disposable diaper but also a paci.  I shook everything out as best as I could but if you could have heard the sighs and grumbles of now having to vacuum the crystal/pieces of diaper that were EVERYWHERE because apparently when you wash a diaper the pieces become like static cling styrofoam and were seriously EVERYWHERE.  So as "my little helper" comes running through the room I just happen to ask "Chandler, did you put a diaper in the washing machine?" Much to my demise his sweet answer of "Yes, momma I did.  I put it in there so that it could get clean and then we could use it again."  "And, Chandler did you put Cannon's paci in the washing machine?"  "Yes momma, I did.  That way you wouldn't have to wash it in the sink." *grumble, grumble* "Thanks Chandler, that was very thoughtful, but buddy those things don't belong in the washing machine, okay?"  "Okay momma!"

Fast forward a few nights later.  I was getting Chandler ready for bed and happened to notice that his toothbrush was really worn out.  I started searching for the new toothbrush that he had opened a month or so ago that I had told him was not to be opened until we needed it and was unsuccessful in my search.  I asked Chandler what had happened to the new blue toothbrush, that I had asked him not to open, but he did, that I had so thoughtfully placed in the drawer not to be used until I said.  He looked at me and so honestly replied "I threw it away."  "You threw it away?  Why?"  "Well, you said not to use it and I had already opened it, so I threw it away so that way I would not use it."  "But Chandler, now we need it. What are we going to do now?"  Chandler looks in the trashcan and ever so sweetly tells me "I guess we need to call the trash man."  Oh, how he melts my heart!  No worries, my child did not go without brushing his teeth we did have another new toothbrush, but to the toothbrush that was never used, oops!  

Then over the weekend, "my little helper" was so very excited about Cannon's new helmet!!!  He told us the minute he saw Cannon with his new helmet that we needed to decorate it.  Well, while daddy and Cannon were traveling to get Cannon's new helmet, Chandler and I went on a date.  I let him choose the plan for the night.  We went to McDonald's to eat and then da ta da da...we went to my school!  Yes, I know a very exciting evening, especially with a very impatient three year old informing me as every single piece of paper that came out of the copy machine that "NOW we can go play!"  Or for the millionth time "Momma come on lets go play!"  I guess this was not what he thought we would do at momma's school?  There was also the help of sending things through the laminator that were just a little a lot crooked.  But never fear!  We accomplished a great deal!  However, once we arrived home and were reunited with daddy and Cannon, Chandler was very impressed with Cannon's new undecorated helmet.  He told me that we better decorate it, but I told him we probably needed to wait.  (WHAT?  I know...but I want to make sure that it is ready for Cannon's Halloween costume and I don't want to have to decorate it and then waste the stickers as they might not work for his costume.)  So, although I explained this in what I thought was a very clear manner Saturday came and I still had not decorated it.  By evening, I was doing the weekly loads of laundry, sorting, folding and putting things away while Chandler and Cannon were busy playing.  I heard lots of "Hold still Cannon, Cannon stop, let go of that, Cannon HOLD STILL!"  Then, much to my surprise the stickers that came in Chandler's Happy Meal from our date were being placed all over Cannon's helmet!!!!!! Oh my!  So what is a mother to do?  But take pictures of the precious ordeal, laugh at the preciousness of it all and share and brag to everyone what a WONDERFUL helper I have!  Yes, the stickers were paper based(not what we use).  Yes, Chandler did inform me at bath time "Momma, don't put alcohol on the stickers because it will wash them off!" (amazing he even knows about this at his little age).  And, yes it took me forty minutes to peel all of the little stickers off as by Sunday they were quite a mess and were near impossible to get off! But my, oh my, how thankful I am for "my little helper"!

Fun times at mommy's school!  What a true helper!!!



Decorating Cannon's new helmet!



Rolling away!  Rolling away!



Hey look at these shiny things!  What are they?  Oh wait, what is that that mommy said?  Stay away?  Why?  Just because Zoe eats and drinks out of them?   



Cutie!  Yes, eyes closed, drooling like crazy and sitting up all by myself!



CHEESE!



DOUBLE CHEESE!



Four months post op!  Look at that hair!  Look at those CURLS!





Watching big brother's EVERY move!




Reach for them, reach for them! So close!



Chandler's decorations! What a thoughtful big brother!  Oh, and thanks to our helmet lady for the cute fish!



Side by side of helmet Cannon's new helmet and his very first helmet!

Notice the back padding...Cannon's head needs to get as wide as possible so we are now applying a lot of pressure front to back so the padding helps apply as much as pressure possible to encourage his head to grow wide and wider.

In the pictures it is hard to see the exact size difference but to us it feels like Cannon's new helmet is like double in size!  Lots of growing to do!

Three cuties!  Reading a book with daddy!