Doing Much Better

So John pointed out that I need to update everyone because I am doing much better than the last time I posted.  I am able to walk on my knee pretty well as long as I am still wearing the big bulky brace the Dr. said I had to wear anyways while walking or sleeping. It is really hard to sleep all night with a straight achy leg, but a little something called vicodin helps with that :).  My mom had to fly home this morning and we were all very sad to see her go.  We miss all her help and attention tons (and our kitchen, washer & dryer, our bellies, and the oven and our cheerio covered floors also miss her attention too!).  But some of my laurels are set to come over in the mornings to play with the kids so I can rest until my mother-in-law comes up Wednesday to help out.  One thing that this whole experience has given me is the knowledge that we sure have a lot of people who love us and care about us.  There have been so many people offering to help out and make sure we are taken care of.  Plus it seems like everyone we know has offered prayers on my behalf, so thank you, thank you, thank you if you are one of them! It really means a lot!  I have a Dr. appointment Thursday and am hoping to get the stitches out and perhaps be given instructions to not wear the knee brace quite so often... preferably at night :)  I will update more then!  In the meantime, here's a couple pictures of my knee without all the gauze and the sleeve on that I just took today:

You can see the 2 small incisions they made for the Arthroscopy... I am so glad they didn't have to do a full on incision.  I have 2 stitches in both sides, and they used blue thread, which I thought that was kind of interesting... I thought all stitches were black.

And as you can tell from both of these pictures, my knee is still pretty swollen and bruised. 

*And just as a little disclaimer... I know that these past 2 posts have not always made sense or been some of my best writings.... it's the pain meds and exhaustion speaking.  Just thought I'd clarify :)

Surgery Update

As many of you already know, yesterday I had surgery on my knee, and since I know there are a lot of you asking and wanting to know how it went, I figured the easiest way would be to post an update on here since I am not really up to calling everyone.... (I am a little bit groggy and in A LOT of pain).  So, from what the Dr. told John (apparently he came and talked to me too, but I was still so out of it that I don't even remember him stopping by!), the surgery went really well!  He said there was a lot of scar tissue on the left side of my left knee and even some on the tendon, but once they cleared all that out they said the rest of it all looked nice and healthy! So it looks like that was the problem and hopefully this means that I will be able to gain full ability of my knee again.... after recovery of course.  Speaking of that, so far it's been ruff.  Yesterday my knee wasn't actually hurting too bad, but I was extremely nauseous and dizzy from the anesthesia, which was frustrating because I hadn't eaten since the night before.  That combined with the fact that I am already hypoglycemic made for a ruff night.  I kept throwing up and couldn't keep down anything including applesauce and gatorade, which made me pretty shaky and dizzy.  Luckily, I finally was able to keep down some coke and toast and eventually was able to add more food which happened to be just in time since my knee was starting to hurt and I can't take the meds without food.  Anyways, when I got home at first yesterday like I said earlier, my knee was doing fine and I was even able to walk on it a little, with the brace, but then as the meds started wearing off it started to get really painful, which is probably because the Dr. not only gave me heavy pain meds at the surgery center, but also he gave me some localized anesthesia at the incision site that really helped block pain there.  Now that all that is worn off, I can barely put any pressure on it at all, even while taking the vicodin the dr. prescribed.  So I am in a lot of pain now, but am hanging in there.  I wish I could just fast forward through these next couple of weeks, but I am extremely grateful to have my mom here who has been SO wonderful and helpful taking care of both me and the boys.  So that's about it for an update so far.  Thanks to everyone for all of your fasting, prayers, and concern on my behalf.  It really helps to have so much love and support from everyone!  I feel very blessed to have such wonderful family and friends to look after me!  Here are just a few post surgery pictures so far:

Here's my huge brace I have to wear sleeping and while walking and most of the time at least until next thursday... it's so big and bulky!

Our camera is being dumb and won't upload some of our pictures, but here is a super short video clip- taken by accident of my knee without the brace.  I can't undo all the gauze and take off the sleeve until Sat. morning. 

Happy Father's Day... a little late :)

I know father's day has already come and gone, but I wanted to make sure that my dad knew that I think he is the best!  I have so many wonderful memories with my Dad growing up.  And I have so many of those mostly because he made sure he was there and put his kids first.  Whether it was him cheering for us or actually being our coach at all our sports games, playing roller hockey with him in the street, riding our bikes to Irvine Park, eating little smokies at the river, or having spiritual discussions with him during FHE that helped spark that testimony within me of the gospel, he was always there.  Thanks to him I learned early on what a real father should be.  Thanks for everything Dad! We love and miss you tons! 

ALSO, I can't forget to mention that I feel so lucky and blessed because my kids also having a truly amazing and wonderful dad!  Really John, you have been more than I could have ever asked for in the way you father our 2 little boys.  Thanks for being SO patient with them, thanks for taking the time to wrestle a 2 year old or throw him some pitches after work even though you've had a long day, thanks for always being willing to hold a cranky baby as soon as you walk through the door so that I can finally get a break or finish dinner, and most importantly, thanks for loving them with all your heart and for being their hero.... I love that Jackson wants to do everything you do.  It makes my life complete to be sharing it with you! I love you John! 

I love these 3! 

Bear Clapping

6 Months for Baby Bear!

Just couldn't resist doing another quick update on our little Tank....  He is 6 months old now and can now army crawls the right way, which means he is into everything already! He still eats a ton and just loves food, and he still has the cutest smile and giggle you've ever seen.  Also, just today he learned how to clap! It is so cute! I will have to try to get it on camera sometime.  Here's his stats from his 6 month appointment:

Weight: 19 lb. 10 oz. - 90%

Height: 27 1/2"- 73%

Head circum.: not sure but it was 91%

Recent pictures:

6 months and already reading... even if it is upside down!

Covered in food

Sitting on Daddy

And here's a video of his cute giggle.... Jackson loves to make him laugh.  My favorite is when I am driving and all I can hear are giggles from the back seat because Jackson is making funny faces and noises at Bear.  Nothing puts a smile on my face faster to hear their cute little giggles and to see the brother bond already growing strong.  They're the best 2 little boys I could ever have asked for! 

Jackson Update!

So I feel kind of bad that most of the posts on here for the past 6 months have been about our new little guy, so I thought it was time I did an update on Jackson.  Jackson has been growing up like crazy! Not only is he physically getting bigger- the kid is so tall now- he is getting smarter and smarter.  He pretty much can say anything now and puts together full on sentences.  It has been wonderful in the whole communicating wants and needs sense between us.  Plus it has been a lot of fun as he says the funniest things lately.  He still has just about the most energy you've seen from a little boy and lately has really been into playing baseball with mostly his dad, but also anyone who will throw him some pitches.  And he is pretty darn good at hitting the ball with just about any of his wiffle bats.  It is surprising just how accurate he is, but we also figured that having both parents being athletic and way into sports, he has to be pretty coordinated.  Anyways, the most exciting thing about Jackson lately is that he is totally POTTY TRAINED!!! Wahoo! He actually has been for a couple of months since around Easter, but I am a bad mom and forgot to post about it! He pretty much decided that about a month after my failed attempt to potty train him back in March, he was totally ready.  He has done great and is really good about letting us know when he needs to go.  He loves his big boy underwear, and gets really excited still everytime he poops in the toilet and always wants to show us so we can tell him how proud we are...... it cracks us up!  Jackson also loves to help me in the kitchen and is really into doing everything himself.  I hear this all the time: "No, Jackson do it" when we try to help him.  He definitely has his terrible 2 moments with power struggles like that, but overall he is a good kid.  He is still very protective of and loves his little brother.  He also loves making Bear laugh.  Jackson is also becoming a little ladies man.  All the girls at church and everywhere we go seem to have a crush on him.  During sacrament they are always giggling and waving to him.  It's so cute.  His favorite little girlfriend right now is our neighbor, Lucia.  She will turn 2 at the end of this month and they are buddies! We walk with her and her mom, Klara almost everyday.  Their family just joined the church, but they are moving this next week to LA.  We are super sad to see them go :(  But it is looking like we will be moving soon too.... not sure where yet, but our lease is ending and rent is way expensive so we are looking for a new place! Well that is about it on the Jackson update for now!

30 Years and Still in Love

Today my parents have been married for 30 years!  I just wanted to let them know that for the past 22 1/2 years of those 30 years they have been a great example to me of what a true marriage should be.  They have taught me a lot, mainly just by their example.  Some of the most impacting things they taught me from their marriage are: the importance of having a date night once a week to get time alone to reconnect, going to the temple together often (even when it was 1 1/2 hours away they still always made it at least once a month), getting away together, and not being too proud to still hold hands and kiss in public! Thanks for being the best parents ever! We love you lots and hope you have a wonderful anniversary! If we were there we would take you to golden spoon and jamba juice :) .  Can't wait to see you in a few months!