Now that's over with.

On Sunday, us Nevilles (and my mom and Grandma Glennda!) packed up and drove to Lubbock, TX for Weston's orchiopexy.

It was wonderful. A teaching hospital is a pretty amazing thing. Lots of people, lots of help, very thorough.

We arrived at outpatient surgery at 5am local time. They started the surgery at 7:30. At about 8:30 we got a call saying that they had just barely begun operating. He was a difficult stick, apparently. They had tried to get a vein started by poking him... Count them... 21 times. At least, those are the ones I can see. Several in each hand, foot, and arm. One stick each in his head and jugular.

But he came back to us as happy as could be. Once I fed him, that is.











He cut a tooth the same day.

What a trooper.

Feeding Time

Wes is 6 and a half months. He is scooting all over the house. He does sit-ups.

What he is not doing is eating. The kid won't have anything to do with baby food. And it's an issue I'm pushing. Because once my kids start to eat cereal, they start to sleep through the night. And I want him to sleep throught the night. He's still waking up 3 times every night.

So. I've tried fruit. I've tried sweetening rice cereal with fruit juice. One day I got so desperate that I put in some Karo syrup.

That didn't work either.

So when Claire said she wanted to try feeding Weston, I thought, ... Why not? Couldn't hurt.

Claire could not be more excited.

Wes is just chillin' in the Bumbo. (A device with a warning label that says "Do not place on a table." Yes. I am aware.)

He has no idea that Claire is looking for permission from me to begin torturing him.

Until she begins torturing him. Look at that determined look. Look at that gag. 

 

I don't think he likes banana applesauce.

He appeals to the heavens for relief.

And then he appeals to me with a look that says, "Are you taking pictures? Of my suffering?"

And I am officially the worst mother. Ever.

Until I get this face. And I feel better.

I think he does too.

I'm trying to not prematurely panic about being the Mom who breastfeeds her child through Kindergarten.

Sigh.

I jinxed it.

We've been trying to prepare Weston for a surgery since he was about 3 months old. We've had to reschedule the surgery once because he had a fever of 105 the day before surgery. Thank you swine flu.

So his surgery was scheduled for the end of this month. But then On Monday I took him to his pediatrician for his six month exam. Instead of giving him his immunizations, she prescribed an antibiotic and diagnosed the kid with RSV, bronchialitis, and double ear infections. Time to reschedule surgery again.

And in an effort to keep him healthy, I've had to put off preschool indefinitely.

Oh boy.

Men's hearts shall fail them.

I'm sure it happens all the time. I'm sure it happened all the time before.

But after what happened to my mom, it feels like I sure have been hearing about a lot of heart-stopping events. Stories of people who weren't so lucky. Like this guy. And this girl. And, heck. The wife of one of my dad's partners.

It's freaking me out.

Take a closer look at the basket.

From Mom

A lot of you have been asking for updates on my mom. She sent me this last night:

True or False?

1. A person requiring CPR is unconscious while receiving CPR. False: read number 2.

2. Sometimes husbands and wives misunderstand each other. True: For instance, a husband can be giving chest compressions to his wife while yelling over and over, "DON'T LEAVE ME!!!" This can be interpreted by his wife as "LEAVE ME!!" since she believes she is being repeatedly shoved against a wall. The misunderstanding is likely compounded if she was dead a few seconds before.

3. Being defibrillated feels like being kicked in the chest by a horse. False: It feels like being electrocuted in the heart and it doesn't quit until the wave of electricity reaches every fingertip, toe and hair follicle.

4. Your eyes do not roll to the back of your head during defibrillation. True: It only feels like they do. If we could see what the brain was doing at that time it might cause a panic attack which would cause another defibrillation.

5. Thoughts really do affect your heart. True: For instance, thinking about the miracle of the Savior's appearance to the people in America and the children and grandchildren you love, can cause another defibrillation.

6. Facebook and "attemptingmotherhood" blog comments do not cause defibrillation. False: Apparently, such tender feelings for all who expressed concern increases your nurse's anxiety as she watches your heart monitor. The sweet, young nurse marches into your room, RIPS the iphone out of your hand in the middle of the night and keeps it. You feel like you're 5, but you don't want to defibrillate.

7. The food at a heart healthy hospital can cause defibrillation. False: Wish I had the recipes.

8. Age makes you emotionally calloused. False: A husband's hands can feel as warm and reassuring as they comfort you in the back of a cold, white and silver ambulance as the day your first child was born.

9. Fasting and prayers from many friends, family and co-workers are heard and can heal a broken heart. True: "The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them."

10. Expressing gratitude for the faith, thoughts, words of encouragement and prayers and fasting are simple enough to express in words. False. I can't.

Westerson. Buster. HalJay.

So... I love this kid.
















The end.