Happy 1st ReBirthday

 **Late Posting for Saturday, January 28th**

Before we celebrate, I'd like to please keep in mind that while this day is a joyous occasion for our family, there is a family in the Carolina's that is mourning their great loss today.

It is bittersweet for us, as we know the great sacrifice that was made to give our child a second chance.

I consider our precious Donor Angel one of my children, and pray that he looks down on Weston and all the other children he saved and smiles. His wings must be huge! Weston truly has a guardian angel <3 We love you.

I can't believe it's been a year! And how time makes you complacent! It always shocks people a little when we nonchalantly say that Wes had a liver transplant. "He's fine now!" always quickly follows to reassure them! :-)

Today, we celebrated the way any kid would...pizza (Bubby's fav) and Chuck E Cheese. Our best pals, The Harman's, joined us in our little celebration.

Funny how things that were so awesome when you were a kid, are just terrible now. (i.e. Light Bright, Spaghetti O's, Chuck E Cheese...)

Wow. I almost had a panic attack AND seizure upon entry. Chaos. Pure bedlam.

But, Emmy loved it. Weston and Addison, not so much.

I am not amused.

My favorite! Hilarious!
Creepy rat.

Monster Truck Driver

Foreshadowing

My love bug in a love bug

We spent the rest of the day at home with movies and surplus cupcakes.

Sweet, precious boy

God, we are so thankful to be celebrating our son's good health today. You have blessed us in so many ways. We know you are taking good care of our Angel up there.

God bless organ donors!

Celebrations at School

Tomorrow is a HUGE day for our family!!

We wanted to share the cheer with our great friends at Emily and Weston's school.
With both of the kids birthdays being in summer, we haven't been able to do a special celebration at school before.

Two and a half dozen of the most amazing and heavenly smelling cupcakes

Weston and his sweet classmates

Yum!

Mommy's Little Man

We also celebrated in Emmy's class, but I didn't get pics.
3 year olds only have SO MUCH patience when they know you have cupcakes.
But, they all knew we were celebrating Weston!!
My heart melted. Emily is such a wonderful, proud big sister <3

Weston Wednesday

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Sneaky

I was picking up someone's room.
I had all the danger areas closed off (kitchen, bathrooms, laundry room).
But, I couldn't find him ANYWHERE!
Both front and back doors closed and locked.
I could hear him, but I didn't see him.
That is until I looked down at E's bed to brace myself to get on the floor to look under the bed...

The little prince climbed up on sister's bed and found a nice cozy spot to relax.

Goonie.

Weston had a repeat CBC on Monday. Results came back "normal".
We are cutting down on his milk intake and giving him his iron supplements.
He went back to school today and has CRASHED before 7:30.

Growing Too Fast

A convo between me and E, getting her pj's on:

E: It was my birthday.

M: Yes, baby, in June.
E: When I'm done with 3, I'll be 4.
M: Yes.

E: When I'm done with 4, I'll be 5.

M: mmhmm

E: That'll be fun. Then after 5, I'll be 14.
M: What? No way.
E: Yes way. Then I'll be 17!!
M: :( Don't you want to stay my baby girl forever??

5 going on 14...then 17?!
I literally was just telling the Daddy that maybe ridiculous big hair and puffy sleeves will be back in fashion when E goes to her high school dances. (after seeing the tube top dress choice of a friend's daughter...aye yai yai!)

I mean, it was hard enough for me to transition from:

 to

 to

I mean really, Emmy, what's wrong with staying like this forever??

Seriously...what a crappy day.

I'm not going to say that I'm psychic. If I were psychic, I would have known that it would be his CBC values causing issues, not his liver enzymes.
But, I am definitely in touch with my medical ESP. I knew something was going to be problematic.
But, I refused to pack an extra set of clothing because I was just being silly.
Yep.
So, his liver enzymes were only slightly elevated, due to his current cold. Nothing to get upset about, no signs of rejection.
Then, Dr. Fishman did a double take at his hemaglobin level. So surprised by it, that he double checked to make sure he was looking at the right patient.
Seems as though Weston was seriously anemic.
The cause, unknown.
After another round of labs, we know that it is not autoimmune and that his iron level was almost non-existent.

After sleeping in the car, someone was ready to party Tuesday night.

Wednesday Morning::My snuggle buddy

A stud and a muffin.

Waiting for his stat ultrasound. Already exhausted, and the hell hadn't even started.

Ultrasound.
Everything looked good. The liver portal vein was noted to be small, but had normal blood flow through.
Not a cause for concern right now.

Fishing.
Waiting for the second set of labs

Waiting for his unit of blood.
After a two-stick IV start.

Still waiting...
Poor little guy.

FINALLY

Done with this day.

Bubby received a unit of blood over THREE.HOURS.
If you haven't noticed, the majority of our day was spent "waiting".
So frustrating.
But, that's the nature of the beast, I guess.

The current game plan:
Check his stools for blood-may be that whole milk is irritating the intestinal lining
Start an iron supplement
Recheck his hemaglobin next week.
Recheck iron levels in 4 weeks.


While we were sitting in the infusion center, I noticed a family getting ready to leave.
The patient was a teenage boy; tired, but otherwise normal in appearance.

When they passed by us on their way out, the mother noticed Weston and smiled.
I couldn't help but wonder if she had been in my position years ago.
It was very disheartening to think that I could be in her position in the years to come.
Will Weston EVER have a normal life?

I know they tell us that their goal for him is for everyone to be unaware that he was ever sick...to look at him, you'd never know what he's been through. To do pretty much whatever he wants.
But, there we were, receiving blood.
Was it/is it foolish of me to think that with the exception of an occasional dose of steroids, we were done with this?

Who Knew...

...the way to a little girl's heart was goldfish and extra pickles. Precious love <3


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Weston's First Day of School

Weston, you're going to school with me today!

Don't cry, it'll be ok.

NO!
It's early. I don't want to be awake or dressed.

I don't think Wessy wants to go.

The drop off.
First kid there, but lots of new toys to play with!

Cruisin' the halls with his new friends.

Now which baby did you say was so sick and had a liver transplant??

Weston had a GREAT first day of school.
As predicted, it was much harder on the mommy than the Bubby.

 

He played, had fun, took a 3 HOUR NAP and had a special visit from his big sister!
He is worn out this evening.
Maybe he'll sleep through the night???

Last Bit of Christmas Vacay

 It was nice while it lasted!
I went back to work on Saturday and worked the New Years holiday weekend; and Billy went back to work today.

But, Daddy and the babies made the most of their last few days of freedom:

She's pretending to be an elf and flying back to the North Pole

I guess they have a pretty lax pants policy out there...

Cheese!

CHEEEEEEEESE!

Park time with Daddy

So happy :-)

So sweet!

 I think this is how Courtney Love started out...

 Bubby loves him some running water!