from the drafts: Surgery

I'm SO behind on updating around here. I miss sharing what our family is up to in more than the snippets instagram posts provide. The busier we've been, the more I wanted to update, and the more back logged this place was and thus goes the vicious circle. I'm finally sitting down to break the silence, amidst the busyness, I'm taking a moment to update. First I'm publishing this post that has been sitting in my drafts all summer. I have photos buried deep somewhere but if I go digging for them this will never get published, so here's the details without all the cuteness to offset...

____Originally written Jun 17th, 2015______

Yesterday Malakai had his much anticipated ear tube procedure. My sister stayed the night so she could be here that morning to stay with Desmond and Aurelia while Ben and I took Kai in. Check in was supposed to be an hour before the procedure but it turned into 2 hours. Thankfully Malakai was in great spirits and we got through the waiting period pretty easily. He had talked previously about being excited to wear the mask and go to sleep, so we went with that and pumped it up to sound amazing. Once we got to that point the anesthesiologist put the mask on pretty abruptly and Malakai's eyes got big with shock. I am so glad I was there to soothe him and that he was able to calmly go under. 

After he was asleep I walked back to Ben who was waiting in pre-Op, took off the hospital gown, we walked to the waiting room where I sent a few texts to relatives that he was in surgery. I ran to the restroom, came back and started to chat with Ben when the surgeon came out to tell us he was finished. The procedure literally took him 5 minutes. Another 10 minutes and we were called back to see Malakai. The nurse said he quietly opened his eyes and just said a quiet yes when asked if he wanted his parents. He was a little dizzy and pretty hungry, but came out of the anesthesia so smoothly that all we had to wait for to go home was him finishing his popsicles that they promised him. 

Honestly the hardest part of the whole thing was afterward when he had to slowly ease into consuming clear fluids before he could have solid food. He hadn't eaten since dinner the night before so he was very hungry. I'm so glad he had an appetite, but it's not fun to tell your hungry kiddo he can't eat (over and over again). We watched a couple movies to distract him from his hunger and relax a while. 

Mima came to visit and brought jello and painting books. The jello was great because it sort of tricked him into thinking he was eating, but technically it was still "clear fluids". The painting gave him and Des something quiet to do besides watching tv. Then Grandma and Grandpa came by with smoothies and by then we eased him into eating with some crackers. They also brought Legos, which provided more quiet activity for a while. Second to not letting him eat, getting Malakai to rest was quite challenging. He wanted to bounce around on the couch and just get up and play. I recall the same thing when he had his first surgery 3 years ago. 

Thankfully he slept really well all night and woke feeling pretty good. We even went to my Bible study this morning and he played just like normal with the other kids. I'm hopeful that the tubes will be what he needs to keep him from having ear infection and after ear infection.


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Update: As of today, September 8th, 2015, Malakai had a happy and healthy summer with no complications! We are so thankful and hopeful for a fall and winter without ear infection drama for him. 

Off to School: Malakai's 1st day of Kindergarten

I've been so anxious about today for weeks. I was fearful that I would be in labor or stuck waiting to be discharged from the hospital after giving birth when Malakai's 1st day of school arrived. For a long time I convinced myself I would be okay but it built up and I realized it was just as okay to be sad about the possibility of missing such a big milestone. An even bigger step for us than some because we've homeschooled up until now. Malakai has never gone to day care or preschool outside of the home. For years he has attended church between 1-3 times a week and this summer he went to a week of VBS and Day camp, but school is so much bigger!

Nobody thought that I would still be pregnant at this point, we were convinced we'd have a newborn on his first day of school. Although I have been almost as anxious to meet our little girl, I am pretty relieved that I was able to focus on Malakai so intently for his first school experience.  He was so ready to go. Daddy was even able to take a little time off work to see him off...

{this kiddo LOVES green!}

Desmond was just as excited about seeing Malakai off to school, of course he had to wear a back pack too! 

We got to the school early enough to take a few pictures around the buildings

{this boy's facial expressions are just darling to me}

He kept asking, "can we go to my class now?!" but we were still early so we waited outside and took some more photos until the teacher came and let us in. Malakai sweetly listened to instructions of what to do first and excitedly followed through...

Once we unloaded his school supplies and found his cubby we said our goodbye's so he could go do his "morning jobs". We each gave him a squeeze and headed out the door. Not a tear was shed, we were all just so happy and excited for our big boy today. 

And my big Kindergartener was just as thrilled about school before and after class... He talked on and on about the things they did and the kids he met. When he went to VBS and Day camp this summer it was like pulling teeth trying to find out what he learned and what he did, so I was pretty shocked at his eagerness to share his experience. 

I'm so happy for him and this big milestone! Happy 1st day of school Malakai!

It's good to be 5

My first born is 5 years old. It's still sinking in...if you couldn't tell. If I think of it in terms of having been a parents for 5 years, or that it's been 5 whole years since he was a tiny newborn...I just can't wrap my mind around it. They tell you it goes by fast, and I know adding baby sister to our family will only speed the clock up, but wow has it flown past us!

Malakai counted down to his birthday for at least 2 weeks leading up to it. He was just so excited to be 5 and once the day came he was mostly looking forward to our traditional breakfast at the Original Pancake House... I can't blame him! When we asked how it felt to be 5 or what he thought about it, his reply was always "good".

I love watching my kids grow into the people God has created them to be. I love watching them learn and I love learning about them. They are always so interesting to me.

Ben + I are discovering that Malakai is mildly introverted. It's not so intense that he has trouble in social situations, but he does get overloaded by them. He does some times get overwhelmed, especially when he doesn't know what to expect. He went to his first vacation Bible school earlier this summer. It was tough at first, but on the last day he asked if he could come back next week. He's also really looking forward to day camp next month and is already in love with Camp Harlow. Something that his daddy is very happy about (Ben has a long history with Harlow).

{directing the camera or acting a little camera shy}

Over the last 5 months since we took Malakai to Kindergarten orientation he has gone from being extremely hesitant to super excited about starting school this fall. I know that my chore seeking, craft loving, project obsessed little boy is going to adore school. It is my prayer that he excels but is not bored and that he blooms socially. I'm so thankful that we've had him in so many social programs, the most of which has been being at church 3 times a week for the past year. I know they have helped prepare him for going off to school since we did all his pre schooling at home. I'm also thrilled that he will be heading to public school with Christ in his heart, something he will surely need to cling to when things get hard. As his mama I want to protect him from anything that might hurt him, but I know that he will learn and thrive in doing for himself and leaning not on his own understanding but that of the Lord, who is always with him. I'm comforted and strengthened knowing he has that foundation to build on.

As I mentioned, Malakai is always asking for projects. Every day he asks if I "have something for us to do together." Most of the time he'd prefer a craft or a constructive type toy (legos, and other building toys are right up his ally at the moment), but sometimes he'll settle for something simple like helping clean up or coloring. He also loves work books, dot to dots and mazes are a new favorite. He's learning to play board games like Connect Four and he always wants to help daddy build things. He has been helping his Grandpa Ron build a cabin in their back yard and loving it. He's also learning to cast on his very own fishing pole with G'Pa Jim. He wants to do it all!

Over the last few weeks Kai has really come into his big brother role. He seems to have grown up overnight to want to protect and lead his brother and nurture his little sister. He is so curious about babies and loves to ask questions about his brand new cousin Luke. He can't wait for his sister to get here. Kai does not like surprises, so when we tell him that her name will be a birth day surprise he has gotten upset to the point of tears. This boy just wants to know everything there is to know.

This morning he had his well check and he was amazing. I'm honestly impressed by his bravery. We talked about shots a few days ago and again today, he wasn't happy about it. This would be the first time he's had shots in his arm. I don't think he's had any immunization or other needs for shots since he was 3! When the time came he winced and said it hurt but no tears, no fits, and he's totally fine. Even I tend to whine for a few hours afterwards!

He's taking after me so far in all of his 41 inches (9th percentile) but is a sturdy kid for looking so skinny at 44lbs (73rd percentile). He's developing right on track, the whole appointment was a breeze.

I'm so blessed by my sweet family and today I'm especially thankful for my new 5 year old Malakai Benson and the privilege it is to be his mama.