New Cast

Ben had a two week check up with his orthopedic specialist today.  Dr. Kosko had mentioned to John at church on Sunday that Ben could choose a new color for his cast this visit.  Over the past two weeks, Ben has had family, neighborhood friends, and Sunday School friends sign his cast.  He asked me before we left this morning to take some pictures of his cast with the signatures.

 Waiting to see Dr. Kosko after his arm had been x-rayed.

Showing off the new camo cover on his cast.  This isn't a totally new cast, just a new wrap around the outside.  Dr. Kosko said the x-ray showed everything still where it's supposed to be. He goes back on August 13 to have his pins removed.  He may or may not have to have a new cast put on after the pins are removed.  We'll just have to wait and see what the x-ray shows.

A Few Pics

With Ben's cast limiting his activity and lots of rain, we've had to look for fun things to do inside.

 Ben's received several gifts since he broke his arm.  This #18 Kyle Busch car is one of his very favorites.

 Last Thursday, Sam spent the day with us (his mom was working and his sister had band camp).  To encourage quiet and rest during the afternoon I let them build this fort and then watch a movie from inside the fort.

 We had fun at a Chuck E Cheese birthday party.

 Ben's played with his train a lot lately.  He enjoys putting cars on the track and seeing how big a train wreck he can cause.

 Yesterday we went to see the movie Turbo, about a super-charged snail that dreams of racing in the Indy 500.  Ben LOVED Turbo.  Mollie said it was not her favorite.  Her favorite part was eating Gummy Bears.  This was Mollie's first movie in a movie theater.  It probably wasn't fair that we went to a "boy" movie for her first movie theater experience but I knew Ben would love this movie and there isn't anything out right now that she would like (i.e. a princess movie).

 This picture is dark, but Ben and Mollie are racing ice cubes across the kitchen floor.  Ben will race anything.

This morning Ben and Mollie both had their six-month dental cleaning.  Ben had no cavities and was excited to learn that his bottom two front teeth are starting to get loose.  Mollie had a small cavity in one of her back teeth.  According to the dentist this was one of the last teeth that came in and for some reason the enamel did not form correctly on the back of it leaving it open to cavities.

Silly Girl

I have to tell write down a couple of funny Mollie stories so that they will go in our blog book.

On Monday, I told Ben and Mollie that we were going to Ben's friend Cal's birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese on Thursday.  Later in the day, I heard Mollie say to Hal (our cat):  "You're having a birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese."  I told her, "No, Mollie not Hal, Cal."  She looked at me confused and said, "A cow is having a birthday party at Chuck E Cheese?"

Tuesday, our friends the Walls came over to bring Ben a get well gift.  They didn't forget about Mollie.  They brought her a 3-pack of Minnie Mouse "lipstick."  While Rachel and I were talking and not paying attention to what Mollie and Allie were doing, they decided to "paint their hair pink" by rubbing chapstick into it.  Their hair was so greasy and gross.

Cast

Grandaddy and Nana stopped by to check on Ben today on their way to Jim and Fran's house.  Grandaddy got to be the first person to sign Ben's cast.  Up until today, Ben's arm had been too sore to move it around much.

Bath

Ben successfully took his first bath in his cast without getting it wet.  We wrapped his cast in a bread bag (Mama's suggestions) and taped it around the top.  I put a step stool in the bathtub beside him to prop his arm on.  We even managed to wash his hair but we may just wash his hair a couple of times a week rather than daily while he's wearing a cast.

Broken Arm

Yesterday we went to Nana and Grandaddy's house to visit with Fran, MV, and Janey.  It was a rainy, rainy day and when the sun finally came out in the late afternoon, Fran and I suggested a bike ride around the neighborhood.  Just a few feet from Nana and Grandaddy's street Ben wrecked his bike.  For some reason he just didn't brake, hit the curb, and flew off his bike and landed in someone's yard.  He got up crying and insisted that he wasn't riding his bike anymore.  I thought he was just scared and insisted that he get back on his bike and I literally pushed him all the way around the block.  He fussed the entire time saying his arm hurt.  When we got back to Nana and Grandaddy's house, he got on the couch and refused to move.  He wouldn't get up (even to go to Chick-fil-a), move his arms, or wiggle his fingers.  We decided that we needed to have his arm x-rayed.  Fran and I took Ben to St. Dominic's ER while Nana and Grandaddy stayed with the girls.  

 Setting out on our bike ride.

 We had an excellent experience in the ER at St. Dominic's.  They got us right in.  Ben, Cat, and I are waiting for someone to take him to x-ray.

 After the x-ray, they took him to the ER Clinic, which was very nice.  The ER doc came in and told us that Ben's arm was broken and that we would need to see an orthopedic specialist.  I explained that we were from out of town and that I would prefer to take him to someone local for us.  In talking, we discovered that he is friends with an orthopedic specialist that goes to our church.  The ER doctor called him and they consulted.  The ER doctor was able to send him Ben's x-rays to look at.  He said that Ben would need pins put in his arm to hold it in place while it healed.  We could either have it done that night by whoever was on call or we could drive home and he would do it in the morning.  We elected to take him home and have it done this morning.

 The ER doctor was able to send the x-rays to our local doctor, but for some reason he never showed them to us.  Instead he drew us this picture.  Maybe he thought it would be easier for Ben to understand. He was really good with Ben.

 After the Tylenol with codeine kicked in, the doctor splinted Ben's arm.  We spent about 3 hours in the ER.

Fran took this pic of Ben with Cat and his splint.

 When I called Mama and Daddy to tell them Ben's arm was broken, they decided to pack their bags and drive to our house.  We all got there about midnight.  John was working in Huntsville, AL, so he got home about 1:30 a.m.

 Waiting in pre-op this morning before they took him back for surgery.

 Finally napping after the surgery.  He woke up from his anesthesia MAD.  He hated that hospital.  He liked St. Dominic's better.  They kept him waiting too long (it had taken a while to fill out the insurance paperwork).  He wanted to go home NOW!  He wanted grape juice NOW!  He said his arm hurt really bad.  They pumped some meds through his IV and that helped considerably.

 He woke up about 1:30 when Pastor Knox stopped by to visit with him.  He was in a much better mood.  Ready to talk.  After Knox left, Nana and Grandaddy stopped by (after taking Mollie to my parents.  She had spent the previous night with them).  After Nana and Grandaddy left, he colored some.  When his nurse saw him up talking and coloring she called the doctor and told him Ben was ready to go home.  We got released about 2:30 p.m.

Wheeling Ben to the car.  He's home now, coloring, and watching TV.

Gulfport

Mama and Aunt Connie decided to take a road trip this week and spent a couple of days visiting us.  Yesterday we drove down to Gulfport and spent a few hours at the beach.  We really didn't plan ahead and I completely forgot to bring the kids sand toys.  I had a couple of blow up rings in my swim bag that they had lots of fun with, though. 

 Ben wanted to race.

 Mollie liked to wait for the waves to wash her onto the sand.

Notice there were no pictures of Mama or Aunt Connie included on this post as requested.

Lake Bruin

We spent the weekend with friends at Lake Bruin.

 On Friday night, we took Mr. Lamar's new deck boat to look at fireworks on the lake.  Big Will let Ben drive the boat.  I don't know why Ben's face looks so aggravated, because he thought that was so cool.  Afterwards, he told me, "I was awesome.  Did you see me?"

 Saturday morning, we went out in David's boat to ride in the tube and wake board.

 Ben and Mollie had never been in a boat before Friday night, so John make the first round in the tube with them.  It was a tight fit.

 This is what you could see from the boat.

 After a few minutes, John got out and let Ben and Mollie ride by together.  Mollie was kind of scared because they had flipped out with John when David stopped the boat.  John was just too heavy for the tube. Ben told Mollie that he would hold on to her and kept a tight grip.  Ben looked backwards the entire time watching the water behind them.

 A smile from Ben and more concerned looks from Mollie after the boat stopped.  But then Mollie cried because she didn't want to get out of the tube.

John practicing relaxing and having fun on the wake board.

 Ben watching John.  Mollie was completely covered with towels because she didn't like the sun in her face.

 Will, Clair, and David.

 John getting a little air on the wake board.

 We all got out of the boat and swam in the lake a while.

 Emily's first time on the tube.

 Ben on the tube by himself.

Borrowing some gas from Mr. Lamar.  Thankfully when we ran out of gas in the middle of the lake we were in sight of David's parents boat house and the waves were moving us in the right direction.

Random Pics

Here are some random pictures that Ben, Mollie, and I have taken over the past week.  Ben and Mollie love to take pictures so when I download pictures I find all sorts of things on my camera.

 Ben reading to John.

They thought it was funny to sit in front of the door with their eyes closed.  When I opened the door, they were surprised and fell backwards.

 Preparing to race.

 Mollie prepared a picnic for her dolls.

 A Matchbox car wreck.

 Eating a muffin with her doll.  Mollie couldn't figure out how to say cheese for the camera and not show the muffin in her mouth.

 This is Mollie beside her "sand castle."  If you look carefully, there is a pile of dirt with a stick stuck in the top of it.

 You may notice that Ben and Mollie have been playing outside in their pajamas a lot.  I've been trying to get them outside early in the morning before it gets too hot.  It's still hot, though. They come in dirty and sweaty and then they take baths and get dressed for the day.

Ben took this picture of a frog in our yard.