Change of plans...again!

So, PJ's surgery date has been reschedule due to the chief of orthopedic surgery doing a clinic trial surgery that is 10 hours long on the 16th.  They only do surgeries on Mondays so PJ's got bumped from the 16th to the 23rd.  God has a reason for the change and I'm so thankful for His interventions and His plans...one more week to enjoy those chubby thighs!!

Tubes...round 2!

This past week consisted of yet another trip out of town for a dr.'s visit...and this time it was for our big boy Daniel.  We have been noticing for some time now that he has been having trouble hearing, but didn't know if we should chalk it up to his age and the appropriate selected-hearingness that his age entails, but after a few different people telling us that they have noticed as well that he says, "huh? what? what did you say" too many times, we thought that we would take him to get a hearing test.  And with kindergarten coming up, we knew he needed to be hearing well.  We took him a couple weeks ago to a dr. in Reno and learned that he only had 50% of hearing in his left ear because his tubes were blocked with gunky, thick fluid that was not draining and his right ear looked a little better, but still contained some fluid.  The dr. said that he would need tubes and possibly his adnoids removed.  When Daniel was almost 2 he had tubes put in due to chronic ear infections and the dr. said that because he has already had tubes, usually the second time they take the adnoids out because they are usually the cause of the fluid not draining.
So, this past Tuesday we went down to Reno and did all fun things for Daniel.  We stayed at a fun hotel where Daniel and Mitch went swimming and went to the arcade while PJ and I relaxed in the room.  Daniel even picked out a new stuffed animal (like he doesn't have enough!) to keep him company in the hospital.  We gorged ourselves with mall food, ice cream, and to top it off, Olive Garden for dinner.  I feel kind of sick just thinking about it! :-)
We had to wake up at 5 am to get checked in by 6 am at the hospital.  Once we were admitted, we sat in a little room waiting for them to wheel him off.  That's one of the parts I was dreading.  Daniel was so brave.  I could tell he was nervous and scared, but he was trying so hard to be a big boy, and he was! All in all, the procedure went really good.  He woke up so well, another part I was anxious about.  He didn't even cry, he just laid there quietly.  The nursed kept asking if he was ok.  I think they were kind of surprised at how quiet he was!  After about 30 minutes, we were able to leave and within an hour or so, we had our precious Daniel back to normal.  He is such a strong little man.  Here are some pictures to show that day.

With his hospital jammies on! Big smiles!

Still waiting...you know how it goes!

 Ready to go with his super-hero hat and all!!

PJ was such a good boy the whole day.  We were waiting...waiting...PJ passing the time by finding something to chew on!



This is our sweet boy afterwards.  He was so quiet and just said he wanted to go home...talk about melting my heart!

A couple hours after we left, Daniel was back to his normal self...silly and all!  Praise God.  No matter how big or small surgeries are, they are still that, surgeries.  Not knowing how he would do with anesthesia and all, we are so thankful things went the way they did.  The only trouble we have had is getting Daniel to lay still while we put drops in his ears!  Not too much to complain about here!!! So glad that is over!
Only a couple more weeks before we head back to San Fran for PJ's hip surgery.  We have been getting things in order before we go.  Today I placed a bid on ebay for a car seat made specifically for babies with spica casts.  The beginning bid was $199  GULP!  To buy a brand new one, it ranges from anywhere from $450-$500, so hopefully we win this bidding war and get the car seat!  There is free shipping, so that's something to be thankful for!! ha!  In the mean time we have been enjoying PJ's chunky legs as we won't see them for a while.  He is quite the character these days.  Developing his own little personality and everything...it's so fun!!  We are so blessed with our boys and we are so grateful for God's never-ending love for us.  God is so good!  I know I say that a lot, but I BELIEVE IT a lot!!

March Madness!!

I know I haven't updated in quite a while.  It's honestly hard to find a good chunk of time when I can actually sit down, go through pictures, and write somewhat of an understandable blog :)  The past month or so has been a busy one.  We've taken yet another trip to San Francisco for PJ.  His head was beginning to measure growing too quickly which raised a red flag.  We called the pediatric neurosurgeon and they said that they wanted to see PJ and get an updated ultrasound of his ventricles.  Also, it had been over a month since we had beed down there and since had gotten new braces for his feet and they wanted to check those out as well.  We were ready to go back because we really just wanted to know if everything was alright.  Daniel stayed here with my mom and dad (we wouldn't know what to do with out them!!) and we were able to make it a relatively quick trip down.  My friend Shana rode with us down there because she was picking up a car in SF.  That worked out great for us.  We told her that she was on binky/bottle duty sitting in the back with PJ. ha!  PJ is a sensative boy in that he is very picky to who can hold him, who's around him, etc...but he loves Shana!  It was a blessing having her ride down with us.   Once we got to the Spina Bifida clinic we were told that according to the latest ultrasound showed that there was NO CHANGE in fluid levels!!! Praise God!!  I think that my boys just have big heads...and I say that with all the love a mother can give! :)  We showed one of the dr.'s the braces for his feet and we learned we had to make a couple adjustments to them.  The front strap should be covering his toes more.  All SB babies have a problem with their toes.  They have the muscles and ability to curl them, but not necessarily stretch them out as well.  So in turn they become curled and very tight.  So this brace will not only help the angle at which his feet sit, but also straighten out his toes.  Once we have achieved what we need, I will post before/after pics of his toes.  You will be amazed at how pliable babies' bones are!  We were also able to schedule PJ's hip surgery and spica casting (boo!).  He is scheduled for April 16th for the hip surgery.  The surgery itself is called an "open reduction".  We were reassured by the orthopedic surgeon that it's a very good possiblity that he'll only have to be in the spica cast for 6 weeks and then transfer into a brace.  We are praying for God would heal PJ's hip and we could be through the hard part faster than we imagined.  The 16th of April is a Monday and on the Friday before we will be getting another urodynamics study done.  He received one the day we were discharged from the hospital and they said that he would need to get another one done when he turned 6 months...yes...he is almost 6 months!!  That makes me want to cry...or eat some chocolate.  ha!  The study will tell us what his bladder looks like now and whether or not there has been reflux up into his kidneys.  As you know, we have been cathing him since he was born every 3-4 hours.  We know that won't change, but here's to hoping!  So, we have a big week coming up soon.  Please keep us in your prayers.  Pray that PJ would adjust quickly and well and that those 6 weeks would fly by.  It will be hard at first, healing from surgery along with not being able to move all of the sudden.  It's going to be hairy I think.  I think I'm more worried than anyone about it, but isn't that what moms are supposed to do?! 

Yesterday we spent the day in Reno.  Daniel has had a hard time hearing for the past 6 months or so...but it's so hard at this age because you don't know if they are just being their age, as in selective hearing, or if there really is something else going on.  We took him to an ENT dr. yesterday to get checked out and have a hearing test done.  As soon as the dr. looked into his left ear, he said that it didn't "look so hot"...um..ok?  So, after the hearing test we were shown the results and they were dissapointing.  He doesn't have 50% of his hearing in the left ear because there is so much fluid which as been unable to drain.  So, it looks like he will be getting tubes in his ears.  He had tubes put in when he was 2 due to chronic ear infections and since this is the second time in getting them, he may have his adnoids removed as well.  The dr. will make that decision when he is putting the tubes in.  That surgery is scheduled for March 28th.  I remember from the first time it was a breeze, except for waking up from anesthesia.  Please keep Daniel in your prayers that all will go well and he'll wake up better than expected! 

All of these dr. appts get to be a little overwhelming, but I am constantly reminded that God has a plan for us and to stray from trusting in that is going to do absolutely nothing for me except send me on a tail spin of disaster.  I know that things could always be worse and that God's mercies are new every morning, praise God for that!  God's Word has been such an encouragement to me and reading about His promises for us and knowing that God will keep us safe and even though sometimes it is confusing and we wonder why, that is not for us to understand.  We are to be a light in the world, and being a light through our own times of darkness is what will really reveal God's power and love.  We can only be thankful that God would choose us to be able to testify his glory!

Other than dr.'s appts, we have been busy.  Mitch has been working a ton of overtime, which is needed and we are very thankful for the opportunity for him to do that!  It gets hard towards the end of the rotation, but again, we are thankful.  He is such a hard worker and I am so blessed to have a husband that works so hard and never complains about having to go to work.

The weather has been nice and Daniel and Mitch have played quite a bit of baseball in the backyard.  We've lost quite a few balls due to a few home runs Daniel has hit and I'm sure the neighbor's dogs appreciate the new chew toys.  Daniel has resisted from picking the first crocus' of the season.  But he is all in for looking under the rocks and making mud in the garden.  PJ has made a few trips outside himself, but what can a 5 month old really do outside yet??  When the weather is nice on more of a consistant basis, then I'll get a blanket out and let him lay out in the yard.  I'm sure he'll be amazed!

I've done my share of spring cleaning the past couple weeks!  Everyone's rooms have been deep cleaned and organized.  I've gotten rid of garbage bags full of clothes that are now taking up room in the garage.  Closets look amazing and rooms are spic and span.  I am trying my hardest to keep in that way!  I still have things on my list of spring cleaning projects, but those were some of the biggest and I'm glad to have them out of the way!

I've included some pics for your enjoyment.  I noticed that there was only a couple pics of Daniel, but that is due to him taking weird pictures lately.  I can't get a good one of him!  He makes the goofiest faces...I don't know what to do with him!!! Enjoy the pictures!

 PJ's pajamas have changed due to his braces...thanks to Jen for the baby legs!  Daniel likes to entertain PJ while he is getting his diaper changed...he does a good job at that!

I was reading in the living room and I heard some kids outside.  They were walking to the edge of the parking lot.  We live right across from Daniel's preschool and I spied on him doing a fire drill!  He's the tallest one of the bunch. 



Peek-a-boo PJ!

Mitch and Daniel had a boys day last Saturday that consisted of bowling and burgers!  They had a blast! Daniel was so excited!



PJ was sitting in his bumbo while a cooked dinner.  Look at those gummies!!



 Why do the boys get the best eyelashes?

Good Morning sunshine!!  PJ is a big fan of the mornings!  I get nothing but smiles from this boy!



Here's a pic of his lates braces (AFO's).  Hopefully these will fix his feet and toes!

I just had to post this one because he looks so much older in this pic.

That's what we've been up to this last month.  This blog got a lot longer than I expected! Sorry!!  Hope you all are enjoying spring springing!!  We will be sure to keep you updated through the surgery process.  Thank you for your prayers...as always!!  It's such a comfort to know we have such a huge prayer support out there!

What's been going on with us?

I know, I know....I've been very bad about updating the blog.  When people ask me why I haven't updated it's because things are going good and life is "normal" with nothing really to report!  I've been meaning, however, to post about Daniel's 5th birthday party.  It's hard to believe that my baby is 5 stinkin' years old already!  I remember pushing that chunky baby out on his birthday and swearing that I wouldn't have anymore kids!  It was a pretty traumatic experience! haha!!  I think we've all done that right after giving birth!  And here I am...2 kids later!  Daniel is my buddy, my helper, my assistant in the kitchen, my entertainment, and most of all, he's one of the things that gives me the most joy in my life.  I don't know what I am going to do with out him next year when he goes to kindergarten...it's going to be quiet around here!  But, I'm sure PJ is going to keep me busy...I have no doubt about that!  I thought I'd post some pics to show everyone what we've been up to and how fast PJ is growing!  Please enjoy the pics!!

Daniel...glowing on his birthday...literally! 

PJ, sucking his thumb.

Mason found the best spot in the house...by the fries!

Best buds!

Daniel was thrilled, as you can tell, to get a gumball machine from Uncle Kyle, Aunt Jen, Jovi and Aven!  He charges us if we want a piece of gum...smart boy that one! 

Have to get the "cake" picture in!

Daniel and his Cars 2 theme.

cousins!

PJ -- loving his swing, although I think we are reaching the weight limit! 

PJ enjoying his bumbo chair and looking at himself in the mirror!

He LOVES to be sitting up...can you tell?

I just had to post a picture of the chunk...

Tomorrow we go to pick up foot braces for PJ to wear at night.  Hopefully these braces will correct his foot position and also straighten out his toes.  We were fitted with them last week with castings, so hopefully these braces fit great and he adjusts to them.  He will only need to wear them at night, so I think he'll be ok with them.

We are really enjoying our time as a new family of four and we've adjusted quite well I think.  I  have my moments of being overwhelmed, but I wouldn't trade it for the world!  We had one of the best moments of our lives last night in fact.  Daniel has a special heart and I'm not talking medically.  I mean he is special in the fact that he talks about God all the time and prays for people diligently.  For the past year or so he's really been soaking up what God has done for us and what it means to be saved.  He understands that God sent His son to die for our sins.  We talk about what sins are and what it means to sin and what God says about it in the bible.  Through our devotions and talks at home and through cubbies and school he has learned so much about God and what He has done for us.  We've been talking to him about what a relationship with God is and what it means to have a relationship with God.  He's mentioned several times that he's asked Jesus into his heart, on his own, and last night he asked if everyone is going to heaven and we told him no and that people who don't ask for forgiveness and repent and believe that Jesus is their savior that they won't go to heaven.  He said that he believes all those things.  We asked him if he wanted to pray together to have Jesus come into his heart and ask for forgiveness for his sins and to live a life for God and he said yes!  We read some scripture together and Mitch and Daniel prayed for Jesus to come into his heart and that he trusted Jesus as his savior and wanted to live a life for him.  Can you believe it?!  Mitch and I have been praying for Daniel for years that he would come to know the Lord as his personal savior and for it to happen is so amazing!  It's the biggest thing we want for our boys is to trust Jesus as their savior and to experience that with Daniel was one of the best moments of my life!  I know that God has great plans for Daniel and that He is going to use his heart and his life for something great!  I just wanted to share that because we are so proud of him and we just want to shout it from the mountain tops!!  Of course, we had to call Mitch's parents and my parents right away to tell them!  My mom told Daniel that there were angels rejoicing and singing praises and Daniel thought that was pretty cool!  We are so blessed, our family of four...I'm so thankful that I can be a mom to Daniel and PJ and a wife to Mitch.   Our moments here on earth are so short and limited, I'm just thankful that I get to share them with some wonderful people. :-)

Update on PJ's upcoming casting.

As you know from the previous post, PJ has to get a spica cast put on, which is a cast that goes from the chest to the ankles.  Also, the previous post was loaded with my anxious, nervous heart.  It was just so fresh and overwhelming!  The day after I posted, I got a call from the orthopedic surgeon, which is rare because usually it seems like we talk mostly to the nurse practicioner for the doctor or the coodinator, anyone beside the doctor.  But, she called us personally to talk about the procedure and what was involved with it.  She started by saying that she wanted his hip to loosen up from being in a brace for the past 2 1/2 months.  She said she wanted to wait for at least 2 months before putting him in it.  Although we just wanted to get it started and overwith, I can't help but be relieved and excited that I get to see PJ's chunky thighs for 2 more months!!  Also, that cuddle time is oh-so-precious.  We are definitely taking advantage of that!!  She also informed us that they would check his hip 6 -8 weeks in to see if it has set in the joint and if so, he can come out of the cast and be put back into the brace.  That would be awesome!  We are praying that we would be so blessed to get him out of it before 12 weeks!!  If not, we will roll with the punches!  The procedure itself is only about an hour, which is great, not a lot of time for him to be under.
Another great thing about waiting a couple months is that we can start physical therapy for PJ.  This is going to be great for him to strengthen his core muscles and loosen up some muscles that have gotten tight due to the brace he was in.  She was also saying that the water is great for loosening up his muscles.  That means me getting in a swimming suit....what??!  Don't you know I just had a baby?!! ha!!  Whatever is best for PJ right?
Tuesday we are going to Reno to get him fitted for foot braces to wear at night to fix his feet and toes.  This too is another praise because we get to get this fixed before he gets into the cast. 
We continue to rest in God's love and hand in our lives.  I just look back at PJ's short life already and God's hand is in every moment.  It is so awesome to be able to witness His power and His love for us...very awesome.
Now for a Daniel update...as you know, he is in pre-k.  I can't tell you how much him being in pre-k has taught him.  He is such a smart little boy.  Each week of school they focus on a different letter and he as been looking forward mostly to the letter "P" because they are going to have a pajama/pizza party.  This is the week!! Tomorrow is his party and we have been going back and forth as to what pajamas to wear.  He has a few good buddies at school and he has been asking to wear his Buzz Lightyear jammies because there's a lazor "button" so he can lazor his friends.  I told him that he couldn't...well, because they are from last year and the pants stop at his shins and the shirt reveals his ever-so-cute belly button.  I would say it's borderline inappropriate! haha.   I'm trying to talk him into his Cars jammies.  Here's to coaxing him!
We've been doing nightly devotions with him as a family.  Sometimes we do them after dinner or before bedtime.  Last night we did the devotions about Lot and his wife and children fleeding Sodom and Lot's wife turning into a pillar of salt.  Talk about the wrong devotion to do before bed!  Daniel was asking if he was going to turn into a pillar of salt if he disobeyed.  Ummm...no.  Let's just say we had to do an extra amount of praying while tucking him in.  :-)  He hasn't said anything this morning, so let's hope he forgets about it for a while.  Otherwise, he's loving the devotions.  He drew a picture the other day of Adam and Eve in the garden with a snake under the tree.  I tell ya, these kids remember E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G!!!  Trust me, I'm trying to be on my best behavior so he doesn't tell Nanny and Pappy what mommy did the other day!  I'm sure it's already happened but my parents don't tell me to save me the embarrassment!!
Hope everyone is doing well and trying to make it through winter.  This is a tough time of year with the dreadful weather, being stuck inside, and breathing the recirculated air in the house for too long!  No wonder we keep getting colds!  That reminds me...I should go take an Airborne!

Back from San Francisco, yet again!

As most of you know, we made the treck to San Francisco this past week for PJ's Spina Bifida Clinic, despite the weather over Donner Pass.  This is our 3rd trip since he's been born that we've had to go to San Fran, yet God has provided for us the means to make it there and to not have to worry about how we are going to get there.  We were anxious to get there because PJ has been in his Rhino Cruiser brace for 6 weeks and we were hoping and praying that there had been great progress.  The trip also included a little fun for Daniel since we had just celebrated his 5th birthday!  I can't get over the fact that we have a 5 year old child, who will start kindergarten this year. GULP!  I'm not going to talk any more about that because the lump in my throat won't allow me!  As you have read from the last post we took Daniel to the Exploratorium...and oh-my-goodness...how much fun!  I think we were there for a total of 4 hours!  It was a blast and Daniel enjoyed every second of it.  It is the best feeling to see your child happy.
Friday, the day of SB clinic, started off with a hip x-ray followed by a short walk down Irving to go to our favorite hole-in-the-wall sandwhich shop called the Yellow Submarine.  We walked in the rain, umbrella in tow and enjoyed our lunch before the long afternoon waiting for us.  When we got back to UCSF we went and took PJ to get an ultrasound of his head to see if the fluid had increased between his ventricles.  We hold our breath every clinic awaiting the news as to whether his levels have increased or not.  Once we were done with the ultrasound we took up up to the 2nd floor to clinic.  Keep in mind Daniel is with us along this journey.  And if I do say so myself, he did really well.  He just played his leapster and watched movies the whole time.  He was very behaved! Praise the Lord!  The first person to see was Dr. Shalet, who is with the nuerosurgery team.  He said that PJ's levels have remained the same and his soft spot feels great!!!  What amazing news to receive!!  NO SHUNT SO FAR!!!  The longer we make it and the older he gets w/o needing one is a miracle!  Dr. Shalet said that most kids get it by 6 months and a few between then and a year.   We have a quite the ways to go because he is only a mere 16 weeks old, but we are trusting God and holding hope that whatever happens is in God's plan and we will be ok with it.  The next person to see was the physical therapist, Monica.  She's awesome!  She said that he looks great, but encouraged us to do more tummy time, but we reminded her how impossible it is to do much tummy time because of the massive brace he's been wearing.  He holds his head up great when sitting up, but his core muscles need some work.  She also prescribed us braces for him to wear on his feet at night time.  When relaxed his feet should be at a 90 degree angle and they don't point up as much.  Also, his big toes look like they are flexed, like he's curling them down.  We've been massaging them during diaper changes, but the braces should help straighten them out as well.  What's another brace, we've already been through 3 of them already!  Next dr. to see was Dr. Delgado.  This is the biggie.  She is the orthopedic surgeon who has been monitoring his hip and prescribing the braces for his hip.  We went to another room to view the x-rays and it was like someone's puppy had died.  There was his x-ray, chunky thighs obvious, and his left hip completely out of socket.  The brace hadn't done anything for him.  HOW DISAPPOINTING.  We honestly were shocked because we thought we saw a difference in the way his leg was positioned.  It had become more parallel with his right leg so we thought there had been some difference.  So, then she proceeded to tell us the next step.  He will have to undergo a little "procedure" where they put him under and cut a tendon in his hip area.  The tendon has become tight and shorter which prohibits his hip to go back in.  Along with that they will put him in a Spica cast.  This is the WORST part for us.  The cast goes from his chest all the way down to his ankles.  His legs will be in the wish-bone position as well.  Of course there will be an opening for diaper changes...but that will be an adventure in itself.  How do you keep a cast clean on a baby who manages to have explosions like no other?!  The dr. said that parents get creative with saran wrap and tape....hmmm....I'm going to have to do some researching on this one.  The cast will remain on for a total of 12 weeks (I just want to cry!) with a cast change at 6 weeks in.  I just can't believe it still.  It's funny because we'll forget about it for a while and then it hits us like a ton of bricks.  I just hope that he adjusts to it.  If he can adjust to it then I'll be ok, but if this is something that we have to suffer through, I just don't know.  I know this is best for him.  The dr.'s said that it's our choice.  If we were to decide that we didn't want to do it, one leg would grow longer than the other, he would need special lift shoes, and then it would become painful.  Of course we don't want that!  That will take place in the next couple weeks.  Yes, that means we have to go back to San Fran.  One thing I know is that God has a wonderful plan for our PJ.  He has great things in store for him.  Can you imagine his story in 20 years?!  I'll be honest, it's hard to have a good, positive attitude right now.  I guess I just want to get this all started so we can get through it.  Proverbs 3:5,6 and Jeremiah 29:11 right?!  His strength is made perfect in our weakness.  I am praying for strength!  Sometimes it's hard to remember that 12 weeks isn't that long in the grand scheme of things, but thinking of all he's been through already, it's tough.  God will be glorified through all of this, there's no buts about it!  Please pray that this procedure will work and that PJ will adjust to it quickly.  If you're a mom, you know that there's nothing worse than seeing your child in pain and there's nothing you can do about it.  God has shown His power and His love for us so much, so I know there's no need to worry.  Maybe I need to read Matthew 6 again...
Thank you, everyone, for your prayers and your encouraging words.  They mean SO much to us, words will never be able to express our appreciation and thankfulness. 

Birthdays, Boys, and the Bay

A brief disclaimer as always: this is Mitchell. Also this blog is very photo-intensive. The faint of heart and the epileptics, may want to look away.

That being said its been a while since I've been on here. But I couldn't resist blogging about today's activities. For those that don't know we are back in San Francisco for follow up for PJ. We decided to have Daniel come with because it was his 5th birthday last Tuesday, Jan. 17th. We also came down early so that we could get an X-Ray for PJ prior to our appointments tomorrow.

When that was done we wanted to do something fun and "Big City" for Daniel. We were down to the Zoo and something called the Exploratorium. Due to the weather we chose the Exploratorium. For those of you from Minnesota it is the same as Science Museum. I was telling Heather earlier today that I can't remember how many times we went to the Science Museum on field trips and how great it was.

It was truly worth the price of admission to watch Daniel explore the Exploratorium. (Pun intended)

Oh let me back up as I intro these photos. Daniel had a bowling birthday last Saturday, Heather will blog about that later its late and I'm tired. The pictures below are from Heather's Parents house where Daniel had a mini 2nd celebration. Heather's mom made Lasagna and we opened a few extra presents and packages. (Heather is amazing at making birthdays last all day. Instead of opening presents in a whirlwind as is the only way my personality will allow. Heather staggers the presents throughout the day and I know Daniel loves that.)

Just something Karen whipped up for dessert. (It was sooooo good.)

Daniel blowing out his candles.

A robe from Melissa and Nathaniel. (Daniel's cousin Austin got a robe and Daniel wanted one cause his old robe was too small. He was so happy he had to throw down his go to funny face to show his excitement.)

I try to encourage Daniel that there is more out there than being a Police Officer, like his dad, but I'm kinda worried with pictures like this that he'll get his wish. (Next birthday I'm buying him a stethoscope.)

Finally the EXPLORATORIUM!!!!!!

The Vapor Tornado

This was PJ's look after I had read like the 200th Plaque explaining what each exhibit did.

The Vapor Tornado is responsible for bringing families together across the nation.

Daniel getting his swirl on.

Daniel and Heather racing. Daniel used gravity to beat his mom. (I think there were instructions for this one about how the smaller weights go faster or something like that but the kid in me took over, and we just did it. I made it this far without directions, sorry mom. JK Daniel, now that I'm an adult I read the directions.)

Ok, so this photo needs some explanations. Its not my newest facebook profile photo. This exhibit was about how your face is not exactly symmetrical. The premise of the exhibit is take a photo and smile or make a face and then the computer would give you two right or two left sides. This was me with two rights. I think it goes without saying that God knew what he was doing with the little things like our faces not being symmetrical. My nose was already large enough and now its doubled in size. Thank God that he is God and not me.

Daniel's long lost twin.

Daniel from Outer Space

This area was called the Tinker Area or something like that. There were wooden dowels and many shapes and sizes to make a spinning top. It was a true pleasure creating with Daniel today. Watching him go through the trial and error process with the shapes or the hole location until he got it right was really fun.

The Classic Bubble Table.

This chair was a true to scale model of the one to our right in the picture. There was also one that was to scale, but on the small end of the scale just out of the frame. (For those that care about useless knowledge, the chair just to our right in the photo is actually a standard dinner table chair.) 

I think this exhibit takes the cake as Daniel's favorite. This was great because when we were feeding PJ on the bench in the top right of the photo he would run back and forth. He would go over to it, turn the fan up or down, and run back. Then he would grab the ball and run to us and tell me look what I can do, and bounce it like a basketball. Then back to the fan. And on it went while the slow-flow nipple took forever to nourish PJ. Thanks Daniel for entertaining me.

Our new carrier for PJ. In crowded San Francisco where space is a precious commodity it has been nice.

Ok so the best part of the whole time was the Cow Eye Dissection. It was 10th grade biology all over again. I asked Daniel if he wanted to watch and he said yes, sat down, and was amazed.

The demonstrators cut the fat surrounding the eye, took the lens out, drained the fluid, showed us the optic nerve, a few rods and cones later and it was done. I don't know what Daniel retained, but I was thoroughly informed.

Over four hours at the Exploratorium can wear you out.

Daniel making music that only a parent could love.

Heather thanks as always for letting me share my thoughts and photos with our friends and family. I hpoe everyone enjoys. See you all next time.

Mitchell