I got to babysit tonight.

[Esther]

Today was Kevin and Dawn's 15th wedding anniversary. One of their favorite restaurants is about 2 miles from here. They dropped the kids off for about 3 hours. I made pizza for them for supper and then Braeden threw stones in the little pond and fed the fish in the big pond. That kid can count to 10 with help and he just turned 2 in May. He doesn't really understand the concept of counting of course. But as I counted the stones, I could hear him saying the numbers along with me. Dawn says he even recognizes some letters.

Then Eliana wanted to swim so we had to come up with something for him to do. We put some water in a couple of containers you sit under pots and gave him things to play with in the water. We have to be really careful though because he can't get that Broviac port in his chest wet or dirty.  Anyway here's a couple of pictures. Oh by the way, he's not nearly as thrilled with Grandpa's ride lawn mower as Grandpa. Funny thing, he rides on his dad's all the time and thinks it's great. But Grandpa's scares him half to death. We finally asked Grandpa to quit mowing. 




Monday starts a new round of Chemo.

[Indiana Karen]

Awwwwwww, what cute pictures.  I'm sure Mom & Dad had a nice evening.

I'll be thinking of him on Monday, well actually I think of him everyday.

Karen

[Pa Nancy]

What cuties. I got my grandson twice this week.    He was 2 in March and he already knew quite a few letters in the alphabet already. Now he knows just about all of them, 4 or 5 give him trouble yet. He also knows some of the phonics sounds. But one thing he hasn't a clue is colors. You can tell he is guessing. I told dd I bet he is color blind. Don't know how we would find that out other than drs. tests, but they'll have to check into that.

[barb]

They are adorable!  Will this be the last round of chemo?

[Ky Kim]

Those are some precious pics you have there Esther.  Such cuties.

Kim

[Sandye]

Esther, Braeden is so adorable with his little bald head, it makes me just want to smoosh him.  I love that funny little expression in the second picture.   

Is the round of chemo that starts Monday his last one... I hope? 

[Esther]

I don't know the story exactly but this Chemo is like the ones he's had before. He usually goes in on Monday and goes home Friday morning. Then around Sunday or Monday his immunity #s crash and he starts running a fever and ends up back in the hospital for a round of antibiotics. Dawn is hoping that doesn't happen because Eliana starts school Tuesday and she has never been outschooled. She was homeschooled for two years.

Then, there will be a treatment of very strong Chemo and they put his stem cells back to help him recover. But, and here's where I'm not sure of the story, we're hearing something about 2 months of hospitalization. They will soon have a meeting with the oncologist and be able to ask the questions. They heard somewhere he might be sterile and there could be organ damage, so of course they have to have that clarified. Oh and radiation might follow too.

[maryvonne]

It wonderful you had your grandchildren. Sounds like you all had a good time. Braeden sure is a cutie. He's been through so much and still has a smile. Sounds like there is lots more ahead for him. Hope he continues to do well and I send good thoughts for him and his mom and dad.

Maryvonne