We bought a cycling store (can't say bicycle because we sell an surprising amount of unicycles too) in Seattle. (BikeSport located in Ballard if you're curious.)
The kids finished Kindergarten and are official 1st Graders. Baden is especially proud to be a 1st Grader. From the moment his teacher tested his reading ability and pronounced him "Ready for 1st Grade" he woke up in the morning asking if he started 1st Grade that day, disappointed when I told him that he wouldn't actually start until after summer vacation. Now that summer is underway he asks "Do we have school today?" Imagine the same extreme pout, sad eyes and shoulder droop from his earlier questions. Sorry buddy, two months and about a week to go.
We celebrated our 5th year with Savannah. I can hardly believe that much time has gone by, but when I see the girl in front of me there is little doubt that she is no longer the 20 lb. 30"tall 15 month-old she was back then. I can ask myself where all the time is gone and be thankful that I've taken so many pictures over the years in order to document the blur.
Baden had surgery to revise his nose and set it up for the growth that will happen between now and age 17. He is such a brave boy. He was very nervous while we waited for him to head off the to the OR, displaying it by over-compensating and bouncing off the walls. When I held him on my lap and asked him if he was nervous, the tears came and the fear was expressed. It broke my heart. Seattle Children's is amazing, the staff and atmosphere are full of optimism and as a parent having to relinquish care and control of your child to virtual strangers, we can do so and feel a bit better about it. In addition to bringing his small stuffed moose to the OR with him, they allowed him to bring his DS as he went under. I carried him to the OR, an experience that Scott had when Baden had his lip revision done two years ago. I was unsettled, but I couldn't let him know. When we walked into the OR one thing struck me that I hadn't anticipated. Yes the room was white, but it's a warm, bright white vs. a cold, drab white. I sat Baden down on the table and reassured him that he was going to be okay, that Mommy and Daddy would be waiting for him and that we'd be there when he woke up. He had his DS out and bleeping as the anesthesiologist put the gas mask on him (he chose the orange flavoring for the mask, in case you were wondering.) We couldn't figure out why he wasn't getting sleepy when she noticed that the tube had come unhooked from the mask. I kissed the top of his head and told him that I loved him, while at the same time holding my right hand under the DS to catch it. On tv and in movies when someone is being put under, the process seems to move along quickly. Either Baden is able to channel pure determination or they have it quite wrong on tv. Many people have commented that Baden is simply very determined. After the tube was hooked back up, Baden's fingers continued to fly, emitting a bleep, twak, choo choo, beep from his Mario game. What seemed like a solid minute went by, I crouched down to look up at his face and his eyes were more wide open than I'd ever seen. With a smile on my face, and fighting back misty eyes, I watched him fight the anesthesia. Finally he handed me the DS as his head dipped a little and he was schooched into position on the table. Once he was under my eyes got misty and it was time for me to leave. A wonderful nurse escorted me out of the room, smiling at me with understanding. She has been a part of countless surgeries and certainly seen the same emotion coming from parents. Though this was a routine surgery for them, while Iwas in the OR I had the feeling that they get that this isn't just a patient, this was a child with a family.
Today marks the end of the two week recovery process for Baden. As of this morning he can jump in the pool, he can play at the beach and search for sea life, he can run through the spray park. He can join in the fun of the All-Comer's track meets on Monday evenings. Yay!
Last weekend Savannah skated in her first compeition, skating to the song "Reflection" from Mulan. I am so proud of her! Last October she had the chance to skate in the Bellingham Figure Skating Club's Winter show and she opted not to, citing that she was afraid that people would laugh at her. By the time dress rehearsal came around in early December she was regretting her choice and said that she wouldn't make the same mistake again. Fast forward 6 months and there she was standing at center ice, arms in position, chin up and skating alone on the ice to her very own program. She didn't have any competitors in her category, which her coach explained to me didn't mean she would automatically get the gold. Someone can skate in that same position and come up short if they didn't hit all of their elements. But she did and she won her first gold medal!! Woo hoo!! Savannah has another competition coming up at the end of the month and she can't wait to skate in that as well. I do believe that my girl has found her sport.
