Already March...

I'm not really sure what happened to February. But it is already March. That means warmer days, longer days (we've survived daylight savings, whew!). Here's a quick "what's been up 'round here" kind of post...

 We met some new puppies at the Humane Society while we were there for a birthday party (how fun is that?!)

 We took Parker to meet Payton's doctors and nurses at one of her appointments. Thank goodness Aunt Bo could go help. 

It went from inches and inches of snow, to shedding the winter coats and playing when there wasn't one cloud in the sky this past weekend. 

 We played bingo using M&Ms, and cut Payton's hair big time!

We passed out Valentine's and special presents to all Payton's nurses in the Hematology clinic. 

Parker went to check in with the surgeons at Children's. He's been officially discharged! We celebrated with hot chocolate. Dr. A gave Parker the option of having him remove his tube in the office of having me do it at home. Parker chose to do it at home. So after dinner, we put on our brave, goofy faces and with a little help holding him down, I removed his g-tube for the last time. 

(And not to be left out, Payton made her silly face to go along).

Several people have asked about his stomach. Once the tube was removed, it took about a day and next to no drainage and it has completely sealed itself, so there won't be any need to go in and surgically close the site. The tube was in for just shy of 5 years. His stomach now looks a little like he has another belly button. Between his bowel perforation, other surgery for fundoplication and now this he's got 6 scars on his abdomen. I told him they were good practice ninja scars, which he seems to like. To celebrate the tube coming out, we decided to go out to lunch and go bowling - a major hit!

Not to be out done by her brother, 4 days later, during a regularly scheduled doctor's appointment, we got a surprise. Dr. Lowas said she's doing so good and hasn't needed any transfusions for a while that her picc line could come out. In one quick movement the nurses had it out and she was tube free too. She has just a little spot on her arm from where the tube was coming out. After 4 months of dressing changes and round the clock care of it, she was tube free.

This past weekend Payton and I had a little girl time and got to meet baby Oakley. Payton is now well versed in baby holding and working out her babysitting schedule with Victoria.

After 5 years, having kids without any tubes of any kind for the first time EVER has been a little weird. The closet once dedicated to medical supplies has been cleaned out. It is good, and a little odd, to have to shut off the little voice in my head that was always keeping an extra eye on those tubes. Let's hope everything stays that way.

Also, we're going through some growing pains here - new schedules, new people, new places. If y'all have a few extra happy thoughts, prayers, sparkles, or whatever else you have and wanted to throw a little our way, we'd happily take them.