In an instant...

In an instant...your life can change. Your dreams, your goals, your plans. In an instant...you have new priorities, new goals, new plans.

It's in that instant...and the instances that follow...that show your true character and spirit.

Our life has been full of challenges and instances that redirect our paths. We're a relatively flexible family but some instances shove us so damn hard off our path that there is no way we can get back on it....so we change direction.

These next few months of our lives are going to completely change our direction, and the direction of many immediate family members. It's an emotional rollercoaster and let me tell you - I puke after rollercoasters.

But we're strong. We're fighters. Don't underestimate the Mrdutts. We're flexible...and right now, we're pulling together every flexible fiber we have to remain hopeful. Take that!!!

Who woulda thunk it?

Mason L.O.V.E.S. school. I am so proud of him, I just had to share the note we got back from the teacher today.



But I digress...

On Monday, I decided to take a 1/2 day at work to meet my valentine for a sushi lunch. On my way out of Wausau, I got a call from the school nurse that the baclofen was not packed for Mason. I said, "no problem, I can swing through and drop it off". I then called Chris. Chris had crushed the med and added it to his food. He was trying to be so helpful. The problem is, the powdery med dissolves on the food so you can't see it. Anyway - the nurse reminded us that Mason's drugs need to come each day in the prescription container - some legal mumbo jumbo. So...I called the teacher back and instructed her to just feed him as normal, that the med was on there, and that I was not stopping in. I should have stopped in...

So, 30 minutes later, I get an email from the teacher that we forgot to pack the bottle nipple for Mason's milk. Crap. Well, Chris did pack one, but it was used in the morning and not packed in his backpack. Regardless...lesson learned. They ended up feeding him most of his food and giving him all 10 oz of milk through the G-tube. Oooofta. I never really instructed them on speed with bolus feeds so I am imagining Mason stuffed to the max and barfing all over them. But...he did not. Phew. I think we need to pack only 7 or 8 oz. from now on.

I was feeling like a poopy parent. Who gets contacted twice in one day from the school? Anybody? Are you out there? I'm guessing not. So, after feeling poopy, we made plans to be better prepared next time.

This morning, Mason woke up at 3:30 am. I don't get it. It's 6 am on non-school days and 3:30 am on school days. Is he excited or something?! So I wrote a note to the teacher, explaining what time he woke up, how we had an extra bottle packed, what the meds were, etc. etc. And I was so proud to get that nice note back!

As you can see, Mason had a very long day!



I'm hoping this craziness will turn into a more routine schedule at some point. It probably will...by June...and then it will be summer...ah, the joys of a 3 year old.

School day #2

Mason had a great night of sleep last night. He fell asleep around 9:30 pm, and only woke up once. Chris was able to go into his room and adjust him so that he fell back asleep. I can't even remember how long ago it was that he slept an entire night in his own bedroom!

Today was Mason's 2nd day of school. It sort of feels like the 1st because he did everything on his own today. Mason was picked up at 8:10 am by the bus driver, Deb. He was loaded onto the bus via the lift system.



After being loaded on, his wheels were strapped down with 4 hooks. He looked back and gave a nice smile to Auntie Michelle.

Off he goes...on his own. Luckily, the lift system is on the right side of the bus, thus blocking his view of Grandpa and Grandma's house on his way to school. Phew - probably saves us from a little temper tantrum!

The teacher said that Mason was in a great mood when the bus arrived at school. He did well with the morning activities, had physical therapy, and was pretty pooped out by 10:30 am. He fell asleep quickly and slept on the cot. At 11:30, the nurse came in to give him his lunch med, and he woke up for lunch. He ate well, and drank his entire bottle. Chris popped in at 10:30 while he was sleeping, so Mason never knew he was there. Mason made it the entire day without us! *tear*

Chris picked Mason up today and asked Michelle how the afternoon went. Apparently Mason was happy as can be on the bus rides, both ways, according to the bus driver. However, when he was taken off the bus at Auntie's, he kept looking back at the bus and pouting. He already misses school. :(

We are both happy to have Mason adapting so well. He only took a 1 hour nap today, so hopefully we can get him used to that so he sleeps better for us at night.

Homework

So silly me...but I'm really excited to start helping Mason with his homework. His first assignment was to complete an "All About Me" poster. As I looked at the blank poster, I thought - oh, I'm going to not only do this...I'm going to OVERDO this!

So I purchased foam abc letters and some foam squares from Walmart. Let's make this bad-boy a little 3D! When I picked up Mason today...he was sleeping, so I got a jump start on the poster before Chris got home. I matted the photos (yep!) and added them on. I got started with some coloring. Once Chris got home, I had him help me finish the coloring. This is the final poster:


Mason didn't do any of it...but I promise I won't make that a habit. If I'm brave enough, I'll give him a red marker to mark the heck out of this poster.

I also wrote out all of Mason's valentine's for next week Monday....just so I wouldn't forget. I'm excited to see all of the valentine's that Mason brings home.

Tomorrow is school day #2 for Mason. He's getting on the bus (on his own!) and will be at school (on his own!). Daddy is going to be "on-call" from 10 -1 just in case they have any questions or need help with feeding. Then, he's going back to Auntie Michelle's on the bus (on his own!) I am excited to hear how the day goes...

And in closing...here is an updated pic of the big Mace-meister:

Mason's First Day of School

To put all of this in perspective, it is important to know that Mason went to sleep at 6 pm yesterday, thus woke up at 3 am this morning, thus was a very tired boy before we even got to school.

I got a picture of Mason in his first day of school outfit. Sweatpants, a Mickey Mouse tee, and a Mickey Mouse sweatshirt. Comfyness. ;)



When we got to school, Mason was fussy. Luckily, we found a train mat that grabbed his attention and he watched kids play for the first 30 minutes or so. He then got to read a few books with the physical therapist and continuing to watch the kiddos. We also took some time to get him in his gait trainer and, although crabby as heck, we got him to move around a bit.



We sat down in the group circle in an attempt to have Mason join in on the group activities, but he wanted nothing to do with it. He was soooooooo tired. So I pulled him off to the side, stuck the nuk in, and had him sleeping in 2.2 seconds.

They had him lay down on his own cot, where he slept for over an hour.
I attempted to wake him at 11:30 so that the nurses could see him eat and see us administer meds, but he wanted nothing to do with it. He wouldn't let me set him back down. So he slept. And slept. Until 1:00 pm. None of the teachers could believe that he slept for 3 hours. And I sat there, in the rocker, for that entire time. All the kids...all the noise...and he slept. That's our Mason!!!

Finally, we got him up to eat and drink...so a few teachers could see how it's done. He ate pretty good, while the other kids had their 1/2 hour nap time then watched a movie. After a Clifford movie (which Mason watched while he drank his bottle), they played a version of ring-around-the-rosy. Even Mason joined in with Ms. Becky's help.


"A tisket, a tasket, a green and yellow basket...I wrote a letter to my love and on the way I dropped it. I dropped it, I dropped it, and on the way I dropped it..." The valentine was dropped by Ms. Becky and Mason so they had to chase the other kids around the room. Mason really seemed to enjoy this activity.

Of course, Mason's best mood came at the end of the day and he was smiley as we got him dressed and I brought him home. It was an exhausting day for me...but I am very confident that this group of teachers is going to be great for him. Now Mason is rolling around on the living room floor and I am ready for a nap...

Best part is, we have Mommy and Daddy homework. We have a poster we need to help Mason complete..."All about Mason"...that we need to color, fill in, and add pictures to. And even more fun yet, we have to get Valentine's for the other kids. Mickey Mouse valentines you think?

Birthday Weekend

You lookin' at me?! You lookin' at me?!

Our birthday kiddos! Aren't they turning into lovely young men and women?
Isn't this cake awesome?!

The entire Jan/Feb birthday group. It just keeps getting bigger!

That's right, I'm 3.

Our group owning lanes 59 & 60.

Yummy!