Clayton

I can't believe we're still dealing with this, but Clayton's knee is still swollen, and it's causing more and more problems for him.  He has been limping 100% of the time for about three weeks now.  Yesterday we took a day trip to Wichita Falls to see my old roommate, Jennifer.  It's about a two hour drive.  We met her at a restaurant, and when I lifted Clayton out of the van, he collapsed in the parking lot.  He cried and cried and couldn't unbend his leg from the carseat position.  He eventually managed to hobble into the restaurant.  I would have carried him, but I was already carrying Aaron (and the high chair cover, and Aaron's lunch, and Eli's cup, and....).  About half way through the meal he had to use the restroom, and I had to carry him there and back.  Then he managed to hobble to the car afterward.  When we got to Jennifer's house he was able to bend it a little better, and by the time we left, he was walking, with the limp, pretty well.  Unfortunately, it stiffened up again on the drive home, and he was miserable for a couple hours once we arrived home. 

It was so very hot yesterday, and I'm wondering if sitting under the full blast air conditioner in the van for two hours each way irritated it.  He's been stiff in the mornings and after naps, but not to the extent he was after the two hour drive.

I'm starting to get very frustrated by this, and I feel terrible for Clayton.  He usually has a pretty high pain tolerance, so the fact he's been in tears multiple times over this really worries me.  We saw the pediatrician again on Tuesday and are now working on getting an ortho consult.  I really hope they can get us in soon.  Clayton has VBS in two weeks, and I'm not sure if he'll be able to go.  I cannot imagine what is going on.  His second round of bloodwork last week looked better than the first, so it's a mystery.  Also, Clayton can't take Motrin because of drug interactions, so that's just super.  Please say a prayer for my little guy.  It's pretty pathetic to watch your five year old crawl all around the house because his leg won't bend.

Another Update

Clayton's bloodwork looked relatively normal, except his CRP was slightly elevated, indicating some infection.  Because it was only slightly elevated, and he hasn't had anymore fever, we're going to see how the knee does this week and test again on Friday.

Poor boy just limps along like there's nothing wrong.  It doesn't seem to bother him, and he's always been a SLOW walker, so it's not holding him back.  I'm praying it's nothing and that it goes away on his own.

We had a good time at the Legoland Discovery Center in Grapevine this afternoon.  It was packed, completely packed.  I think the kids enjoyed it, but I really recommend avoiding weekends there.  Wow.  That was a lot of kids in a tiny space.

Clayton Update

So it's been an interesting week for Mr. Clayton.  It's a long story.

The last couple months, Ryan and I would agree that Clayton has had a little less energy than is usual for him.  This is not something that has come out of the blue, and we have always known that he would grow more and more in need of a Fontan as time progressed.  We had a cardiology appointment in January, and his heart function and valves all looked good, but now it's been a few months, and I'm beginning to wonder about a few things. 

About a week ago, I noticed Clayton limping.  I didn't think anything of it.  I thought it was just a game or pretending.  I didn't think there had been any injury that would cause a limp.  On Tuesday afternoon I realized he had been limping a lot, and, not wanting to suggest anything, I started watching him more closely.

On Wednesday I took the kids to the splashpad at 11am.  We had been at 9am the week before, and Clayton had complained about being cold the entire time.  The water was cold, and there was a breeze, so I decided to go at a little warmer time of the day, thinking the warmth and the cold water would be a good combination.  When we got there, he was already tired.  He played for a few minutes and then stood around doing nothing for a while.  I asked him what was wrong.  He said he was hungry.  I pulled out the picnic, and he ate nothing.  Then he didn't want to get back in the splashpad.  He sat in the stroller in the shade the 15 or so minutes more we were there.  I did carry him to the splashpad to wet his hair because I was afraid he was overheating.  When we got home, he marched directly to my room, his nap spot, and slept for just over four hours.  When he got up, he refused to come to the table for dinner, so I let him lay on the couch and watch a movie.  It was at this time that I really started to notice his knee, on the limping leg, was swollen.  At about 8pm I realized he was running a fever.  He had Tylenol then and at 3am and woke up chipper and hungry Thursday morning. 

I told you it was a long story.

Clayton was great all morning Thursday, but I was starting to be concerned about his knee, so I made a pediatrician appointment for that afternoon.  I thought he was cured from whatever was bothering him the day before until about 11am, when he suddenly wanted to be held (Clayton????), and fell asleep on my shoulder while I was having lunch at church in a noisy room with about 20 other ladies.  Strange.  Then he was miraculously fine by the time our appointment rolled around, and has been since.

We really have three issues that may or may not be related here.

1) Possible cardiac function issues.
2) Possible virus/infection.
3) Possible knee injury/other joint ailment.

We've started by attempting to have Clayton's August cardio appointment pushed up.  Wish us luck with that one.  We'll see.  We went over to the hospital and got x-rays of the knee.  Those came back with nothing today, so we went back over to the hospital and got bloodwork.

Please say a little prayer for Clayton.  He is usually in such good health, and he still is, he just has a few issues going on right now.  He's been happy and healthy all day today, just still has the limp.  It's my prayer that the knee just heals itself, and he doesn't have any other issues going on.

In the meantime, we're living in denial and planning to meet up with some high school friends tomorrow.  I can't wait.  We're really looking forward to it.  Clayton will be the one in the stroller.

Back at the Splashpad

I love, love, love going to the splashpad.  It's almost like going swimming, but I don't have to worry about anyone drowning, and the big boys can roam free.  There is a good sized, really nice splashpad not too far from our house, but it's always packed, and I think a million kids running on a wet concrete slab isn't the greatest idea.  Last summer we discovered this tiny, but adequate, splashpad, and we only ever had to share it once.  This morning there were a couple other families there, but it was still great.  I hope it remains a hidden gem.  We like having it almost to ourselves.

Last year Eli was not a fan of getting wet.  He would walk round and round the perimeter the entire time we were there.  This year, within about 30 seconds of our arrival, he was right in the middle of things.  He loved it.  We will probably be here a lot this summer.  It's the perfect summer outting for a mom with three little ones.

Mac and Cheese

Trying it out for the first time...

The verdict...

I think he likes it!

Lizzy's Dress

Wow!  Thanks for all the comments about the little shoes.  In the spirit of tooting my  own horn, I'll share a little summer dress I made for my niece, Lizzy, a couple weeks ago.  I saw this dress here, and knew that Lizzy needed it for that hot, Texas summer weather.  It was so easy to make.  It turned out a little big, but it was 95 degrees on Halloween last year, and almost as warm on Thanksgiving, so I'm thinking she can wear it for a while, especially if she adds a little sweater.

The dress has three rows of elastic casing at the waist and a large bow at the top which is also on elastic to help gather and size the top.  I love pink, but I also know she has a ton of pink, so I tried to pick a fabric that would be something different for her.  Once I actually started sewing I was afraid she would look like one of the Von Trapp kids in their curtain playclothes from The Sound of Music.  I figured Meghan wouldn't mind though because that was one of our all time favorite movies growing up.  Yes, she could fit in right behind Gretel.

Now, I think I've got to get busy on another pair or two of those shoes for Aaron.

Finding the Time

I love sewing.  I'm not great, but I love the challenge of figuring out a pattern and going for it.  Sometimes it works out great, sometimes not as great, but I always have fun creating something from a piece of fabric or two.  Aaron's arrival has definitely put a dent in my sewing time, but now I'm finally feeling a little more "in the groove" with my life and have managed to eek out a few little projects lately.

Today's accomplishment was baby shoes for Aaron.  I have a dangerous attraction to expensive baby shoes, and for what?  They don't even walk in them.  I know.  I have several nice pairs of hand-me-down shoes for Aaron, but Aaron is my biggest baby, and I'm embarrassed for him when I say that his Robeez are getting a little tight around the ankles due to all his lovely chunkiness.  I saw this pattern, and it looked easy enough, and I knew I'd be able to adjust the elastic to fit his little ankles, so I gave it a try.  It was super easy, and I'll definitely be making more. 

I think he likes them.

I will admit this was not my first fabric choice, but I was really low on boyish fabric, and this was what I had on hand.  I try really hard not to take the boys to the fabric store with me because there is a strange spirit there that makes them act like complete monsters every time we walk in the door, so I went with what I already had on hand.  The bottoms are suede (which I picked up for nearly nothing on sale a couple weeks ago), and the insides are lined with red fabric with white stars.  I also like that they are cotton, as opposed to leather Robeez, which I think will be cooler for this summer.  They will be great for the Fourth of July, and Aaron has several outfits that are red, white, and blue that he can wear them with.  At ten months, he's not even crawling yet, so I don't foresee walking anytime in the near future, which means these little crib shoes will still be handy for a while.