Take Your Kid to Work Day

Dear Hen, 
You got to go to work with Daddy again this year for the take your Child to Work Day Program. You were super excited!
You planned out your outfit, looked over the agenda and were ready quickly in the morning so you could pick up a muffin before your day. You were in good company with other kids who came and Daddy's bosses put a lot into making you all feel welcome and making sure you had plenty of helpful tasks to do.  I dropped in during lunch to check on you.  You looked so proud, eating your pizza quickly and telling me, "I'll see you later I've gotta get back to the room."  

I am grateful you and Daddy had this time together. You decided you really enjoy loading and unloading papers, stamping things and shredding.  
You have proclaimed you will go with Daddy on this day until you can't any longer.  Very sweet, and I hope so.
Love, Mama


 

The Doctor is In and She does House Calls.

Dear Dr. Hazel Thompson, 
Your services have been needed frequently lately.  We call the doctor and you find Daddy's work key for a stethoscope and you find your plastic odescope and get to work checking Daddy out head to toe.  The stethoscope makes its way down Daddy's chest and back.  Typically you find he has a problem in his arm and gently take off his splint and rub lotion on his arm.  
You check his eyes and make your way to the ears to let him know that they are sick. You poke at it and all is well with Dr. Hazel taking over.  

This is such a sweet and detailed interaction between you and Daddy.  I had to capture it last night.  Love, Mama     

Playin' with Dad

Dear Peep, 
You and your buddy Daddy have been having some great play time lately.  You've been playing all sorts of games that only the two of you know the rules to.  This Saturday I found you guys sitting together playing games on the tablet and later exploring all of the ways Daddy could push, pull and shove you through the house.  You tried buckets, pieces of cardboard, standing, sitting, with a rope, riding on his feet (Hazel got one quick try on this one but you kept screamin', "She's too heavy!") and then there was tying my bathrobe tie to the back and hoppin' in my old shopping cart going fast and wiping out on the turns.

Tons of giggles and happiness...until the last act, Daddy pushed you down the hall in a big box and I heard here a racket, crack and OOoops and found this...

Oh well, what's a little trim?  Doesn't get any better.
Love, Mama

Going on a Dig

Dear Peep, 
Our great friends Heather, Phillipe and the twinx just returned from France and they brought you the best gift EVER!  It was a little block of chalky stuff that had a mammoth skeleton hidden inside.  They kit gives you a couple of tools to dig out the mammoth like a real paleontologist.  It was so cute!  You worked SO hard on getting those bones out.  You spent a good hour working on it.  You would work real hard then sit back letting out a WEW!  exclaiming you're getting so tired.  We would offer that perhaps you should take a break and come back to it and you'd take a deep breath, lean forward and dig in again.  You REALLY wanted to get that skeleton together.  When the first bone poked out you cheered and yelled out, "A BONE!"  Then the chalky material really started to fly!  

Finally! A tusk!

Daddy and I were so impressed with your passion to get the job done, even with growing frustrated and tired your focus stayed on the task at hand.  We finished it up and put it together.  You were really excited about this.  It was a great evening together.  The dust, chunks and mess was impressive, always a good sing that fun and learning are being had.  We loved seeing you so excited.  There are lots of sets so we think Santa Claus my be bringing you more if he is making them this year in his workshop. I believe you decided this one needs to hang from your ceiling.
We love how cool you are. 
Love, Mama

I'll be Yoda, You Be the Emperor

Dear Henry, 

What I saw out the dinning room window

This afternoon you and Daddy played for quite some time on the back using the posts of our lawn ring toss game as light sabers.  

 

 Switching off between Yoda and the Emperor, good and bad you must have had a good time.  Later, I fell asleep on the couch while our brownies were cooking and awoke to you challenging Daddy to a light saber duel on the back deck. "Come on, I'll be Yoda." Sweet!  You found your "real" light saber and Daddy found a paint roller handle.   

Daddy must have worn you out because when I went out to check on you both you were sitting in the chair saying, "Noooooooo, time not to fight."  You and Daddy living the dream.  Cheers to more imaginative Star Wars play in our future.   Love, Mama

The Thompson's are Bouncing Back.

Dear Buddy, 
Daddy finished up therapy and made it home in 7 days.  The first week he slept most of the day but really tried to hard to eat well and get some play/connection time in with you each day.  You worked your robot puzzle with him at the kitchen island, and Daddy struggled to keep his eyes open.  He had been through so much in the last two months without much solid sleep at all.  By week two he was sleeping less and we ventured out for some meals.  The second half of week two home we went to the Children's Museum for a few hours to see how his stamina is building.  He did well but was pooped on the way home.  You said you were happy to have Daddy with us.  You started back to school week 2 and after a few tears at parting you went on with your day playing with friends, painting pictures and singing songs.  You don't want to be away from us and alert if we talk about you sleeping in your room or going to your grandparents.  The last 4 days Daddy hasn't had to nap at all during the day and was able to get a few things completed on his computer for your up coming birthday party while building up strength for the coming week of work, which is primarily by computer .  

Yesterday we had a movie adventure set to watch Star Wars: The Phantom Menace in 3D.  With popcorn and monster soda in hand you watched standing at your seat occasionally plunging your face or fist into the popcorn bag, as if we never feed you. You did very well until I had to go to the bathroom about an hour in, you couldn't settle back down after that and we went to the the craft store while Daddy and our friend Oliver watch the rest of the movie.  You've been on a snack kick and spotted something at the "cafeteria" and couldn't get your mind off of them.  We loved hearing you shout out, "Hey! There's R2D2." and, "WOW! That's cool!"  This was a special day to share with our boy, even if we didn't get to finish it and even if we REALLY dislike Jar Jar St(B)inks.
Tomorrow Daddy starts back to work for a few hours.  I am SO happy about his recovery.  Sad that it ends the time we all get to spend our days together as a family, yet anxious for things to feel normal and well again.

On the way to school this week as we passed the area where the bird swooped down you said, "Hey! This is where we saw that bird."  We asked you if he went home to his nest with his babies and you said, "Uh huh, he is better now."
Love you Peep, 
Mama

Our Nest is Missing a Birdie

Dear Peep, 

I was really picking up the blog postings and really enjoying it.  You have actually started asking to look at the blog, mostly to look at the pictures and to ask questions about yourself as a baby.  I am grateful I've kept focused on keeping it up.......but the most recent departure from posting has been a doozie, sucking the energy and emotion from all of our hearts.  I wrote previously about Daddy getting pneumonia and having a 4 day hospital stay...that was only a warning.  After 4-5 weeks of Daddy trying to heal and energize each attempt ended with him spending the day and night huddled under a blanket next to his heater.  Several infections, another one day hospital stay where he was given a pic line for IV antibiotics and then a scary night that ended in Mommy calling an ambulance to get oxygen to Daddy's blue lips and arms began a long scary trip to two hospitals.  You slept through the EMT workers gathering around Daddy...then I had to wake you to meet Daddy at the hospital.  You looked around confused saying, "Where is Daddy?"  I told you he had to go to the hospital via ambulance because he is sick and needs help.  The ambulance was still in the driveway as we walked out to the garage.  You looked out the little garage door window and saw it.  You said, "OOH! Emergency!"  You didn't want to go to Grandma P and Baboo's so they decided to stay at our house.  When I told you they were going to take you home you grew sad and said, "I want to go home but I don't want to be all alone."  When I assured you they would be with there too you gave me a hug and kiss and were okay.  Thank goodness for Grandma P and Baboo that they could stay with you at home.  You did so much better over all coping while being at home...and then later Grandpa Tim took over watching you.  For Daddy doctors did a bronchoscopy, drawing out a lot of gunk that blocked most of the openings to Daddy's left lung and his right lung which had collapsed in the lower lobe.  After two days Mommy prayed that she'd get a strong feeling, a signal if I needed to move him to a bigger hospital.  I woke up on the third day very early with a start.  Daddy was gray and had a hard time carrying on a conversation.  He was complacent and kind of out of it.  I went home to make a couple of calls and talk to Grandma P and Baboo and concluded the only choice was to move him to University Hospital IU in Indianapolis.  The respiratory therapist was great and tried a couple of things to try and make things better but she was getting increasingly serious.  I texted Krispie and begged her to get there right away, I was scared to be alone.  The transfer takes a while and by 2pm Daddy crashed, was not breathing again and not blowing off Co2.  He was rushed to the ICU to get intubated and given A second bronchoscopy.  This was hard...to see Daddy out of it, with a tube in his throat, arms tied down to keep him from pulling out the tube in his confusion.  Cousin Tony was home watching you while Grandma P, Baboo, Krispie, Aunt Carrie, Uncle Gary, Lauren and Warren, our good friend Bryan, and Grandma Lajean waited to see what was going to happen.  Mommy had to make a lot of hard decisions for all of us.   Daddy never wanted to have a trach.  Having to be ventilated has been a fear of his since his C5 spinal cord injury at 15.  Finally, Daddy was more stable and moved by ambulance to Indianapolis to the pulmonary ICU.  Younger doctors and residence listened to and heard his fear of getting a trach and did everything possible to avoid it and advocate for his choice with his wonderfully experienced supervising doctor.  After the tube came out he was great for about two hours and then started going down hill very quickly.  Mommy had to prepare him for what seemed to be the inevitable choice of reintubating or trach.  He got very good care and thanks to an astute respiratory therapist, Jill, who suggested a coughalator machine they rarely used, to blow up his lungs then suck out the air triggering a stronger coughing response.  This allowed Daddy's lungs to heal rather than requiring a trach or reintubation.  He was in bed over 14 days...I lost count to be honest.  Medication made him not himself but luckily the bright side is it also left him with very little memory of subsequent events even before he entered the hospital.  Weak and still healing, Daddy needed to go to a rehabilitation hospital to get stronger after being in bed.   Having multiple infections, tube feedngs, intubation and not using his muscles took its toll on his energy and strength.  It was a wearisome decision to make.  All he wants to do is to come home with us, but I could see that coming home two days after intubation and the discovery of another infection would in no way benefit any of us.  In the end Daddy came to the same conclusion and decided to go to RHI.  I had gotten to spend a night with you and a couple of afternoons in all of those passing days, Daddy was afraid for you to see the tubes all over so he only saw you briefly twice after the tubes were out.  We both sobbed together multiple times with worry, longing and love for our little dude.  To help you understand what was going on Mommy told you one day that Daddy had started out being really sick with 5 germs...they danced down his nose and mouth into his lungs (a reference to a Curious George episode The Inside Story) and he is steadily getting better.  

 Each time Daddy took a step toward improvement I would report to you, "Guess what! Daddy is down to four/three/ two/one germs."  This seemed to really help you and you would tell anyone who would listen about your Daddy's germs and how he had five, extending out your splayed out fingers, and then counting it down.  I often asked if you had any questions.  You had a few, one of which was why did Daddy shave his beard and why was his bed a fork lift.  You were also really happy to see him at RHI with pants and a shirt on moving about in his chair, you said that was awesome.  

Yesterday I came home to you to take back over your care and to ease back into being home a Thompson Trio again.  While Daddy is at RHI we will be together.  The next few nights we are staying at a hotel so we can visit.  You were so happy to see Daddy today and you greeted him out on the physical therapy floor with a handful of gummy worms. 

Before going to Indianapolis today we had a gentle conversation about birds....

While driving to get my haircut a big bird swooped in front of our windshield.  From the back of the van you shouted, "Hey! Did you see that bird?"

I said, "Why, yes! I did."

You asked, "Where do you think it is going?"

I said, "I don't know, maybe back to it's nest to feed its babies."

You said, "Noooo, I think it is flying to Indianapolis."

"You think so? Why is he going there," I asked?

"He had two germs and still has one so he is going to get better and then come back to his nest when he is all better."

I sucked my breath in deeply and asked, "Oh, my! Does he have babies in his nest?"

"Yes," you said.

My heart feeling brittle, "Does his babies miss him?"

"Yes!  They are feeling kind of sad. But he will come back to the nest when the last germ is gone."

"Will that make the babies happy?"
"Yes!"

I was full seeing you sitting with Daddy while he cuddled you up and told you a punk rock farm story.  You were happy to be in his arms.  Being in rehab has brought up a lot of Daddy's old feelings from when he had his car accident that broke his neck.  It has been difficult to weed through the feelings and remember that the old fears of "will I ever's" are nothing to fear at age 37, because Daddy has...a home, a wife, a car he drives, an amazing job and an incredible little boy.  He became emotional with worry that his little Peep might forget him...might be scared of him...might reject him.  Love can really make a person afraid sometimes, especially when it is so intense and all encompassing, as it is for you, that loosing it would be impossible to cope.  So this visit and the love you showed Daddy was freeing for him.  As JoJo told me on the phone the first scary morning Mommy was at University Hospital with Daddy, "He is his daddy! He is never sick!  He couldn't have a better daddy.  I'm not worried about Henry, I'm worried about you guys, Henry has love all around him."  It is so true, we are all so a part of each other I can't tell where we each end and begin. 

Tonight as we were leaving Daddy after visiting him at RHI you were giving hugs and kisses.  

You asked Daddy if he would be going to the hotel with us tonight.  He said, "No, honey, not tonight, Daddy has to stay here and do his exercises to get strong."  Perched on Daddy's arm rest you started looking down, fiddling your fingers together and slumping into your blanket a little more.  I asked if you were okay, if you were feeling sad.  You whispered, "No."  I asked, "Is baby bird sad?"  You breathed out a, "Yes..." 

I asked you if you told Daddy about the bird that we saw that was flying to Indianapolis.  

You started telling him about it...and baby bird wanting Daddy bird back in the nest.  He told you that Daddy bird was missing his baby bird so much that all he wants to do is return to the nest to be with his baby.  CRACK, Daddy couldn't hold back the tears.  So beautiful how you were able to express what you are feeling through a single bird flying past our window.  You're so smart.  You're so special.  You looked at us and said, "Mommy don't be sad, it will be okay.  Daddy why are you sad?"  Daddy told you that he loves you so much and misses you to pieces.  You gave him a kiss.  

On the way out of the building Daddy sat in the doorway doling out kisses and hugs.  He stayed there until he could no longer see us.  The short walk to the car you walked backward blowing kiss after kiss to him.  I opened the van door and saw Daddy's green blanket.  I sad, "Henny do you think we should take Daddy his blanket?"  You didn't answer, you hoisted that mangy, cheap camping blanket up over your shoulder and started running back to the building calling out to Daddy, "Wait! Daddy! WAIT!  WAIT! DADDY!"  You went through the doors and threw it across his lap, said, "I love you Daddy," and headed back to the van.  

I finally feel tonight that things could be normal again.  I am grateful.  We have had a tremendous amount of support from family, friends and friends of friends.  He received wonderfully compassionate, careful care at both Bloomington and University, both hospitals looked out for me too.  Nurses are phenomenal people, and the caliber at Bloomington was inspiring.  Our adoption support group friends held us closely...supplying us with food (Thanks Eunice and Wanda), prayer, a shoulder to cry on and an open phone line to make crazed late night calls (thanks Heather and Brook for the goody packages).  I can't forget my poor nephew that had me get freaked out at their house only to find me teetering on the edge of his bed wrapped up in a blanket because I couldn't be alone.  My Auntie Linda helped keep me centered at really rough times by giving me straight up information and advice.  My uncles sister in law, a University respiratory therapist, checked on us constantly putting me at ease.  Kate and David visited and brought an amazing care package from Steve's work family...generous with gas gift cards, snacks and protein drinks.  Not only that but his co-workers donated their own time off so that Steve could have time to heal and still receive a pay check.  Our friends Heather and Mike and Megan took on Henry for playtime to give my parents a rest.  GG made food to keep us nourished.  Auntie Krispie was an amazing support, visiting Steve often, making him a superb letter board so he could speak more freely while not being able to vocalize and holding him during rough times when I was trying to find rest and focus.  We seem to live mostly just the three of us but to know that old high school friends, former students and acquaintances, current friends and family, your birth family and others from all over offered up such support and comfort at times when I felt I would never get my husband back the way I love him...I can't .... I can't begin saying anything about it...It is reassuring to see the best of people, taking time to give us support when we all live such congested lives. 

Henry, you are fortunate...we are fortunate as a family to have people take such interest and compassion for us.  I felt a fuzzy warmth and less alone the entire ordeal and the prayers for you my son, I honestly believe helped you cope in a sweet and gentle way this time.  No words for it.... I only hope that this is only a blip in our lives...I mean if he was never sick before....

I Love You My Sweet Soul, Mama

*After day 3 of therapy down as Daddy gave you a hug goodbye and you were ready to get down I noticed he was able to let you down slowly with his arm without falling over....it has been a few months since he has been strong enough for that.  

You keep asking me why we are leaving Daddy there, ... and tonight you spoke as yourself as we were picking up dinner and not baby bird and said, "I'm sad.  Can we just go home, will we ever go home again where Daddy will play with me again and wear clothes?"  Yes! It will happen sweet pea.

A Little Stressed Fella

Dear Henny, 

This has been a little bit of a difficult week for you.  Your Daddy has been a little out of commission.  What started out as a little bit of a cold has turned into severe pneumonia.  Daddy is never sick and for him to get sick with severe pneumonia is a very bad thing.   You and I can trudge through a nasty cold or whatever but Daddy just keeps on feeling awesome.  So when you saw Daddy just hanging out in the living room this week being pretty quiet and not playin' like you're accustomed you started showing signs of stress like not wanting to stay at school, staying close and loving on Mama, and lashing out with full on intense tantrums out of the blue.  Well, we had to take Daddy to the hospital on Wednesday at about 2 am.  Breathing became very difficult.  He seems to be getting the appropriate treatment and while you're hot tubbing with Bahboo and Grandma P he is trying to get some gunk coughed up so you can get home and on a normal routine and play time again.  I am not gonna sugar coat it though, Daddy is very sick.  Because of his spinal cord injury coughing is not an easy thing for him to do so the stuff sits and makes things worse.  Thought you don't know exactly what's going on you know something is up.  You've been refusing to go to sleep for example.  The night before we went to the hospital Daddy wanted to stay up so when I tried to get you to go to bed you refused. 

I tried all my tricks and you weren't going for them.  You kept grabbing this or that and telling me, "I need to take this to Daddy, he needs it, I need to tell him (xyz), Daddy needs to come to bed...This potato chip will help Daddy's lungs to breathe."  It wasn't until I picked you up and made Daddy tell you it was okay to go to sleep that you went directly in to flop down and to fall instantly asleep at 12:30 AM. We don't know how long this illness is gonna take to kick, but Daddy was in good health before and he will be ready to play around again soon.  
Love, Mama 

Big Daddy Cheeky Robot and Little Baby Cheeky Robot

Dear Little Baby Cheeky Robot, eh, eh I mean Henry, 
For about three months we've seeing signs that you've been missing Daddy terribly when he is at work.  It started with rejecting Daddy some and then it went to rejecting me once Daddy arrived home.  You stopped wanting Mama to sit in the room with you at bed time and you begged for Daddy.  You were asking to go see Daddy during the day.  If one of his forks is left in the sink you suggest that we take it over to him.  If you find a pencil you fear he forgot it.  You tell me you want him to just come on home from work early.  You bring him drinks of water and hold the straw pinched between your little fingers of one hand and the cup with the other hand so it is easier for him to take a drink.  You enjoy going outside and playing catch with him or batting at the ball with him.  You throw your arm around your best bud's neck as you ride on his arm rest.  
When he arrives home you run to him and stay by his side all night long,  only allowing him to read stories or watch Kipper with you at night.  You beg to "sleep in our room on a pallet."  Today you insisted on napping in our bed on Daddy's side.  Dinners are starting to only be successful if Daddy feeds you like a backhoe or a race car.  One night you went as far as begging him to sit next to your bed as you fell asleep while keeping your feet on his chair so he couldn't leave the room!  I had to come and put you up on the bed so he could go to bed too!  Every evening when Daddy arrives home he brings you M&M's on his lap.  You pick each one up and tell him the color then crunch it in your mouth.  If any of this ritual deviates he is not happy.  For so long Daddy thought you liked this routine because of the candy. 

It is clear the candy is a bonus but is the time connecting with Daddy everyday you are really seeking.  We've been working on ways for you to express your emotions lately.  Since we've made a concerted effort you've cut down on saying, "I don't love you Mommy!" and have started saying, "I am mad because I didn't want you to move me away from the hamper, I was hiding in there from Daddy."  

All this work came in handy this week when you told Daddy a story about what you wanted him to tell you a story about.  As you laid down for bed and begged for a story Daddy asked if you, "What do you want a story about."  You replied, "I want a story about Big Daddy Cheeky Robot and Little Baby Cheeky Robot and how Little Baby Cheeky Robot sometimes cries and is sad when Big Daddy Cheeky Robot goes to work."  Daddy and I melted.  Daddy asked, "Does Big Daddy Cheeky Robot come home?"  You said, "Yes, but he wants him to just stay home with him."  I love Daddy too, so I really understand missing him during the day.   He does always come home.
Love, Mama

BRRRRRRRRRRRRING Daddy is on the Horn!

Dear Henry,

Papa called and caught you while you were eating.
I wish the sound of a smile could come across on the phone so Daddy
could see how excited you are to hear his voice. I guess you're just a
good listener because when he starts talking you clam up and start smiling.

Mommy thinks it must be hard for Papa to have only a one way conversation when he is working so hard for us all day long. On the day Mommy took this photo you were smiling up a storm while Papa told you secrets. Mommy took the phone back and said, "I love you Taco, I'll see you tonight." Just before Daddy hung up he caught that you said, "I love you," right after Mama. Nice!

I love you,
Mama

Daddy's first Daddy's Day!

Dear Henry,

Another special day with you. Big deal right? Every post Mommy makes she says something about it being a very special day. Well, I just can't help it Henry. Every day since you came along has been a little more special and today is no exception. Today is Papa's first Father's Day! We started off the day by going to church together. You were a little gentleman as always in your little checked button up and blue overalls. When Mommy went for communion you came too and Father Bob gave you a blessing and to repay him for the gesture you threw out a huge giggly smile to him. Daddy held you most of the time cozily in the crook of his arm. Toward the end of mass Father Bob gave recognition and a blessing prayer to all of the fathers and Mommy's eyes were a tad misty; partly because this was Daddy's first Father's Day and partly for the grey-haired wrinkly men present alone with their wives because their babies were off having their own lives and party for those who are still waiting for their first day. Those old men had their first Father's Day long ago, just as you will have your first someday far ahead. Mommy felt so proud to be there with her two guys. I am pretty certain Daddy was proud to be with us.

So... for your first Father's Day you honored Daddy three ways....

1. On Friday we had fresh warm cookies from Baked! delivered to Daddy at work as a surprise. We also went to have lunch with him.

2. On Wednesday we were sneaky and went to Latest Glaze and made Daddy his first Daddy mug, complete with your footprint. You LOVED this. I took your Bumbo to sit you in so you could be a part of the painting process.

I gave you two big fluffy brushes, which you enjoyed wielding around. At one point I looked up at you to smile at your loud coo's and your face was super wet! I thought, "Man! You're really droolin' up a storm!"

I wiped your face dry and went back to painting. Then I figured out why your face was so wet! You had discovered in less then five mintues that you could dip your brush in the clean bowl of
water next to you and paint all over your face. You were in love with this but Mommy did not know if this was such a good idea and when I moved the bowl away you were not phased. You stretched your lil' arms out and over and dipped that brush anyway and went to touchin' it on your toes and legs. It was cool because it was the first really independent meaningful action I've seen you take. It served a purpose with a clear cause and effect. You have a brain that is rapidly developing so I'm not sure why this shocks me so much. In that moment of laughing at you a sad lil' twist found it's way in. You're growin' up already?

So, we were painting Daddy's mug...Mommy chose a bright blue on the outside a medium green on the inside, dark brown letters, a greenish teal footprint, and greenish blue stars. We marked the inside bottom with a heart and all of our first initials. We unsuccessfully tried to ad a footprint on the inside but as soon as I stuck your foot down in the mug you started wigglin' it around. There turned out one big toe mark and a chaos of brown. I think it will look lovely, even with the dancing foot inside! We have to pick it up on Monday. That was the quickest firing time they had. It was fun doing this with you and we will definitely do it again.

3. The last thing we did was put a Father's Day ad in the local newspaper letting Daddy know that we love him. It is super cute and Daddy was touched that his Leetha and Taquito thought to honor him in the official record so.

Now Daddy is nappin' out back while listening to his I Pod and you're hanging out on your blanket with your duckies. Mommy is going to have some cream of wheat before going to a parallel parking contest at the Greek's. Too bad Daddy doesn't have his van yet to drive. He is the best parallel parker I've ever seen. One smooth move into the spot! One smooth move out.

I love you,
Mommy