Happy Mother's day!!

Happy mother's day to all the wonderful women out there!!

I earned this one. I am currently suffering from clingy mommy syndrome. Ben is doing well, but goodness gracious we are attached at the neck. The first 4 days sucked, I mean SUCKED HARD!! He would not eat, he was not drinking. My sister and I figured out that he was pretty much surviving on 200 calories a day of fruit juice in popsicles. The very little he did eat, he threw right back up in a very horrific and painful episode that had me outwardly trying to calm him while inwardly praying novenas that he would not start bleeding because I was alone and had no clue how I was gonna handle that!

Things turned around one night when the guardian angel named Grandma showed up with a soft serve ice cream cone from dairy queen. He ate every bit of it. From there we managed to get a little more and more at each meal. He is doing great now. We still have it rough when we wake up, and we still do the turtle neck when we try to swallow, but hey, we are swallowing and I am no longer concerned that each day I get a clearer picture of the structure of his rib cage and spine.

I will say, I have greatly benefited from the clingy mommy syndrome just as much as it drives me crazy. Ben will spend lots and lots of time just wanting to be held. And not just sit in your lap held, but hug holding cradling in your neck kinda holding. Nose to nose to fall asleep kind of love. Ben has never been this much of a lover. He has always been waaayyy to busy exploring his three yr old life to snuggle with mommy, so this one on one time has been very very special.

Oh and Max... my sweet, patient, kind, Max. He is the best popsicle fetcher around. The every first day that he got home after Ben's surgery, Ben sat up in his bed and said, "Good news, Max... the new doctors... they took the gunkers out! All gone!" And Max climbed into bed with him and hugged him and asked if his throat hurt, and did he need a popsicle?

This weekend, Max has been gentleman 101.... he knows it is mother's day and he is making sure to open my door everywhere we go, and he yells at daddy if he tries to go first...."Daddy!!! Ladies first!!!!" I was outside watering my plants on Friday when he got home. He ran outside for our usual hugs and kisses and then bursting with pride he says:

"Mommy.... I am not going to tell you about the surprise mommy's day cake we got....(and then he whispers)... but I will tell you it has beautiful BLUE roses!!"

..... clearly my Max is not going to be the one keep secrets in this family.....