Indian Summer

The Indian Summer is upon is. Or, is it? The weather was positively gorgeous this past weekend - just in time for Madison's 10th birthday party. How is it possible that I have a child who is a decade old? Where has the time gone? The kids played outside all day, relishing the 70-degree weather. We had an entire week of open windows and brisk fall air to rush through the house and push out the recirculated air conditioning we've been breathing for months.

This week we're preparing for our second trip with Jack. His follow-up appointment is six days away and while I'm anxious to see if the cast is holding his curve, I'm also very nervous. I don't know why. Really nothing to be nervous about, this visit.

Speaking of visits, will the praying group of you out there please remember Heather and Olivia next week, too. Heather is the mom who founded ISOP (Infantile Scoliosis Outreach Program) and THE reason Jack is in a cast today. Her daughter is having surgery next week and I know it's a very difficult week for them. I belive she's having VEPTR (which is like a titanium rib that expands the body's length and helps the spine to straighten). She's 9 and a sweet little girl who has been through a lifetime of HALO traction and procedures - twice in her life she has had curves over a hundred degrees.

Anyway, there's a lot of nervous energy floating around on the group and I've picked up a bit of it, too. I think it is just the reality of scheduling the next cast while we're there. Knowing he'll have to endure another bout of anesthesia, which was awful last time. Although casting is a non-surgical approach, it is not without risk and we worry every time he has exposure to radiation and anesthesia. But, we have to put it in the hands that are in control.

This week a wonderful mom I know, Allison, made Jack a little hoodie. He's so hard to dress because the cast makes his body so much wider, but if the collar is too big, it falls over the shoulders. Also, he needs a 3T in torso/length but really an 18/24 months in arms. And, pants - oh - forget about those! I can't get a pair of pants to fit on him. They all fall off. I suspect the cast being covered in duct tape makes it more slippery and that's why they all fall off. A great friend of mine is making him some custom pants and I hope I'll have a good report. Anyway, Allison's hoodie came this week and it's so cute. She did a Dia de Los Muertos embroidery on the pocket and picked out a nice bright stripe for the hood and sleeves.

Oh - and we had some fun with Piper's hair this week. I put little finger curls in it and secured them with a tiny pony before bedtime. This morning - well - I'll let you see the results.

Oh - and because the auto play thing bugs me when I read my posts, I put this one to manual play. I hate when I miss the first four or five pictures because I'm reading. Just click the |> on Madison.