Since Brayden was 6 months old, he would sleep 12 hrs a night. I know, we're lucky and yes, we realize what an anomaly it really is. On school nights, as he got older, he transitioned into 10 hrs a night. Since his diagnosis, he's happily reverted back to his old schedule. I know it's good for him and he has only taken 1 nap since this all started, so to get the good, deep sleep, hopefully his body is working on repairing good cells. He LOVES breakfast, in case I haven't made that very clear in prior posts! He loves Little House on the Prairie, Phineas & Ferb, Suite Life of Zach and Cody. I don't let him play Playstation during the weekdays, not as a punishment, but he agrees there are lots of other things he can do. I'm blessed to have a little craft room up front, so there are limitless craft options for him between coloring, stickers, you name it. We've been working on Vacation Stations for school, which has little weekly refreshers in it so the kiddos retain more before the next year.
Then there's the Brayden games. Since he was little, he's been obsessed with sports. I've always wanted to be the kind of mom where this is his house too. He needs to be respectful of it, but we can play in the house. So our living room has been a football field, soccer field, baseball field, golf green - but since that 'one' time mom hasn't been as allowing of that. Don't misunderstand; these aren't full-size balls and he uses nerf or smaller versions to play. But he's got his get-up for each sport. Football he's got his band with the plays on his arm, his quarterback towel on his waste, his eye patches, his helmet, and usually his football pants we bought for him when he was 5 (which are now like spandex on him) but he insists on still wearing. Yesterday, he comes into the office where I'm working donning mis-matching soccer socks up to his knees and is reassuring me it's okay, he's just playing. Okay...I don't think I would have said anything anyway. 10 minutes later I hear a crash while on a conference call with my boss. Brayden's crying. He must have figured out sometime in between the announcement of his socks and the crash that he can slide with them on wherever we have the ceramic tile floor that I'm incessantly mopping! Poor guy. I was worried because of the new port, but he assured me he fell on his butt. I told him that's why God gave us that extra padding back there. The socks were quickly removed.
The next sport has been a daily event since baseball season has been here and our beloved Baseball Hogs got to go to the College World Series - woohoo! Those games were a blast to be a part of via tv. It's so great they even got to go! Anyway, he's got these miniature bats and mini whiffle balls? I think they're Bryan's for practicing swings in the backyard. Anyway...these wound up in Brayden's ball drawer (yes, we have one just to hold the balls) and he's using them to SMACK them in the living room...I mean baseball field. And he's got his pretend bases down and he's running them! It was fun to watch. All this complete with his Razorback bike helmet that doubles as a batting helmet. (By the way, he informed me yesterday he's started his Christmas list. He wants a catcher's helmet). On good days, this never stops; the Brayden Games, that is. It's been so scary hot to go outside very long and because we have to be careful of the sun sensitivity I'm glad he's having fun inside. I'm still going to try to sneak a picture but I don't think he'd approve of me posting it on HIS bloggie. Hopefully the visual picture I tried to paint is evidence enough!
Then there's this...his room is definitely expanding to other parts of the house.
My dining room floor has become a movie setup for the meeting of the Star Wars Trilogy series - both parts - as well as the Clone Wars! Can I just say what a marketing genius George Lucas is?
Yes, there's definitely evidence of a boy in the house everywhere we look. He's having fun and still being as creative as ever.
On our recent trip home from chemo, we reminisced of the old days and opened the sun roof, cranked up the toons, and did our crazy dances while screaming to the music. It was so much fun, my stomach hurt from laughing so hard.
He's proud his port is healing so well. He was petrified of taking a shower yesterday, but I reassured him the Dr. approved it. Besides, mom was so done with sponge baths for him! I think he got a little braver after the shower and came to show me he could feel where the port was! It's pretty neat. Since he'll have it for at least 3 yrs or more (some kids much longer), I'm certain he'll have fun showing it off at school when he goes back in January.
He played his first game of War with me. I used to despise this game when I was younger. It goes on forever! But it was a ton of fun playing and teaching him and we had TRIPLE WAR! That had never happened to me before! You know, where the cards tie, then you have war, then they tied again...and again!! Afterwards, I told him he needed to play 52-card pick-up. I remember when my uncles taught me how to play this so-called game. The look on his face when he threw the cards into the air was of sheer exhilaration!
We're finding ways to have fun. Whether it's books, light saber fights, card games, you name it. He's talking to his Nini's and Papa's at least once a day. Honestly, the days fly by and are over before we know it.
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