Raising kids is so much like the game show deal or no deal. I am constantly playing it with Lauren and Gavin…we can go to the park if you pick up your toys, deal or no deal? You can pet the dog if you stop pulling your sister’s hair…deal or no deal? I’ve been trying to play it with God; you give him a successful kidney transplant and I will do whatever you want, deal or no deal? It’s pretty much useful in all aspects of your life.

Our little goblins are asleep in bed with thoughts of lollies, candies and smarties dancing in their heads. We are finally starting to bounce back, small gentle reminders that there is hope and good things ahead make me feel guilty for stumbling so hard. Gav is tough and brave and he will get through this. All you need to do to get a reality check is spend fifteen seconds in a children’s hospital to know how lucky you are.

It’s been a busy month: surgery, ear infection, liver enzymes, vomiting, cold, canceled transplant, fractured wrist, vomit on catheter which required an emergency switch out and a parasite…and poor Lulu just got the stomach flu. Ah, cold and flu are upon us…let the good times roll!

Gav is obsessed with walking right now and pretty much demands two fingers at all times to escort him. He is so determined that he actually got a small blister on his little toe, but remains unphased by it.

He had a rough week but is starting to come back ‘round to the healthy train. Within a week and a half Gav will be on three different antibiotics, some very strong ones. That does scare me, just seeing how weak his immune system is already without the immunosuppressant drugs. I always joke that I am going to make him a bubble boy, but sometimes I am serious…it’s just; if it’s out there he will get it. It’s hard because people want to touch him and love him up and I just want to run him in the other direction because his hands always go straight to his mouth (or theirs, future dentist like his auntie Hien)… so many things are spread by simply touching hands. What kind of life would it be without being touched or touching things though? It’s always a constant battle between hyper protective and quality of life.

He recently got diagnosed with the parasite toxocarra, which the doctors said is common, like 1 in 4 kids get it from animals, it apparently runs rampant at parks, but most kids bodies are strong enough to rid it by themselves, but not little Gavs. We meet with infectious disease (another ologist who was wearing a malaria tie, it was actually quite humorous) and this could be the root of his esonophils, so hopefully he will come out all squeaky clean!

Gav is also my newest grocery shopper, I hand him a box and he launches it into the back of the cart, most of the time, sometimes at other shoppers and the floor, but 3/4 of the time right into the cart. He actually likes doing this so much that he tries to grab boxes off the shelf!

Gavs transplant should be near the end of November if he recovers with these antibiotics, so it will be a rough Christmas, but still the best just the same.

As you can see, I have become a germ phobic person now, and I see that I have passed it onto Lauren. The other day she used a public restroom and asked me for a paper towel to open the door handle with. She sings a song to wash her hands and started singing it for me while I was washing as well…she takes such good care of her mama.

We had Fall Fest this weekend and they had horses pulling a carriage so Lauren and I hopped on and I whispered in her ears that she is the best girl in the whole wide world and she whispered back to me, “it’s a secret mom, don’t tell anyone!” I actually scored “you’re the best mom in the whole world,” which has been a battle hard fought, I’m going to tuck that in my pocket for a rainy day!

It always amazes us that we have created these perfect beautiful children. I was reading an article written by a mom with a child with special needs and she said that she had to re-adjust her thought of perfection. I had some qualms with that…my children without re-adjustment, without hesitation are perfect in each and every way, as all children innately are. I think that’s true of children everywhere, they are smiley eyed future perfection…as Dr. Seuss said, “Oh the places you will go!” We’re just lucky to be part of the ride!