Jackson in action

This was a few weeks ago, before our big snowstorm. He wants to wear shorts all winter long (usually his soccer uniform from summer). And usually only crocs or spiderman snowboots. No in-between.

Arm Update

If you look at the last picture I put on here of Olivia in her sling, you can see some differences in this picture. The bright blue cats-and-dogs sling has been recovered, with some corduroy fabric she chose out of mom's pile. And she has a smile on her face!
I actually covered the sling the night after I did the last post, so she could feel more ready to face her peers. My sister Tammy just showed me how to make fabric flower, so (I'm a little embarrassed to admit) her sling is even "embellished." She still didn't want to go in to school, but I walked in with her (she had a jacket covering all the evidence of the break), and stayed for a few minutes while she told the whole class the story of what happened. They all wanted to hear, so the teacher had her go to the front so she could tell all at once. While she was gone, they had all guessed how she broke her arm - falling on the wood floor wasn't as exciting as what they had come up with. They all had more questions and told her they were glad she was back. Then the teacher asked who wanted to help Olivia out that day. All hands shot up. She was happy to be there.
She didn't like having to try to write with her left hand all day, but she's getting better at it.

And this was made after John told her, "Maybe Mom could make a sling for your doll, too, so you could still be matching." The doll just won't cooperate in keeping her arm at her chest.

We have to go back in on Wednesday to make sure the bones haven't shifted and are healing correctly, but so far she's doing well!

Worst Christmas Break

This December, the stomach flu hasn't wanted to leave us alone.

We've all it at least once, and I think we've been hit by 3 different viruses throughout the month. But Olivia's had the worst of it.

This is her story of the last few weeks. (Keep in mind this is the same girl from the incident involving sickness and a cockroach from a few weeks ago).

The 2nd weekend of December, we planned to meet some friends up in Utah, stay in a cabin by Brighton, and take our kids skiing for the first time.

Olivia started puking the night before we were supposed to go. We stayed home. She had a miserable flu that lasted 3 days (I know it was miserable because I got it, too, but this isn't about me). She got better in time to go back for the last couple days of school before Christmas vacation.

Friday, she and I went to see "The Nutcracker." She had to run out to use the bathroom near the end. She had diarrhea all weekend.

Monday (beginning of her break), she got sick with the flu again, just slightly different symptoms (along with Jackson and Katelyn). Lots of messes for me to clean up. It was the most wonderful time of the year. We were afraid we would have to tell my family not to come for Christmas, but everyone was better just in time.

We drove up by the ski resort and went sledding with cousins Monday after Christmas, and Olivia decided she really liked it, and couldn't wait for it to snow at our house so she could do it more.

Just a couple days later, we finally got the big snowstorm at our house that she'd been waiting for, so they could play in the snow and go sledding. When she woke up the morning, she said her tummy hurt again, but still got bundled up to go play. She threw up in the snow.

This was her third time around. There were only a few days left of her break. When she was feeling better again, we wanted to do something fun before she had to go back to school. No more sickness allowed! For New Year's Day, the plan was sledding (we got a couple new sleds), and then to go to her favorite restaurant here that she's been wanting to go back to for awhile.

After sledding, they came in and pulled off boots, snowpants, etc. by the door. A while later, we got ready to go out to eat, and Olivia ran to turn off the light. She slipped on her snowpants and fell on the wood floor.

She broke her arm!!!
She didn't feel like going to her favorite restaurant anymore.

Her arm will take 6-8 weeks to heal. She is really sad to have to have it in a sling (the break is too close to her shoulder for a cast), and does NOT want to go to school until she's out of the sling - in 6-8 weeks. She's worried that she can't write or eat or do fun things. I didn't remind her that she also won't be able to go sledding until it's healed - or skiing!

I'm trying to convince her that wearing a sling to school is not so bad - you get to show it off and tell everyone what happened - she's not convinced. She really doesn't want anyone to see her wearing it, and thinks they'll tease her. She missed today because we were at the doctor, but tomorrow might be a struggle. Anyone have encouraging "breaking-your-arm-is-great" words for her?

She says this was the worst Christmas break ever, and breaking your arm is a bad thing to do for New Year's Day.