Goodbye Car :(

June 17th was a Monday. I hadn't been to the gym in weeks and decided that I was going to be really good and go at least 4 times that week to get back into the routine. We put the kids to bed and I headed out at the normal time of 9:15. I always take Drake to Timberline, but as I approached the light at Drake I made a last minute decision to take Horsetooth because I didn't feel like waiting for the light to turn green. Then when I got to Horsetooth and Shields I was reminded how it was closed, so I turned and planned on just going to Harmony and take that the rest of the way, when I decided at the last second to turn down the neighborhood street to get to Meadowlark and cut back over to Horsetooth. Funny how little decisions like that make such an impact. I was driving on Meadowlark approaching Horsetooth, passing the movie theatre when I saw the headlights of a truck coming at my passenger side window and it was too late. He hit me HARD and pushed me into the other lane of oncoming traffic where a car hard to slam on their brakes to avoid hitting me from the front. And I started screaming and crying. It scared me to death. I had never been in an accident before and was in a little bit of shock. It jolted me so hard that my chest was hurting pretty bad, probably mostly from the seat belt, partly from my heart beating out of my chest. Pretty quickly a woman appeared at my window asking if I was alright and she was on the phone with 911, then the kid driving the truck came up and started apologizing and making sure I was OK. It was a mess! I had glass in my lap from my broken windshield and the whole interior passenger side of my car was caved in, glove compartment stuck open. I ended up taking the ambulance to the hospital because of chest pains, where they did x-rays to make sure nothing was broken. I was REALLY hoping my car wasn't totalled, I loved my car. But a week later when the insurance finally went to look at it, they determined that there was so much damage because of how hard he hit me, it was totalling $15,000, and my car was not worth that, so I had to go say goodbye. I get attached to things... and I don't like change :) So it was hard to say goodbye to a car that I knew, and felt comfortable in, AND was close to paying off :( It's been 2 months since the accident and I am still having doctor appointments because my back and neck were all messed up from the whip-lash. I'm happy to say it's FINALLY getting better. I know people get in car accidents every day, it's scary to think how frequently accidents happen, but this was my first experience, and hopefully last! Thank God the kids weren't with me! After I told the kids what happened and they saw the car, Bradley was really worried driving anywhere that someone would run into us. And still now when I tell the kids I'm going to the gym Gracie asks, "That guy run into you again?"

Cast - offiically off the DL :)

Tuesday morning we went to OCR to get the cast. Bradley right away requested a Transformers cast, which was not an option. So his second choice was Monster Trucks :) Then the Dr decided to go ahead and bring in the choices that they had. As soon as he saw the choices he said "Colorado!" for the one that looked like the American Flag. So I told him American flag was one choice, then I pointed out all the others and he went right back to the American flag saying, "I want America, America is perfect for summer, and it's summer, so definitely America" :) He had his mind all made up. Best of all the Dr said, "We'll get it on there and he'll just do whatever he can do" and I said, "including T-ball" and he kind of smiled and said he can definitely try - YAY :)
So Wednesday during the day we started practicing. He could technically grab the bat with his fingers but it twists his arm too much, so he just supports it with his arm and still hits that ball farther than most kids his age. He's definitely not 100%, but he's able to play and that's all we care about! :) As long as he can play on a team and do what he loves. When we got to the game they were practicing hitting so he went right up and I made sure he was doing it like we practiced. His first hit went pretty darn far and his coach looked back at me with eyebrows high in amazement :) "He sure has learned to adjust pretty quickly" he said :) Bradley was just elated. He was put in right field and he was literally jumping up and down and fist pumping :)
He hits kind of like his Mommy (except better :) ), to right field a lot, broken wrist or not, which is kind of too bad in t-ball because the first baseman gets it right away.

He did get on base and made it all the way home and was SO excited, I wish I kept filming because he came over to me and said, "Mom, I got home! I got a point for my team!!" No words could ever explain how much I LOVE my little boy!!!! :)

First game - on the DL

I was hoping Bradley would get the cast on Monday. The faster the better since I knew it would be safer and easier for him to do more things. AND because I was hoping to talk to the Dr about t-ball before the first game. The more I thought about it, the more I thought we could still make it work for him. His left wrist is broken and he's right handed (thank goodness), so he can't put a glove on that hand, but he can still throw with his right. I figured if he was always in outfield that would work since the ball hardly ever gets out there in t-ball anyway, and if it does it would just roll to him and he could pick it up and throw it in. Batting would be harder, Kevin mentioned one handed but I just kept picturing the bat slipping out of his one hand and flying into the crowd. I figured maybe he could at least support it with his left arm and adjust his swing that way. BUT I wanted to talk to the Dr to make sure it wouldn't in anyway be risking him hurting himself more. Also, I was worried at first about the team letting him play with a cast, but luckily - it's just t-ball and it's so casual (parents randomly run out onto the field to guide their children to the correct base :) ). Unfortunately, he couldn't get in to get the cast on Monday, which left me wondering what I should do. He obviously wasn't going to be able to play that night without the cast, but if there was a chance for later I wanted him to be there to support his team. And I was torn whether or not he'd be excited to still be there and be a part of his team, or if it would be complete torture to make him sit there and watch everyone else have fun and play. I had a long talk with him and we decided we'd go to cheer them on and hopefully he'd get to play another day. He did pretty well. The first half of the game he was over with his team and I guess he kept telling the parents and the coach, "I bet I could do it, I really think I could, go ask my Mom, I think it's OK." I had another mom and the coach come up to me separate times asking me if he could play and I had to tell them no, then I kept going to talk to him to remind him that we couldn't let him play without the cast and that hopefully he could next time. The second half of the game, he just couldn't take it anymore. He went behind the field where there are a bunch of pine trees and he found a stick and a pine cone and made his own little game. He would throw the pine cone up in the air and hit it with the stick, then run around a tiny little diamond yelling, "He's going, he's going!" :) With one broken hand in a sling, a tiny stick, and a pine cone - he could STILL hit :) Nothing was going to keep this kid away from baseball :)

:( Broken

So the plan for Saturday started with t-ball practice. At the end of practice we talked and talked about the upcoming FIRST game on Monday. Bradley could not have been more excited. We came home, he drew the map about getting his new bike and we left to go run errands. We got new cleats, new t-balls, and a base set for our backyard since we play baseball all day long, and of course - the new bike. Then our good friends Grady and JK and their kids came over to play :)  We love when they come to play and we were all excited :) We went in the backyard right away, the girls were swinging, the boys were running in circles chasing each other, and we had a friendly 'guys vs girls' bean bag toss game. I kept looking over at the girls on the swing set and the boys would push them every now and then when they ran by. Then I heard JK yell, "Don't do that Saunder, that's dangerous" and I look over and Bradley was on the ground next to the slide. I thought at first that they were trying to go down the slide together and he fell off at the very end. But no, of course he fell off the very top, which is 6 feet off the ground. Bradley said they were playing with a ball and they were going to throw it down the slide and then race to see who could get it first. Bradley is always so cautious and careful, truthfully I always thought that Gracie would fall and break something way before Bradley would. But he sure loves his friends, and loves to get all crazy and rowdy with them, like boys seem to do :) It wasn't Saunder's fault, and it could have just as easily been him that fell. They were just playing too rough in a HORRIBLE spot to be playing rough - at the top of a 6 foot slide. As soon as he fell he was crying and saying his arm hurt, then he got a bloody nose from falling head first, and that really freaked him out. I brought him inside and it took me about 1 minute to decide to take him to urgent care. He was in a lot of pain :( Kevin stayed home with the girls and our company and Bradley and I took off for the Dr, I called my Mom on the way and she met us there. They took x-rays right away and came in and told us that he did break his wrist - and I started crying. Mom even said, "It's OK Heidi" but I was just so sad for him that he wasn't going to be able to play in t-ball and I knew how disappointed that was going to make him. Of course I don't want any of my kids to get hurt EVER, but the timing with t-ball being 2 days away and how much he just LOVES to play baseball, made it that much worse! When we were leaving the Dr he said, "Do you think I could have a sucker since I've been such a good patient?" :) He got 2! :) And was such a sweetheart because he came home and gave Saunder his other sucker.

Mindy and the kids came by the morning after it happened and brought him donuts, a movie, and a balloon - after all - they are the broken bone experts ;) That was such a nice surprise and a good way to wake him up that morning, he would just hold his balloon and watch his movie for the longest time:)

He had his arm wrapped and in a sling for 2 1/2 days before he got the cast on. 2 1/2 LONG days! I was so worried about him hurting it again, or hitting it on something, or falling on it, so I tried to keep him as still and calm as possible, which is IMpossible! He was getting SO frustrated at me for not letting him do anything. He wanted to ride his new bike - sorry, but no. He wanted to go climb on the slide, again - sorry, but no.

He figured out the sling was a pretty cool way to carry around stuff since he couldn't use his hand :)

He was so cute because everything he WAS able to do made him so happy. He dropped his sucker when we were leaving the Dr's office and he bent down to get it and said, "I can still bend over!" :) He was determined to go to the bathroom by himself and TRY to get dressed by himself. A lot of stuff he needed a little help at first, but he was really so good at adapting right away. What a sweetheart!!! :)

Map

The other day Bradley was sitting on the floor with Gracie drawing on a white board. I asked him what he was doing and he said, "Drawing a map to lead us". I said "Lead you where?" to which he answered, "I don't know, but we WILL get there!" That's all that matters right? :) A little later he came up to me with this and explained the journey
First we go over the Duck Rock, then past the trees that look like an X, and then past the white boat that is not in the river, then we get to... his new bike!!! We had promised him for his Preschool Graduation we would get him a new bike. That was weeks ago and we hadn't found one that we liked (that Daddy and I liked, Bradley would take ANYTHING with 2 wheels). So - new bike, that was the plan for the day :)

 

Memorial Day

I was super excited for Memorial Day weekend. The number one thing on my list was Bradley's first t-ball practice. He has, no kidding, been playing baseball since he was 1. He is amazing and he LOVES it! All day, every day, he wants to play. I tried my best to get him in baseball last year but he missed the cut-off age by 2 months, so now he FINALLY gets to play on a team!!! We woke up early Saturday morning and took him to his very first practice and it was SO much fun to watch. Then - surprise! - Mom and UNCLE RICK show up :) I had to clue he was coming this time and it was a wonderful surprise! We had a little BBQ for Memorial Day on Sunday and had everyone over.

Jorge joined us again. Bradley has an amazing memory, he hasn't seen Jorge since last Memorial Day when we had a BBQ and planted our garden. When we were planting our garden he started asking when Jorge was going to come over again and play ball with him - well he got his wish :)

Lovin' the backyard games :)

Enjoying the swing

Waiting for Daddy to drop a burger :)

Craig was enjoying the RMGO pinzgauer for the weekend, a nice little ride and very fitting for Memorial Day :)

Garden time again

Yay! I've been excited to plant again this year - why? Because I was actually able to keep something ALIVE last year!!! SO surprising and exciting for me :) Last time we tried 3 different things. This time I thought I would branch out a little more, so we did those 3 plus... 6 more. We'll see how this goes. I tried to read up on what should be next to what and what needs to be kept away from what, but it seems like a lot of stuff to me. Last time I had 3 of every plant so if 2/3 died I'd still get SOMETHING. This time I pretty much have one of each, so... like I said... we'll just see. I also realize that some of the things need more space than I'm actually giving it, so that probably won't work. I was kind of wishing my garden was bigger this time, but we'll just try to make it work with what we've got. Here's the lineup: tomato, green pepper, yellow pepper, carrots, green beans, watermelon, strawberry, zucchini, and corn! I also want to do some more sunflowers again because they were so much fun to watch grow, but I didn't have room in the garden. I'll have to try to stick them somewhere else - somewhere that the dogs won't kill them, and I have yet to find a spot that they might have a chance. They might have to go in my front yard :)