Park Time

Owen, Henry and I went to the park this morning. Everyone seems to be in a better mood when we are out of the house...

Is this BigFoot?

Owen helped feed Henry Cheerios... then they played peek-a-boo. Owen would hide behind the stroller, Henry would look to his left and right, then Owen would pop out. Both boys would laugh and laugh!

My tall skinny monkey.

After the park, I asked Owen what we should do next. He said, "eat sushi at a restaurant!" So we did.

When we got home, I got the best news we've had in a while, "Henry continues to be in remission!" While this doesn't change the course, but it gives us both a huge sigh of relief! One step closer...

Where's Daddy?

When Lucas is outside barbequing, the boys love to watch him through the window. Or, if the door is open, Owen and his dinosaurs love to watch.

Henry

Henry is currently on steroids again, luckily only for five days, but WOW... cranky Henry sure is cranky. Luckily, when he's not on steroids, he is quite cute, and pretty mellow.

This is right after he came home from his bone marrow biopsy and lumbar puncture. Reading a good book with Lucas.

He's starting to smile when he sees the camera come out.

Owen-isms

As Owen grows, so does his vocabulary, and we are loving how he is putting phrases and thoughts together. Here are some of our favorites:

When something falls down: "Oh, MAN!"
If something isn't just the way it should be, "That's not right"
And the answer to ANYTHING, "because I was walking outside so much". (ie, Owen why are you so tall? "because I was walking around so much", Owen, why is the sky blue, "because I was walking around so much."

And here are a few pictures with a few funny new looks Owen is working on.

Handsome Boys

Owen, sporting his new haircut. Henry, sporting his cute smile.

Yes, Henry is back in the hospital. When we went in for a "routine" lab check and blood transfusion, he spiked a fever. That bought us a few days in the hospital. He then had positive blood cultures, which bought us a few more days. We just can't seem to spend that long at home...

Park

We went to the park (aka local school) last week. Henry enjoyed the view from the stroller.

Owen found the baseball field and LOVED running around the bases.

Future Fireman

We took Owen and Henry to the local firehouse last week. It's a small station with only four firemen... but three were out showing them the truck. Owen got to hold a hose and help lower the ladder off the top of the truck (via a cool hydraulic button). His favorite was the flashlight. Showing off his new fireman hat and spiderman undies. (we are trying, ever so slowly, potty training)

Future Pilot

Having fun at Twin Oaks airport. We enjoyed last weekend with a picnic while watching planes take off.

Hospital

On Tuesday, we went back to the hospital for chemo, and a bonus of a new PEG tube. So, 48 hours of chemo, followed by surgery to place a tube that goes directly through his abdomen into his stomach, so we can be DONE with the blasted NG tube.
Here is sweet Henry sleeping with his new turtle that Susan (a nurse) gave him. Going in for a kiss... slobbery, but priceless.

Happy happy guy!

Out for a stroll in the gardens, we found a huge paper mache' lion. Usually, Larry is inside, but he must have needed some sun like we did!

Today we got to go home. Henry is feeling quite puny. He wants held, and wants to sleep. He'll play for a few minutes, and then he is wiped out. So, while Henry took a nap on Lucas, Owen and I went to the playroom and Owen made a crown. He picked out all the stickers, placed most of them, but the tricky ones he told me where to put them.

KING OWEN! (brushing his teeth with a toothette)

When we got home, Henry started flirting with a fever. Just a tenth of a point away until we have to go back... I do NOT want to go back to the hospital! Especially within 24 hours of being home. WE know he has good white blood cells right now, so... fight off the fever little man!

3rd of July

We were able to continue our annual Oshel-Friedler tradition of going down to Salem to light off a bunch of fireworks with my dad. It was touch and go, with Henry's original plan of being in the hospital for the fourth, then not being able to. Then, briefly he flirted with a fever, dad had a cold/allergies, but ultimately, even on a few hours of sleep, it worked out. We had a fun afternoon of play. Henry was crawling all over the place!
You'll have to turn your head (since I couldn't rotate the picture), but here is Henry with the NG tube placed earlier that day, playing with some kitchen toys mom had in the bottom drawer.
After a yummy dinner, we moved on to dessert. Dad had requested an apple crisp for his birthday, mom added rhubarb for extra yumminess. After singing, we all took our first bites. Owen said, "yummy... but missing something." We all started to laugh, WHAT could this be missing? "Cold milk" Owen replied. Very true. Yummy desserts are always better with milk.
(but seriously, where does he come up with these sayings!)

SMILE! Look at all those fire works.

An amazing brotherly kiss!

When we did a trial firework at home, it scared Owen. Maybe petrified would be a better term, but he did NOT care for them. When we were in Salem, we told him he could sleep through the fireworks in Grandma's bed, or stay up late and watch them. He thought about it for a moment, then decided, "stay up, but watch INSIDE". Good choice.

So, Owen, Penguin and myself watched the huge neighborhood fireworks display from the comforts of mom's dinning room. He said they were more pretty and scary, but did requiring an arm around him most of the time.

When the display was over, Owen looked at me and said, "mom, you're the best friend I ever had." I love this kid. Hands down, that was one of the best hours I've had in a long time.