The "Special Boot" is Off!

Drew sitting next to his cast that was removed on Monday. It was cut off with a saw, which strangely enough, he found pretty exciting.



Dr. Shannon checking out Andrew's healed foot. Drew is still looking over at that boot - he's not sure what to think about how yucky it looked.

Family Fun Day 10/26/08

Brunch at Papa and Nana's Clubhouse



Watching Airplanes at the Airport



Getting ready to cook hot dogs over the fire

Fun with the Camera

Even Toby the cat sends his love...

I am watching Toby (who used to be our cat, but he now resides with my 'rents) while Mom and Dad are in Houston with Gary and Jaime.



Today, when I went to clean his litter box, I kid you not, this was the first clump of litter I scooped from where Toby peed...






A litter clump in the shape of a perfect heart... so I've told Mom and Jaime to tell Gary that, in honor of his heart surgery tomorrow, even Toby sends his love.

Oktoberfest

• Our family fun for today was to travel to Northwest Cape Coral (near Matlacha/Pine Island) to pay a visit to a fun SWFL tradition this time of year: Oktoberfest on the grounds at the German American Social Club.

• Mom here forgot the camera and realized it when it was too late to turn around, so y'all are going to have to use your imaginations for this post.

• We enjoyed the 90-or-so-minute ride, mostly because Drew was able to see some new exciting things out of his window simply because we were in parts we don't normally travel. I also enjoyed going through Fort Myers because that is where I grew up and spent the first 23 years of my life. Even I am amazed at the growth (yes, still!) that has taken place in areas of Lee County that I don't frequent anymore.

• We brought Andrew's little red push car for him to ride in (he still has is "special boot") so he wouldn't feel as if he had to walk the whole time. We entered the gate to the sounds of polka music (which is NEVER cool unless you are at Oktoberfest), lots of sweet ladies and gentleman from the older generation dressed in traditional German dress, or lederhosen and dirndl dresses, and the savory smell of German food that will make you crave it if you weren't already.

• We first played with bubbles (a favorite activity of Drew's) that were given to him by a some sweet women at the Urgent Care booth. We traveled to the edge of Bavarian Gardens to find the kiddo area, and Andrew played in a giant clown head (!) filled with balloons and beach balls blowing all around.

• We worked our way over to the Main Tent, where we heard both the Maselheimer and Alpen Diamanten bands. The drummer for one of these bands played drums with one hand and played the trumpet with the other! Dave quickly realized he is going to have to "up" his game. All of a sudden, many people got up from the their chairs, ran to the dance floor, and participated in the favorite Chicken Dance. Corny as it is, I don't care what anyone says- I LOVE THIS TUNE! Drew loved it, too, and was wiggling with the best of them, but from the safety of Dad's lap. Soon after, the Lee County Pipes & Drum marched in, playing bagpipes, but with a beat. It was very LOUD but surprisingly enjoyable (this coming from someone who is really not that into bagpipes- I can't imagine why).

• While the guys enjoyed the music and drumming, I fetched the food. We had a half-chicken dinner (which really was half a chicken!), including coleslaw, and german potato salad, a bratwurst with saurkraut (Drew's favorite- I didn't see that coming), and potato pancakes with applesauce (my personal favorite).

• We played some more, and found the Kiddie Train. Dave and Drew took a spin around the Gardens on the train, and of course, Drew loved every second of it. He is crazy about anything that is some mode of transportation: Trains, Planes, Cars, Buses, Fire Trucks, etc.

• After some more walking and sight-seeing, we headed back to the truck and rode out to Matlacha just to drive through it. One of my college jobs (delivery driver) used to take me out there every day, and I missed seeing it. We drove over the bridge I used to stop and fish off of, and then we turned around and headed back toward Naples.

• After getting home, we built a fire in our fire pit, enjoyed the cool breeze, and burned some papers we've been procrastinating on shredding (there is more than one way to get the job done sometimes). We had a great day, and I hope you all had a good weekend too.

• Please keep our brother-in-love, Gary, in your prayers this week as he is in Houston for heart surgery on Wednesday. My parents, Gary and Jaime are traveling through the night tonight to get there.

Horsing Around with Uncle Gary

CVS Shopping Trip Last Week

For my first trip to CVS to capitalize on the sales/Extra Care Bucks/coupons, this is what I purchased, for 88 cents! Thanks to Teri for being very patient with Michele and I as we tried to learn all this!


In case anyone is wondering what I would do with it, I am donating the blood glucose monitor.

"Boot" Signing

Auntie J and Uncle Gary write love notes to Drew on his "special boot."

Foot.. No, Leg... No, Foot

It has been a week since you last heard from me, which by my standards, is too long. I usually update more often.

Friday was an interesting day as I had gone to Coconut Point to get a free photo done of Drew. Since we arrived a little early, I took him to the play area for a few minutes where he was knocked down and hurt his foot. I was unaware of the extent of his injury at that point.

I quickly realized at the portrait studio that something was more wrong than I originally thought because he wouldn't stop crying. He kept saying "hurt" and he wouldn't/couldn't walk on his left foot.

After a trip to the pediatrician, we went to do x-rays of his leg (the pediatrician was out of town and his partner that we saw seemed to think his leg was the culprit at the time). No visible breaks on the x-rays, but her suspicions were that of a 'toddler fracture' which doesn't always show up on an x-ray. I was to observe over the weekend, using Motrin when necessary, and call in this morning with an update.

Well, we went back to visit the Doctor's partner this morning because Drew's limp had become worse over the weekend, and he all of a sudden seemed to be in more pain, as he started crying again, saying "hurt" and didn't want to bear weight on his foot, which was now swollen again. We were referred to the pediatric orthopedic doctor in Fort Myers and visited late this afternoon.

There is a 'toddler fracture' in the first metatarsal bone in his left foot. He now has a blue cast, or as we affectionately refer to it, his "special boot." This evening, he did well walking on it, and enjoyed the novelty of the cast. Tomorrow when he wakes up and it's still there, it may be a different story.