Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Easton ::3 Years Old

...or also known as The Broken Leg Birthday.

My poor little Easton. Easton is so different from my other kids. He is the only one I can honestly say is more like me than like Rand. Not a fan of meeting new people or talking to pretty much anyone, and would just prefer that a big fuss or a lot of directed attention was never something he had to deal with. That being said, he warms up to people slowly and he has lots friends he loves, even if he can't show them to their face all the time. He is misunderstood often (as most shy people are), but when he is in his element he is charming and hilarious and talkative and fun. I have a bit of a soft spot for him because he is so much younger than his brothers (and wants to keep up so badly) and then his next closest sibling is the only girl in the family. That, plus he is shy and I understand his personality so well, that well....I have to be careful not to be a complete push-over.

Before I get to his birthday, let me say a word or two about trampolines. I grew up with a trampoline....and 4 siblings. It was a big trampoline with no net and we spent countless hours and years on that thing. No one ever got (seriously) hurt. Ever. My dad may say that is debatable because we launched him off the thing more than once, but honestly, no one ever went to the hospital.
Anyway, it was a great trampoline and it held up for years. In fact, it is still a good trampoline. When the kids grew up and my parents moved to their lake house, the trampoline went into storage. It came out one summer after me and my sister had kids old enough to use it, but then it went back.
When Brendan was diagnosed with Perthes Disease at age 5, we knew trampolines were out! Heck, running was out for a year and jumping, even off of the couch, was out for 2 years. Then the following years of that new bone growth was carefully watched and protected by no high impact activities of any kind. The last year or so we have talked with the Orthopedic doctors about trampolines and every doctor (we have seen one in Delaware, Phoenix, and now Washington) will not EVER tell ANY patient that a trampoline is a good idea. EVER. I get that. They can't recommend it. It's kind of one of those "use your own worst judgement" situations.

Well anyway, we live back up north near my parents (and the poor trampoline that is in storage) and it was offered to us if we felt like it was a good idea to have it (considering Brendan's leg) and we really did vacillate about it. But we have this great property, where the trampoline just seems like it would belong and summer is coming and I can't imagine anything more fun for my crazy kids. [Insert worst judgement]
So, Saturday (2 days before Easton's birthday) my dad helped me bring it over and set it up in our lower yard. We decided it was Easton's and it was for his birthday, and he was thrilled. He is naturally a little timid, so he really didn't like the idea of the big brothers being on when he was on. That's fine, probably better. The big boys, when on by themselves were instantly crazy, doing flips and literally jumping for 3 hours straight. (They were SORE the next day)
On Sunday, the day before Eastons birthday, I had to work. When I came home around 4:30 Rand met me at the door and said Easton had messed up his leg on the trampoline....like 2 hours ago and he was still on the couch not moving it. CRAP!!!!! It was a bad combination of no supervision, no rules, and big brothers. They bounced him and he crumpled. If you have spent much time on a trampoline, you know how it goes. You bounce right before someone else and then they catch your bounce and they go rocketing into the sky. (Think how high an almost 3 year old could go). Well he didn't go high at all. He just crumpled because the force of big brother was too much for his little legs. Honestly, I can barely type these words. I am just sick about it. SICK.
Well, Rand and I were pretty sure he twisted up his knee, praying to God that rest and sleep would make it better (plus it was Sunday night and knew it was Orthopedics we would have to see anyway). It was a hard night and in the morning he was miserable and hurting. Rand stayed home and I took him in at 9:30am. It was his birthday.
Long story short, X-rays showed a fracture at the top of his tibia (the big bone of the lower leg). UGH!!! The doctors there were SOOOO great. Not once giving me a guilt trip for setting up a death trap for my children and endangering my sweet birthday boy's precious little bones. Do you hear the motherly guilt? I am still feeling so bad about it I could just cry. They helped put Easton at ease (who absolutely did NOT want any strangers touching him, talking to him, or even looking at him). He was so brave and tough, even when they were manipulating his leg every which way and he was in excruciating pain. They casted him with his ankle at 90 degrees and his knee at 90 degrees so that he would remain completely immobile and not be able to stand on it in any way. We will follow up in a week with an Orthopedic surgeon and continue to follow it closely as he heals.
For his birthday, we had a party planned, but cancelled all his little friends that were going to come since he couldn't participate at all, and just had my family come over with their presents and cheer. He was in good spirits and opened his gifts and played from his spot on the couch. When he was about done with all the attention he asked to be moved to his bedroom where he played for a little while without all of the attention (and even rudely asked for everyone in the other room to stop laughing), then came back out and joined us in his make-shift wheel chair (an old stroller that I found in storage with the trampoline). He ate some cake and then we wheeled him onto the back deck and let his wish lantern go into the sky. It was perfect (except for the first one that caught on fire, hahaha).

Despite it all, he is so excited to be 3. He has a great attitude and we are just making the best of a bad situation.
Pray for my poor back. I am lifting him from crazy positions way too much! (Remember, he wrecked my back as an infant when he was 24 pounds as a 4 month old and then didn't walk until he was 14 months old) I need to start a core strengthening routine!
Pray for Easton's leg. The break is in a "high risk" area because of it's closeness to his growth plate.

Easton, we just LOVE you!

Not the best way to spend your 3rd birthday.
Kindle helps. A lot. 
  
I showed Easton this picture and told him those crazy scissors were awfully close to his private parts and he got such a kick out of it I thought he was going to hurt himself laughing. Third boy. I know how to speak their language! :)

Taking a stimulation break in his bedroom

Had to settle for store bought cake for now!

First lantern: FAIL
Family shenanigans. Always.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh sweet boy! such a hard 3rd birthday. I understand how he feels about having to deal with too many people and so many difficult situations all in one day! He was so good was doing his best to be cheerful. I am keeping you all in my prayers. You are such good parents and want all the best for your kids so don't feel bad when these things happen. God is in control. Love you all so much. The Great Marshmellow

Andrea said...

Ah, such a sweet mama you are...and such an incredible communicator!!! Wow, I was crying right along with you reading this story. I'm so glad I know you, Kaylee! You are an awesome mama...and Easton is so very blessed to have you as HIS mama...and Annabel, Wyatt and Brendon are too!
Papa loves you all...never forget that...and Papa was not one bit surprised at the unfolding of Easton's third birthday. Thank You, Papa for this day too. (Ann Voskamp approved this message ;)

Anonymous said...

Well partner I hope that this is the only leg injury you ever sustain and that you don't ever remember it. On the positive you can still sit in a boat and fish.
Uncle Bubba

Kaylee said...

Thank you for that, Andrea. I am glad to know you too!