Over the Moon

Cooper Wyatt, you are 3 months old today!!You are the sweetest little thing in all the world and we absolutely love you to pieces!!

Let's see what you are up to these days...

You love, love, love making slurping noises while sucking on your hands and arms.
You are still crazy about the bath, but you have (cleverly) learned to scream your head off when we take you out. Silly baby. You would stay in there all night if we would let you.
You love it when I sing (yes, sing) you the words to Brown Bear Brown Bear at night. You look at me like I'm the best thing since Similac. I get teary when I think about the day you look up at me with those baby blues and ask to me stop.

You learned to roll over a few weeks ago! I shrieked and clapped and did the happy dance the first time you did it. You promptly shrieked and cried and screamed and wondered how in the world you ended up back on your back.
You take 5 ounces every 3-4 hours, graduated to size 1-2 diapers and 3/3-6 month clothes, sleep from 9:30pm-6:30am, take five 10-minute naps during the day (gotta work on that, little man), LOVE rocking on the "front porch" every night, look more and more like Daddy every single day, stare at your hands and feet while cruising in the car, wake up smiling and giggling every morning, spin around and around in your crib at night, have mastered the art of the "pouty lip", love playing with your burp cloths, tee tee on Mommy at least twice per week, and like to watch TV with Daddy in your underpants.

You are SUCH a blessing little Coop! Daddy has had some rough days here lately and you are the biggest ray of sunshine we could ever ask for. You are a constant reminder of God's faithfulness and sovereignty.

We are over the moon for you!

"For this child, I have prayed". 1 Samuel 1:27

Work Schmork

Mommy meets working world = total success.

What I thought was going to be the hardest thing ever has actually turned out to be completely manageable. Don't get me wrong, I miss Super Coop like CRAZY when I am away at work, but I have learned to treasure every second I spend with him so much more. I come home in the afternoons and scoop him up and love on him until bedtime. It is absolutely fabulous.

Mommy meets working world + tries to find time to blog = total failure.

It seems my daytime TV and bon bon time is over, therefore every bit of my time at night is spent with my two sweet peas. Doesn't leave much time for blogging (which has totally become my zen in all of the chaos that seems to be following us around...)

Updates from this week:

1. Attempt at Juice Numero Tres on Tuesday resulted in a big fat RESCHEDULE. The Staph infection seems to be hanging around so they wanted to do a few more blood cultures before getting in another treatment. Attempt #2 will be tomorrow. I am still struggling with the idea of not being there with him now that I am back at work. *Sigh.* Confession: so maybe returning to work hasn't been a complete "success". Alas, no plan is without its flaws. Chris reassures me that he is a Big Boy and doesn't need anyone there to hold his hand. I secretly find friends or family members to be on call anyway.

2. Dr. Szabo wants to do 2 more treatments and then repeat the PET scan to see how the kudzu is responding to the juice. We find that to be AWESOME, because we just know that the results will be the best news we've heard in months.

3. My Aunt Lucy makes the most scrumptious chicken-n-dumplins in all the world. Coming home from work to the smell of them cooking was a definite highlight of the week!

4. My mom is my superhero. She came up to help out this week and oh my, what an absolute Godsend! She makes being a Suzy Homemaker look like a piece of cake! She loved on Coop while we were at work, cooked us home-cooked meals, washed all of our stinky laundry, made our bed every day, did the dishes, and kept me company at night when Chris wasn't feelin' so hot. It was wonderful!

5. I am addicted to sweet tea and crushed ice. I thought my addiction and daily trips through the Chickfila drive thru would come to an abrupt end when I returned to work. They have not. Instead, I just wake up 10 minutes early so I can swing by on my way to the office. Heaven in a styrofoam cup.

My Two Loves

Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1

All in a Name

I am obsessed.

I keep trying to come up with a name for the 5K so we can get crackin' on all the nitty gritty, but I am totally lacking in the creative department here lately.

I lay in bed staring at the ceiling thinking. I roll through stop signs day dreaming. I fail to realize I am no longer on hold with the insurance company and get caught talking to myself in my best radio announcer voice. I scribble down rhyming words and slogans on the back of my Chick-fil-a napkins.

All that and here's what I've come up with so far:
-The Juice Is Loose 5K Fun Run/Walk (love it, but so many people will be confused on the "juice" part...)
-Refuse to Lose 5K

-Run with a Lymph (TOTALLY inappropriate. TOTALLY.Please forgive me for even posting it. "Lymphoma" has got to be the worst word to try and rhyme or play off of...)
-D'Feet Lymphoma 5K (lame-o)
-The Kick Kudzu to the Curb 5K
-Bald-r-dash 5K Fun Run/Walk

We want something catchy. Something snazzy. Something nifty. Any ideas? Please, please?? Favorites??

In other news, Friday marked the last day of my stint as a stay-at-home mommy. Sigh.

Such a shame. I was getting so good at laying on the floor playing peek-a-boo. I became a pro at spending hours on end staring at Coop's sweet little face. I am a master goo-goo-ga-ga-er. I can fix a bottle with my eyes closed while standing on my head. I have memorized the location of every single item on every single aisle at Target.

Sigh.

We spent the day lounging in our undies,

cooin' and a-gooin',

boppin' in the boppy and bumbo-ing in the bumbo, lunchbunchin', and well, what else, shoppin'. It was absolutely fabulous. I tried to take a thousand mental pictures to store away for ever and ever.

Ok, drama mama tiara placed safely back on shelf.

Chris is bald. Completely. Confession: I cried tonight. A lot. I don't know why really. If anything his hair loss simply signifies his progress towards the finish line. Can't work on growing your hair back if you never loose it, right?

"We must run with endurance, the race that is set before us." Hebrews 12:1

He looks so handsome. So strong. So courageous. I always knew I'd love him to pieces forever and ever, even if every hair fell off of his head and turns out, I do.

Airplane!

Daddy started losing his hair this week. Mommy decided she would lose hers too.

I keep hearing silly shenanigans about my baby mullet being sacrificed for Team Davis too, but I just don't know about that.

I got to play Airplane with Daddy tonight and I had oh so much fun! I love having him home with me! He gives the best kisses in all the world.

I've been spending a lot of time on my tummy lately. Mommy says I have to if I want to be big and strong like Daddy.

Well, it's past my bedtime and if Mommy catches me drooling on her computer I might get in trouble. Night night!

Ah!

Home. Sweet. Home. That's all folks :)

Blast that Staph!

Chris would like to report that the chicken fingers here in suite 624 are not all that bad. He would also like to report that he is no longer the proud owner of an infected chemo port. Praises for that!

Surgery was successful this morning. Still receiving rounds of IV Vancomyocin round the clock.

Blast that Staph, we say!

Cooper is being spoiled rotten by his Grammie and Nana while we stare at the walls here at Gwinnett Medical. I run home every now and then to hug his sweet little neck and take a gazillion pictures to bring back to Daddy. I might have cried today when I went home and found him dressed in a 3-6 month onesie. When we left home to embark upon this grand adventure, he was wearing 0-3/3 month clothes. Apparently he is growing up while we are here. He will probably be standing at the corner waiting to catch the bus to kindergarten by the time we get out of here...
Chris is fighter, that’s for sure. He says he doesn’t feel so strong, but I see his strength every single day. I wish he could see himself through my eyes. Better yet, I wish he could see himself through lil Coop’s eyes. Then he would know that he is a hero. A rock. A pillar of strength for our family.

Word on the street is that we may get to go home tomorrow or Wednesday. We are clinging to that word. We are in the grip of God’s grace and what an awesome place that is to be. I saw a quote today in the gift shop and I have decided that it is my new motto. It read: "Live imperfectly with great delight." Now isn't that the truth!? I saw another quote that said "Life is tough. I recommend a manicure and a really strong helmet." Brilliant.

I’ve got a little something up my sleeve and I am so excited I could almost burst.

I have decided to organize a 5K Road Race in Chris’ honor. Every day dozens of people ask what they can do for him and I was thinking how uplifting it would be to plan an event where people could come out and cheer him on as he fights the good fight. Details are still in the works, and I have probably bitten off more than I can chew, but the thought of seeing all of our friends and family running (or walking or skipping or hopping or crawling) in his honor just makes me so happy. I know it will make him so happy too. More info to come in the next few weeks!

Now back to looking for that oversized terry cloth robe…

Strong Like Bull

We are in Room #624. We have been here for 3 hours and 17 minutes and we have yet to find the Cancer Answer.

I keep looking around for an oversized terry cloth robe and mini fridge stocked with mini vodka bottles, but alas, they do not seem to exist here.

Instead we have a toilet that floods the floor when flushed, a nurse who looks like Celine Dion’s grandma, and a transfusion pump that sounds like a dying cow.

It's glorious.

Hubs is an absolute beast. I am an absolute nut. They call us the Dynamic Duo.

The original plan to receive IV antibiotics via the port at home went out the window when a B Team home health nurse showed up, asking what exactly a port is and where it might be located. He informed us that he was there to educate us as to how we would self-inject the infusions through the port for the next 7 days.

We endured his silliness for 2 1/2 hours, at which point I broke out into hives, made a mad dash for the phone when no one was looking and called Dr. Szabo.

Turns out he was going to call us anyway to cancel the home health shenanigans and admit Chris due to the type of Staph infection and need for the port to be removed.

He will remain inpatient here through Tuesday (at least). We are cutting up and being bad, so with any luck, maybe they will kick us out sooner. Super Lori saved the day by keeping Cooper (since she was at the house anyway cleaning out our freezer…who knew there was a chicken casserole from 2006 in there all this time??). Mom just landed her helicopter from Macon and Chris’ mama is coming up in the morning. We are surrounded by love and plastic furniture.

Nothing says unconditional love like the sound of your thighs getting stuck to your plastic chair/bed, folks. Fabulous.

Hugs and lots of love for all of the prayers being sent up for Chris. When we are weak, He is strong.

2 Steps Forward

How I wish I was still beebopping down 20 rockin' out to Love Shack, Baby Love Shack.

Today's theme song is credited to the lovely Paula Abdul. Before she got hooked on Meth and ginormous costume jewlery. 2 steps forward, I take two steps back. (Minus the whole opposites attract).

We had an oober awesome time on double date night with Adam and Ashley at the Melting Pot tonight. Mmmm stuffed mushrooms. Mmmm Ying/Yang Chocolate swirled marshmallows. At around 9 Chris noticed that an unknown number kept popping up on his cell. He finally decided to answer it, and it was Dr. Szabo, his oncologist.

At 9pm on a Friday night. Maybe he was just calling to tell us to order an extra plate of chocolate and a bottle of wine to celebrate early remission??

Nope.

He was calling to let us know that Chris has a staph infection. He was trying to decide whether or not to hospitalize him and whether or not the port needs to be removed. Glorious.

Several phone calls later, the plan is to go in to Gwinnett Medical tomorrow morning for Neulasta shot to boost white count, come home, have home health come to the house, set Chris up on IV meds for 7 days (home bound) and go from there.

I might have gone in the ladies room at the Melting Pot and hid in the stall for 20 minutes rocking back and forth.

Just kidding, I just instantly started praying and reminding myself that God is bigger than cancer. And isn't that a beautiful thing?

Now am I allowed to rock back and forth while whistling Dixie and breaking out into hives?

Hugs!

Playdate!

You know, today I got to thinking. I don't know where I'd be without my group of fabulous girlfriends. I was driving down 20 rocking out to Love Shack, Baby Love Shack (don't ask) and started thinking about how incredibly blessed I am to have such a strong group of girls surrounding me. From recommending the latest fantabulous mascara (rock on Lori!) to busting out choreographed car dances to laughing about explosive poopies (our babies, not ours) to grabbing cheese dip and gabbing about everything under the sun...truly, I love each and every one of you so so very much!

Today was an absolute blast. We had a playdate with Cooper's new soon-to-be BFF, Brady and his mommy Amy. Lori hosted all of us girls for a yummy lunch. We ate, we laughed, we chatted for hours, and just had ourselves a good ol' time! The babies were hilarious. They tag teamed us all and boo hooed together, played together, and got passed from one set of loving arms to another.

This was our first attempt at a photo shoot. Cooper is wondering when it is going to be time to eat. Brady would like for Cooper to stop trying to steal his lunch.

And our second attempt. Isn't this fun babies??Cooper is in L-O-V-E with Courtney and Chelsea.

And he just loves to cuddle with Ms. Gael!

He is going to be in hog heaven when I go back to work and he goes to stay with his Lori. She is crazy about him and count our blessings every day that she has offered to keep him for us.

We topped the day off at the soccer fields watchin' our sweet lil' nephew Austin play soccer. HILARIOUS! Nothing like a field full of 4 year olds running in the wrong direction to make you giggle like crazy. GO AUSTIN GO!

Juice #2 (take 2) tomorrow. Rootin' for you Daddy!

Hip Hip Hooray!

Good news! Good news! We are hip hip hooraying for Daddy tonight in celebration of a CLEAN BONE MARROW BIOPSY. Yet another step along our faith journey...God is so good! Small victories, small victories!
Now back to lovin' on my sweet boys like crazy. Later taters!

Poop, Ports, and Playsets

Tuesday's "Things I Learned Today" List:

1. When faced with the task of checking an infant's temperature, ahem, old school style, beware: said infant will poop on you. Once you recover from the first occurrence, a second will follow. You will shriek and the infant will become startled and tee tee on you. You will eventually give up, laugh uncontrollably, and provide a healthy dose of Tylenol, just in case.


2. Chemotherapy ports can apparently become infected. When they do, you will spend 6 hours attempting to rectify the problem and leave the Cancer Answer defeated because you were unable to keep truckin' on the treatment train. You will require Mellow Mushroom STAT in order to boost your spirits.


3. Hubs is allergic to Vancomycin. When given through an infected port, he will shake uncontrollably and have to be treated for an allergic reaction.


4. Beignets are absolutely scrumptious.


5. The art of writing letters is completely lost.


6. Chomping on ice 24/7 can shake your fillings loose.


7. Maternity leave should last forever. Sadly, it does not.


8. Realizing that maternity leave does not last forever will inevitably create a clothes crisis of epic proportions.


9. Target is exclusively selling the Sesame Street Playhouse Playset Circa 1984. Realizing this while trying to purchase boring household items on your shopping list will create treasured memories from your childhood and you will lose 20 minutes on the toy aisle in complete bliss and oblivion to everything around you.


10. Tucking your sweet little baby into bed and kissing him night-night can somehow magically make everything all better.

Beach Baby!

There's just something about the ocean. The vastness of it all reminds me of God's infinte love and provision for us. Showing little Coop the sand and sea was absolutely priceless. We stood together, looking out over the waves out past the horizon, and realized that God is mighty, powerful, and sovereign. "My grace is sufficient for you; for my strength is made perfect in your weakness."2 Corinthians 12:9 And what good is a blog post without a few (read: 25) pictures of our little beach baby!?

Personalize your own picture slideshow

Room 323

Our search is over.

We found the Cancer Answer. It lies in Room 323 at the Mansion at Forsyth Park. In a claw foot bathtub. And in an oversized terry cloth robe. And in a day at the spa. And in yummy dinner at Ruth's Chris on Riverstreet.
We didn't think about this crazy kudzu business once over the past 3 days. We pranced around Savannah without a care in the world. We laughed. We ate. We snoozed. We, well, let it all hang out. Day 1: Drove down. Stopped in Macon to eat breakfast with Grammie and Poppy Tots at Cracker Barrel. Hit Savannah in record time (and by "record time" I mean 8 hours to make 5 hour trip). Car danced our way down Highway 16. Little man went nuts in hotel room. Cooing and gooing and smiling away on the big ol' bed. Loved on Daddy down by the pool at sunset. Dinner at Rocks on the River. SO good!Day 2: Breakfast at Clary's. Established 1903. Yum yum yum. Daddy announced top secret surprise: Spa day for Mommy at Posidion Spa. Gracious golly! Facial and massage and aromatherapy steam shower. Emerged a new woman. Lounged poolside pretending to drink fruity little umbrella drinks. Dinner at Ruth's Chris (Natalie, this pic is for you--we truly can't thank you enough!!! Fireworks on Riverstreet and Cooper's first cab ride. Bottle, swaddle, bath, and bed. Up all night with yucky wheezing and coughing. Mommy guilt for first cab ride and hotel air.

Day 3:Up at 5am. Hightailed it to Atlanta to get sweet boy to Children's Healthcare Immediate Care (Dr's office closed for holiday). Started albuterol nebulizer treatments every 4 hours. Follow-up with Dr. Cooper in morning. Cried on phone to mom.

Wish we were still in Room 323 where we alas, found the mystery Cancer Answer.

Absolutely FABULOUS weekend! Happy 4th of July!