Bday Party...Good News...Sad News....

So...Kaden's birthday party was a success!! We had such a blast. I know Kaden did too. He took a nap right before people started getting there and he was good to go from then on. His real birthday is March 15th, but with the Big 12 tourney, we had to do a party early...We're used to working around basketball, we love it!!

We started the party w/ snacky food and drinks, then opened presents.....boy did he rake in the gifts(lots of toys, clothes, and books!) Then we did the cake eating/smashing. Which by the way, the cake is Pablo-a Backyardigan (cartoon), and that thing took me over 2 1/2 hrs. to make...and I did it all by myself! (my mom helped make and color some of the icing) Then went to the garage for the car pinata for the kids. I think that was the most fun just watching them all try to hit it. And by the way, I don't know if pinatas are like this everywhere, but the pinatas at Target, are rock solid. I told the oldest kid there, that he'd have to really wack that thing, sure enough after all the little ones took their turns, he did his best and did break the pinata. Candy was flying everywhere and they seemed to have fun. Then after mostly everyone left (I guess he didn't want to show off) Kaden just completely started walking on his own!! I mean it was the most bizarre thing. I was on the phone in the kitchen w/ my brother and here he comes just strolling right by to the front door to see Brett outside. It was funny. Then he was just going everywhere. He didn't take his normal 2:30/3:00 nap for 2 hrs, which I was CERTAIN he was just going to crash, so we played and played and played ( I think it was all the sugar in the cake he devoured!!) Then Brett went up to work for a few hours and I decided that we would go on a walk, surely he would crash as soon as we start strolling.....nope! After 35-40 mins into the hour walk he finally let go. He was out, so I finished my walk home, tried to transport him to his bed....and up he was again and that was it till bed time that night. Daylight savings, and birthday cake....what was I expecting!!!

Ok, so good news...I got my MRI results back today and I DO NOT have a stress fracture in my hip!! YEAH!! (that could of been a big problem) What I do have... is the area that has been hurting is one huge muscle and well the muscle has pulled itself away from the hip bone area and there is a nerve right there, so the nerve is now exposed! Sounds great huh. That is why I am in so much pain. So good news, but not so good I guess. So Dr. Randall gave me a cortisone shot right there in the hip, didn't hurt as bad as I thought, and said swim or easy something tomorrow and then I'm fine for whatever.....so I was like, "Yeah I can run, race, whatever". So I called Brett and told him, and he asked, "ok, great, but what about long term, how is the muscle going to reattach itself?" Well I didn't really think about that and he really didn't say, so there are more questions to be asked this weekend when I see him at the Big 12 tourney. But I still plan on running the Lawrence 1/2 marathon April 20th!! About the Ironman 70.3.......well, I'm really torn right now and I think I'm leaning more towards the way of not doing it anymore. I have still and will still for a while, just to make sure, been following the training program and its going ok. It is getting harder/longer and I know its not to much longer for bball season, but then there's camp, possibilities of job changes, ect. and Brett won't be around any more than he is now, so Kaden & my family are still my #1 priority in life. I can do the 4:30 AM forever really, it's not so much that. To be honest, I hate the swimming (which I've been getting good at) and the biking is just biking, nothing that wow's me, just hurts your tushy area when done. With that said, my heart has really been pulling on me to not do this and for another HUGE reason...my brother's wedding!! His wedding is only going to happen once (hear that guys!!) and it's a REALLY important thing to ME, as well as obviously Brett and Amber. So with his wedding the DAY/NIGHT before this HUGE race, would mean I would have to leave early, like WAY earlier than I REALLY want to leave, just to get sleep and be prepared. So that has been really really tugging at my heart. I know they would come support me the next day, they have already planned on it, well not the swimming part, that starts at 6:45AM, but at least the running part, which would be like 4-5 hrs later! But I just don't know. I'm thinking maybe doing a relay team with it, and it wouldn't be as bad, but to train soooo hard for this and to just go do it to do it, which is what some people are telling me, is not my style at all, I'm WAY to competitive and to just throw away allll my hard work to just do it half a**'ed...I don't like that feeling. I'll get back to you on the FINAL answer to that.

Side note, I got my hair chopped yesterday, looks pretty cute I think. I don't have a picture yet, so the one's at Kaden's bday party were the old, yucky hair. Just thought I'd share!

(and no Brett T., it's really short, but doesn't look like a boy!) Oh and Kaden got his 1 yr. old pictures taken today by a photographer, he did really good, and I think they are going to turn out really good. I'll share when we get the proofs in a few weeks.

Ok, now for the sad news, and I'm not elaborating on this, just stating it, b/c it's really breaking my heart and I've been crying for the last 20 mins since I heard the news. My cousin, who has had a REALLY REALLY hard time w/ infertility, finally got pregnant!!! Well things have progressed on and she's now right around 16 weeks and found out the baby has deformities and a possibility of this condition that could end his/her life. The chances, as for what Taylor says, are not high at all for it's life expectancy. Either he/she doesn't develop the full term, or if he/she does, then it's a really short time of life after birth. So I'm writing this to those that read who are friends and other family, to PLEASE pray for my cousin and her husband along with the rest of our family. We've been through a lot of emotions w/and for her before baby was developed and now during the pregnancy and we just want peace and comfort for them and the baby. Thank you in advance for all the prayers!!

Love you all!!