Utah

We had so much fin while we were in Utah. Despite everyone getting some nasty stomach bug and me getting adult bacterial croup (who knew there was such a thing) we were able to fit in some very fun activities. 

Of course we had to make the Cafe Rio stop. Just as yummy as I remembered it always being. 

 One night we got all my side of the family together for a light dinner and egg hunt for the kids. I haven't seen my cousins forever and it was SO fun to see them!

 We went bowling and of course the boys loved it. Not sure how it happened, but I am terrible at bowling now. I used to at least be decent. 

 We met up with Travs Aunts and cousin for lunch at noodles. I seriously married into the best family! Boston and Cooper made fast friends it was so cute!

 Boston LOVED my Brothers kitty Mabel and frequently asked me to take pictures with her. Poor kitty spent a lot of time locked in the basement due to a lot of us being allergic to her. 

 I got together with some High School friends. It was SO good to catch up and see everyone. I haven't seen most of them for years so it was fun to chat in real life instead of Instagram. Between the nine of us we have twenty two kids and two more on the way. CRAZY!

 Boston and Carter loved this little swing thing at the park. 

 One thing I really wanted to do while we were there was spend time outside. We went on a gorgeous walk one night. 

 After the stomach bug and before the croup set in we hiked the Y. I can't believe I have never done it before. After the first 50 feet Boston was already complaining of tired legs. Maybe it was a little much for him, but he sure loved being up top. My thighs didn't love the burn they got from giving him a piggy back on the way back. Ouch!

 We met up with my cousins and their girls to go to the dinosaur museum. The boys loved it and had so much fun at all the exhibits. Boston was lucky enough that both Uncles got really into helping him build a cool island in the sand and water area. 

 On Saturday I felt like I was on my death bed and knew there was no way I was going to make it out of the house. My Mom, Kels, and Brienne braved Salt Lake with the kids. I love this pic the boys face are classic. 

 Boston loved spending time with Uncle Kels and especially when they got to go fishing. 

After Utah my Mom drove with us to Arizona where we had to say our painful goodbyes. I knew it would be hard, but holy cow Boston literally broke my heart. He was saying the saddest things. He has spent lots of one on one time with her while I was with Carter at appointments and what not. I thought maybe a call to Daddy would help. Trav told him he loved him and Boston replied "I love you too Daddy, but I love Grandma more right now" and started bawling all over again. Somehow we will survive without here, but there is NO way we could have the last two years. Having her close by was an answer to many prayers. Heavenly Father set out a specific plan for her to be in Texas and there is no doubt the timing of Carter was a huge part of it. 

Utah- Easter

On our way out to CA we decided that we would make a little vacation out of it to see family. Trav went right to CA to get our house ready and to start work. My Mom and I made the ever so boring drive from TX to UT. We got there Saturday night just in time for Easter. It was so fun to spend time at my brothers house. 

 Grandma D gave the kids sunglasses. They obviously were a big hit. 

 Getting Easter pics obviously were not. 

 My Brother and Sis-in law live in Saratoga on the lake. I forgot how beautiful Utah is. The mountains were amazing and got me so excited to be living around mountains again. 

 Carter could have thrown rocks in the lake the whole day. 

 Boston of course LOVED the egg hunt, but I was surprised how much Carter loved it. He knew exactly what he was doing and marched around with Kelsey to find all his eggs. 

Someday when we actually have a yard again I think we will need to get a see saw.

It was such a great day. I love Easter and the opportunity to focus on my Savior and his life. I am so grateful that because of him I get to be with my Family forever. 

Pins Out!

The morning we left Texas we had Boston's appointment to get his pins out. They told me to give him some Motrin before we came in. I couldn't believe they didn't do anything else to help with the pain or sensation. I must have asked five times are you sure he doesn't need anything?!?!

He thought the cast saw was so funny and it must have tickled, because he was laughing so hard. 

Then came the pin removal. He was SO brave! It gave me the willies big time. They just twisted them out and there was the squeaky noise to go along with it. Yuck!

Not sure what it is about my boys and X-rays, but they hate them! He screamed bloody murder when they asked him to move his arm on the table. Is that not the saddest face ever!

Nothing a little Americana cast won't fix. He was so proud of that cast. He said that if he can't find an American flag to look at he "will always have my arm to take it's place" I was dying laughing!

There are the pins. Those things were huge!

Final Goodbyes

I tell ya what I HATE goodbyes! I was so hard to leave such incredible people and an incredible place. 

We had a fun Sunday dinner with all our cousins and family. The kids had a great time being together. We were so lucky to be by so many cousins during our time in Texas. 

Miss Lindsey was Carter's PT and holy cow she helped him so much! I loved Lindsey! I don't think I would say the same about Carter though. He was always such a pill for her. Pretty much he just didn't like that she made him work. 

Of all the people we had to say goodbye to I think Miss Jenny was the hardest. Not only did she do so much for Carter, but she did SO much for me. Feeding Carter has been one of the hardest things during all this. She gave me confidence in myself and in Carter's ability to do new things. She was SO good with Carter. She got his personality and loved him so much!

Miss Cathy is a dream. Seriously her heart is as big as they come and she loves her babies like no one else. 

I seriously have the best friends. Jamie and Danielle were two of the best! I miss them so much! Boston loves his friends and was so sad to say goodbye it broke my heart!

It's OUT!!!!!!

I seriously thought this day would never come! I can't even begin to count the times that this surgery or this dilation, or this medication would prepare us to decannulate and it didn't work. Going in the day of his scheduled dacannulation I wouldn't even let myself get excited about it, because there was still a chance that they wouldn't be able to if his airway had regressed at all. 

He was being such a cheeser before they took him back. We ended up waiting for over three hours after his scheduled time. Good thing Carter was so happy because I was a ball of nerves. 

After they did the bronch to make sure everything looked good they brought him out with pretty much a band aid over his trach site. It all seemed to anti climatic. We wait and wait and wait to get the dang thing out and you put a band aid over it. Ha ha. I can't tell you how good it was to see his cute little neck without anything on it. I swear Trav and I had to of kissed his little neck over a hundred times. 

One thing I was worried about was how he would tolerate his breathing treatments without the trach. He has always been sensitive to things on or around his face. In true Carter fashion he handled it like a champ. 

While we were there one of the nurses told us something that I have thought all along Carter's journey. She said "ya know these kids (referring to Carter) are pretty amazing, but I tell ya their siblings are right up there with them. It takes a special kiddo to deal with all this (pointing around the room)" I couldn't agree more. Boston is simply amazing! He was SO excited to see Carter with no Trach!

After we got the phone call from the Doc tell us that decannulation was going to happen for sure and that his MRI and sleep study all looked good, the first thing I did was head into his closet and trash all his trach supplies! I can't tell you how liberating it was! A couple days after decannulation we went to his pulmonoligist and he discontinued all his breathing treatment. He is now only on and inhaler twice a day and reflux medicine. I seriously almost died! I thought for sure we would be doing those forever! Feeling more normal every day and it feels amazing!