Alves Family: October ends November begins

***Pictures are at the bottom***

October seems to have just flown by. We did our usual things, ballet, jazz, karate, allergy shots, helping in the classroom, Chris working. On top of that....

-Brynn went to the dermatologist for a mole that had changed on her back. It will be removed the beginning of November. The doctor was going to do it that day but, she wanted to wait a while. He said she could get herself prepared.

-Chris and I went to the bay area for one of his coworker's wedding. It was a lot of fun and great to have an adult night out. My mom came over and brought our nieces Cora and Abby over for the weekend to stay with the kids. They had a bunch of fun. Grammy took them to see Frankenweenie and they got to go to the candy store. I'm sure Grammy was tired after that weekend.

-Parker was the superstar in his class one week. Which meant he got to bring home Clifford the big red dog from the classroom, he got to make a photo collage all about him, he was the line leader for the week. He thought it was the coolest thing. His favorite part was he got to wear a badge that was a star. At the end of the week the teacher gave him his superstar book and in it was a page from every student on what they like about Parker and a drawing of him. It was cute.

-The kids had their Fall Festival at the school. We didn't end up getting there until about seven and it got over at 8:30. Brynn had a little meltdown. They came in costume and her costume has a mask. She put it on and it really hurt her nose/sinus area. She freaked out, I'm talking a temper tantrum a two year old would have. We were standing on the sidewalk down from her school. She was sobbing and started yelling I just want this stupid thing cut out of my nose so, I can be normal again. Poor kiddo. I got her to calm down and we went without the mask for the night. The festival was tons of fun. Lots of games, sugary food and tons of prizes. They had a blast. Parker almost fell asleep on the way home. The next morning was a little rough getting up for school but, it was well worth it.

-Brynn had her surgery. See post below.

-My mom came and stayed with Parker while we were down in the bay area with Brynn. Parker loved having Grammy here. They went to school, watched movies, Grammy helped in his classroom, and they went shopping.

-Chris started growing a nasty mustasche with a couple of guys from work for Stashtober or something like that. It was pretty creepy if I do say so myself. I was ok with it when he had the goatee going but, when he shaved it to a mustasche for work it was not ok. Luckily all of the guys decided they looked goofy and they are now all cleanly shaven.

-Vera came after my mom left. She played with Parker all weekend long. She was very good at entertaining him so, Brynn wouldn't do too much and get too crazy.

-Parker caught the stomach flu the Thursday after Brynn's surgery. It made things a little interesting for us. He had been complaining his head hurt. I gave him some tylenol and he went to bed. A few hours later, I heard him whine so I got up, I got to his door and he was throwing up everywhere. It was horrible. Chris cleaned up his room and the bathroom. I made him a bed on the floor in our room by the bathroom and was ready for a long night ahead. He ended up getting sick a few more times and didn't really sleep much that night. The next morning he felt better thank goodness.

-We totally forgot in the midst of all of Brynn's surgery/recovery that it was almost Halloween. I remembered Sunday afternoon that we needed to carve pumpkins. So, since we were all feeling good we carved them.

-We went down to the bay area again for Brynn's post op and Parker had to have his ear tubes rechecked since it's been six months since his surgery. Dr Rosen said Parker looks good and he will see him in six months again. Brynn looked pretty good, he was slightly concerned that she had a fever for so long but, she seems to be healing pretty good. She is starting up her rinses and two steroid sprays for the next month and then we go back the end of November and may try a steroid rinse along with it all. We shall see.

-The day we were at the doctor it was also my 30th birthday. We stayed at my aunt's house the night before and she was so nice to make me birthday brownies. They were tasty. On my birthday I had forgot it was my birthday until one of my friends sent me a happy birthday text. Birthdays just aren't the same when you are grown up, it's just another day. So yes I am 30 now.... =)

-Brynn went back to the orthodontist on Halloween to start on some work. All they did was put in rubber band spacers in her back molars to make room for the metal brackets that go around the back molars. That happens on the 7th. They are going to put a spacer all along the bottom teeth.

- Chris had to work on Halloween so, our neighbor/besties also had the same situation. Erich works with Chris. So Lindsey and I decided we would take the four kiddos trick or treating together. We went out in a downpour with the four kids. Maddie their little girl crashed pretty bad in the street right at the beginning. After that we were wondering if it was worth going but, all four kids wanted to. We did pretty good considering how cold and rainy it was.

- Halloween night I got the kids to bed. Brynn woke up at ten complaining her stomach hurt. She was curled in a ball crying because it hurt so bad. Around four in the morning she started throwing up. Every fifteen minutes. Poor kiddo. I got a friend to pick up Parker for school. I called the doctor since I didn't think Brynn throwing up was something they would be ok with just having surgery. They got her in at 10:30 that day. They definitely didn't want her throwing up. They gave her some zofran to ease the nausea and vomiting. It definitely made a difference. She got sick a couple more times after that. So all day Thursday she was sick.

-Chris came home Thursday night from work and was sick not as bad as Brynn but, he definitely had it. So, all day Friday was a recooperating day for both Brynn and Chris.

-Friday was our ten year wedding anniversary! Pretty cool! Hard to believe it's been ten years. We didn't celebrate since Chris and Brynn were sick but, we will soon!

-We had parent teacher conferences for both kids on Friday. I left the sickies home and went on my own. Both kids are doing above and beyond good. Parker's teacher said he's doing great and is ahead of the game. He'll be bringing home books to start reading probably in December. Pretty exciting. Brynn's teacher had nothing but good things to say. It was her first report card of getting letter grades and I was so proud of her, straight A's. Lord knows I never saw a report card like that when I was in school. He said he really has nothing for her to work towards, she is way ahead of the game and all he could say was for her to keep on keeping on.