A whole lotta nothin'

Well, I suppose I'd rather have a "wasted" day be a whole lotta nothin' than a whole lotta somethin' because if I'm going to spend a lot of gas money, I'd rather at least my son be healthy at the end of the day.

And that is what we have today. A nice day trip to Nashville and back with the news that Benjamin is just fine. They didn't really do anything except an echocardiogram (which he gets regularly when he sees Dr. Herold, where we're going this Friday, by the way) and weigh him. I suppose that was the only true "finding" from today but not one that seemed to cause them much concern. Benjamin has actually lost a tiny bit of weight in a month. He weighed in at 12lbs, 8 oz. (Note that a week ago, he was 13lbs, 2 oz on Dr. Stephanie's scale at his six-month well visit.) He seems to eat enough and isn't hungry during the day or all night. I've started him on solids, even though it'll be weeks at best until any of that actually counts as nourishment. Anyway, I suppose I'll call Dr. Stephanie this week and talk to her about it.

I think there were several highlights of the day:

The fall leaves driving up there were absolutely stunning. Just breathtaking. Thinking I was still with a toddler, I caught myself sing-songing, "Thank you for the pretty trees, God!" :)

The pizza. Yum. Even though I also really wanted a side caesar salad but we didn't have time.

Spending precious time with Matthew and Benjamin. There seriously just doesn't seem to be the time when we're at home to just sit and spend time together. In fact, Matthew will be the first to admit that the nine days we were up at Vanderbilt in October was truly the first time that he got to "know" Benjamin since he was born in April. I suppose it's the second-child syndrome. Most of daddy's time is consumed by Active Andrew.

Meeting a barely-two-year-old Down syndrome boy named Ethan Benjamin and his mommy in the waiting room. I was SO bummed when they called us back b/c we were all having the best conversation!! RATS! It is literally the first Down syndrome person I have SEEN IN PERSON since Benjamin was born, much less the first DS mommy I've talked to. I was so pumped! Then I was so sad when we had to say a quick, "Great to meet you" and be ushered into the office. We had a great conversation, but there was so much more to say and ask!

The surgeon really didn't have anything but positive things to say about Benjamin. His echo showed normal function of his heart. (We'll wait until Friday and let Dr. Herold do an echo and assess whether or not to wean him off his meds.) She even said that if she hadn't seen it on his chart, she would not have known he has Down syndrome, that he just seems a lot more alert and full of personality than other DS babies she has seen. She said, "I'm not just saying that to be nice; if I didn't think so, I wouldn't say anything or I would say, 'Oh he has beautiful eyes!'" LOL

Benjamin did great. He is a trooper as always and constantly amazes me with his ability to roll with the punches.

Here are some pictures from today:

Gotta love a sleeping baby....



The pictures just don't do it justice!!! (Especially with my dirty van windows...)



For any country music fans out there, this is where Josh Turner shot his "Firecracker" video. It's only about 1/2 hour or so from where I live.



Mmmmmmmmmmmm...................................................



Hey, punk, wanna say that to my face?!?!??!?



Check out the look he's giving Anthony, the ultrasound tech! We were cracking up at him!



He still won't really "take" a paci unless someone is holding it in his mouth. But he does like to chew on the side of it sometimes. (See my new blingy ring that Andrew found in the sand at Stephanie's Fear Not Party?? Speaking of that, I need to post pics from that party!)



Mommy and her sweet boy, who is nice and full from his backseat meal. I *love* this soft Boppy cover that my Aunt Priscilla bought off my baby registry. I get compliments on it all the time and just think it is the softest thing!! I bought one in pink & orange, too, but returned it when I found out Benjamin was a boy!



The next two pictures are blurry and while in a moving van with dirty windows, but look how gorgeous these trees are!!! ("Thank you, God!!")

That's it for tonight. I hope to get up some pics of Stephanie's party soon. I also have a new Down syndrome-related post that I hope to write in the next several days. There were a few questions that a couple of you asked when I opened up the blog for questions that I didn't get to. And I've been having some more thoughts about it lately. But for now, it's late and I'm tired. I'm still trying to figure out a way to get to the polls tomorrow. It'll happen, but probably with a baby in tow. :)