Awkward Family Photos

We tried hard while we were together with Karen and Susan/Grandma at Thanksgiving to get some nice family pictures.  I think Susan has some better ones on her camera, but these are the best ones we have.

Thanksgiving in San Diego

Before we left, it got quite chilly and snowed again.  Rachel and I managed to get outside in the snow and make a snowman before work/daycare on Thurs morning.  We made forts all weekend while Jason went to Phoenix Fri, Sat, Sun.  Actually an amazing angel of a lady that we've met (a parent of one of Jason's student athletes) came over twice to watch the kids so I could run and get some Christmas shopping done.

Jason came home late Sunday night and then Monday we turned around and went to the airport in the morning.  The girls did really well flying, even when we suddenly pulled up from our landing because there was a small airplane with a flat tire blocking the runway and we had to land temporarily in Ontario, CA.  We were excited to get to Aunt Karen's house Monday afternoon and see her and Grandma.  Then we hit the beach, and Rachel was thrilled.

She jumped right in the water despite it being chilly, and her awesome Dad played with her.  She wanted to go to the ocean every day we were there.  We also fit in a day at the zoo, and an awesome thanksgiving dinner with extended family (Brett Butler, Dan/Jeannie/Madison Oliver).  Jason and I got to sleep in a little more than normal and got in a few runs, thanks to Grandma's babysitting services.

We had a great visit and are thankful to Karen and her roommate for letting us take over, despite the fact that they had to move house the day we left.

Ava's gluteal fold and Rachel's brother

When Ava was born, it was noted that her gluteal fold (ie her butt crack) had an extra fork to it going to the left.  Although she is developing well and there are no concerns about her pelvis, hips, nervous system, or development, this abnormality was still a little bit of a concern.  Abnormal skin marks on a low back/sacral area could be related to one of two things: spina bifida occulta or a tethered cord.  While we weren't concerned about the first, our family doctor was slightly concerned about the possibility of the second.  A tethered cord can present without symtoms, or become more symptomatic as a child grows, and an abnormal skin overlying the spinal column may warrant an MRI to look at the spinal cord/surrounding structure.

On Monday we went to the neurosurgery clinic in Denver at 9am.  I wasn't excited about having to drive through traffic to get there or about taking Rachel and Ava together by myself.  Rachel is not great at sharing her attention with Ava, and this appointment needed my focus to discuss things with the doctor while looking at Ava.

We got there fine and Rachel was great.  I was reading her "Clifford's Christmas" when the doctor walked into our room.  Rachel pouted and wanted to keep reading / wanted my attention.  Thankfully, the doctor was awesome and got it right away and involved Rachel in taking our medical history.  He asked Rachel how old Ava was, if she was sick, how old Rachel was, who lived in our house, etc.  Then Rachel was involved and in charge of the appointment.

Doc: "Rachel, how old are you?"
Rachel: "Three."
Doc: "Rachel, how old is your sister Ava."
Rachel: "I don't know. Mommy?"  (Mommy answers almost 5 months.)
Doc: "Rachel, do you have any other sisters?"
Rachel: "No."
Doc: "Do you have any brothers?"
Rachel: "Yes.  Nunu.  Nunu is 4."

Anyway, the doctor quickly looked at Ava's butt and determined it was totally fine with no concern whatsoever.  The whole appointment was less than 20 minutes and I was relieved not to have to consider sedating Ava for an MRI or have any other follow up to this matter.

Then I took my three kids to the zoo.  Nunu had a nice time.