Ok, in all actuality, there were only two big days, but we packed a lot into those two days. Brenden and I went to Sherman on Wed. to go swimming with my niece and newphews who were staying with my parents for the week. Sherman, like many towns around, has turned their plain jane public pool into a splash park with lots of neat little play areas and slides. Brenden didn’t get much of a nap before going and was very tired once we got out in the heat, but I think he still had some fun. I let him walk around in the super shallow part until the second time he went under water. I had my hands on his back,so he was only under for a second both times, but it was enough to get both of our hearts racing! You’d think I didn’t spend every day of high school and the first year of college in the pool.

This morning, Brenden knocked his head on the coffee table, bruising just underneath his eye. Then, seconds after Patrick went off to shower, he choked. Really choked. Like turning red, couldn’t cough, needs the heimlich choke. I turned him on his stomach and patted. Still choking, and now some awful feeling in his stomach. Panic set in and I ran with him to the bathroom to get Patrick with my arm under his sternum and him and his face towards the ground. I got to Patrick and he looks at me and says, “He’s fine.” Turns out  he’d spit up the food just a second before and I didn’t know it. I was not good in that emergency and am so grateful it turned out ok. Brenden took a little longer to be greatful about it, but eventually did stop crying.

This afternoon we had a picnic for Hands Down at the Scottish Rite Hospital. Due to an illness in the family of the head of the group, I found myself planning activities for the kids. We found out we’d have access to basketballs and courts, bocci ball and frisbee golf so I thought it would be best to plan things for the smaller kids. I got a bubble machine, beach balls, and a set that included ring toss, lawn darts and horseshoes. They all turned out to be hits, especially the bubbles and beach balls. Most of the kids that came weren’t too far out of Brenden’s age range and I was excited at the idea of him getting to play, but for the most part he just wanted to walk around and look at things. He didn’t seem to care too much about the other kids! He was so red and hot and tired afterwards, but we weren’t done with our day yet.

We still had a Build a Bear party for the 5 year old son of some of our friends. It was an awesome party, though poor Brenden just wanted to sleep. Patrick did most of the bear stuff for Brenden and really got into it. He built a lovely little bear named Morrow, as in Brenden Morrow who is attired in a great Stars outfit!

Two of the pictures I’m posting are actually really cute group shots, but I don’t want to post other people’s children without their permission, so I’ve cropped them.

Brenden chasing bubbles at the picnic.

Brenden and Patrick resting at the picnic.

Patrick, Brenden and Morrow.