Elan's Blog: PART 1 - SOOO October 4th Update - REALLY long and loads of photos

Once again I start a blog posting with an apology.... so much going on but all good! I am still crazy busy with working during this peak time the past three weeks. I am not sure if I have made it clear what I do... I am a sales rep for Pearson Education and work with universities and community colleges in the math and science departments helping professors with their textbook and technology needs. Thankfully, Pearson has been so great and uber flexible with me during this trying time. As a mom, the first thing you want to do is quit your job and be home when this kind of thing happens but for us it just isn't possible. I am just so grateful for a company like Pearson and a job like mine which works out to let me do both. I have to say especially my direct manager Stephen Jennings has been there for us. It has also been amazing on Elan's side to be able to network daily with microbiologists, biologists, chemists (some even specializing in brain chemistry), statisticians (like when it is all based on 23 kids!) and nutritionists. I have been able to get amazing referrals from colleagues too all over the country. I really feel this has helped us make the best decisions for Elan hands down and feel good about the decisions we have had to make.

Back to Stephen, I worked with him a few weeks ago and then had him over to the house to see Elan again. He had stopped by the day Elan was removed from the vent at the hospital so needless to say Elan has much improved! Here are a few pictures of his evening with us - some by Finn :) :

Elan was a bit over it all by the time we did photos :)

starting to peek a smile for us!

Finn's photography! I just love this photo! So how I think Stephen views me... me in front smiling like a crazy lady and he laughing at me but enjoying the experience :)

I also had several other folks from in-house work with me... all so supportive and coming due to Elan's condition to help me out. So great! Peggy Lucas, a total dear, came at my pleading. She and I worked with years ago at McGraw-Hill and we had a blast working campus together! She had also come to the hospital at the very beginning when we were supposed to have worked during the thick of Elan's diagnosis. It is just great to have her see how wonderful he is doing. As Peggy put it, the two of us have been living parallel lives! She grew up in Waterloo, IA and I grew up in Dubuque, IA. I had her over with Jordan Enzor my tech specialist and Michael Bailey the other rep here in Charlotte for dinner and had a great time - bummer we forgot to do a photo! Erik and I really wanted to have them over while she was in town to just thank everyone for being so there for us!

So now a recap of life...

Thankfully the 60 plus weeks are behind us and now things are more civilized.

I will do a chronological order based on photos so here we go:

Old photo of when my parents moved out in August with the boys in the Uhaul - so thrilled to be in the cab.

Swimming! Several weeks ago.. so focused, right? So kind of friends to invite us to play!

he wanted to swim to the ledge here!

With Sommer - she is such a sweet girl and so kind to the boys!

So if you have been in a cave you may not know this, but otherwise you do. Charlotte hosted the National Democratic Convention so Uptown (downtown but Charlotte is trying to be hip) had stuff going on a few days before. Here is a balloon guy... Later that week Erik and I went out one night to check it out as a date! Yep, we went out just the two of us. And we even had celebrity sightings - totally unentintonal too! Zach Graff, Jessica Alba, Elizabeth Banks and others (erik can fill in as he remembers). We were just siting outside and they all came out of a restaurant that was doing a fund ra

Elan's expressionistic art later that day...

over mom being a paperazzi

Erik and me downtown - cops everywhere!

Seriously!

Filming of MSNBC right out in the open where you can walk by - pretty fun.

proof we were out.

Erik excited about beer options...

so ever since Indiana we have been taking Finn to a play therapist. He has been doing great and shows no signs of issues due to all that is going on. So amazing that he is so resilient! We went to one in Indiana a few times and it really helped him work through and talk about stuff. Today I took him for his 3rd visit and she said he doesn't really need to come. I want him to go once a month to just have her in our life until we know Elan is cured! Here are pictures of his last visit. Today I wanted to take a photo of the "family" he picked out - he only got to the mom and dad before he decided to re arrange all the furniture. THe dad was a beefed up wrestler action figure and the mom a side pony tail wearing figure... so us, right? Ms Ann and I laughed! She said he is just playing and not trying to work through anything, which is amazing! He did say "i think the mommy and daddy bed should be by the front door so the daddy can take a nap when he gets home from work... he so had Erik down!

Love this photo! Finn at Play Therapy

playing with the pet as a doctor.

So BIG NEWS!!!! Finn's first bike! We went to the Recyclery (super awesome org you MUST check out if needing a new bike or needing to get rid of one - tax write off :)) When you buy a bike at the center it goes straight into the organization to fund bikes for low income families. We so scored a killer deal! If you need a high end bike at a Huffy price here is the place - and you feel good about it too! I mean what 4 year old has a Specialist bike? Well our Finn does! and cheaper than Target or Walmart (ok maybe same price as walmart). and if you check out craigslist so junky were these have been totally serviced. The guys even hooked Elan up with an Elmo key chain.

http://tripsforkidscharlotte.org/re-cyclery-program/

Putting on the training wheels

clouds looming but we WILL get this done and ridden before the rain!

Not looking good... camera fogging up! HUMID!

THis bike a bit bigger than one in Indiana we borrowed... Finn nervous face - hard to tell here.

What Elan was up to while Erik and Finn worked on bike. I love these photos! Elan so happy! The boots 1000 xs too big (Finn just outgrew) but thanks to zulily we have a pair of boots on the way Elan's size. Finn had super cute Thomas boots at Elan's age from Erik's parents but they were so trashed - literally leaking! BTW Zulily.com is my new best friend. Best way to get these kiddos clothed at 1 AM :0). That is how I found their Finn and Elan super hero shirts - i need to get them again in their new sizes!

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The new supermodel look.

walking right out of them

try again

fun in the rain.

holding them to walk

a little rain doesn't stop us! We DID promise he would get to ride it after all and the slicker didn't work with the bike - so clothing optional bike ride :)

So Elan wanted to be sporty too.....