Happy Birthday Daddy

Today is my darling husbands 31st birthday! We made a lovely weekend of it!
Yesterday Dylan took Daddy to play crazy golf at the new Rainforest Adventure golf place! They even got a hole in one and won a free round of golf! While they were entertained there, Lauren and mummy went shopping for Daddy's birthday present and cake! Then we all went for a lovely pizza and ice cream!

Today We gave Daddy his presents and breakfast in bed, and we took him out to lunch! Then we had to surprise him with his double chocolate birthday cake!

I think he enjoyed the day! I can't believe it's been a year since we held his 30th birthday party! Time really flies.....

 

 

Our beautiful son wrote him a special letter yesterday.....

 

 

Yummy cake!

Happy birthday Daddy.... We love you!!

Lauren's first visit to the salon

Lauren inherited my hair... I hadn't a bit of hair until I was three, Lauren at least has a bit more hair than me! We've noticed that though her hair is thin, she has lots of curls. We wanted to get her hair trimmed to thicken it up and take the yucky ends off her. So we took her to the hairdresser for a trim, so she's just having her first hair cut at 3! Here's the little princess during her haircut... look at the face on me making sure that the hairdresser does what I asked  her! I suppose I just know what I want!

Here's the after shot!

She's really happy with her new look!

Great Ireland Run 2012

Last weekend Derek took part in the Great Ireland Run. I'm so proud of  my hubby, he ran his half marathon in 46 minutes. He did really well, his company took part in the business challenge, and they came 2nd!!

  

Here's the photos from the website....

Well done Derek!

Trip to the Aviva Stadium

Last week Derek took Dylan to the Aviva Stadium. It's relatively new, he took him to see a Leinster rugby match, which is kind of a big deal here! Dylan had an a brilliant time, their seats were amazing and they had a great view. I was delighted that they had a father/son evening all to themselves. They took the train in and out, and spent some great quality time together. I know it meant a lot to them both. Lauren and I went to visit with some friends when they were at the match, and Lauren and her little friend had a really nice play date!

Here's the boys before the big match...

Waiting for the match to start...

The view from their seats

One happy little boy

I'm so happy they had a great time!

Easter Sunday 2012

This year we spent Easter here at home in the morning, and then we travelled down to my parent's house for the afternoon and spent one night there. Our neighbour kindly watched our kitty for us! The Easter bunny was very kind and left us lovely treats!

Lauren's Easter basket

Dylan's Easter basket

You can almost here them saying in the pic...'What you get?'

This year Lauren woke us up to tell us it was Easter! This is the first holiday she's ever woken us up to tell us about! It was precious.... Then we went on the Easter egg hunt, which proved very fruitful for them!

Look what we got!

We don't like them to get too many Easter eggs so we make sure the Easter bunny knows to bring some useful things too!

Then Derek took Dylan back to the hospital for his dressing to be changed, they changed it and it was looking so much better. It's really on the mend now! When they got home we had some photos of the kids, and then we headed down to my parent's house.

The kids had a lovely Easter, we celebrated our religious holiday

with family. It was a lovely weekend.

Family Photos

Happy Easter!

Under the Weather....

It's been a bit of a nightmare here over the past few days! Lauren woke up Thursday night crying and holding her ear saying it was really hurting so I called the doctor on Friday morning first thing, and they were fully booked but told us to bring her in and they would fit her in. It turns out she has a bad ear infection and the doctor put her on an antibiotic. She seems to be on the mend, she had a more comfortable night last night. Thank goodness our lil baby is feeling better.

Now onto the next topic which is leaving me livid. Dylan had his hospital appointment on Monday for X-rays and a consultation. Derek and I noticed his cast was getting a bit smelly and we were worried it was dirty and had gotten wet or something. It turned out that his arm was infected in the cast, when they took it off it was smelly and weeping. His skin looked like it had been eaten away. I was really upset, as was Dylan. They called the orthopaedic doctor back in again, and he didn't answer my questions very well, and refused to give him an antibiotic which I really felt would be needed. Now I'm not medicine grabbing if you had seen his arm you'd have agreed with me. I asked the nurse for a dressing change appointment, and took Dylan home.

Derek went back out Friday morning to have it changed. His friend is an adult surgeon and advised that this is a surgical wound, and it's quite serious to have an infection in it. Derek demanded to be seen by an orthopaedic consultant and didn't leave the hospital until he saw someone. He didn't mince his words, he made it quite clear that he was very unhappy and wanted answers as to why his arm was left this way.

Two hours later the surgeon arrived and of course it was the same guy we saw in the outpatients department the last day. This time around he realised how seriously we felt about things, and Derek said he was very good. He cleaned out the wound and found a suture that hadn't dissolved and he removed it, and dressed the wound with a medicated dressing. He gave us an appointment to come back out on Easter Sunday to have the dressings changed again.

When they went out on Sunday apparently it looked much better, and Derek was a lot happier and I was too. I'm dreading him having to have that wound reopened to remove the Tens nail again. I really wish he isn't going to be left with a rotten scar. I hope we can put this whole experience behind us soon.

When you see the photos of his arm you can see why we were furious and demanded answers. I thought it was disgraceful that it hadn't been taken as seriously initially, but we sorted it out. There is no way my child will be left with a wound like that without proper aftercare.....No way!

So it's looking so much better now an I hope it will continue to heal properly.

Trying to pretend he's not scared of getting his cast off, with the ' I don't care, I'm not scared look,'

So we've been a bit under the weather here lately, but hopefully it will all be uphill from here!

Easter Sunday 2012 post to follow...

Ballet buns & ice-cream cones

Lauren had her second ballet class yesterday morning. She was very upset when we pulled up outside! She cried all the way up the drive and up the stairs. I sat in the class with her and she was still crying, so I decided to be strong and left the class! And she cried for a second, and then sat quietly on her chair and watched. Her teacher coaxed her slowly into the group until she took part...

Here she is with her ballet bun in her hair, and her little tutu and ballet shoes...

I got a picture outside the ballet class, I was hidden and took it through the glass in the door!

Lauren is sitting on her little chair and she is slowly being coaxed into the class...

Eventually she got up to join in, but kept her back to the class. Slowly she started to take part, and at the end her teacher asked her would she like to come back again, and Lauren gave a big smile and said she would love to come back!

I am delighted with the outcome, I wasn't very optimistic before class as she seemed so upset and unwilling to get out of the car! But I knew that once she agreed to go in that she would enjoy herself. I thought it was important not to let her decide she didn't like something after only trying it once. I encouraged her into it, but I knew it was for her own good. This will really help with her confidence, it is also important for her to take part in activities. I am so proud of her for taking part and for enjoying herself. She also looked really adorable in her little ballet outfit! is there anything cuter?

Today we went for ice cream in our favourite ice cream spot out in Dunlaoghaire! We have had absolutely amazing weather here all week, and today it was bright but cloudy...

Dylan was a bit cold when he was eating his ice-cream!

After our ice cream we went for a walk along the pier, and then we had a little play in the play ground, while Daddy and Mummy had a lovely well deserved coffee.

Would you look at what I have to work with! He finds it traumatic to sit for a photo for his poor Mom!

Kind of a better picture if you ignore the chocolate ice cream faces!

 

Tomorrow Dylan visits his consultant orthopaedic surgeon, we have to have X-rays and a consultation. I'm really hoping that they will change the plaster cast, it is filthy. The last cast we had didn't have to contend with mud and grass, because Dylan wasn't outside playing every day in it. This time it's the Spring and it is absolutely manky! I will be insisting they change it as I'm concerned he'll end up with an infection. I also hope we will get an idea of when he will have his surgery to remove the pin from his arm. So it was a lovely weekend, I have tomorrow off and Good Friday, and then the weekend and then Monday off again! I can't wait, we are going to go down and visit my parents and my friend is minding Amber the cat for us, so it's all good!

Easter is nearly here!!

&

It's Spring!