Fall colors (along the driveway)

We had our first freeze last week, and temps during the day this past Sunday barely got much warmer - so our family afternoon walk only lasted down the driveway and back! But it sure is pretty around here this time of year. Beautiful views wherever you look. No wonder people drive out to western North Carolina in autumn.

Jim and I are reminding each other to enjoy the season because we have to move out of this rental house in January, so our days at this much loved spot (quiet house but only blocks from town) are coming to an end. Wherever we live next will certainly require an adjustment in our daily routines and patterns, notably: more driving and less walking to places. Ugh. I think it will be location #14 in our 16 years of marriage [if I count the 2 summers when we worked at camps (since we fully moved out of our home to go there) but not counting the 3 times we lived with family or friends for 3-6 weeks]. Phew!! We starting to do some sorting and early packing already.

Micro-sneak peek at family pics... we attempted the self-timer in the same spot as last year. You'll have to wait and see if the full family photo makes it to a Christmas card.

Of course the boys didn't mind the cold much and were very happy finding black walnuts to gather and throw and smash.

Mattias is 3!

And now Mattias is 3! What a wonderful age, and a momentous birthday in our household!

Mattias is funny and expressive; persistent & careful - which also means stubborn; hard-working; and gentle & sweet with baby Hawkins. He loves matchbox cars, trucks, trains, Legos, construction, books, his stuffed bears, almost all food, and marching bands. He often has cars in his pockets, and books or stuffed animals or blankets that he drags out to the car to bring along wherever we are going. He is very happy playing by himself and will focus for a long time on whatever he is doing (usually with cars or something to dig); he has a long attention span. Now he's starting to follow hard after Timo - they already share so many interests - and will spend long periods of time reading books; he is also playing with the Legos, not just the larger Duplos. At the same time, he is courageous and athletic; he's rides his balance bicycle fast and well. He still alternates between left-handed and right-handed, so we're curious to see how that continues to develop.

Saturday Oct 28th was his birthday, and it was very chilly and pouring rain all day. After a birthday breakfast of pancake, cards and a couple of presents, we were all quite content to spend the morning reading books, including a couple of awesome new ones from their birthdays. Later on Jim took the older boys to the hardware store to look at pumpkins and sit on the riding lawnmower (good birthday outing for a 3 year old). In the afternoon we had naps and I made chocolate cake, which we took over at suppertime to the Woodys'.

This weekend Greg and Abi and their 5 kids, and Salem with 2 of her daughters, were back home at their parents', so of course they were with us for supper and cake. It was fun to have the cousins' cousins around to celebrate together. Timo was giddy to have older boys to wrestle with and chase around the house. And Mattias got his wish for "cats at his birthday party" because Gayle just got two new black kittens!!!! (forgot to get a photo of them) I was sorely tempted to get a kitten for us!

Mattias covered his eyes and smiled very shyly while we were singing

little Hawk was quite content in Gayle's arms, and almost anyone who holds him!

Abi, me, and Salem - we were missing you, Hannah!

a few more presents, including Star Wars Legos! Getting the collection started!!

Timo is 5!

Even typing that title makes me get emotional - ! Birthdays are bittersweet around here, and 'bittersweet' fails to capture what I mean. A mixture of excitement about new things to come, thankfulness for the growth that has passed, happiness in celebrating and doing things with/for Timo that he enjoys, and yet always a sadness because we miss Gemma so much on birthdays. Days like these make her presence seem so far away.

In any case, we had a GREAT day celebrating Timo turning 5 on Wednesday, Oct 25th! We started off the day full tilt, with opening cards and a few presents at breakfast, along with jelly donut cupcakes (that still seems sorta breakfasty, right?). Jim had to leave for work but Timo and Mattias then happily played with and shared the new remote controlled fire truck that Nonna had sent. Then it was off to Bible study, where the ladies all sang him happy birthday (much to his embarrassment). On the way home we stopped to get boiled peanuts at the farm stand for lunch. YUM.

breakfast cupcakes and a super excited Mattias (there was a Chewbacca sticker on the banana)

In the 'new' soccer shirt from Mila and Lithemba

Later in the afternoon we took a walk/bike ride and enjoyed the cool fall weather. I love seeing how well Timo is riding his bike these days, and he is very aware and safe in the town; he stops at the end of every block and waits until I catch up with the stroller.

caught a spider in the new microscope jar from Jaja!

For supper we surprised Timo and got pizza from a nearby restaurant that he has been asking to go to (the place where Jaja took the boys for pizza this past spring). And thank you to Nonna for sending the gift card to the restaurant, which arrived the day before and was perfect timing so we could get pizza and our favorite kale salad for a birthday supper! Then it was a couple more presents before bedtime, including a huge construction book from Nonna. He has hardly let that book out of his sight since! And has spent numerous hours reading it and doing sound effects, his current specialty.

Hawk thinks he's going to get a bite...

Birthday Questions, a selection

What is your favorite toy? remote controlled fire truck (that Nonna just gave him for his birthday!)
What is your favorite food? cupcakes (...grins)
What do you like to play with Mattias? playing cars
What do you like to play with baby Hawk? I like to kiss him. Well, that's not playing...
What is your favorite place in Sylva? I like going to the Woodys' house.
What is your favorite trail? Waterrock Knob [on the Blue Ridge Parkway]. I like the view on the mountains. And I like all the rocks we can climb on, too.
What your favorite books? library books. And amazing book of dinosaurs; rhyme book [poems]; Tintin

the other two brothers, off for our late afternoon walk

Saturday happenings

Football game at Western! Okay, to be honest, we only came for the 3rd quarter (because it's free to get in after halftime) and actually only watched from the stands for about 2 minutes of game time. The rest of the time we watched the marching band and the boys went in the bouncy house. Great atmosphere but very loud for kids! Hawk burst into tears whenever people started clapping. Sorry, buddy. One of the fun aspects of the team this year is that they are currently tied for 1st in the conference, whereas last year they were dead last. Big turn-around!

thank you, Hawkins cousins, for passing down the football jerseys

Raking! Or rather, jumping in the leaves - and still many, many more leaves to fall since the colors have only just started changing. We've had a mild October.

Jim wasn't even planning on washing the car, but once Timo asked, Sure, why not?! Here they are doing some pre-cleaning - and afterwards out came the swimsuits and the hose.

Consultation at Shriner's Greenville, and Hawk update

On Friday the 21st we had an appointment at Shriner's Hospital in Greenville, SC, which specializes in pediatric orthopaedics. The hospital serves 6 states, and since we live only 2 hours away we had been advised to get a consultation and 2nd opinion about Hawk from them, and then to consider if we would pursue his further care with them - in particular, to have his hip surgery for his dislocated hip done there. What makes Shriner's different is that they have all their doctors and specialists located there, and they work together (in constant communication) to assess and treat children. So it makes for much smoother and better coordinated care. (And it is a "free hospital"!)

Our primary reasons for going to Shriner's were, 1. to get more information and feedback about his overall condition (is this really arthrogryposis? If so, what type? Is there anything else that we need to address? How is he doing? Are we on the right track with his care?) and 2. get a second opinion about the hip surgery he will need in a few months for his dislocated left hip.

While waiting in the exam room, the nurse brought this brand-new musical toy as a gift for Hawk!

To back up a bit ... Now that Hawk has finished the casting for his feet and has orthotics (or, AFO's - ankle foot orthotics) to maintain their shape and does daily stretches for legs/feet, he has completed the first major phase of his medical care! Time to celebrate! Yes, his feet still look different, but they are flat on the bottom and he has some ROM in the ankles, so all signs point that he will be able to walk! As the orthotist remarked, "I think Dr Raustol made you some very fine feet, young man."

Meanwhile, of course, we continue with weekly in-home appointments with the PT and OT, and our daily routines of stretching and massage - focusing on stretching his neck, shoulders, hips, fingers, wrists, and ankles. And working on tummy time positions to improve his neck extension and shoulder strength. He is now able to roll from tummy to back, and from back to side; and he can open up his hands to grasp toys and bring them to his mouth (although the fingers are still tight and often he still has them in a fist position). We marvel at the improvements we see with him week by week. He is doing GREAT!! Now he's working on better rolling; holding his head up while on his tummy; supported sitting; and soon, introducing foods.

A couple of photos while sitting in the Bumbo to watch Mommy cook, and holding a spoon (look, he is starting to get his thumb around in the right position!) and a little bear. Just this week he has started holding out his arms and trying to reach for everything, especially people.

So next up is his hip surgery! And back to the report on our time at Shriner's:

We had a really positive experience there; the hospital is small and kid-centered, and they really focus on creating a positive, personable experience for children. We really liked the staff we met - and to a person, they all were very encouraging about Hawk and what he is already capable of, and they ALL commented on how "tuned in" and friendly and content he is. It's true - this little guy is our most social baby, and will make eye contact and smile at almost everyone. We were seen by a PA, the chief of staff (who is a pediatric orthopedic and surgeon), PT and OT.

They all agreed that his arthrogryposis could be "distal arthrogryposis" or possibly not even arthrogryposis but some other syndrome with similar symptoms. The Dr. suggested two other possibilities to bring up with the geneticist at our appointment in Asheville next month. They all mentioned how well he is moving his limbs and joints, and his good muscle tone, and his ability to grasp things and bring his hands to his mouth. VERY positive. "You are going to do great, little man!" said the OT. "Yes, those hands will write and type and cook and play an instrument. Whatever instrument you want!" Though Hawk was born with joint stiffness and malformed feet and hands, he has already improved a lot with therapy; whereas many children born with arthrogryposis do not show such improvement in movement and can have 'frozen' joints in their elbows or wrists or knees. So, yes, Hawk still needs therapy, but he is certainly doing well. Read more here.

We also got more information about the hip surgery that he will need to repair his dislocated hip. [This surgery will be done sometime between 10 months and 18 months old, approximately.] The surgeon will place the ball of the hip back into the socket, and may need to do a pelvic osteotomy where he cuts the bone to shape the socket into a better curve. Afterwards Hawk will be in a Spica cast from chest to ankle on the left side, and chest to knee on the right side, for 12 weeks. Yes, BIG surgery and recovery. Still much to consider and learn about what this requires, and we will eventually need to decide which orthopedic will do this surgery. (Many more details but I'm trying to keep the explanation simple!)

Meanwhile it worked out fantastically that Grandpa and Jaja had just finished an ISI retreat in Black Mountain the day before, so they drove over for 2 nights to be with Timo and Mattias while we went down to Greenville for the day. You can see they were both quite content with that arrangement!

waffle breakfast on Saturday before they left (thanks, Jim, for photographing while I was still in pj's)