Stella.

She's starting to get her groove back.

Things are so completely different from last week, it really seems strange that only seven days have passed in between.

Thankful this week for lots of firsts for the excited boy, church in a parking lot, theanine serene, dance parties, family fishing days, other advocates, and on and on. It was easier this week to remember that all those struggles exist because of the GOOD STUFF that brought them.

Microwave popcorn!

Here are the bits and pieces:

Roman had his first transfusion (here) on Friday.
He was a little anxious but went through the motions without complaint- at first.
Since this was our initial visit, there was more to do upfront and it was harder to find at blood match than they expected. Four hours in, we hadn't even started the transfusion.

When we finally did get back to the chemo bay, he lost it. Best I could tell, he thought I was leaving him there.

In China, he was dropped of at the hospital for his transfusion and picked up six days later. As far as we know, he was alone- other than nurses/doctors. No matter how many times I tried to tell him I was staying and we were going home the same day, he was too far gone to hear it. Of course, it's easier to push me away than feel abandoned, so it was a rough hour.

We ended up getting a private room and some wonderful people waiting on him hand and foot. Once we started, he did great! And was VERY happy to go home when all was said and done.

He definitely got some life back, but wasn't out of control like he had been in China. Just his silly little self!

 We have had a few other appointments to get baselines before starting chelation therapy (Exjade) and only had one surprise so far... he failed his hearing test. His right ear drum is retracted and his left has a huge hole in it. Working on a plan there. We still have eyes and a liver MRI to do, EKG will be done during his next transfusion in two weeks.

Even though there are lots of appointments and lots of paperwork and meetings and constant phone calls, it feels like we are almost through recovery and slipping slowly into maintenance.

Our first post placement visit with our social worker went well, though he wanted nothing to do with her. However, Cale talked her head off and Anna Gray climbed up in her lap completely. Obviously, we are still working on sharing our attention equally! We realized in talking with her that he already has over 100 words/phrases in English. And several full sentences. May I have a bite please? Roman play outside? Roman, you want puzzle? (That would be- Can I have a puzzle?) AG has an Elmo that says "Elmo is so sleepy!" and then sings a lullaby. She uses it to go to sleep. So now he says, Roman so sleepy... and starts humming when he's ready to rest.

He also constantly tells me how old each of us will be when he's this old and there's some serious math involved! Such a bright little guy.

At the suggestion of his ELL teacher, I made index cards to label almost everything in our house. Bonus reading practice: Brynn and Cale read each card and taped them where they go! They seem to be helping all the seven year olds.

Some things get lost in translation and give us a real giggle.
Example: He begged to go fishing and squealed delightedly when we told him we were going. Until he found out we were going out to lunch first. He was so mad. He kept saying first you fish, then you eat.the.fish. Why in the world would we go eat before fishing?? Funny.

Shout out to our Brynnie, who made the first catch with this cat, completely unassisted.

"Some girls chase boys... I pass them."

 

And to Anna Gray who did such a good job of just being filthy and adorable.

I've been videoing a lot because pictures and words just don't always do justice to this crazy/beautiful life.  I have loaded up our YouTube channel. If you're ever bored, (like...really, really bored. So much time on your hands that it makes you sad and you happen to briefly wonder: I wonder if the Wests have anything on their YouTube channel that would make me smile? Or if you are a grandparent to said Wests.) Here's a small glimpse...
{PS most of them involve dancing.  I'm serious when I say someone is always dancing in this house. PPS Roman went to hip hop class with Cale!} You'll notice there are generally two superstars. Our others aren't quite as determined to be in the limelight.

1. RJZ: Learning his full name. (Now mastered.)
2. How to know if you have a Southern accent: teach your Chinese son to count.
3. Cale needs a summer job. 
4. This is what we call B-Tap. Her own little version of music. It makes her so happy!
5. Speaking of... Roman shakes it off while we clean out the boys' room.
6. Beyonce ain't got nothing on our own Queen B. Don't mind the mess, this was the day after we got home from China.

I just shared six videos. Lame. Don't care. Love those little bitties. Every wiggly ounce of them.


OTHER UPDATES:
Layla is an awesome human, even if she is all pre-teeny and uses words like "parasitism" conversationally. No idea what to do with that.

We have implemented some changes that seem to be working for Cale. We still have some tweaking to do, but grateful for glimpses of positivity. Change is hard, but his happy face is starting to peak out again as we get his world back to a safe place.  Good vibrations always appreciated for this area of our life. Better make 'em big ones too.

Anna Gray is her same sunshine-y self, except like... grown. She talks constantly and is always explaining things to Roman, bringing him random items to tell him what they are called. Banana, car, brush... of course, now he thinks all blankets are called "Kiki" bc that's what she calls her can't-go-anywhere-without-it-blanket.

Hey, little fighter. Things are getting brighter.