Super Powers

April 14, 2016. The best day we've had in a really long time. It was our baby, Nicholas' third birthday and it was time to celebrate!

This child has been through so much with being away from his parents and his baby brother. At night time he will ask one of us to "rock in the nursery". We know that is his way of telling us he misses Anthony. We know it's tough for him, but big brother Nick is courageous. 

Brad and I decided to spend the night Wednesday night home so that we could wake up with Nick on his birthday. My mom was staying over night with little guy. Thursday morning we wake Nicholas up with balloons!  He was so excited. Then we venture downstairs so he could meet his brand new and very first bicycle!  He loved it!  We opened some other gifts and then it was time to hit the streets. 

We joined our first three year old story time at the library,

did  "chalks" on the driveway and then headed up for lunch at Olive Garden. One thing I really wanted for Nick was a little celebration at the table. I thought he'd get a kick out of it. It was fun!

My amazing friends at the school put together a care package for us. Included was a build a bear gift card for the birthday boy!  A fantastic idea- so creating batman build a bear was next on the list. Then Lego store and the merry go round.

It was 4pm before we knew it an Nick (and mommy) passed out on the way home. After nap we went for a walk in the neighborhood and then called it a day.

Happy Birthday to our other SUPER Hero, Nicholas!  The most courageous big brother I know!

Rare Gem update: The doctors like to call Anthony a little puzzle, a mystery kid. Anthony likes to trick the doctors because he clinically always "looks so good" but tests show a different result. For example, the fact that he even contracted listeria meningitis is beyond them. They've never heard of it in a baby this age. And they can't believe how good he looks for a baby with meningitis....remember, the doctors looked right at us and said "we don't think he has meningitis, but we are just going to be sure..." 

After the 21 day treatment Anthony needed an MRI and repeat lumbar puncture to be sure infection is killed and we can be in our way. Shouldn't be a problem the doctors said. He looks so good...

Once again little joker guy fools us. Who would have thought that little abscess were formed in his brain? :(

 Not the results we hoped for. Treatment needs to be another 21 days.  That night was very hard for me.  I so badly wanted to be home, and be with BOTH of my boys.  I couldn't think about anything else.  Someone called to share some happy news and I just couldn't bear it.  This was not the time for us to be happy about anything, we needed time... at least one day.



Doctors still reassure us that the best indication of how he is doing is how he looks clinically. He smiles ALLLLLL the time.  And boy, does he look good....

The hope is that we can go home in treatment so that our family can be together again. 

He's so strong and courageous, he even fools the doctors.  I guess that is Anthony's SUPER power....