All about Clyde

Time for random updates on the family - starting with Clyde Monster!

Home school kindergarten is going pretty well so far, and he's found a very willing classmate - Will! Unfortunately, education budget cuts affect home school as well - these two students have to share a chair :(.

A few weeks ago he had to go 'on site' for a reading evaluation and I used it as an excuse for a quick educational field trip to Krispy Kreme.

Student/teacher picture :). Home schooling has reminded me why I could never be an actual teacher, and why I really, really hope this is our only year doing this - I rebel against most things authoritative and structured. Luckily, we've been able to adapt the program for our situation. As long as Clyde gets the hours and lessons in, it doesn't matter if we do six language arts sessions in one day and then skip it the rest of the week and our 'school day' varies from morning to afternoon to evening depending on the day. Thankfully Clyde doesn't seem to be fazed by the flexibility.

Clyde did soccer this fall - his goldenrod-uniformed team was called "Sting"; sadly they lacked any real zing and lost every game :).

Don't let that last action shot fool you - this is mostly how Clyde could be found out on the field, mid-cartwheel. Or jumping around evading battle droids. Or running merrily along (behind the pack) often with his tongue hanging out.

As I referenced earlier this month, we recently embarked on some follow-up care for Clyde's Hirschsprung's disease.
This was the poor lad at the initial visit with the pediatric gastroenterologist. Doesn't he look chipper?

Sidenote: we really, really liked Dr. Ellison. Clyde's pediatric surgeon Dr. Curnow is an amazing doctor, but it was time to meet with someone whose entire focus is this area/functionality of the body. Dr. Ellison was very thorough and easy to talk to during the appointment (even answering a few of our questions about Will) and I loved the office staff . . . possibly because they gushed over Clyde when he read aloud the various signs posted in the waiting area. I love people who are as impressed with my children as I am :).

A few days later it was time for the outpatient procedure at St. Luke's. We decided that Chuck would take him in while I stayed home to get Will on the bus for preschool and then join them.
Clyde and Daddy headed out the door a little before seven a.m.

All set with his cool hospital bracelet.

Posing in his cute little gown for a cell phone picture to be sent to his anxious mother at home. It was really hard for me not to be there for this part, but it made much more sense to send the strong, rational parent instead of the emotional, shock-prone parent :). The wisdom of the decision was reinforced later when Chuck had to forcibly hold the breathing mask to Clyde's face for the anesthesia to take effect. I would have cried along with Clyde and been no help whatsoever.

Here's one more 'before' shot - Chuck wisely packed Star Wars legos to help calm nerves.

I arrived just after they took Clyde back, so Chuck and I settled into the waiting room. The actual procedure only took about twenty minutes, and about twenty minutes after that we were taken to see Clyde in recovery.

This is how he first greeted us. Turns out early morning + not being allowed to eat breakfast + totally unfamiliar setting = waking up grumpy. Shocking, right?

Luckily a grape popsicle and Dora the Explorer went a long way to making everything okay! He did insist to everyone (including the anesthesiologist and Dr. Ellison) that he had not actually fallen asleep but instead had just rested. We decided not to point out that had he been awake for any of that, he would definitely be insisting on a better post-op reward than a popsicle. . . .

He was almost back to normal by the time we had been debriefed and gotten the okay to take off - the wheelchair ride may have helped with that.

He did stay pretty attached to Chuck throughout the rest of the day, though :).

It took about a week, but there has now been definite progress and we're very encouraged. It wasn't an instant fix by any means, but we look forward to having a potty trained Clyde sooner rather than later!

That weekend Clyde and Will got to have a sleepover with Grandma Pam and Uncle Cody (which is the highlight of their little lives) so that Chuck and I could attend Stake Conference on Saturday evening and Sunday morning in peace.

Here are the little boys after church a couple of weeks ago. The primary program was last week and we were psyched when Clyde marched on up with all the other wee children and clearly said his part ("Heavenly Father speaks to us through His prophets"). He also knew all the words to the songs (thank you primary music CD!), although he yawned at least twice during every song, the tired little goof :).

We sure do love our Clyde!!

(Even with the newfound five-year-old attitude, grrrr. . . any reassurance that this phase of argumentativeness will be gone soon??)