On The Mend

After a few days with his splint, Brayden got his cast on today. He was nervous about getting his cast but luckily it went well and the nurse and our pediatrician were happy to see us after not seeing them for 7 months. Brayden told them all about kindergarten, how he fell and hurt his arm, and anything and everything else he could mention. (That kid can talk! Wonder where he gets it?!?)

Waiting for the doctor to come in.

Showing off his cast in the car at Grandma & Grandpa Leavitt's real quick. Since he had the flu yesterday we just stopped by and Grandma came out to the car to see him and his cast.

Since all previous pictures regarding his broken arm have been with my iphone, I figurered I should use my normal camera and take some pictures to document all this and for our family to see. He ended up suggesting some poses of his own in this little photo shoot.

He's basically lived in this position on the couch since Wednesday morning when he came down with the flu! Thankfully it was just a one day thing and no one else has shown symptoms yet!

Showing off that cast.

His suggestion...all stretched out.

He thinks he's so tough with such a hard cast now compared to his splint! He's been knocking on it a lot. I asked him if it hurt when he did that and of course his reply was "well it hurts my other hand." Maybe he should be careful with the one working arm he has!

Brayden's kindergarten teacher came by on her way home the day he fell at school with this little treat and to check on him.

This balloon and a get well package (with a puzzle, playdough, crayons, and a coloring book) came from his good friend/girlfriend, Kylie.

Today his primary teachers brought him this balloon and a pez.

Some boys in our ward who Brayden really looks up to brought him cards and treats that night. They were so sweet to him when the came. Brayden just LOVES those boys!

With the cast we finally tried long sleeves for the first time since he broke it. It fit pretty well and hopefully his others will too so he won't be so cold!

Thanks to all of you who have been concerned and showered him with gifts and phone calls! He's enjoyed the attention and has felt very loved!

A Broken Arm

About two hours after Brayden got his Student of the Month award, I got a call to come down to the school and get him because he had fallen off the monkey bars. I was assuming a little pep talk and a hug would be all it would take and he'd head back to class. I left the tv on at home and went in my slippers cause I figured it'd just be a few minutes. I walked in the school to see him up front with an ice pack on his arm and him crying. They said the nurse thought he needed an x-ray and that they thought it was his wrist. I took him to the car and we started driving towards home. He was still crying and said he wanted to go to the doctor. So we headed down to the instacare and got right in. Probably because they took pity on me with him bawling with an ice pack and Easton in the stroller. He was crying while the nurse talked to us and when the doctor looked at it. Then the x-ray tech came and took him for x-rays and he came back happy, no tears, and with stickers for him and Easton. He didn't want an ice pack on it anymore and I figured I had just paid for x-rays we didnt need and then the doctor came in. A fractured radius was plain as day on the x-ray! :(

He's in a splint until Thursday when he gets a cast on it! We'll find out then how long we're dealing with him having a cast.

Waiting for x-rays at the instacare.

Putting on a brave face through the tears after he got his splint on.

Resting at home watching a movie.

STUDENT OF THE MONTH

We'll get back to our South Dakota trip but I didn't want to forget about today! I got a call last week inviting me to come to the assembly this morning because Brayden was going to get an award and to keep it a surprise. Sadly Daddy wasn't home from working this weekend yet so Easton and I went and watched and took pictures for Daddy and grandparents to see. We all got up extra early and Brayden didn't catch on to me getting myself ready and Easton ready besides himself! He must have been too tired to ask why we were all getting ready! His carpool came and picked him up and Easton and I hopped in the car and drove to the school too. We snuck in the gym and he never realized we were there until after he got his award!

He put up with him Mom taking a few pics of him at home before school.

Kindergarten was the first class to get called up and I was a little worried he wouldn't know what to do in front of the WHOLE school but he did great and walked right up to his teacher in the middle of the gym with a HUGE smile on his face!

The theme for the month of October was RESPECT and that's why his teacher chose him. She said he was respectful to other students in class, to her and her aide, to school property, and just in general.

Here's our Student of the Month! We're pretty proud of him and all the great things he's doing as a kindergartner this year! We had our first parent teacher conference a few weeks ago and his teacher had great things to say about him. Our favorite thing she said when we expressed concern about him making friends (he only comes home and talks about first graders he plays with on the playground or kids in our ward, but no one in his class usually) was "He could make friends with the wall." That's our guy! :)

We're proud of you Brayden!!

South Dakota: Driving Around Day 1

We drove about 50 miles or so each way from Mount Rushmore through Custer State Park and Wind Cave National Park to get down to Hot Springs, SD. We had planned to drive through Custer State Park so we could take the "Wildlife Loop" and see the many animals that call South Dakota home. What we didn't plan on was seeing most of the animals in Wind Cave National Park instead. Funny how things worked out! By the end of our trip, we had seen almost every animal we had hoped to see. This was by far the day we saw the most wild animals so be ready for lots of pictures!

Our first animal...Dino from the Flinstones at the disappointing Flintstones amusement/camping place that was closed for the season. Brian always was willing to follow random signs and see where they led.

Deer

No, we never saw any crossing the road.

Antelope

Buffalo

Prarie Dogs (Or "large rats" as Brian calls them)

More Buffalo

We enjoyed watching this group because there was lots of excitement.

Rolling in the dirt...

Scratching themselves on road posts...

Babies eating...

Trying to decide whether or not to cross the road...

Napping...

Locking horns in a fight...

...Or staring right back at us!

Coyote

Elk

We were very happy with the selection of animals we found on our first day!

South Dakota: Driving Around Day 1-Brayden's Pics

We drove about 50 miles or so each way from Mount Rushmore through Custer State Park and Wind Cave National Park to get down to Hot Springs, SD. We had planned to drive through Custer State Park so we could take the "Wildlife Loop" and see the many animals that call South Dakota home. What we didn't plan on was seeing most of the animals in Wind Cave National Park instead. Funny how things worked out! By the end of our trip, we had seen almost every animal we had hoped to see. This was by far the day we saw the most wild animals so be ready for lots of pictures!

We'll start with what Brayden contributed from the day...

In the town of Custer there was a sign for "Flinstones amusement park/campgroud." We followed it since Brian's always up for checking random things out and we found a pretty small amusement park that was already closed for the season.

Self portraits kept him busy I guess when we weren't seeing animals.

Deer

Antelope

Another self portrait

Buffalo

Prarie Dogs

More Buffalo

We got to a T in the road and we ended up almost surrounded by buffalo!

Coyote