Our life has been turned upside down!

It's been just over 2 months since my last post! On June 22nd our life got turned upside down. Tyler was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia on June 22nd at his 4 month appointment and we were sent straight to Children's hospital. All his updates are on his CaringBridge site www.caringbridge.org/visit/tylerburdick. I'm unable to access this blog from the hospital so I have to find time while I'm home to update. I really want to keep up with the rest of the family as well, without clogging up Tyler's site with other family stuff. So here's a quick rundown of the last 2 months...

Tyler's 4 month appointment was June 22nd. He weighed 16 pounds, 15 ounces (89th percentile) and was 25 inches long (68th percentile). He got some shots too, but from now on will only get certain vaccinations. He's not allowed to get any live ones because of his immune system.

Dawson's 2 year appointment was August 3rd. He weighed 28 pounds, 8 ounces (54th percentile) and was 33 inches tall (13th percentile). He got 1 shot that he had to make up from them being out of stock earlier. He still only says a few words, but the Dr wants to wait another 6 months or so before getting him help. Especially since we're never home to have someone come to our home anyway. Since then he's been talking a little more. Just in the last couple weeks I've heard him say "Hi" and "peek" (peek a boo), which are both new. He did say "hi" a while back but I hadn't heard it since. He's been babbling more and playing with new sounds more too, so I'm sure the words are coming.

We had Dawson's birthday party at Jen Foede's house since she had been watching Dawson and offered to host it so we didn't have to worry about hosting a party right after coming home for the weekend. It was fun. Her husband Mark made an awesome cake, it was a racetrack. He loved opening presents and had fun jumping into all the wrapping and tissue paper once there was a nice pile there!

I'm at the hospital during the week and go home on Friday to be with Dan and Dawson. We go to parks, do our shopping and try to spend as much time together as possible before we all go our seperate ways again on Monday. Dawson has been staying with other people. That's been the most challenging thing lately, is finding a place for Dawson to be during the week. Hopefully we can be outpatient soon so we can be somewhat of a normal family again!!

Dawson's cake

He just couldn't wait to get a piece of it!

He had fun opening presents

After his party we played at the park. I thought this was a cool picture. Dawson's 2 year picture. I took them myself at Riverside Park in St. Cloud. It took over 50 pics, but I got several good ones. :)

This is Tyler his first week at the hospital. His stomach was bloated, his liver and spleen were 4 times their usual size, he was uncomfortable and almost inconsolible.

Now he's in a great mood, in his 2nd round of Chemo and doing great!

His latest achievement..sitting! He started this right at 5 months.