2010: Can I get a redo?

UUUGGGGHHH!!!!

That's about all I have to say about the way this stinkin' year has started off. I don't know what happened. I ate my black-eyed peas and everything. Still, all 2010 has had to offer our family thus far is total and complete BLAH! ... O.k., o.k. perhaps *total and complete* is a bit of an overstatement. There have been some good times here with the kiddos over the past few weeks, but there's no denying we've had a rough go of it.

After coming down with a pretty severe case of sleep apnea, Max had surgery to have his tonsils and adenoids removed on the 13th. He was SUCH a trooper and we were all just amazed at fast he recovered! Even more amazing was how fast he started talking immediately following the surgery! Truly I tell you this little guy does not miss a beat when it comes to putting in his two cents ... not even for throat surgery. As he was coming out from under anesthesia, he was already correcting the nurse who was telling him that the oxygen mask that she was putting on him was an air blower. Max: "It's an oxygen mask!" (as in It's called an oxygen mask not an air blower, you dummy!) Here are a few before and after pictures of Mr. Know-it-all in the hospital:

Max after drinking his "happy juice" before surgery (It was like talking to a little drunk man!)

being wheeled in

Right after surgery.

I expected him to be like this all day (while I took a much-deserved nap on the mom bench next to his bed).

This only lasted about 20 minutes.

Then thumbs up! He's going to make it!

A few hours later he was chatting it up with the goalie of the Knoxville Ice Bears (schooling him on the different kinds of Bakugans) Several of the team members were at the hospital visiting kids that afternoon. Bummer that my phone/camera was dead, but Max did get their autographs!

O.k., before I go on to complain about the ensuing week, I just want to say here that, though I did not enjoy the experience of having to watch my little boy go into surgery, I really enjoyed hanging out with Max in the hospital just the two of us. It was kind of like a slumber party with one of my very favorite people :)

I also really appreciated the fact that so many of our family and friends were rooting for Max and praying for his surgery to go smoothly. It is such a great thing to know that your child is loved by so many! THANK YOU!

And now for more ranting (or as the Jews among you would call it, kvetching :D):

I was hoping that the week following Max's surgery would be nice and relaxed - lots of milkshakes, movies, and legos. Unfortunately, it didn't go that way. Just a few days after I brought Max home, we had water spewing out of our downstairs toilet -> a flooded bathroom, garage, and basement -> 4 super loud fans blowing non-stop -> volume up on the TV and all of the other annoying sounds in the house. And, worst of all, NO WATER! That means dirty dishes, dirty clothes, dirty people. It was Monday before the plumber came out to "fix" the problem, and we felt it safe to use our water again, then ...

OOPS!!!!

... another flood. This time no water until Wednesday, the same day our front yard turned into this:

They discovered the real problem this time, and it was pretty much "worst case scenario" as far as plumbing issues go. Our main sewage line was broken and they were going to have to dig up our entire front yard (including walkway) to fix it. BLAH!

But that's not all. While they were down there, they discovered a second major pipe problem under our drive that FUD will be coming to fix next week. So, if we do, in fact, get our walkway back next week, we can expect to lose our driveway and inherit an even larger mountain of mud. Of course, all of that is on hold now due to the rain. DOUBLE BLAH!

Meanwhile, Max was home needing to take his medications and get some rest, and little toot was running around being ... well ... a little toot. A little toot with ridiculously stubborn ear infection, no less ...

Whew! I do believe I feel a little bit better now. It true what they say: kvetching is good for the soul!

**In related news, Cate's birthday (previously scheduled for tomorrow) is being postponed until next Saturday due to our current chaos. Thank goodness she is too young to care!