I have just started doing this "Glimpses 52" Project through Chic Critique Forum (LOVE that place!) Each week I am HOPING to take a picture of just something random throughout my week. Here's my one for this week. I am doing this because I am lazy... and spent. (who isn't...) I need to get my camera out more. And this is a way that I feel a touch of responsibility to get the ol' guy out and snap away. Let's hope it works. :)
San Diego Girls Trip~ San Diego Photographer
I know what you're thinking: "Where on earth does this crazy lady find time to go to San Diego while her son is undergoing intense chemotherapy?! And furthermore, what kind of lame-o mom leaves her very, very sick child?" Well, don't get your panties all in a wad... I went on a VERY relaxing girls weekend with my sister-in-laws and my mother-in-law in February. It. Was. Awe. Some. Seriously. It was a relaxing weekend where most of us stuffed ourselves into one bedroom, stayed up FAR too late talking about everything from boys (for the single ones) to make up. We went out for frozen yogurt, went shopping at the swap meet (Yay for cheap MAC make up), ate at a beautiful restaurant on the beach, took turns holding my SUPER cute new nephew, did each others hair, had make up lessons from Naomi, spent time walking around the Temple (where Bryan and I got married), got tinsel in our hair from Kelly, watched the sunset at the beach... did I mention how awesome it was?
It was even more amazing for me because we stayed at my parents house. It was a two-fer. I came out a day early and stayed a day late. I got to see my brother and sister-in-law's new BEAUTIFUL home, spend day with my my amazingly cool Grandma, and have a sleep over with the Ladies (two of the coolest nieces EVER!).
This was a weekend that I needed. I think the dear Lord knew what was coming. He knew that I would need this weekend to look back on right now. To keep me going when things are nuts... which is literally ALWAYS. I need another weekend like that. A weekend where I can just pretend my life is "normal" (if there is such a thing for any of us).
*Sigh* ~Colorado Springs Cancer Photographer
Remember this cute hair? Weel, everytime I touch Carter's head more of it ends up in my palm. It makes me really sad. This kid has always had awesome hair. Thick, beautiful, straight, soft. I had a good cry over it yesterday. After I trimmed up the sides I commented to Bryan that it was really course. Strange for him. He said it was probably dying. NOT what I wanted to hear. After he showered off I was spiking his hair and it was coming out by the handfuls. Since then I have been touching it as little as possible. I told him it was probably time to shave it but he doesn't want to. He thinks people will make fun of him and that he'll look weird. I assured him that it will be very obvious that he has cancer and that adults will be really, really nice to him. I told him he needs to milk it. :) I have found that we MUST look for the silver lining in order to stay afloat. This is the first thing that has been hard for Carter. I mean, truly hard. He's quite logical. He knows this needs to happen to get his blood healthy. He knows it will grow back. I told him hopefully by Halloween it will start growing back (to which he replies: "I hope it doesn't grow back til after Halloween because I want to be Yoda and he's bald." Silver lining.) He wants it to grow back just the same color and texture that it is now. (Well, not green, but his natural color.) He knows it's falling out at a pretty good rate but he says until there are bald patches he doesn't want to shave it.
He'll win this argument with me. This is the last shred of "normalcy" this poor kid has. He can't play sports. He can't really go to friends houses. He can't run errands with me. He can't even go to school. And now the hair. Our hair is part of who we are. We (or most of us) do something with it daily. Whether it's spike it into a mo-hawk like Carter, pull it into a pony like most mommy's, or spend an hour making it look perfect like most teenage girls, we all have hair. And every last 5 year old that Carter knows has hair. And he sees that. My heart hurts for him. He's taking it like a man, but this is something he shouldn't have to deal with. He just shouldn't. But he is. He'll get over it. I think the fear of the unknown is what's getting him right now. Once it's all gone he'll just roll with it. I know he will. Because he's strong. He's a fighter. And I love him for it.
Go Green... ~Colorado Springs Children Photographer
**Side note: We did this the night of the 16th in order to assure he wouldn't get pinched Those who know Carter well know his favorite color is green. Always has been and I kinda think it always will be. We decided that since his hair is going to be falling out in the next month or something why not have some fun. I am probably going to be one of those moms who tells him as a teenager that he'll look like a complete idiot if he dyes his hair some crazy color like green. But this is so temporary and I think it will make the hair falling out a little easier on him. Chelsea brought her daughter, Taeler over (the only child I have allowed near him aside from my own) and we went to town. Chels does hair in all her spare time so it was good to have her there to help me. We bleached the fo-hawk so that the color would really stick. Then came the GREEN! Here's a play by play of the evening.
