Garrison's Hospitalization, Peyton's Birthday & Thanksgiving

A lot has happened since my last post.   Garrison had out-patient hernia surgery on 11/14.  Grandpa and Grammy joined Mommy and Daddy at Children's Mercy South for the surgery which went well.  Following, Peyton came home to Clinton with us so that the focus could be on taking care of Garrison.  Thursday morning, Grammy and Grammaw took Peyton back to Overland Park and to school then stayed with Garrison to care for him post-surgery at his home.  We had a great day.  Garrison appeared to be feeling fine, ate well, took naps, etc.  We stayed for dinner and with Garrison until Peyton returned home from gymnastics with her Daddy (Mommy had a dinner meeting for work).  Late that night, Garrison developed a high fever.  Grandma and Grandpa Todd arrived on Friday to take care of Garrison.  When Chad came home after lunch, the decision was made to take Garrison to the doctor as he still had a fever and wasn't eating or playing.  Decision made to hospitalize him.  He had a staph infection from the surgery.  We went to visit Garrison at the hospital on Saturday and took Peyton home for a few hours to her house to play.  After returning, we took Peyton and Amanda out to dinner at Olive Garden.  We went back to the hospital on Sunday and took Peyton and Amanda out to lunch at On the Border to celebrate Peyton's upcoming birthday.  She enjoyed getting free "cake".  We took lunch back to Chad who was staying in the hospital with Garrison.  Garrison was still hospitalized on Peyton's actual birthday on Tuesday, so Amanda and Chad made her day special by letting her order anything she wanted in the cafeteria and getting her an ice cream cake.  She thought it was great.  Garrison was dismissed from the hospital on Wednesday.  Amanda stayed each night at the hospital with Garrison while Chad took Peyton home to sleep.  It was a long 6 days for them all.
On Thanksgiving Day, Ron and I spent time with Grammaw and had ham and baked potatoes for lunch, as our celebration for the family was the following Saturday.  We went to black Friday sales at Walmart at 10 p.m.!  On Friday, Grammy and Grammaw traveled to Overland Park for annual baking day which usually happens in Clinton but was relocated this year due to Garrison's illness.  We had a great day making peanut butter cup cookies, frosting sugar cookies and making cinnamon/applesauce ornaments.  As Peyton was looking forward to the annual Christmas parade in Clinton and seeing Santa, we brought her home with us to spend the night.  She didn't disappoint.  We stopped at Grammaw's and had dinner with Uncle Mark and Tom who had just arrived before going to the parade.  She was all smiles, waving at the entries in the parade and putting her hand over her heart when the American flag went by.  We stood in line to see Santa, and she and her "speech" for him all planned, but when it was her turn, she was too shy - but she did accept a bag of candy from Mrs. Claus - progress!  Last year she wouldn't even stand in line.

Back over to 810 for a visit and play with the relatives before going home for bed.  We had a fantastic time and took her riding around to look at the lights - she was enthralled.

Saturday morning Grammy and Peyton baked her birthday cake - a shark cake by request.  If I do say so myself, it looked pretty much like a shark - she enjoyed adding tic tacs for teeth.  Lots of candles.

Peyton helped me get the meal ready for the family who arrived before 11:30 a.m. - even Joe who had driven during teh night to attend.  We missed Mary, Garrison and Chad this year - hopefully we will all be together for Christmas.

We had turkey and noodles and all the trimmings and sang happy birthday to Peyton - #4.  I will try to add a picture of the shark cake.