Cheetah chasing

Cooper's surgeon had a last minute opening available and so early on Wednesday morning I took him in to Primary Children's for his "cleft rhinoplasty with rib graft".  The waiting room was especially enjoyable because when Cooper is a little bit nervous or shy or excited, he goes into what I am starting to recognize as his Jim Carrey mode.  (Talking too fast, random subjects and comments, one liners from TV shows, goofy voices and faces, no inhibitions...) And once he gets going, there's no turning it off.  (To be avoided on Sundays AT ALL COSTS!!!)  I always swing between amused, annoyed, amazed and acutely aware that everyone in the room is probably assuming that I have a special needs child when I don't.  We managed to keep things sort of under control while visiting with the doc (who assumes that Cooper is "What a funny kid!") but pretty much lost it when we were walking past the surgical desk on the way to the OR and Cooper decided to test out his nonskid (ha!) hospital socks by sliding into first base.  (Perfectly executed slide, by the way).  Propped up on one elbow in his gown on the hospital floor, big hammy smile to the waiting crowd, "Uh, I meant to do that."

The anesthesiologist pretended like he thought it was hilarious.  So much for those antibacterial wipes we had just scrubbed his entire body with.  Sigh.  To sleep with you, crazy child!

Jim Carrey was gone when Cooper woke up a few hours later.  They told me to expect that he'd be out four hours but they were able to do everything pretty quickly so really it was only about 2 and a half.  He seemed pretty comfortable and wanted slurpies, oreos and donuts (you can tell he's a regular at the hospital since he already knows what's good.)  Mostly what bothered him was some slow seepage out of his nose, dripping blood every few minutes.  The doctor said we could go home instead of staying the night like we'd planned, so after a visit from some Grizz hockey players who gave him a teddy bear and a dizzy trip to the bathroom after a few more hours, we were on our way.  I think he liked riding in the wheelchair.

He gets to wear the stents in his nose for FOUR WEEKS.  That was kind of a surprise but I think he is getting used to them, kind of like you get used to a retainer.  I'm sure he will thank us that we are doing this now instead of when he is a teenager.  His nose looks great, even though his face is kind of swollen, and Mark and I have been cracking up at how much he looks like his cousin Spencer who is on a mission in the Kiribati islands right now.  (They already looked quite alot a like, but Spencer has a wider bridged nose--probably not a flattering thing to say that your kid looks like someone when his face is all swollen--but there you go.)

So, he has missed three days of school since he is still on pain meds off and on.  To entertain himself, when I insist on a break from the TV, he likes to write.  Yes.  Pretty awesome for a first grade boy to have as a hobby.  We go through tons of paper at our house...I've given up on trying to conserve.  So, Cooper has been bellied up to the piano bench (right by the south window--it's the warmest place in the house) with his pencil caddy and several sheets of legal sized paper, folded in half, for hours on end this week.  I thought his latest book was rather charming and a pretty good representation of his body of work, so I scanned it and share it here for future posterity.  (We don't actually KEEP the papers at our house or we'd be buried as soon as the kids empty their backpacks.)

This story is a new volume of his favorite series, The Magic Tree House.  When he is done he staples the books on the center fold, so that is why some of the letters are chopped off in the crease.  I'll provide a transcription for you, but the backwards letters were too cute not to have scanned in.

Chapter 1  Flying.  Annie and Jack Got off of the plane.  They fond some cheetahs.  the Cheetahs wer still togather.  the cheetahs wer rasting they semed tierd they wer growling and moning and groning Annie felt bad for the cheetahs.  She tryed to help the ceetahs  Jack Just didn't laet her.

 

 

Annie didn't care that Jack holled her.  She shoved and poshed.   Chapter 2.  No!   Jack tryed to worn Annie But she did not hold bak she was so anoying to Jack [laughing out loud here...it even rhymes].

Annie Got anlysht [unleashed:)] she ran as fast as she cold but a lion jamped out of the boshis Annie shoted Jack He tried to worn Annie But She did-nt Listen But Annie ran Back the lion ran to but Annie ran to [too] fast so the lion was worin out Annie was sorry

the lion want away Annie still thot she cold make it to the cheetahs.  Chapter 3.  AAAA!  Annie ran Back wen the lion was Gone.  She ran into a codra!  [he gets his d's and b's backwards].

the codra was vary Big!  it shots venom AAAAAAAA! run! Annie ran as fast as the wind!  Jack Got his Afraka Book  He red:  lions and cobras are praders [predators] Be War Jack adid in his Book  Codras Shot Venam

Chapter 4.  Finaly.  Annie saw The codra slither Away She thot:  This is my  chans She ran one of the cheetahs stod it ran too Annie chasing the Cheetah the cheetah was 14 times faster then Annie

Cooper's other talents include sleepwalking when his bladder is full and also charming the ladies.  He even uses the written word for that one...
Just tonight, he and Mark decided they wanted to take some cookies over to Cooper's friend Gracie who was home sick from church today.  Cooper made her a get well letter.  When Mark looked it over, he noticed a "Merry" just kind of hanging at the end. 

"Did you want to finish that sentence, Cooper?" 
"Oh yeah."  He added a little bit and handed it back to Mark.

It read, "Merry Me."