Photos, as promised... tho late.

Kaleb's reaction to the good news...



We change outfits and he's showing off his walkin' legs



So happy to be home!!

We're home but on a 'no visiting' policy. No public places for the boy, either. Almost a bummer, if we didn't have so much to do around here! Never thought we'd be fighting to beat the other out the door for grocery errands, but the threat of cabin fever is very real.

What a BIRTHDAY!!

Imagine my surprise when the doctor came in to our room yesterday at 10 a.m. and told me to pack our things!!

Now I'm blissfully stuttering around, trying to remember what the heck our routine was before this all started, a month ago. I've got to rotate out the clothes he fit when he left and refresh the drawers with our stash of the next phase for him. There's about 20 new bottles of meds to factor in to the organising, but we're getting things ironed out. They're a stark reminder that things won't be 100% for quite some time yet, but at least he's here and bouncing around now.

Kaleb himself is very interested in remapping his surroundings. He's so much more developed in his sensories than when he was last home. We're chasing after him frantically, re-baby proofing everything within his reach.

My most precious gift this year was lazing and playing in bed, the three of us, this morning.

Thanks everyone for the well-wishes. You're all amazing friends.
Will post pics later tonight!

Foot Loose!

He was cut free from his IV lines yesterday and boy is he loving it!! We make regular tours of the ward so he can ply his charm on all the ladies. The nurses are just crazy for him and he's happy to oblige with endless gummy smiles.

The one person he really dances for is the singing lady! Every other day she brings her guitar and her stunning voice, plunks herself right down in front of him and they have a spectacular time! He even shakes and bangs his rattling toys for her and blasts out an occasional chorus line. Yup, she's pretty much got him wrapped up.

All the professionals have what I'd almost call a loss of clinical interest in him. This relieves me greatly. Our round is done, we're through the first hoop. Now is the fulfilment of policy waiting games until our release. I thought it'd be more trouble than worth, the moving of all our gear out and then back in 7 days later. Let me tell you, I'm clinging to the day we have him in his own room again. I washed everything and got it smelling baby-ready again. It's more exciting than bringing him home for the first time (he's sleeping better now)!

The Family Fun Day in Stony on the 20th is shaping up to be one heck of a monster, apparently. I can't believe what you ladies are pulling off! Amazing work. This is one grand event to be at, people!

I've always been childishly excited about my birthday, reserving the entire weekend, week, even month for little "birthday boons". I know I "should" grow up and process it like every other adult... only part of me feels that that would be somehow sad. I guess my mother's never-ending quest to impart "magic" at all landmark events has stuck with me. Now, on the eve of my 29th, I'm digging deep to feel something. I'm pretty sure there's a tiny twinkle left, down there at the very bottom. The respite from the hospital and a quick dip into our old lives with a movie date and possibly a horseback ride is something I'm looking forward to, anyway. With limb-shaking relief, actually.

The entire prospect of our next year just somehow feels like standing before a wall in the road so tall it reaches beyond sight, through the clouds, with only a bale pick glued to my minor left hand. Well, at least the handle offers a good grip. Damn, I'm heavy.

*smacks forehead*

I crawled into bed last night when it dawned on me that I did not offer thanks for everyone's efforts on Kaleb's behalf! Please keep up it up - it's working!!!

Good News!

We're through the holding-your-breath stage, post first chemo treatment. His counts all bottomed out and are one the rise! He never did suffer any high temperatures this time. If he continues at this rate, we might be able to bring him home this weekend!! That would mean that we can enjoy two weeks at home with him!

They haven't had any leukemia cases like his in the hospital, so his treatment plan is based on the other kids' situations. They all have affected bone marrow and are very sick. Very few of them ever even sustain lumps. Kaleb's lumps are really responding well to the chemo and with healthier marrow and not being sick, he's handling the treatment better than they could have ever guessed he would. I'm constantly squashing these little bursts of hope that, as we go along, they will revise his treatment plan and decide we don't need to pull the full five rounds. But the realist in me is prepared to run the full course, even if we get to shave a week off the time line, here or there.