If it ain't one thing...

1 month old birthday and Snowpocalypse:
This adage has been running through my head since the new year started. January has proven to be quite challenging for the Ross household and has stretched us physically and spiritually.  It has personally made for some record fits of crying complete with hyperventilating. Yes, I am talking about me and not Mac.
Let me start out by saying the beginning of January was blissfully smooth while we celebrated our little man's first month of life.

OH MAH GOODNESS, he takes my breath away. I can sit and stare at him for hours counting his little fingers and toes and watching him make the silliest faces. I am truly grateful.

Momma and son after the snowfall. 

Daddy and son before the fall. 

The Melt Down:

On January 9th a huge snow storm hit Georgia and after that things began to take a sharp nose dive. That Thursday (1/13) Matt slipped on the sheet of ice that covered our driveway while gingerly walking to the mailbox. He awkwardly landed on his right ankle. After a short time watching this ankle swell and turn various shades of purple we decided to make a trip to nearby urgent care center where, after 2.5 hours of uncomfortable waiting we were informed that he had definitely broken his ankle and needed to see an Orthopedic surgeon the very next day to re-set and cast his ankle.

It was at this doctor's visit where we were informed that Matt not only had broken his fibula but also his tibia in two different places. While we were processing this news we were told that it would need surgery to correct.
My internal panic button flipped to "on" while I worked hard to keep myself together and absorb the rest of the news this surgeon was giving us. All I caught at that moment was "broken bones," "needs surgery," "must wait for the swelling to go down before surgery," and "long recovery process."
The next 1.5 weeks would include my husband confined to the recliner while I slowly unraveled.

. 

I'm sorry did you say, "RSV?":

Mac's impression of Winston Churchill

The following Tuesday, I noticed Mac beginning to develop what I thought was a cold. Red eyes, sneezing and a terrible cough that ended with him wretching. So, on Wednesday (1/19) I spent the morning at the Orthopedic surgeon's office with Matt for a follow-up and pre-op visit and that afternoon at the Pediatrician's office learning that "Mac looked great, he just has a cold." Not once did that little guy cough for the doctor or nurses.
As the day progressed his cough got worse and I decided to return to the doctor's office on Friday with video in hand (thank you, iPhone) showing that I wasn't crazy. By this time there was no need for the video and at first listen, the Pediatrician furrowed her brow and said, "That sounds like RSV." WHAT?! The next couple of days his cough and vomiting grew progressively worse as his parents grew progressively stressed, worried and paranoid. If not for grandmothers sitting up with him on a couple of nights we would have gotten zero sleep.

Worst. Sound. Ever.

The Surgery:
By the 25th, Mac was sounding and looking a lot better just in time for Matt's ankle surgery. After a 2.5 hour surgery and the addition of some heavy duty hardware, we were told he would never be able to break is ankle in the same place again. The days following the surgery have been a fog of pain killers, and slow but steady healing for Matt. Our routine has become a creative mixture of getting Matt to and from work with the help of friends and going to an endless stream of doctor's appointments for me (sinus infection that may need surgery, um, no), Mac (follow-up's for RSV and well baby checks), and Matthew (removing stitches and downsizing the gigantic cast that was placed after surgery).

"The erector set" so named by Matt's friends

Although this month has been one thing after another I am humbled and encouraged by the help we have received from friends and family. Both of my boys are well on their way to recovery.

The gigantic post-op cast