Happy birthday to me...

What, can't I sing to myself? Is that weird?

Today has been wonderful so far. I got up 3 minutes before my alarm went off (which is super to wake up sans beep) and when I walked into Anna-Kate's room she was sitting there smiling and said, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOMMY!!". We (mostly uneventfully) got out the door to school and were only 4 minutes late. A personal best for a Thursday for me. I left my kids (and Ryan didn't even object) drove through Chick-fil-a for breakfast on my way to the spa to get a prenatal massage. Heaven will have massage available. I'm convinced of it. (Sidenote, upon much thought and contemplation, I think that "receiving massage" might be my love language.). After I was completely relaxed I took a shower...for 30 minutes...and got ready, really slowly and all.by.myself. It was glorious. I drove through Arby's for lunch (Hey, I'm pregnant and it's my birthday. I'm allowed to.). As they serve Pepsi products (insert gagging noise here, I would rather eat dirt.) I opted for the chocolate shake. Unfortunately for me, I had to pick up my kids about 3 minutes after getting the shake and they drank about half of it. O well, probably better for Jack anyway, and I know it's better for me...

Kids are down for naps while I get packed up and try to finish up my scrapbook palooza. My friend even brought me a diet dr. pepper as I had neglected my stockpile and had none to keep my eyelids open during the afternoon slump. After naps we are headed to my parents' house for a couple of days. They are taking us to Carraba's for dinner tonight. I'm having visions of bread...yum.

So, like I said, happy birthday to me! :)

Wow, I'm really pregnant.

So I'm going to the OB every week now (because, you know, I have time to do that). While I was there today I had a few interesting discoveries.

1. Baby Jack is breech. Evidently this is better for a C-section. I'm guessing because they just pull legs, not head, out? Or so if they cut too deeply bum gets nicked instead of forehead (like Anna-Kate's was). This also explains why I can't effectively pick things up off the floor or breath. His big ol' noggin is all up in my lungs and upper belly area. Interesting. This would also explain the Olympic like precision with which he flips and turns…I thought I’d been feeling some twizzles in there!

2. I've gained 22 lbs this pregnancy thus far. I consider this to be a personal victory (though I'll add, not because of anything I've done. I've personally eaten half a box of Samoas and half a box of Tag-a-longs this week, curse you Girl Scout Cookies!--in addition to my share of the Mickey cake).

3. He's a big one. I'm measuring 2 weeks big, though the doctor was quick to say it wasn't because I was too big. Good man. These Kaiser docs are getting a little better, at least with tact...

4. My afore mentioned doctor who has acquired tact will not be doing my C-section. No, much worse. He has lost all feeling in his fingers so is off OB call and not doing any other surgeries (today was his last and the woman he was performing a hysterectomy on was aware of the numbness. Seriously?? Whatever, when she turns up pregnant in 3 months, it's not my problem I guess). Anyway, since the other docs are out that week, I will be getting whichever Kaiser doctor in the city is on call that day. Super. In better news, I found out that I got a 10 am schedule which is perfect as far as not having to wake up at the crack of dawn or depriving myself too long of food before surgery.

Again with my silver linings.

If you follow my life via status updates on Facebook, you will know that I spent all day Sunday with contractions. Seriously, all day. All through church, came home and took a nap and was awakened from my precious slumber. They got to be 5 minutes apart and didn't hurt, but definitely were attention getting. Anyway, he was completely unphased by them as I am fast approaching "full-term" status (isn't that 37 weeks?). So, I guess it is what it is (though I will add that it is shocking how my idea of life and God's differs sometimes. I've had more than one friend say to me that God laughs when we tell Him our plans. I can only imagine that to be true. And yet, I try to keep planning and controlling. Thankfully, He loves me anyway.).

Not my finest mothering moment

That's right, I'll admit it. Poor Ryan, on his birthday no less, received the brunt of my anger.

Here's the situation. I put Ryan on the potty and he said he didn't need to go. We sat there for a few minutes and then I got him off. In the time it took for me to walk from the downstairs bathroom to the (downstairs) laundry room (to get him underwear) to the sofa halfway in between, I found Ryan, in the process of sliding off of the sofa, a trail of poop behind him.

I took a picture. Will someone please assure me that this will be funny one day?



I ran him back to the potty and had to walk away I was so grossed out and irritated and angry. There, I said it. Now, before you feel too sorry for him, the reason I was angry isn't because he had an accident per say, it's because I know he's capable of more and was being lazy. The night before he had made, uhh, poop noises we'll call them (you know, grunts) in the car. I told him to hold them in until we got home. Which he did--10 minutes later. I was so proud of him. So, why I have trouble with this is because I know he can hold it if he wants to, and not only didn't he hold it, he told me, not 2 minutes prior, he didn't need to go.

Anyway, after I composed myself, I asked him if he was a baby or big boy. He said big boy. I said that big boys don't go pee-pee or poo-poo in their underwear (which, thanks mom for pointing out that he didn't technically go in his underwear...issure remains...). I asked him if he needed to wear diapers again like a baby. He emphatically shook his head no and said, "No meehm" (no ma'am). I told him that if he kept going in his underwear he would have to wear diapers again. No more accidents the rest of the day or today, so we'll see how effective that is.

Afterwards, I went to Ryan and told him I was sorry for getting angry and asked him if he could forgive me. Sweet boy, he said, "yes meehm" then gave me a big hug and grabbed my hand and kissed it. What a precious, precious boy.

It's official, Ryan is 2.

Seriously? How did this happen so quickly?? It seems like yesterday we brought him home from the hospital.



The day started off well, (I took a 2 hour nap yesterday and then proceeded to sleep for over 9 hours last night. I believe that is a record for this 36+ week pregnant Mama!). Anna-Kate and I went into Ryan's room to serenade him with "happy birthday" this morning. He immediately jumped out of bed saying, "ere I-an's choo-choo's?" (where are Ryan's trains). While the kids played I made a yummy breakfast of eggs with ham and cheese and blueberry muffins, Ryan's favorite breakfast! I thought I was so smart to put 2 little candles in his muffin and sing (yes, again. I like birthdays, what can I say?). After he blew out his candles, I made a realization. Muffins that just came out of a 400 degree oven are hot. I know, earth-shattering news. They are so hot in fact, that they melt candles producing a blue wax pretty evenly distributed throughout the muffin. O well. I took that one for the team.

Sweet birthday boy:



(Notice the leaning candles...)



Poor candles post being thrust into piping hot muffin.




We went to Ryan's playgroup, naps, then ballet. Finally, we went out to dinner and got some yummy burgers, headed to Target to let Ryan pick out something special for his birthday then home for the conclusion of the Mickey cake and to open presents. When Anna-Kate and Chris went to the hockey game last month they bought Ryan a toddler sized hockey stick and puck/ball set. Anna-Kate could barely contain herself--she's been dying to give it to him for so long! He loved it! We gave him a rug for his room that he can drive his trains/trucks etc on, a frog umbrella, (I know it sounds lame be he LOVES it and has always been jealous of Anna-Kate's umbrella), and some new tag jr. books. He was beside himself.

Not interested in holding off on the cake for a picture with Mama.



Testing out the driving capabilities of the new rug.



Thanking big sister for the gift!



Testing out hockey set.











It was a sweet day. Happy 2nd birthday Ryan, we love you!

The Mickey birthday party

So my boy is almost TWO. What????

Here's how I spent last night (until midnight) while Chris, bless his heart, cleaned the downstairs bathroom, swiffered and mopped for me (while ice dancing was on the whole time!). What a man!

Cupcakes for the kids (with no black icing, sadly, chocolate was the more kid friendly/washable option...)



The thing that stole my evening, but that Ryan LOVED (thus, making it totally worth it!)



Table all set up for the party this morning (you can see Ryan's invitation to the left).



We only invited family and the 4 friends Ryan asks to play with (in an attempt to keep parties small and more managable for me). Even with my grand scheme, counting parents and siblings, we had 22 people! It kinda worked out though, looking back at Anna-Kate's 2nd birthday, she only had her 4 best friends too (and, ironically, both kids invited 2 boys and 2 girls to their 2nd birthday parties. We're equal opportunity like that.).

My sweet friend, Heather, let us borrow her bouncy house which was HUGE hit with the kids, but especially Ryan. His eyes lit up and got as big as saucers when he saw it in the backyard this morning!





The kids played outside (praise the Lord, our weather misfortune luck seems to be turning--if you don't know what I mean, you must not have been a loyal reader last summer at Disney or the beach--and it was a gorgeous 60 degree sunny day! Thank you Jesus for that blessing! We had Little Caesar's pizza, hummus and pita chips, carrots, grapes and pirate's booty. What more could a kid ask for (besides the amazing Mickey cake and cupcakes!)?? They all ate and even (mostly willingly) took a picture in their Mickey ears for promised cupcakes. Fun, fun morning!



Group shot all insistently saying CHEESE (to get a cupcake!) except for the few escape artists. (backrow, Lydia, Anna-Kate, Ryan, Adam, Jack and Lauren. Frontrow, Andrew and Patrick).



Birthday boy:



Anna-Kate and Adam:




Ryan got some great new toys and he was beside himself at the attention and gifts all for him! (Including his first train tracks for his Thomas trains, his own sleeping bag, new puzzle and truck, finger paints and a little people castle with knight and dragon!) What a lucky boy! Poor Anna-Kate had a hard time realizing why she kept getting nothing and no letters are coming for her in the mail. We now have a countdown to her birthday.

He got in his new sleeping bag and said, "I-an (Ryan) need am-ie (lamby)". He was so excited!



As it isn't his actual birthday yet, we saved his family gifts to give him then, so another Ryan birthday post to come.



After everyone left, my parents and grandparents stayed to play with toys and check out the work of my scrapbook palooza.

Ryan, the ninja

Maybe it's a boy thing, (you know, just like how it's a "boy thing" to be hardwired from birth to make sound effects and play with swords?) that Ryan is so covert. I will put him to bed and swear that he's gone right to sleep, only to check on him and find a random assortment of items he has silently gathered (even when I am intentionally listening for the tell-tale pitter patter of little feet).

We never dealt with that with Anna-Kate. We told her not to get out of her bed until we came in and told her she could. She disobeyed once and learned her lesson, never doing it again.

So, tonight, I went in to kiss Ryan goodnight and to put some books on the foot of his bed for him to read when he wakes up in the morning (I'm nice like that. Well, and I like to sleep until 8, regardless of when my children wake up). It was then that I found the evidence of his ninja-ness. Interested in what I just fished out of his bed? I thought so. A pirate dress-up hat, a Mr. Potato Head construction hat and glasses, 2 of his shoes, (That he got out of his drawer. In the dark. They even matched.) and a hot pink back rub thing. This is all in addition to his 2 pillows, blanket, Mickey, dog, lambie and him.

Seriously?? Who's got room for all of that in a twin bed? I'd be hard pressed to fit it in my king...

Ryan's growing up!

I took Ryan in for his 2 year well baby appointment yesterday. I actually liked his new pediatrician (miracle of all miracles, huh?). He is perfectly healthy, talked the whole time, and did great as they got his vitals. He didn't even have to get shots. Super.

Anyway, he is 10th% for height (33 inches) and 30th% in weight (26 lbs) the doctor informed me that he is "husky". I said, "are you kidding me? He was 'failing to thrive' last summer and I've worked hard to help him gain weight." He said, "It's no big deal, plenty of us are short and broad shouldered and do great things in this world" (he's probably 5'6" himself). When I told Chris about the husky remark, he said, "geesh, I at least made it to age 12 before I got that title." :) LOL.

Anyway, we are praising the Lord for a healthy report and for a referral to the pediatric ENT (and a quick opening on March 10) to check into Ryan's chronic croup and breathing airway situation.

Valentines Day

While a total "hallmark holiday", I appreciate the fact that it forces men (well, I don't care about all of the men out there, just Chris pretty much) to stop and do something sweet, and I get to go out to dinner. It's like the appetizer to my birthday (which is coming up, you may begin your shopping now).

Well anyway, we went out last Wednesday to Stoney River. It's a steak place and it is to.die.for. The rolls are amazing and they bring you a bowl of sweet butter to place the roll in. There are no words. The salad and dressing, so yummy....the steak and sides, ahhh, and of course, the chocolate cake. It's like 15 layers high (I'm not kidding) and Chris is always happy because they bring out shots of milk so cold it's icy, and I let him have mine (I'm a giver, what can I say?). He even hijacked my email addresses and friends booked a sitter for us for the evening. We ended up stopping at Target, because, that's what we do on dates. (I was informed that day that Ryan's MMO class was exchanging valentines the following day. Sweet thought, can't say he got anything out of it. Though, he really enjoyed the juice and cookie party). Love my husband!! I should add, he also brought home a huge bouquet of red roses. They are "just wonderful and so lovely" as Anna-Kate would say. I have so enjoyed them and they are still alive and kicking, almost a week later!

I was one of the moms in charge of Anna-Kate's class valentines party, so got to school at 11 to set up.

Obligatory picture:



Eating a sandwich cut into a heart shape. We also had (red) strawberries, pirates booty (you know, so festive and all) and cupcakes with PINK frosting and red sprinkles.



Listening to the instructions for the games to come.



Anna-Kate took the princess tiara off of one of Ryan's valentines. He was quite OK with the arrangement.



Again, the obligatory picture. He was impatient to get his promised cookie...



So, I thought Valentines Day (or, Balentines Day if you are AK) was over, so was very pleasantly surprised to receive a package in the mail yesterday. It was a vase full of gladiolas, chocolate, teddy bear and bath salts/lotion/gel combo. What a man!

So, it really is a holiday just for women (as I gave him a very sweet homemade card. I'm sure he was overjoyed.). I'm ok with that, aren't you?

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Yes, I realize I'm a few days late posting this. We've been busy being "snowed in" and playing. :) (well, and to be fair, watching the Olympics and getting thirty pages done in my scrapbook! That's right, 30, and it's only day 3 of the games.)

On Friday it started snowing about 1, large beautiful flakes. By the time nap/rest time was over, there was accumulation (and, bonus, a daddy sent home early from work for weather conditions) to play in! Yay!!

Our snow boy. I couldn't find my gloves (convenient, huh?) and Chris got tired of making a snow man. The kids were happy. Runts for eyes. He soon had a green face. O well. The snow was awesome packing snow--great snowballs and snow people.



Ryan was not so sure about the falling snow in his eyes. (I was actually surprised that Anna-Kate enjoyed it as much as she did. Except the whole being forced to choose between wearing jeans or not being allowed to go outside. Sigh.)



Early in the accumulation. We ultimately ended up with about 5+ inches, which is a big deal down here! :)



Just because we got cold and went inside, the party didn't end! Trying my hardest to be the "fun crafty mom" we made snow icecream for dessert (after we ate homemade pizza...yum). HUGE hit with the kids (and me. Surprisingly, it's a childhood memory. Yes, I grew up in south Texas. It snowed once.).







Ryan was so excited to play in the snow that he got himself ready on Saturday, all by himself (clearly). :)



After a leisurly pancake breakfast, we went back out to play. Today, it was SO BRIGHT from the sun reflecting off the snow! It was gorgeous though.

Kaiser Insurance, a rant.

So I’ve been a slackin’.

I was in such a rage over our experience (s) with Kaiser Insurance, that I’ve been too annoyed to write it all down. But alas, the time to vent has arrived. Enthralled yet?

So, to get us all on the same page…Kaiser Permanente Insurance is cheap. (and, cheap is nice). However, with their insurance you can only go to their facilities and use their doctors and pharmacy. If you are thinking to yourself, “my, this sounds a bit like socialized medicine” you would be quite astute. Give yourself a pat on the back.

So, to recap on our Kaiser experience this year. Monday February 1, took Ryan in to the pediatrician at which time the doctor promptly said, “this albuterol probably isn’t going to work and we don’t keep what he needs on hand here. It tends to expire and isn’t cost efficient. You should probably just go to the hospital” (so why in the world was I told to come in??). Then, upon arriving at ER, the first words out of the doctors’ mouth were, “I can’t believe your pediatrician sent you here by car, he absolutely should have come to us by ambulance.” Sorta makes you lose a little faith in your doctor, no?

Alrighty, on to this past Monday. I had to take Anna-Kate in to the pediatrician to get her ears looked at (and unbelievably, the only doctor in the office that day was the same one as from the week before). I brilliantly decided to reschedule my OB appt (as it’s across the hall) and kill two birds with one stone. The kids were amazingly well behaved and Anna-Kate was so excited to get to hear the heartbeat! We were taken back and I asked the nurse if we could do a quick ultra sound instead of the dopler so the kids could see the baby. She said they were not busy and couldn’t imagine why that would be a problem, but to ask the doctor. So, when the doctor walked in, Anna-Kate said, “Mrs. Doctor, can I please see my baby brother in my mommy’s tummy, please?” It was very sweet. She looked at me and said, “How many weeks are you?” I told her 33 and she said, “Well, it’s not really worth my time. It’s just gonna be arm here, leg there kinda thing.” Seriously? It’s right there. Lie to me, tell me you can’t for insurance purposes, don’t tell me my kids and baby aren’t worth your time. I guess Anna-Kate didn’t hear or didn’t understand (as the doctor directed her answer to me) so she asked her again. The doctor looked at her and said, “sorry pumpkin, it isn’t really worth it to me right now.” I was highly peeved. Regardless, both kids got a huge kick out of hearing baby Jack’s heartbeat. Their faces were priceless as his strong (140 bpm) heartbeat filled the room.

We went across the hall for Anna-Kate’s 10:45 appointment. Then, we sat there until they called us back. At 11:47. (And, to be clear, there was only 1 other family in the waiting room, it was far from "slammed".) Who knows what germs we picked up. I wouldn’t let my kids move for fear they’d come down with something (as the well waiting and sick waiting are not in any way separated). They finally took us back (and Anna-Kate was a CHAMP and did great, which is big news for us, she usually flips out while they get her stats). The doctor from last week finally came in while holding Anna-Kate’s chart, and said, “Oh, I’ve seen you before right?” I replied yes, last Monday in fact. She said, “well what seems to be the problem with the little guy then?” I said, that we were here for his sister (again, she was holding Anna-Kate’s chart and looking at it). She looked in her left ear and said it was really bad, then looked in the right one and said she could see a bit of redness, but there was so much wax in there she couldn’t get a good view to see “how bad” it really was but that she suspected it was affecting her hearing because there was so much buildup. She said they usually clear it out when it's that bad but wasn't going to today. I asked if she would just go ahead and clean it out and she said, “well, we’re running really behind today (ya, I got that part) so it looks pretty loose, it’ll probably clean itself out eventually.” I expressed concern that it was affecting her hearing and she reiterated what she had just said. She typed up prescriptions and sent them downstairs to the pharmacy. I asked if they would be ready for pick up when I got there and she said yes that they’d received them already so just go get it.

I took Ryan to the bathroom then went to get the meds. I had to wait in the check-in line. When I was next in line the girl behind the counter changed counters and told me to move to the back of the line next to me. I looked at her like she had two heads as Ryan was twirling in circles around the line pole thing and Anna-Kate was sitting in the stroller holding her ear and crying that her ear hurt. When I finally got to the front of that line I said I was there to pick up ear drops. She said, “oh, let me pull that for you, it’ll just be a few minutes.” I said that the doctor told me it would be ready when I got there. She said, “well, we received it, but didn’t know you were in a hurry and it was priority.” Through gritted teeth I asked how long it would be and she said “20 minutes.”. It was 12:15 at this point and Ryan was saying he was hungry. So I put the kids in the car, drove down the street to Publix (who gives free amoxicillin) unloaded the kids, dropped off the prescription, took them to the deli, ate lunch, got a free cookie, went back, got the prescription, loaded them up, drove back to the doctor, unloaded them and went back in the pharmacy. My name was not on the board of filled prescriptions. I was breathing fire. It was1:20 and my kids were melting down from needing naps and ear pain, respectively. After 5 minutes of toe tapping I went and waited in line, again, and when I got to the front she asked if my name was on the board. I said no, but that she had told me twenty minutes and it had been over 1 hour and 20 minutes. She said, “oh, well look, it’s right here.” I believe there might have been literal smoke coming out of my ears. I had tears in my eyes I was so frustrated and angry. (oh, and Ryan at this point said, “pee pee Mama!” Of course, by the time we got the potty, he had just gone. Of course.) I paid for the prescription and was walking away when she told me I needed to wait and speak with the pharmacist for directions. I told her in no uncertain terms that I indeed could read directions and felt that ear drops were pretty self-explanatory, thankyouverymuch.

I had to transfer both kids to bed as they fell asleep in the car. I won’t write what happened next, it doesn’t have anything to do with Kaiser, but needless to say, it continued to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

(and if you want to chat with me about my soapbox why government healthcare is a horrible idea, I am quite willing. If Monday’s experience is where this country’s healthcare is headed, I want no part of that foolishness. Maybe I should just move to Australia?)

** Steps down off of soapbox (es). **

The palooza begins!

So last night I met a friend at a scrap booking store and we 'scrapped' from 4-11. I am officially beginning Olympic scrapbook palooza at June 2009, as I finished up last years' Disney trip last night. I feel like I can easily do less than a year's worth in 2 weeks. Woo-hoo! I wish I enjoyed scrap booking. I do not, I just enjoy the end product and want to have it for my kids to look back on (you know, while I still remember their teacher's names and stuff).

Anyone care to join me in the Olympic craze of getting caught up on a long overdue project? :)

In other news, it's been a busy weekend. Potty training, scrapping, 2 birthday parties, and Superbowl party (go commercials!). We invited our small group from church over to enjoy the game and food (in my case). I like Peyton Manning, but I always like a good under-dog and it's a Southern town too...bottom line, don't care enough. I've just been calling plays as I see them. It's kinda nice. :) I feel like all of the hullabaloo surrounding Tim Tebow's ad was ridiculous...can't for the life of me understand why everyone made a stink about it (ps, the article is totally worth a read!).

Anna-Kate has her first ear infection in a while. It's weird having a kid old enough to walk up to me and tell me exactly what is wrong. Amazing not having to guess. Anyway, she's been miserable and spent a majority of this afternoon/evening crying. Sad, she was so looking forward to playing with her friend who came over for the game, but her ear hurt so badly she just went to bed (while her friend was here!). So, we're heading back to the pediatrician tomorrow. Sigh. Last Monday we went there too, let's hope this trip is better than that one...

50

I may or may not be freaking out a little bit at the realization that Jack will be in arms fifty days from now. ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? Realty.setting.in. At least he has some cute stuff ready to go.

Paci clip:



To match the big kids' shirts:



Because I can:



***

In potty training news, Ryan has been doing AWESOME!! Anna-Kate's friend from church had her birthday party at Chick-fil-a today, so I went armed with 4 pairs of underwear, m&m's, potty seat and a publix bag for wet undies. Do you know what? He didn't have an accident! In fact, in the 1 1/2 hours we were there, he went pee twice (and even got "flushed on" and was unphased by it)!! So proud of him.

And, look how cute he is in his little toddler underwear Such a cutie! :)(He'll hate me one day for putting these on line I feel sure).



I love how when Ryan ponders something he purses his lips and puts his finger in his lip and says, "tink, tink" (ie, "think, think"). I am asking him what animal there are 3 of in the chart.

What was I thinking?

So, for the hoards of you that flock to this blog daily, you will know that I've had a really long week. We came home from the hospital on Tuesday around 11:30. I disinfected our stuff, Ryan and myself and while I was holding him, he began shivering. I just knew he was getting fever (actually, I sensed it while we were still at the hospital but I didn’t say anything because I wanted them to let us go and I figured they wouldn’t if he was sick. Am I horrible? Maybe don’t answer that.). Anywho. He went down for his nap and subsequently woke up from it with a 102.9 underarm fever. Fantastic.
I think since he and I have spent so much time together (frankly, more one-on-one time than he’s ever had with me in his life) I think he’s gotten used to it (and likes it). So, the clinginess is at an all time high. I love the sweet cuddles, but it’s to the point that he only wants me to do anything for him (ie, read a book, go to the potty, put him in his chair etc). Honestly, I’m tired. The worst part is that Anna-Kate was really missing me while I was gone and I believe is fighting something off herself thus making her a bit clingy as well. Well hell knows no such fury as a little clingy, sick boy who is jealous of another child in his Mommy’s lap (and, by the way, good luck Ryan, you have BIG changes a comin’ your way boy!). Anyway. (Another p.s., he looked at Anna-Kate, tried to push her out of my lap and said, “My mama!”) Thankfully, his fever has finally broken, so I’m hoping his moodiness will diminish and life can return to a semblance of normal. (Also praying Anna-Kate doesn’t get whatever he had. She was grumpy today, but not sick…)
So, back to the title of this post. What was I thinking when I decided to continue the potty training? To be honest, he’s doing really well with it. It’s just tiring and I’m not getting much done (READ: nothing at all. I get 5 seconds into a sewing project, cleaning the toilet, taking a shower etc…). It really did work out since he had to be out of school this whole week anyway as he was sick (better 1 week out than 2, but still…). From wake up until dinner time he had only 3 accidents today (and they were all minor not wetting anything but his underwear. And, he cries every time he has an accident and says, “UCKY!!!”)). I was really proud of him. (Though, to be fair, he had 3 accidents between dinner and bed. But, I was at the grocery store for 2 of them…just sayin’). He can make it to school and back for carpool and totally “gets” the sensation etc, but we are actually venturing out of the house for a birthday party tomorrow, so we’ll see how he does in the “real world” of Chick-fil-a.  Wish us luck.
My house is a disaster. Please don’t come look at it. My downstairs bathroom looks like a toddler has set up permanent residence there (only slightly true). I can’t remember looking forward to a weekend this much in a long time. Thankfully, I have big plans this Saturday. While Chris takes the kids to another birthday party, I am meeting a friend to scrapbook. It’s the kick-off to my Second Olympics scrapbook palooza. Last summer Olympics, I did 1 ½ years in my scrapbook. I set up a card table and left it up the whole 3 weekends/2 weeks in between and worked on it as I had time the whole time (and caught a lot of reeeeeeally random sports at 3 am). Who knows how much I will get done this time?

Early birthday

Before all of the drama of this whole not breathing thing, we celebrated Ryan's birthday early with his playgroup friends. There are 2 January birthdays and then Ryan's February birthday, so we went in for pizza, fruit and cake for the kids (and mamas). So fun. I, sadly, forgot my camera, so am relying on others' pictures.

Ryan and Cecilia with their birthday hats that were about as tall as Ryan:



Eating lunch. Ryan, Charlie, Lauren and Cecilia.



The 3 birthday kids, Ryan, Quinn and Cecilia.



With their cake. Ryan was clearly excited at his wish-prospect. :)



We have been so blessed with a great playgroup for Ryan. He has sweet little friends and their mama's aren't too bad either! :)

Hospital update

Well, we're home--praising the Lord for that, healing and the power of prayer!

Last night was rough. Ryan absolutely couldn't sleep with the pulse/ox thing on his toe, but once he peeled that off and I figured out how to turn all of the lights off (and after 2 loud alarms went off from him removing his ekg sticker), he fell asleep around 9:15. Amazing what sitting in pitch black room will do to you...I also went to sleep at 10:30. I woke up from a "nightmare" of excruciating backpain to realize that it was not, in fact, a dream and that my back was throbbing. I looked at my cell phone thinking, "well, at least it's almost time to wake up" to see that it was only 3:28 am. Bummer. I also saw 4:45, 5:30 (when the nurse woke me up to ask me if I'd changed a diaper during the night. Umm, no), 6:30 and finally up at 7:30.

So yes, I'm quite rested. Ha!

Ryan slept about as well. I started getting concered as he had another coughing episode in the middle of the night, but his numbers weren't bad enough for them to give him another epinephrine treatment. When the nurse listened to him this morning she said he sounded SO much better and that it was really loosening up. Thank you Jesus! Her only concern was that he wasn't that interested in drinking, therefore his "output" wasn't very high. (Like, if I had to guess I'd say there was about 1 oz of pee in his diaper this morning of 12 hours of "sleep"--not so much). She said some docs will order IV, some will make you wait until the kid is drinking/outputting like normal and some will let you go and just tell you to push fluids. Thankfully, the doctor on call was the latter.

When we went on a walk around our floor last night we randomly found Chris. So, this morning Ryan said he wanted to go on a walk and when we got to the elevators (where we'd seen Chris) he went running around the bend saying, "daddy?, daddy?". So sweet. I told him daddy was at home and he started crying saying, "home, see daddy. daddy. home". Pitiful, and, my sentiments exactly.

A realization I made, though sadly too late to help anything, was the significance of being put on the respiratory wing. Obviously that's where we'd be since he was having breathing problems. But, on our walk last night I kept seeing people in masks, signs on doors warning not to enter without masks, not to let liquid pass between people etc. Umm, ya. We were on the H1N1 floor. Super. I kindly declined the nurses offer to show us to the children's play area. I keep reminding myself that at least Ryan and I had the H1N1 shot (and yes, you can be praying about that. That's the last thing his airways need, and as I am working on 3% of my lung capacity, the last thing Jack and I need as well).

We were glad to get home. I promptly stripped us both and ran everything through HOT water. Chris bathed Ryan and I showered. Then, I picked up Anna-Kate from school (where she came RUNNING to me with even more enthusiasm than normal--it was awesome!)and she and I got some icecream at McDonalds to talk "just the girls". Special time.

NOT how I saw Monday going...straight to the ER

As you know, we haven't left the house the past few days as we've been potty training.

Imagine my surprise (since there is no possibility of picking up somethingwhen you are around NO ONE, right?!) when I went to get Ryan out of bed this morning and he had a funny sounding breathing (like he needed to cough up some crap). No biggie, I continued with my morning (which thankfully had included a shower earlier). After breakfast his breathing had turned to "Darth Vader-esque" and I got concerned enough to give him a breathing treatment (albuterol). It did nothing. I called the nurse line to see if I should give him another dose, how long I should wait etc. I was holding him and she heard him breathing and said, "get him into a steamy bathroom right now, he sounds like he is in respiratory distress." So, I ran upstairs and sat in a humid bathroom (with freshly flat-ironed hair). For 55 minutes. She called every 10 minutes to listen to him breathe. Finally she said, I think you can make it here, come to the office, (as it is closer than the ER) they will be waiting on you. As I was supposed to host playgroup today, (and, had made cupcakes for a friends' birthday) as I walked downstairs, my friend and her son were there. She was sweet and offered to help, but just left. As I was pulling out of the driveway, Leigh-Ann was pulling in, she offered to keep Anna-Kate for me. Super.

When we arrived at the peds, I was highly irritated to be waiting behind 2 other people (there for well baby checks). Ryans breathing had gotten bad again and the entire office was looking at him funny...you would think other moms would have let me go ahead, alas, they did not. I tried to hurry my way through the registration process but the receptionist had her system. Fast was not part of it. I was regretting the decision not to go to the ER. The nurse called us back pretty quickly and did his oxygen levels...it was in the lower 80's so she took us back and the doctor ordered another breathing treatment (though informing me she didn't think it would help, but they didn't keep epinephrine in the office as it expired too quickly. Good to know...). Ryan got worse through the treatment. She gave him a steriod shot, called the ER and sent us on our way. By the end of the trip I was pushing 85 because I was so worried. I rolled in (and am SO thankful for complimentary valet parking in the children's emergency room!!!) and as I was registering him, the nurses were listening to him and doing preliminary stuff such that, despite the sign saying wait time to be placed in a room and seen by a doctor was 1 hour 55 minutes, we were in a room with 2 doctors and 3 nurses in under five minutes (though it scared me too). They immediately did an epinephrine breathing treatment which helped and gave him an oral steroid. His pulse/ox was up to 91 at this point. (100 is ideal, they don't like it below 95). Our nurse commented she was surprised that his pediatrician had sent him by car instead of ambulance. Super. He got so worked up (and had so much medicine at this point) that he began vomiting. I finally calmed him down.

At 1 he vomited again. (and the nurse, who informed me it was her first day) did not change the sheets. When I asked about it, she handed me a clean sheet. Thanks. Ryan fell asleep in my arms and about 15 minutes later, the nurse came in to give him another oral steroid and another breathing treatment (as his breathing was still highly labored and the strider wasn't lessening at all.) He slept on and off until about 4:30 when they moved us to a temporary pre-admittance room. They gave him graham crackers and he devoured them and a juice box of gatorade. We finally were officially admitted and moved to our permanent room at 5.

The doctor came in to talk with me and asked me a lot of questions about Ryan's medical history. When it came out that he had been intubated as an infant, the doctor was highly interested and said when he was well he needed to see a pediatric ENT regarding his airways/restrictions etc and to see if there was trauma and scarring (I guess?) from the procedures he'd had done at birth. Anyway. I also learned that there are 2 types of croup. (who knew?). There is the viral kind that you get on the heels of a cold or runny nose. Then, there is spasmodic croup. (I believe that is the word they used). Basically, he likened it to an asthma attack, something triggers it and croup is the result. It isn't viral, he isn't contagious. He is highly prone to get them, and possibly why he goes from completely fine to really bad so quickly is that he has restricted airways in the first place, coupled with the propensity to croup. Thus, (possibly) why he's had croup so much, been in the ER twice for it etc. They still aren't 100% sure.

He sounds MUCH better now. Chris took off early from work, picked up Anna-Kate and took her to ballet and then a friends' house for dinner and to play while he brought stuff to us at the hospital. I told Chris how much better Ryan sounded and he looked shocked as he didn't think he sounded amazing. It's all relative, I suppose. Anyway, it was nice to have an adult to talk to who spent more than 3 minutes talking with me. He also brought me dinner. Love my hubby. And Moe's.

I'm now typing in the dark so Ryan can sleep. He peeled of the pulse/ox thing from his toe and kept trying to pull off the sticker things off his chest (which they put on at my request so as not to wake him during the night to check vitals). sigh. Praying he is better and the doctor on call comes by early so we can go home at a decent time tomorrow.

At least our nurses are super and Ryan's dinner was good. Silver linings people, silver linings.