KevNAsh

Another miracle

2011-03-17T09:57:00.000-07:00

Sooo... I know I take FOREVER to post, and have only posted a few things since July, AND those things have all been about a crisis with Jett, but hopefully that is now all behind us! This is long, but it tells about our miracle. Mason was very sick Jan. 21, his birthday. He came home from the doctor that day with a nebulizer and a bunch of antibiotics.

Here he is feeling miserable as he opens his birthday presents... not quite the reaction I envisioned when we gave him a train table and trains! Poor kid!

Tage and Jett started getting sick about the same time. Jett's nose started running Tuesday, the 25th, and then Wednesday he had a little cough and was not eating well. Wednesday afternoon it started to snow. A lot. I don't normally get nervous about my kids getting sick, but this time I was a little. I even said to Kevin that evening that all the snow made me nervous with Jett being sick. That night I slept maybe an hour. I was up all night holding Jett, keeping an eye on him. He wouldn't eat at all. I could tell breathing was a little tough for him, but I thought it was just his snotty nose. At 2am I fed him a few tablespoons of milk with a syringe, and that made me feel a little better. All I was really worried about at the time was dehydration. Thursday morning I got ready to go to the doctor for "early walk-in hours" at 8am, but didn't go because they weren't open yet because of the snow. I was able to get him to eat a little more, and that calmed me down, and I thought he was on the mend. Around 11:30am though, Kevin and I decided I would take Jett to the doctor (now open) just in case.

1:30pm, we saw the doctor. Jett was in just his diaper, and the doctor came in, took one look at him and said "You need to take him to the ER. Stat. (yes, he said stat. not fast, but stat.)" Then he listened to his lungs and said "Yes. Go immediately. I will call them to let them know you are coming. Go right away. Don't wait. Do you have a car? Go. Now." I was SHOCKED! I really didn't expect that, and yet, I did. You see, at lunch I ate an extra big one, just in case. And I took a snack for myself... just in case. But really, I didn't think he was that bad! And I definitely didn't expect RSV, I thought he might need to be treated for dehydration.

We got to the ER and only had to wait a few minutes, before someone came down and escorted us to the Pediatric ER unit, which just opened a few months ago. Jett's temperature was 104. The doctor ordered an RSV test, which we all know came back positive. Then he ordered an x-ray of his chest. At that point, on a whim (aka INSPIRATION!), I brought up the possibility of him having enterocolitis- an infection in his colon, which he is at risk for from having Hirschsprungs Disease. The doctor said it was unlikely (I knew that, he didn't really have symptoms of it, and just had symptoms of Respiratory junk) but said he would order an x-ray of his abdomen as well since it could fit on one x-ray.

When the x-rays came back, Jett was diagnosed with Pneumonia. They wanted to admit him over night... just in case. And what do you know? The x-rays also showed signs of obstruction in his intestines, dialation, and air. The doctor consulted with his surgeons at the University of Maryland, and it was determined that Jett would be transferred there.... just in case. Plus, they have a Pediatric ICU, which Frederick does not... just in case.

Kevin drove down to the hospital with Tage and Mason before we left to give me some snacks, clothes, and other necessities. Poor Tage was so sick at the time. I felt so bad for not being able to be there for her, and at the time I thought it was best that Kevin stay with her and Mason while I went with Jett to Baltimore.

I rode shot gun in the ambulance and had some good conversations with the driver on the way down. Jett slept the whole way, except for one time when his IV blew and the paramedics had to remove it. I hated being up front, looking back through a small gap, hearing Jett cry, his monitor beeping, and the paramedics working and asking each other for various pieces of equipment, and not be able to know immediately what was happening, or be next to him to try and soothe him. The incident was really only a few minutes, and after one minute one of the paramedics hollered up to me that it was just his IV.

This was day 2 at the hospital. He looked and felt miserable. Notice his head bandages? IV. Can you see the little plastic medicine cup that the nurse cut in half and put on the IV in an attempt to protect it from being bumped and knocked out? We all tried to protect that IV with our lives! IV's and Jett do not mix!

The UMMC was chaos from the moment we got there. Jett was put in a room and nurses started doing an IV and blood work, oxygen, etc. It was very crowded. Soon after we arrived, the Resident Surgeon came in to see Jett. By now, his stomach was extremely distended. The surgeon jumped the gun a little and in listing things that could be wrong with Jett included the possibility of needing a 2nd pull-through surgery done. I remember leaning on Jett's bed and saying "ARE YOU SERIOUS?" He said we don't know for sure, but it is a possibility and then ordered another x-ray.

Unfortunately, Jett is an extremely difficult stick. The best of the best had a difficult time getting an IV. This results in Jett being stuck a million times, and lots and lots of crying. And then... The crying stopped. The poking did not. Since we had arrived, breating had become increasingly difficult for him, and he had become very lethargic. Jett was switched from a nasal cannula to the VapoTherm, and was on the highest level of pushed air and oxygen that he could be on before needing to be put on a ventilator. The nurses said they were worried that he had a blood infection, and that is why he was so lethargic. He was then transferred to the ICU (he was in intermediate care before). I went into the bathroom and cried. I couldn't help it. I'm usually able to hold myself together but when I stepped into that bathroom it all came out without me being able to hold it in. I was running off of about 1 hour of sleep from the night before, and extremely poor sleep for the week prior with Mason being so sick. I cried for about 2 minutes and then left the little meltdown in the bathroom, came out, and followed Jett down to the ICU.

Things settled down in the ICU, the only thing he had done there was an irrigation of his colon and he slept. I tried to get comfortable on a small, very uncomfortable chair, and I slept for a few minutes. I never fell into a very deep, restful sleep, but I remember waking up and realizing that I had dreamed about Jett as a little boy. I woke up feeling calm and knowing that he was going to be okay.

The test results were negative for a blood infection and because Jett wasn't desatting anymore he was allowed to move back into a room in Intermediate care (but still under ICU status) at 4am. This was AWESOME, because the chairs in those rooms are comfy and recline. We got settled there and around 5am I fell asleep. And then the surgeons rounded at 6am. Dr. Strauch (Jett's surgeon who did his pull-through) was there and brought with him some optimism. He always looks me in the eyes and says "We are going to take good care of him. He is going to be okay. He will get better." He says it in such a confident, believable way, and it is so comforting to me. His assessment of Jett was good, his stomach was getting smaller and his belly was soft, not hard (hard would be baaaad). The previous night he had put him on Flagyl, an antibiotic for the colon... just in case he did have enterocolitis.

Kevin came and we spent the day talking to nurses, doctors, and anxiously watching Jett's monitors. The days all kind of blur together for me now, but none were as crazy as the first night. I could not believe how quickly Jett had gone down hill. It was such a blessing that he was already in Baltimore, where he needed to be, before he became critical. Otherwise, the situation would have been much worse and I'm positive we would have been transferred by ambulance with sirens, or helicopter. The whole day was guided by the Lord. I took him to the pediatrition... just incase. I ate an extra big lunch... just in case. I suggested enterocolitis...just in case. The doctor transferred us to Baltimore... just in case. Jett was put on Flagyl... just incase. All things that got him the care he needed, exactly when he needed it. It was amazing.

While Jett was in the hospital, he had at least 20 different IV attempts and that doesn't count all the blood draws he had to have! He had an IV in his arms, hands, feet, head, and (gasp) neck. Not cool. I hated every second of IV and blood sticks.

One day, an incident occured that was particularly shocking to me. I realized that even a 3 month old REMEMBERS, and REACTS strongly to negative situations. Jett's vapotherm tube (goes in his nose) had come out, and so had his NG tube (goes up his nose and into his stomach). The nurse went to put the vapotherm back in his nose and as he (male nurse) came close to his face, Jett held his breath, started grunting, crying, and flapping his arms at the tube. The nurse pulled back, let Jett calm down, and then tried again. Same thing happened... held breath, grunted, cried, flapped arms at tube. The nurse pulled back, and let him calm down and tried again. SAME thing happened. Only this time the nurse just dodged Jett's arms and put it in anyways. I was so amazed at how strongly Jett had reacted to the situation. He KNEW something was about to happen that he did not like, and he tried to do something about it. Sad.

This picture was also taken on Day 2. It was so hard because we didn't know what day Jett was on with the virus, and so we didn't know if the worst part was still to come. Luckily, that day and the previous night were the worst, and it was just a slow downhill battle from there.

Right after that incident, the nurse tried to put the NG tube back in his nose. He put it down, and Jett started gagging. The nurse kept going, and had it all the way in, but Jett did not stop gagging. In fact, his monitors started alarming because he was not breathing. The nurse quickly pulled it out and it was decided that for the night he did not need his NG tube. Jett did not want to be messed with that night!

Another thing I really didn't like was Respiratory Therapy. It was very necessary, but not cool. The therapist would do deep suctions up is nose and down his throat, and then also just through his mouth and down his throat. You wouldn't believe the junk they would pull out of Jett! It was gross. When Jett started getting a lot of mucus in his mouth and nose and was blowing bubbles with it, I would grab the suction and suck it up just at his lips or at his nostril... man, sometimes I wish I had one of those things at home! They are powerful! It would be useful for Mason's constant runny nose when he is sick, or even mine! I really want one... bummer.

The rest of Jett's hospital stay just felt so long. He was there for 8 days, and I never once left. I did leave the floor two times to buy some food, and I went to a "Family Room" multiple times a day to access some food we had put in the fridge there. Otherwise I was always right next to Jett.

There was also a day that it took an hour and a half to get like 1ml of blood from Jett. Looking back now, I wish after the first 20 minutes I would have had a hissy fit and said ENOUGH! It was so ridiculous. It was also at 4am. at about 5:40am I finally got Jett back to sleep, only to have the surgeons start rounding on him at 6am! Every 20 minutes after that, someone was coming in to listen to his lungs and do their assessment on him, and each time I would get him back to sleep and it would happen all over again. The little guy was SOOO exhausted! Unfortunately the next person that came in the room at 7:30am was the main Doc and I just started laughing, because I wanted to cry (I myself was also very tired!) He inquired as to why I was laughing and I tried to say nevermind, but he persisted and I told him about the 1.5hour blood stick and the constant interruptions and he said he'd come back later and let Jett sleep. He could see that Jett's stats were all okay on the monitors and he was no longer critical (this was about day 6 of his hospital stay).

It was such a relief to be transferred to the Pediatric unit on Day 7. Jett was able to have his oxygen removed that night, he was nursing again, he had no tubes and no IVs, and we also had our own room.

That evening Jett's surgeon stopped by. It was funny, because he said he was kind of there on a social visit, and I thought "Oh? You want to chat it up with me? Weird." but really he was there to talk about Jett, his RSV, his Hirschsprungs, and Jett's next office visit. So by social, he meant "unofficial medical talk." He looked at Jett and said "He looks SO much better than he did those first few days. The first two days were pretty scary, he was really walking a fine line between needing to be intubated. I am so glad he is doing so much better." When you have a doctor say something like that, you realize even more the dire situation you were in. Doctors don't always open up like that, saying it was very scary and they were worried. He also said that we'll never know if Jett would have developed eneterocolitis, but that it was better safe than sorry to give him antibiotics to treat it. When you get sick, your digestive system slows down, which in Jett's case puts him at a higher risk for developing enterocolitis when he is ill.

The next morning, the doctors rounded on Jett at 7am. and when they finally got to the part about being discharged, I had a hard time fighting back tears, I was just so happy that once again, we would really be taking Jett home. You can bet I said a prayer of gratitude. Our ordeal was over and we could be reunited as a family again.

Jett's a FIGHTER

2011-01-29T16:59:00.000-08:00

Jett is very sick and is back in Baltimore in the ICU. We took him to the ER in Frederick on Thursday and were transferred a few hours later down to the University of Maryland. He has RSV and Pneumonia. He is such a tough guy, and has been through soooo much! He is doing a little better but still struggles to breathe. He's a fighter though and will pull though!

GO JETT! I'm so sorry I let you get sick...I love you!

The First Two Weeks: Part Three

2011-01-16T16:27:00.000-08:00

So, where was I?

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday were very much the same. Jett still had the silly straw in his mouth, continually suctioning bile out of his stomach and an IV in his hand. His skin was still rough, but was improving and all the nurses were commenting on how great it looked.

Saturday night, at our house, I was taking a shower at 10pm and looking forward to going to sleep. We had been at the hospital all day and both Kevin and I were exhausted. As I get out of the shower, I can hear Kevin talking on the phone. As I listen, I realize it is the hospital and I panic momentairly. A call from the hospital at 10pm at night is unusual especially since everything was okay with Jett just a few hours before. After a few minutes Kevin interrupted the caller and said "I understand, I feel it was explained to us very well already... can you please tell me the purpose of this call?" Turns out, it was the Resident Surgeon who was calling to get our permission for Jett's surgery that was happening on Monday. Why she thought 10pm at night would be a good time to call, when we had spent the entire day at the hospital where they could have easily reached us, or could have called the next day... I don't know. They've obviously never had a baby in the NICU. I understand that she is a Resident, and is still learning and making mistakes... but common sense says you don't call at 10PM when the parent's baby is in the hospital! We told our nurse about it the next day, and she apologized and started to try to make an excuse for the resident, trying to smooth it over (we weren't angry, we just were retelling our experience to the nurse), but then she stopped her self because she couldn't think of a legit reason for the resident to have called at that hour, and she said "there's really no excuse for that. I am so sorry." It was okay. Kevin's heart attack was only minor.

Sunday afternoon we finally got a call from the Ronald McDonald House, saying they had a room for us. We took a break from holding Jett to go move into our room.

The RMH was amazing! I was blown away at how nice and accomadating it was. It is a gem, unlike most of the rest of Baltimore! It was so shiny there! UMMC: not so shiny. Good thing the superior nurses and doctors there made up for the ancient grungy building Jett had been sent to! Breakfast and Dinner were provided by volunteers, during which we ate with other families staying there. It was incredible to meet people and hear their stories. Everyone was so kind, and the children were so brave...

Then Monday came. Oh boy. We left the RMH early so we could be with Jett as much as possible. We followed the nurse and Jett down to surgery around 10:30am. We sat with him until about 11am when the surgical team was ready and they wheeled Jett down the hall, to the O.R. While I had faith that he was going to be okay I still found myself saying a silently praying that he would be coming back to me in a few hours. I began to cry, and once again a nurse handed me a box of TEENSY tissues, saying "It's a tissue kind of a day..." Yes. Yes it was.

We recieved several updates while we waited for the surgery to be over. They didn't really get started on the actual surgery until about 12:20 and completed around 1:30pm. During those 2 1/2 hours I did a lot of praying and reflecting on our Savior. A few days before, Chad (Kevin's brother) came to help Kevin give Jett a blessing. In the blessing, Jett was told that all medical staff attending to his care and needs were being led by the spirit and that the Lord would be doing His work through them. He was blessed that in time he would be discharged from the hospital and go home to be with his family. It was such a comfort to me to hear these words. I was grateful too, for my knowledge of The Plan of Happiness.

Jett right after surgery

Jett had 5-6in removed from his colon, and the "good" colon was reattached to him. The surgery had gone as expected and we were allowed to go see him. It was such a relief to see him again! He was still waking up, and was pretty swollen from the fluids. His expression made us chuckle though... he was just soooo cute, laying there arms spread out and mouth open, staring at us... trying to keep his little peepers open. Such a sweetie. It was such a relief to have the surgery over with.

We didn't hold him the rest of the day, we just wanted him to rest. It took 5 hours to get his "STAT" order of morphine from the pharmacy... which I was more than a little annoyed about. There had been a mix up in communication, and so his order had not been filled. Luckily, Jett had not shown signs of pain or discomfort, otherwise momma bear would have gotten very angry. Jett had stayed asleep except for a few whimpers and moans he made. Finally, around 7:15pm Jett got his morphine drip all set up. Knowing that he would be okay, we decided to go back to the RMH and go to bed. We made the nurse promise to call us if he was upset or in ANY pain. I would have gone back to be with him no matter what time it was (and trust me, if I hadn't just had major abdominal surgery and had the chairs in the NICU been more comfortable and accomodating for post-partum mothers, I never would have left his side from the moment he began his stay in Baltimore...)

Jett never did show any signs of pain (monitored by heart rate and breathing) which was an incredible comfort to me. We now had Tage and Mason with us, and so Tuesday Kevin and I took turns at the hospital with Jett. Jett had developed a bad, wet cough, and we were worried about pneumonia. An x-ray ruled pneumonia out. He looked so miserable when he would cough, and we would sit him up and pat his back or the nurse would suction his throat. Thank goodness it wasn't anything serious. We held him a lot, and the doctors and nurses listened for bowel sounds. By the end of the day we heard those sounds, which meant on Wednesday we could start feeding him. Wednesday we began feeding Jett a few ounces every few hours. He was eating and pooping like a champ!

Thursday I was allowed to start breastfeeding him, which I was worried that he wouldn't do. He was almost two weeks old and had never nursed. I was so happy when he had absolutely no problems at all! On Friday we spent the day getting Jett ready for discharge... it took all day long. FINALLY, at 5:30pm, I was once again following behind as my baby was paraded through the halls of the hospital. Only this time we didn't go to the back doors of the emergency room. There was no isolete. No monitors. No tubes. No doors shutting me out and Jett in. No ambulances. No long walk back in the hospital. Instead, we were greeted at the front of the hospital by Kevin, with Tage and Mason in the back seat of the car. Tage was so giddy with excitement as Kevin opened the car door and put Jett in next to her! Mason was equally as excited and kept saying "Hi Baby!" In the cutest high-pitched little voice you have ever heard! For the first time ever, we were all together. Our whole family. All five of us!

Jett, waiting to be discharged

We went back to the RMH and ate dinner and packed our things. While we were thrilled beyond belief to have Jett with us and to have everyone congratulate us and say how cute he was, my heart broke a little for some dear friends we had met while there. We actually met them in the NICU but they also stayed at RMH. The mom, Julie (who is amazing in so many ways... I love her and her family!), and I walked to the hospital or rode the shuttle together when we could. While I knew she was happy for us I also knew it hurt her a little to see us with Jett, out of the hospital and on our way home. Her daughter, sweet little Abby, was still in the NICU, with no end in sight and she desperately wanted (what mother doesn't) to be doing the same thing we were- taking our baby home where he belongs. I am happy to say that they took her home just a few days ago. You can read about Abby here . They could sure use your prayers, as their struggles are still far from over.

Mason and Jett at RMH
Tage and Jett at RMH

It was absolutely wonderful to drive home with three kids in stow! I was so incredibly happy to go to bed that night, only to be woken up an hour and a half later to answer the cries of a little baby who NEEDED me. His mother. And, when anyone asks me now if Jett is letting me sleep much, I say "No, isn't it great?!" Because sleeping through the night when you are supposed to have a baby waking you up a gazillion times is not rockin awesome. Having a baby to force you to peel your eyes open and be sleep deprived is.

Thank you for all of your prayers. Miracles happen! God is good.

The First Two Weeks, Part TWO

2011-01-07T18:13:00.001-08:00

I adore this picture!
I should mention that at this point (when Jett was transfered to UMMC) we were obviously distraught that our newborn had just left us in an ambulance, but we were not fully aware of the severity of his situation. Since Frederick didn't have pediatric surgeons, he needed to be transferred to a facility that could meet Jett's needs. I think I was mostly sad that Jett had to be transferred, and not overly worried about his health (although trust me, it was on my mind! And I was praying....really, really hard! Harder than I ever have in my entire life!) I was in denial.

I knew they were suspecting Hirschsprungs Disease, but I still thought that everything would have been SO much better and less emotional if there had been pediatric surgeons here and we had been able to stay local with Jett. For obvious reasons, it would have been easier-- we would have had a place to stay, we could have seen Tage and Mason more, could have gone to be with Jett in shifts, wouldn't have had the emotional departure in the ambulance... etc. But it wasn't until a few days later, when his belly had gone down more than 5cm, that we realized just how distended and at risk he really was. 5cm is A LOT for a newborn.

So.... Jett was transferred Tuesday afternoon on Nov. 2nd. After the ambulance left, Kevin and I realized we couldn't get back into the hospital from the door we had come out of. So, we walked around the hospital, back to the main entrance, and through the main lobby, back into the birthing center, and back to my room... all done in my pjs and socks. Okay, so they were Kevin's pjs, red plaid bottoms and a white shirt, and brown hospital socks... I was a vision of beauty!

When we got to my room, I called for our nurse, who came in and I said we wanted to be discharged immediately. Fastest hospital discharge ever! I was very grateful. We left, and went home. We ate dinner with Tage and Mason (courtsey of some angelic visiting teachers!) packed some bags and left for Baltimore. While at home I called the NICU (a number I would program into my phone and call 1,000 times over the next week) and Jett's nurse talked to me telling me he was there, and was sleeping peacefully. It was relieving to know he was at the hospital safe and sound! And, equally relieving was the surgeon had seen him and had stimulated his rectum to make him poop!

When we got to the hospital and did our 3min srub and then gowned up, we walked into where Jett was. I spotted him immediately, and my heart leapt that he was once again within my line of vision! The UMMC NICU has the babies divided up into different rooms depending on their needs. Jett belonged in the "Surgery" room, since there was a potential for him to need surgery, but there was currently no space there for him, so he was put in the "Extremely Low Birthweight" room. (Which, let me tell you... wow. Seriously heart breaking. I was so thankful that Jett was a "hefty" 7lbs 13oz!) Kevin and I talked to him and touched him lightly, and his nurse came over and talked to us. Jett's skin looked really rough, like they hadn't been lubing him very much, and he was back under a warmer, which didn't help his skin. The nurse said they were lubing him every 4 hours. I was not happy! In Frederick they were doing it every 2. I grabbed the tube of Dermaphor and started giving him a greasing, and we held him.

The resident doctor came in to talk to us, and we told her we wanted him to be lubed every 2 hours and that we didn't want him under a heater. He had proved in Frederick that he was able to maintain his body temp, so being under a heater was not necessary and was wrecking havoc on his skin. I really appreciated the doctor's willingness to consider our opinions concerning Jett's health, and she said she agreed with us, but would check with the attending before she made the changes. We stayed with Jett until almost midnight, and then we left and stayed in a hotel a few blocks away for the night.

The next morning, Jett had a barium enema done, and we spoke with the surgeon. He said the enema had indicated that Hirschsprungs was likely, although not a diagnosis. They had also done a biopsy and those results would not be in until Friday. It was Wednesday. In between his tests and other cares (lubing, diapers, enemas, IV checks, etc) Kevin and I took turns holding him all day. We went home that night, as we couldn't afford to stay in Baltimore all week, plus we felt it was important for Tage and Mason to see us in the morning, since they had barely seen us since the Friday Jett was born).

Thursday morning Tage and Mason were DELIGHTED to see that Mommy and Daddy were home! They were sure starving for our attention! It was wonderful to see them! All I wanted to do was give them 100% of my attention while we were home. I thought about how so often before Tage would ask me to play with her and I would think "hmmm... how can I play with her AND accomplish something else at the same time?" or I would stress all day long about trying to clean and organize the house and be productive. All that mattered now was spending time with them. It was a short amount of time, but we made sure it was QUALITY, and FUN. We got ready and took them to a friend's house, and then went back to Baltimore.

It was almost noon by the time we got up to see Jett. I walked over to his bedside, and saw this:

Hit me with a bat, 3 times, in the stomach. I burst into tears. I knew it was an IV... but still... look at it! He looked miserable! A dermatologist (and his 20 gazillion students) had come to talk see Jett almost at the same time we had arrived. When they left, Jett's nurse apologized profusely that she was not right there when we came in to explain his head. She actually said "it's worse than it looks" but then laughed and said "it's looks worse than it is" Apparently the IV in his hand had blown the night before and the nurses couldn't get one in his other hand or either of his feet, and so as a last resort they attacked his head. As for the tape job.... well, my son is greasy! It takes a lot of tape to keep his tubs and IVs and wires in place. Other nurses who would see Jett would say things (not in front of us, but some of them later became his nurse and confessed) like "Oh my gosh! What happened to that baby? or What's wrong with that baby?" thinking he had some sort of brain surgery. Some would see the IV and say "Holy crap, that's one heck of a tape job!" But then they would learn of his skin condition, and his greasiness, and it would all make sense. I was SO glad to see that IV taken out the next day and sucessfully placed in his hand again.

Thursday afternoon, the surgeon came and told us they had the results. Early. "He has Hirschsprungs" I struggled to maintain my composure. Dr. Strauch went on to explain the plan of action (in detail, he had explained the gist of it before the positive diagnosis, so we were already aware of what Hirschsprung's entailed). He kept asking me if I was okay, all I would do was nod (of course I wasn't OKAY!). The nurse then handed me a box of tissues (Why in the world are hospital tissues so tiny??? Seriously, they only work for the tiniest of sniffles!) He told us a number of times that Jett was going to be okay. One time, he said so confidently "He is going to be okay....(long pause, looked me square in the eyes...) I promise." He probably asked me 10 times if I had any questions, but I just shook my head no. The whole time he was there I didn't say a single word. I couldn't. Bless his heart, he knew I did have a million questions, and told me he would come back the next day.

I was devastated that Jett had a positive diagnosis, and yet relieved that we now had a plan of action. Relieved that there was a treatment. Relieved that the doctors knew how to help him. I felt so blessed to live in a time where medical knowledge is so great! 50 years ago, this diagnosis was lethal. 50 years ago, there was no treatment. It was a painful thought to me that if we were to take Jett home and not provide him with medical care, he would die. We absolutely could not take him home. Death would be a sure thing. But I know God had a plan for Jett. And I know it was His hand that had protected him in the womb. I know that our loving Father in Heaven provided Jett with the EXACT care he needed all along the way. There were no mistakes. Every nurse and Doctor that saw Jett did exactly the things that Jett needed.

That night, we left later than we expected to. Jett started fussing just as we were getting ready to leave, and well, we just couldn't leave him sad. Until that evening, he had been very peaceful, only letting out little wimpers that were easily soothed with a pacifier. But that night, he was screaming! I called the hospital a lot that night, just to make sure he was sleeping peacefully. It broke my heart to leave him there every night. I wanted so badly to soothe his every cry. I knew the nurses would take care of him, but they had other babies to take care of too. The thought of him crying by himself, with no one there to hold him and snuggle him until he calmed down tore me apart. Oh how I wanted Jett sleeping in his bassinet next to my bed! I desperately wanted to be woken up at all hours of the night by my baby! And, although I knew God was in control, and I had felt the peace and comfort of my Savior many times, I sometimes wondered if I would ever have him at my bedside. I had felt peace, but was confused as to what that peace meant. I wondered if we would ever bring him home. I know, it's a terrible thought to think, and I really did have faith that he would be okay. But when your newborn is scheduled to have major surgery to save his life, you can't help but be terrified that something might go wrong. I tried to push those thoughts away and not "waver" but the fear was still there. The next day I asked Kevin if he thought we would get to bring Jett home, and he looked at me, shocked that I had considered the alternative, and said "Yes. I really do. We will bring him home." (Ahhh... thank you Kevin! Thank you for being strong! I love you!)

(The weekend, Ronald McDonald House, and Jett's Surgery in part 3! Sorry to keep you in suspense... it's a very long story, and I want to include every detail and don't ever have time to write it all in one sitting!)

The First Two Weeks Part ONE

2010-12-31T17:01:00.001-08:00

Things are settling down, now that Jett is home and healthy and the holidays and craze that come with them have come and gone. Finally, I am getting around to writing about our INSANE experience!

How it all began

As you know, my pregnancy was high risk with the membrane and all, and so from July-August I saw the Perinatologist every two weeks, and then every week around September. Our stress and worry had eased quite a bit with each visit being uneventful (meaning no further complications with the baby). And we were begining to make preparations for scheduling a c-section.

- as a side note, I had a lot of anxiety over whether a c-section was really necessary, and seriously did not want to have one. There was a lot of medical curiosity involved (from doctor's perspectives) and I wondered if they were pushing the c-section so they could have the thrill of seeing the membrane and have a better "view". I talked to the doctor's about it a lot, and the perinatologist explained things really well, and told me I had the option not to do a c-section, that it very well may not be necessary, but that we wouldn't know until after delivery. Anyways, I never would have been able to forgive myself if I chose not to do the c-section and something happened... like strangulation by the membrane. Not.worth.it. even though c-sections really do suck)

The Appointment

So October 29th comes and I go to my 37week appointment at 1:30pm. The tech starts scanning and what do you know.... No fluid! Dr. Kramer (Perinatologist) comes in and says in his awesomest South African accent "Ashley, I know when you're having that baby! Today! It's over. This has been the longest pregnancy ever! I can't believe it, congratulations. Go to the hospital." I asked if I could go home first, and he said absolutely not. So.... I went home. (HELLO! I was not about to have a baby without my camera! Plus Mason was in the middle of a medical test that he needed a final dose of Activated Charcoal in an hour and there was no way I was going to repeat that test... have you ever tried to give a 20month old activated charcoal? It is not fun. Or pretty. It's a mess. We strip him down to his diap. And he gets covered in it's black nastiness. And so do I. And so does Kevin. And so does the kitchen. And don't get me started about the bucket of poo we'd been collecting...)

I met Kevin at home, and grabbed a few things for the hospital, plus the kid's Halloween costumes for the Trunk-or Treat party that night, and went to our friend's house to tell the kids their brother was coming that night! Yay!

Delivery

Okay, fast forward to the hospital (I can't believe I've written this much and still haven't gotten to his birth! Have I said this will be long? Cause this will be long!) I had an awesome nurse who we told our hesitations of naming our baby Jett. She said she named her kids all plain Jane names until her last one. They named him Bucky.

The OR experience was so strange. Being on the table, tube in nose, cap on head... can't feel a thing, except you can (you know what I mean fellow c-sectioners). And then the Anestisologist tells Kevin to start shooting pictures, and next thing I know I hear the cry of my precious child! A HUGE sense of relief comes over me, as they declare him as "perfect." He had escaped the dangers of the membrane, and had all his fingers and toes. I caught a few glimpses of him, but it felt like forever before they finally wrapped him up and brought him around were I could see him better. And then they took him to the nursery... and everything became a blur for the next 24 hours ish.

After Delivery

I was loopy. It took over 3 hours before I could wiggle my toes (they told me one hour!) and I was throwing up every 10 minutes, which also happened to be how often they would come push on my stomach. And they asked if I wanted to try to nurse my baby... I said no. Kevin gave him a bottle in the nursery. Let me tell you, that's how miserable I was. If you'd asked me before I would have said "I will most definitely nurse my baby. There is NO WAY he will have a bottle. I will nurse. It doesn't matter how terrrible I feel, I will suck it up and I WILL NURSE HIM!" But I didn't say that. I didn't even hesitate to say "no." I knew I couldn't do it, and I didn't want my baby to be hungry, so I let him have a bottle.

At some point I was moved to my room. And nurses talked to me. And doctors talked. And I fell asleep. And the nurse brought the baby (remember, he still doesn't have a name) in. And told me he was having a tough time keeping his temperature. And I tried to nurse him. He wouldn't latch. And so I just held him. For a few minutes. And I fell asleep again. And the nurse took him back to the nursery. And I snoozed on.

Jett Goes to the NICU
(click images to see in larger size)

It was the middle of the night by now, and the nurse came in several times to check on me and tell me I wasn't breathing very well (I did not remember this detail until a few nights later when she reminded me of it.) Apparently she was hovering over me, wondering if I was going to take another breath. I was only taking about 7 or 8 every minute. She concluded I was okay, since I would carry on a conversation with her if she talked to me. I don't know what we talked about! Then she came in again, and told me the doctor would be in to talk to us, but that she wanted me to know our baby was in the NICU because he wasn't keeping his temperature and his left leg was a little swollen.

Next thing I know, the lights in our room are on (SOOOO BRIGHT for drugged up eyes!) and the Neonatologist is in there telling us something about our baby... in the NICU... swollen... cold... skin... I honestly can't remember most of what she said. I just caught the jist that he was "okay" and I kep thinking "I have to close my eyes. I hope she doesn't think I'm a bad mom, or that I don't care about my baby because I have my eyes closed. I know it looks like I'm sleeping, but I'm not. I'm just...my eyes are just closed."

Kevin went the next morning to the NICU by himself. He cried.

It wasn't until after 10am that I finally made it to the NICU. Kevin wheeled me there, and I closed my eyes. And asked for a bin. And stood by my baby for about 2 minutes. And sat back down. The Neonatologist (a different one) Dr. Miller, came to talk to us. She pointed out our baby's skin. The redness, the peeling, the cracks. And diagnosed him with Ichthyosis. And the nurse handed me a box of tissues. And I cried. And I felt sick again. And then we left. And I puked on the ride back to my room.

I made it up to the NICU several more times that day, and tried unsuccessfully to nurse him. He would take a bottle though. His stomach started to become distended, but x-rays showed nothing. Just air. By now he had a tube in is nose, and the nurses would periodically suck air out of his belly.

Tage and Mason came to meet their new brother, I didn't go with them, but Kevin took them in individually to see him. Mason kept pointing to his tube and said "Bebe...owie..."

When Sunday came, I had a melt down. I bawled my eyes out to Kevin that our baby was in the NICU and I couldn't nurse him, he wasn't sleeping next to me, we weren't going to be taking him home on Monday, and I didn't even know what to call him. He STILL didn't have a name! And that's when we decided on Jett Thomas.

Sunday and Monday were pretty much the same health wise for Jett. He was lubed every few hours with globs of Aquaphor, the doctors were still concerned about his risk of infection from his skin being so raw, he wasn't nursing, and he wasn't super interested in a bottle but he could be convinced to take it. His belly was still distended but it was still believed he was just swallowing a lot of air. Monday he wasn't pooping very well, so he was given a suppository, and that worked like a charm.

Jett's Health Becomes Critical

And then Tuesday came. Oh, Tuesday. Kevin went to do a delivery in the morning for the courier he works for. He would be back at 11:30am. I was going to be discharged that day. Jett was not. I was struggling with that. I didn't want to go home without him. I walked over to the NICU for his 9am feeding. Once again, he wouldn't latch. I tried to give him a bottle. He wouldn't take it. So, we fed it through his tube. I went back to my room, pumped, and then returned again at 11am, to try to nurse him yet again.

When I walked in, Dr. Miller came to talk to me immediately. Little did I know she was about to hit me with a ton of bricks. Jett had not pooped in over 12 hours. He'd had 2 suppositories. Neither of them had come out. His stomach was extremely distended. Dr. Miller suspected Jett had Hirschsprung's Disease, but the only way it can be definitevly diagnosed is by a rectal biopsy, which must be done by Pediatric Surgeons. The hospital we were at doesn't have Ped. Surges. They were calling an Emergency Transport Team to take Jett to the University of Maryland Med Center in Baltimore.

I was trying to understand it all, and take it all in, and I started to cry. Then the nurse handed me a box of tissues. And then I really cried. They needed to change Jett's tube to a bigger size and do a few other things to prep him for his departure, and told me to they would phone my room when they were finished. I went back and called Kevin... he was in the parking lot of the hospital. I told him. He came into my room and we both cried. Hard.

Jett Takes a Trip

When we were told we could come back to be by Jett, we did. His new, bigger tube was used to suction anything and everything out of his stomach. His stomach was so distended, he was at risk of rupturing his colon. We sat next to him for about an hour, he moaned a lot and looked extremely uncomfortable. We wanted the team to be there immediately, so that Jett could get the help he needed.

It was interesting... being there. In the NICU, next to Jett. Up until then, Jett seemed very healthy, other than his skin and his distended belly they wanted to keep an eye on. The other babies in the NICU were so tiny, so fragile. Jett was the biggest baby there, weighing in at 7lbs 13oz! I had felt like we were in a better position than other parents there. And then, suddenly, we were the center of attention. Jett had the most critical needs at that moment. Other parents were looking at us with sorry eyes, glad they weren't in our shoes.

And then, I heard the transport team come in and I cried...a lot. They put Jett in a little isolette, talked to the doctor, talked to us, got his medical records, and then left. We walked behind them as we paraded through down the halls, through the MAIN LOBBY, and down past the ER and then outside to where the ambulance was waiting. And it was awful. I could feel everyone watching. I could hear people talk, say "ohhh" and " (gasp) look at that little baby" a few nurses gently touched my shoulder as we walked by and said "good luck". I know everyone genuinely felt sorry for us, but it was really a weird feeling to have such a private and emotional moment be so public and open for all to see.

Just before the EMT closed the doors to the ambulance, one of them stuck his head out and reassuringly said "we'll see you there." and then Kevin and I watched them drive away, takin our hearts with them. And we bawled. And Kevin held me. We then walked back into the hospital, back through the main lobby... this time without a baby. It was awful.

To be continued....

My Little One

2010-11-26T07:59:00.000-08:00

Welcome Home Jett!

2010-11-15T06:07:00.000-08:00

We are THRILLED that we were able to bring Jett home Friday night. Such a blessing to have our family all together! Jett is doing wonderfully, he is such a strong little boy!

Newest Addition!

2010-11-07T05:01:00.001-08:00

Born October 29th, 2010 at 7pm! 7lbs. 13oz. After a few days, much turmoil and agony on the parents part, we finally decided to name him Jett Thomas Harrison. I have liked the name Jett for quite a long time now, but hesitated because ONE: a good friend recently named her baby Jett and as it is an uncommon name I wasn't sure if I should do it as well, although the two boys are very likely to never even meet. When I was early in my pregnancy and didn't know the gender yet, this friend had her baby and when I saw she named him Jett, I actually kind of hoped that our baby would be a girl so I wouldn't have this dilemma :) Reason number TWO: a lot of people had really negative reactions when we told them Jett was on our list of names. Funny though, ever since we officially named him Jett, everyone LOVES his name!

We feel so blessed to have Jett, and can not wait to bring him home. He has been in the NICU, and on Tuesday, Nov. 2nd, he was transported by and emergency transport team to Baltimore to the University of Maryland Med Center. He has Hirschsprung Disease, as well as Ichthyosis. The Ichthyosis is more towards the milder version, and has improved since birth, as he has been slathered every few hours with Aquaphor to keep his skin hydrated. It seems we will be able to control this aspect of his health quite well.

Hirschsprung Disease, on the other hand will ultimately be okay, but he requires surgery which will take place on Monday. Part of his colon will be removed and the good part will be reattached. Last Tuesday when he was transported to Baltimore his belly was so huge from not being able to pass stool (or two suppositories) that he was at risk or rupturing his colon. He was very fussy and looked so uncomfortable. Since then, the doctors have been cleaning out his colon and his belly has gone down more than 5cm in girth.

A long time ago this diagnosis was lethal. We feel very blessed that there is a procedure now to fix this and that he is expected to live a normal, healthy life. We thank our Heavenly Father for the opportunity to live at this time when there is so much medical knowledge. All of the nurses and doctors have been absolutely fabulous!

Every night when we leave the hospital, I feel like I am forgetting something, and I look around at what we are carrying, and know we have all our bags, jackets, etc. and then realize the feeling must be that we don't have our baby. We are expecting to be able to bring him home next weekend. We.Can't.Wait. Please keep him in your prayers tomorrow!

P.S. In the picture, we have crafted his hair into a faux hawk. It is always so greasy from the ointment, we like to style it :) Also, he doesn't have the tube in his nose anymore... it is now in his mouth, going down to his belly, to suck out anything and everything in his belly (mostly just gastric juices now, he hasn't eaten since Tuesday morning and is on IV's.) The bandage on his hand is for his IV.

Last Friday

2010-07-22T16:48:00.000-07:00

See the membrane? It covers the baby like saran wrap.

We went last week to the Perinatologist again, and it was an encouraging visit. The baby still has no abnormalities and is growing good. We feel like we understand a little better what is going on. We are still nervous and can.not.wait. until our next appointment, but feel a little less stressed. We are confident that we will be bringing our baby home, and that he will be in overall good health. We do feel very blessed that our situation is not worse, and that the outcome looks very good. Thanks for everyone's prayers! We love you all!

Mom Wins!

2010-07-12T16:50:00.000-07:00

Tage said a few things today that surprised me. First, (my favorite) when she came in the kitchen for lunch, she was holding a Book of Mormon, she handed it to me and said "Mom, we haven't read the Book of Mormon yet today. Will you read it to me?" And when I read it, she would even make comments about certain words and go off into tangents about that word in a separate gospel-oriented topics, such as baptism. It was great lunch conversation. She seemed so focused!

Then at dinner, she was done eating, and I made myself a salad and was about to start eating it. She pulled a chair up to me, and said "Mom, I want to sit next to you, and will you share your lettuce with me?" I began sharing it, and then decided to give her a plate of her own. She ate it all, and then said "Mom, will you please get me some more lettuce?" I was SHOCKED! She'll usually eat one or two pieces of lettuce, just so she can make horse noises, but never a plate full, and never asking for more! Yay!

Besides those two incidents that really stuck out, the day was really great with the kids. They were both so fun today and got along great with each other. It was a great fun-filled day for all! (Except Kevin, who has been at class all day, and won't be home until 10:30 tonight. Poor guy!)

P.S. Thanks everyone for your kind words and prayers for our family and baby!

Because I Can't Tell Anyone Else....

2010-07-05T18:15:00.000-07:00

What I write here today is only because I know no one that I see on a regular, weekly basis reads our blog. I am not ready for people here to know, I don't want to see them at church or other social functions and get the "pity" look, or answer questions, or comments. But I need to get it out. My friend left me a voicemail last week, after my ultrasound, to see what we are having (IT'S A BOY!!!) and also, asked if it had all it's fingers and toes. I have avoided calling her back.

Rewind. Last week at my ultrasound the tech found an unusual membrane lying on top of the baby. I was referred to a Perinatologist, who wanted to see me immediately, despite the fact that their schedule was already booked, double booked, and even triple booked. We waited a long time, but were not very nervous about the appointment. When the doctor saw us, he did another ultrasound and told us that the membrane was from the amniotic sac, which has partially ruptured. He said it is very serious, and that I am considered extremely high risk. Actually not me, but the baby.

The baby is currently OKAY, with no known complications. But that can all change. The risk is that the membrane will tear more, causing "bands" or "rings" that can wrap around the baby's limbs, cutting off circulation and causing self amputation, or limbs may need to be amputated after birth. These bands can also restrict growth, wrap around the umbilical cord (obviously NOT good), restrict growth of other organs, and cause facial deformaties which can restrict growth of the brain and cause mental disabilities.

The doctor told us he this the outlook is good facially and mentally, because he did not see any current deformation, and the brain looked normal, and the skull has already formed, providing more protection. And again, there are no current (as of Friday, July 2nd) visible deformaties or loss of limb. But there is no guarentee that it will stay that way. We can only hope and pray that all will continue to go well with the baby's growth and development. Apparently my condition is pretty rare, and the specialist doctor has only seen 4 or 5 cases in his career thus far. It's really a weird feeling being "high risk" and "rare." There is nothing we can do to prevent it, and there is nothing we did that brought this condition on. It just "happened."

Kevin and his Dad gave me a priesthood blessing, and Kevin's Dad also gave him one. Our families also fasted for us this past Sunday. We feel strengthened, and trust in the Lord, but are obviously very nervous. It is going to be a loooonnnngggg 20weeks. That is if I make it that far. We have absolutely no idea what to expect as far as delivery goes, although I doubt I'll carry until 40 weeks and be allowed to go into labor on my own. The doctor wants a team of specialists present for delivery, to cover every scope of what might possibly happen. One of his examples was an ENT (ear, nose and throat) doctor incase the baby swallows some of the membrane and cannot breathe. We have so many questions for our next visit, although we know we won't get any real, concrete answers because of the unpredictability of our situation. Really, we have no idea what to expect in these upcoming weeks. Please pray for us!

You can see in the picture below the membrane, lying over top of the baby, kind of enveloping it.

Crazy Driver

2010-06-01T16:20:00.000-07:00

I love it!
You're gonna wanna click the picture to enlarge.... it's better.... promise.

Can't Sleep...

2010-05-31T20:59:00.000-07:00

As I laid down to sleep tonight, I could not stop the thoughts from racing. So much uncertainty. So much confusion. So many choices.

We have our house for sale, and are anticipating an offer in the next few days. We are fairly certain that the offer will come, but what will the offer be? How much lower than what we are asking? The asking price already requires us to bring a fairly hefty chunk of change to the table... so the thought of an offer that is LOWER, is deeply terrifying to me. We are talking at least over $10,000 that we would need to bring to closing.

At the same time though, how can reject ANY offer? If these people don't buy it... who would? Seriously. For the type of house we are dealing with, these people are probably our only chance. Renting the house is an idea that makes me want to vomit. This is NOT the kind of house we want to rent out. Too much maintance. Too many quirks. Too much liability. As stressful as taking $15,000 to the table would be, renting it could possibly be much, much worse.

The worst part of the thought of taking so much money, is that we haven't even enjoyed this house. At all. Yes, I have been grateful to have a place to live. I'm grateful for lessons I've learned here. I'm grateful for the countless people we have met and friendships that we have forged as a result of being in this house. I am grateful for wonderful experiences that we have had because of the circumstances and situations we have been in because we were in this house. I am grateful for the PRECIOUS memories that we have made with our children in this house. BUT living in this house has been an absolute nightmare. Starting in Feb. 2006, two months after we bought the house, when there was an abnormally warm couple of days that brought swarmer termites flying out of cracks inside the house. They shed their wings, and I would find them EVERYWHERE. It was disgusting. I have not enjoyed the mice. I have not enjoyed paying thousands every winter for heating and still being cold. The drafts. The well. The septic. The inability to flush our one and only toilet when it rains too much. The floor plan. The ONE tiny closet. The being pregnant and having to walk downstairs at night to pee. or puke. So many things that have been so troublesome for us... paying an additional $15,000 to get out of the house is like salt to an open wound. But if I could, would I ask to have never bought this house have have all of those experiences taken away? No. I wouldn't. This house has been such a blessing, and a curse, at the same time.

And yet, I PRAY with all my heart, that these people will make us an offer. Any offer. Please, just give us an offer....

Selling the house, even at a painful loss would be worth it. It would give us the ability to go where we need to for Kevin's schooling. It would give us more options for what we could do if Kevin can't get a job for this next school year. (Which has also been a subject of many tears and questions of WHY??? And wondering what exactly happened that made Kevin's supervisors give him the choice of termination or resignation. If anyone know Kevin, you know he didn't deserve it. No one he works with understands why, especially not us. And we will never know what happened, or why they targeted him, why they made him look like an awful teacher, unfit for employment in that county.... WHY?)

So, sell the house we will. Even at great cost. Even though we don't have that much money. Even though in two weeks we won't know where our next dime will come from.

Despite it all.... despite the stress and feelings of anxiety, and (yes) sometimes feelings of anger... in the mix of all of that, I do feel peace. I know that the Lord has a plan for us. I know that He will take care of us. That I do know. He made that clear to me the week that the situation at Kevin's job began and I was thinking "No way. No. No. It won't happen. He can't lose his job. They can't do that to him. They won't. It's just not possible. No." and the Lord told us "Yes, they will." Kevin and I both had impressions that they would indeed not renew his contract. But the Lord also sent me a beautiful message that week, through the actions of someone else, that told me that He would take care of us. That everything would be okay... eventually. And it is that peace that I reflect upon and carry with me through this stressful time. Things might get worse first, but they will get better.

Awesome.

2010-05-29T11:59:00.000-07:00

I'd be the coolest mom if I had this. Click here

I'm a Mother...

2010-05-05T17:44:00.000-07:00

baltimore aquarium, march 2010

I haven't posted much lately... mostly because I feel like I have nothing positive to talk about. Boy am I so WRONG! Although not much in my life seems to be going well lately, the one thing... the most important thing... that is going right is my family. My husband, and my 2 (and a half!) children. If my life only consisted of them, and didn't involve anything with jobs, people who treat you unfairly, money, crappy termite-infested houses that we are apparently the only ones in the world who thought it could be a good idea to invest in,cars that break down, or recycle trucks that demolish your mailbox... then life would be perfect. Really though, despite our current hardships and uncertainties, life could be a lot worse. A lot. My family and I have been greatly blessed, and continue to be... and we are waiting to see how this part of our lives is part of the Lord's plan is for us. I am so grateful for my family (extended included), and that brings me to the very special day coming up....

Mother's Day. A day we should give Mom a break. No cleaning, cooking, dealing with the kids, laundry, etc... Just kick back and relax, Mom, don't worry about a thing... give Mom breakfast in bed, tell her how much you love and appreciate her, give her a gift... etc. Lots of expectations for Mother's Day. When I think about what I expect, of course I want to be recognized, give me a few moments to feel special... but it is MY DAY, so don't give me a break from EVERYTHING that makes me who I am as a Mother. Serious.

When I think about my Mother's Day, I get excited. Really excited. Not because I think I'm going to get an awesome gift (because I'm not! and I don't need one!) but because it is a day set aside for ME, to be incredibly grateful that I am a Mother. That I have the privlege of cleaning up after everyone, taking care of my family, and spending my days with my children. Let me do those things on Mother's Day with a joyful heart. It is a day to rejoice in mother-hood, to be grateful for the Mothers in our lives... I am certainly grateful for my mom, and I am so blessed to be a Mom.

Sometimes I get caught up in the grudgery of daily household/ kid raising tasks and find myself with a negative attitude about my responsibilities. But Mother's Day reminds me that being a Mom is a blessing, as is all of the chores and responsibilities that come with it. This Mother's Day, I resolve to hug my little ones a little tighter, kiss them more often, play with them more frequently, read them that extra story, be calmer when tantrums break out, and rejoice daily that I have the great responsibility to be Mom. I. Love.It.

p.s. My favorite thing about being a Mom??? Making my kids laugh.

Dear 2010...

2010-04-30T17:35:00.000-07:00

Is this the best you got? I hope you plan on making the next 7 months a little kinder. If not, I promise, I will not look back and think pleasanlty about you. (Except for a certain day that will come in November...that will be a grand and glorious day, and one for the record books) Please, decide now to change your ways, and stop being mean to me.

Smurf Life Lessons

2010-04-17T16:13:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't like the Smurfs? I love them! I have been listening to Smurf songs lately, and one of my favorites is the Merry-go-Round song. I feel like I can really relate to the chorus:

We're spinning around,

We're up and we're down.

We're taking a ride on the merry go round.

We're ringing the bell of life's carousel,

And when we get off it nobody can tell.

We don't have a care

When we get the fear that sometimes we don't

And we're left standing there.

But soon it's okay and we're up off the ground,

And we are riding again on the merry go round.

The past month and a half has been such a carousel ride for me and my family. So full of ups and downs. Actually, lots of downs, and a few ups. Despite all the times we keep feeling like we have fallen off the ride, we feel incredibly blessed and have faith that everything will work out... eventually.

photo from bluebuddies.com

Down By the Bay

2010-03-03T07:52:00.000-08:00

Tage loves the song "Down by the Bay" and will randomly make up verses to it without actually singing the song. A few minutes ago, we were eating cinnamon rolls... she said:

"Have you ever seen a tongue with arms and legs that walked over to the frosting and licked it all up?" {que Tage to throw head back and laugh hysterically...}

I.love.it.

Makes Me Laugh

2010-02-23T19:12:00.000-08:00

(Click on picture... it must be viewed LARGELY to get the best appreciation for it)

Kevin's pig is in the middle. The Pigs on the right and left are from the Tagester.

Can't.

Stop.

Laughing.

Old Man Winter

2010-02-16T11:17:00.000-08:00

The past week and a half ROCKED. Maryland got record snow fall and we rolled in it. We built snow caves so Tage would have a place to relax and eat her snow....

Mason took a quick trip out prior to being ill... (which, might I mention was scary because he choked numerous times on his snot, to the point where he was not breathing for a few seconds... Thank goodness each time it worked out just fine, and thank goodness we live across from the fire department-- JUST in case.)

Kevin took the opportunity to jump and spin off of the porch... what.a.stud.

Most of our pictures involve Tage eating snow... YUM!

Our neighbors used their tractors to plow the driveway and parking lot... and we enjoyed having our personal snowy mountains to play on, slide on, and jump off of.

SNOW ME IN ANYDAY!

Oh cud

2010-02-13T05:51:00.000-08:00

The other morning, I was in the bathroom, and Tage was in the kitchen. This is what I heard...

"Mom! The cows are out!"

and I Quote

2010-02-07T18:12:00.000-08:00

Tage's Friend: "Mason is just a little baby. He doesn't even know what 100 times 10 is! (long pause............) Neither do I. But I do know what 9 plus 5 is. But I'm not going to tell you. My brother can tell you. I know what it is though."

My Man, Kevin

2010-02-02T17:18:00.000-08:00

First of all, Kevin has had that shirt FOREVER. and he probably will have it FOREVER more. Came from D.I. pre ME days. The past few years have been a bit challenging financially for us. We couldn't have picked a worse time for him to quit his job as a teacher and enter the financial industry than Summer 2008... right when the market crashed. and then burned. and is still burning. We were blessed when he secured a part time teaching job a few days before the school year began... it was piddle income, but we had full healthcare benefits, which was GREAT becasue I was pregnant with Mason. So what did he do? He got another part time job delivering pizza. I thought it was a bad idea... but it turned out to be perfect. They were very flexible with his schedule... he picked when he worked and when he didn't. Paid decent too. AND we kept the house (bummer!) AND we didn't go into debt. AND I found a way to save a million on diapers. AND we got some things we didn't need, because we wanted them. And then he got a Full time job teaching again. He can't stand it. But he does it!
Now he is taking classes to eventually make a career change. He works hard, and does whatever he can to help around the house. Although I'm sure he wants to crash and relax when he come home from work, he never does. He is always 100% for the kiddos. Best Dad EVER. Did you know he never yells? NEVER. EVER. He can't. It's not in his nature. He did yell once at his students a few years ago, and his face got all hot and red and the students applauded him for yelling and it created more of a distraction, which he was trying to stop in the first place....
He is also extremely easy to shop for. There is nothing that he wants. So anything that you give him he is grateful for. Seriously, I got him Bacon Salt for Christmas... so that everything he eats can now taste like Bacon. And he LOVED it. How easy is that? Guess what he's gonna get for Valentine's Day??? Bacon salt. And his birthday?? Yup. Bacon Salt. And Father's day? Baaacccooonnnn salt! And our anniversary? Nope. not bacon salt.
I love him because he always does his best, does what's right, and puts me and the kids first and never complains when I didn't cook dinner or clean the house. Before we got married I feared that after we sealed the deal I would wake up one day and think "Crap! What did I do! I don't love this guy, I ruined everything!" But now I know those thoughts will NEVER come. I will always love him and I will alway love being around him!

Oh, by the way... his hat is older than his shirt... I think. A Snickers for anyone who can tell me who Caesar Rodney was.... without google!

It's Sad...

2010-01-26T06:32:00.000-08:00

But TRUE!

I...don't.....

know how to do my hair!

Never have.

Dear Mason

2010-01-21T18:43:00.000-08:00

It feels like it was just yesterday that I was terrified I would be giving birth in Sam's Club (I would have never been able to shop there again. Can we say EMBARRASSING? Wow, thanks "Butter" for staying put.) I told myself to ditch the cart and go home. I didn't. I told myself to ask the people in front of me at the register if I could pretty please, with a cherry on top, PLEASE go ahead of them. I didn't. I yelled (okay, I screamed) all the way home from the pain. I sped. a lot. 85 in a 55. And prayed that a cop wouldn't pull me over. And if he did, I prayed that he would believe me when I screamed "I'M IN LABOR!" in his face. Thank heavens there wasn't a cop in sight! A year ago today, I snuggled you for the first time.

And now, a year later, you are still just as sweet as ever! I can't believe you are ONE year old! I love you so much Butter! Happy Birthday!

Love,
Mom

P.S. You have just as much hair today as you did a year ago. Maybe less. Love you anyways!

8 Dollars

2010-01-14T09:37:00.000-08:00

Gets me... 2 gallons of Grapefruit juice, 10 lbs. of grapefruit, and 34boxes of pasta! Endorphins were gushing as I paid for my goods! What next?!

A favorite

2010-01-12T19:12:00.000-08:00

Mason- about 3 weeks old, and Tage 2 years.

Oh! My heart!

Back In The Day

2010-01-08T19:49:00.000-08:00

Tage, about 3 months old... oy

Open WIDE

2010-01-05T16:40:00.000-08:00

This is a picture of Tage chillin out at the dentist with her moon boots. I took her for the first time a few weeks ago... she did GREAT! I took her to my dentist appointment a few months ago, so she could see it being done to me, and I played "dentist" with her before her appointment. I think it helped her feel more comfortable. I took her to a Pediatric dentist, and the office was very fun with huge, awesome murals on the walls. Tage's room had a unicorn. Because Tage's teeth are supposedly really tight, they wanted to take x-rays to be sure there were no cavities. They said if Tage wouldn't let them, it was okay, because she is so young they doubted she would comply... but Tage once again did AWESOME... (isn't she cute??!!) and they got the images they wanted.

And then...the hygenist said...

"the docotor will be out to talk to you in a minute about her x-rays"
I sighed loudly, and said "ahh no... really?"
and she gave me the "sorry" look and said "yeah..."

The verdict? EIGHT cavities. Every molar.
The solution? Do it through the hospital. Put her to sleep. Pay LOTS and LOTS of bucks.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? How does a 3 year old, who almost never gets to drink juice, is limited to sweets, and never goes to bed without having her teeth brushed by her parents get eight stinkin cavities?

Apparently you are supposed to floss your children's teeth right from the get-go. I admit I failed there. And since Tage's teeth are tight... and no flossy flossy... we won ourselves eight cavities! Man, I felt like Loser Mother of the Year at that appointment. Okay, not really, because I know I'm awesome. But I do feel like I let Tage down. Now she has to go through getting them worked on and being put to sleep.

So, learn from my Horrible Mommy Moment #3: Floss your tot

I learned my lesson and now floss Mason's (11mo.) teeth, despite the 2 inch gap between each tooth. Ain't no one gonna tell me I messed up when I didn't floss his teeth. No way.

IMMUNIZE

2010-01-05T11:53:00.000-08:00

Taking a basic microbiology class in college made me a firm believer in immunizations. Meeting my sister-in-law, Shannon, who is a scientist reasearching Malaria, made me more of a believer. Enrolling my kids in th H1N1 vaccination study increased my belief in it even more. But when I hear other people's real life experiences with disease that could have been prevented through vaccination, I KNOW I am doing the right thing when I take my kids to the doctor and let them be stabbed with needles and injected with various vaccines. If you haven't felt the need to vaccinate you children, read natalienortonphoto.blogspot.com and pray for baby Gavin, who is fighting for his life. (I believe Natalie said the vaccines that would have helped him are not given until the 8week appointment... he got sick prior to that age.)
I don't know Natalie personally, but started following her blog after reading an article she wrote for a photography website. I then learned that she and I are of the same faith (LDS a.k.a mormon) and feel more connected to her. Talk to people who know a thing or too (preferably ones who have a doctorate degree in the field) about vaccines before you decide not to vaccinate your kids.

Good Thing She Didn't Have To

2009-11-20T11:01:00.000-08:00

My very pregnant friend Chelsea was at my house the other day.
She had to use the bathroom.
"Are you going to pee or poop?" Tage asked.
"Uhh... just pee." Chelsea answered and proceeded into the bathroom and shut the door.
A few moments later Chelsea emerges and Tage says:
"Did you keep your baby in your belly?"

Later... after Chelsea left our home...

"Did Chelsea pee or poop Mom?"
"I think she just peed."
"She didn't want to poop because she didn't want to push her baby out of her bum?"
And then I laughed really hard.
Pretty accurate for a 3 year old who knows absolutely nothing about the child birth process!

The Pumpkin Package

2009-10-29T08:17:00.000-07:00

Last week we went to the Pumpkin Patch. Tage called it the Pumpkin Package! Unfortunately, the hay ride was only on the weekends, and it was supposed to raid so we went on a Thursday. Tage even asked if we were going to ride the tractor... she remembered it from last year!!! We still had fun though!

The cutest pumpkin of them all!

I don't know why Tage wore her helmet... she insisted. Good thing too!
She fell off of Kevin's shoulders while we were there.

Kevin and Mason with the pumpkin Tage picked!

We love the Pumpkin Patch! And as Tage would say... "the Pumpkin Package loves us too!"

I don't blog much

2009-10-13T17:12:00.000-07:00

I Love This Boy

2009-09-26T18:06:00.000-07:00

Skeeter Syndrome

2009-08-22T17:53:00.000-07:00

Yes. It is a mesquito bite.
Yes. It got worse after this picture was taken...
swelled down to my ankle, and almost up to my knee, but not quite.
Yes. It gave me a limp.
Yes. It itched FREAKING CRAZY.
Yes. It hurt.
Yes. I now have a deep fear of those devilish insects.

More Chad and Shannon

2009-08-04T13:01:00.000-07:00

More pictures from the wedding... check out those storm clouds! Chad and Shannon were lucky they caught a short break in the down pour and were able to get pictures in front of the temple!

This was the best photo of our little family... too bad Mason isn't looking!

Here is a better picture of our little smushie with Daddy

Chad and Shannon Wedding

2009-08-04T12:53:00.000-07:00

Friday, July 31 Chad and Shannon got married in the Washington D.C. Temple! We are so lucky to have Shannon in our family now! She is the only one I know that can put a feather in her hair and not look like a loser! Enjoy the pictures! (Doesn't Tage look adorable along with her cousins??)

"The Turtle Is Sad"

2009-07-19T16:30:00.000-07:00

WARNING.... THIS POST CONTAINS A GRAPHIC IMAGE. VIEWER DISGRESSION IS ADVISED.

Around the 4th of July, Pop Pop and Tage went on a walk by our house. Tage came back telling me that they saw a turtle and it was sad. I asked her why it was sad, and she sad "A truck squashed it! The turtle is sad Mommy!" A little bit later, Tage got her camera out and said she wanted to take a picture of the sad turtle... and so she did.

A few days ago, she went to visit the sad turtle again. This time, she came back saying "someone cleaned the sad turtle up"

photo by Tage (a 2 3/4 year old)

I would be sad too.

Sorry for the graphic picture!

Slow down for wild life!

p.s. a few months ago I was driving and saw a turtle in the road, so we stopped and Tage and I saved it by carrying it back to the side, and farther away from the road by some trees... we love turtles, incase you may have thought otherwise!

A Full House

2009-07-15T18:08:00.001-07:00

Tagester has quite the imagination....

A crocodile lives at the top of our stairs, every day Tage will come down the stairs and slam the door saying "NO CROCODILE!" Whenever she goes up the stairs, she hurrys fast saying "Hurry! Hurry! Don't want the Crocodile to get me!" She has been observed with a toy saw, sawing the carpet. When asked what she was doing, she said "I'm cutting the Crocodile!"

One day, while eating breakfast, Tage told Daddy there was a Hot Pink little girl over by the sink. She has pink hair, pink eyes, pink skin, and pink clothes. Daddy accidently stepped on her... oops! I think Tage recently changed the little girls color though... if I'm not mistaken, she is now blue!

A while ago, Kevin was wiping Tage's bum after she used the toilet. Noticing a bruise on her bum, he asked her about it.
Daddy: "Tage, you have a bruise on your bum! What happened?"
Tage: "Oh.... a beaver bit my bum..."
Daddy: "A beaver???"
Tage: "Yeah... a beaver, with little green teeth!"

As you can see, our house is getting crowded!

Stay tuned for "The Sad Turtle"... a TRUE story!

Marathons

2009-06-28T17:24:00.000-07:00

The ward I attend is very athletic. There is a very large runner's group, and they keep convincing others to run to. Not short runs either. LONG marathon runs. 26.2miles... or more... some run 50. Kevin did a 1/2 marathon last year and is going to do the full one this year. He'd also like to do the JFK 50 mile trail run. Not me though. I'm not interested! I'm not into marathons. Which is why Kevin was suprised when I asked him to drive 2000 miles across the country and back with a toddler and an infant in the back seat!
Yes, it was so brutal it has taken me this long to recover and even think about blogging our adventure!
Kevin went to work the day we were leaving. All morning Tage was whiny and kept wanting me to hold her. She laid on the couch a lot. I thought she had to poop. She said she didn't. I thought maybe she was sick. She said she wasn't. Kevin was home by 11:30am and we finished packing up the car. Tage siezed the opportunity to paint her finger/toe nails while we weren't looking. We now have a hot pink toilet!
I should have known the drive would be rough when as we were walking out the door Tage puked. LITERALLY, we were walking out the door. Then, 30 minutes into our drive, she puked again in an empty carton we had grabbed on our way out and made her hold incase she felt sick again.
We drove most of that night and arrived in Nebraska the next morning, May 30th, and stayed with my parents.

Mason and Tage with G & G

After being there a few hours, Tage had diarreah... need I say more? We had a great time visiting Grandma and Grandpa though! Oh and Woofer. Can't forget him. We went to church the next day and played some more with G & G and then left for Utah that night around 7:30. Drove all night.

One of MANY naps in the car!
Got to Eagle Mountain, Utah, around 11am. Just prior to that we made a pit stop and Tage got an icecream cone, played on a playground (still feverish) and got to see a "Personal Penguin."
The drive out really wasn't too bad. Tage had a few rough times when she would wake up at night and was disoriented/sick/tired. Mason slept most of the time and didn't cry too much. We would pull over so I could feed him and then he would be happy and go back to sleep.
We stayed with my brother, Chris, and his wife, Trista. Tage and her cousin Jaxton had a great time playing with together, and Mason and Emberlynn just ignored each other.

Tage and Jaxton being silly!

We came at a good time, their community was having "Pony Express Days" and had activities for the kids each week.

Tage was THRILLED that Minnie picked her up!

Trista, Me, and Jami Harward at the petting zoo during Pony Express Days!

Daddy and Tage

We saw some good friends. Played in the mountains. Went to D.I. Good times!

On Friday Morning, we left for St. George. Drove all morning. Arrived at Col. Whicker's home early afternoon and hung out for awhile with the whole Whicker clan until Ali and Perri's wedding reception that evening. It was a beautiful rececption and we had a lot of fun. Tage had fun on the swing set in the backyard, and got a pretty nasty scrape on her chin that she still talks about (even mentioned it this very night!) That night we stayed at Kevin's sister's inlaw's house in St. George (they were out of town). Mason gave us the best laugh of his entire life up to that point... at 11:30pm.

Saturday morning...

ALISON WHICKER MARRIES PERRIS KUSILEK AND BECOMES ALI KUSILEK!!!

Woot Woot!

Perris and Ali.... Gorgeous eh?

I was so glad that we were able to be at their wedding ceremony in the St. George Temple. Ali is one of my bestestest friends of all time... since we were 14. At the temple, I felt a sense of gratitude that I was able to have Ali as a friend through high school and that we kept our standards high and both married in the temple.

After the ceremony, we attended Ali and Perris' wedding luncheon. Afterwards, when getting ready to leave, Ali's sisters Tara and Cami were asking me about our drive home and how long we expected it to take. As I was starting to reply, I shocked myself when I started bawling! I was already sooooooo tired and the thought of the journey we were about to embark on was difficult. As we walked out to our car, I started crying again! I was so surprised at my emotions!

We began our drive at 3:30pm western time, Saturday June 6th. Our marathon ended at 5:30pm eastern time June 8th. Along the way, we tried unsuccessfully to sleep at the summit of a FREEZING mountain in Colorado....I slapped myself to stay awake in Kansas until I could get to the next exit.... Watched a storm in Missouri while we were pulled over at a gas station.... were sad in Illnois when Mason would cry and we would pull over, get him out and he would smile and laugh, only to cry again the second we put him back in his carseat...and laughed in West Virginia at a gas station when we turned around just in time to see Tage, with her pants pulled down to her ankles peeing in the grass where anyone could see (I had JUST taken her to a toilet, but she refused to pee in it because it was a "yucky toilet").

It was a great adventure, well worth it to see so many people we love.... but also a journey we will not be making again anytime in the near future!

Rainy Days

2009-05-28T18:11:00.000-07:00

On days it RAINS, I don't do laundry

A Few Of My Victims

2009-05-15T11:32:00.000-07:00

I have another confession. i. kill. plants.
Really good ones too. I don't know why I do it, but I just can't seem to stop.
Any plant unlucky enough to make it into my house DIES.
The pink Azalea.
The coveted Red Japanese Maple
Delicious Basil
The Christmas Amaryllis (3 of them!)
Soothing Aloe Vera
Pine Tree
Clematis
And Many Others.

Many of these plants are currently under my kitchen sink, an unworthy grave for such wonderful plants.
I ditch my victims there when I am in a hurry to clean up and hide the deadly deed when visitors are coming over.
This post is for all of you that I have killed.
I'm sorry.
Truly I am.
I wanted all of you.
Especially you, Mr. Red Japanese Maple. You are expensive.

I just want you to know that I sucessfully grew from seed many plants indoors this spring.
Many of them made it outside and are still alive today.
I am trying.
Really.

A Few Weeks Ago...

2009-05-15T11:06:00.000-07:00

You're gonna have to wait for the words.... I know, I'm slow!

Pay Day

2009-04-27T09:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday the big bonus I've been waiting for finally came in!

I have been working SO hard, the past 3 months I have changed about 1,000 diapers, been peed on, scrubbed poop stains out of clothes, done laundry double time, fed the boy too many times to ever possibly count, and have been sleep deprived. I have been so involved in my work, that I even skip showers (not always my choice) and have been known to wear the same pajamas for almost 48hours straight.

But like I said, yesterday was pay day and my bonus came through.... I've worked hard and really, really deserved this!

Yesterday, I gave Mason a Raspberry in his neck, and he Giggled!

Crazy Tage

2009-04-15T13:07:00.000-07:00

Left to right, top to bottom...

Tage in her sneaks and hat, doing the "poopity poop" dance on top of the couch.

Tage wearing Mason's beanie, and putting lotion on her legs

Tage in her hat, ballerina outfit, and christmas slippers

Tage in a bag

Tage doing yoga in a top to an old dress of mine and her snow boots.

Wow! What will she wear tomorrow???

20/20

2009-04-14T16:01:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine recently asked me if I had any marriage advice, as she is about to get hitched. I told her that her and her husband's problems should always be just theirs. No one else needs to hear them. If you have an issue with your spouse, you tell him, not your momma, or your girl friends. It really bothers me when I am with a group of women (or just one woman!) and they all start baggin on their husband. I would be really hurt if Kevin started telling his friends things I do that he hates or makes him mad (which although I do lots that he can complain about, he never gets mad... really. Never. Never ever yells either. It's great. He's the best!) So I'm not going to talk about him behind his back either.

Anyways, I've been thinking about what advice I have to give newly weds and what I'd do differently and I came up with these other things as well.

1. Stainless steel. That is the only way to go when you buy cookware. I bought some expensive nonstick stuff and less than 5 years later I am replacing all of it. Stainless steel yo. and glass for baking. Just say 'NO' to nonstick!
The only thing I did right with kitchen items was my knives.... I dished out a lot of dough for some good ones and I'm glad I did... Just sharpen them and they will work forever!

2. Kids. If I could have controlled some health issues that had to be resolved before I could have kids, I would've had them right away. I love my kids so much, and there is nothing greater than being Mommy. I wouldn't have waited if I didn't have those issues, and knowing what I know now. But that's just my opinion.

3. Don't spend your money. Sure have fun every now and then, but hold your money tight... you'll be glad you did in a few years, when you have to buy diapers. We were able to save a lot in our first year of marriage and then we bought a money pit, and now I miss my green.

4. Who am I kidding, I don't have that much advice. This is where it ends......

Confessions

2009-03-26T15:30:00.000-07:00

I have a confession. I am a pack rat. It's true. As I have been trying (constantly) to simplify and organize, I have come to this realization. I try to find things I don't want or need anymore, but I want it all. I "need" it all. I am trying to change this though. I want to boss my stuff. I don't want my stuff to boss me.

I think the things we own say a lot about who we are and what is important to us. I don't want to be a mess! That is not who I am.

Cleaning Progress: I went through Tage's toys recently. I meant to get rid of a lot, but only got rid of a few (one of which was a giant plush pink cat with "Bratz" style eyes...bleh)

8 Hours Of Bliss

2009-03-23T11:06:00.000-07:00

My 9 week old baby slept through the night last night! Only 10months sooner than his big sister did! Even if it doesn't last... I'm good to go for at least a week!

Blessing and More

2009-03-19T04:57:00.000-07:00

SUNDAY, MARCH 1, Mason was blessed. What a fabulous day it was! Mason was a stud in his white suit! Kevin blessed him, of course, and in the circle was Kevin's brother, Chad, and his Father, Larry (Pop Pop) and Bishop Kippen (my Bishop ran the JFK 50, did yours?) Mason cried the entire time, and I went to the mother's room immediately after. When I arrived back to our seat in the chapel, Kevin nudge me and pointed to Shannon's (Chad's girlfriend) hand and I spotted her huge BLING! I was mad they made us sit all through Sacrament Meeting before we could get the story on their engagement. I am thrilled that Shannon will be in our family. She is wonderful and will one day find a cure for Malaria!

We had everyone over lunch, I made a great Chicken Noodle Soup, which ended up being Turkey Noodle Soup because I had no chicken, and then ended up just being Turkey with carrots and celery, because I FORGOT to put the noodles in before I served.... oh dear. No one cared though. They even ate every speck of halfbaked brownies.

The day was great, but there was a touch of sadness, because my Dad was unable to participate in the blessing. He suffered a stroke in February, two days before they were supposed to come visit us. Luckily, it was a minor stroke, and he is recovering very well.

SATURDAY, MARCH 7: I took a flight with the two kids, to Omaha, to visit my parents. Tage was on a Monkey leash, and Mason was in the Bjorn. Pretty smooth sailing.

The trip was good, Tage chased Woofer around the entire time, and Mason slept.

The last day, my mom was a little weepy, because we were leaving. Tage kept saying "Grandma! Don't cry! I'm still here!" and when we were back in Maryland, she called her and said "Grandma, you sad Tage had to go to Daddy's house?" Tage is adorable!

TUESDAY MARCH 17: Flight back to Maryland. Not as smooth as the trip out, but still fairly pleasant, considering Tage had awful sleep the night before, and had no nap that day. We had some tantrums in the bathroom at our layover in Chicago (apparently I wasn't doing the soap right...) and for the last 45minutes of our flight, Tage cried that she had to pee (a tough task to help her with in the eensy plane bathroom and holding an infant) and finally when we landed, I tried to get her to use the plane toilet, but the second she saw it, she said "No" and she ended up peeing in her pull-up, which was fine with me, that's why she had it on in the first place, so I wouldn't have to deal with the airplane bathroom scene!

So, I had told Kevin I thought it would be easier if I just picked up our luggage and he picked us up outside, instead of him parking and coming in and then making the trek back to the car with the kids. MISTAKE! The baggage didn't come for awhile, and Tage was crawling on the floor, with me holding her back with the Monkey Tail. When our bags finally came, she wouldn't get off of the floor, and finally when she did, I struggled to grab my bags, and a very nice man helped me get them off the belt. Then, everything came crashing down. Literally. One suitcase fell, and then Tage tripped, bumped the other suitcase, spun around and fell on top of the suitcase. All in a split second, with Tage crying, and Mason screaming in he Bjorn, and me wearing a backpack that weighed about 1/2 of what I do! The same man that got our bags, insisted on helping me, and I told him I was just going to sit and wait for my husband. I didn't want him to know that I was going to walk out of the airport myself. He carried my bags to a bench, and when he was gone, I headed to the doors. Automatic doors? No. They were broken. So I pushed the door and tried to navigate it's narrow opening, before another person came to help me. We were all thrilled to see Kevin, Tage got giddy when she saw him.

Great to be home! In the 10 days that I was gone many of my seeds have begun to sprout. YAY! This year, my yard and garden are going to look GREAT! I hope.

Update on cleaning: Umm, well... let's see... I gave a bin of clothes to my mother in law to consign. And I sold a spare exersaucer (again Tage's words as the toy left "Hey! I want my toy back!" Mommy: "Sorry, we gave it to those people, and they gave us some money, and mommy is going to...." Tage: "Go to the store and buy more Yoooooguuurrrrt!") A small dent, but a dent it is.

STUFF

2009-02-28T18:10:00.000-08:00

TOO MUCH STUFF.
TOO MUCH MESS.
I'M SO TIRED OF CLEANING.

Seriously... where does all of this stuff come from??? Kevin and I are penny pinchers. We don't like to spend our money (if we had any to spend, and I'm not even being sarcastic there) and yet we seem to accumulate more and MORE stuff. Maybe part of it is because we don't have any money and so everyone feels bad for us and gives us things... I don't know. But it is really bad to have a lot of things and only one teeny closet.

Last October my friend and I did a yardsale during Colorfest. I sold $300 worth of STUFF, but felt like I brought home just as much as what I took. That stuff has been sitting in a spare room ever since. I constantly, try to organize. And now I am serious about getting rid of A LOT of STUFF. (I don't know what stuff yet though, that's the hard part) I already got rid of about 1/2 of Tage's baby clothes, but still have a lot. If my 3rd baby is another boy, I'm getting rid of 95% of all of her clothes (hopefully I'll sell it, which is actually another problem of mine. I always want to recover money that I spend. So when I decide I don't need something, I put it in the corner and tell Kev I'm going to try to sell it... and then it sits. For a long time.) I have identified three problem areas: Clothes, Papers, and Toys. These things clutter my house.

SO, This next month I am going to drastically SIMPLIFY the things I own. I will hold myself accountable on my blog.

This week's progress: nill. I'll try again next week.

That Would Be A Cold Swim

2009-02-26T20:39:00.000-08:00

Last Friday, we took a trip with the fam (DE Harrisons + Shannon) to the Baltimore Inner Harbor. We met at Shannon's and then rode the light rail. We had to walk about four blocks, it was bitterly cold, and the wind hurt our faces. Tage walked most of the way, but also had Daddy hold her so she could bury her face in his shoulder to keep warm. I pushed Mason in the stroller, cozy in his carseat with his ganket, bundler, carseat "hat" and the sun visor to the stroller. He slept the whole time, oblivious to the trauma we were all experiencing. Once we got to the Harbor, Tage saw the water (Atlantic Ocean for those of you who are unawares... I once called it a "some kind of big lake" when Kevin and I were dating and he took me to Bower's Beach in Delaware... did I just admit that? Oh dear...) and said "I don't want to get in that water!" I guess she thought we were going swimming!

Swimming we did not... instead we went to the Baltimore Aquarium. The first thing we saw when we got there was turtles. Tage, standing at the glass and seeing the creatures swim around got SO excited! Throwing her arms up in the air, and then down to her sides, she exclaimed "TURTLES??? OH MY GOODNESS! OH MY GOODNESS!" It was hilarious! She was also pretty thrilled with the "big, big, big, snakes" and wanted to touch them, the sharks, and the sea horse. She later recounted things she saw and said "didn't see kitty at 'quarium' though" Haha, nope, no cats at the sea zoo. Sorry Tage! We asked her what her favorite thing was that she saw and she said "Fishes, that's my favorite color!"

After the Aquarium, we stopped in at Heaven... I mean the Cheesecake Factory, and had dinner, and (duh!) cheesecake. YUM!

THEN, we made the treacherous trek back to the light rail, Tage crashed in Kevin's arms, and slept the whole way back to the car (poor kiddo was so excited anticipating the train ride again, and missed it!)

Mason slept the whole trip, except a brief awakening for a snack. Once we got home, (11pm) he awoke (of course) and was up until 1am! He did great though for our first lengthy adventure out with both kids!

911

2009-02-19T05:24:00.000-08:00

This is delayed but I thought I'd write about it anyways. A few Saturdays ago we were at the Hampton Inn with Kevin's parents. Here are the highlights of the night:

Tage swam in the pool.

Tage pooped in her swimsuit.

Tage peed on the carpet in the room (drank too much pool water!)

Tage dropped her yogurt on the carpet.

Tage called 911.

The police came.

This was a night for the record books!

(oh and Tage's cousin Kaden wrapped himself in the towel that had Tage's poop all over it.)

Ahhh... toddlers are full of surprises!

Cries, Falls, and Water (lots of it)

2009-02-14T16:55:00.000-08:00

Last Friday pandemonium struck! And it all happened in less than 5 minutes! This is how it went:

Mason, getting ready for a bath, is stark naked, and Kevin says "Do you hear that?" and goes to the bathroom to get a towel. He then yells "oh no!" and runs out of the house and down to the cellar.

Then I hear a crash in the kitchen and crying. I leave Mason on the floor and run to Tage, who has fallen off of the barstool and is hurt. At this point Mason begins wailing, and I see what Kevin was concerned about as water is flowing out of the bathroom door. Curse the cold 200 year old walls!

Baby+Toddler+Burst pipes= A lot of dirty laundry

The chaos ended as quickly as it started (except the pipes aren't quite fixed yet) and it wasn't all that bad... worse things could have happened, like Mason could have peed on the carpet during his naked aloneness, but he didn't!

I guess this is what it is like having more than one child! I look forward to more crazy events, as long as they don't have any lasting concequences, such as the carpet smelling like pee. (Again, Mason, I thank you for exercising some bladder control.)

A Perfect Day

2009-02-10T12:13:00.000-08:00

The day I went into labor was perfect. I woke up around 3am with contractions that came about every 7 minutes. From 7am-9:45am I cleaned up a bit, played and read stories to Tage. At 9:45 I was really tired and laid down on the couch, Tage curled up next to me, and we both took a nap. I woke up and laid there looking at my little angel, savoring the moment. It was very early for Tage to be taking a nap, and very rare for her to curl up to me like she did during the day. I scooped her up and carried her to her bed.
Kevin came home (it was a teacher work day and he was able to leave early), and I went to my OB appointment at noon. I was completely effaced, and 3cm dialated. The Dr. stripped my membranes but made no promises that it would speed things along. I called Kevin and told him not to keep the car running... it could still be days before we went to the hospital. I went to the grocery store to pick up a few things.
Then the contractions got worse. When I was ready to check out at that store, I said to myself "Just get the milk and bread here... don't go to Sam's Club... just get it here and go home..." But instead of listening to my gut, I went to Sam's Club.
"I'll be really fast," I said to myself "I can make it..." I was like a rocket in Sam's... but again, my gut spoke to me "LEAVE THE CART AND GO HOME" "No, I can make it" I told myself. This time I atleast skipped half of my list. Contractions were coming every 3-5 minutes and I was struggling to not show any pain. I paid for my goods and left quickly, for fear of giving birth in Sam's Club. I then called Kevin and told him to get Tage ready to go to Cynthia's, and to get our bags ready, and that we were going to the hospital when I got home (He was shocked at the quick change in plans... it had only been an hour and a half since my appointment). I sped home, praying that I wouldn't get pulled over.
We were at the hospital at 3pm, I was 5 cm dialated, I had my epidural around 4, at 6:18 I was ready to push, and Mason was out ten minutes later, at 6:28pm.
Tage came and saw Mason, and brought him a stuffed frog. When she first came, Mason was still in the nursery, and she walked into my room and said "No! I don't want to see Mommy.... I want to see Baby Mason!"
I had some really great nurses who did an AWESOME job of keeping me from passing out after the delivery. I passed out 3 times with Tage, and this time I nearly passed out about 10 times, but the nurses wouldn't let me. Once I got hit with an ammonia packet thing, and I yelled... That stuff really wakes you up! It hurt my nose too...
My only complaint about that day was that when I got back to my room I was by myself for a few minutes and was on the verge of throwing up, with nothing but my bedsheets to throw up in. I kept pushing the nurse help button, and no one came. A minute later a nurse answered my call on the little speaker thing, and I said I needed a trash can to throw up in. A few more minutes passed, and finally someone came. I had suppressed the urge to vomit by that time though, and Kevin had already come back and had provided me with a bin.
Oh, and I thought they kept my baby in the nursery for WAY too long. I was waiting FOREVER to hold my baby again, and that irritated me.
Other than that though, it was really a perfect day. I got some special cuddle time with Tage in the morning, and special cuddle time with Mason that night.

Best Friends

2009-02-03T17:45:00.000-08:00

Today Kevin walked in the door from work and Tage went running... "Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad! Hip, hip hooray! Daddy's home!" just like she does every day.
Kevin came into the living room where I was holding Mason (13 days old!) and sat next to me. Tage climbed up on his lap and looking at him said "How 'bout maybe Daddy be my best friend. Daddy be my best friend?" That of course melted Daddy's heart! I hope Daddy and Tage are always best friends!

And Then There Was FOUR

2009-01-25T09:42:00.000-08:00

MASON COLE made his debut JANUARY 21, 2009 at 6:28pm! He weighed in at 7lbs 8oz. and was 20in. long!

Waiting...

2009-01-20T05:19:00.000-08:00

Sunday morning I woke up and my body screamed "I AM DONE!" Now the baby just needs to get the message... And so we wait.....

It's Not Constipation

2009-01-12T17:22:00.000-08:00

It's WITHOLDING.

Be forewarned, this entire post is going to be about bowel movements. Yes, I am talking about poop. Why? Because this is my blog and I can talk about what I want, and this is the #1 issue and stress in my life. It breaks my heart to see my 2 year old going through this every day, and maybe someone will find this post useful with their child who may have the same problem.

It started around February of last year. Tage had a painful poop. She didn't like it. The next time she had to go, she didn't want to. So she held it in until the urge passed. This made it painful again the next time she pooped. So the next urge she had, she held it in. She wouldn't poop for days. When she finally would go, she would scream and cry and dig her fingers into my shoulders. And I would cry too. And so the cycle began.... Painful poop.... withold... painful poop...withold even more....

In MARCH, I took her to the doctor for pink eye. Since I was there I figured it was a good time to mention the constipation problem. The doctor dismissed it as from being sick and said to give her more fluids and fiber filled food (DUH, like I hadn't already thought of that). And so we continued on our own for a few months, trying to find a problem in her diet, trying to increase fluids, trying to bribe her to go poop. NOTHING worked. We tried combinations of everything... water, juices, prune juice, prunes, more fruit, more veggies, less dairy, everything. Once we even gave her a suppository, and I vowed never to do such a cruel thing ever again. Tage wouldn't let us touch her bum for a month (it made for very difficult diaper changes!)

JUNE came along and it had gotten so bad that we took her back to the doctor to be seen specifically for this problem. Once again, the doctor (a different one, but from the same office) dismissed my concerns, and just told me to put her on Miralax for awhile. The doctor didn't really seem to acknowledge the serious problem that it really is. We bought the laxative and started giving it to Tage. She had the urge to poop. She screamed. She cried. I cried. She pooped. It was soft. We repeated this process for a few weeks, but started to get nervous because we felt that maybe she was on the laxative for too long and it wasn't good for her. We went back to trying to change her diet. It didn't work. We put her on the laxative again for almost a month, but still, she witheld. We took her off the laxative. And this took us up to....

OCTOBER. We took her back to the doctor. I expressed my concern about her bowel movements. I suggested taking her off of dairy completely. The doctor said that would be completely unnecessary.

She suggested increasing her fluids. Tried it.

Prunes. Tried it.

Prune Juice. Doesn't work.

Fruits. She eats tons every day.

Veggies. Tell me something we haven't tried.

Put her back on Miralax. Thanks for the great advice doc.

And so I went home and did more research on my own. We bought books. and this is what we learned. It's not constipation: It's witholding. And 30% of children have this issue. The books validated everything I have thought. Tage's witholding issue is COMPLETLY consuming. Our lives revolved around her poop. Kevin and my conversations pretty much consist of Tage's poop. I think and talk about her poop so much that I think I might turn into one. Tage is a completely different child once she is finally able to go.

We are in JANUARY now, and Tage has been on Miralax for about 3 months. She has not had a painful poop that entire period, and yet... when she has the urge, she crys, she lays down, she rocks on the floor, she wants to be held, she won't move, she won't eat, so won't play. This will go on for hours. When she can't hold it in any longer, she screams and cries and then finally it comes out against her will. It is awful how stressful it is. Unless you have a child that has this problem, you really don't know how consuming and serious it is. I never knew poop could become such a problem. And once Tage has gone, she is full of life and energy and it is so sad to see how she could be all of the time if pooping wasn't such a problem. She will do ANYTHING not to poop. It seems to be her main priority. We bribe her with all sorts of treats and exciting events and prizes, and yet nothing can get her to willingly push the poop out. She loves to go to the park. We will be walking there and just as the park is in sight, if she suddenly has the urge to go she will grab her bum and say "No thank you, don't want to go to the park. I want to go home." So we go home, and she gets her pink blanket and cuddles with it and lays on the floor, rocking, crying, screaming.

What we have mainly learned is that we are doing all we can do. We will keep her on the laxative for as long as it takes. We will continue holding her, and encouraging her to go, and when she does, she will get a reward (sometimes it's a "Big, big, ice cream with SPRINKLES!" other times it is baking cookies, or eating two suckers at once... whatever is exciting to Tage!) We wish we had been better informed about constipation and it's repercussions 11 months ago. We wish the doctors had given us more information and better advice earlier. We hope that she will be able to realize soon that she can poop right when she has the urge and go on with her day. It really is amazing the power she has to keep the poop in. All we can do though is wait, and hope that this will improve soon.

I will end with Tage's victory chant(s):

"Poop, poop, poop. I like to poop! I like poop each day! poop, poop, poop."

And....

(say while jumping around in circles) "Pooooooooop. Poopity poopity poop. Poop Poop Poop. Poopity poopity poop!"

Those are our two recent favorites. But after 11 months, we have a lot of poop victory dances and chants.

Sticks

2009-01-04T17:04:00.000-08:00

I spent Friday morning up at the Olsen Ranch helping prune fruit trees in the freezing cold. I did a little bit of cutting, but was not very confident in my pruning abilities, and was not ready to accept any responsibility that might come from the trees not producing any fruit this year, so mostly I picked up sticks. Lots of sticks. Some of those trees got massive haircuts and I cleaned it up. Tough work for being 37 weeks pregnant! I have spent the rest of the weekend trying to recover (I'm so sore!). After all the trees were sufficiently cut, we headed to the barn and gathered around a fire and enjoyed the company of good friends. We drank hot chocolate, roasted marshmallows (on apple wood sticks!) and roasted chestnuts.
Thanks Olsen's for another experience and another great memory at your ranch!

Merry Christmas Adam!

2008-12-23T18:13:00.000-08:00

"Merry Christmas Everybody, Merry Christmas!"

Monday: Nativity FHE at the Talbots, featuring Tage, the Shepherd.

Tage didn't want to be a shepherd and wear the robe, but after some bribing (hooray for candy!) she agreed to put it on. Chocolate works for a lot of things in our house!

Tuesday: CHRISTMAS EVE! Okay, so it is really only Christmas Adam, but we are headed to Mom Mom and Pop Pop's tomorrow, so we decided to have Christmas a day early and do some celebrating with our own little family.

Tage helped make popcorn, and wanted to be the one to hold the towel (our popper is crazy, so we use a towel to shield the flying kernels...) Then we got a plate of goodies and laid out a blanket and watched "Christmas on Sesame Street" which is probably the coolest Christmas movie EVER! I used to watch it when I was a little girl, and my mom found it on DVD for me! Poor Big Bird freezes his giblets... (what??)

This must have been a really intense part of the movie... I think it was at the beginning, when Cookie Monster is doing some extreme ice skating, trying to jump over ONE... TWO... THREE! THREE barrels! Ah, ah, ah, ah.....

After the movie, we got ready for bed, and Tage put out some cookies and milk for Santa and went to bed very excited. It was a fun evening, and I can't wait for tomorrow morning!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! It really is the best time of the year, eh?

Grateful

2008-12-12T11:18:00.000-08:00

We took this picture about a month ago at the Olsen's ranch (If I look uncomfortable it is probably because I am!) I am so grateful for the Olsen family! They could be my parents, but we count them as very good friends. They have definitely given us much more than we have given them.
It all started the summer we moved to Maryland. It was the 4th of July and we didn't know anyone and had no celebration plans. But then, we saw a flyer for a community potluck breakfast at the Olsen's Ranch, and we went. We contributed bananas to the breakfast. The Olsen's provided the pancakes, eggs, bacon, and sausage. Every year they do this, and every year it gets bigger. Hundreds of people attend, and the program usually consists of bag pipers, quartets, children singing, and Iraq war veterens who tell their story. War veterens are asked to come forward, and they are recognized and applauded for their service. It is an amazing program the Olsen's do every year, and we never want to miss it!
This past summer, Mr. Olsen invited me to help on the ranch and in return I could share in some of the produce. What a BLESSING that has turned out to be! Between my garden and his orchard, I rarely bought any produce over the summer. And it continues still... having canned a lot of his fruit, we are still able to cut down our grocery bill, and it should last us until the trees start producing once again.
Since the Olsen's were providing us with fruit to can, it got me into canning lots of other things too. Thanks to some more friends who are experts at canning and knowing where the good deals are, I have canned everything from Peaches to Beef--- that's right... BEEF. For super cheap. I even found an orchard that was selling apples for $6 a bushel! We got some in October, and are still trying to plow through them today! The Olsen's have really helped us get going on our food storage, and I am so grateful to have it to use right now.
Can I just talk about that beef again? It was so easy to can (I bought 25lbs of it!) and the thing I like the most is now I have meat that I can use and don't have to touch to prepare it. There is nothing worse than touching raw meat... so I spent a day where I touched it a lot, and now I don't have to. Yay!
I will never be able to thank the Olsen's enough for their kindness to our family!

I am cursing

2008-12-09T17:12:00.000-08:00

I just wrote a wicked long post, and because my computer/internet is lame, it is now lost somewhere in cyberspace. Here was the gist of it.

I am 33 weeks pregnant.
My baby no longer looks like a wrinkled alien.
Tage has major poop problems.
And it is not funny.
After dealing with that all day (like I have every day for the past 9 months) plus her vomiting, plus my cold, I am going to bed.
And it is only 8:20pm.
And I pray the Fire Hall's alarm does not go off tonight and I can sleep peacefully.

In Loving Memory...

2008-11-10T09:55:00.000-08:00

I would like to dedicate this post to a beautiful young woman who I had the pleasure of knowing for a very brief time. Caitlin Boles passed away this weekend from injuries recieved in a car accident a few weeks ago. I met her this past July when I was one of her leaders at Girl's Camp for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Honestly, I can't remember any conversations we had or anything specific she did or said. All I remember now is her smile. When I try to picture her at camp, all I see is her beautiful smile and the light that was in her eyes. My thoughts and prayers go out to her family today as they prepare for her funeral, and the weeks ahead as they grieve the loss of their daughter and son (who died in the same accident on the scene, according to the information I have recieved).
At camp, I had the girls write a letter to themselves, and asked them to write things they would want to hear from their Heavenly Father. I have yet to send these letters back to them, and now I hold Caitlin's and can't help but wonder if the words in it will help bring her family peace and this time, and knowledge that their Heavenly Father loves them and is watching over them. Whatever the letter says, I think it will bring a little comfort to her family to recieve it, knowing that their daughter wrote it and was thinking about her Heavenly Father when she did so.

Hopeful

2008-11-05T08:28:00.000-08:00

I know, twice in one day... and before noon! But this morning I saw a picture of Obama and his fam, and it made me feel hopeful. I think that Obama has the potential to be a great President, and I hope he lives up to it and doesn't create more of what we don't need-- Government. I wasn't excited about McCain either by the way. In fact, I think it is terribly tragic that the media doesn't feel obligated to give equal amount of coverage to ALL candidates running for THE office, not just the Dem and Rep parties. I don't believe Obama or McCain were the best our nation has to offer. I think there was someone more qualified. Too bad the media controls the election.

Another thing that irks me-- I saw a headline on CNN with a quote from Oprah (I did not read the article however) that said "America did the right thing" What kind of comment is that?? Like voting for anyone but Obama would have been the wrong thing?? PSSHHH.

Anyways... I am hopeful. and excited.

I'm still getting a gun though.

Get Your Gun

2008-11-05T03:27:00.000-08:00

This morning I woke up, saw the news, and decided I need to get a gun and a CWP. It may not be long before that right is taken away from us, (or a very hearty attempt to take it away) and I am not going to pass it up. I am disappointed in the outcome of the Presidental race. A Democratic President. A Democratic House. A Democratic Senate. No Checks and Balances. My question is:

Why do so many people think the government should solve our problems?

Get out of my money. Get out of my healthcare. Read the constitution. Abide by it.

Not that I'm a Constitutionalist. I'm not. I think that our Founding Fathers did a miraculous job and were inspired when they wrote it, but I also think that it needs to change as our society changes. But not to the point that our government is involved in nearly every aspect of our lives. I don't want to become a socialistic country.

By the way, I really have no clue what I'm talking about. But these are my thoughts, and my opinions, and although they may be wrong, or misinformed, they are mine.

Good Luck OBAMA, Please, do what is best for the nation. P.S. I didn't vote for you

Fire

2008-11-03T05:59:00.001-08:00

We enjoyed Saturday night at the Talbot's house, eating lots of Harry Potter themed foods and watching the BYU football game. At 8pm, we decided we had drank enough pumpkin juice and ate enough Yorkshire pudding, and we headed home. As we approched our house, we were greeted with dozens of firetrucks, ambulances, and police cars. Being forced to turn and go down the alley, we were unsure if it was our house that was on fire. The church next to us was blocking the view, as was all the emergency vehicles and flashing lights. Fortunately, it was not our house. Unfortunately, it was our neighbor's house, the Stulls. The Stulls are good people, and have lived in this town most of their lives. Their house is a triplex, and they rent out a portion of it. The house is one of the oldest in town, and rumor has it that it used to be run as a hotel (sometime in the 1800's I'm sure). We took them over some freshly baked cookies yesterday morning and it was really hard to see Ron and Steve in tears as we let them know we were thinking of them. They are really concerned about their elderly parents, who have never lived anywhere else. Thankfully, no one was hurt in the incident. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.

"No, It's a Pumpkin"

2008-10-19T14:40:00.000-07:00

Saturday brought us to the pumpkin patch. We met Tage's friends (and their parents) there and searched the patch for the perfect pumpkin. Tage touched every green pumpkin, and said "Nope, not a green one... get a orange pumpkin"

She also tried to pick up every pumpkin and would exclaim "Oooooohhh so HEAVY!"

Tage plays a lot with her friend Sabrina. The only problem with this is that Tage likes to touch Sabrina (hold her hand and lead her places, give her hugs, etc.) and Sabrina does not like to be touched by other kids. So whenever Tage gets too close to Sabrina, Sabrina crys.

The picture above was kind of funny. Tage and Kenny had the same conversation about 10times consecutively. It went like this:

Kenny: "Sabina?" (He was calling Tage Sabrina)

Tage: "No, it's a pumpkin" (She thought he was referring to the Pumpkin)

Kenny: "Oooooooohhhhh"

Repeat 10 more times.

After finding our pumpkin, taking the hay ride back to the barn, playing in the corn box, having corn go down Tage's shirt as a result of it being thrown at Tage by a stranger child, petting the goats at seeing other animals, taking pictures with the headless horseman, and falling in the dirt, we went home. It was a great time, we all had lots of fun! So, until next year pumpkin head!

Our Own Hercules

2008-10-16T06:27:00.000-07:00

Last night...

Tage crying in bed.
Daddy goes in and picks her up.
Tage says "Oooo strong. Kev so STRONG!"

Whirlwind

2008-10-12T08:41:00.000-07:00

Kevin had Thursday off, and took a personal day on Friday, giving him a four day weekend. I think we made the most of it. Here are the highlights:

Thursday: What do fish feel like?

We took Tage on her first fishing trip. She really liked the bobber, and holding the fishing pole. She was brave enough to touch one of the fish we caught, but didn't really like it. Later that night, when I was cuddling Tage before she went to bed, I asked her what the fish felt like when she touched it. Her response? She grabbed my face and licked it!

Friday: Happy Birthday! and Yardsale

To recognize Tage's 2nd year of life, Kevin and I hung butterflies in Tage's doorway while she slept. When she awoke, she was amused by all the butterflies and counted 12 of them (although I think there were more) Next we ate craisin pancakes and rushed out the door to our friends house to have a yardsale. Colorfest was this weekend in Thurmont, and on Friday nearly everyone in town has a yardsale. We made bank on our junk. We would have liked to dedicate the day to Tage, but the butterflies and lots of "Happy Birthday sweet heart!" was the extent of our celebration on her actual birthday. We got home late that night, put Tage to bed and made her cake and cupcakes, only to find out that, oh no! Could it be? Where is my food coloring??? GRRRRRR! Unable to locate it, and being tired, no, exhausted and ill, I went to bed.

Saturday: Half Marathon, crying marathon, and party

6:00am- still asleep, although I was supposed to be awake.

6:40am- Kevin wakes me up, we run downstairs, make egg sandwiches, wake Tage up and rush out the door at 7:15am.

8:45am- Waiting for the light rail in Baltimore.

9:45am- Kevin starts running

10:30am- Daddy is still running, Tage and Mommy find entertainment in the form of fire, sword, and bowling balls being juggled at the same time at the Inner Harbor. Very odd fellow...

11:45am- We head to the finish line to find Daddy

12:45pm- Still looking for Daddy... what made us think we could find him in a crowd of 17,000 runners and their families???

1:15pm- We FINALLY find Daddy, and I begin my own marathon of tears (hunger, illness, headache, heat, exhaustion, sleep deprivation, pregnancy hormones, and a party that's supposed to start at 3pm, will do that to you)

1:45pm- We get back on the light rail and get yelled at by a woman who says we ran over her toe with Tage's stroller (but I was watching carefully and we did NOT, although we came close and did bump her sandal) She was mad though because her other foot was broken and I guess she needed some attention. Kevin apologized, and I continued my crying marathon (I just couldn't stop!) The train was so crowded, there was no where to sit, and no where to rail to hold for support, so I had to brace me and my big belly and try not to fall for the next 15min, all while crying and standing in front of the woman who was mad at us.

2pm- We arrive at our car. I continue to cry, half way home. We bribe Tage with cake and icecream when we get home to take a nap. She excitedly complies and crashes in her carseat.

2:45- we get home and have 15minutes before our guests arrive to put a party together. Luckily our friends are not high maintance and don't care that when they arrive at 3 that they will need to help me.

3:30pm- We finally get the party really going with mini caramel apples, followed by a very serious pinata whacking (whacked by the incredible strength of 2 year olds) cake, icecream, and lots of presents. Tage enjoyed every minute of it, and so did Kevin and I. I love that little girl from head to toe!

6pm- football game at the Talbots

8pm- bedtime for everyone! Yay! Thank goodness for Sundays-- rest and relaxation and a good dose of spiritual upliftment.

Happy Birthday Tage. I Love you.

P.S. Happy Birthday as well to GRANDMA! Who's birthday was on the 8th! Wish we could have celebrated your's and Tage's together again!

Craisins, Waffle batter, and Crazy hair

2008-09-22T09:20:00.000-07:00

Life is a never ending adventure when children are present. That's why I love Tage. She keeps me on my toes and keeps me laughing. I have read reports that claim children laugh on average 300-400 times a day, whereas adults laugh about 20 times through out the day. Somewhere between childhood and adulthood we seem to lose 280-380 laughs. WHERE did they disappear to?

By 2 years of age, children laugh about 18 times per hour when they are interacting with their mother. The mother laughs about 30 times per hour when interacting with her infant. Hooray for children! They keep us young!

This weekend was full of laughter. Here are three instances in particular.

1. Tage and I were cleaning the bedroom when Tage sneezed. More than just snot came out. A nice plump Craisin made it's way back to daylight after being housed in Tage's nose for 18 hours. She had stuck it up her nose the previous night (under Daddy's watch might I add!) while I was at Relief Society enrichment. Repeatedly, she had told him "Craisin in the nose! Craisin in the nose!" But Kevin was unable to see it and thought it had come out. He also failed to tell me of this incident, so it was a suprise when it popped out the next afternoon! I had wondered when the day would come that my dear daughter would get an object stuck in her nose...

2. Sunday morning we all made waffles together. We fought off Tage the entire time while she tried to use a teaspoon to "taste" the eggs (which she professionally cracked on the counter), "taste" the flour, "taste" the baking soda, and she finally succeeded in tasting the completed batter. She loves to taste, and always says "I taste it" or "one more taste." I laughed throughout the entire cook off. Who really enjoys eating flour straight anyways?! I think it is weird. Tage thinks it is delicious. Kevin and I both think it is funny.

3. At Church yesterday Tage found a moment to sit by our dear friend Kirsten Dugan and say hi to her daughter "Baby Nora" Upon inspecting Kirsten, Tage touched Kirsten's beautiful, red, curly hair, laughed, and said "CRAZY hair! Crazy, crazy hair! So silly!" Kirsten (whose children I'm sure have said embarrassing statements to others as well) laughed and looked at me saying "I think Tage just told me I have crazy hair." Tage then continued to laugh and say "crazy hair" for a few more minutes until Baby Nora once again distracted her.

4. Allow me a fourth laughing moment. This also happened at church yesterday. Tage escaped us, and was a few rows away, when suddenly she stopped. I saw her face tense up a bit, then go red, then relax. Then again.... tense face, red, face, relax. Suddenly, she shouts back to Kevin and I "I POOPING! YAY!!!! (she claps her hands) I POOPING!" I hide my face, and then quickly spring into action, scooping her up and taking her out of the chapel, and straight to the mother's lounge where we change her, yes, poopy diaper.

I am recommitted to laughing more. I believe it is good for you. As a recreational therapist, I have seen the importance of laughing and having a good time. It is healing and can produce results that no modern medicine can.

I will leave you with one of my favorite quotes. It reminds me to enjoy life, no matter what task I am working on. I can have fun and find happiness in anything, if I allow myself to.

"A Master at the Art of Living makes no distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his education and his recreation, his love and his religion. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues with excellence what he is about and leaves others to determine whether he is working or playing. He, himself, always knows he is doing both." Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone July 1995

Cuddle Bug

2008-09-16T11:42:00.000-07:00

"I cuddle Mommy? Okay!" and "I cuddle Daddy!" are phrases repeated frequently in our home. A few months ago, Tage got into the habit of wanting to cuddle before going to bed or taking a nap. Although Kevin and I both know that she uses it as a way to stall bedtime, we allow it to happen. At first, we tried to resist it, we didn't want her to expect it all the time, but now we love the time we have to cuddle our little angel.
We have had many memorable moments during our nightly cuddles. For me, I relish the times she sings "the Temple song" ("I love to see the temple") to me, or gives me a kiss then wipes it off and gives me another, and another, and another. I like to use the opportunity to tell Tage how much I love her. Kevin likes to use the time to teach her gospel truths, like "Jesus Christ is our Savior."
I don't regret letting this become a habit. Sure, it extends her nighttime routine, but how long will she want to keep doing this? Some day, she will grow up, and won't beg to "cuddle Mommy" anymore. I am going to take advantage of this time while it is still here.
And now, my little cuddle bug is awake from her nap, and I am going to go smother her in kisses!

Fire Trucks Help

2008-09-12T09:48:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago....

Fire alarm sounds at the fire station across the street.

Tage and Mommy watch the fire trucks and ambulance take off.

Tage "I see fire truck!"

Mommy " You do! Fire trucks help people. That fire truck is going to someone who needs help."

Tage repeats "Fire truck help people"

Fast forward to This Morning:

Fire alarm goes off.

Tage, pointing to her ear "I hear bells!"

Daddy "Yes, you hear the fire alarm!"

Mommy "Tage, what do fire trucks do?"

Tage "Fire truck help Tage poop!"

Laughter from both parents concludes the conversation.

Poor Tage needs help pooping.... if ONLY the fire truck really could help! It would solve all our problems in that area. I guess we'll just settle for another Doctor's appointment and more laxatives....

I need help too... maybe a fire truck could come help me clean my house... hmm... if ONLY!

Baby "Broken"

2008-09-11T17:01:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we made another trip to Dover for Tage's newest cousin Brooklyn's blessing. Tage loves to see Brooklyn and prounces her name "Broken" It is really cute. The weekend started with a late afternoon departure and an hour delay at the Bay Bridge. It has been a long time since we have driven to Dover without an hour-two hours of delays at the bridge due to beach traffic. Last time we went was July 31, for Great Pop-Pop's funeral. A 2.5 hour trip turned into an almost 4 hour trip... making us 30 minutes late to the funeral, which they kindly held up for us. I was completely embarrassed, but it was out of my control. It wasn't even a weekend, or rush hour. There's just never a good time to travel that direction during beach season.

Anyways, I had a cold the entire trip, so I didn't do much of anything while there. The picture is from Sunday just before church. It turned out decent, but Tage was actually being very uncooporative! In the picture, she is actually pushing Daddy away, saying "Don't Daddy!" and I am barely holding her as she was throwing herself around. She looks happy though! She was pretty upset about the dress she was wearing. It is silky and has hearts all over it. She loves hearts, and wants to draw them all the time, so you'd think she'd love the dress! Whenever we try to put it on her, she crys and fights us and says "Noooo! A different dress! A different dress!" But I made her wear it that day (it was the only dress we brought with us). Even in Sacrament Meeting, she began tugging at her dress and she said "I don't like it! Take it off! Take it off! A different dress!" That was probably the last time she'll wear it though, it is getting pretty short. She wears mostly 3T dresses now, because she is so tall and I like them to be a little longer, instead of right at her bum.

The drive home was much better. We only had a 10 minute delay at the bridge. I would like to thank Hurricane Hanna for that.

I blog

2008-09-04T17:03:00.001-07:00

I have long been an anti-blogger, but have now succumbed. It is mainly for my purposes, I can't imagine anyone other than my family being interested in what I have to say, but I think it could be a good way to journal and record our family memories.

First of all, Happy Birthday to my dear Daddy-o! I hope he had a great day, spending it with his grandson Jaxton in Utah! I tried to have Tage call and say "Happy Birthday Grandpa!" But when I put the phone up to her, she pushed it away and said so sweetly "No thank you mommy, all full" (a phrase she learned at meal time when I give her something she doesn't want!) Oh well, we tried, sorry Grandpa! My Dad is great, and I love him and am grateful for this day that we celebrate his debut in the world!

Tage and I had a pretty good day. She slept in her big girl bed last night and didn't fall out. She woke up and was telling me about something "ewwy! gross!" on the wall. There was a spot of something (who knows what, and I don't think I want to know!) and then grabbed her bear and said "Bear! Look! The wall... eeewww! Gross!" and put the bear's face right up to the wall to look. I laughed to myself, she is so much fun in what she does and says now! She likes to sleep with her bear, hippo, and bunny. She also must have her pink blanket (her favorite) and her purple blanket and white blanket. Every morning she hands every animal and blanket to me before she will get up. At night she likes to sleep on her belly, so she also puts her animals on their belly.

I finally went to the doctor again for my OB check up. My 2nd time in 5 months of pregnancy! Not completely my fault though. The first three months I was kept in the dark of my pregnancy... thinking it was just anemia flaring up again, and poor eating habits that was leading to weight gain. My own brother, who had just returned from his mission had the guts to ask me if I was pregnant at back in June. When I told him "No, I'm just gaining weight..." he responded with "Oh, it's just looked like you have a beginning of pregnancy stomach" How would he know anyways? He's lucky I didn't clobber him, but it turned out he was right!

We are expecting a BOY, and so are excited to have one of each gender now. People that Kevin works with say "OH good! You'll have one of both, now you can be done!" HA. They are shocked when we tell them, no, we actually plan to have more. At least 4... and then we will go from there! Hopefully this baby will be small than Tage. Or at least no bigger. Tage was 8lbs. 13oz when she was born and that was a SHOCKER! I'm not so sure I want to birth a baby much larger than that. We shall see!

Okay,