Thursday, March 26, 2009

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Imagination Movers - you gotta talk about it


Vi is pretty obsessed with the Movers. She frequently brings up them up in conversation and has even had a couple dreams about them. She was heartbroke when she found out that they don't live at Disney World for everyone to visit. She is convinced that Scott will probably come to our house someday (sounds kind of like Jody).

Sunday, March 22, 2009

That's what all the fuss was about...

Last night Edison yawned and I noticed a little slit in his bottom gum. I am hoping this new tooth is partially to blame for the past month of fevers, diarrhea, chewing, drooling, crying, not sleeping, and snot. I realize that we also had some terrible virus that is plaguing the Midwest pediatric population but surely it couldn't have lasted a month. Edison is teething almost a full two months earlier than Violet. She got her two bottom teeth within 6 days of each other so I am watching for its mate.

Anara is finally better although she cannot hear anything. It's kind of sad to talk to her and get absolutely no response or to think that she heard you and then realize she has no idea what you said. I am hoping her head starts draining soon. She hasn't had a fever in over 24 hours so hopefully the virus has run its course. Edison is still snotty and coughs to clear but it's less and less.

Anara has another surgery scheduled for April 10th. She formed a 1 cm stone since her last surgery approx. 6 weeks ago. Dr. Kaefer is shocked that she could have formed a stone that quickly and he isn't quite sure how to proceed. Unfortunately we have no choice but to remove that stone through another incision under general anaesthesia. Then we will probably be referred to nephrology to try and figure out what's going on. He is still hoping that it is due to the population of Proteus bacteria or her mucous production. It's amazing that she can have Proteus after three rounds of Cipro and 3 times daily irrigation with saline and gentamicin. There is a minute chance that this mass isn't a stone but the nipple of her ureter entering the reservoir. We are praying that this is the case and that she won't end up needing another incision. We won't find out until she is already under general and being scoped on April 10th.

I think that is all new new Hub happenings. I promised Anara that we would have house church this morning since we didn't go to church with Daddy and Violet. I better go make good on that promise.... we will see if she can even hear me.

Sleepy boy who refuses to nap in his bed Spoiled baby
Polishing the silver (her tea set)
Sleepy Naraboo
Big Chompy (if he would move his tongue)

The Park

Edison's first visit to a park
and boy did he have fun laying in the strollerwhile the girls played
and played
and played
and played

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Poopin' in the potty party

Yesterday marked Anara's 5th day of pooping in the potty and not in her diaper. We had a small celebration in her honor. The girls also thought that Nina, Andy, and Grandma H. should be invited because they also poop in the potty.
Decorating her cake
Vi decorating her cake

Vi working on decorations

Anara signing "potty" (wearing a party dress and jambo pants)
Eating her celebratory mac and cheese without a veggie side
Eddie isn't convinced of the excitement

Little Sickies

When will we be healthy again? Anara and Edison are still not 100%. They both have banana pudding coming out of their eyes (sorry for the graphic mental image) and we are constantly wiping them with warm washcloths. Two mornings in a row, Anara has woke up with her eyes completely crusted shut. Edison is still coughing and waking up in the night choking on his phlegm (although not quite as frequently). Friday he was coughing up blood tinted phlegm and I took him to the MD again. Dr. Leland thinks he just broke some capillaries in his nose and was coughing up his sinus drainage. Edison is now doing albuterol treatments just like Violet to keep his coughing under control. We might get outside today and see if we can't outrun these germs.

Poppin' my collar poppin' my collar
New sleeping arrangements
Our littlest Hoosier
Albuterol treatments

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Happy 4 Months Baby Boy

Yesterday was Edison's 4 month birthday. I officially stopped the swaddle. I was reluctant because I really like swaddling and Eddie enjoyed it too (well, maybe not so much at first but he quickly learned its magic). His arms now flail freely and occasionally those strange things flying around his face startle him awake but he goes quickly back to sleep.

I am fairly certain the family is on the road to recovery. The three kids plus Nate still have a wet cough but look a little better. Although the girls have some nasty bags under their eyes. I am looking forward to a break from illness. It seems like we have been sick since January.

Here are some recent pictures of Edison. He appears to be enjoying life. He is such an easy smile and has developed a laugh that sounds like a cross between a grunt and a squeal. If you get him laughing really hard then it's still just a single grunt (just like his Daddy's hard laugh).

Going out for a little walk
Eddie's entertainers
Watching the forbidden TV
Trying to catch a glimpse of TV around Mama
Happy in the swing
Steam treatment with Daddy
Ha ha
A little sick
Warm and snuggly
Last swaddle
Eddie "having hold"
Uncle Jon's Jump co hat

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

On the mend --- hopefully

This weekend Nate succumbed to the virus that has plagued our home. Mine was pretty mild and only lasted a couple days. Anara had a fever Friday night. The kids all have a soupy cough that's lingering. The scariest part is that Eddie just chokes on the thick drainage. A couple times I have had to invert him and beat on his back to help him clear his airway. I haven't slept much but I think the kids are just draining and hopefully almost finished with this cold. Nate is starting to cough so he shouldn't be too far behind. This morning Edison slept until 9:00am and when I got him up his left eye was completely crusted shut. He still looked at me out of his right eye and smiled. It's supposed to be 74 and stormy today. We probably won't get outside but maybe we can open the front door. Violet and Anara got to play outside Friday and Saturday but I can tell they still have cabin fever. Violet keeps trying to think of things we need at the grocery and would like to run some errands.

Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Sick, Sicker, Sickest

Since I last posted, Eddie and Violet have gotten a little sicker, my head is full, my throat hurts, and I have a constant tickle. But, Anara is still holding her own against this vicious virus. Yesterday Violet coughed without pause. I called to schedule an apt. with her Pulmonologist and the nurse, after hearing Violet in the background, decided to page the MD and request her to see Violet special. Nate took Vi to Riley and I stayed home with Edison who had been vomiting in the night and having fevers. Violet was coughing nonstop, sweating, and sitting with tears in her eyes in the waiting room so a nurse came out to take her oxygen (in the high 90's if you are wondering). She had a chest x-ray to rule out pneumonia and then had a viral swab. Her pulmonologist was concerned that she might have pertussis and started treating her. Violet is taking prednisone and azithromycin (her 1st antibiotic ever) in addition to her normal albuterol sulfate and flovent. Violet has been coughing nonstop (1-3 episodes per minute) this morning so I really wish something would start working. I think she just has whatever cold bug is going around and this is just how she gets sick, but we should hear back about the viral swab today. Violet's pulmonogist said Riley is at 105% capacity because of all the yuck going around. Edison is coughing too but he has breaks in between and sounds semi-productive. Anara coughs once every couple hours just to clear - so amazing.



Monday, March 02, 2009

Sick of sick


Right now all three kids have a cold. It started early last week and seems to be hanging on. I actually thought Violet might get out unscathed but she started coughing Friday and has gotten progressively worse. I really don't understand how we pick up so many bugs and why my kids have no immune systems. It's frustrating and makes me think there is something else I should be doing or something that I am not doing right. Anara is snotty and coughs periodically but acts relatively normal. Eddie is snotty and coughing a little and is kind of hit and miss with eating. Violet is a wreck. She has puked the last two nights and Nate and I haven't got much sleep. Today she basically coughed nonstop despite all the albuterol I was pumping into her lungs. Around 3:00pm it changed from the normal sounding hacking cough to a bark with every inhale and she wasn't able to talk. She started crying a soundless cry and I became a little alarmed. We doubled up on albuterol, went outside in the cold air, then stood in a steamy bathroom and she finally started talking and the cough stopped sounding so barky. I was having a difficult time deciding what to do and how long to wait before I took her somewhere. Her pediatrician waited in his office until I could get her in this afternoon and said he thinks it might be croup in addition to whatever else she has. This is her 3rd puking bug with fevers this year. Hopefully we will all get some rest tonight.
Today, while I was worrying about my kids colds, I kept thinking about our friends, the Smiths. Their son, Noah, is Violet's age and was diagnosed with Hodgkins recently and started chemotherapy last week. You can read more of his story here . I am sure the Smiths would appreciate your prayers for Noah's comfort and healing.