YAY We made it...37 weeks!!!

I returned to home...my amazing home on Monday! I never knew I would be so happy to see it, but after 8 days away, I was ready for it!

I checked in with Dr. Pete on Tuesday and voiced my opinions and concerns about the horrible experience I had down there! He laughed at a few of the stories that I shared! :) I did not find them funny at the time! :) We made plans that if I have not had this stubborn child by the 18th...we are helping him along!

Everything checked out good! Did a non-stress test and after he decided to cooperate he had a good strip!

Tuesday night around 9:30 I started contracting...I didn't think much of it until the next day around 1 p.m. when I was still doing it and miserable. Most of the contractions were in my back with some awesome ones in the front as well. I didn't really care if I was contracting, I just didn't want to be miserable for no reason!

So Dr. Pete had me come down to the clinic to check things out and much to my surprise the contractions weren't for nothing! I was at 3 cms and 50% effaced and April said she could stretch me to a 4! She also said I was very soft and anterior so that when things started...watch out!! I have heard that comment before so wasn't too surprised.

For a girl who took forever to dilate with the other 2 boys, I was like...heck yeah!!! :)

I returned home to keep contracting until about 11 p.m. They stayed in my back , but had slowed immensely!

I have felt better today, minus the feeling of tripping over his head when I walk! I still remain low and do very little...especially since my Mother-in-law who is staying with me...is insistant on it!

It makes me feel guilty that she is doing all this and I am just planted on my couch or in my bed! On the awesome side...we have bought ourselves 10 more days and have hit 37 weeks which excites me!

I am back to the doctor tomorrow and have another non-stress as well! I am also counting down the days until Jason gets home! Each day I ask him to come home a day sooner!!! I was spoiled last week when I had him for 8 days! I can't wait for him to be home for a couple weeks when the baby gets here!

13 years...

I know that my sister and probably a few others...my mom and dad...would tell me to stop dwelling, which I'm not, but how do you forget a day that 13 years later you can remember moment for moment.

It was 13 years ago, on Nov. 29, that Chris was killed...along with his wife. Not my Chris, obviously, but the Chris that Christopher is being named for!

For those that didn't have the opportunity to meet him, I wish I could express how awesome he was! Now let me just say that his awesome-ness isn't only because he loved to help people, because he might just be one of the ornriest people I knew!

Many times Jason pulls things or says things that remind me of Chris and I just think...I wish you could have met him, but at times I'm glad you two can't co-conspire!

The day started off rough emotionally, because today is a day that I usually don't go anywhere, with the exception of last year for Jeff and Angie's wedding! Instead of being a hermit, I helped load my two little men up in the vehicle...okay so I sat on the couch while they left, but I got them ready...to travel to Paullina, Iowa, for Christmas with at their Great-Grandparent's.

It was very hard and emotional, but eventually was able to fall asleep and Jason and I woke up at 12:30! A much needed day to sleep in! They are almost back here and then we get to get things ready to GO HOME!!! YAY!

Oh what a day...

My day started off with a call from Aunt Cathy to call and check on Chris and I. At that moment I had been awake for about 10 min and was feeling okay!

I was exhausted so moved out to the recliner and then once Jason got out and we got settled into our respective chairs...I passed out! When I woke up, I still wasn't feeling the hottest, but thought that I just may be still exhausted.

We ate lunch, gourmet macaroni and cheese prepared by Jason!! Jason was still stuck on turkey.

At about 1:30 my lower back started hurting in waves about every 2-3 min. My tummy wasn't hardening with each wave, but about every 15 min. This continued for about an hour before I called HOME to talk to Jolene! I know how to answer most of my questions when I am not the OB asking them!

The intermittent lower back pain progressed to the front of my abdomen and started in on a regular basis, but kept apart at about 10 min apart. I called the hospital down here to ask what they suggested, but their suggestion was to check in with my doctor at home!!!

I think I'm gonna send maps to all the hospitals in Omaha and suggest a geography lesson! Although it was a decent suggestion I could here Dr. Pete in my head going..."there isn't much I can do from here for you!" Of course though, he would give me suggestions. After that, I thought about calling Katie, a girl I wen to high school with that is an OB nurse in Sioux Falls! I just decided to grin and bear it!

I was also battling nausea off and on, but it improved long enough for me to eat a little something! Then I decided to take a shower and see if that would help! It helped alleviate the contraction discomfort for a little bit, but by the time I got out of the shower and hit the recliner again.

Now, I'm back to the recliner and the contractions are rotating between my back and my abdomen. My abdomen isn't getting tight with each one, so I will remain hanging out until they are every 5 min apart and I have to breath through them! I just keep praying that it is next week or the week after...in O'Neill!

Amazing Husband!!

I know for many of you, hearing me sing his praises doesn't happen too often! I do a lot of complaining, but I thought it was about time I sing his praises, because after this week, he TOTALLY deserves it!

Today, Cindy, Jason's mom, took the boys to the Omaha Children's Museum and left Jason and I to the house by ourselves. In a way to help not only me and his mother, he cleaned the kitchen floor and entry way and emptied her dishwasher.

After that, he did 3, if not 4 loads of laundry, folded them and put them away. He did get a break for the Husker game and then he made tater tot casserole and chocolate milk shakes for 3 little boys, a pregnant wife, his sister and mother!

He did all of this while rubbing my feet and back when asked and not complaining. I'm not sure who this man is...but I am falling madly in love with him and hope he sticks around!

Even if it takes 3 more children to get him completely trained...I will greatly consider it! Okay...probably not!!

Amnio Clarification

I realized last night in my hours of insomniac uncomfortable-ness, I had stated that Chris' amniocentesis came back immature, but didn't explain what Doc had said about it!

After the results came back immature and I was still contracting, I laid there and cried and cried and cried. I was so scared that if the contractions continued, I would have a baby that wasn't ready to be born and would end up on the vent!

It wasn't until the next morning when Doc explained that just because his lungs are immature, does not necessarily mean that he would be on a vent! He said that all he may need is a little oxygen.

Talk about calming a mother's nerves!!!

Proud Moment

For the last few weeks we have been drilling Matthewa about his numbers and colors and speech. This last couple weeks Aunt Mariclaire has been working on his alphabet!

Today, he came to me and handed me a piece of paper with his name on it! He had written his own name! No help, no nothing!!! Just an M-a-t-t!

I was so proud of him!!! I still have the paper! What a long ways he has come in a couple of weeks!!!

Baking Continues

After a very rough night last night, the day didn't start off much better!

Last night I was uncomfortable and very restless. I was up and down and around and couldn't get come comfortable in bed. Jason rubbed my feet, my hands and my back over and over to get me comfortable, but it wasn't working!

I was up a million times throughout the night to get up and walk around or go to the bathroom. At one point I woke up with a lot of pressure in my rectum and got very nervous, but after walking around, it went away.

I woke up swollen and puffy and cramping something fierce! I just laid in bed and hoped for it to go away. After a little bit things slowed down and I got up and showered and Matthew helped me with my hair and make up! :) All of this to hit the couch in the living room! :)

I just didn't feel right...and obviously I didn't look like it because everyone commented on it!

The Thanksgiving table was brought to me and filled my belly! I began to feel better, but got tired!

The funny thing was that the louder the room got today, the more Chris decided to kick and head-butt me! Luckily nap time came for the kids and Chris settled down!

I still don't feel that awesome, but that's okay! The cramping kind of comes and goes, but that is normal for a pregnant woman on her third baby at 36 weeks. The only difference being I need it to calm down to keep this little one baking since his lungs are ready.

Never...EVER...again!

Holly, our DON at work, is always drilling in to us about how important the care we give our patients will make a lasting impression and makes their stay better! We know this, but we always want to make sure we are doing our best!

Katie, one of my co-workers shared a story of care at a large hospital that she had experienced, but I experienced it for myself in the last 24 hours!

When I first got to Creighton University Hospital last night the girls were very awesome at first to get me hooked up to the monitors and settled in. One of the residents came in and asked questions and said, I'm gonna go look at your stuff and then we will make a plan. 30 min later, a different resident came in and told me that the plan was to monitor me over night and if I "stabalized" I would go home in the morning!

Well...my straight face lasted long enough for the nurse to walk out of the room, but once the door clicked the tears came!

I was so frustrated! No one understood that yes, if my contractions stopped and I was sent home...I was 4 hours...AT LEAST from a NICU that could care for my baby if he needed it! Every nurse and resident kept saying...we are used to delivering babies at 35 and 36 weeks gestation! They weren't getting that although they were comfortable with it...we WEREN'T in O'Neill...which is where they were planning on sending me!

The nurse came back in to finish my admit and I verbally puked on her as to what I was upset about. 20 minutes later, this man in jeans and a pink t-shirt comes watlzing in my room and says...they tell me you want to speak to me...my response was...and you are? He THEN introduces him self as Dr. Basoon or something like that!

I said yes...we were under the impression that we were coming down here to have an amnio so that if Chris' lungs weren't developed we were in the right place to deliver!

His response was...you want an amnio...you can have an amnio...and in 15 min they set up, performed and were out of my room! It was 7:15 p.m.

The last thing the nurse that was supposedly taking care of me did was say something about my
"uterine irritability" that was clearly coming every 2 min and although they weren't mountains, I was feeling everyone of them! She said...oh they aren't that strong!

For those that are not in nursing or OB...the only way you can tell that is if you are feeling the woman's tummy contract or have a monitor inside the uterus that will tell you exactly how strong it is! She then said if I wanted to eat something I had better get it ordered. I was handed the menu with no instructions. I called and left a message at 7:20 p.m. and never did receive a tray.

It wasn't until midnight that the nurse came in my room! With that in mind, I had been to the bathroom twice and had repositioned myself multiple times. I guess I shouldn't say I repositioned myself...Jason was at my side to reposition me and help me to the bathroom! I also had locked my own IV at 10 p.m. because my bag of fluids was dry! I don't know if I was a bad patient or worse nurse to wait and see how long it would take for them to come in and check my IV!

The rest of the night, no one made any attempt to make me comfortable or help me reposition myself!!! Jason did EVERYTHING for me!

The next person to come in my room was at 620 this a.m. and that was the resident to tell me that since I stabalized over night and my cervix hadn't changed, I was going to go home today! I expressed my concerns that again...delivering an immature 36 weeker in O'Neill was COMPETELY different than at CUMC. She kind of blew off my concerns and stated she would talk with Dr. Basoon and let me know!

Now, supposingly my uterus stabalized over night...however, the monitor right under my breast doesn't tell what my uterus is doing...and not checking my cervix does not necessarily mean that it isn't changing it!

After all that, I called home to our OB manager and my primary physician to say...I wasn't happy and this is the plan and am I crazy for being worried! They said no...I wasn't crazy and Doc took the time to explain things further that was able to calm my nerves!

At 8 a.m. a breath of fresh air came in the room. My nurse for the day...Bari! She was the first to assess me beyond baby's heart rate, she was the first to ask how I was feeling, she was the first to tell us what the plan was at the time and she was the first person in 16 hours to offer me a drink of water!!!! The nurse also apologized for our trouble with ordering food too! She then took the time to sit down and talk with me about the plan of care and acknowedged my concerns! I could have kissed this woman!! (Okay, probably not, but I was happy!!!)

Now, after all of this, I'm not saying that as a nurse, we don't get busy with other patients and don't get to each patient the same amount of time, but I know that I check on my patient's more than 3 times a shift!

I have never so badly in the first 3 hours after an admission, wanted to sign out AMA and go somewhere different! I cried and cried and cried. I'm pretty sure that Jason has never seen a woman cry as much as I did yesterday! All I wanted was to get back home to a hospital that I know...knew would take better care of me!

I am also going to say that I know that others have been to this hospital, including family, and had great experiences...but I just couldn't believe that I was 3 hours form home and being treated like this! To them, I was the crazy pregnant crying lady!

I was happy to get out of that hospital! I practically ran!

The update you've been waiting for...

Oh my! As most of you know...the last 24 hours has been a HUGE whirlwind!

When Doc came in yesterday morning, he said that he wanted to consult with Dr. Albin in Norfolk about our situation, with the possibility of being transferred. So Jason and I said that because of family in Omaha we would prefer to be transferred to Omaha so that the boys could come down with us. Doc obliged and he said that he would have to talk to Fleming first!

Later we were told that we had 2 options. We could either try a terbutaline pump for the next few days or else go to Omaha where an amniocentesis would be done to check for lung maturity.

We do amnios at the hospital in O'Neill, but there is a risk of sending the mom into labor and Doc was worried taht because my uterus was already ticked off, we shouldn't chance it in O'Neill just in case Chris' lungs weren't developed!

Jason and I talked and decided that Omaha would be the best option we felt, since we had already tried the last option of meds in O'Neill and I was still contracting through them! This way, we would already be in the right place should I deliver.

The boys came up to say good-bye! Andrew was more worried about lunch and Matthew was just like...bye mom! It wasn't until later when he couldn't have his Mom, that he was upset!

We left O'Neill...in an amublance at 12:45 and after the WORST ambulance ride of my LIFE...we arrived at the hospital and I was nervous as what would happen! I got taken off all my meds, hooked up to the monitor and had an amniocentesis done which later showed that his lungs were immature!

By this time, I had a thousand questions that weren't getting answered! I am known for my "what ifs!" Their plan was that if I stabalized over night that they would send me home and just let me deliver when I got into labor!

This morning continued the frustration and worry until I spoke with my Doc...from HOME! he answered my questions that they wouldn't answer and we made the decision...which Jason and I had already set in place...to stay in Omaha at his parents until Monday, that way if something happened we were still in a "safe" zone!

I was released from the hospital this morning...I almost RAN out...and we are now sitting at my mother-in-law's who is waiting on me hand and foot!

Jason is getting ready to leave in a bit to go meet Mariclaire and Bob in Wisner to hand off two little boys that I can not WAIT to hug and snuggle! In my world, they are not going to get here soon enough!

Jason and I are doing good...horribly sleep deprived and my toes look like little smokies...but happy to be out of that hospital!

Minor Meltdown

After 6.5 hours of contracting, having to breath through some of them, I wanted to shut the drugs off and let my body do what it is going to do...either go into labor...or tease me for 2 weeks! Knowing my history...I bet it is tease me for 2 weeks!

Doc came in and said, yep, good contractions, let's give her a mag bolus and see what that does...which by the way, other than making me feel like crap...I'm not sure what it did!

My question to him was...I know what we are trying to do, but how many more meds are we gonna dump into my body before we call it good!

My other thought is...if I am contracting through the mag...which is what we get put on when the oral meds don't work...why are we so sure that when we shut off the mag the orals are gonna work!

I felt like a moron because here I am frustrated, crying not only in front of my co-workers, but also the Doc. I didn't want him to think I was second guessing him, I am just a frustrated pregnant woman! Which of course he would TOTALLY understand if he had ever been one! :)

Now the bolus is in, everyone has checked on the crying prego co-worker and I'm still contracting...it has just changed to a sharp piercing pain above my pubic bone! Yay me!!!

Labor Update

Let me begin by saying that Doc is always commenting on how my explanations are always awesome! :)

Around 2:30 this afternoon, I started to tell my awesome nurse Jeri...hehe...that something was changing, but I just didn't know what. Luckily, she didn't send me off to the regional center and listened to me, because not too much later, I started to contract again pretty regularly!

Doc came in and said that he had plans to turn down my mag, but I lost that! :) He said that we will look at shutting the mag off in the a.m. and then try brethine or procardia and see what happens! If I breakthrough, then obviously someone has a bigger plan...as if that hasn't been proven to me yet! HAHA!

Aunt Mariclaire picked up the boys from the house and took them out to their place! This allowed Jason and I to have our most expensive date EVER! The food was cheap (Fox's chicken), but the room rental was quite expensive (my hospital room...for those who are slow-er)!

The boys were able to come up and see mom for a little bit. I'm not sure if they were excited to see mom or mom's hospital room! They ended up laying on the feet of the bed watching TV while we listened to Christopher's heartbeat!

I sent the boys home with their dad and we will see what the night brings as the contractions continue!

SIDENOTE: We are so lucky in our town to have an amazing facility and an awesome bunch of nurses to take care of our loved ones and people from our communities. I'm not just saying that because I work there! HEHE!

Bring on the Mag!

Well...what an eventful last 24 hours! Since I've wrote my last blog, many things have happened.

I took my meds at 2 and although they slowed briefly, they didn't stop! I called Candy to report in and she called Doc and well...I was told to pack my bags and get my butt to the hospital!

After packing my bag and Christopher's...just in case...I headed to my parent's, where the boys had been all afternoon! I told the boys good bye and explained as to what was going on. Andrew clung to my coat and didn't want to let go! Matt shared some story about scaring Grandma and could have cared less!

Once up here, Doc showed up and we discussed having to have a c-section, since he was breech vs. doing mag sulfate for 24 hours and then seeing what happened.

I was so over whelmed! My head was swimming with "what ifs" and what would be best. I knew what would be best medically for him, but I couldn't help but think that all of that affected 2 other little boys too!

Doc made the choice to do the mag and then ordered an ultrasound to check placement! Much to both of our amazements...he had flipped!! YAY!! I felt a load go off me right there! Part of the thing holding me back and scared was that should I have a c-section and he had to be shipped somewhere...I was stuck!

I got started on the mag and the bolus sucked!! I wouldn't recommend signing up for it for the fun of it! It got better after the bolus was over, but the contractions didn't stop until around 1 a.m.! By that time I was frustrated and getting annoyed, wondering if the medicine would even work!

When Doc got here this morning he said the plan is to stay on the mag until tomorrow morning, then to stop the mag and start back on my oral medicines. Then, depending on how that goes, possibly, get to go home tomorrow evening.

The downside to all this, I am off work until after the baby gets here and I am on my butt for the next couple weeks! Doc thought it would be better to error on the side of time than to chance, by letting the contractions go!

Luckily...Jason is home until Sunday evening and then my mother-in-law is coming up to stay with us on Monday for the week possibly!

We shall see! I just keep reminding myself that he has some amazing guardian angels and that it will work out the way it is supposed to!

Contractions!

Well, Jason and I have mentioned off and on how weird it would be if Christopher showed up on the anniversary of Chris' accident! We didn't think much of it until this morning! Chris and Beth will have been gone for 13 years next Sunday!

Last night around 7:30 I started contracting and continually got worse until I passed out from my vistaril! I work up around 2:30 a.m. and took another vistaril and pased out again for another 4 hours!

Andrew and I got up and headed to Mom and Dad's for breakfast and nothing slowed down so I head up to the hospital to get checked out finally! Once hooked up, I was contracting every 1-3 min and felt all of them!

I got a liter of fluid and and sent home to see if my meds would stop the labor!! I've taken 50 more of vistaril and another procardia and am still feeling the contractions.

Doc said that if we can't get things slowed down or stopped, then he will just let me go and get to meet this little man finally! If nothing happens we see Doc in the a.m.!

Jason is on his way home and hopefully everything will work out! Before I left mom and dad's Matthew came up to my belly and goes...be good Christopherer...I just have this feeling that I'm going to be saying this a lot with this child! HAHA!

Knowing my luck however, he will try to come this week and then nothing will happen so I will be induced! HAHA!

Check up!

Had the 34 week check up this morning! Went with my list of questions and prepared to get a lecture! I knew my urine hadn't been looking too pretty the last 24 hours minus my avid goal of drinking liters of fluid! By the end of the day my ankles are great examples of how much I drink!

Anyway, he is still measuring 2 weeks bigger which translates to the fact that he is going to be a big boy! Doc says to plan on a 9 lb baby and my response every time is that I am not worried about the 9 lbs. It's the 35 cm head from the last ultrasound that has me contemplating a c-section! :)

His heartbeat was great and he didn't want to be listened to at all! My ribs are now paying for it!

We will probably have another ultrasound in the next couple of weeks to verify position and to check the fluid level! I lost a lot of fluid with Matthew and that concerns me for this little man!

I asked him about the last possible day and it looks like to plan on nothing before Dec. 16 or 17 if I make it til then! If I try to go before 39 weeks by induction then I have to have an amniocentesis and yeah...don't care to sign up for that voluntarily!

So we will see...another week down and another good check up! If nothing else...4.5 weeks to go!

Fire Drill

I was picking up Matthew at pre-school and speech this morning and as I hit the door they were having a fire drill! Next thing I know, Matt comings flying by me at top speed with his ears covered! He was out the door in no time flat!

It took me yelling his name three times and finally using his middle name to get him to stop halfway down the steps of the front entrance! At that point he grabs my hand and starts to pull me along!

When they finally gave the all clear he wouldn't go back in to get his coat and book bag! He just stood at the bottom of the steps to the school entrance and fought me to go inside!

Due to some post traumatic stress syndrome that will ensue, I'm sure we can cross fire fighter off the future job list! HAHA!

Water too please!

It was priceless the other day! I was loading up all my pills in my purse to take with me to the wedding. Matthew asked me why I was putting them in my purse and my response was because the doctor wanted me to take them.

His response..."Mom, you need water! The doctor wants you to drink water too!"

Darn the kid! Everyone is on me about drinking enough water! HAHA!

And he's off!

I started Matthew in preschool today! Just 2 days a week and for only 2 hours, so it won't be that bad...for mom! :)

He jumped right out of bed and wanted cereal for breakfast, which let me know that I will have to get up earlier! (I allotted time for toast!) He got ready and even smiled for "First day of school" pictures.

While he was eating his cereal he just laid his head on my belly and goes...Mommy, I will miss Christopher-er!

He walked into school so solemn. Brenda, the office gal, even commented on how serious he was. Jack, a kid that went with him to the sitter is in his class and so when I pointed out that it was Jack then he perked up a bit and started to open up when he hit the classroom!

Ironically enough, his teacher is a high school classmate of mine and has sat in with us on his IEP meetings so kind of knows Matt's history!

Big brother was beaming from ear to ear, just as proud as Mom I think! When they got out of the suburban Andrew goes to Matthew..."Now Matthew, I have to go to the playground, but you'll be okay! I'm right across the hall!" Matt was just like...whatever Drew! He could have cared less! :) HAHA!

It was so cute this a.m. because they both had to have their hair all combed before I could take pictures! Both of my boys are in school! They are growing up so fast!

Kangaroo Care

Yesterday was not a good day for Matthew and his asthma! He does good throughout the rest of the year, but this time of year is hard on him. The days/nights where the temperature fluctuates so much just doesn't treat him very nice!

With that said, Matt was asthma attacking on me yesterday while we were at Lucia's wedding. When we got home we did 2 more breathing treatments and then took some Motrin.

When we went to bed, Matthew fell asleep on me and his brething was awesome. Gentle and slow and no wheezing! I thought to myself...yes! Kangaroo care works when they are big too! I was so pumped until I rolled him over to sleep! That's when the hacking and coughing started! GRR!!

I flipped it back over to his stomach and it got better, but was a lot more than when he was sleeping on my chest!

He woke up and is back to his Matt self. He just has a little bit of a hacky cough, but that is normal for him right after his attacks!

Go Huskers!

Last night I let the boys stay up and watch the Husker game! Praise the Lord for another win! HAHA! I also learned in that time that Mom doesn't know much about football, her her simple explanations satisfied them for now!

After Matt fell asleep Andrew and I had some awesome bonding time! There was a commercial on TV about the end of time and all of these natural disasters. Andrew asked about the "big waves" aka..tsunamis. He asked how we would be affected in Nebraska! I told him I was not completely sure and that we would have to look it up, but to take peace in knowing that we were living in the middle of the United States!!

After covering that topic, I asked him how school was going and he goes...ehh okay! I said, what don't you like about it and his response was P.E., and recess and a third thing I can't remember! I at first thought that it was an unusual comment for a kindergartener so then I asked, what do you like and his reply was, "Math, it makes me smart!" I said well so does reading and he said that he likes that class too, along with music! Yep, he's my child!! :)

He's just growing up so fast in front of me! He's really growing by leaps and bounds!

Rosary

As a gift for those attending Darin and Lucia's wedding, each place had a rosary at it. I was trying to explain that it was used for a prayer and that is what Great-Grandma Shoemaker used to pray multiple times a day! They obviously were lost!

Later in the reception, we were looking at the cake and there was a Rosary elegantly placed around the cake!

Matt's response..."So that's what they're for!"

I hope Great-Grandma got a good chuckle out of that one!

Hewo, Christopher-er

From the time I picked Matthew up from the sitter until...well he hasn't stopped, he has been yelling at my belly like he missed us or something!

He is just a little off on the name though!

"Hewo, Christopher-er!"

He can't pronounce his "l"s which for those that are wondering that is a 6 year old language skill! However, not sure why Chris has an extra "er" on the end of his name!

And now...the stomach flu!

Tuesday night I didn't sleep well at all! I just didn't feel "right." It continued when I got up in the morning when I started contracting around 8:10 in the morning every 4 min. I had just taken my procardia (medicine to stop contractions) so I just held off for awhile! Plus, I didn't have anywhere to go with Matthew so I couldn't take my vistaril!


They subsided, but then in the afternoon I started having nasty diarrhea symptoms and vomiting that was onset immediately! My face was flushed and didn't feel so good! I called the Doc right away and he told me to meet him at the hospital!

In 4 short hours I had dehydrated so that got me a ticket to stay over night! I ended up getting 4 liters of fluid and a little boy in my belly that knew he was just with Mommy and no big brothers around! He was so active! I did have quite a few contractions so that got me an increased dose in medication to help with contractions!

Mariclaire came up and sat with me for awhile which was a lot of fun! The boys got a night at Grandma and Grandpa Shoe's and it sounded like they had a blast!

Doc just said that this was the worst year to be pregnant because there are so many viruses out and about and my worn down system is going to catch them easier! His comment was that he had no problem putting me in isolation in the hospital for the next 3 weeks!! I said that I had a problem with that!

Instead, I'm just gonna try to hang out at home as much as possible! I still get to go to work...thank the lord!!!

Jumping Bean

The other night, after I came from home from work, I wasn't feeling the hottest so I came home and crawled straight in bed! Matthew eventually crawled in bed with me to "take care of me."

In the mean time, Chris started jumping around like a mad man and I told Matthew to watch my belly!

Matt asked why my belly was doing that and so I said...don't know you tell me!

His response..."You have a jumper in your belly!"

Little Man #3 Update

Had an appointment yesterday with Doc for a follow up! The infection has cleared up and babe is doing great! I have to stay on my medicine for 3 more weeks until after 36 weeks just to ward off evil spirits! With that said, we could be meeting this little man in as few as 3 weeks!

I am a realist however and am planning on week 39! Doc said that if we don't have anything happen by the 39th week we will encourage somethign a long that week! Trust me...we will be encouraging things along WAY before that! HAHA! So we shall see!

Today he has decided to assist my diaphragm! Although, I'm not sure if it is assisting or hindering! HAHA! Needless to say I'm laying down so I can breath appropriately!

Update

I get to stay in the hospital tonight. Doc is pretty sure that it is a nasty bladder infection and it has gotten the best of me! Doc decided to keep me thinking that a couple more doses of IV antibiotics wouldn't hurt! I didn't want to go through what I did this morning again, so I was all for it!

Christopher looks awesome and has been kicking me all day long!

Jason is at home with the boys and I hope that Drew makes it to school on time! He didn't want to leave my side tonight, but was SO tired!

Another Scare! SERIOUSLY!

I woke up this morning with horrible pressure and pain where pain and pressure shouldn't be these days. After trying to doctor it myself for 2 hours and just putting up with it, I followed the advice of Amanda, Kerkman and Jolene and called the doc!

I got a free trip to the hospital! Once here they hooked me up to the monitor and he looks great! We also did a biophysical profile and that looked great as well. He is still a big boy! The rest of his body looks good, but his head is starting to make me nervous!! I should have known though, both of the boys had big noggins!

I had quite a bit of blood in my UA and therefore doc is wondering if I have an infection going on that is upsetting my body! So I have had 2 doses of IV antibiotics and working on dumping another bag of fluid in me! We will see what doc says when he comes after clinic!

Mr. Christopher

For those who have been waiting to here...aka Anne Tucker! I thought I would share the little man in my bellys name!


After many weeks of threatening Jason that this child would have severe issues if we named him Johnathan Wayne, we settled on Christopher Wayne! This being after two amazing people! Unfortunately, Jason and I haven't met either member from the opposite family!

I'm sure most of you know that Christopher comes from my cousin Chris Vandersnick who was killed in a car accident along side his wife in 1996. He was like a big brother to me and one of the most amazing people I have ever had the chance to meet! He was notorious for joking around was very competitive! One of my last memories with Chris was a very intense croquet game which Chris attempted to win by cheating, but still ended up losing!

Wayne comes from Jason's grandfather who passed away in 1997 or 1998! (Jason can't remember! HAHA!) Jason and Grandpa Glover were very close and he misses him very much all these years later! I think Jason even may slightly blame his Grandpa for the Iowa State win last weekend! Grandpa Glover was an avid Iowa State fan!! He loved to fish (so did Chris)!

To add too it, being born around Christmas I wanted to go with the "Chris" theme and it helps that my great-grandpa was Christian and my dad had a brother Christopher.

We also decided to add another God parent for this little man. His god father will be my best friend, Matt and will have have 2 god mothers, one being his Aunt Jairren and the other being Chris' daughter, Emily. She was excited when I called her last night! Jason has yet to call Jairren...so by the way Jairren when you read this...SURPRISE!

Only 7 more weeks until we get to meet this little man!

Scare

With 7 weeks to go and me hoping I was about out of the woods with the problems that I had with Matthew, I began having a few contractions last Thursday!

With Matthew's pregnancy I would have contractions for 2-3 hours at a time and that was with meds on board. These are just a couple here then a couple a few hours later and maybe one or two that get my attention!

I wasn't worried about it and wasn't going to go into the clinic early until I had a nightmare last night that I had lost this little man. The freakier thing is that Jason had a similar dream last Thursday!

I went in to the clinic and doc decides to check things out just in case. His non-stress test was awesome! Doc was even surprised at how reactive he was for only being 32 weeks! I would be more impressed if the kid could produce a non-reactive strip! He never settles down! :) I guess he settles down when the boys try to feel him moving! HAHA!

The scary part was that they checked my cervix and I was already dilating! Doc reassured me that this was normal for a mom that already had a couple of kiddos, but it still worried me because it took me forever to dilate with both of the boys!

He thinks that there could be some type of infection that is upsetting and irritating my cervix. I got a round of antibiotics and another visit for Thursday! :)

So we will see! I'm not planted on the couch yet! And my goal is to not be! I would only have 4 more weeks to be on bedrest anyway!

Matthew in his Prime

Matthew and I snuggled last night and he was in his prime mode!! I jotted down some of the funny things he was saying!

Matt: "How you feel Mom?"
Mom: "Good! How do you feel, Matt?"
Matt: "Perfect!"


Matt: "My tummy hurt."
Mom: "Is the jell-o helping?"
Matt: "Right here it do. Right here it do not!"
A little later.
Matt: "Now, over here feel good too!"


He handed me a play cell phone and goes..."Somebody text you a message, Mom!"

What a character!!!

Influenza day 3!

Andrew's fever broke last night around 7 or so! He was immediately feeling better!

He broke my heart however, when he wanted to snuggle with me and I made him sleep in his own bed. I tried to explain to him that we couldn't run the risks of getting Mommy and the baby sick! He didn't understand! He just knew that he was starting to feel better and he wanted to snuggle with Mom!

This morning he slept in late...like 10:15...and when he woke up he was feeling a LOT better! He is back to his self and is running around the house, playing with Matthew! He would still rather eat applesauce versus real food, but I'm okay with that!

Sickness...once again!

As, I was trying to go to sleep last night, the only thought I could get through my head was...why does Andrew always seem to get the weird things! Not that they are weird, but Drew just gets them!

When Andrew woke up yesterday to get ready for school, he was complaining of a headache! In true parent manner I gave him a Tylenol and told him to get ready for school! He went and I went off to work for a 9 hour day of meetings/training.

A little after 1230 I got a call to call my mom on her cell phone! I knew that she was on her way to pick up Andrew from school because he was told to call Grandma if he needed to go home. I was proud of him for that! He was running a fever and continued with complaints of a headache!

I emailed our doc real quick to tell him what my plan of treatment was and what he suggested...all his reply said was...influenza swab!

I ran him into the clinic at 4 p.m. and they did a quick swab...which after my last nurses meeting, was the correct way...but that's besides the point! We waited the 10 minutes and then the door swung open to the room and doc just stood there with a grin on his face! All I had to say was, it's positive isn't it...A or B?

Of course, it was A pos, which for those of you oblivious to the rest of the world right now or like me avoid watching the news...a positive influenza A swab translates to positive for H1N1! NICE!

It wasn't like 30 min before we went to the doc that I was joking in my nurses meeting that since H1N1 had hit the hospital I was feeling contractions and would need to be off until after the flu season! :) The supervisors didn't find it funny, but the rest of us did!!

Needless to say, Andrew, Matthew, my mother and I all got prescriptions for tamiflu! I just feel bad because I feel like I'm treating him like he has the plague! Trying to prevent Matt from getting it and myself, but all I want to do is snuggle the poor kid!!

Now, I'm pretty sure he can't tolerate the tamiflu because he starts puking about 30-45 min after the medicine! We will try it again tonight and see what happens.

We will see what the next couple days bring!

Like a Cow

After running to the grocery store this morning for 7 up and other supplies, Matthew was helping me unload the suburban when we got home. I grabbed the two bags and told him to grab the milk.

His response..."Mom, I can't carry it! It's like a cow!!"

I said...From a cow, yes! As heavy as a cow...I don't think so!

I then told him that his baby brother would weigh about that much and if he couldn't lift the milk he probably wouldn't be able to hold the baby!

Amazingly...he carried the milk into the house AND put it in the fridge! Crazy how things like that happen!

Stop Jumping!

Matt was rummaging through the fridge tonight looking for something to snack on. He brought me a sandwich and told me that he thought I should eat the sandwich because that would make the baby stop jumping!

I don't know where he comes up with these things!!!

Wise Beyond His Years

I don't know that I should admit this story because it was a horrible moment in motherhood, but I was so proud of Matthew when all was said and done!

I was highly stressed this weekend, not sure as to why, but I was. Matthew caught me in a bad moment tonight and I snapped at him, yelling at him to get to bed.

He ran into his room and fifteen minutes later I went into his room! I knelt at his bed, leaned in and kissed him and apologized for yelling!

I said...Can you please forgive Mommy? I shouldn't have yelled at you!

He said...No..

I said...Why?

He said...because I love you mom!

I then had to explain that when someone asks you to forgive them, you usually say yes. He said...OH! Yes, Mom, I forgive you!

All I could do was kiss him over and over again!

Wish List

I asked Matthew tonight what he wanted for Christmas tonight and he simply said...a shovel.

Jason asked him what kind of shovel he wanted and his reply...

I want one my age. I don't want one you age!

Jason is pretty sure he can fullfill this request!

True Love

This isn't about the boys tonight!

We have a mouse in our house and living next to a field, I expect it!

Jason was setting the trap and so he asked me to put peanut butter on the trap. My theory...the more peanut butter...the quicker I am catching this damn rodent!

With peanut butter piled high I hand the trap to Jason and he sets it and then it immediately goes off in his hands. Luckily for him, he didn't get it!

His reaction...You can't weigh down the trap! You have to make it want to get on!! You're not making it a F***** sandwich!!

This lead to uncontrollable laughter and my husband questioning my genius!

Here a Wheeze...There a Wheeze

For the last couple of years, it has been normal for Matthew to have a little asthma attack when it goes from warm to rainy and cold. Drs. Kronberg and Murphy have both just told us to expect it! It's only when he runs a temp that throws me off! Thank God for Jessica answering text messages at all hours! :)

Needless to say, Matt attacked this weekend and earned himself a trip to the ED because of course it was on a Sunday! We have pediapred and breathing treatments for a few days. By Sunday night though, I thought we should have padded walls, because he was bouncing off of them! Gotta love pediapred and albuterol!

As I snuggled into bed last night, I was so looking forward to sleep, but about that time, Drew started with a tight harsh cough. At midnight I started neb treatments and then every 2 hours until we got to the doc a 9 a.m.!

Hit up the doc at 9 a.m. and tells me what I was kind of thinking...Drew is now attacking as well! I questioned that his PFTs were normal in July and so how could this be? He said...things change nurse Jennifer! I knew this, but Dr. Murphy was so hopeful that we would avoid this!

Now, I have TWO children on pediapred and I would like to thank the doctors right now for helping me to lose my hair! JK!

2 O'Clock

Matthew has decided that he is learning to tell time! He is always asking what time it is! Last night around 10:30 he said...let me see your phone, I want to see what time it is.

I showed him my phone and he goes..."2 o'clock!"

I chuckled of course, but tonight at 8:45 p.m. Matt says..."Let me see your phone, I need to know what time it is!"

I show him my phone and he goes..."2 o'clock!"

What a kid!

What a day!

I started the day by calling the doctor today to let him know I've been a little crampy the last couple days, instead of being like "Okay, watch yourself." I get..."Get in here as soon as possible!"

I go in and he says that he's worried about my history...pre-term labor with Matthew...and my job...being a nurse! :) He then sends me up to the hospital for a non-stress test, which at 27 weeks, isn't the greatest, but would show what my uterus is doing! :)

The test turned out fine, it was actually really good because he was more reactive in the test than he should be at 27 weeks! However, he wanted to see if bringing my stress level down would help with the cramping, so I get to get acquainted with my couch for the next couple of days!

He also sent me home with instructions to drink lots since my heart was racing and my urine wasn't really good!

I have to go back in Friday and get the final verdict then!

This child I have a feeling is living up to his namesake...early! I think he may have flipped too because my ribs are getting kicked tonight, rather than my bladder!!

Choke!

Matthew is taking Dallergy twice a day during this awesome time known as allergy season!

I had forgot to give him the pill tonight, so I said to him real quick...Matthew should we go take your pill real quick?

He goes...YES! Momma, I need milk with it though so I can choke it down!

I'm not sure where he came up with this, butI got a good chuckle out of it!

God Moment

I find joy in many little things and can cry at pretty much the smallest things tonight, but this took the cake!

I am putting together a small scrapbook for my boys about their Great-grandparent Shoemakers. Matthew was snuggled up next to me and was looking at the pictures and he goes..."I know him."

For those that don't know...my Grandpa passed in 1998.

I asked and said..."How do you know him?"

He said..."That my Grandpa."

With a big smile on my face, I showed him another picture...all of these pictures are from way before even my time!!

I again asked..."Who is that?"

He said..."Bob, my grandpa!"

I started crying. I talk about their great-grandpa often, but not in great details. I will say things like..."Your Great-grandpa would have loved you so much!" I say this when they are being goofy and I can picture grandpa sitting here smiling!

I asked further..."How do you know who that is?"

Matt said..."I see him."

I asked..."Where did you see him?"

"In my head!"

Then I started telling him about how Grandpa went to live with God way before Matthew was ever born.

Then Matthew said something that stopped my heart..."Momma, he was with God when I see him!"

Now, I'm not a quack, and it's not like I take what a 4 year old tells me to heart, but it was just one of those perfect moments.

For those that don't know...Matthew was named after his great-grandpa...Matthew Robert!

Dreaming

last night Matthew crawled in bed with me about 3 a.m. He crawls in bed with me and tells me that when my tummy gets big enough...the baby will just "pop" out! I chuckled and then he snuggled right in!

Who knows what he was dreaming about, but he is so concerned about this baby and how he's going to get out of mommy's tummy!

Updates!!

We visited with Dr. Murphy and Dr. Rhinehardt again today!

Dr. Rhinehardt said that Matthew's hypermobility is doing great. Needs some more help to stabilize hips and ankles, but we can do that! He said as far as long run, we don't need to see him, unless we have issues. As far as long, long run he may have to wear ankle braces to support his ankles from rolling when he plays sports, but so did Jason and I!

Okay...so allergy update!

Drew's regimen got all changed again today! He will continue with the Dallergy twice a day and the steroid cream for now, but since all of his allergies are things we can't control...grass, trees, ragweed...and the medicine isn't working very well, we get to start allergy shots.

He said with Matthew's being food allergies, we could take them away from him so therefore no shots. This is not the case obviously with Drew.

They mix up the serum and then send it to the clinic here and then we go in once a week for shots.

He wanted to do this therapy so he doesn't have to shove pills down his throat for the rest of his life! :) I like that theory!

He was very hopeful that we could make Drew feel better! He said the downfall to all of this, is that he's allergic to all the things that little boys love!

Matt got some help out with allergies too, and possible future testing later, but for now, just a pill to help!

School

I picked up Drew this afternoon from school this afternoon and said tohim...what did you learn today?

Reply..."NOTHING!"

I said, "surely you had to learn something!"

He goes..."No mom, we learned absolutely nothing!"

Who knows...but he cracks me up!

Speech Practice

Matthew has been taking speech therapy for almost 2 years now.

He brought home words tonight to work on and so we sat down to work on them. The focus was on the three syllable words and getting all of the syllables. We had a few issues...funny ones...

"animals" came out... "ani animals"

"camera" came out... "have cam-er-a"

and my favorite...

I said..."sa-lam-i"

Reply..."sa-lam-you!"

Rock it!

I noticed today while cleaning that one of my Willow Trees was missing.

Matt attempted to put a hat away and all of a sudden I heard this noise that sounded like a rock rolling down the wall...

What do you know...my WILLOW TREE!

Jason goes..."What is that?"

Matt replied...

"I don't know, but it sounded like a rock!"

Birthday gifts

My dad had picked up Matthew's birthday presents for me at John Deere...of course.

I thought I was being tricky by changing it from my Dad's truck to the back of my suburban. I was in the house talking with my parents when I looked out in the suburban and saw Matthew sitting in his seat. From the suburban he yells...

"Mom, come see the toys that I found!"

My thought...CRAP!!!

I got them home and I brought him in the house and Jason strategically moved them again and then let Matthew go.

Next I knew he came whining to me...

"Mom, the toys are gone."

"What toys?"

"My toys!"

I knew what he was talking about, but was obviously playing dumb. Jason and Drew played along and he was heart broken for awhile...

Then he forgot.

Dad informed me that he also found the gift from my parents!!

China

Matthew has been in a "mood" today! I'm sure it's because his birthday is tomorrow!!

After a day of putting up with his last day of him being 3...I simply said to him...

"Matt, how do you feel about China?"

His reply...

"Good."

Before that chuckle could be over, Andrew yells from the bathroom...

"Mom, I know you don't like Matt, but would you send me to China? I want to try to food!"

That one took Jason and I to the floor!

GREAT news!

I'm not sure if I shared, but the first ultrasound we had of babe went good, but he had questionable measurements with the ventricles in his brain. The report said something like...borderline dimensions, short term followed up recommended.

I spoke with the doc and we talk about what this could mean, including hydrocephalus. We would have to repeat the ultrasound and if there was a change and they would have enlarged then we wouuld trip to Omaha to have a specialist look at them.

Needless to say, I haven't slept much the last 4 weeks.

We had our repeat ultrasound this mroning and everything went great! His ventricles are fine, no enlargement and he looks great! He kept his hands up by his face the entire time!! He looks like the has the longest legs!!! I have to pull out Matthew's ultrasound pics, but he looks like he has Andrew's nose! :)

I'm so excited! Now we just have to decide on a name!

To think...I could be holding a new baby in as little as 15 weeks!

Thinking...

Today, I was laying in bed before getting up to get ready for Uncle Bob's party. I asked Matthew Robert if I could have a kiss before I got up and he didn't move. Normally he's jumping right on top of you to give ya a big kiss so I said...

"Can't Mommy have a kiss?"

His reply...

"I'm thinking about it!"

Andrew's First Day of Kindergarten

Well, we all survived the first day of Kindergarten. It's amazing how easily I can get out of bed when I have to! HAHA!

I took him into the classroom and got clear outside before my aunt had to remind me that my baby was going to school. I only teared up! He was ready for it though!

Matt on the other hand took it pretty hard. We came home and he laid on the floor/couch/bed and didn't move (unless to a different location) until it was time to go pick up Drew.

The day is done, and we are getting ready for day 2 to begin. Drew's only comment was that he was disappointed that they didn't learn anything on the first day! His comment was, "Mom, we didn't even learn anything today!"

I hope that appetite for education stays with him!

Our biggest feat today was trying to win the allergy battle!

More Allergies!!

It seems to be that the only time I write on here is when the boys have some new medical advancement! HAHA! Needless to say, we do!

I took Andrew to see Dr. Murphy on July 27, for a little allergy intervention. I knew he had been having allergy issues, I was just not sure as to what he was allergic to. We had it down to dogs for sure, but knew there had to be other things.

They did the scratch testing and after waiting the 10 min for results, Drew had reactions to 20 out of the 28 possibilities!!! In comparison, Matthew had 3 or 4 positives, with maybe a couple questionables. Andrew did not leave anything up for question!

Fortunately for us, no foods, so that means no altering the diet. Unfortunately for us, it's the rest of the world that he is allergic to! I need to add to my fortunately list, that house dust is not a positive either!! YAY FOR ME! Since those of you who know me, know I don't like to dust! :)

His list covers, but is not limited to, trees, grass, cats, ragweed, mold and other things that just naturally occur in the air. There are others, I just can't remember them off the top of my head.

He was started on D'Allergy medicine twice a day and a cream to his skin when his eczema gets really bad.

He also has to carry around an epi-pen since there are so many allergies. I'm not sure how this will work with school. I'm sure it has to be kept in the office, but after thinking about this, the office is a ways away from his classroom should they need it right away! This is something that I will be looking into in the near future!

He also had lung function tests which showed that he does not have asthma, but Dr. Murphy said we can't rule out some serious sinus problems in the future. He can thank his dad for that one!

So this is where we are at. We check back in with Dr. Murphy in 2 weeks and then see him again in September.

Matthew is now looking more and more like my healthy one all the time! :)

Exhaustion

Matthew has been working so hard the last couple days to learn how to ride a big boy bike!!

So when we came into the house tonight after everyone had left from Drew's birthday party...everything has been in tears. He lays down wrong and he cries...Drew puts up hi farm and he cries... He is so tired...

Needless to say, we were in the bathtub by 6:30 p.m.!! :)

My Little Man

It's amazing...we just celebrated Andrew's 6th birthday! His birthday was on Thursday, but Sunday's work best for partys.

I am loving watching him grow. He's writing and trying to use computers. He loves riding his new bike and has this huge interest in playing basketball. He got a basketball hoop for his birthday and spent the afternoon running Uncle Luke in circles, but he had fun!

Now he's busy laying on the floor putting together his farm that Bob and Mariclaire got him! His patience is getting longer and he is so kind and gentle with Matthew! He is also into fishing and loves it!

I am so proud of the man he is becoming.

Recap!

I just realized that I didn't post much since last week. I didn't finish with the whole story!

After seeing Dr. Reinhart on Wednesday of last week, we went and met Kate Collins, a physical therapist at Children's. I had spoken with one of our physical therapists here in O'Neill and she suggested that we be "eval'd" by a PT at Children's since ASAH doesn't do a lot of pediatrics.

Kate was really good with Matthew and it was even better that she had done some of her clinical rotation at ASAH so she knew how it worked. Matt was kind of shy at first, but she got him playing and worked with us, showing us how to work with him. She was then going to report off to the PTs in O'Neill so they could do the therapy here! It wasn't anything major! Just basically a playdate!

Friday the MRI was done and when we got there, Matthew was a champion! He got dressed like they asked, he let them take his vitals like he asked, the only thing he did was kept repeating...no shots! I just agreed! Technically he wasn't going to get a shot...he was getting an IV!!

We were all set and then were notified that there was an emergency and that we were behind by about an hour, which was no problem. The anesthesiologist, Dr. Druvall, ( I think) who is amazing and spoke with me and shared concerns with me. I stated I was concerned with the knees, but it had only been ordered a pelvic. She was going to talk to Dr. Kronberg and see what he said.

Twenty minutes later, I am on the phone with Dr. Kronberg. He shares that he thinks the diagnosis from Dr. Reinhart is basically bogus and then asked what labs he ran. When I said none, he states...I am ordering a uric acid, LDH and CBC right now! They waited til Matt was asleep before they drew the blood.

This put another worry in my head. I was so happy with the way the two days had gone prior, that I just wanted to cry! I just kept thinking...Why couldn't it be that simple!

They came and took Matt, did the MRI, and in the mean time I found out that all of Matthew's labs were normal! YAY! This meant to Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis! I was happy!

When I talked to Dr. Kronberg about the lab, Matthew had been back for awhile and we were getting ready to go home. He stated that he was happy with Matt's labs and he was even happy with his CBC that showed that Matt's allergies had been in check! YAY! I was doing something right! :)

At this point he hadn't heard anything from the MRI and stated that they would have called him by that point had something been off! I was okay with that!

One of the nurses had come in and asked Matt if he wanted some juice and crackers. He said, no...SOUP! The nurse brought him crackers and he asked...where's my soup! So the amazing nurse went and got him a bowl of chicken noodle soup! He ate it down like a champ! Then we got to go home!

Here we are...4 days post MRI and no news. I figure no news is good news, but Dr. Kronberg will be getting a call from me in the a.m.!

We've only had one night of leg pains...which Dr. Reinhart said will happen with this syndrome...so I am happy with that...and it wasn't all out crying...just kind of moans.

OH!!! Yeah, what Matthew has is a syndrome! It's called Benign Joint Hypermobility Syndrome or BJHS! Like I previously said, he is just a freak and can move his joints moreso than the most of us. It is genetic and Auntie MC had researched it more than I have! The PT will help build up the muscles around the joints to help alleviate the extra movement and therefore help alleviate the pain!

Let's hope! It's been a long year...a long 3 1/2 years to be exact! I am just happy he's healthy!

Hand Socks

I always joke around with Matthew and tell him he's weird or he's a nerd! He usually replies with...No you a nerd!

But he has hit new heights in his weird habits tonight!

For much of the day he has been walking around with socks on his hands! He took them off to eat supper and then when i said to get ready for bed...yeah...socks back on his hands. So when I asked him why he had socks on his hands and his simple reply..."Mom, my hands are cold!"

I guess that tells it all!

MRI Today

We have our MRI today...

We have to be at the hospital by noon then be there for the next four or five hours. Not to be selfish, but can I say that I am starting the day off exhausted!

So now...the next two hours of my day is focused on Matthew not eating or drinking anything. I am like the..."Don't go in the kitchen!" Warden!

I have a feeling I will be ready to pass out this evening.

Did I mention that Jason is still in bed? Yeah...whole other blog!

Rab-BIT!

So we were coming from Children's Hospital today to JCPenney's to pick up picktures!

Anyway, Matthew is not able to say rabbit. It comes out Ra-hit. So Mary-Jo his therapist says to use the phonetic sign for 'b' to help him. He can say rabbit beautifully with that.

So, today I said, Matthew can you say rabbit.

He replied..."Ra-hit."

So, I went on to correct him and his reply this time was..."Mom, I'm not playing that game."

I waited for awhile then tried it again..."rabbit!"

"Mom, I can't talk today."

I gave up!

Matthew on a ball.

I was talking to Mariclaire tonight about what we had found out about Matthew today. So she wanted to talk to Matthew. When Matthew was done, Drew was asking to talk...Matthew looked straight at him and goes...Too bad!

Then...at lunch/supper...I was telling Matthew that if he didn't sit still I was going to take away his food! He looked straight at me and said to me...No mom...I take away your food!

Yet again, in the same meal, Matthew, said to Drew...I beat you down Drew!

It was too funny...so just to add to it all...I put in this innocent picture of Matthew that I found!

ANSWERS!!!

So...we met Dr. Reinhardt today. A rheumatologist at Children's Hospital. At first I was leary of him, but then he started to asks lots of questions. Finally he said that he doubted that Matthew had arthritis. That was a sigh of relief.

So he started poking and proding at Matt. Docs theory was that maybe matthew had a condition where he could move his joints more than most people could. So he moved legs and arms and wrist and fingers and toes. WHen I saw him bend his fingers almost back to his arm then pull his leg out to almost a 90 degree turn...I was like...yeah, I'd say he had movement! :)

So he said that he has what is called hypermobility of his joints! All it is going to take is some physical therapy. The down side to that is that it isn't a few weeks of it, but more like a few months.

I almost cried and jumped across the room to hug the doctor! It wasn't going to take any medication or any pills, but just lots of physical therapy!

I can do that! I can do exercises and therapy! Answers...FINALLY...answers!

However, we are still going to do our MRI on Friday just to be sure that it isn't something else too! But I am finally content.

What a champ!

Last night I stayed at Mom and Dad's. I wasn't working, but technically I was still on call and if I got called in during the night, I would have to have the boys be somewhere. Anyway...we just lay down to sleep and Andrew starts coughing. He coughed and coughed and coughed. I finally got him woke up to go downstairs to ask Grandma for cough syrup when he gets two steps down and he starts throwing up.

This is his norm. He throws up a couple times and then feels better and goes back to sleep and doesn't have any more coughing.

So anyway, he threw up like a champ, cleaned up and went back to bed without any further events!

The funny part was while we were in the bathroom to get cleaned up he just started stripping. He was half asleep still and I had to shake him and go.."Drew, what are you doing?" He was like...whoa! Then got his clothes back on! TOO FUNNY!

Week of Answers

I have one more night of work...then hopefully our week of answers will begin.

Wednesday we are on the highway again to Omaha to visit with Dr. Reinhart, a rheumatologist with Children's Hospital. We get a days break and then Friday is our big day with our MRI. Hopefully between the two appointments, we will find something out...something simple that is.

The other day Matthew Robert told me his legs were hurting and so I said...where. He said "Inside and outside." When I asked him to point out what is inside and what is outside, he pointed to his thigh for inside and knee for outside. So I'm not sure. Part of me just wonders if he learned two new words! :)

Matthew-isms

I'm so orignial on the titles on these Blogs!! HAHA!

Matthew has been in his prime these last few days!

The other night I was in the bedroom working on something and Matthew climbs on the bed and taps my leg and says...in Matthew language..."Mom, you need me, you call. I come right here!"

I was impressed with the sentence! :)

Then today he came across one of my stethoscopes and decided he HAD to use it. So he was trying to get it out and it was stuck. So he would pull then he would have to take a "break" and get a drink and then go back to trying to get it unstuck! He went back and forth like this for five minutes or so...HILARIOUS!

Then tonight we were making cookies and Matthew kept eating the dough and I said...NO MORE! He looked at me, put another finger in and goes...one taste mom!

Results

I didn't waste any time today calling Dr. Kronberg's office!

I got a quick return that the ultrasound was negative and showed nothing! I was able to breath again! :)

So although we found out nothing this time, we still have our appointments at the end of the month! I'm okay with that!

OCD

One of the on going jokes in Jason's family is about Jason's Dad's OCD tendencies!

This morning we were putting together valentine's and I had bouncy balls and little bubbles in them! Me being me, I was purposefully mismatching them.

Then Mr. Matthew comes behind me and matches up the colors! I mismatched them again, he matched them up again! It went on like that until I finally gave in!

Thanks, Papa K! HAHA! JK!

Little Room

We had girl's night last night at our house and then shortly after everyone left, I got called into work for a car accident with four victims.

So a few hours later I got to come home and finally crawl in to bed! When I woke up a couple of hours later, I was sleeping on about 6 inches of bed and being smothered by two little boys!

Oh! Did I mention we have a king size bed?!

Guilt

I was in Omaha with Matthew on Friday for doctor's appointments/tests.

I left Drew in O'Neill because I didn't want to have to worry about two babies in Children's Hospital when one could hang out at home with a sitter. Plus one less kid I had to tote around...I know bad mother again!

Anyway, the guilt sank in so while I was at Walmart I picked him up a couple Lego pieces to build. It's amazing how the kid puts them together! I think I would have difficulty with them!

So, early this a.m. he brings them to me to show me what he accomplished and says..."Sorry Mom, I had to get up early so I could start working on these!"

I loved it!

Food

I can't remember where we were or what we were doing, but it was Matthew and I. I was asking him what he wanted for supper and without a moment of hesitation he says..."Food!"



He has more and more of these one liners that remind me of his dad everyday!

A long frustrating wait!

Well, we had Matthew's ultrasound done yesterday (Friday). He was such a champ. In the morning I sat down with him and kind of walked him through what they were going to do with him. So when they took him back to the US room, he crawled up on the table, crossed his legs and laid there like a big boy! I was SOOOO proud of him!

When we were done, the tech had to go make sure it was all good and when she came back she simply said...."You know that if it was really bad you would be talking with Dr. Kronberg right away!"

I said, yes, thank you and knew that she probably couldn't tell me much more than that! Then to top it off, we would have to wait until Monday to get results!

However, my mind hit hyper drive about 90 minutes later. I was driving down Maple St. heading out of town and it all sank in! I started crying, almost to the point of hyperventilating and just kept thinking...so it's not REALLY bad, but what if it is BAD or not SO bad!

I mean I was there for the whole thing and it went smoothly other than when she was looking at the liver and the portal vein. She hung around there FOREVER!!!

Big Matt had just left us so I'm pretty sure that's why reality set it and so I called another friend and crying to their voicemail! It's all so frightening!

Dr. Kronberg is sure that they won't find any thing with the ultrasound. I know this makes me a horrible mother, but I want them to find SOMETHING that will explain my baby waking up at 2 a.m. just about every night screaming and crying. Or why he can't walk on certain days or why he won't walk stairs another! Tell me it's because he's growing too fast and I will be fine with it! Just stop telling me it's in my head! A child does not scream like that for a minor ache in their leg. A child who likes to run and play does not decide to just not walk one day! He may be cute, but he hasn't learned all the tricks quite yet!

Okay, sorry, side rant there! So now, we wait for the MRI and Dr. Kronberg wants us to meet with Dr. Reinhart, a rheumatologist. Lots of back and forth over the next few weeks.

I just thank Dr. Kronberg for doing all this. Okay, not for the hefty bills that are coming with it, but he said on Thursday when we saw him, "I would never forgive myself if we missed something!"

You can't be upset with a doctor for that!

More Testing

Matthew has been doing so good this winter. He has only been sick once minus all these leg problems. I was so proud of myself and I knew better than to say it outloud and jinx myself. He now has fought an URI and an ear infection! Oh well, I can manage those.

However, it brings me back to his legs! When the boys picked me up from the airport on Sunday night Matthew didn't want to walk. I thought it was because he didn't feel good, but am now pretty sure his legs were hurting. All this deduced from him crying and saying "My leg hurts."

After talking to Jessica, I learned that the previous day he had not wanted to walk down any stairs. Although that sounds minor, that is usually my cue that something is hurting.

So, I was on the horn to Dr. Kronberg today! After three phone calls and lots questions we are to this point:

This Friday we go to Omaha to do an abdominal ultrasound because Dr. Kronberg has been doing some research and wants to rule out and abdominal mass. Then on the 27th of this month we return for an MRI in which Matt will have to be under general anesthesia because of age and weight. The MRI will be looking for vascular issues.

So this is where we stand. Another few weeks of waiting and wondering. I just thank heaven for Dr. Kronberg.

Another Frustrating Day with Docs

So... We met Dr. Hasley today! Super nice guy, but he frustrated me!

I told him twice, and his PA, what has happened over the past 9 months and after examination he basically told me that he's fine and I need to stop worrying!

I left so frustrated and although I am perfectly content for my child to be healthy, it's frustrating because my child should NOT wake up and just not walk for the day!

So, now I get to sit here and watch him like a hawk! Then, if it happens again, I will call Dr. Kronberg!

Never a dull moment in this house!

Drew-isms

On our way down to Omaha on Saturday, I had attempted to contact a friend and ask about a nursing class.  When they didn't answer, AJ asked why and I said...

"Oh, they are probably sleeping!"

Drew then states...

"Well, Mom, some people need to hibernate and if they are hibernating you shouldn't disturb them!"

I laughed!

Then tonight I had gotten Drew ice cream.  ( I hope you can keep up with all his nicknames!! ) At one point he said, oh that's cold. I questioned it.

His reply...

"I will have to eat smaller bites next time!"

He still does not cease to amaze me!

D Day

So, tomorrow is the day!  We go meet Dr. Hasley tomorrow!  

It made me nervous when I called Dr. Kronberg today to remind him to talk to Dr. Hasley before we go see him and he calls me at work and tells me that he wants to see Matthew TODAY!

Luckily for my sake, Jason just happened to be in Omaha with both of the boys. 

To cover my tail, I requested that Dr. K call me and he did!  I know I have said this a million times but Dr. K is one of the most amazing doctors EVER!  

After joking around with me, he then told me that as far as he was concerned Matthew is doing excellent.  Then I questioned scoliosis and the way his feet point in and he said...you had to ask about the two things I didn't focus on huh?  Then he laughed of course!!!

He assured me that Dr. Hasley is not only an amazing Orthopedist, but the best spine guy in Omaha as well.  

So tomorrow is another day...I just pray it turns out good!

Allergies, Allergies Everywhere!

About 4-6 weeks ago, Andrew was diagnosed with nummular eczema. Forget the first word, just realize it is eczema.



Anyway, as we well know, allergies, eczema and asthma run hand in hand. All of this from Matthew however.



Tonight, the boys hung out with their great aunt and uncle, who happen to have two dogs by the way. Andrew came home with a face that was fire engine red and exacerbated like you wouldn't believe!



I thought one kid was bad enough!

Sharpie attack!

This morning I was emailing friends and family and Andrew comes running to get me!

"MOM, Matt colored on himself again!"

I hoped it was about like the night before as the yellow marker had attacked. This time however, it was a black sharpie marker. We hit every part of our bottom half from our hips to our toes and everything in between!

Not only did he get his legs, but he also got his jungle that he just got from Uncle Brandon and Aunt Christi! At least it wasn't Andrew's bedroom wall as it was the other day!

So needless to say, my new best friend is rubbing alcohol! There are still remnants, but it's not as prominent. We are however, sterile now in this house! :)

Matthew update: 1/6/09

Dr. Kronberg, our pediatrician from Omaha, called late last night to check on Matthew again, for the third time after I initially talked to him. He asked lots of questions and checked on him. He was happy with the fact that the limp was starting to go away and he wasn't seeming to be in any more pain. Matt slept through the night with me, after a long nap and spent much of the night coughing.

I did question Dr. Kronberg last night about leg-perthes. An idea that Dr. Pete had planted in my head. When I researched leg perthes, those signs and symptoms seemed to fit Matthew better than the toxic synovitis.

Then again this morning, Dr. Kronberg called and asked yet more questions about Matthew, including whether he had been constipated, which he hadn't and whether he was fully potty trained. I said no to both, but I said I think the potty training could be because he was stubborn and Dr. kronberg laughed and asked where he got that...jokingly. He said that the potty training issues could be related to issues with the spine. Although i don't want it to be an issue with his spine, it would make my attempts to potty train him a lot better!

He also said that there are scans that he wants to run on Matthew but he wants him to see Dr. Hasley, the pediatric orthopedist before he orders them because tthey would have to sedate Matthew to get things done.

So, we go to see Dr. Hasley on the 20th. As of now, that's where we stand.

Another Scary Day!

I have had way too many of these days, but they come. I had another terrifying day in regards to Matthew's health!

Matthew woke up this a.m. and couldn't walk. I shouldn't say he couldn't walk, but he couldn't keep his balance. The first few times he fell I mad a joke out of it and said...Matthew Robert, didn't you get enough sleep last night!

I knew this couldn't be true because he slept next to me last night! He had woken up in the middle of the night and was crying saying he hurt! ***HELLO MOM! But at 2 a.m. you don't think much of it after you ask him and he falls right to sleep!

So once I noticed him continually falling, I knew I had to seek out a doctor and immediately. After our scare last June, I was terrified by this point. I just wanted to cry!

I happened to be at the hospital to put my time off for work in and heard Dr. Pete talking so I told him right away. He ordered just what I wanted him to and we got that done at the hospital before we left.

I felt like a moron because since I had surgery only 2 weeks ago, I couldn't pick him up and people were looking at me strange. I had to just keep going! When I came back to the hospital later however, I brought the stroller so he didn't have to walk!

So, while we were waiting to go to Dr. Pete's I was on the phone with Omaha to Dr. Kronberg's office! I also planned to get on the hi-way to Omaha.

Dr. Kronberg called me himself and stated that he was pretty sure that it was a case of toxic synovitis. For those of you that don't remember, Andrew had it at 14 months! Although this brought me a little comfort, I was still unsure that it was the correct diagnosis! I just felt it couldn't be that simple with Matthew! Nothing ever is1

So we then went to Dr. Pete's and found out that the lab work was okay and the x-ray showed nothing, although I already knew this because I had already talked to the people at the hospital!

Dr. Pete gave us the same diagnosis with the further possibility being leg-perthes.

So here we are, two Motrin doses later and four calls from Dr. Kronberg himself, he isn't limping as much and called his dad to say, "me better now dad! No hurt me now!"

But for both Jason and I, another heart stopping day!

thoughts

I sit here and watch Matthew and he does weird things. Funny things! I just wish I knew what was going on in his head at that time! Most likely it is probably, "You don't know what you are talking about, MOM!" or "Drew I'm gonna kick you in the shin if you do that again!"



It's just hilarious to watch his face and watch him walk around! He totally beats to his own drum!

Heartbroken

So...I have this friend that i've known for the last 9 years, he actually graduated with my husband. Anyway, I thought he was a good friend. Little did I know he was a blogger as well, so I go to read it and find out that I have to be invited! What in the world!

Jeremy! I take back all of my 12 hugs for the last 9 years!! :)

Just kidding! I still love you guys!
000000000000

You there?

Matthew was in his bed tonight and I have been sitting here quietly on the computer blogging all of this.

Matthew starts yelling...mom, mom, momma, mom!

I just sit here quietly and continue to type. Pretty soon I hear...Mom, you there?

I can't help but chuckle. So then it starts all over again...Mom, mom, momma, mom! I said what this time and he goes...dad there?

I replied...yes, he's sitting here.

Matt does his contagious little giggle and goes...OH!

Melt My Heart

I'm very guilty for saying to Matthew...Hello, love of my life, or goodnight love of my life. It's just what I do with him! With Andrew I always say, goodnight George! (Georger is his nickname!)

Anyway, tonight Drew asks me...Mom why do you say Matthew is the love of your life.

I replied...it's just something I say.

Drew counters...why don't you say it to me?

I felt horrible. I don't love him any less, it's just been a thing with Matthew and I.

So as I feel horrible and I tell him I love him as I am putting him to bed...he says...Mom...I love you to the moon!

I know it is totally from a book, but it totally melted my heart!

I think we found our thing!

Bed!

Matthew has been sleeping in our bed a lot lately, moreso because he is superglued to my side for some unknown reason. So he automatically goes in to our bed. However, if i get up, he gets up, if i lay down, he lays down...on top of me!

Tonight jason was taking out the garbage and he pounded on Andrew's window. I heard him come back into the garage and said to the boys...here he comes you better get in your bed.

Matthew went running down the hall to then stop in the hallway and cry because he didn't know which bed to crawl into. He just stood there and cried...bed, which bed?

I had to laugh!

Sir!

Matthew doesn't talk much but lately he has a new thing as he's starting to put 2 and 3 words together.

His new thing...Yes/No Sir!

Clean Up Your Act!

Tonight, Jason was taking out the trash when I was reading him an email in it and it has a curse word in it and I read it in front of Matt. Jason says I need to clean up my act or all the swear words Matthew knows is going to come out in speech therapy!

Matthew asks..."What Dad?"

So then Jason says to Matt that he needs to clean up his act. So Matthew spent the next few minutes looking for his act to clean up! It was great!

Help Finally!

Well, we had the meeting today and set up the time...Matt gets to start speech therapy on MONDAY! I've been wanting this for so long, but then as I'm sitting there, listening to what his speech therapist has to say it is frustrating. In my head all I could think was...he doesn't seem that bad to me!

I guess I am his mom and I understand him quite well. Then they started talking about his cognitive help that he may need and that we should get it started before he gets to school rather than waiting until he gets to school. I just kind of sat there in shock and was like...what? Huh? When we did the test the things he didn't get were things that he had to speak. I just passed it off that it was his speech and we would re-evaluate it later. Now I'm thinking...is that the wrong idea? I don't want him to be behind. he's just three though and he has this imagination like wild.

But as she was saying at the meeting today...he doesn't know his colors, he doesn't know his numbers...Andrew new all this stuff at this age!!! Could it be because I snuggle Matthew where I worked with Andrew? Maybe working full-time isn't worth it!

It's just all a lot to swallow.

On the other hand...I am so excited he is finally getting speech help!

Holy Empty Leg

Matthew ate half a frozen pizza today! I took a minute to check his legs real quick for hollowness, but there wasn't anything rattling in them that i could tell. I am just impressed!

Rhyming

Andrew, Matthew and I were driving to Norfolk last week to do a little shopping. Lately has like to do this rhyming game...does this rhyme with this and what rhymes with that...

Anyway, he as I am driving I throw out...what rhymes with truck. Without hesitation he returns...F***!

I couldn't help it...i laughed. All I could respond was...although you are correct, it does rhyme, that is very inappropriate!

He knew I was proud of him though!

failure once again!

So Jeremy informs me the other day when i call him and attempt to pawn clothes off on he and Therese that I haven't been blogging enough lately! For a couple days i had my computer on and I would just come straight to it to type what the boys did funny. Please note earlier in the comment...for a couple days! It's not that the funny things haven't continued, it's just that sometimes it is hard to keep up!

So this is for you Jeremy...I'm trying!

yet another one liner!

While watching the Olympics...he asked to watch the Chinese...don't know why...

"That's not a China guy, that's a normal guy!"

Andrew's newest one liner!

"Matt, I'm not a kid anymore!"

So Strong!

We carry a diaper bag with all of Matt's meds that he may possibly need at any time. It is where I keep the tylenol there and needed to give some to Matt tonight as he was complaining of a sore throat.

I asked Matt if he wanted to go get the diaper bag and he did. So he went over to get it and it was heavy...of course, it carries a nebulizer...anyway, he called for help. Instead he dropped it to the floor and dragged it.

I said, "Wow, you got it!"

Matt replied, "I strong!" Then proceeded to go over to Drew and show off his muscles.

Then later Matt had water and Drew wanted a drink. Matt rolls it on the floor and in Matt language basically said...go get it dog! he was treating Drew like a dog! I laughed...

The most terrifying experience of my life!

Wow, I didn't realize it had been almost 2 months since I last blogged. Things have been completely crazy around here.

We finally got to the point with Matthew that they were going to put tubes in his ears and take out his adenoids. Dr. Denman was in Omaha and is amazing! Yes, he looks 12, but he's awesome. He has that...I'm a parent too...feel to him and I have no clue if he has children or not.

So yesterday we were off to Omaha. Matt had to be at Dr. Kronberg's to have a pre-op physical done. He checked out perfect of course. I asked Dr. Kronberg however, about this leg pain that Matthew continues to have. He'll limp some days or he wake up in the middle of the night screaming that his legs hurt. Some nights we are doing this like 3 or 4 times. They Motrin or Tylenol will no more wear off and he'll be screaming again.

I asked Dr. Kronberg about this and he got serious really quick. He looked over Matt's legs and moved them and poked them and manipulated them and then said...

"Guys, I'm not trying to scare you, but we have to rule out BONE CANCER!"

At the first I was like...okay, no biggy and we finished with the physical and received instructions to head to Children's Hospital where they would draw a CBC, CRP and sed rate. Dr. Kronberg also wanted to do a hip xray.

We stopped to have lunch at Red Robin...Awesome if you din't know that...and then we headed to the hospital.

I opted for the xray first and then the lab work. That's what you learn in school right, least invasive first. Then after all that we headed to find baby gifts.

I slowly began to think about things. Over and over in my head, all I could hear was BONE CANCER, BONE CANCER, BONE CANCER! He couldn't have cancer, no way, he just had ear infections, not cancer.

I found myself playng out every scenario in my head that afternoon. I'd after postpone boards....he'd have to have chemo at Children's...I wouldn't be able to work...and last but not least. BONE CANCER! When you are diagnosed with bone cancer...that's pretty much it.

I was fine until about 5 p.m. I'd been waiting to hear from Dr. Kronberg and he wasn't calling. I knew the clinic was closed and I hadn't heard anything. At this point my thought process was, it's bad and he won't tell me bad news over the phone so maybe he'll be meeting us at the hospital tomorrow. I wasn't sure. I had made it through the previous five hours without crying....until now.

I lost it, I just cried and cried and cried. I didn't know what to think or what to do! Jason was so calm. He wasn't doubting that Matthew was sick. I couldn't imagine not having my big brown eyed boy. The little boy that could make me laugh with just a smile.

When we got to Cindy's house, I was physically and emotionally exhausted. I saw a note on her buffet though that said..."Blood work normal, no xray." I immediately asked... "Is that Matt's?"

I could breath again! I was so excited. Granted the xray wasn't back yet, but it didn't matter. The blood work would have to be indicative too for a cancer diagnosis. I could deal with a malformation or disformity.

So we went to the hospital this a.m. and had our tubes put in and our adenoids out. It all went off without a hitch and the x-ray came back clear. It was a great day!

I told my friend Kim that through all of this another thought of mine was...I hope there isn't an increase WBC. Then they will call off the surgery and I don't want that to happen.

Kim agreed that only a nurse would think like that!

Delivery or Di'Giorno

Jason asked Andrew what he wanted to eat tomorrow while I'm at work. So I was rattling off the list of stuff that I got at the grocery store today for the boys to make. After the fettucini alfredo, spaghetti, chicken, hamburgers and green bean casserole, Andrew decides on macaroni and cheese and pizza. So after all that, then he asks:

"Mom, is the pizza, Pizza Hut or Caseys?"

I said, "Excuse me?"

So he asks again if it is Pizza Hut or Caseys and i tell him it is frozen and he goes...

"Oh, grocery store!"

Sentimental memories

Yesterday we were on the interstate driving to Kearney for my sister's induction in to Sigma Theta Tau. Anyway, we were almost to Kearney and out of no where Andrew asks:

"Mom, How do you send cards to heaven?"

First, I asked him to repeat it, then I asked him why he wanted to know that:

"Mom, I want to send Great Grandma that lived at the nursing home a card cuz I miss her."

I started crying. You never quite realize how much a four year old understands until moments like this. It's been almost 2 months.

Big Brother's Fault!

Andrew and Matthew were playing outside today and Matthew came in and I could smell something. When I asked him if he dirtied his pants he goes..."No, Drew!"



Already knows to blame big brother!

Just because he's cute.

Isn't he so damn cute?

More allergies!

Andrew was in the hospital last weekend for just a few hours while they dumped some fluid into him.

Anyway, the rest of the week, we've been battling the tape thing on the arm ya know? So the other night I get out some alcohol wipes out of my stash from work and clinicals and was rubbing at it. This is the conversation that came as i rubbed...

Andrew: "Mom, what is this?"
Mom: "Alcohol"
Andrew: "Mom, I'm allergic to this!"
Mom: "How do you know that?"
Andrew: "Mom, can't you see my eyes burning?"

I just laughed and and replied...whatever kid!!

Never Close Your Eyes Around A 2 Year Old

I've been overly tired lately and today I got up and fed the boys and fell back to sleep on the couch...not meaning to. I woke up to Matthew smelling like sweet pea fragrance and attempting to put mascara on me!



When I told him to put it away and that he was NOT to touch it...he pointed to my eye and said..eye...pretty!



All I could say was...GRRRR LITTLE BOY!

Happy Easter

So, the other day i was talking to Andrew about Easter and I asked him what it was all about. Of course he said the Easter bunny, but then he said...The rebirth of Jesus! I was floored and started laughing because I wasn't expecting it at all!

Then today, I thought I would ask him again what Easter is all about! This time he said...it is when jesus comes back life!

I was so amazed at how much a four year old knew! I don't know where he picked it up, but I know that if his Great-Grandpa Shoemaker heard it...he'd be crying!

Speech Eval

So...Matthew finally had his Speech eval. Mary Jo came to the house to eval him and he did okay. He took a few minutes to warm up to her, but then once he did he did very well! He passed the comprehension part with flying colors and is slightly ahead of where he should be at! However, he is way behind on his speech and Mary Jo said that she could see that while we did the study. I was surprised that he knew more than I THOUGHT he did.

In the end he didn't qualify for services becuase his comprehension was too high and it off sets the vocabulary! It seems like he's been talking more now that we had him evaluated. We will re-evaluate in August if we can because they can do more on his articulation at that time!

He just came up to me and puts his hand up and goes...up then he puts it down and goes...down! I didn't know he could do that! He's leaping and bounding! I LOVE IT!