A nice and warm and cozy seat just for me...

The other day Maggie was sick and feeling quite yucky with a high fever and terrible cough. She wanted me to come cuddle. The two older monkeys were at school and Ben had just gone up for a nap. I absolutely wanted to take advantage of the cuddle time with Maggie. After getting a couple of things done I went into the living room and Maggie moved over on the couch. She looked at me with sick, but sweet eyes, pointed at where she had just been sitting and said, "Mama, you sit here. I was sitting there making it nice and warm and cozy just for you." I was touched! Here is my little girl, who just turned 4, sick as can be and thinking of me! (Haha, that rhymes, not on purpose)

Maggie, I love you!

Medical stuff...

We're tired...

I'm tired...

Chris is tired...

Ben is tired...

Katelyn is tired...

Maggie is tired...

I don't think Connor or JJ are tired though...

Last weekend I wrote about Ben still having the double ear infection and wheezing. I'll tell you, last weekend got really bad! There was quite a few times that I thought Ben would have to go to the hospital. We were giving him breathing treatments every two hours and sometimes we even had to do two in a row. Thank goodness on Sunday afternoon it calmed down some. He has had a couple of treatments a day instead of constant treatments.
It's been a tough week. He was supposed to have surgery today but unfortunately that did not happen. Because he has been wheezing on and off for a week now the anesthesiologist felt that it was too risky for Ben to be put to sleep and to be intubated. Although I am very glad that he has Ben's best interest and safety in mind I was sorely disappointed.
Poor Ben has been battling with ear infections for quite a while now and has been on antibiotics almost constantly. Because of this his mouth is full of thrush and until yesterday his bum was covered in a chemical rash (burn) and yeast rash from the yucky poops.
Thank God for oatmeal baths, triple paste, and Lotrimin. Talk about miracle workers! Sorry, got off the main topic for a minute.
I digress...
I took Ben to the pulmonologist on Thursday and we have upped his inhaled steroids so try and get his asthma in better control. Hopefully in two weeks it will be better controlled and he can have the surgery.
OK, moving on to Maggie.... She has had a cough for weeks now for which I have brought her to the doctor three separate times. The doctor thought that she was just getting cold after cold a couple of weeks ago when I brought her again. However, this week she spiked a temp of 102.9 so I brought her back in. The doctor now thinks maybe she has some type of sinus infection that may be causing her to cough. Mags is now on antibiotics and is feeling better but still has a nasty cough.
Maggie also had her 4 year old well child visit this week that went well. She is growing and thriving just as we would hope for. She couldn't get her shots because of being sick so we will go back for them. Also, she has some thing swollen in her nose so the doctor thinks she may have allergies, which could also be causing the cough. We will check on that in a few weeks.
Finally, on to Katelyn... She stayed home from school today because her asthma is really acting up too. Her peak flow numbers are down a bit so we are doing albuterol treatments with her too. She is having a hard time sleeping so that's tough on her. Hopefully she will pull out of it without having to go on the oral steroids but we do have them if needed.
And Connor, he is doing very well! Thank God!!!

So, as you can imagine, we are tired. So tired. I am not joking when I tell you that I actually pray for sleep! For now, we will take what we can get and try to remember that it could be so much worse...

Happy Birthday Mom!

I love you!!!

Tid bits

Katelyn is doing very well. She is preparing to make her first Communion and just had her first Penance last weekend. She was very nervous but I think did well.


2nd grade is fun but she loves her days off!


She still plays outside as much as possible and when she is inside she can often be found with headphones on her head and JJ on her lap.

Maggie and Connor are often using their imaginations throughout the house. Aquariums in the bathroom, dinosaurs under the table, monster hunting in the basement and much more!!!

Ben has moved on from just eating "toe fries" to

eating real food! He, just last week, really got the hang of eating and is enjoying just about everything!

I am sorry I haven't been on here lately. Anyone who follows me on facebook or is in touch with us IRL knows life has brought us some medical challenges lately! I hope to do a post all about that soon but for tonight it's just the light stuff!

I hate asthma...

You know what stinks??? Putting your baby to bed but being so worried that you want to go pick him back up and keep him with you instead!
Ben started some wheezing last night, after two weeks of no wheezing, but it was very minor and not frequent. He has been pulling on his ears a lot more in the last two days as well. Tomorrow was supposed to be his last day on the antibiotics but we weren't sure they were working too well.
Any way, this morning he woke up with a TERRIBLE, knock your socks off, cough! I couldn't hear too much wheezing but didn't listen with the stethoscope (yeah, I have one). I did call first thing so I could have the doctor listen to him and check on his ears. We headed in for a 10:20 appointment. Here's the run-down...
He still has a double ear infection, sigh... I was really disappointed because he had been doing so well with his medicine and we didn't miss a single dose. Not to mention, it was a strong antibiotic that he was on.
He was wheezing, BIG TIME, sigh... The doctor wanted me to get him right home and start the breathing treatments and oral steroids. The good thing was that he wasn't showing any signs of distress.
His mouth is FULL of thrush, sigh... The worst I have ever seen it. Of course, he has been on so many antibiotics.
His bum has a HORRIBLE yeast rash, sigh... It looks just terrible and must feel just awful. Of course, he has been on so many antibiotics and has major yucky poops. We are putting the cream on it...
So he has had three breathing treatments, sigh... I don't think it is doing much other then making his heart race and his little body shake. His breathing is more rapid then it normally is. I don't think he is in any distress though so I will just wait it out at home with him. I hate this, it just sucks!
My stomach is a jumbled mess. I don't even want him in the other room tonight. I may get him and put him in my bed for the night. I don't think I will get much sleep either way, sigh...
I hate asthma!!!!!!!!!!!

memories

Dear Katelyn,
I came across these pictures of you today and was instantly brought back to when you were just a baby.
You're adorable chubby cheeks and priceless expressions are things I will never forget!
In this picture you are wearing an outfit that your great grammy gave you and I just adored!

I remember this moment like it was just yesterday! You had a set of three bugs that were your most favorite toys. You would look at them and chat away. I will never know just what you were saying but I am pretty sure it was good!

You began rolling over so early. The first night it happened you were asleep in your crib while Daddy and I were watching TV down stairs. All of the sudden you started screaming, a terrible scream, the kind that sends parents running. Daddy and I ran upstairs to see that you had scared yourself when you rolled over for the first time ever. We just laughed as I scooped you up to comfort you.

After that I would have to go in a bunch of times every night to roll you over because you didn't like being on your belly but couldn't roll back over.

Not too long after that I went in one morning to get you and you were on your belly just hanging out, talking away. I saw you and had to run and get the camera. I captured that memory on camera and it still brings me such smiles to see you're adorable little face resting on your chubby little hands!

I love you Katelyn!

Love,

Mommy

Maggie's party

While Nana took the girls to basketball Connor and I worked together to decorate the cup cakes and the house for Maggie's party.

She decided on a doggy party. We put doggies all over! Doggies on cupcakes, doggies on plates, doggies on tables, doggies everywhere!

(I definitely didn't get my mom's gene for cake decorating but Maggie liked the cupcakes so that's what matters!)

I bought some leashes and collars the other day to put on our stuffed dogs so the kids could take them for "walks". They really enjoyed that!

It turned out to be a great day! Everyone had a good time and Maggie had a blast.

The actual birthday cake...

Daddy stopped on his way home from work last week on Maggie's actual birthday to pick up a cake. He found the perfect cake! He always calls Maggie, "My beautiful little Angel" so this cake was just right!

pizza

Dear Maggie,

When you are eating a piece of pizza you need to stay in the kitchen. And you definately need to make sure the plate with the left over crust does not get left down where Ben can reach it.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Love,

Mommy

(side note: Look at the grin Ben has on his face, he totally knows he is not supposed to have that, LOL!)

Happy birthday Maggie!

Dear Maggie,

My sweet girl, my pipper doodle noodle, today is your birthday. At 12:03am you charged into this world, leaving my warm cozy womb in such a hurry. For hours you were pokey and then you decided it was time. Well my sweet girl, you never once looked back. You were ready for this world and we were ready for you.

I can't believe it's been four whole years already. You're just growing and learning so fast. You're a pip and your enthusiasm for life is something so few people ever know. You're so smart and kind, so funny, so loving and happy.

There are occasions, more sometimes that I want to admit, that you throw fits. But, Maggie, I know that since you are now four those will be distant memories. Right???

No, seriously, I love you my wonderful girl and look forward to another year of watching my pipper doodle noodle, my fuvey, grow and learn! And, I know, it will be another year that you will keep us on our toes and make us laugh everyday!

Love,

Mommy

She goes to bed three, and wakes up four...

Good night my sweet Maggie. May you have a night full of magical dreams as you sleep in your brand new bunk bed.

And, tomorrow morning, when you open your eyes you will be three years old no more, as you will then be four...

Here we go again...

Bullet points about Ben...

*Last Sunday (over a week ago) he was diagnosed with a left ear infection, again.

*He had many breathing treatments over the week because of the almost constant wheezing.

*Last Thursday we went to the ENT and decided that tubes are in his near future. This is also the day he finished his round of antibiotics. His infection looks better but his left ear is still full of fluid.

*Monday he went to see the pulmonologist who diagnosed him with asthma. He is now Katelyn's asthma buddy and will be using flovent two times a day. It is through an inhaler and is taking us a while to get down.

*Tuesday we scheduled his surgery for February 5th. He will get tubes put in and possibly his adenoids taken out.

*Tuesday night was a nightmare with a lot of screaming and ear grabbing.

*Wednesday, today, he was diagnosed with a double ear infection. Double the "fun". He was put on a new antibiotic as well as some pain killing ear drops. I called and just about begged to get his surgery moved closer. They don't have anything at all sooner but will call if anything gets canceled and they can fit Ben in.

So, here we go again...

a heavy heart

My mind and heart are feeling a bit heavy right now. It's mainly about my best friend's family. We will see how well I can put this all into words...



A few months ago Neala's step-dad died fairly suddenly. He was so healthy up until about a week before he passed away. He was so much more then just a "step-dad" really and that title doesn't do justice for the role he played in her life. I can't remember off hand how long her mom, Leah, and Joe were married but I want to say it was over 20 years.

You see, thankfully Neala's mom and dad met, got married and had children or Neala wouldn't be here today. But, reality is that Joe was really her mom's soul mate. They were a team, fit together like the perfect puzzle. They were best friends, life mates.

And now, he's gone. She's here. She's not alone by any means, she has children and grandchildren, family and friends. But, she doesn't have Joe. I can't fathom how that must feel.

Quite some time ago Neala's grandmother, Leah's mom, was diagnosed with cancer. She was given a short time to live and has surpassed that amount of time many times over. Eight months ago she was given two months to live, and again, she is still here.

Sadly though, she is coming to the end of her fight. Her body is full of cancer now and although her mind is fully functioning her body is not. It is failing her.

So now Leah, who lost her soul mate just a few months ago, will be soon losing her mom. Her mom.

If you look up the meaning of "mom" you will basically find that it is the informal word for "mother". If you look up "mother" you will discover that it is a person who has borne children or who has children through adoption, step-mother, or mother-in-law. Really, you won't find a true meaning. Because, fact be known, there are just no words to really explain this word. Can you grasp what I am trying to say?

In just a few months this wonderful person has lost her husband and will soon lose her mom.

Her husband.

Her mom.

How does someone deal with such loss? I just can't grasp this, and today my heart is heavy with sadness for Leah.

Yes, I am sad for Neala because she is my best friend and her loss and soon to be loss is just terrible. Yet, it is her mom that my heart is just so heavy for today.

Maggie says...

Maggie came to me tonight and said, "Mommy, if you let me have a dog and hamster when I turn six I will give you all my money."
She then handed me 43 cents. One quarter, one dime, one nickel, and three pennies...
I'll have to think about this... :o)

Conversation with Connor

Me: Connor, can you please watch Ben while I run out and start the van?

Connor: Why?

Me: Because it's really cold out. Can you please watch Ben for me?

Connor: What do I have to do?

Me: You just have to follow him around and keep him safe. Make sure he doesn't get anything that can hurt him.

Connor: What if he gets a saw?

Me: Well, I don't think you have to worry about that because we don't have any saws up here.

Connor: But, what if he does get a saw, I won't be able to take it away from him because I'm not allowed to touch saws?

Me: I really don't think you need to worry about that honey, there are no saws up here and I will only be a few seconds.

Connor: Ok

Fast forward to today.......... The conversation goes almost the same but changes a bit at the end. The end went like this...

Connor: Ok, there aren't any saws up here but there are sharp knives, what if he gets one of those?

Me: Well, he can't reach the sharp knives, but why don't I just bring him with me this time...

Connor: OK

LOL, kids...

swim lesson, pet store, and ear doctor

Yesterday was a busy day! It started out early with Ben, Nana, and I watching Connor and Maggie have their very first swim lesson.
In the past we have done swim lessons at our town pool during the summer but we decided to try something new. (Actually, Katelyn is the only one who has had swim lessons. It was too cold and too early for Connor and Maggie was too young even though she was very ready.)
I really wasn't sure how it would go. They are in the same class so I was concerned that if one (Connor) had a difficult time then the other (Maggie) would play off him and also have a difficult time. I did not need to be worried one bit!
They did WONDERFUL! They went right into the water, listened, and paid attention. They both cooperated fully and tried everything they were supposed to. I am so proud, super proud, of them both. The only downfall is that we have to wait a whole week for another lesson as they wanted to go back today!



After the lesson we went to the sports store to buy some new goggles for the "swim lesson champs"...

Then we got to walk next door to one of their most favorite places ever, the pet store...


Where Ben just loved looking at all the fish. It is great because there is just fish tank after fish tank right on his level. He talked to them, pointed at them, and just giggled like crazy at them!


The highlight of the trip for Connor and Maggie was the ferret.

Connor kept asking if we could keep him because- "Look Mommy, he loves me. I am his favorite person!" Sorry buddy, no ferrets for us.

After the pet store I dropped Connor off at school, Maggie off at Auntie's, and took Ben to the ear specialist.

It has been decided that he will get tubes put in. His left ear doesn't look infected anymore but is full of fluid. We haven't set up the surgery date yet but it will be very soon. Chris and I feel very strongly that this is the right decision, but it is surgery and nerve-wracking! While Ben is sleeping the doctor is also going to take a good look at his adenoids and decide whether those should come out.

One major player in this whole thing though, is that Ben can not be wheezing when it is time for surgery. If he is then we will have to put off the surgery. We go on Monday to the pulmonoligist so hopefully we will have a game plan for that too. On a positive note-he didn't need any breathing treatments yesterday!

Christmas.... Finally!

Christmas was a wonderful day!



Christmas morning was very exciting when we discovered that Santa came while we were all snug in our beds...

He brought the kids just what they asked for. A car for Ben, a baby doll for Maggie, a bug vacuum for Connor, and some stuff for JJ for Katelyn!

Merry 1st Christmas Ben!!! I love you and am so glad you were here this Christmas!!!

And check out what my monkeys and wonderful husband gave me for Christmas!!! They decked out the bathroom in monkey! I love it and absolutely love the thought that went into it!!! Perfect...

Then we hung out with Nana, Pa, and Uncle Drew! Literally...

After that we got dressed in pretty dresses and handsome outfits and went to Chris' cousin Colleen's house to see more family. I don't know how Colleen and Todd do it every year. We are so thankful to them for all the hard work that they do!

We had to leave Colleen and Todd's house early because Ben ended up feeling pretty crummy with a fever. Then in the middle of the night Maggie started with some type of stomach bug. Not the best way to end the day!

It still was a blessed day, for the most part at least!

Tid-bits on Ben 2!

Last Wednesday Ben's hair looked like this...

Then Daddy took him to see Dick the barber for his first haircut on Thursday, New Year's Eve...
He looks so grown up with his haircut.
I have no pictures of the actual haircut though. It was a last minute decision that Chris made when he was out with Ben so I wasn't there :o( He did bring home some hair though! :o)



And, since you know how obsessed I am with stripes, I had to take many pictures of him looking so cute in this adorable outfit that he got from Nana....

Look at all those teeth, he's got 6 now!

And.... Look at how stinkin cute, and big, he looks sitting on this stool. He just thinks he is the coolest kid ever when he sits on this and I love it!

Tid-bits on Ben

Do you need an update on Ben? Well, of course you do, silly question...

First off, I am seriously obsessed with putting stripes on this baby! I can't help it, it's just so stinkin cute!

Moving on....

Two nights ago he took his first steps! It was about three very fumbled steps but he did it! The funny thing is that he just gets so excited that it's hard for him to walk. I didn't catch the first steps on camera but I did catch the 7th, 8th, and 9th step!

Ben loves putting anything into anything. Balls into a bucket. Food into a bowl. Spoons into a cup. Pickles into an ice cream cone.

I had to grab the camera for this one. Not too sure why but I thought his little chubby hands just looked so adorable trying to do this over and over. I also thought that he will someday make a great husband to his pregnant wife. You know, when she wants pickles and ice cream...

Ben's been having a bit of a rough time lately with his ears and wheezing. He's on antibiotics and I could see some improvement today with the ears but he needed two albuterol treatments for the wheezing. We go to see the ENT on Thursday and will most likely schedule a date for tubes to be put in. Next week we go to see the pulmonologist who will hopefully have an answer for us. The albuterol works but I don't like how often we have been giving it to him over the past 7 weeks.

He is still as adorable as ever! Still won't eat much food. Well, that is, other then fake pickles. He says Mama, Dada, Nana, nigh-night, Hello, and hi, in the most adorable little voice! He is still very much a Mommy's boy, and I secretly love it! (Guess it's not a big secret now though.)

He is almost 11 months old, already!

My night

My night went like this...

I finally fell asleep at 10:30. Even though I have been getting terrible sleep lately I can't seem to fall asleep when bed time comes...
Ben woke up at 12:00.
Katelyn woke up at 1.
Maggie woke up at 1:24.
Ben continued to cry out in his sleep every few minutes.
Ben settled down at about 1:45.
Ben woke up at 3.
He was up from 3-4. I gave him motrin, he screamed and spit it out...
I crawled back in bed at 4 with my mind racing, then finally fell back to sleep after 5.
At 7:17 I jumped out of bed because Katelyn needs to get on the bus. She was/is still sleeping and I didn't have the heart to wake her because she also had a bad night. Hopefully she is feeling ok and will just go to school late.

On the agenda for today.... Breakfast, dropping kids off at school one at a time, errands, picking up Maggie, Meeting Katelyn and Connor at the bus stop, bringing Katelyn to the dentist, picking up Tylenol suppositories for Ben, making dinner, and finally crawling back in bed and hoping for a better night!!!
However, I will still be thanking God for my wonderful life and the inventor of crockpots!!!

Tired Mom...

(Beware, this is not a happy post so you may want to click the red X up in the right hand corner...)

I'm tired...

Nights have been terrible...

Maggie's been having some bad nights...

Ben's been having mostly bad nights...

Crying...

Wheezing...

Retracting...

Albuterol breathing treatments...

Still some wheezing...

No more retracting...

Albuterol induced shakes...

Restlessness...

No more then 2 1/2 hour stretches of sleep for many days...

Medicine...

Spitting out medicine...

Screaming...

Boogie sucking...

Saline nebulizer treatments...

Ear infection...

Antibiotics...

Cranky baby...

Tired Mom...

I know, it could be worse.

But, I'm tired...

Fun day with friends...

The other day my best friend, Neala, and I took our kids to a museum for some playing and an animal show. The kids all had a great time. Neala and I didn't get to visit too much since the place was just packed but it was still fun.

Katie decided to take Ben and Katelyn for a ride...

Ben took some time to peak out from the pirate ship at everything going on around him.

Drew spent most of the time driving the fire truck.

Maggie went back and forth playing on her own and making sure Ben was well taken care of.

Katie and Ben, in their almost matching outfits, practiced some sharing...

And did some chatting...


Connor spent most of the time watching the different animal shows, which, of course, he loved!

Then we met at Target for lunch and to check out the clearance shelves.

It was a fun day with friends for sure!!!

Please note- Taking pictures of my other monkeys while keeping a constant eye on Ben is quite challenging, therefore there are not as many as I would have liked. Oh, that and my battery was just about dead...