Sunday, November 11, 2012

Another Milestone!

For parents who have children who dip their heads under water,
or dive in without fear,
they/you don't know what this feels like:
watching a little one do this with their own free will!

Gabby has been unpredictable...
this past summer, dipping her face in by herself,
trying to swim on her own...
and then screaming a week ago at swimming lessons.
Then this week...she passes!

She actually was not too happy about it.
She cried about going on to Level Two.
She clung to me and would not go back in the water...
The plan for next week is to have her do Level Two skills 
at the Level One station.
We'll talk it up and see if Gramma Momma 
or someone can take her swimming soon!
I would if I could find a swim suit that fit over my gigantic belly!
Maybe we'll have a baby by next class...
hmmmmmm

Wednesday, November 07, 2012

New Family Photos!

 Just a few to show you how much fun it was!






Thank you, Katy!
Katy Hall Photography 

Saturday, November 03, 2012

After recent update...

 I figured I should catch up on a bit more!
A new baby should be here in the next few weeks
(37 weeks/full term tomorrow!)
and so, we need to make sure everything is set...

 Cold weather is now settling in so these are photos of Owen and the fun he had with the hose and a mud puddle just before he had to start wearing a sweatshirt and I shut off the water to the outside.
 Our yard became one of those yards.
One of those yards I said I'd never have.
One of those yards with evidence of children looking for an adventure!
One of those yards with misc. toys, bottles, containers, ropes tied to trees,
and whatever else was used in Owen's imagination games!
 Before the weather turned cold and the leaves had fallen,
we had also taken a trip to WI.
 There were tea parties to be had,

 fun games with Brother/Sister to be had,
 adventures with Gramma Mimi to be had,
 pipes to be climbed in,
 streams to be explored,
 tricks to make daddy nervous with,
 paths to be taken,
 rides to be taken,
and one last long drive before Momma did not want 
to be far from home again until a new baby had come.
A month later...we've had stories that I've neglected to tell.

I'll try to be better!  :-)

Friday, November 02, 2012

Latest Adventure...

 Gabby is not my complainer...so when she said she had a tummy ache, I said, let's lie down on the couch.  She lay down, fell asleep, and missed swimming lessons.  I thought is was constipation...but then she got a low-grade fever.  We went to bed early Sunday night, but Gabby woke up Monday with the fever still.  In the night, she had woken up two or three times.  I saw her holding her side as well.  When she kept doing that and the fever did not subside after rest on Monday, I took her to Urgent Care.
Mind you, I have learned.  This is now the third time I have taken a kid to Urgent Care when I should have gone right to Children's Hospital!  NOW I know.
After a blood draw, getting sent to the closest ER, a lot of different doctors and nurses pushing and poking, and asking questions, a urinalysis (catheter), IV morphine, ultrasound, and CT scan, we were sent to Children's hospital because where we were there was not a doctor or anesthesiologist who would operate on a child under 5.  They had concluded it was appendicitis.  

 At Children's, we were checked in and had to wait only a bit while the doctors there asked their questions, went over paperwork, looked at the CT scan CD, and decided that we would be admitted.
It wasn't until the next morning that we found out that they definitely would be operating.
Meanwhile, Gabby got a sticker, stuffed animal, or some  kind of "prize" for each procedure  and test done to her.  Man, she raked it in!  As seen above, she put all her stickers on her shirt.  
I smile.
That first night was tough: we did not get to Children's until after 11, so sleep barely came when we finally had a room.  Roger and I both slept in her room, but I was the lucky one she wanted to sleep with her.  Being 36 weeks pregnant was not helping this situation!  I'm guessing I got about 3 hours of intermittent sleep.
 Right before operation the next morning, we cuddled, got more information, and yet another stuffed animal for having to get operated on...
 Roger had gone and found me coffee so we were doing alright waiting...
 She was in surgery for only about 45 minutes and we got to be with her right away after...
 but she was just a bit out of it...
 Sleeping so peacefully...she missed the great view out her 6th floor window...
 Nanny was there for the surgery and was there when Gabby woke up.  She took took in the view.
 More sleep...
 As she was waking, she wanted to cuddle...and watch Tangled for the second time.
 And then again...more Tangled...
 We stopped Tangled long enough to listen to the story-teller...
 and then the best part:  finally some kind of food/drink.  
The first in 24 hours: orange Popsicle!
 But not enough...she wanted more...
 But the nurses needed to hear gurgling to know it would not come right back up...
 And as the gurgles came...PUDDING!
And watching Tangled...again!
 Daddy had gone home to get Momma some clothes and 
to bring Owen back to see Gabby...
He made her smile by doing his "magic" tricks.
 And Owen got some hospital ice cream!
 Owen brought Gabby a nice present and she got more stickers too!
 So, the same day as surgery, she was already perking up!
 By 7 at night, she was wanting to play in the playroom, 
walk around, and just be out of bed more...
 Momma was too tired to even read her stories so she had to read to herself. 
Yes, I felt bad, but I was still going on those three hours of sleep and a day of praying...
 We both fell asleep watching Tangled...again and slept quite well.
But, she was up and ready to climb out of bed by 5 in the morning.
Breakfast couldn't even be ordered until 6:30!
But, we got up regardless and went for a walk...
 We colored...

 And by later that morning, she was pushing her own IV cart around!

 After breakfast around 7...
 she was ready for a nap...and so was Momma.  
We both fell asleep...watching Tangled yet again...
 By the time Daddy came after dropping off Owen and getting Momma coffee,
Gabby was playing and walking all around the 6th floor...hoping to get home soon!
When they finally took the IV drip out, it was such a relief to not be attached to it anymore!
We were discharged by 2:30 and she was asleep in the car by 2:35.
She slept for 3 hours in the car and woke with enough energy 
to hit a few houses for Trick or Treating...the Doctor said no restrictions!  :-)
She went to bed at normal time and slept until 9 in the morning!
Catching up sure feels good!
By Thursday she was doing flips with Daddy and back to her normal self.
By Friday she did not need pain medicine until noon and was playing like nothing ever happened.
Even dancing!

Sunday, September 30, 2012

"Not Tight!"

 This outfit had none of my influence on it!
My daughter was proud to pick out a "boy shirt" from her closet.
Thank you Auntie Lori!  :-)

 Gabby is my optimist, my singer, my giggler.
Tonight she made me laugh outloud.
I tucked her in and said, "sleep tight!"
She said, "I can't sleep tight...not tight."
So literal too.
 Family Outing for this beautiful fall weekend?
 The pumpkin patch!
Equipped with a corn pit, bouncy pumpkin, corn maze, 
animals to feed, and pumpkins that needed pickin'!
 Oh yeah, and a cute tractor and wagon made out of all wood!
 And family time!

Too much fun!

The Kids have been playing well together;
playing more than fighting, that is.  :-)

Last week I was getting ready for school.
The kids were making so much noise...
I had to get some of it on video.
Is it true?  The more the mess, the more the fun?
I have to let it be...most days!