Second Grade Humor

Riley asked me today how you wake Lady Gaga when she's sleeping?

Poker Face.



Oh, Riley :P

Escherichia Coli

A week ago today, I was sitting in the hospital with my youngest daughter. It was that day I learned what Shiga Toxin was and what it was doing to my daughter's small little body. From the outside, she looked so healthy, so it was hard to comprehend what was going on on the inside. Approximately 5-10% that have E. Coli will develop HUS (Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome) and she drew the short straw. We were told Rowyn's kidneys were only functioning at about 50% and she was anemic.

For the next 5 days, I spent every minute with her in that hospital room. Every sleepless night I laid there, watching her sleep, silently crying, and praying. Praying that this would all be over and we'd be able to take our baby home and get back to some normalcy (or as normal as things can be with 4 kids). Everyone in the family was affected, Riley, Camdyn, and I also had E.Coli, but obviously not HUS. The day we found out Rowyn had to be hospitalized, I found Riley sitting in her room sobbing. I hugged her and told her that everything was going to be okay. She said she knew why Rowyn was sick. She said it was her fault, that she hadn't washed her hands once and that was how Rowyn got sick. Talk about breaking your heart as a parent. I reassured her that it was certainly not her fault and told her that Rowyn was going to be fine. Cooper was also affected, I remember him watching Rowyn get her blood drawn and he started crying...it was just too much for him to watch her in pain. Clyde was given the daunting task of taking care of the other 3 kids; meals, baths, bedtime, and getting them off to all their sporting events (we wanted to keep things as normal as possible for them), all while worrying about his baby girl up in 3rd floor Pediatric Isolation.

Rowyn was in the hospital for 6 days and 5 nights. She received IV fluids to help keep those kidneys working and due to her dropping hemoglobin, she ultimately received a blood transfusion. The morning before she got it, I knew it was a necessity, she was so pale, yellowish even. She was so subdued, just sitting on my lap. As hard as it was as a parent to watch, afterwards, I knew it was the best thing for her. She had color back in her cheeks, she was chattering again, and she was busy, busy with all the toys in the room. They checked her vitals every 4 hours, and it wasn't long and she was an old pro, offering her arm up for them to take her blood pressure. Every morning at 6am, the lab girls would come in and draw her blood. It was so hard to watch, especially the techs that missed the first time and would move that needle back and forth in her itty bitty arm trying to catch the vein. Poor Rowyn got to the point where just seeing someone in blue gloves was enough to make her scream. She had to get a second IV, because the first one came loose and the day before she was released, they removed the fluids from the IV and were going to flush it every four hours to keep it open should she need it again. The first time went well, no problems at all, but the second time was absolutely terrible. When the nurse started to flush the line, Rowyn screamed a scream no parent wants to hear. She became rigid, thrusting her little legs out straight...clearly she was in excruciating pain. The nurse stopped and commented that it shouldn't hurt (seriously, I wanted to stab her in the eyes with a needle)...of course it hurt, nut job, look at her!! She ended up taking the IV out all together, which I'm glad for. Her little hand was so red and swollen.

When she finally was released, I got in the car and just sobbed. I think I had been holding it all together while we were in there and once we were out, it all hit me at once. I was emotionally and physically drained...but she was okay and that is all that mattered. The first night back in her crib was amazing, I just stood there and watched her sleep...and thanked God for answering our prayers! Rowyn will follow up with a nephrologist in about 6 months or so. Her doctor just wants to make sure there was no permanent damage done to her kidneys. I'm confident there isn't, but will do whatever it takes to be sure.

I would like to thank everyone for all their positive thoughts, prayers, and kind messages on Facebook and AM. We have the greatest friends and family, thank you again!

Jessie

We have a neighborhood packed with kids. They move like a swarm of bees from one house to another. It's actually pretty nice, because not only are the kids kept busy, but by moving house to house, us mommies get a break from the madness.

Tonight we had the neighbors, Jen, Stan, and their kids down for s'mores. In conversation, Jen asked if I had heard about "the Jessie incident". Now Jessie is their dog, a Yorkie, I believe, and given that I know Camdyn, I was a little nervous what was coming next. Sure enough, she went on to tell me that Camdyn had kicked Jessie. She said she explained to Camdyn that its not nice to kick animals and how would she like it if she came to her house and kicked her dog.

Camdyn looked her square in the eye, lifted up two fingers on each hand and said, "You can't, because I have two dogs and two cats."

Oh, Lump.

Those moments...

I realize I spend a lot of time talking about what Camdyn has done now or who hit who, but it's moments like this morning that remind me why being a Mommy is the best job in the world. As I was rushing around emptying the dishwasher, switching laundry, sweeping the floor, I stopped and realized my girls were sitting in the warm sun, a favorite spot for our kitties, reading and listening and enjoying one another.

There are 10 years between my sister Caitlin and I, and 13 years between Meghan and I. Growing up I think I felt more like a mother hen to them, than a sister. I don't feel slighted in the least, I love my siblings...and miss them terribly. I want to be able to call them up and go shopping, or get our nails done (Meghan, you know you're hooked now), or getting together for a bbq and s'mores. I think that is the one thing I hope for for my children. That they live close enough to be able to enjoy one another like they do now. The years of childhood go by oh-so quickly and I want nothing more than for them to love each other then, as they do now. I think about how Riley and Cooper start off in Cooper's bed every night, reading books to one another or playing their DS's, all while giggling. Clyde and I get so frustrated, because it takes them forever to settle down. But these times will go by in the blink of an eye, before I know it they'll be teenagers and want nothing to do with reading together or being in the other's room.

It's a good reminder for me to stop worrying if my house is the cleanest on the block, but to instead take a step back and just enjoy them when they're little.

I think my house will be messy tomorrow, so please don't stop by. ;)

*I love you too, Bubba. So if you want to get your nails done or something, let me know! ;)

The Monkey Dress

Thank you M & M for the box that came yesterday. We especially loved the monkey dress. =)

Portrait Innovations: Take 2

What an experience that was. The actual studio is nice, set up well, and they seem to have a lot of different props and backgrounds. I don't like the one they used in her picture, I wish they would have just used plain white...oh well. I took me awhile to go through all the pictures they took, it didn't help that Lumpy and Rowyn were all over the place while I was trying to narrow it down. The girl was pretty pushy, trying to get me to buy some elaborate package with photo CD for over $300. Yeah, right. I walked out buying just the $9.95 package, which actually included quite a few pictures and some free cards too. Very reasonable and I will be going back again.

Rowyn's outfit came from

Sweetie Pie Tutu's on Etsy. She was wonderful to work with and shipped it immediately. Luckily, the blood from Tuesday all came out! ;)

Grammy's card for Rowyn


Cooper's card for Rowyn, the boy loves his scissors.

Lumpy's card for Rowyn. She was sure to use each marker and cover every inch of the card.

Riley's card to Rowyn. You may have to click to see the detail.

Rowyn's Party

We celebrated Rowyn's 1st birthday today at our house.

She didn't know what to think of her cupcake, but after a taste of the frosting, she figured it out.

Red Neck Sandbox

Before we got the sandbox finished, our kids and the neighbors all had fun playing with the sand in the back of Clyde's truck. Red neck.

Jumpin' Jane's

Riley and her Daisy Scouts had their end of the year party at Jumpin' Jane's and siblings were invited, as well. Riley had a wonderful experience in Daisy Scouts and I hope she'll do it again next year. She had an awesome leader, Nicole, who was great with the girls; fun, kind, creative, outgoing, engaging.

Olivia, Riley, and Camdyn with her usual wonderful smile.

Weeeeee!!

Toot, toot, chugga, chugga, big pink car.
Look Mom, no hands!


Riley and Olivia again.
Notice Brecker the Wrecker sans her two front teeth!

Cooper's Big K Graduation

Wow, nice picture Lump.

Just gets better...


Getting into his part.

Move over 1st grade...here comes Cooper Flynn!

Cooper with his teacher Mrs. Young. Love her!

Portrait Innovations -- Take 1

I scheduled an appointment with Portrait Innovations for Rowyn to get her 1st birthday pictures taken. I bought her a special outfit, fixed her hair, and I was just putting my shoes on to head out the door.

Then I heard a scream.

I found her in the toy room, with blood dripping from her lip...all over her outfit.

No Camdyn wasn't guilty, this time anyway. Rowyn was pushing the Scooby Doo Mystery Machine and it slid out from her and she pushed her new front teeth through her bottom lip.

Unbelievable. So, pictures were rescheduled for Thursday.

The Flaming Fireballs

Cooper's first year of AYSO...and his first win.

Yeah, not quite how the goalie works, but whatever.