The Beginning

We were supposed to start our vacation last Saturday.  But as our life always seems to unwind...things did not go as planned!  I had spent the week before fighting off the worst migraine of my life!  Finally on Friday (my birthday!) I ended up in the walk-in clinic getting IV pain medication.  We decided we shouldn't travel the next day so I could rest a bit more.  So we had a birthday do-over day...and headed off to second beach for a few hours in the evening!



Sassy loves the water!!!!!!  She couldn't wait to head out into the deep waves and splash with Daddy.  I think we may have a water bug on our hands!

More to follow on the REAL vacation!

Little Miss 6!

Although Tater turned 6 back in February, we had to wait until today to have 6-year-old check-up.  As much as I love her doctor, it drives me crazy that they only schedule 6 months out and that the parent has to call to schedule the annual physical.  I always forget and we are always late!  I guess there could be worse things!

So, this afternoon Tater stayed home from school, the little ones stayed with a friend, and Tater headed off to the doctor with me.  I love that she chose to wear cowboy boots to go!  What a sense of style!

Have I ever mentioned that I love 1:00 appointments?  We didn't even have time to sit down in the waiting room!  The nurse did her usual check-in things, Tater was surprisingly cooperative, and then we settled in with the Leapster to wait for the doctor.

On a side note, one needs to know that Tater does not like doctors.  At all.  She has been through a lot medically since she was just under two-years-old.  She has had lots of shots, blood work, IVs, x-rays, and poking and prodding.  Usually she screams and hides and cries and carries on.  But I think we may have turned a corner...today she drug her feet going in but that was the end of it!  She did awesome, responding to all the requests and waiting patiently while I chatted with the doctor.  The Leapster may have helped!

So here are the details of the appointment to be recorded for years to come!

Height - 45 1/4 inches (grew 3 inches; 47th percentile)
Weight - 44 pounds (gained 4 pounds; 43rd percentile)
General Health - perfect!

She grew like a giant but dropped on the growth chart for her weight gain.  There is a bit of concern that her kidney medicine is upsetting her stomach and preventing her from eating enough calories.  We'll address that with the kidney doctor next month.

There are a few educational issues that have developed since December - or at least have come to the surface (I'm beginning to think they were always there!) - that we need to explore.  So I'll be setting up a few appointments to check things out.

We left the doctor in such high spirits that we made a quick stop at the local toy store where Tater was able to pick out a few treats.  She is now the proud owner of two new horses and a mood ring!

The best moment came as we were driving home and I was listening to her growl and then check her ring to see if it turned red to show that she was angry!  Love that little brain!

On the Mend? (Knock-on-Wood!!!)

Bruiser seems a bit better today.  Yesterday we headed to the doctor because I just didn't know what to do anymore!  So in I walked carrying my 4-year-old, who refused to walk because his legs were too weak, and calling for my 2-year-old to follow me.  Sassy did great!  Well, until we were sitting in the waiting room and she decided it was her turn to be held and insisted (in a VERY loud voice) that I should put Bruiser down and pick her up.  I proceeded to tell her that it was Bruiser's turn to be sick and she would have to deal with it...and then I ignored the looks from all the new mothers with only one infant...who just don't get the multiple children needing you thing!

The doctor checked Bruiser over and determined that he was good and dehydrated.  She prescribed an anti-nausea medicine and gave orders that he had to have a wet diaper before 8pm (this was at about 3:30pm) or we were to head for the ER and IV fluids.  We got the meds, sipped ginger ale and Powerade, had a blue Popsicle, watched Top Gear with Daddy and curled up in bed for a long night's sleep...after peeing in our diaper at about 6:00pm!  What a good little patient!

Bruiser spend most of today in bed.  This morning Daddy found him sitting in the fridge eating yogurt and made him mad by telling him he couldn't do that.  So Bruiser retreated to him room and slept all morning!  He came down when I got home and helped Sassy with her speech therapy.  Then both Bruiser and Sassy headed up for naps...and are still sleeping now (@5:15!).  Given this take on his day today, I'm thinking no school again tomorrow...he's just so weak and tired and not really eating much at all.  Poor sick boy!

Sassy is back to normal and full of sass!  Tater is hanging on...but sniffing away with a cold.  Daddy is stopping for some medicine to make her more comfortable.  And Mommy and Daddy?  We are just tired and exhausted and done-in.  February was a LOOOOOOOOOONG month and we've had enough.  I have high hopes for March...I really do!

Update from Yesterday

So Sassy proceeded to be sick all afternoon.  She was unable to keep down any fluids and then I realized she hadn't had any in her since dinner the night before.  She was crying with no tears, running a temp of 102, and had no wet diapers.  One guess where a call to the doctor sent us! 

That's right!  Sassy and I spent the night in the ER - for the third time in the last six months!!!  She was so sick!  Luckily by the time we got to the ER she was able to keep the Motrin down and then she got more medicine for her tummy.  She also enjoyed several Popsicles and nice cup of "wa-wa." 

Every time someone came in the room she screamed...no one was her friend!  During blood work, she screamed "No, Momma!" and when that didn't work, she switched to "No, Daddy!" - and he wasn't even there!

After much discussion with three different doctors, 3 exams, blood work, a catheter, and a five hour wait...it was determined that she had a horrendous ear infection in both ears...pus and blood included.  But if you ask Sassy if her ears hurt she says "no"! 

As for her iron issues, her iron levels are up, which is good.  On the other hand, red blood cell count is really low.  So they ran a Parvo titer and spoke to the on-call hematologist who is ordering repeat blood tests in two weeks.  They are leaning toward a virus and nothing too serious but there are still no answers.  They did suggest that all the iron issues are making her more likely to catch these crazy viruses, which may have led to us being in the ER last night.  Wonderful.

The little miss is still under-the-weather today.  She is still running the temp and just wants to lay and nap.  We have to make one run to pick up Tater and then we are spending the day snuggling at home.  We ALL need a restful, healing day!

Because we haven't had ENOUGH at the House of Sprout, Sassy woke up sick again this morning.  And because our life doesn't stop when someone is sick, we still had to take Bruiser to the dentist and then take Sassy for blood work.  Last night the doctor called...from his house...at 8:00 at night...because he was concerned about her previous blood work.  Her iron levels were low but not the levels of her stored iron.  If both were low then it could simply be a case of anemia and be resolved with supplements.  But in her case, one level was normal.  So then he rattled off a big name for some rare disorder and threw in the words "bone marrow" and I proceeded to freak out!  Luckily the concern is with her red blood cell and not the very scary white blood cells.  So, sick or not, we headed off to take care of the blood work and are now waiting (not very patiently) for the results tomorrow and how to proceed from here.  It may be a VERY long night (with possibly lots of wine to help!).  Just look at that sad sleepy face...Sassy HATES blood work and wears herself out crying "owie!"

All that said, we welcome all prayers and positive thoughts...and will keep you updated as we learn more!

A Picture For Her Baby Book!

If you have been following us for a bit, you know we have been struggling with Miss Wiggles and her walking. She started walking at 10 months...well ahead of developmental milestones. The problem was that almost a year later and she still looked like she had just learned how to walk...unsteady, lots of tumbles, etc. At first we thought she was limping. X-rays and blood work showed nothing. Then Daddy noticed her feet appeared to be turning in...both of them and at random times. So, the pediatrician referred us to an orthopedist (more to shut me up than out of real concern!) and the orthopedist actually started to dismiss our concerns as well...until he saw her walk!

But let me back up a bit...

I called the orthopedist's office for an appointment and had to wait two months only to have that appointment changed as well. In the meantime I called Early Intervention and got that ball rolling (you know me - I don't sit and wait!). EI saw significant delays in her gross motor but decided to wait for the orthopedist's evaluation to develop a plan. I shared this with the doubting doctor (who, by the way, was older than dirt and a bit scary!) who couldn't understand why I contacted EI since she was only 20 months old! Duh! EARLY intervention?

Anyway...he really made it seem like we were over-reacting to her walking issues and questioned what we thought we were seeing. And then she walked down the hallway! His mouth fell open! He immediately took us back in the exam room and gave her a thorough evaluation. His diagnosis? Her left hip has not developed correctly. It faces forward in the hip socket instead of turning in like most toddlers do by this age. As a result her feet are not turning in but her whole leg swings out when she walks to avoid the discomfort.

As hard as the diagnosis was to hear (although we felt justified!), the treatment is even worse! For at least the next six months she will need to wear special shoes connected with a bar at night as well as knee immobilizers. Physical therapy will be integral too. We will continue with strengthening exercises at home as well as ballet class. All this should help avoid surgery in ten years...which would had been the outcome if we hadn't pushed for her to be seen.

So Miss Wiggles has moved into our bedroom so we can comfort her (without disturbing Tater) when she is uncomfortable. And so that she can enjoy the A/C while wearing all her apparatuses! Mommy cried the first few nights but Wiggles adjusted well! She fusses because she's tired but doesn't seem to mind the equipment too much at all! She's still trying to get onto her belly to sleep but is slowly giving in to our wishes!

The best part? I was going to take away her Nuks this summer...and now she gets to keep them until she's done with the braces!

Beach Day!

We started of the day with Tater in my bed at one o'clock in the morning...watching Nick-at-Nite while I slept...can you say "tired girl Saturday"? It was a lazy morning but we were ready to head off on our first beach day of the summer by around ten o'clock. As Daddy and I were gathering the last minute items, Bruiser opened the front storm/screen door. Both of us yelled for him to close it and he did...with Miss Wiggles' finger in the hinge. Her flattened finger and Mommy headed to the Urgent Care for x-rays and a splint while Daddy took the other two to get beach snacks. After our brief detour, we made it to the beach by one o'clock...and everyone enjoyed the "perfect beach day"!

Wiggles' with her splint.

Love Tater's hat!

All three had fun playing with Daddy while Mommy got to sit and read for a few fabulous moments!

This is the first day Wiggles actually played in the sand and water.

And in spite of her injury, she loved it!

Her splint fell off from the water and now you can see her bruised little finger

(the one she is sort of holding up).

Bruiser got his feet buried and loved wiggling free!

Tater loved it too!

...and the doctor chased him into the waiting room!

Today was supposed to be the day that things got back to normal (you know, after me working FULL TIME last week and letting everything go!)...but things don't always go according to plan! Remember...you are visiting the House of Sprout!

So, Bruiser and Miss Wiggles had well check-ups scheduled for this afternoon. I planned this very carefully! Tater has school on Monday afternoons and I figured I would only have to juggle two children. Good thought, right? Until Tater wakes up this morning, hacking away with a nice hot head! So, okay, time for a back up plan! I call the doctor's office and ask to change one of the well visits to a sick visit and ask to reschedule the cancelled well visit. And the nice nurse who answered the phone? She told me to go ahead and bring all three in and everyone could be checked. Thank. You. Very. Much.

We arrived in the pouring rain. Tater fell asleep in the car. Miss Wiggles removed her shoes and her boots. Fabulous!

We get to the examine room. Tater has a fever of 101.3, Bruiser keeps opening the door and running into the hallway, and Wiggles discovered how much fun it is to throw puzzle pieces on the floor!

Then, in walks the doctor...and his laptop. Oh, yes, the practice is updating to computers instead of charts and each appointment takes twice as long! So Tater went first. Lungs and ears checked out but a strep test was in order. It was horrible for all involved but thankfully came back negative. So, my sick little girl has yet another virus...again.

So, then I settled Tater into the chair with the portable DVD player. Miss Wiggles was next. She weighs 20.5 pounds and is average for height and head size. And we got a referral for a pediatric orthopedic specialist to figure out why her foot is turning in. Yea, another doctor's appointment...can't wait.

But let's go back to the head size and the new computer thing. The doctor was struggling with the program on the computer and I guess this had been a problem all day. So he chose my time to figure it out with one of the nurses. She came into the room and left the door slightly open. Bruiser found it (what a surprise!) and bolted out toward the waiting room. And the best part? The doctor chased him down! And another doctor stood in the hallway with his mouth hanging open, watching the show. It was hilarious! By the time the doctor left the room, he told me that next time he'd make sure the A/C was on...because it was hot!

Oh, and to top it all off? Miss Wiggles got three shots and Bruiser had a lead test done. Fabulous!

Oh, and then all three kids fell asleep in the car on the way home and I had to wake them, drag them in the house in the pouring rain, and drag them to their rooms so they could go back to sleep.

Perfectly normal!

Wordless Wednesday

This is what can happen to your four-year-old when...
...you try to feed them all natural, gluten-free rice from Trader Joe's! I guess we should just bring on the preservatives!

Time Out for Mommy!

Did you ever have those moments where you just want to go curl up under a rock and hide? Since becoming a mommy, I've had more of those moments but I think they effect me less! Not much embarrasses you as a mommy!

But I did cringe last week when my neighbor brought home an announcement from Tater's preschool. You see, I had made the dutiful call Monday morning to report that she had been diagnosed with H1N1. I also told them that she had been in the school on Friday for about fifteen minutes while I met with her teacher for a conference. I knew for a fact she had played with the Mr. Potato Head set and that they should probably clean that toy specifically. Now you need to know that when I took her school on that Friday she only had a cough - no fever, no breathing problems. I figured she and my other two would be the only children there during that fifteen minute window...meaning she wouldn't share any germs and she would be less likely to pick up any germs. Again, let me say, she wasn't showing any signs of H1N1!!! In fact we had kept her out of school that week to reduce her exposure to the other kids!

So, this is part of the letter the school sent out...

"We want to inform you that we have a child at XXXX with a confirmed diagnosis of H1N1 virus. The child was in school Friday afternoon during the 15-minute conference time, but had not been in attendance during the school week. The parent informed us of the diagnosis on Monday morning."

Doesn't it sound like she had been sick all week and then I brought her into the school on Friday anyway? Ahhhh!

"We have removed and cleaned/disinfected the toys that the child used on that day. They have not been reintroduced to the classroom."

Now, I know this is a serious virus...we've had it!...but could they make it sound any more like she has the plague? Really!

So, moral of the lesson? Even those parents who try their best to do the right things can find themselves in situations where it looks like they were negligent! So I guess you're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't!

What I Learned This Week

The theme for this week is illness...particularly of the H1N1-type!

I have learned...

...when your child struggles to breathe, you head directly to the emergency room and stare intently at the machine that tells you your child's oxygen levels...and prayer for numbers in the high 90s, not the 80s!

...when you walk into said ER with your own mask and share that your child is immuno-suppressed, you get to bypass the 6 hour waiting room wait!

...but be prepared to withstand the glares and dirty looks from all the parents who can't skip the wait.

...Motrin and breathing treatments can make a sick kid feel MUCH better!

...it is possible to be awake enough at 1:00am to drive from pharmacy to pharmacy in search of Tamaflu...and you are so thankful that you live in an urban area that has lots of 24-hour pharmacies!

...people will take two steps back when you share that your child has been diagnosed with H1N1.

...it is really hard to be the parent that goes to work when your sick little ones stay home with the other parent. I was definitely not at 100% today.

...it was super-sweet and sad at the same time to hear Tater say that she had fun going to the hospital because she got Mommy all to herself.

...there is nothing scarier than a child who can't breathe right and not knowing which direction their health is going...and then having to wait if we relapse and get worse.

...even when they are sick, there is nothing better than having a little one to cuddle all night...and that's where I'm heading right now!

Here, Piggy, Piggy!

It may sound like I'm joking...but I'm not! We made the decision earlier this week to keep Tater home from preschool until we were able to locate an H1N1 vaccine for her. The medicine she takes to maintain her kidney disease compromises her immune system. So, since she does NEED to be at school, we decided it was safer to keep her home. Well...that backfired! Yesterday she woke up with a nasty cough and by bedtime had a fever of around 100. A breathing treatment soothed the cough but brought her breathing to our attention. It was really fast and really heavy. We put a call into the pediatrician, who immediately sent us to the ER. Just where you want to take a child with low immunities in the middle of a flu outbreak!

So, Tater and I spent the evening in the local children's ER. We walked in with her mask already on and were quickly whisked away to a room. The only good thing about her immunity issues is that we never have to wait in the abdominal waiting room! Six hours, three breathing treatments, and some scary breathing moments later, we got the go ahead to take our H1N1 child home and medicate her thoroughly with Tamaflu. Oh, yes, we caught H1N1! So much for avoiding the germs!

Like I said, there were a few scary breathing moments. At first I doubted whether it was worth risk of taking her into the ER and if we really needed to be there. But while we were there, her breathing got much worse and the doctor (who was so YOUNG!!!!) actually got a bit panicky. Luckily, the THIRD breathing treatment snapped her back into place.

We are now giving her SEVEN medicines twice a day - 2 for her kidneys, Tamaflu, Tylenol, Albuterol, prescription lotion for her eczema, and anti-nausea medicine because she is taking so many drugs!

Oh, and the best part...last night at 1:00 am when I went to fill her Tamaflu prescription, I couldn't find any! Oh, yes, my daughter who caught swine flu because I couldn't get the vaccine now couldn't get the medicine she needed either! Luckily, at the second pharmacy I went to was able to grind down the adult dose and make her suspension formula. Insane!

We made it to trick=or-treating, but plan to rest all day tomorrow...now we are praying that no one else catches those piggy germs that are flying about!

What I Learned This Week

As adults, we think we know so much! Then we become parents and learn that we know NOTHING!!!! Here's a taste of my newly learned lessons from this week!

1. We are soccer drop-outs! Tater has hung up the towel, turned in the cleats, and retired her jersey. We skipped this past week because it was really chilly and Tater had a bad cough. Daddy asked her if she wanted to go to soccer this next week and she responded, "No, thanks...I think soccer is all done."

2. Just when you think you are moving on with your life after important friends move away, your children know how to break your heart once again! Tater said today "When is Pastor Liz coming back? I miss her!" and Miss Wiggles has been calling for "Na-na, Na-na!" again. They just know how to bring back the tears!

3. Bruiser remains a mystery. We thought we were progressing with his speech therapy but now the therapists are seeing evidence of some sensory issues. You fix one thing to discover that something else might be broken? Craziness! But say a prayer for us - we head for his first IEP meting with the school department on Thursday and I'm nervous about how it will go!

4. There is nothing better than homemade, fresh-popped popcorn!


5. Babies DO grow up - no matter how hard you try to stop them! This time last year, I was anxiously waiting to meet Miss Wiggles and now she is almost one! She has been the best surprise for our family and we treasure every moment, every giggle, every wiggle with her...

...even those that seem to be occurring in the middle of the night! Miss Wiggles has discovered the joy of having time alone with Mommy and Daddy after the others are in bed. She has learned to cry until we get her up so she doesn't wake the other ones and then she giggles and cuddles away. Who could be upset with that? But when you don't go to bed until midnight, this is how you look at your morning nap time - snores and all!


6. You can struggle with health issues for months on end and finally find the answers you need and a few blessings hidden inside! Tater has had terrible eczema since birth, which has grown into an extreme case within the past few months. After waiting since August for an appointment (and that's by going through my doctor's office - by myself, it would have been December!), we saw the most wonderful dermatologist who prescribed the miracle medicine! Twice a day we lather Tater with a cortisone oil lotion with a peanut oil base. It smells yummy and has worked wonders! But it does tends to be a bit greasy and we now have these permanent reminders right outside our bedroom door! Too sweet!

7. That same sweetness has learned the power behind her cuteness. While on the phone with Papa one night this week, I asked Tater if she wanted to talk to talk with him. She started looking all sad and said "No, thank you. I'm too sad until my Papa gets here to my house." She sure made Papa's "heart sad"!

On that note, I'm off to clean for weekend guests (yes, Papa and Mimi are going to Tater's house!), continue with the never ending laundry, and continue with the party planning (Miss Wiggles is turning one whether I like it or not!).

Flu Shots...Or Lack There Of!

With all the media hype about H1N1 and the epidemics we are doomed to endure, one would think flu shots would be on the top of every one's lists, right? HA!

Tater is immuno-supposed due to the medicine she takes to maintain her kidney disease. So, the flu shot is not an question in our home - we all get get it...all of us! Since its now October, I started my daily calls to the pediatrician's office to check on the availability of flu shots - who ever thought you would have to call each day? Well, supposedly they have shots for Bruiser and Miss Wiggles (who will have to have 2 shots!) but not for Tater - the one who NEEDS it! So the younger two are going in about 30 minutes to be jabbed and cry.

Then the nurse I spoke with very kindly told me that Tater can go to one of the local flu clinics because THEY have plenty of the vaccine - go figure! There is one from 1:00 to 3:00 today. Great! Then I check the website - it's the flu mist, meaning "live vaccine" and a no-no for Tater. Back to square one! And I was going to get mine at the clinic too - but can I get a live vaccine?

So, all that said, watch out pediatrician's office! Frantic Mommy on the way and I want answers and vaccines! I'll be back to let you know the outcome!

Weekend Review!

We spent the past weekend making a six-hour drive to Mimi and Papa's on Friday, visiting with the family on Saturday, and making a six-hour dive home on Sunday - just a quick trip! But it was enjoyed by grandparents and the grandchildren - and that's what matters! Mimi needed a pick-me-up, Tater needed a Papa-fix, Papa needed a "Tater Squeeze," and Bruiser needed to take a trip "up Papa's...hill!" Of course, Mommy and Daddy enjoyed some family time, some yummy food that can only be gotten at Papa and Mimi's, and some bargain shopping (at least Mommy did!).

Since this was our last visit before Halloween, we decided to celebrate a bit early and went knocking on Mimi and Papa's door and even stopped by Auntie M's and Uncle J's. We got a few looks, but the kids had fun!

Attack of the "roar"!

The only shot I could get of the bunch that is always moving!

I woke up Sunday morning (at 5:00am!) to Papa telling me Tater had a tummy ache. I assumed she had a bad dream (They watched "Shrek" before bed!) and told Papa to turn on some kid shows and she should settle down. Two hours later, I found out I was wrong! Tater - who's only 4! - got herself to the bathroom before she got sick. What an amazingly big girl!

So then we began the debate about what to do. Do we take a sick child in the car for six hours? Do we stay another day and both miss work on Monday? And what if some else gets sick until Monday morning? Nothing is ever easy in our life!

In a couple hours, after several mad dashes to the bathroom, Tater was claiming she was "starving" and successfully kept her snack down. So we bit the bullet, loaded the car, and headed off to home! She was a trooper! Not a sick moment on the trip. And we only made one stop, halfway through. She took a good two hour nap (see below) and I think that help her more than anything! She did stay home from school Monday but only because she was up four times Sunday night to go to the bathroom - really, what four-year-old does this? She is so big!

In a future post, I'll share our new toy (hint: we finally hot a Wii!!!!!!) and how we broke Papa's heart by buying it!

And, here's the other news...Shadow stayed with Mimi for a vacation and to give her a bit of company. He's determined to sleep on Papa's pillow...we'll see who wins that battle! But, we are missing him...especially when Miss Wiggles has spaghetti for dinner!

What I Learned This Week

This week I'm joining Jo-Lynne's carnival - with a list!

I learned...

...quick weekend trips are never quick!

...our life never seems to go as planned - why do children always get sick when you are out of town? And have to travel 6 hours in the car to get home?

...I don't dread Daddy going away on business - I CAN do this all on my own!

...it feels really good to crawl into bed at 8:00 and watch TV!

...I need a cleaning lady!

...two-year-olds love the praise they get for using the potty but still refuse to do it own their own! Come on, Bruiser Boy...we want to stop buying diapers!

...Miss Wiggles will NEVER give up her bottle!

...the sweetest thing ever is watching your baby take her first step...to you!

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All Aboard!!!!

Last week we headed "home" to the grandparents for a week's visit full of local sight-seeing. It started out well with an exciting, although HOT, visit to a local railroad. Bruiser knew we were going on a "mystery trip" but didn't know where! His face when we pulled into the train station was priceless! That day may have been the highlight of his little life! Thank you, Papa and Mimi!

Arriving at the station

We had tickets aboard the 1:00!

Checking out the tracks

In the caboose

Again, in the caboose

Posing with Uncle J

Tater boarding with Papa and Mimi

Mimi holding onto Bruiser...tightly!

Mommy's favorite picture of her little engineer!

Watching out the window

"Chugga, chugga, choo-choo!"

Uncle J

Miss Wiggles, Auntie M, and Uncle C

In spite of the heat, we all enjoyed watching Bruiser enjoy his adventure!

As I mentioned earlier, the vacation started out great, but quickly down hill! By early Monday morning, both Daddy and Bruiser had caught a stomach bug and Mommy left them at Memaw and Pop-Pop's and headed for germ-free ground at Mimi and Papa's. So the boys spent the vacation sick and the family spent the week split apart.

Daddy has finally (after almost a week) made a full recovery, but Bruiser is still not bouncing back. We headed to the doctor today, who order blood and lab cultures. We will re-check his weight tomorrow and hope it has stabilized and we don't have to head to the ER for fluids. Say a little prayer for us!