Medical Disasters

The past week has been a total and utter medical disaster.  It all started a couple of weeks ago, actually.  Evan came down with a wicked wheeze and a (mostly) nightly cough.  I've been there lots of times before with Luke.  It's reactive airways.  She's got it, he's got it, life has gone on.  I really thought with some time it would get better, but it just wasn't.  So began our decline.

Monday, November 19th-
I get a call from the kids' grandmother that Luke needs stitches.  I told you about it in my last post, but it's medical and it happened in "the week".

Tuesday, November 20th-
Mom and Ashley bring the kids to have lunch with me at work.  Luke has been begging for months to come see where I work, and it finally worked out that Mom got to keep the kids since she was off for the the week.  Ashley said that Evan sounded really bad and needed to be seen.  My pediatrician closes on Tuesdays at noon, so that afternoon was out.

Wednesday, November 21st-
Mom called early that morning and managed to get Evan a 9:30 appointment. Her oxygen levels were only between 93-95%.  That doesn't seem low to most people, but actually....it's bad.  If she didn't sound better within 24 hours she was going to be sent to the hospital.  Kim put her on breathing treatments 4 times a day for a few weeks and an antibiotic in case there was some underlying infection and to prevent pneumonia.  Also, she noticed that Luke's stitches were gone.  YES. My 4 year old REMOVED his own stitches in bed the night before. When questioned about it he simply said "I took them out because I'm all better now." She thought it looked fine and didn't put any back in. I got to leave work at noon that day, and we spent the rest of the afternoon at home.  Thomas the Train came on PBS and someone wasn't to sure.

When he scooted around the corner I just turned it off and deemed it nap time. 

How pitiful is that?!

That night when I undressed Evan for her bath, I noticed these welts all over her torso.

As her bath progressed, so did the rashes.  I watched a place grow on her arm while I did her breathing treatment.  It spread to her back, under her chin, and up her shoulders. I could tell it was itching her and causing discomfort.

I freaked out. I had no idea what to do, what it was, or who to call.  I ended up texting pictures to Mom and Ashley, Mom suggested Benydryl cream.  Her and dad ran to the store for me, and I slathered that stuff everywhere. An hour later it was completely gone and I haven't seen it since.  Nothing new had been introduced that night for it to be an allergic reaction, so we are all stumped.

Thursday, November 22nd-
Happy Thanksgiving!  I made a special pinterest breakfast of cinnamon roll waffles.

You know, where you just cook cinnamon rolls on a waffle iron instead of the oven.  Delicious. It was a quiet day with lots of food, spent at Mom's.  The manfriend came over, and we had turkey and dressing and cranberries and pie and beached ourselves to watch football.  Good day.  Sweet company.  Blessed.  Plus Evan did respond well to the treatments, so no hospital for us.

Friday, November 23rd-
Luke complained that he didn't feel good, and requested to have his temperature taken.  He didn't have one, so I thought nothing of it.  An hour later I looked over and his ear was draining down his neck.  Poor boy's ear drum had burst.  I'm guessing he'd been harboring an ear infection for at least a week and didn't complain once.  I called the pediatrician to tell her the good news about Evan and to let her know about Luke, to which antibiotic ear drops were prescribed.

Saturday, November 24th-
I like to call this zombie day.  Luke didn't go to sleep that night until 2:30 because he was in so much pain, and Evan woke up at 7.  Oi, it was a long day.  His ear was still draining, and the pain seemed to get worse throughout the day.  He would randomly just burst out in sobbing, and he couldn't even eat because it hurt to swallow.  Plus, a nice little fever had kicked in.

That picture just about sums up Saturday.  And Sunday for that matter.  I spent the entire day just trying to make him comfortable.  Any trying to stay patient.

Evan got to stay in her p.j.'s too.  What better to wear when you're all about making mischief?

Sunday, November 25th-
Luke slept through the night, but was still in so much pain he couldn't even turn his head.  I called the pediatrician in tears, because I knew the drops should have worked by now.  There was just so much drainage that it couldn't get down in there.  She told me to take him in somewhere, so off to Acute Kids we went.  Two hours later we had a prescription for a super strong oral antibiotic to kill the infection that was in his highly inflamed lymph nodes. 

Those last three days with him being miserable just about did me in.  You know it's bad when you run out the door to a clinic with no shower and no bra.  At least Evan was a happy little girl.  She may be a walking tornado, but I don't think I could possibly love her more. 

That? Is happiness.

Kids and their quirks

You know what they don't tell you about kids? Is that the young ones never. stop. talking.

Like, EVER.

Last night Luke spent 10 minutes telling me about lobsters and crabs.  Where they live.  How to pick them up.  How to handle them without getting pinched.  What the pinchers are for.  How to eat them.  What the shell is for. 

And the questions.  Oh, the questions.  What is your favorite? (no subject. Just my favorite. So I always say him and Evan. Because, what else do you say to that?) Who is your son? Who is your daughter? What's your favorite fruit? What's your favorite color? Do you like Bobcats? (the machinery) Why is our garage door slow? Do garage doors go fast? Are they quiet or loud?

Not even kidding.  That's just off the top of my head from our 5 minute conversation this morning, which happened as we were perched on the end of my bed.  He'd just woken up and wandered into my room, with socks on his arms.  Mind you, these are the socks I'd put on his feet last night before I tucked him in.  The socks that were on his feet this morning had been in a drawer the last time I saw them.  I asked him what was going on with the sock situation, and he said that "I didn't want my arms to get cold and also I can pa-tend they are grabbers and now can we go eat bwek-sis?"

(Luke's PTA program on Tuesday)

But that face.  Oh, that face.

It's a face that actually has a couple of stitches in it. 

He and Evan were fighting over an iPad yesterday, in a tug-of-war style tussle.  He eventually overpowered her and yanked it out of her hands, but the force sent the corner of it flying into is face and busted his lip.  Busted it clean up his lip.

Don't tell him this, but every time I see all the little strings in his profile, I get a quivery inside.

Two Saturdays we took the kids to a model train show.  That was probably the quietest I've seen him in a long time as he absorbed all the sights. 

There was actually some neat little exhibits, complete with miniature people and town scenes and everything.  Evan wasn't quite as impressed as the rest of us.  She put her trusty climbing skills to use.

That girl climbs on everything.  Which has been a giant adjustment considering Luke didn't ever climb.  EVER.  I had some ottomans that I would use to block the entrance to the kitchen and he never even tried to get over them.  Evan has been know to climb up bar height chairs and get to the food on the table. 

It's a good thing she's so darn cute.  I love love love her morning hair.  Most of the time it's all swoopy and I love it.

Poor girl seems to have the same breathing problems as Luke did, though.  I've finally broken down and started her back on breathing treatments. 

Neither of us like them. I'm hoping it helps though, because her sleep hasn't been very restful lately. 

When you can pull her out of one car, take her inside, put her back in another, drive to a restaurant, then pull her out again and she still doesn't wake up, then you know you've got a sleep deprived girl on your hands.

So, that's life over the past 10 days.  Oh! I did go ahead and put up the Christmas tree on Saturday.  Which was not nearly as festive as last year.  One over-eager 4 year old and one cluelessly destructive 1 year old makes for an exhausting situation.  Both kids may have been brought to tears a few times, but we got it done.  And I still love them. 

I'm pretty certain they still love me. 

Roll is Called Up Thunder

For whatever reason, he's fallen in love with the song "When the Roll is Called Up Yonder" and we sing it every night. This was a few weeks ago... he knows the verse now and still sings the bass part.

Don't ask me what's with the gloves he's wearing. He's recently been described as "not your cookie cutter kid". Sounds about right to me.

Yesterday was a day dedicated to my girl and her food. And her hair. Today, I want to take some time for my boy.

I love this boy. He is so funny. And smart. And curious.

This kid will KILL you with questions. His memory is a force to be reckoned with.

He loves all things planes, trains, and automobiles. When I saw on the Discovery channel that they were airing a show about purposefully crashing a plane to gather data from it, I figured he would love it. So I let him stay up late with me.

I was right.

Other things he loves? Being with his Papa.

"Fixing" things. In this case, the table.

He loves to read and he loves his sister.

Most of the time. When she's not bothering him. Or biting him. Or touching something he doesn't want her to touch.

Sound familiar momma's of two?

Just a few minutes after I took that picture above, Evan was banging on the tray of her high chair. I told her to please stop, then two seconds later he leaned over and whispered "Evan. Keep doing it!" So. He's figuring out this big brother stuff quiet well.

He is loving (Joby was up at the boy's preschool the other day, and as he walked by Luke yelled out "Hey Mr. Joby! I wuv you!") and opinionated (don't get me started on our shirt/shoes/food conversations) and full of laughter (he recently figured out how to blow through a straw and make bubbles in his cup). The park is heaven and his current life's goal is to one day taste Dr. Pepper.

(excuse the blurriness)

Oh to be 4.

Evan and her food

So, looking back at the pictures on my phone, it's apparent what the theme of the last few weeks has been.

Evan and her food.

Sure, there have been other cute photos here and there.  Like the day she got her new James Avery flower earrings. (we aren't going to talk about how three days later she had already lost one and consequently went a whole week with a flower in one ear and a silver ball in the other, since she'd gotten the new ones due to losing one of the balls)

There's been bed head.

But mostly?  There are pictures of this girl and her food. I find her on the table double fisting tootsie rolls.

I find her on the table trying to sneak dinner early. 

I find her stealing MY breakfast after she's already finished HERS.

I find yogurt in places yogurt shouldn't be.

And sometimes when I find food in her hair, but not enough to warrant a bath, she gets the cutest little piggies.

 

 

Unfortunately, I've learned that when you take snack-infused piggies down, there are some repercussions.

Oi.

So there you have it.  A boat ton of pictures that, now that I think about it, have more to do with hair than food.  But, to round out the theme, Shae just sent me one this morning.

"Oh, hey boys, I found you! Why are you in Dakota's closet? I brought a snack.  I know we just finished breakfast, but who would like one? No? Okay. More for me then."

Trunk or Treat and Halloween

So, I'm a tad late for the Trunk or Treat pictures.  And Halloween.  In my partial defense, last week was crazy busy.  Unfortunately the weekend wasn't, I just forgot. 

 

Last Sunday night (the 28th) was Trunk or Treat at church.  And true to form, I hadn't tried on the kid's costumes to make sure they fit prior to needing to be somewhere in them.  But luck was on my side, and they fit!  Evan's cupcake costume is from Old Navy- and a size 2T/3T.  Bless that girl.  Luke's fireman costume is a size 4.  I hope he doesn't get a complex some day from his 3 years younger sister being so close in size.

 

I tried to get the obligatory front yard in your costumes picture, but no one was thrilled with that.

 

 

I hoped action shots would help brighten the mood, but I for the life of me, couldn't get the front of them.

 

 

 

And the one picture I did get of the front, the dang camera didn't even focus right.

 

 

Trunk or Treat itself went over splendidly this year.  Evan wasn't into the games...

 

 

But Luke did so good this year!

 

 

My brave boy even got in the bounce house.

 

 

It helped that I started them before the crowds got there, so he got the bounce house to himself for a few minutes.  A little girl climbed in not too long after this picture, and magically he was done.

 

Our small group's "trunk" was and operation booth.  Some of the guys built a big Operations board and wired it so the nose lit up when the tongs touched the sides- the kids had to work for their candy at our booth! This year we placed 3rd in the trunk contest. First time to ever place!

 

 

My super cool family.  (Mom and Dad's small group did a 60's theme trunk, in case you can't tell)

 

 

Monday night we had dinner at Grandmother's house, Tuesday night is the kids' night with their dad, and that brings us to Wednesday night...Halloween!  Church was not cancelled, and if you're keeping score, I am teaching Luke's bible class this quarter.  I had told the children's minister that I would not be there that night due to trick or treating, but Shae and Tamara (who are teaching the 2/3's class) did not.  This meant we got started a little early- 6:00!

 

 

This was the only picture I was able to get of Luke with his hat on.  He just wanted to keep it in the wagon.

 

 

And Evan was way more interested in his hat than she was of her own.

 

Friends!

 

Sister just relaxed in the wagon most of the time.  I didn't really let her go up to houses, she doesn't need the candy and I knew she wouldn't really care.  She didn't....

 

except for when she was running after Luke yelling "Bubba!  Bubba!" and waving at him.  Sweet girl would try so hard to keep up.