Thursday, March 22, 2012

Life has been busy!

Lots of things have changed in our household lately. Our house guests have moved out as of last Saturday so we are coming up on 1 week of having our home back to just us. We have spent the past week moving things around and getting our kids back in their bedrooms. Things have been just wonderful. Life is less stressful with less people in the house...kids are not at each other throats anymore etc.

Christine seems to be doing well. I think she is really enjoying having her own space in her OWN home outside of the stress of having to reorganize everything that comes with moving and the fact she is on her chemo this week. Such big blessings are going on in her life. He husband has work so they are able to get ahead a little bit. The shower was to small in the home she bought and she was able to find a shower enclosure affordable and someone nice enough to install it for free for her. I'm glad things are going so well for both of us. I am able to nest and get things ready for the new baby while she continues to be stable and she is able to pull her life back together. I'm glad my family was able to help them get on their feet, but as she know I have a new appreciation for having my own space back as well.

Well kinda, as soon as Christine and her family moved out my sister Sarah has come from Alabama for a visit. LOL It has been nice having her here to help with the kids and help get my house clean and back into shape. My sister Tabetha has also come to be my cleaning lady a few times this week. I feel a peace and comfort in my house that has been gone for a long time.

Everyone has been fighting a cold for most of the month of March as well. Jacob has nearly been hospitalized due to dehydration toward the beginning of the month. All 3 of the kids still have snotty noses and coughs but over all we are doing okay. I finally got my act together and started scheduling Jacob's doctor appointments again...he has missed quiet a few due to lack of funds and times to take him since most of his doctors are an hour away from where we live. In April he will see his physical medicine doctor and probably come back for a follow up to receive more botox. His muscle tone in his legs is quite bad. I hear there are several place in my state that are now preforming Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy. My goal this year is to seek out and research the doctors and discuss this procedure with his neurologist and physical medicine doctor to see if this procedure might benefit them. From what I read he might not be a candidate to have it done, but I want to know that I have tried everything to improve his quality if life...at this point he is already maxed out on his baclofin dose and botox did not last long...he may end up with a baclofin pump in the not so distant future, but once again what I have read is he maybe to young. Ugh.

I also made an appointment for a new GI doctor. Well, this doctor was actually his 1st GI doctor and I stupidly left to go to a different GI and now I have found myself crawling back to the original more aggressive of the GI doctors in the area. I am hoping he may have different idea on what to do for him even if it requires surgery for a nissan at this point. He is 28lbs and has not gained weight in I can't remember how long. I am SO TIRED of the vomiting.

Andrew is turning into a little toddler. He is getting less baby like everyday. He is saying a ton of words and making complete sentences now. He listens better and follows directions when you ask him to do something. He also moved into a big boy bed when he got his room back. He is doing very well in it and goes to bed when he is told...most of the time. I still have a baby gate on the door to keep him safe from escaping and doing anything harmful while everyone is asleep. Andrew also pee peed on the potty for the 1st time a few weeks ago. He actually did it while Jacob was getting IV fluid in the ER for his dehydration. He tells us all the time he has to go potty now. He is growing up.

Ava getting her room back was short lived with her getting excited about it. The 1st night she slept all night in her room, every night after that she has ended up in my bed still. She also states "Andrew bed is MORE AWESOME  than her bed" so she sometimes starts the night off in Andrew's bed but ends up in ours.

Our Spring break was last week. My sister Sarah and I were just crazy enough to take 6 kids vs. 2 adults to CoCo Key Water Resort and Hotel in Orlando, FL for 2 days. It went much better than I thought it would go and my husband ended up coming up the 2nd night after work and my other sister came and got her 2 kids that we had the 1st night. The kids had a blast...but it sure did not help with the colds they still have.

I had my 32 week visit at the OB doctor today as well. Everything is going well. Not major complications. I am cutting back my hours to 8 hour shifts at my job instead of 12. I learned today that my plan to possibly have a planned induction for a VBAC is not possible because of the previous c-section. I don't really want to wait in natural labor because of Jacob. I need to have a plan for someone to be there and care for him and my family is coming down for the delivery. So, I have a tough decision to make...wait for labor vs. scheduled c-section. I will be discussing this plan with my OB gain in 2 weeks.

Andrew playing with his tractor tonight that he refers to as a train

Ava at the water park last week

Andrew at the water park last week

Ava's 1st night back in her room...the crib will be the future home of her new baby sister when she is bigger

Love the quote I found to put above Logan's picture on our wall.

Andrew at dinner last night...I think he looks a lot like Evil Dr. Pork-Chop LOL he agrees

An example of how well Andrew listens...I brought in the groceries and told him to take the toilet paper to mommy's potty...so he did.

Thursday, March 8, 2012

The Start of potty training?

Today Jacob had his 1st ER visit in a few months. He was dehydrated and got some IV fluids. They let him go home and he is doing okay. While we were in the ER Andrew kept saying he had to go potty...I ignored him because he never goes. Jack took him down to the bathroom and he peed in the potty! Then he went again about an hour later! So maybe tomorrow I will listen when he has to pee :-D