Just an ER sort of Weekend...

Everyone seems to be fighting the fever and cough bug that has been going around for a couple of months.  I thought we were done with it since we spent most of December sick with it but alas the petri dish that attends preschool brought it back home for us.  JJ spiked a fever Thursday night that continued to Sunday morning....poor boy...although when the meds kicked in and he was normal temp again...he didn't let a little illness hold him back, he was still climbing over everything and getting into mischief.  Not even sickness can contain his energy pack!  Doctor checked him out on Friday and declared it a virus and sent us home.  Friday afternoon....checking JJ's temp...I thought Lizzie seemed a bit warm and had been fussy (she can be fussy but not generally in the late morning and afternoon...usually her better mood time).  I took her temp like 12 times and it it ranged from 99.4 to 100.9...after trying to reach the Doctor and sitting on hold to find out if they wanted her in office or go to the ER (her parting words to me at our checkup was until I see you in February...any temp over 100.4 was to go to ER...but did she mean that during office hours??...boy this stuff is confusing).  Packed us all up...had Gabe call in sick...wasn't going to have a little boy with a 102.5 temp just medicated and a sick baby too...so we headed to the hospital...where I proceeded to become more of a stress case causing us to barely be functional when we walked into the ER.  The advice nurse kept freaking me out with her various questions...does she have any rash...yes...its baby acne but man, upon inspection there is more on her back and belly.  I couldn't recall...did the doctor say that the back is normal for baby acne.  Is she responsive?  My response...she is alive but she won't wake up!  Liz decided this was a great time to be out cold and refuse to stir despite me undressing her to see what she looked liked as she breathed.  After receiving a final confirmation to go to ER from nurse we pulled back onto the road to finish our journey.  The 3 miles seemed liked 30 as I was sequestered to the back seat and unable to help Gabe steer the car!  I hate not being in control of the car when I am stressed out but I needed to talk to the nurse when she came on the line and watch the baby for sudden head spinning or whatever else happens. 

You would think since I am a seasoned mama that I would be cool, collected....not this mama.  I hover over them and worry until I know its gonna be okay.  And sincerely, JJ didn't have his first fever until he was 7 or 8 months old, so I hadn't dealt with a little baby and fevers.  

We stand in line to check in...of course 3 patients all come in at the same time.  I am holding Lizzie and it seems like she isn't so hot after all.  I tried to explain to the nurse, well, maybe we don't need to be there and I had dreamed the 12 times that she seemed to have a temp.  We were still checked in and yep, triage nurse confirmed no fever.  We were still rushed back where the pediatrician saw us quite quickly and explained that since she is so young fevers indicated that they were fighting infection and she might not be fighting an infection because she can't or it could be a bad thermometer...we will skip the insert of his lecture on any thermometer other than rectal.  So, we stayed for several hours to run lab work...and yep, she was fine but they were going to continue to run lab work on the culture growth in her blood for the next several days...so we went back to the ER on Saturday for our follow up and then back to her pediatrician on Monday.  Frankly, I had seen more of Dr. L in 2 weeks than I had in over a year!  It's a good thing I like her!

The tape removal was far more painful than the IV stick! 

We are all mending...fevers are gone...parents seem to have been down for only the Sunday...maybe as an aftermath or a quick bout with the illness.  Here's to the dream of no more illness this winter!

We are all feeling a bit spent now!

Good night!  Someone is hungry, time to post and feed Queen L.  

Hanging from the rafters

To avoid epic destruction of the house, we headed to the park today. I am astounded at how much JJ is developing physically and emotionally. He came home from preschool yelling for me...mom are you in the kitchen? I told him I was in the bedroom and he walked in and said "where is Lizzie?" In her bed was my reply, he ran to her crib, patted her and said "I missed you Liz...did you miss me"  then he runs back to my room and said..."Lizzie missed me".

Love this boy! Stole my heart the moment I laid eyes on him!!!

Choose wisely....choose BLUE!

Took the time to teach the kids about the where they should land for their college education!  Told Lizzie it looks good on her!  JJ seemed down with it as well....frankly, they have much of what he is looking for...cute girls, games to play....they are however missing a park on campus to climb the jungle gym but I am sure he can make do with what they do have.  JJ is enjoying attending morning preschool.  Afternoons were not working on, he was too tired and was missing out on his nap.  Mom and Dad didn't like how it threw off his schedule for the next day either.  We are learning that rocks are for holding at the playground and not throwing.  Sand is for digging and making sand castles....not throwing.   

Today, Lizzie is 4 weeks old and went to see our local pediatrician to get set up.  Also to discuss some gastric issues.  This girl can clear a room with her flatulence and her special delivery diapers are unmistakably ghastly.  Doc said all is good because she is growing leaps and bounds.  Weighing in at 9 pounds 1 ounce and 21 inches.  Girl gained over a 1.5 pounds and 1 inch in 4 weeks.  Girl is doing her job....growing big and looking cute!

Time to get back to cleaning my house! The never ending battle.  

Happy New Year!

2014 certainly has been another wonderful year for the J crew.  Cannot believe Lizzie is 3 weeks old already and growing huge!

She prefers to sleep with folks or by swing, although when she is totally out conked out she is happy to sleep in her little traveling sleeper that she has been sleeping in since we brought her home.  We just put that in her pack and play in our room while she is still adjusting to the larger bassinet and even grander crib.  She digs her pink fluffy blanket.  I need to get out and get some of the those sleep sacks as she is beginning to be a mover and shaker.  Her hands and legs can really get going and she can move the blanket around.  She does not enjoy swaddling where her hands are tied down.  She is recognizing voices and tracking us.  And she is definitely perfecting the art of crying when she is hungry or having gas pains.  Otherwise, she is a pretty chill baby.  She will squawk at you if you move her in a position that she does not find appealing.  She believes in making her needs known and not sucking it up to take one for the team since she quietly puts up with so much in this crew she joined.

JJ is growing up so much and is loving being a big brother most of the time.  He isn't too keen on sharing the parents though.  And he thinks he should be the one taking care of Lizzie and not Mommy.  His imagination is taking off.  He enjoys using a pencil as a wand and turning you into different things such as a laughing witch is one of his favorites.  He is smart as a whip and will hear a word on the radio that he knows that you are not suppose to use aka stupid and he perks up and tells you that they weren't suppose to say that.  He is still head strong and insists he is right....I said student one time and he heard stupid...the big no no word going on at our house right now.  Boy he was all over me and even after I gave him the definition of student to explain the difference he was sticking to his guns that he was right.

Monday the 22nd, we were sitting in the pediatrician's office when we received the official call that we had cleared ICPC.  It was sad to have to admit to L's birth family because we love them so much and enjoyed seeing them but we were ready to move on to the next phase.....CHICAGO!  Immediately, JJ was a different boy as he recognized the surroundings of Grandma D's house.  It was a relief as he had been struggling quite a bit with all of the changes and being away from home.  We spent time with family which was a total blast to have everyone love on the kids so much.  L is the first granddaughter on my side of the family so needless to say...she is ADORED!

Sunday the 28th after being up all night with a constipated baby and a very sick little boy we boarded a plane to home.  JJ immediately began dumping toys to reclaim his home in some toddler caveman sort of way.  We enjoyed visits from several of our family by choice people in our life.

Ringing in the New Year...so thankful for my church support, who rallied to bring us some meals as quickly being at home and not unpacked became very difficult while taking care of the kids.  Gratefully the sister that brought us dinner on Wednesday thought of all the details....even down to the noise makers and hats.  Can't thank her enough because I hadn't even been able to think that far yet....I was just focused on settling us in....unpacking, grocery shopping with 2 kids, and cleaning the caveman disaster of toys.

You can tell that Lizzie is completely enjoying her head gear!

Wishing you a joyous 2015!!!