1/25/2012

Eating, sleeping, and pooping

These are known as the things babies are famous for...or things that we have updates on. So grab a drink and here we go.

Eating - we finally had our meeting with the allergist about all Parker's procedures in November. He has eosinophilic esophagitis (EOS). These are the same type of cells that cause people to have asthma or hay-fever, but Parker has them in his esophagus. We've been put on two different medicines - one to spark more appetite hopefully, and an anti-reflux med - and then he'll be scoped and biopsied again in February to see the results. They are trying to determine which type of EOS he has to determine the next course of treatment for this. EOS in his esophagus can make it uncomfortable to swallow or irritated by any reflux symptoms.

Sleeping - This momma got some sleep! For Christmas, Chris gave me a gift certificate to have the night off and get a hotel room by myself. I also got gift certificates to get dinner while I was gone, and coffee on the way home. So last Friday, I went straight to my hotel room from work. I ate dinner in my jammies while it was still hot in one sitting without having to share with anyone. I watched crappy t.v. I slept. Since the kiddos still have yet to make it through the night all the way through without waking through the night, I hadn't had an uniterrupted nights sleep in 2 years, 3 months, and 13 days. It was fantastic! 

Pooping - Payton has suddenly started having some major problems. Major. This has all come on out of nowhere with no real explanation. We had to go check in with the doctor this morning. We had a physical examination by the med student and the pediatrician, then were sent on to rule anything out. A blood draw and quick x-ray ruled out anything awful so now we have a few new tricks to try. Hopefully we can avoid anymore screaming and horrible episodes. 

Half way through another week...one week closer to spring! Stay tuned...more on the way!

1/18/2012

Get out your calendars

I know what you're thinking. It's mid-January and there's nothing to do, the weather is all over the place and not always nice enough to be outside. Holiday happenings are over and you calendar is looking a little blah. Well I have good news...and some help! There are some very exciting things coming up and I though I'd make sure to share them, just in case.

These first two are both events benefiting Respite Care. Super fun, something different to try, and as a huge bonus...it all goes to an amazing place.


The last event is near to my heart. In March, they will be putting on the Omaha Baby Fair. This is the second time for the event and after being at the first one, I can't imagine how big it will be this time around. They always pick a group as their "cause" to support with proceeds from the fair. This time, it's the Quiet Light Foundation. Quiet Light Foundation is a group that supports high-risk, preemie and special needs families in any possible way that's possible. This is special to me because (if you didn't know already) this foundation has come from inspiration from the dynamic duo. I started it with one of my best friends, and a couple others who we roped into it, and it has taken directions and received support in ways I never imagined. It is being held March 11 at the Holiday Inn Convention Center. We'd love to see anyone that day - expecting or not. There's so many of you that have helped support us to where we now are trying to help offer more support to others.


Hope you are all having a great week! As always...more on the way!

1/16/2012

Appointment after appointment....

Last week was totally booked with appointments and this momma is still in recovery mode. Since we were approaching their "due date", everyone wanted to get their hands on them and check them out.
Here's the scoop...

Monday, Parker ended up at the pedicatrician. I was so worried about Payton not sounding good that it was a little strange to wake up to Parker sounding awful. It didn't take too long for the doc to call it - croup. With aggrivated BPD, reactive airway, and stridor. It sounded a little like he was always sucking air through a straw. So onto a weeks worth of oral steroids and ramp up the breathing treatments.

Tuesday was Early Intervention. We had out PT, OT, speech, and developmental therapists, case worker and a student all come to the house for our review. They have met every goal that's been put for them so at thsi time, PT, OT and developmental have discharged us. If in the future we need them, we can call and they can come do a new evaluation. Speech has also discharged Payton, but will continue to see Parker for an expressive speech delay.

Wednesday was Payton's turn at pulmonology. She sounded so awful on Tuesday night that if she had had a fever, I would have taken her to the E.R. But we held out at home since we were first up Wednesday morning. The pulmonologist says that she's normal for her - just crappy lungs. The P.A. thought she sounded ok when we were there. If she had souded bad while we were there, we'd of been sent downstairs for xrays. They gave us a script for oral steroids in case she started to go downhill, hoping that would be enough to keep her out of the E.R. They also gave us the inhaler form of one of her breathing treatments. We can use it with her special spacer to take the medicine if we're out and about and she starts to sound a little rough. Next visit will be in 6 months.

Thursday was the NICU follow-up clinic. Luckily Chris came with me to this one because they split them into two rooms to see what they could do without watching each other. When they brought them back together and asked them to do a few things, they were completely over being there. The doc made everyone leave the room and would poke his head in to tell us what to get them to do, then the group of them watched through the two-way mirror at the end of the room. They gave us referrals to a few new places to address some issues, but said that overall things look good and we were being discharged from there as well.

That's the latest from here. They're both holding their own and both just have a cold that hasn't evolved into anything else (fingers crossed!). This week is pretty quiet on the doctor front (fingers crossed again!) except for finally seeing the allergist for Parker.

By the end of it all - with a 2 hour drive home Wednesday nigth from the ice - with work, laundry, groceries, and life, I need a vacation to recover :)




And I promise coming soon....some special events coming up!

1/10/2012

Gymboree East

Knowing that it would be ridiculously hard to entertain two toddlers during the winter when they really wouldn't be out and about much, I had a plan. On top of the things they already had, we asked for some things for Christmas that could help beat the winter blues and keep them busy, engaged and entertained. We have added a basketball hoop, ball pits, and trikes. Then you add the giant zebra riding toy, new tent, tunnel and piano toy given to us by a co-worker of mine, and it honestly looks like a kids dream around here. We have talking Elmo's, cookie monsters that eat cookies, cars for racing, bags and bags of blocks, tea sets, doctor kits...the list is really never ending. We have stuff that we're on the verge of outgrowing, but for now, we're stretching it to help us get through the winter.






If there's anyone who would like to come play, come on over!!!

Coming up...what a week! and a few special upcoming events.

1/02/2012

Holiday Wrap Up

The past week has been crazy and so to try and catch up with everything we'll do the full holiday wrap up in one post - of course complete with pictures!

The Wednesday before Christmas, I got a call in the morning that Parker was sick. By the time I got to go pick him up, he was have some major issues - fever, high heart rate, oxygen not doing so hot. After a trip to the doctor and a nap...

We ended up at home for two days on our usual rotation of meds and treatments because the doctor gave us a diagnosis of tonsillitis, sinus infection, strep throat and aggrivation of all his airway and lung problems. I told the doctor he had a couple days to get him fixed in time for Christmas.


Christmas was lots of fun this year. While they don't really understand what's going on, they are able to participate more and tear open presents. They got so excited about everything, there was constant squeals and laughter. They played and played and played and played. We stayed in jammies for the weekend, took a couple naps, ate, and they were completely spoiled rotten. And now it's up to us find somewhere to put everything. We could open up another Gymboree or Toys R Us (so if anyone wants to come play, come on over!).










For New Years Eve we had some plans. We started our morning at the zoo. We met Kristin, Sydney and Ava and had a GREAT time! We checked out the pavilion, got a few party favors, then headed to the jungle restaurant to use a table. The girls brought muffins and cupcakes and cards to celebrate my birthday with me. Love you guys! When we were done, we headed to the gorilla house. Parker and Payton squealed every time they saw a gorilla. And every time a monkey moved, they both pointed and made more noise. It was hysterical to everyone within ear shot. Once we were done there we headed back to the pavilion for the ball drop at  noon. Very fun...and it was absolutely packed. Sydney and Ava made a dive for it when they dropped and came up with an elephant and a giraffe beach ball for the kiddos to bring home.




Later in the afternoon, we checked out the First Night party at Bloomer School. We danced around to a drum circle that some students were playing in and doing battle on the drums. We got balloons made - a smiley face guy for Parker and a flower corsage for Payton. Payton even got her picture in the newspaper with her fancy balloon! We even tried face painting for the first time. Payton liked it but Parker got one spider leg drawn on his cheek and that was all he was going to take. Maybe next year. We also got to meet a real live reindeer, got to pet him and take our picture with him. Parker was a little more into her then Payton was, but she was so sweet.






Chris went and got take out for dinner when we got home. The babies were asleep at their normal time. We had some chocolate birthday cake after that and were out early. We got our first look at 2012 when Payton started the new year at 3:00 a.m. for the day.

We hope everyone had a great new years! Here's to an even better 2012 - more steps forward, more laughs, more milestones, more inspiration, and more love. Thanks to everyone that had helped with even one of those over the past year - you're appreciated more than you know.

Stay tuned...more to come!