Yes, she's always THAT busy

Catching up

2009-12-26T14:52:00.000-08:00

Yes, it's been 4 months since I have posted a darned thing here. I'd like to say that I won't let it go that long again, but who am I kidding...it will probably happen! So, I'll try to briefly catch up for the moment.

I last posted right after Alec started school. He's now almost done with the first half of kindergarten! I really had NO idea how busy things could be just in the first year of school. He has had projects or homework most every week, and not that it takes all that much time but it does seem to add to the usual busy days around here. He has been doing very well in school and truly seems to enjoy it. The first few weeks were tough I think - he really didn't talk to too many of the other kids - but that did not take long to change. And it is really amazing to see not only the development of his reading and writing skills, but his understanding of prayer, God, and friendship. We have had our struggles at home but the good news is none of that seems to show up at school. Given the choice of tantrums at school or at home, I'll take home every time! He had a great time at Christmas, and pronounced very spiritedly "this is the best Christmas EVER!!!" It was nice to see him so happy.

Cece's been doing well this fall. She's had a couple of bugs, including a bout with mycoplasma pneumonia and a nasty cold. But she managed to get through both of them without hospitalization, thankfully. We also have suspected that she's had some minor sickle pain on a couple of occasions as well, but nothing that didn't go away quickly. We can only pray that trend continues for her. She is growing like crazy and is quickly moving out of all of her 3T clothes! She's also starting to learn her letters and numbers really well. A few days ago I witnessed her doing a real drawing of a person for the very first time - i.e., something other than just scribbly lines - and it was so neat to see! We still have not overcome her sleep problems but perhaps that will come with time, and that is very minor in the whole scheme of things. Her imagination has become so incredible lately. In fact her favorite Christmas gifts were the $1 a piece dinosaurs that I picked up for her stocking. Little did I suspect that would be the winner of all the many packages!!!

We've had a couple of opportunities to promote the Ronald McDonald House recently, and that's been a lot of fun. Last week we were interviewed on the local news and the kids thought it was SOOOO cool! None of us had ever been in a TV studio previously so it was a great adventure for the whole family. We were mildly concerned when we found out we would be sitting 20 feet from the news desk while they did the newscast...silence is not our family's greatest virtue, you know?!?! But the kids did really well and were quiet until the end. They were watching themselves on the monitor while we were on camera, and every time Cece would go out of view she would say to Fred, "Where my Cece???" The newscasters were so nice and even let us take pictures of them with the kids! If you are interested in the news piece, you can find it here. Cece is also the feature story on the House's website as of this posting - not sure how long that will last, but for the moment you can find that here.

A few snapshots from Christmas...

Milk and cookies for Santa!

Digging their new chairs...

and tearing into their gifts!

Fun with the new toys

These are MY favorite gifts.

Wishing you blessings during this Christmas season and for the New Year!

School's in!

2009-08-28T19:37:00.000-07:00

So, I'm breaking out of the hospital posts and on to just your average, every day, family craziness!

It has been a very busy couple of weeks. Alec started Kindergarten just over a week ago! He's done pretty well with the transition, but I will fully admit that we are all tired and a little thrown off by the new schedule and all. Fred and I have split our work schedule so that I am going in earlier, while he takes Cece to day care and then drops Alec off at school. Then I leave work early to pick Alec up and then Cece. By the time we get home, the kids are excited to see each other but picking on each other at some point during the two block drive home. Apparently three minutes in the car is much too long to spend without playing "I'm not touching you!" And Alec has done a fantastic job of paying attention and following directions at school, so once arriving home the unrest unleashes onto his unsuspecting mother. And sister. And perhaps the cat.

Anyway, we have now made it through the first full week of full days of school, and we are still standing!

Ok, some of us are sitting...and two are sleeping. You know what I mean.

Today it was finally NOT RAINING when we got home, and the kids decided to run up and down the driveway. Amazingly the significant expenditure of energy made a huge difference in our evening, and there were NO time outs tonight!!! In fact, Alec fell asleep in my arms on the couch. That is a true sign of exhaustion...

Cece is doing very well. She had a post-hospital recheck a week ago and everything looks good. We still have no idea what caused her nasty but short-lived fever...but whatever it was, it appears to be gone! Here's hoping for more than 8 weeks before the next hospital run. But regardless, we're just enjoying each healthy day with which we are blessed!

First day of school!

Cece was sad...Alec tried to make her feel better.

Ready to head to class...

And this is when Mommy started to get a little weepy...

We are so proud of him!

Home!

2009-08-12T19:35:00.000-07:00

We are home!

And exhausted.

Well, two of us are...the other two don't want anything to do with bedtime.

Thanks for thinking of us and for all of your prayers! We are very grateful. I have a few cute photos of Cece after receiving her "going home" notice today...will try to post them later this week! For now, I am going to go find my pillow and crash for a few hours.

Good night!

One more night...just one more night

2009-08-11T21:02:00.000-07:00

No, I'm not channeling Phil Collins.

We're hoping this is just one more night, and that tomorrow we will receive our get-out-of-hospital free card!

Ok, not FREE. But whatever.

Since the source of Cece's fever has not been identified we will need to wait until tomorrow to ensure that her blood cultures are negative. Her pediatrician stopped in this evening and said that she fully expects negative results. Time will tell, but I will say that she is definitely acting like herself...including still being awake at 11 pm. After no nap.

Yes, that's our girl!

Tonight she took a bath, danced between the bed and the cot, ate cereal, drank milk, and watched both Madagascar 1 and 2. I am hoping that sleep will approach soon. I know it will for me!

Thanks for checking on us.

Back in the saddle...

2009-08-10T14:15:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy summer. And it really was never my intention to make this into a "I'm only posting when we're in the hospital" blog. But for the moment, I guess that is what it has become!

So yes, Cece is back in the hospital. We came in through the ER at about 6:30 last night, and about 6 hours later we finally made it up to our room in Peds. Not sure why it has become such a long wait to get from there to here but it was 6 hours when we were here 2 months ago as well! In any case, her temp was 102.8 so we followed the usual routine...pack up...call the hematologist...drive to the hospital. Only this time, she started crying as soon as we walked in the door because the memory was a bit too fresh. I guess that's just going to be the way things are as she gets older and remembers things more clearly.

Her temp was up to 104.5, with Tylenol, at 1 am this morning. But for now she's at 100.1, playing with her new felt farm toy, and watching Winnie the Pooh. So all is good for the moment! They've done every test under the sun and everything has come back negative. So she'll stay on her IV for at least another day and then we will wait and see what the doctors recommend. With any luck she will get to sleep in her own bed on Wednesday or Thursday night.

Thanks for your thoughts and prayers!

Yeah, we're still here...

2009-07-14T19:12:00.000-07:00

So, I seem to be a bit tardy in posts these days. It's a bit funny, really, because there hasn't been much going on...so I really have no excuse. Well, perhaps the fact that the children don't want to go to bed until the sun goes down has something to do with it! By 9:30 at night my brain isn't working all that well anymore, and so I haven't been keeping up with our blog.

But yes, we're still here.

We had a good vacation at the end of June/beginning of July. We headed to the suburbs for a couple of days and had a fun time taking the train downtown Chicago. The kids played in the fountain at Millenium Park and we got plenty of walking in between the tall buildings and along the Chicago River. We then headed to Door County, Wisconsin and enjoyed a few nice summer days there. The kids had a fantastic time at the fireworks on July 4 and we were treated to a ride along the bay in a big ferry boat! It pays to have friends who know people who own ferry boats!!!

Alec will be starting kindergarten in about 5 weeks. Oh...my....gosh. How can my baby already be going to kindergarten??? It seems like just yesterday that we brought our little man home...

Ahh, memories...

We have his supply list, and I've ordered his uniforms, and yesterday we purchased fabric and supplies to make a Transformers nap mat! Sure, I could have bought one, but it seemed too easy. Ha!!! Actually I think it will be a lot of fun and he will enjoy helping me put it together. You've got to love free patterns on the Internet!

Cece's doing great. She has scraped her knees and fingers up numerous times over the past few weeks and we have been concerned that she might end up with infected owies, no matter how careful we are with cleaning and slathering with Neosporin...but I tell you, that girl is an amazing healer. Perhaps the knees look a little worse for the wear but her skin is as good as new. We had her appointment with the pediatric orthopedic doctor last Friday to check out her flat feet. It's all good news...no orthotics, no special shoes, no braces, no worries!!! She will see the cardiologist in a month or so and hopefully after that appointment, we will be able to check that specialist off of the list as well. One of Cece's favorite new phrases is, "Mommy, look at my happy face!" And with good reason, it seems!!!

I'm having a lot of trouble uploading pictures, so here are a few from our Chicago trip...I hope to post a few more later this week.

Thanks for checking in on us!

Home sweeeeeeet home

2009-06-10T19:33:00.000-07:00

Cece was ~~sprung from the joint~~ released from the hospital at about 1:00 this afternoon. She had an utter and complete meltdown upon removal of her IV, and then did not want to be put down at all while I attempted to pack up 3 days worth of our collective stuff. But she was at least willing to stand on the bed and just look at me with teary eyes for a few seconds so I could wrap it all up! We arrived at home and promptly went to bed...both of us got a nice nap.

Of course, now she has no interest in going to sleep. Oh well.

It is GOOD to be home. Thanks again for your thoughts and prayers!

Quick update

2009-06-09T14:47:00.000-07:00

Well, there's not too much to report here. We finally have wet diapers - that's a good sign. She was probably a bit dehydrated when we arrived, which is not a good thing for a sickler. And right now she is playing with a balloon and watching Cars for the 37th time today.

Well, maybe it only SEEMS like the 37th time.

Anyway, the doctor visited around noon and said that Cece may get to go home tomorrow. We'll just wait and see how she does, but tomorrow would be at least one day earlier than we had expected!

Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers...it looks like this will be a nice short stay!

14 months

2009-06-09T06:20:00.000-07:00

We had the kids' birthday party on Saturday, and I received some oh-so-gentle ribbing from family members with regard to my very limited blog updates. So I planned to put a little post up with some pictures of the party and all of that good stuff.

Unfortunately, you'll have to wait for that one...because I don't have the pictures downloaded yet and the camera isn't with me at the hospital.

Yep, the hospital.

We made it 14 months, which is pretty amazing for a little one with sickle cell disease. Cece has had a runny nose and a bit of a cough for a few days and we thought it was just allergies...and then Sunday she had a low grade fever...and I took her to the doctor yesterday morning and it looked like a simple virus. Then the fever spiked and all of that changed.

At 6:30 last night I brought Cece to the Emergency Room to be evaluated and admitted. Now why they would call that place the EMERGENCY Room I truly don't know. We have had some long stays down there but this was the longest by far. At about 11 we were coming up to our old haunting grounds, Room 203. At midnight we were checked in but Cece was a bit wound up and not at all ready to sleep. So we watched Elmo and then about half of Cars before falling asleep, snuggled together in the hospital bed.

She had a very rough evening of being poked, prodded, xrayed and IV'd. And even though we know exactly what to expect and exactly what it will take every time we show up here, it doesn't make it any easier for anyone. It is heartbreaking to hear your baby girl screaming while you have to hold her down for procedures. But it is what has to be done...so we just pray a lot and do whatever we can to comfort her.

Fred went home about 11:30 and had to be up at 5 to go to work this morning. It will be a long day for everyone, but for now the princess is sleeping peacefully. That is a blessing.

We'll probably be here until Thursday morning, assuming the hematologist wants to wait for her blood cultures. Her fever was still over 101 this morning which guarantees another full day at the absolute minimum. I promise to update when there's any news to share, but the usual routine is just waiting it out.

None the less, we made it 14 months. And for that we are grateful!

What we've been up to...

2009-05-02T08:22:00.001-07:00

I am floored that it is already May. The last month has simply flown by! A few things that happened in April...

We officially made it A FULL YEAR without hospitalization for Cece. (I'm not counting her surgery hospitalization, since that was planned and not due to illness!) Of course, when I mentioned that at her well-child visit this past week, our pediatrician told me to shush as to not jinx it! Yes, it will happen again...it is unavoidable. But PRAISE GOD for the months that we have had. We are so grateful.

Alec had his pre-kindergarten physical. Oh my gosh, my baby is going to kindergarten! He had to have two shots, a blood test, and the old "pee in the cup" business. Poor guy...but he made it through with just a few tears. He is measuring at the 95th percentile for height and weight. I always tell people that when he is 8 or 9 I am going to have to stand on a stool to reprimand him! When we were done we gave him a special treat and let him play in Play Land at McDonald's. I am usually not a fan of the ~~petri dish~~ play area but since he had three pokes, I just doubled up on the wipes and anti-bac spray. Needless to say they had a rollicking good time.

Cece had her well-child visit at the same time and is at the 50th percentile for height and weight! WOO HOO! For the longest time she wasn't even on the chart (i.e. below 3rd percentile) for weight, so it is fantastic to see how far she has come. Everything else was good, except that the doctor was a bit concerned about her flat feet. Kind of funny considering how BENT they were when she was born and how hard we worked to straighten them out during the first couple years of her life! So we'll have to keep an eye on that but in the whole scheme of things, it is incredibly minor. Once again, we are blessed.

And oh yeah, I had a birthday. It had a zero on the end. I'll let you figure the other number out...but let's just say it's not a 3. I was not really ready to leave my last decade behind but hey, my life is pretty awesome so what do I have to complain about??? Fred took me out to dinner and a movie (we hadn't seen a movie in a real-life-theater in several years) and gifted me with some money to purchase some much-needed clothes. Yep, blessed again.

Last night we took the kids bowling with an outing for families at our office.

Alec "wacky" bowling. He actually got two strikes that way...I wasn't able to get one bowling normally, even with the bumpers!

Cece was bored with the bowling after the first couple of frames, so she decided to "play the drums" (her words, not mine) instead.

But based on this shot, I'd say she had a good time regardless.

Alec working on his alphabet on the fridge. Ok, U comes before V, but so what...he did this by himself and was oh so proud!

And now I present to you...

Cece's potato song.

Sweet.

Yep, still on the face of the earth

2009-04-30T19:59:00.000-07:00

I am a baaaad blogger. It's been almost a month since I wrote a stinkin' thing.

But for now, I am sleepy. So hopefully tomorrow I can find a few minutes to post a couple pictures of the kids from the last few weeks! Really, it has been pretty quiet around here. Boring, even.

I like boring - it means no hospital visits :-)

See you tomorrow, maybe!

A good day

2009-04-01T19:12:00.001-07:00

This morning the kids got ready without a fight.

When I got to work, no one had taped the drawers shut on my desk, or placed Vaseline on my phone earpiece, or put plastic wrap on my chair. (It is April Fools day after all, and I do work with some crazy people.)

I didn't have to go to any meetings today. Well, one phone meeting, but I can deal with that.

I was greeted by two smiling faces at our daycare providers home, and two big hugs.

We went for a walk around the neighborhood while the kids rode their trikes. It was windy but sunny and had the scent of Spring.

Dinner was awaiting us in the crockpot. We noshed on comfort food…beef and noodles with green beans.

Alec ate the food that I made for dinner. And he even said that he loved it. This from the pickiest kid on Earth.

Cece played with stickers.

And then she let me do her hair with only a little crying…even though we were fresh out of marshmallows.

Yes, it's been a good day.

Hi/Lo Thursday!

2009-03-19T20:01:00.000-07:00

This post is part of "Hi/Lo Thursday" on the Riggs Family Blog. Check out their blog to read everyone else's "Hi/Lo" posts and get your link on their site.

Our "Hi" this week:
Cece's surgery went off without a hitch. She had some pain when waking from anesthesia but the nurse was right on it and a little morphine really did the trick. We only had to stay one night and best of all, she completely avoided having any symptoms of a sickle cell crisis, which is a big concern with any surgical procedure. Prayers were answered all around and we are so very blessed. Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers!

Here's a picture from the hospital on Tuesday night during some of her limited "awake" time. She's watching the Curious George movie in her crib, holding her new bunny from the awesome people in Child Life, and nibbling on a shamrock cookie. Such a little sweetie!

And here's a snapshot from tonight - Alec and Cece on their "stage" in the kitchen. You'd never know that anything had happened this week at all! They've both done so great during this little adventure.

Our "Lo":

I felt very sad for the little boy next door to us in the hospital. The room walls were literally paper thin and I could hear every word that his mother said to him. He was pre-verbal, maybe 12 months old, and she yelled at him all night. After several hours of this, I could do nothing other than pray, so that's what I did. I hope that things turn around for this family and that this child has a chance to grow and thrive.

We enjoyed a quiet day at home today. Well, quiet is a relative term...the kids ran around like normal but everyone except Daddy managed to get a nap in this afternoon!!! It was lovely and relaxing. Hope you are all having a great week, and thanks again for your kind thoughs and prayers.

HOME!

2009-03-18T19:14:00.001-07:00

Super quick post tonight, since I am just plain sleep deprived...

but we are HOME!

Cece's asleep (or near asleep) in her bed. She ran around and giggled and jumped and did all of the normal Cece stuff today. I can't thank all of you enough for your thoughts and prayers.

In Cece's words...I happy! :-) Hope you all have a great night.

Mostly good...

2009-03-17T15:54:00.000-07:00

Cece made it through her surgery like a champ. She went to sleep very peacefully in the ER (I was allowed to go back with her) and woke up pretty upset in recovery, but a little morphine took care of that. We are not in the Children's Hospital as they ran out of room, so instead we are in the "satellite" which is the old ICU wing of the main hospital. It's ok, although I really wish there was a bathroom in this unit...so that will be interesting tonight. We do have the most fabulous nurse who is very experienced with sickle cell patients so that is definitely a plus. The problem at the moment is that her IV clotted and now they have to redo it...which is not good....she's a very hard stick. I'm praying it's not as bad as it has been in the past.

Thanks for all of your prayers and thoughts! They're truly appreciated!!!

Surgery schedule and a few pictures

2009-03-16T06:10:00.000-07:00

We are leaving for Madison sometime this morning...well, who am I kidding, we're not packed yet so it will probably be this afternoon. I'm waiting for the call from the hospital to find out exactly what time Cece's surgery will be tomorrow morning and if I have a chance I'll post it here. I have had varying levels of anxiety about it throughout the week and have been praying for peace quite a bit. For the moment, peace is present, and being only 2 (well, almost 3) Cece is blissfully ignorant. I think it's best that way!

If you're not already following Abby's story, she is having surgery today. Please say a prayer for her and for the surgeons that will be performing her procedure. She still has no white blood cells so it is dangerous but unfortunately necessary. She's already been through so much more than any 4-year old should have to endure.

On a happier note, here's a few snapshots from the last couple of weeks!

Alec joined Cece during a catnap in our bed. So for all of those people who are always asking if they are really brother and sister...I think this covers it. It's not all about biology!

I'm bragging a little...but I was really proud of these cornrows! It's my 4th attempt over the last few months and the first one that really came out looking respectable. I redid them last night so that we will have no-maintenance hair during this week's hospital stay.

We had chocolate cake for Aunt Pat's birthday. Cece saw the cake on the counter and literally CRIED when I put it in the refrigerator and told her that she had to eat dinner first! So when cake time finally came, she dug in like the carb queen that she is and polished it off. When completely satiated with chocolate yumminess, she simply looked at me and said, "Mommy, I happy!"

How sweet is that?

UPDATE: Surgery is scheduled for 11:30. That's about 3 hours later than we had hoped for, as no food is allowed after midnight. All we can hope is that tomorrow is one of her "I don't want to eat" days as opposed to one of her "I'm going to eat everything I see" days. I just called RMC house to verify that we have a room and they are full...so I am supposed to call back after 2 to see if we have a room or not. If not, they'll get us a hotel room. We'll wait and see...

2009-03-04T19:12:00.001-08:00

We participate in "Pray for Me... Pray for Others" on the Riggs Family Blog. Check out their blog to add your prayer request. Join a community of friends who care about you, and hope you will care about them.

There's so many people that I could ask for prayers for today. It seems that every day I hear of another person who is suffering with illness, struggling with financial problems, or having some other trial. So for today, I have only posted a few of those prayers on Riggs' blog...and there will be plenty to add for next week!

I haven't written the rest of the Madison visit story as of yet...and it's not going to get done tonight, either. Perhaps tomorrow! We did get the remainder of Cece's CBC results, and as the nurse put it, all were "excellent!" Reticulocyte, Hemoglobin and Hematocrit had all incresed slightly since her last draw in October. This would always be great news, but is particularly good to hear as we are at a point where her fetal hemoglobin is, most likely, no longer present in her system. Fetal Hemoglobin has protective qualities for people with sickle cell disease and remains in the blood stream for months to years after a child is born. So this has been a secret worry of mine as of late...what if she has been doing so well (in SCD terms) because of Fetal Hb? Of course there is no way to know, and only time will tell what her prognosis will be. For now, I'm just pleased as punch to hear the word "excellent" in relation to a blood test.

Please keep Abby in your prayers. She is having a rough go of it. Also, please pray for Cheri, who is battling multiple myeloma. She is the mother of one of my staff members and it has been a very long and difficult road for their family. May God bless all of them and comfort them.

Quick follow up to yesterday's quick note

2009-03-02T19:07:00.000-08:00

I'll write more tomorrow, but for now I'll just let you know that it appears that Cece will not need a pre-op transfusion. So that is great news! The rest? Well, it was a comedy of errors.

More tomorrow. For right now, I'm going to go try to sleep for more than 4 hours as the eyelids are starting to get verrrry heavvvy. Good night, and thanks for your thoughts and prayers!

Just a quick note...

2009-03-01T20:49:00.000-08:00

I've got to get to bed as the alarm is going to seem REALLY early when it goes off at 5...but just wanted to ask for your prayers for a couple of intentions.

Please pray for Abby. She is in the hospital again and it looks like it's going to be a rough week. Her little body has been beaten down so many times by all of the chemo, and she is suffering yet again. Please pray that she is not in pain and that the doctors can manage all of the many side effects that she is enduring, and also that her family can continue to have the strength they need to help her through this difficult time.

Please pray for Landon. I "met" Landon's mom on a Yahoo group for parents of kids with sickle cell disease. Landon was scheduled to have his spleen removed last week - a surgical procedure that is often needed in the most severe cases of sickle cell disease. He has been having a lot of problems and his prognosis is not good. I have not been able to get in touch with his mom, so I'm hoping and praying that all has gone well.

Lastly, would you please say a prayer for Cece? I feel almost selfish asking for this, but the reality is I'm starting to get kinda nervous about her upcoming ear tube and adenoid removal surgery. Surgery will be on March 17 and her pre-op appointment is tomorrow. I'll post any updates that we have after we get back from the appointment, but at this point I don't expect to know a whole lot more then than I do now. We'll find out sometime next week whether she will need a preoperative transfusion. I'm hoping not but time will tell.

Thank you!!! And in addition to that...how can I pray for you? Leave me a note. It's the least I can do. Blessings to you!

Rubber Duckie, you’re the one…

2009-02-17T19:56:00.001-08:00

This post is part of "Laughter Lives! Tuesday" on the Riggs Family Blog. Check our their blog to read everyone else's "Laughter Lives!" posts.

I haven't had much time to blog lately – and I'm sure all 6 of my readers have been anxiously awaiting another post! HA! Anyway, it's been a busy few weeks but things are finally settling down. I think that "Laughter Lives Tuesday" is as good a time as any to get back in the blogging biz!!!

Lately Alec has been listening to a Bible Song CD when he goes to bed at night. And apparently he really is learning something from it, as he shared a prayer with his sister and me:

"Our Father, who are in Heaven…"

"HALLOWEEN be Thy name!"

He did not understand why I was giggling my socks off.

During the weekend Cece plopped down next to me, Oreo in hand, and chowed away. When the cookie had been mercilessly devoured, she looked at me with sad puppy dog eyes and exclaimed, "Mommy, where cookie go????" That's a new ploy to get more cookies! And it almost worked!

This morning as I took a shower Cece was playing in the bathroom sink. And the result?

Duck in a cup.

My girl loves her duckies!

Abby needs your prayers

2009-01-11T13:22:00.000-08:00

Abby Riggs is 4 years old. She's in the fight of her life against a very agressive form of leukemia. This Wednesday, she will begin the most intense series of chemotherapy treatments...treatments that she may not survive.

Would you please say a prayer for Abby? Or if you're not a praying person, at least think of her? She needs every ounce of faith and hope that can be offered for her. Although I probably only have 5 people who ever read this blog, I am hoping that perhaps each of you can ask others that you know to pray for Abby as well.

Please click the link on the right side of the screen to read more about Abby and her family. Thank you!

All's quiet...

2009-01-05T18:32:00.000-08:00

Or, at least it has been on my blog. So here's a quick post!!!

We had a good and uneventful Christmas. No one was sick (THANKS for your prayers!) and the kids had a great time opening gifts! We spent New Year's with some special friends and enjoyed watching all the kids parade around the house with various musical instruments for "Kids' New Year" which occurred at 8 pm :-) Cece apparently did not realize that was the end of the evening as she stayed up with us until about 11:15. What can I say, she's a party girl!

Things have been a little challenging over the last few days...I believe that my darling son is 4 1/2 going on 17. Its probably just over stimulation, peculiar schedules, and the spectacular nutritional experience that the holidays bring (cue sarcasm here). And lets just say that I would NOT have won any "Mother of the Year" (or even the week) for my ability to manage these situations.

But tomorrow is another day, so we'll both try to do better. Ok, at least I will try to do better!!! And no matter what, I love him more than I can say...which I make sure to tell him, especially after we've had yet another discussion about why he shouldn't smack his sister or use an entire roll of toilet paper or leave the water running or throw his toys or...

Oh yeah, I forgot. He's 4!!!!

Happy New Year!

Last Christmas, revisited???

2008-12-19T19:44:00.000-08:00

Despite the crazy snow/thunderstorm/sleet thing that came through our area last night and this morning, we made it to work today. Alec and Cece were the only two kids at the sitter's today, as all the schools were cancelled and all the other parents stayed home with their kids. So when we went to pick them up this afternoon it did not seem that out of the realm of normality that Alec was a little out of sorts during the day. We figured he just missed his buddies.

Not 2 hours after we got home, he was spiking a temp. 102.5, to be exact. And an hour after his Tylenol, it had not decreased. I had to call the nurse line because honestly, it has been so long since he had a fever, that all I remember how to do is take a kid to the ER once the temp reaches 100!!! (That's the protocol for Cece.) Ok, that's an exaggeration, but it really has been a long time since we've dealt with a fever that didn't mean hospital admission.

So I set him up with his pillow and blankie and popsicles and juice, and he went to bed excessively easily...oh yeah, he really IS sick. Hopefully, he feels better tomorrow. There have been a lot of 24 hour bugs going around so perhaps its nothing more than that. No other symptoms, so far.

But now comes the worry...will this be our 2nd year in a row spending the week preceding Christmas in the hospital? If Cece gets the same temp, there won't be any negotiations to be had with the pediatricians or hematologist. Into Peds she will go. I'm jumping the gun, I know, but I guess it is a mother's prerogative to worry herself to death, right?!?!

Well, it seems almost trite, especially given all that many of you who read this thing have been through...but if it isn't too much to ask could you say a little prayer that both of our kids are healthy for Christmas this year? That would be the absolute BEST present I could ask for.

Thanks, and if I don't write again before then...Merry Christmas, and God Bless you and your families!

UPDATE 12/20...(that makes it sound like a lot of people read this and it's some kind of news flash...ha ha!!!) Alec is cool as a cucumber this morning, and picking on his sister like normal. So at the moment it appears that our prayers are answered! Thanks!!!

The shades of us

2008-12-06T13:13:00.000-08:00

We have this lovely little book called Shades of Black. I found it while rummaging through the book section at Target one day many months ago, and it has long been one of the kids' favorites. We've read it hundreds of times. I love the fact that it so lovingly and positively reinforces the experience of being Black in terms that are understandable for a toddler or pre-schooler. In my humble opinion, one of the most important things that we can do for our children is to help them to be confident and happy about who they are, inside and out.

Anyway, a few weeks ago we were chatting along, playing in the family room, doing nothing in particular. And Alec announces out of nowhere, "Mommy, Cece is Black." Not for any particular reason, I guess, just the observation at the moment.

So I asked him what color he was. He said "Black." I found this interesting, since although he is half African American, his skin tone during this time of the year is exactly the same as his Daddy's - a beautiful light brown several shades lighter than his sister's gorgeous cocoa colored skin.

I asked what color I was. He said "White." I half-expected pink, but maybe we weren't talking actual color here. Who knows. So I asked him what color Daddy was.

"Daddy is orange."

Orange?

Orange.

What does it all mean? I'm not sure. But at the very least, it means he picks up more than I realize...and it's just the beginning of these discussions without a doubt.

On a completely different note, I'm still trying to figure out what to get the kids for Christmas. They have more toys than Wal-Mart already. We'll try to keep it simple, since they won't play with anything past the 2nd gift anyway. And I will start wrapping the few items that I do have next week. Last year, I had nothing wrapped by December 21st. That was the day that Cece was admitted to the hospital with RSV. Somehow we got everything ready by Christmas but that was a lesson for me!!!

Cece is LOVING the snow we have here in Illinois. She points out the window repeatedly and says, "Look Mommy, NOWING!!!" (pronounced like "snowing" but without the "s" :-) ) She's also eaten about a gallon of snow off of her mittens as she runs to the snow pile as soon as we open the garage door. I bought her a full-body snowsuit off of eBay so she's completely covered with no chance to get a chill in those 30 seconds that I let her adventure out into in the snow. I don't have a picture yet but I'll post one soon. Think snowmobile gear for toddlers, in pale purple. It works.

I'd like them to stay 4 1/2 and 2 1/2 forever. Would that be too much to ask?

Another plan

2008-11-23T19:17:00.001-08:00

I'm not the best planner. Most of my life has happened despite of me, not due to my extraordinary efforts. But as a child and young adult, I did have an image of what I expected my life to be.

I planned to meet my husband in college. I planned to get married right after graduation. I planned to have a nice job in the city and a nice house in the suburbs. I planned to get pregnant exactly when I was ready and to have two or three kids before I was 30.

Oh yeah, I planned.

Of course, this plan was not the same one that God had in mind. No, I didn't find a husband in college. I found him 6 years later (or maybe he found me!). No, I didn't get married right after graduation. But Fred and I did decide to get engaged after dating for 3 weeks...and were married 13 months later. No, I didn't find a job in the city and the aforementioned house. I found a job in a small town where I've now made a life with my family.

And I most certainly did not get pregnant when planned.

We were open to children right away after we were married. I mean, we weren't spring chickens or anything (I was 28, Fred was 39) so we figured there was no reason to wait. After a couple of years I had some preliminary blood work and was told there was nothing wrong. I guess maybe I was just afraid of what we would find out, but I didn't pursue any additional medical help for several years. When we finally did meet with a reproductive endocrinologist, they signed us up for the usual round of tests. We were officially fertility challenged.

Some of the tests came back OK. Others came back with the worst possible news for that point in our treatment. We spent the next 18 months waiting, medicating, testing, and praying. It was not a barrel of monkeys. It was emotional, lonely, heartbreaking. We were surrounded by pregnancy - friends, family, coworkers, heck it even seemed that every person I saw at the grocery store was pregnant. As much as I wanted to be joyful for them, I struggled to be anything but selfishly sorrowful. I feared that my dream of a family was not meant to be.

I was barren. Not just in my womb, but also in my heart.

We knew we were nearing the end of our options, and started to think more seriously about adoption. After a lot of discussion and research, we decided to try just one more test. If that one didn't go well, that was our sign. It would be time to stop.

And time to stop it was. Pick an agency. Do the home study. Take the classes. Wait for the license. Bite nails off while waiting for responses from presentations. Cry. Wait. Butterflies. Pray. Cry some more.

Less than a year after stopping treatment, we got "the call." Two weeks later we had Alec in our arms.

I will never forget that moment.

I often tell Alec his adoption story. I tell him how he was placed in my arms for the very first time, and how I cried happy tears and whispered in his ear "Alec, I've waited so long for you...I'm your Mommy. And I love you." It was so wonderful. Words cannot do it justice, truly. Granted, I did think I was going to throw up from nervousness. I also realized when we brought him home two days later that I had never actually given a baby a bath. Alec noticed. He cried through the whole thing. He also pooped in the middle of the night, and we couldn't locate a diaper. Yes, we were a regular comedy of errors! None the less, we found our way over the next days and weeks.

That moment did not cure our infertility. But it did cure our childlessness. It cured my pain. Sometimes I wish that I could have gone through the pregnancy experience...but what I now know is that I would only have wanted to give birth to MY children. Alec and Cece. They are the children that God made Fred and I to parent.

And I couldn't be more blessed.

Knock Knock...

2008-11-15T11:14:00.000-08:00

We've officially reached a new level.

Alec is telling knock knock jokes.

He crawled into our bed this morning and said, "Let's play a game!"

"What game, Alec?"

He responded, "The knock knock game."

"Ok...how does that work?"

"Like this...Knock knock!"

"Who's there?" I said.

"Banana!"

"Banana who?"

"Banana car!" (followed by rampant giggling)

This continued for at least 15 minutes with other versions of my son's preschool stand up routine. None of them made sense, at least not in the adult mind. But that didn't stop us from giggling right along with him!

Here's a few snapshots from the last few weeks...

Trick-or-treating. In case you're wondering, Cece is supposed to be a puppy. It's actually the costume that I had made for Alec when he was about 18 months old, and I tried to make it girly with the pink bows. Not sure that approach worked but I figured this was the last year before she'll insist on a princess costume!!! I also assumed it would be cold outside and that the fleece costume would keep her warm. It was 70 degrees...go figure. The hood came off after the first 3 houses. Then she started coughing and it was the end of Halloween for Cece - but at least she made it down our short block.

Alec and I stayed out until the official end of trick or treating, even after dark. His expression in this pic says it all.

Cece in her "big girl" bed. No more crib for this little chickie!

After her first night in her new bed...sideways, but still in it!

Alec reading to his Cece. Aww :-)

I know I've said it before...

2008-11-02T18:57:00.001-08:00

but please, would you pray for Abby? As her dad, Brent, has written on their blog, she's hit "rock bottom." Any prayer you could lift up would be so very appreciated. A link to their blog is on the right margin of this page. God can perform miracles and wonders...so please ask for one on Abby's behalf.

I have been a little worried about Cece today. She's been VERY whiny and just not herself. Yes, she's battling an ear infection, and yes, she's working on two-year molars (still!) but my worry is that she's in some other kind of pain.

Pain crises are a common effect of sickle cell disease. They can range from very minor, requiring OTC pain meds, extra oral fluids and rest, to extremely severe, requiring hospitalization, IV pain meds and IV hydration. In small children they commonly originate as swollen fingers and toes but that is not always the case. They can cause damage to various organs in the body and over a period of years that damage can lead to other problems such as necrosis, kidney failure, and blindness.

Cece has never had a crisis to date, at least that we know of. There was one occasion a couple of months ago when we thought she was having crisis pain in her elbow, but it turned out to be "nursemaid's elbow." Her brother tried to save her from rolling off the bed and had grabbed her arm, the elbow went a bit out of place, and voila. After 3 calls to the hematologist, and preparing to head to the hospital for the requisite IV meds, her arm turned back into place and all was well.

Today I'm just not sure. She's been grabbing at her arm and her leg through the day and has really been generally unhappy - which is not like her at all. So I gave her what is referred to as a "test dose" of ibuprofen to see if it helped. It did. But I still don't know if it's just teething!!!

So here's a little prayer that Cece's not in pain.

And a BIG prayer that Abby gets some relief of hers.

Favorite Foto Friday

2008-10-24T19:57:00.000-07:00

I'm so glad it's the weekend. It's been a long work week with a lot of "windshield time" and long days of sitting in a small room with 5 other engineers. Oh yes, it is just as exciting as it sounds! After two nights of seeing the kids only for about an hour before bed, I was really missing them. It was a thrill to get most of the evening with them tonight. We don't have much going this weekend, just Alec's tumbling class in the morning and church on Sunday.

I do love my downtime!!!

Here's one of my favorite pictures from our outing to Blackberry Farm last weekend. Of all the activities and things to see, what did the kids have the most fun with?

Leaves.

Have a great weekend, and enjoy all of God's gifts. I'm gonna.

My favorite time of year

2008-10-21T20:01:00.000-07:00

October has been a busy month. We've picked apples, played in the pumpkin patch, jumped in the leaves and done all of that good midwestern autumnal stuff. It's been great. I can hardly believe that the month is 2/3 of the way over already!

I've always loved the fall. I'm not really into summer...something about sweat that doesn't thrill me, I guess. But now, here we are as the days get shorter, and colder, and flu and cold season is coming soon - and I start to worry.

Yes, we've had 6 months of hospital-free existence. It has been AWESOME. So now I'm writing as I listen to Cece cough in her crib and wonder, how long will it be?

How long before we make the decision in the middle of the night that waiting for the pediatrician's office will just not do, and we'll run to the ER at 3 AM?

How long before I feel her sweet, curly head and notice a burning fever that will send us into Peds for a week?

How long before I will once again have to hold my darling down as she screams so that she can be poked, prodded, IV'd, cathed, xrayed and more...and how long before she'll forgive me?

Ah yes, during those trips to the apple orchards and leaf piles, I forget. It's a great form of amnesia. Sick? Who's sick? Not my kid. Look at her. She's just so full of JOY. But eventually, I feel her little hands and remember...don't let her get cold. She could end up in a pain crisis. Don't let her pet the animals in the petting zoo. She could end up with a bacterial infection that she wouldn't be able to fight.

But I guess most of all, I have to remember...don't forget to let her be a kid. Or to let her experience life. Or to enjoy every single precious moment. Because precious they are.

Right now, Abby's back in the hospital herself and struggling with yet another infection. Please keep her and her family in prayer!

Peace...with a pinch of paranoia

2008-09-29T19:59:00.000-07:00

Things have been pretty boring around here, to tell the truth. But I have come to embrace the mundane. The average. The every day.

In other words, the healthy times.

It has been about 5 days short of 6 months since Cece's last bout with pneumonia, which was the cause of her last hospitalization. Really this is nothing short of a miracle. For a child with sickle cell disease it is just plain expected to be inpatient several times a year. (Isn't there something ironic with regard to the two definitions of "inpatient???" But I digress...) Last year she had frequent flyer status after visiting our friends in Peds 4 times, the last one ending on Christmas Eve. Thank you Lord, for the miracle of the timing on that release!!!

So although I try my hardest to have FAITH and PATIENCE and TRUST and all that good stuff, the reality is that I am always waiting. As another mom of a young child born with sickle cell disease said, "I'm always waiting for the other sickle cell shoe to drop."

Sometime soon I think I will post some FAQ's about SCD, because I sure didn't have a clue what it was all about before our beautiful girl came into our lives. But the reader's digest version is that there are a lot of issues that can come along with it, and no one can really tell you when or how or even IF your child will have to deal with them. It's a waiting game. A hoping game. A praying game.

I've never been a superstitious person, but every time someone asks me how the kids are doing I feel compelled to knock on wood. Ridiculous, I know. But this is life sometimes, for all of us. Taking a breath and hoping for the best. Taking a step and hoping not to fall. Taking a leap and letting faith show us the way.

So let me just say it out loud...and this is tough for this control freak to do...

GOD, YOU ARE IN CONTROL.

And YOU are good.

Tomorrow I attend my first patient advocate group meeting at our local hospital. I was asked to participate in order to represent parents of pediatric patients. I was flattered and surprised, and happily accepting of the invitation. I am hoping that maybe, in some very small way, I can make a difference for Cece's future - and for the future of any other children that will visit there. After all, she'll be spending her share of time in Room 204. She already has. But for now, she's sleeping peacefully in her room full of stuffed animals and waaayyy too many shoes (she has a thing for shoes - really).

Thank you Lord, for the healthy times. Please send some Abby's way.

More prayers, please...

2008-09-20T21:33:00.000-07:00

Once again, not too sure that anyone reads this...but just in case someone does, please say prayers for Abby and her family. They are being tested in so many ways at this time. You can read about them at http://www.riggsbunch.blogspot.com/. As much time as we've spent in the hospital over the last two years, it does not even hold a candle to the trials that the Riggs' have undergone in recent weeks. God bless all of them!

2008-09-15T19:27:00.000-07:00

72 words

Man, I really thought I was faster than that!!! Must need a latte...

Where were you?

2008-09-10T19:17:00.001-07:00

When I was growing up, I remember hearing my parents and their peers ask each other "Where were you?" They would talk about a date in November, 1963 when things seemed to just stand still, and no one really knew what to do next. At the time I was too young to really understand, not to mention that no such pivotal event had occurred during my lifetime. But in 2001, that changed.

I'm not a conspiracy monger, a political junkie or a news hound. But I think that it is relatively safe to say that for all of us that remember September 11, it had some impact on us. Maybe it wasn't immediate, and maybe it's not obvious each and every day. Maybe it's just that you can't take clear liquids onto a plane, and that you have to have your shoes inspected. Or maybe it's that you try to remember to hug your kids just a little more every day, or tell your spouse that you love them just one more time. To me, it has been those things and more.

On September 10, 2001 I was in Peoria for a class on erosion control techniques. I'd been away from home for quite a few courses that year since I had just been promoted and needed to learn how the heck to do my new job. For this particular course, I was attending with 6 or 7 other staff members from my office. None of us were particularly close friends but still planned to enjoy our time away for a couple of nights while we were put up at a hotel downtown.

I have to admit, I really don't remember what I did on September 10. I think it was average. Nothing out of the ordinary. I didn't say one extra "I love you," I didn't say one extra prayer, I didn't think about what the next day would bring. I was oblivious, like most of us probably were.

The morning of September 11, I went down to the hotel restaurant for breakfast and met up with one of my coworkers. As we sat and ate and chatted about nothing in particular, another one of our coworkers arrived at the restaurant. She walked in and simply said "a plane has hit the World Trade Center." Now I am not a worldly person, and I guess I just didn't catch the significance or context, so I asked if there was some such place in Peoria. She said that it was THE World Trade Center in NY. We talked about it briefly and all three of us assumed it was some errant small plane, and that it couldn't be that big of a problem for them...after all, they'd been through a bombing. We left and walked to the class location a few blocks away, without much more discussion or thought on the subject.

As we walked into the hotel where the class was being held we noticed several people sitting in the bar area watching the news on a big screen TV. We saw pictures of the first tower in flames. A terrible accident, that's what we all thought. And we walked away to attend our class on the lower level of the hotel.

We sat in the basement of the hotel with no internet, phone or TV access to provide us with updates. But we knew things were bad when one of the instructors interrupted the class material to tell us that the second tower had been hit...and then the Pentagon...and then another plane had crashed in Pennsylvania. Being as we were State employees, we did not know if we were to leave and go back to our offices to provide emergency services, or to stay where we were. At the very least we all wanted to be back with our families, but were being told not to drive unless absolutely necessary. Rumors of car bombs and other violence ran rampant. We watched the events unfold in the hotel bar during our breaks, and wondered what would happen next. None of us focused on the course subject particularly well.

After class we all walked back our hotel in virtual shock. We had planned on going out for dinner, but just didn't feel safe leaving the hotel...so we ordered pizza and hunkered down in one of the rooms. We called our husbands, wives, kids, parents and friends. We cried together. We had a couple of drinks together. And really, we were just acquainances, but it was what we all needed at the time. I'll never forget it.

And I was never so happy to get home and kiss my husband.

Why do I think of these things today? I guess I just want to remember that each day is important. Maybe it's just another Wednesday, but I shouldn't let that chance go by to give my son an extra kiss at bedtime. Or spend 10 more minutes reading yet another "Olivia" book to my daughter. Or take that moment before I fall into a comatose sleep to tell my husband that after almost 11 years, I'm still blessed to be his wife. Things that I always take for granted...but that many would give anything to have back.

Where were you?

Prayer request

2008-08-19T19:53:00.001-07:00

I'm not too sure if anyone really reads this thing, but if you do...could you please pray for sweet Abby? She's not feeling very well. You can read about her at http://www.riggsbunch.blogspot.com/. A specific list of prayer intentions are listed on the site, but I know that any prayers would be appreciated by Abby and her family. I hope that Michelle doesn't mind my posting of this request...but I know how much the prayers of my "e-friends" have meant when we have spent stressful days in the hospital with our little girl. In fact, I believe those prayers have brought miracles. And Abby needs one of those miracles right now.

Thanks!

UPDATE 8/22/08 - Abby is home as of last night and feeling much, much better. Please continue to pray as the family awaits test results and plans for her future treatment needs.

Tired...but thankful

2008-08-13T19:08:00.001-07:00

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Since she became mobile about a year ago, Cece has not stopped. She goes, and goes, and goes - like our own little Energizer bunny. With only a few exceptions, the only time she sits still for more than a minute or two at a time is when she's asleep. This activity escalates exponentially when we are in unfamiliar surroundings. When we go to Target, Daddy's job is to chase Cece around the store while Alec and I shop. When we go to family gatherings or friends' homes, we plan on the fact that one of us will be chasing her up and down the stairs and trying to keep her from overturning numerous houseplants or breaking fine china.

So no matter where we go, we know that it won't take long before we hear the usual statement from those who do not know our Cece...

"Wow, she's REALLY busy!" (Yep, she sure is...but she's happy!)

"She sure has a lot of energy! Must tire you out!" (You don't know the half of it.)

"Is she always that energetic?" (YES!!!)

I can't blame anyone for noticing that she's a sweet little hummingbird, fluttering about from one thing to the next and keeping us on the chase. We say it ourselves all the time! But what they may not know is that all of that running, climbing up stairs, and mischievous laughter was not always a given.

There were many, many nights when she first arrived in our arms that we did not know if we could care for this tiny little blessing who demanded, needed and DESERVED so much.

There have been many times in the hospital or ER when we have been in fear.

There was a time that we thought she might never walk.

But God has answered so many prayers. He gave us wonderful doctors. He provided us with knowledge through our experiences with Alec that we didn't even know we'd need in the future. He led us to AWESOME physical and developmental therapists. He gave us the energy, resources and faith to be able to help Cece grow and thrive...even when we thought it was impossible.

Her start in life was not easy. She was born prematurely and spent the first few weeks of her life in the NICU. When she was placed with us at 9 weeks of age, she weighed 7 lbs 6 oz and came along with her own laundry list of doctors, appointments, medications and procedures. One way to scare the heck out of a parent is to tell them that they'll have to learn infant CPR before they take the child home. We were just a little overwhelmed (ha!).

Amongst several other issues, Cece's feet were turned in severely. In fact, her heel chords were so tight that it was impossible to manually push them into a neutral position (i.e., 90 degrees from the leg - the usual, natural position of a foot). We ended up starting her into twice-weekly physical therapy soon thereafter. We would drive home from work, pick the kids up from daycare, and drive 25 minutes to the therapy appointment. After a half hour of torturing (I mean, helping) our infant daughter, we would load back in the van and head home for the bedtime routine. Twice a week, every week. I think our van became one big McDonald's french fry pit during those months...yech.

After several weeks it became apparent that those darned heel chords were not going to let up. So we added one more doctor to the list - a pediatric orthopedist. We traveled to Peoria to meet with him for the first time, and only minutes after he looked at Cece we were watching her be fitted with plaster casts. The goal was to put her feet into a neutral position for an extended period of time (10 days) and then, hopefully, get her into some braces to keep the stretching going. We were adamant that surgery was a last resort. The risks were just too high, and the benefit too low, especially for a child with sickle cell disease.

Casting was NOT fun...starting with 1 1/2 hours of inconsolable baby screaming on the way home. But there was nothing we could do for her, except provide an unending supply of Tylenol. (For all of you who have had a child go through hip Spica casts...my hat is off to you!!!) None the less, she adapted quickly and after three or four days she could sleep again, sit again, and generally manage. The poopy diaper changing was another story...yuck. Amazingly I believe that we managed to keep those casts clean. Luckily she's never been a "blowout" kid.

Then there was the bracing. Pretty minor, really. The biggest challenge was getting her to sit still long enough to put them on every morning!!!

Now my beautiful girl not only walks, she runs. She jumps. She wears regular shoes (as long as they light up or have sparkles...or the cherished ladybug rainboots). She climbs up on stuff and gives me heart palpitations.

And I cherish every minute of it.

Run on, baby girl. Be as busy as you want.

We'll just keep chasing after you...and thanking God for everything that you are.

Babies, baths, and juice

2008-08-12T19:52:00.000-07:00

So it's been about 2 months since I intended to start this endeavor. I guess for the most part, the nights have been a little late, the house is a constant mess-in-progress, and I just haven't been inspired to write much. But over the last couple of days my son has blessed me with some adorable, 4-year-old wisdom that seems worth sharing!

Last weekend we went to a baby shower for one of our nieces. I had told Alec a few days beforehand that we would be going to the baby shower on Saturday. On Friday, he asked me when we would see the baby take a bath. The discussion of "showering with gifts" vs. "putting a baby in the tub" ensued for the next few days, including the fact that the baby was still in Cousin's tummy. Sunday evening, as we were getting ready for bed, he asked me about it again. I told him that we gave gifts to the baby, and that was what "shower" meant. I also asked him if he remembered seeing the baby in our niece's tummy, which he did.

Now, we've had lots of discussions about babies in mommies' tummies, and have explained many times that he did not grow in my tummy. But hey, he's 4, so he asks again. I'm good with that. Actually, he really doesn't ask - he will say "And I grew in Mommy's tummy!" My response is always, no, you didn't grow in Mommy's tummy, because Mommy can't grow babies in her tummy. But you grew in your Birth Mommy's tummy, and then you came to us to be our baby boy and that made us so very happy! Sometimes the explanation is more in-depth, sometimes less - I let him lead the way depending on how much he feels he needs to know at that point. But this conversation quickly took a direction I didn't expect.

"Did it go in there?" (pointing to his mouth)
I looked at him quizzically, not sure where this was going...
"Did the baby go in her mouth - like this - and then in her tummy?"
Oh my...
"Well, honey, it's not exactly like that..."
"Mommy?"
"Yes, honey?"

Oh no...what now? Is it time for birds and bees? I haven't thought about that yet...panic! panic! pan...

"Can I have some juice?"

Phew. Guess I'd better work on an answer for THAT one for the next time around.

So how do you work this thing?

2008-06-05T20:44:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I'm not too sure that I'm much of a blogger. But occasionally, if I can manage to stay awake for 5 or 10 minutes after we get the kids into bed, I might have something worthwhile to write. Or maybe not worthwhile but write anyway. But really, more of the point is to help keep friends and family up to date on things. Especially things like hospital stays, when they happen. So here we go...