Never a Dull Moment

Allie decided to make things a bit more exciting for us this week, and came down with a fever with rapid breathing/wheezing tonight.  Given our week, I immediately called our pediatrician, who saw us at 7:20 pm on a Monday night.  He gave her a breathing treatment, listened to her chest again, and then sent us to the ER for a chest x-ray and a variety of other tests.  I could hardly believe it.  As if we didn't have enough going on!  :)  The ER gave her a second breathing treatment since her oxygen levels were still low, and then did a flu swab, rsv test, and chest x-ray.  All I could think about was the possibility of Allie having pneumonia and being admitted to the hospital - a different hospital than the one Conner would be in!?!  OR...Conner getting sick as well, and having to postpone Conner's surgery.  In the end, Allie did not have RSV, the flu, or pneumonia.  A cold just settled in her chest and caused difficulty breathing.  We were sent home about midnight with a nebulizer, and some prednisone.  Whew!

Overwhelmed

...in many ways.

Conner's surgery is less than two days away, and I am overwhelmed at the thought of handing my sweet six year old over to a team of doctors for open heart surgery.  I always knew open heart surgery was pretty serious, but when your child is about to go through it, and you spend (way too many) hours reading about sternotomies, bypass, grafts, etc. it just hits you in a different way.

I am also overwhelmed by the number of phone calls and emails I have received in the last two days with offers to help.  I apologize if I owe you a phone call or email.  Please know that your call/email means a lot, and just knowing that Conner is in your thoughts and prayers brings comfort to us.  Grandma Jones is here to be with Allie and Cayden, and has a list of names & numbers should she need anything.  We are so blessed to have such wonderful family and friends!

I promise to keep the blog updated with the latest.  The cardiac ICU does not allow cell phones, so email and/or blog updates will probably be our primary method of communication.

We take Conner in tomorrow at 7:30am for the final pre-op meetings and exams, and his surgery will be on Wednesday morning.

Love & Hugs

Cayden's Birthday Round 1!

HAPPY 5th BIRTHDAY CAYDEN!!

On November 30th Cayden turned a big 5 years old and he's still reaping the birthday benefits! Round 1 started with a delivery from the box man. When we arrived home from cutting the Christmas tree down there were two big boxes on the front porch. All talk about setting up the Christmas tree ceased as Cayden jumped out of the truck and rushed to the front porch. He picked up the boxes and began reading the labels: "C-A-Y-D-E-N, that spells my name!! These are for ME!!" So we brought the presents inside and let him open them...a few days early.

Let the hamster battle begin!!

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa Jones, Uncle Jeremy and Jesse for all the cool presents. You should see Cayden and Conner's bedroom...its a total hamster battle arena!!

Okay...so the next picture is just a bad picture, but I couldn't resist posting it. Cayden was stoked to get Star Wars Lego; Allie was trying to decide how she feels about hamster battle toys, all the while trying to see what Cayden was so excited about; and as for Conner we know he was excited for Cayden--because when he's really excited about something he lifts his shirt over his stomach?!?! I'm sorry Lindsay...the kids have more of their father's blood in them then we may have wanted!!

Cayden...you are the best brother that Conner and Allie could ever have! You're tons of fun to play with and listen too. A huge help around the house. Just a super awesome kid to have around!!

We all love you SO much!!

Happy Birthday Cayden!!

Oh Christmas Tree!

Thanksgiving weekend we went with the Rotar's to cut down Christmas trees. It was windy, cold, but lots of fun!! We hiked all over the Christmas tree farm and finally found a good look'n tree at the very top of the hill--which is why it was probably still there, nobody else wanted to carry it down! After a quick family picture, Conner and Dad got right down to business with the saw. A couple of nights later we decorated the tree for family home evening. This is Allie's first real Christmas (being almost 3 and totally understanding what's going on) and she loved helping with the decorations.

Uh...we're still not sure if this is supposed to be a Christmas TREE or a Christmas BUSH?! Whatever East Coaster's call it, there were people cutting them down and loading them on the top of their cars!!

Cayden is also pretty fond of the camera, he likes to tilt he head when he takes pictures!

Conner & Dad getting crazy with the saw!!

Picture Please

Allie is a total picture nut! She loves to have her picture taken. If she sees a camera...she asks for her picture to be taken. If she's doing something silly...she asks for her picture to be taken. Except that is when we're trying to take family pictures...then she wants NOTHING to do with the camera?!?!?! Is this just female psychology messing with Lindsay and I? Who knows...

Terrrrrrrible twos!

You've heard it said, and I thought I had experienced this stage before...

but, little Allison Grace (bless her heart!) is really testing my patience.  I will share just a few examples from our day today.

Unbuckled her car seat
(Britax Marathon, with a button I find hard to push sometimes!?!?)
FOUR TIMES
while driving home from Cayden's school - which is only THREE miles away.  Each time, I pulled over, told her she needed to stay in her seat, put her back in, buckled it, and explained that it is a law to make sure we are safe, and that mom could get in trouble with the police if she doesn't stay in her seat.  She didn't seem to mind the pulling over, but her brothers were both very worried, and told her repeatedly that they didn't want mommy to go to jail.  Hopefully this phase will end very soon, or I may start carrying around zip ties to keep her buckled.  Any suggestions?

I found her several times today with nothing on.

Clothes and diaper (sometimes messy) laying on the floor.

It takes just seconds, but creates quite a mess. 

Every chance she gets, she finds a way to play in the water, and of course, fill something (cup, toy, wipes container-emptied of all wipes, dish from the dishwasher...) up and then spill it somewhere else in the house.  This happened probably 8 times today, and six were while I was trying to make dinner.  She does not discriminate on water source - whatever is close - bathtub, sink, water dispenser in kitchen, and of course mom's water bottle she has recently figured out how to take the top off of.

Allie is constantly going in the fridge and pulling out her next "snack" for the day.  If I gave in to this, she would have a snack every 5 minutes, all day long!  Cheese, milk (yes, she grabs the gallon container, sometimes unsuccessfully), apple, yogurt, juice, etc.  If she sees me coming, she grabs whatever she can, and makes a run for it.  Today she claimed she wanted some onion.  I was really tempted to let her have a bite.  She couldn't possibly be this hungry.  I think she just likes opening the door and exploring.  I purchased a lock for the fridge, but within 24 hours she had broken the lock.

The pantry.  Similar to the fridge, but with shelves to climb.  I actually have an effective lock on this door.  The problem comes when I am trying to make dinner.  She knows the door will be opened and closed several times, and she must wait around the corner for the times when I do not lock it - because I know I will be in and out.

Outside.  Her newest trick.  She just opens up the front door and leaves.  Luckily, our house is set back quite a ways from the street, and I do not worry so much about cars, but still - probably not great to have your two year old letting herself out whenever she pleases.  I think a lock will appear on the front door in the next day or so.  You know the kind.  Fancy hotel chain lock you can put as high as you want - out of reach.  (It will remind me of living in Berkeley!)

Throwing her food.  I thought this stage was long gone.  I was wrong - it has returned, and she can now throw much farther.  All three meals today (and yesterday) ended with quiet time in her room while mom cleaned up.

  

I will stop now.  (Even though I could go on... :)

I do not want this to come across the wrong way.  

She is an adorable, funny, beautiful little girl.
We LOVE her!
She makes us laugh!
(... she usually makes Conner laugh right after he takes a drink during dinner -
you can guess the rest of that story.)
She makes us smile!
She is a joy!  

But she is definitely two, and is testing the limits.

I just had to share, and laugh at my day.

I am sure she will laugh at this someday as well.

(oh.... and, of course, to the wonderful Grandmas who will be visiting soon to help us out during Conner's hospital stay, I am sure this stage will be over in a couple weeks.)

Long overdue update

I know, I know.

I am really late with the latest on Conner.  

The truth is, I have actually started three different posts, and have for one reason or another not finished them.  I got a little (lot) overwhelmed with medical information, decisions, etc.

 Ah, life...

It has been a roller coaster of emotions, and we finally made a decision, feel it is the right one for Conner, and he is scheduled for open heart surgery on January 5th.

I promise to post more details soon...