Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Concerns about Caden = STREP THROAT!

Of ALL things, strep throat. Sure, he brought a note home from the nurse last week that he'd been exposed but I tossed it. Caden doesn't get the normal stuff like strep throat and he'd been acting so weird I assumed tumor or something, honestly I did, I was really worried. But it's starting to add up - cranky, tired, being mean to people (I hurt, you hurt). Strep throat, who'd have thought??

He was scheduled to see our doctor tomorrow morning at 11:15, but at noon school called me to come get him. He didn't eat lunch, had a low grade temperature and wasn't acting himself. I took him home and he was falling asleep sitting on my lap and then it happened - I stood him up from my lap (was playing Candyland with Avery with one arm, Caden in the other arm, on the FLOOR in my pregnant state, not cool) and he promptly fell down. I pretty much felt my heart drop into my butt (line stolen from my favorite movie "Mean Girls") and I called the dr to see if they could get us in. They did, so we hauled over to the clinic and our wonderful dr checked him over and found the nasty throat nearly immediately. So no pokes for Caden! No CAT scans, no MRI or even x-rays...just a nasty throat swab which came back positive for strep in seconds.

I've been asking God for some more normal in our lives. I've really been struggling with Caden's differences, having a hard time that he is so vastly different from other 6 year olds. God came through, as always. It's strep throat. About as typical as a kid can get.

Monday, January 26, 2009

Bella is with Jesus.

I posted about little Bella a few days back. Last night she went to be with Jesus. Please keep her family in your prayers, as well as the RTS community. Losses like this are just plain hard, no matter if we "knew her" or not.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Concerned about Caden.

I just got off the phone with his 1:1 aide from school (on a Sunday night no less, she called me back, she is a TRUE GEM of a person). Last weekend and a few days previous Caden had a bit of a tummy issue, throwing up a few times over the course of 3-4 days. He never quite got over that, or at least never came back around fully. What we notice at home is that he is VERY tired, going to bed eagerly by 6pm some nights, then sleeping until 7:15 and refusing to stand up out of his crib and get ready for school. Normally he is hollering in his crib from 6:50am on, but this week he won't stand up, just wants to stay laying down and covered up. I mean, I liken that to being like his mommy in the mornings, but it's SO unlike Caden. He has also nearly fallen asleep at school, in the 100th day of school party at Kindergarten no less! He is also very irritable at home, downright defiant and aggressive at times. At school they're saying that he's increasingly loud and getting louder. To me, almost like he's trying to tell them something but can't convey it like he wants to, so he just gets louder instead of more articulate, which makes sense. He is also very pale, and his aide noted they have commented on that as well. I know, now you're thinking "anemia" and I have gone there, too, but I've also of course looked up things like HUS and now am slightly more concerned. (I might note here that I also looked up Rubinstein Taybi Syndrome over 6 years ago, alone at home with my newborn son and fell apart for hours, so sometimes the internet gets me into trouble.) I think it's definitely time for a call to his doctor in the morning. I know that is going to mean a CBC and other pokes for him, but it's time for some answers as to what's bothering him. He is not himself, and many of us are concerned about him.

Friday, January 23, 2009

I am testing something.

For some reason, nothing will refresh on this blog until I post something new, which just simply ANNOYS me. So I am simply posting this so all the other blogs on the side will update and I can see what's new today.

Anyone who uses blogspot have any suggestions as to why this happens??

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Please pray for little Bella!

Bella has RTS. She will be 2 on Feb 16. She is VERY sick and needs our prayers. Go to Gena's blog (Frankie's mom) over to the left under "My RTS Family" and read the updates about Bella. Her mom Monica could use the prayers as well.

Father God, we lift before you precious Bella. We know you are in control, and we pray for you to watch over and protect her and her family. Her future is so uncertain, Lord - she's "here" but yet she's somewhere else inside her body. Please, work a miracle and bring her back to her mom! It's hard to understand things like this. Please grant Monica strength as she needs to make some huge decisions about Bella's future. Give her calm and insight. We know you love her Lord. Please grant everyone what they stand in need of during this time. It's so hard. Amen

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

A good appointment day!

You're thinking Caden, aren't you? Actually, several years ago you might have been correct, but today was about Declan and me/baby!

I had my first prenatal checkup this afternoon, and Declan tagged along for his 1 year well child checkup after that. In a nutshell, things are going well for the precious little one inside of me and for myself! We did a lot of talking about my meds for my bipolar, OCD and anxiety but we feel good about how things were handled with Declan and will go that route again. We will, of course, taper off the Zoloft when we get closer to delivery time so as not to cause some of the issues that Declan had immediately after birth, but that's all stuff we don't need to worry about yet. My blood pressure and all of that was just fine. I'm 100% positively pregnant, confirmed by a sweet little whoosing sound on doppler of 156 beats per minute. The sound of the baby's heartbeat would go in and out, and I felt him/her moving like crazy during the whole ordeal, so it doesn't suprise me that the sounds varied a bit. I am 13 weeks today, and things are looking wonderful!

Then we moved on to little D. He's 29 inches long and 25 pounds big, to which I say he is "short, fat and proud of that", just like sweet little Winnie the Pooh! And sweet he is - he just sat in his stroller through my entire 1 hour appointment, no toys, no snacks, nothing...AND it was during his naptime! He fussed a couple of times but wow. Declan is really doing well. The dr called him "gross motor delayed", but that comes as a shock and concern to no one because my dad didn't walk until he was 22 months, I didn't walk until I was 19 months and Avery didn't walk until she was 19 months! So we're laid back and chilling. Works for me! Declan does have some issues with excema and with yeast infections, so we got some creams for that. He also had to have 2 shots which he sobbed for, but a little snuggle from mommy brought him right back around. Then he had to give 2 small vials of blood from a finger poke, to which he didn't even CRY about, not one whimper.

Dear Lord, PLEASE let baby #4 be as docile as Declan. If s/he isn't, I fully blame James. Amen.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Happy 1st Birthday Declan!!!!

You are truly a ray of sunshine in our lives. Today we remember that cold day you were born, and how you scared us at first, but how you rallied and came around and finally cried! You are so easy-going, laid back and loveable. I don't know what I did before you or how you managed to warm my heart so completely, but you are truly wonderful. Here's some pictures to share of you through the past 12 months. You're such a cutie pie!!! Happy Birthday sweet boy, we love you!!!!!

Going home from the hospital:
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A few months old here:
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Thursday, January 15, 2009

I should have known it was too good to be true.

First, it was too good to be true that Caden only threw up the one time. Second, it was too good to be true that my kids let me sleep until nearly 9am - it should have been my first clue that something was wrong. And sure enough, walking into Caden and Declan's room I see it: Caden is covered in puke once again. God's blessing was that there is no school today due to the extreme cold, so I didn't have to worry about calling him in or anything.

Long stories made short, Avery has been crying off and on due to tummy cramps for over 24 hours now. We're pushing the clear liquids and hoping she comes around, but as of today she's still upset and hurting. Caden is back to puking, and Declan just thinks he needs to add to the din by crying a lot. James is on his way home, but not simply because I am stressed and need the help...

He's headed home because our furnace quit working this morning. HAHAHAHA! You might as well laugh, it's funny at this point. It's 62 degrees in here. He figures it's as simple as the vent outside is frozen over, and we truly hope so!

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Another one bites the dust...

sir Caden is now officially throwing up. He tossed his cookies at 7pm. Avery's been done now for over 24 hours and Declan seems to be mostly on the mend as well. James was home sick today, but hasn't thrown up...just stomach upset and "that other stuff". I had something similar about 9 days ago, and I am truly praying that I started it and I won't finish it!!!

Did you know...

that Audubon Iowa is code for "stalker from Pella"??? LOL, no it's code for "great friend from Pella who I miss talking with" - I will not embarass you (unless you want me to, haaahaaaa) but let's just say I feel MUCH better knowing that YOU are my multiple times per day visitor, woot!!!!!!

Monday, January 12, 2009

I need a favor from "iowatelecom" visitors!

If you visit here and you use Iowa Telecom, could you post a quick "hi" the next time you stop in? That's all I need - I am insatiably nosey. LOL!

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Prayers needed please!

Declan has been sick since Thursday, throwing up and everything. Tonight, during the sacred viewing of the new season of 24, Avery started throwing up, so she's now camped out on the floor of our bedroom on an air mattress so we don't have to run to her room every hour or so, she's so miserable and SO UPSET about throwing up!! I've called off my babysitting kids for tomorrow, but Caden doesn't have school tomorrow so he's already going to add to the chaos. Please, pray for us tomorrow (probably today, when you read this)!!!!!

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

I think I have officially overshared with Avery.

She is extremely interested in my pregnancy this time. Last year at this time you might recall I was hugely pregnant, and she really didn't care that much. I remember encouraging her to feel Declan move, etc. and she was just not into it.

This year is a different story.

Now of course I am not showing yet, but I am a big girl so my tummy is bigger anyway. She keeps asking when it's going to get "REALLY big". Asking when she's going to go to grandma's house. But, she asks it like this: "Am I going to go to grandma's house while you go and puuuuuuuuuuush out the baby?" Total overshare. A 4 year old, though insanely interested, didn't need to know where a baby comes out but in typical Tena-fashion, I overshared several weeks ago. Now she pinches her eyes shut and makes a face like she's dumping a LOAD to ask me if that's what I'm going to be doing for this baby. And she does it multiple times per day. (One funny caveat if you want to tease her, make a noise like the pushing reallllllllly hurts while you make that face and she is FREAKED, LOL!!!) Dear Lord.

And that is not the best part. The best part is this: We still have several Christmas books lying about. Most of our Christmas books are Christian in the sense that they deal with baby Jesus, not Santa, etc. You see where this is going, right? Yes, every book, no matter the title, is now called "The Mary pushing out Jesus book, right mommy?"

This is going to be a VERY long pregnancy.

Monday, January 05, 2009

I feel better!

Maybe it's mind over matter. Today I HAD to be up, get Caden on the bus (which he was NOT agreeable to, but trust me, he WENT), greet my neice and nephew and then get Avery off to preschool. And I honestly feel good! I don't feel great, but good is definitely an improvement.

Ok Declan just tore a page off one of the peek a boo pages in the book. Must run!

Sunday, January 04, 2009

Being sick is for the birds.

I'm tired of this crap. I spent all weekend in bed again. Friday night throwing up, then just tired, tired, tired after that. I wish I could feel better and just be done with it! If this is pregnancy related, I'm in for a VERY long next 7 months.