RSV

Max has RSV. It has been a whirlwind of a day (and night) and it's only 3 in the afternoon. Geez! Max started sounding congested yesterday afternoon so I was just keeping an eye on him to see if things started getting worse. Last night he was up every hour and with this congested cough and wheezes so I spent the night rocking him. I waited for the moment the pedi opened so I could take him in since something just didn't seem right. Well, the nurse took a listen to him and checked his O2 sats. He sounded pretty congested and his sats were only in the 94%. She said she was going to swab him for RSV just in case and since it took 15 minutes to get the results she did that and then we waited for our Dr. to see him. By the time the doctor got in, the results were in...he has RSV. I was totally shocked and a little bit worried that he'd have to be hospitalized. Well, she took a listen and said that he did sound pretty coarse, but not too terrible. The thing with RSV is that it gets worse before it gets better. She said usually on Day 7 or Day 8 is when it is at its worst so I need to be prepared since we're only on Day 2. Luckily we came in when we did so we can track it and start breathing treatments on him. He had his first one in the office and he sounded pretty good afterwards so we're just going to do breathing treatments through the weekend with suctioning and then see the Dr. again to reevaluate on Tuesday. If things get bad then he'll have to be hospitalized so they can do deeper suctioning and oxygenate him. It's just wait and see at this point. Right now I'm so glad that I'm a nurse. I'm pretty worried about him right now, but I can't imagine what I'd be like if I didn't know what to look for or what to do. Updates to come.

Funny Eism

Have you ever seen that infomercial for Iron Gym? It's this pull up bar that attatches to your door frame and you can do all sorts of pull ups on it. Well, E saw the infomercial the other day and noticed the guy doing the pull ups had his shirt off and you could see his muscles. Well, now E walks around the house all day without his shirt on and tells me he can't put his shirt on because he's working on his muscles. I often find him trying to do his own form of "pull up" and he tells me that he's busy doing his exercises. I seriously have to bite my cheek so I don't bust out laughing!

A Cold and Blustery Day

It's hard to believe that just last Thursday it was 82 degrees out and we were having a wonderful outing to the zoo! It was a gorgous day and I even got a little sun. E totally loved the zoo and he's constantly telling me that he wants to go back. Max on the other hand didn't have too much fun, the sun really bothered him and he hated wearing a hat. Not a good combo. Look how long E's hair is in this picture! Don't worry, I took him the very next day to get him sheared down. I swear there was enough hair on the floor to make a wig after the lady was all done. He even sat really still and didn't cry, huge breakthrough!

Well, today is FREEZING out! We're supposed to be getting 1/4-1/2 inch of ice today and in Texas that means that all the schools are closed and people don't know how to drive in these conditions so you better stay home. We needed something to change up the day so I decided to break out the exersaucer for Max. It was his first time in it and he loved it. He can't stand in it yet so he just sits there, but he really enjoyed looking at all the interesting little toys.
These boys are so cute! I can't believe I'm so lucky!

4 Months!

Max just had his 4 month appointment on Friday so the stats are in...He was only 14 pounds which is only the 25% but his height and head were 50%. I asked my pedi what she thought about Max's sleep habits (or lack there of) and she just thinks that he needs to start some rice cereal and put on a little more weight and maybe he'll start sleeping better. I hope I haven't been starving my child. He always seems content after he eats and doesn't seem to get too agitated right before his feedings. Maybe he's just a skinnier kid. Who knows. At this age E was a pound heavier and 1/2 inch shorter so he was a lot chubbier than Max. SO this is what he's been doing this month:
-has rolled a few times, but doesn't do it consistently.
-He does great with tummy time
-still on Prevacid for his reflux
-loves to play with his play mat
-grabs at toys and my hair (ouch)
-he wakes up at least 4 times a night
-smiles and talks a lot
-he absolutely loves to watch E and interact with him(although E doesn't really pay much attention to Max, he's in his own world)
-loves his swing
-not a big fan of the car or his car seat
-will not take a binky (I've tried everything)
-started rice cereal on Friday night

This is Max after his first feeding of rice cereal. His poor little face. He totally scratched the heck out of himself on Thursday. His first experience with rice cereal was funny. He didn't really know what in the world was going on. He just kept making these faces and gagging. We didn't really get too much in since I didn't want him to get upset so we stopped once he started to protest. Every feeding since then has gotten better and the gagging has subsided, but he still doesn't eat very much of it. I don't think he really likes it. My pedi just wants him on rice cereal for 2 weeks, then oatmeal for 2 weeks, and then barley cereal for 2 weeks. No veggies or fruits until he's 6 months. Our old pedi was a little different. We'd start with cereals, but once we knew things were good we could try 1 new veggie or fruit each week so E was doing sweet potatoes, bananas, and all sorts of things by the time he was 5 months. So this is a little different experience, but we'll do it.

Despite the lack of sleep, I do like this age of a baby since he's at that stage where I can lay him down somewhere and he doesn't really go anywhere yet. Things start getting hard when they start rolling, crawling, and cruising to places that they shouldn't. I can tell that Max is a little more laid back than E was at this age. E was constantly trying to get somewhere and get into something. He would roll all over the place to get places and then he started army crawling at 5 months and that's when the fun began. Max isn't too interested in rolling anywhere or getting somewhere so I'm counting my blessings right now.

A Message to All Blogging Elmers

I can't get onto any of you that are private and I want to check out how you guys are doing so add me whenever you get a chance.
Thanks!

Personal History: Perrysburg, Ohio Part I

After only 18 months in Newark it was time to embark on our adventures in Perrysburg, Ohio. My dad continued to work for Owens Corning and started his job up at headquarters in Toledo. We settled in a wonderful suburb, Perrysburg. We ended up living there for 4 years and then coming back when I was a freshman in high school and that is where I stayed until I left for BYU. Even though I moved so much as a kid, I always call Perrysburg home. So this is our second house (The Good Luck John picture was from the previous owner I'm guessing). Where do I begin with our time in Perrysburg? It's so hard to pick a place to start since this is where all my memories really start. At this point in my life, I was only 3 and an only child so I spent a lot of time playing with my mom or by myself. I loved, loved, loved playing baby dolls. I especially loved my cabbage patch dolls. This first picture is one my mom snagged of me "reading" in the backyard. I had a picnic basket on the back of my big wheel that I would fill up with books and a snack and then spend time out back.
Right now I'm looking at that couch that I was sitting on. We had that living room set for a long time and they were the most comfortable things ever!
I also loved to use my doctor kit to help my dolls or my parents. I guess it was just the beginning of my dreams to become a nurse. My mom still has that table and E plays with it and the colored chairs all the time. Talk about flashback!
Here is my flashy, red trike. Loved that thing! I'm wearing my galoshes while my dad washed our van. Yes, my dad drove a banana yellow van. My friends used to think that my dad looked like the "man with a yellow hat" from the books, Curious George but we called him the "man with a yellow van" instead. It kind of reminds me of the opening credits to "Who's the Boss?" when Tony Danza is driving his van. I'm publishing this picture for the simple documentation of the Cabbage Patch Kid kitchen. It's funny how I can remember playing with it, but seeing the picture just brings back all the details. I can also see my Fisher Price Little People house that E loves to play with at my parent's house. One of our Christmas traditions that we had was putting a towel down for Santa by the fireplace so he could wipe his feet. I was always amazed.
And how could my life in Perrysburg be complete without snow?! I always had snow growing up. My dad used to give me shovel rides throughout the yard since we didn't have any hills to sled on. The first time in Perrysburg marked the beginning of my school years and also my moment of big sisterhood. So hopefully I can find some good pictures for my next installment.

Change

I had a fun time looking at old pictures this morning and you can't help but do a little reflecting about the past, present, and the future. This picture was taken 8 years ago during my freshman year at BYU. I look back at that girl and what she was like and I see how different I am now. It's kind of funny because I've become exactly who I wanted to be. You know back in those days how you set goals and dream about the woman that you want to become and what you want for yourself. I've become the nurse, the wife, the mother, the homeowner, and now a Texan. Well, I have arrived, but I can't help but be a little sad when I see that old me and realize that she's gone. Maybe I'm just sad about getting older and realizing that I'm not as young as I used to be. It's kind of hard to put into words exactly what I'm feeling since it's such a mix of things. I'm so happy with the person I am now and so proud of what I've become, but I can't help but miss a little bit of what how things used to be. Maybe I'll have to resurrect of little bit of that old me...anyone know where you can snowboard in Texas?

Personal History: Newark, Ohio

Okay, we left off during the Purdue years...my dad graduated from Purdue and got a job with Owens Corning Fiberglass (and he ends up working there over 20 years). They moved us to Newark, Ohio which is a suburb right outside of Columbus. This was our first home and this is where my earliest memories begin. I remember the kitchen and the spiral staircase to the basement in that house.
This was right in front of our house. The tree had such beautiful blossoms in the Spring!

I also remember our awesome neighbors and my baby-sitter, Courtney. "Mama Jo" and "Papa Jo" lived right next door and they were always so nice to me. They are the couple on the left and the couple on the right are my Grandma and Grandpa Terry. Our other neighbors, Ann and Ed were also great neighbors. Their daughter was my baby-sitter and her grandfather lived with them and I called him "Pipe"...I'm guessing because he smoked a pipe. He had a refrigerator in his room and whenever I would come visit he would snag a piece of chocolate from his mini fridge. I thought that was so cool.
I had my second birthday in Newark and this is when I got my shiny red tricycle. I loved that thing! My mom told me that I used to ride around and around in the basement of that house all the time.

Halloween that year was really scary for me. I hated the trick or treaters and was totally freaked out.
This is the time when I started wanting to do everything my mom did. I loved the cook with her and help with the dishes. I even remember just loving to splash in the warm, soapy water.

My poor hair just got longer and curlier each year. Just watch as the hairstyle go. In this picture, I'm sporting the "just got out of bed on Christmas day" look.
By the next Halloween, I was a little more eager to celebrate so this was my first year I wanted to go trick-or-treating. Well, my dad got an offer to go up to headquarters in Toledo, Ohio so we packed up the moving van and headed up north and found a home in Perrysburg, Ohio. Until next time...

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood!

I love Texas! It was 78 degrees today in the middle of January! It was like this occasionally in California, but I'm just so happy that we still live in a place that is warm off and on so the winter doesn't seem so long. I put Max down for a nap and then E and I hung out in the backyard. He golfed for awhile, but he mostly enjoyed picking the weeds out of my box garden (I soooo slacked on that thing towards the end of my pregnancy and haven't had the chance to do anything with it). It was so cute when he came up to me with my first flower/weed that he picked for me. I remember all those times that I used to pick dandelions for my mom and she'd put them in a cup on the windowsill. I guess those days are here for me! I love it!

Chloe's Visit

My sister-in-law, Amy, came down from Utah for a visit and brought baby Chloe with her. They stopped by one morning to come play and have a photoshoot. Can you tell which baby is older? Don't let her size fool you...Chloe is 6 months and is FULL of personality! These two are going to have fun at family reunion with the rest of the new baby crew.

Brothers

I tried to get a picture of both of them in the same outfit, in the same place, in the same position, and same expression. I got 2 out of 4, I did my best. I just wanted to get a side by side comparison of them at the same age. E is obviously the first picture and Max is the second. These two have totally different personalities and it will be very interesting to see how they will continue to be different or be more alike. They do look like brothers, but not totally alike. E was so chubby! Wow! I do have to say that they are both so stinkin' cute! They must get it from their dad!

Just for Laughs

Back in the day, we I went to BYU, I used to go to the Divine Comedy shows all the time. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Divine Comedy, they are a comedy group that do SNL type skits but most of the stuff is related to BYU or Mormon culture. So my Aunt Nancy and my cousin Jessica referred me to Youtube to check out some of their new stuff. Here are two funny music videos they made up. We all need a little pick me up today, right? Other funny ones...Oregon Trail, Laurel gets asked to a dance, LDS singles

Christmas Day 2008

All E has asking for Hungry, Hungry Hippos all the time and was so excited for Santa to come and bring him his game. That is seriously the only thing he asked for this year. Around 6:00 he came downstairs without waking us up and got his first glance at what Santa brought. My parents' room is downstairs so my mom was the first one of the scene and she said that he was so hilarious! He kept saying, "Santa came! Santa came! Hungry Hippos! Hungry Hippos!" She sent him back upstairs to get us so we could get the cameras going and capture the moment. I just love the excitement in his face! He also had to check out if Santa ate his treats. I'm not sure when Santa switched from eating cookies to eating Doritos, but that's what E wanted to leave out for him. In addition to Hungry, Hungry Hippos, Santa brought E a tent, some comfy PJs, and then some fun treats in his stockings. The tent has been a lot of fun so far and E has already camped out in it a few times. It's really easy to put up and take down so it's perfect! The Hippos tournaments went on all day and continue even now. We seriously play it all the time! Here is my brother, my dad, and Ry getting in on all the action. Later that morning we all opened presents. E was very excited to give Max the present that he picked out for him. Last week I gave him $10 and took him to Target to pick out a toy for his brother. He actually did a good job and picked out a little pop up type toy for Max to enjoy when he's a little older. The theme of Christmas for us this year was emergency preparedness since I have been feeling a little guilty for not having everything that we should need in an emergency. So Ry and I got these really great 72 hour packs that have everything that a person would need to survive. I seriously feel the pressure lifting. Now all we have to do is get our food storage going...sigh...all in time. Nanny and Papa got E the train set from Geo Trax which he is in love with these days. It's quite a fun toy for him to set up and take down and they also go him his favorite movie, Horton Hears a Who, the first movie he ever saw in the movie theater. He watches it as often as I let him.

After presents we had our Christmas dinner. It's our tradition to always have steak and shrimp. Yum! And then on to more playing, napping, and sports watching. We spent the rest of the afternoon playing, napping, and watching sports our usual Christmas activities. That night, on the way home, we stopped by Ry's parents to see them. E got a really fun sleeping bag and lantern to use with his new tent. He seriously loves the whole camping idea which is somewhat ironic since Ry and I hate camping. I guess camping indoors isn't so bad though. Here's E with G'ma and G'pa
So Christmas this year was really fun and it was so great to be able to spend time with our families!

Christmas Eve 2008

I'm finally getting a chance to sit down, upload pictures, and blog about our Christmas. I'm still not completely uploaded yet since I need to get all the software loaded to my computer for my new digital camera! Yeah! So more pictures to come.

A few days before Christmas, E got a package in the mail from Post cereal. I ate a lot of Cocoa Pebble cereal while I was pregnant and they had a giveaway for one of those Dance Dance Revolution pads. All you had to do is send in a couple of bar codes and $5 and Voila! Anyway...it finally came and E has been loving it!
He especially loves the soccer game that they have on the webiste. It's quite funny to watch him get into it.

Christmas Eve started out with Ry's family coming over and making gingerbread houses. It was especially fun since my sister in law's family was visiting from Australia. In this picture it's Aaron (my brother in law), me, Matt (my brother in law), Kendall (my cousin), Molly (my sister in law), Michelle (my sister in law's sister), Teana (my sister in law), and Ben (my nephew)...I hope that all made sense. We all had a lot of fun constucting all sorts of candy creations. I swear Aaron's looked like a fortress of something. E wanted nothing but to eat all the candy which he did and continued to do when everyone left. He would pick candy off his house and sneak away. That little stinker! Grammie came to watch all the fun festivities and E has such a ball with her! He just loves his Grammie!

After gingerbread it was quiet time for the kids while we packed our bags and Christmas presents in the car and got things ready for our next holiday activitiy. That evening we went over to Uncle Jerry and Aunt Tanya's for their Christmas eve party/program. We broke out the chimes and E got a little bit of help from Papa Then it was time for the live nativity. All the kids get a part in the nativity and get to dress up and act it out. This year, E was a wise man and Max was the baby Jesus.
I sang Max the part from "Away in a Manger" that "no crying he makes" so he needed to be nice and quiet during the nativity, but that didn't happen. So we adjusted the Nativity a little and Mary had a "midwife" named Suzy to help him stop crying.
We told E to kneel down when he got to the baby Jesus so this picture was him kneeling. So cute!

After all those fun festivities, we drove down to my parents so we could spend the night there. Before we put E to bed, he set out some treats for Santa and a carrot for Rudolph. He was so excited that Santa was coming that he could hardly contain himself. I love this age! Christmas pictures to come...

3 Months!

Maxwell hit his 3 month mark on the 22nd so I didn't get to record anything due to the holiday festivities. He's starting to come out of the colic so the crying jags aren't so frequent. Glory day! He's smiling and cooing a lot and loves his swing still. He's also started sitting in his bumbo and loves the view. His sleep patterns aren't great, but they have gotten better than before. He wakes up about every 3 hours for the first 6 hours of the night and then he's up every hour after that and is awak by 6 or 7. Why do I have early rising children and children that don't sleep? We've got his appointment set up for his 4 month check up at the end of January and then he'll be able to start solids! Wow! I can't believe it's coming up so fast. I better break out the cuisinart and start my purees!

Personal History: End of Purdue Years

The last year of MBA school, I turned 1 and out sprouted my insanely curly hair that I inherited from my great grandma Munson. I guess I've always had a lot of hair, but it just came in more and more as I got older. My mom would just have to get it wet and wrap it around her finger and it would make perfect little ringlets. My dad called it "wash and wear."
One of my favorite things to do during the day was emptying out drawers. Not only would I empty them, but I would climb in and sit and look at the lovely mess that I made.
Another favorite pastime that I had was playing out on the playground. I loved swinging on the swings and my mom would swing me for so long that I would fall asleep. I also loved going down the slide and I eventually got brave enough to go down by myself. My mom would also bring the stroller out, not to push me, but for me to push around. This is me making the rounds.

Sunday Best

My boys just looked so cute this morning so I had to snag a picture. E was in a funny mood so he gave me a couple of poses.