Monday, November 30, 2009

Turkey, Tea Parties, and Travel

Thanksgiving 2009

This year we spent Thanksgiving with my family, at my parent's house. The weekend was great, not a whole lot was done, but it was so fun to just spend time with everyone. Poor Emery was sick with a fever and slept nearly the whole time we were there, but she did get in some cuddle time with everyone. Hailey kept Grandpa's lap occupied all weekend and even got him to have a few tea parties. I don't even have a picture of my older boys, they were hardly seen. They were too busy playing with cousins. They spend a lot of time playing in the basement when we visit. (Of course, it helps when there is a loft with a slide, and all kinds of toys including fancy light sabers down there). We did manage to get out of the house a couple of times to visit some more family and get a little shopping done (not enough though, I still am a long way away from being done.) All in all, a great weekend that went by way too quickly, and as always, Hailey is already asking when we are going back to Papa's house.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

A huge sigh of relief

When Emery was born, her nose looked a little bit like she had been in a fight. When she was admitted back into the hospital for jaundice, and had to wear a mask, her little nose suffered a little more. As time went on, we noticed that there was a hard little lump on the bridge of her nose. Right below it was also a little dimple in her skin. I asked our doctor about it, her figured that her cartilage had been damaged and that we should keep an eye on it. He said it probably just needed time to heal.

We watched it and it didn't seem to get any worse, but not really any better either. I also noticed that if I rubbed the bump , stuff would drain out the little dimple. I thought that was just weird. At her last checkup, I asked the doctor about it again and showed him how it drained; he thought it might be time to have it looked at closer. He sent me to a pediatric plastic surgeon.

We had our appointment with the plastic surgeon a week and a half ago. That appointment was awful. I left there sick and in tears. He told us that the lump was called a Dermoid. Apparently, when everything is forming, some brain tissue, that normally recedes back into the skull, doesn't and leaves a lump in the face. But where Emery's was on her nose, there was a chance that it could be a Inter cranial Dermoid. Meaning that there still could be a connection to the brain. A dermoid needs to be removed, but if it's inter cranial, it involves neuro surgery. He told us we needed to have a MRI and make and appointment with a neurologist. I was shocked, I was really not expecting to hear that it could be something that serious.

This last week has been torture. The thought of sending my baby to surgery is horrifying, but brain surgery is devastating. I have been so sick and worried. We scheduled are appointment for the neurosurgeon and MRI. She had her MRI last Thursday. I was worried how that would be, since she had to be sedated, but she did wonderfully. The neurosurgeon didn't have an appointment until Dec. 1st. I was sick , I didn't want to wait any longer to find out the results. The waiting and not knowing was killing me.

The receptionist from the plastic surgeon's office called right before our MRI to check on some things, when I told her we couldn't get an appointment with neurosurgeon for awhile, she scheduled us an appointment on Monday with them, she figured the radiologists report would be back and we might could get an answer.

The plastic surgeon walked in and all he said was that the MRI was negative. No sign of and inter cranial connection. I think I could have jumped for joy. I can't tell how relieved I was. I felt as though a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. Now, she will still have to have surgery, but it will be minor in comparison to what it could have been.

This Thanksgiving, we are very thankful and we are counting our many blessings.

Friday, November 20, 2009

Graffiti

Kayden's version of graffiti

Most kids draw human DNA strands on the back wall, don't they?

Monday, November 16, 2009

Just because we don't have enough to do



For the past nine weeks, my boys have been playing soccer. We just finished this past week, but it has been a great time. I love that I can do it through our stake. For one, it's free. I have all my kids at the same place for practice and games and the best part is that it was only one night a week. I don't think I could let them all play if it were any other way. And I don't think I would get Kayden to participate if it weren't for the fact that he knows everyone he is playing with. It will be nice to have my Thursday nights back for awhile, but I know my kids are going to miss it, especially the concession stand.

Friday, November 13, 2009

Happy Weekend



I hope you enjoy your Saturday mornings like they do.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Just because I can

I have always liked to coordinate my kids clothes. Yes, sometimes I even have my boys matching still. I am sure my days are numbered on that, but it is so much more fun dressing these little girls. I just can't help it. It really doesn't help that there are just so many cute clothes out there and that they look so cute in everything. I really am in trouble.
(Thank goodness all this stuff was on clearance. Does anyone else notice that Emery's head is as big as Hailey's? Man she is a smart baby! Of course, Hailey is and always has been tall and super skinny, Emery is tall, but is definetly got a little chub on her. It just makes her even more kissable- Hailey would agree about the kissing part. )

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Catching up with Emery

Emery actually hit the big 4 month mark last week, but since her doctor appointment wasn't until this week, I didn't want to post without her stats. I have to have them down somewhere or I am sure they would be forgotten.


{Emery at 4 months}

* 15 lbs 10 oz (90th percentile)*
*27 in (off the charts now)*
*still loves her bath*
*is learning to tolerate riding in the car*
*eats her hands and attacks her binkey*
*getting better at naps, but prefers to sleep on her tummy*
*laughs but gets the hiccups when she does*
* is so smiley; she will smile at anyone*
*loves all her siblings*
*is still smothered with love constantly*

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Halloween

We did a little pumpkin carving...



...got all dressed up...

(A fresh flower and a creepy clone)

(Master of mad potions, brown horse named "Bones", and a Hogwarts honor student)

...and got way too much candy!!

( We all had a good time. In the past, I have tried to convince my kids to follow some kind of theme, but they just don't always go for it. This year I didn't even try. It was kind of a free for all. Hailey was set on being a brown horse, so we had to get a little creative for that. But everyone was happy and really that's what is all about.)