Thursday, February 26, 2009

God is good!

I am excited to share that Kyle got a glowing report from his doctor today:) We are starting to taper off his steroids and we started an asthma maintenance medicine. He is up and moving around some and we are going to try to send him to school for 1/2 day tomorrow-he really misses his teacher and friends. The doctor felt that his lungs were functioning about 60-70% today which is a huge improvement!! Thanks for all the prayers and love-it has helped us get through a long, tough week:)

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Still Coughing

Asthma really, really stinks. This is Kyle's fourth day straight laying flat in the bed, but according to the wonderful Dr. C., he is moving a tad bit more air today. We saw him again this morning for the fourth straight day and he does feel that everything we are doing is helping, but it is truly the slowest most gut-wrenching recovery I have ever watched. He was able to wander into the kitchen today by himself and say goodbye to my Mom who came today to hang out with Kyle while I taught preschool.

Dr. C. does not feel that school is an option for the rest of the week, but considering the fact he can barely sit up in bed we were not holding our breaths. He has slept on and off today while my Mom was here. We are so grateful for all the love and prayers for Kyle-it has been a long week watching him struggle so. I have promised myself that I will NEVER again complain about attending one sporting event for Kyle in the future-I will just be so grateful to see him active and healthy again. Sometimes as the season lingers, I get tired of every practice and game, but I will NEVER AGAIN complain if he can become that healthy, precious boy that loves all sports (but football:) and wants to "do it all!"

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Another Kyle Update

I wish that I could tell you that Kyle is up and running around, but we are not to that point yet. This afternoon I got concerned about him because he was asking for his oral steroid and breathing treatment about a half hour or so before it was time for them. I asked him why he wanted them now and he admitted that he was having a hard time breathing. I called the doctor after lunch and he wanted to see him again. Mike came home and we all were off to the doctor again.

We went to the hospital for a chest x-ray which was pretty uneventful. The doctor wanted to see us again and sure enough he feels that he is moving a tiny bit more of air this afternoon than he was yesterday morning. That is good news, but he still can barely sit up without coughing and gagging. The last resort that the doctor offered to keep us out of the hospital was a steroid shot. I will not break your heart with the details, but it was ugly. It took Mike, two nurses and the doctor to hold him down. We are so hopeful that this steroid shot will be the thing that helps him turn the corner. Usually Kyle bounces back from an illness, but asthma stinks and it has really hit him hard.

The best news of the afternoon aside from Kyle moving a tad bit of air is that David is getting ready to leave with my friend for gymnastics!!! He is definitely better and frankly he has driven Kyle a little nutty today. He wants to "help" Kyle so much and Kyle frankly just wants to be left alone:)

I just had to share some pictures of our last two days together:)

Kyle was able to sit up yesterday afternoon and play some games on the computer.

This picture warms my heart. David does not care to receive breathing treatments, but he loves to give them! Kyle was so sick this morning that he could have cared less who gave it to him, he just wanted it. Have I said recently that asthma stinks??!

I have coped with this nightmare as any self-respecting Mom would do. I really would have loved to have raided the kids candy basket for some comfort sweets, but I have little Princess to think about (plus a doctors appointment next week with the inevitable weight check!!!!:) So, to help cope with the stress, I have sat beside Kyle with my trusty laptop and made myself feel better with some online retail therapy!

Kyle Update

Asthma stinks-there I said it and now I feel better! It is torture watching your child struggle to breathe. Thankfully he is responding to the oral steroids some, but it will be a long recovery for him. He is struggling this morning, but hopefully all his medicines will kick in soon which will give him some relief. He looks so pitiful-gray and pale with dark circles under his eyes. He has not moved from our bed sine we got home Sunday afternoon. Mike and I try to sit with him because he often does not have enough breath to yell for us if he needs us. He really does not even have enough breath to tell us more than a few sentences.

We are so thankful for good doctors that have taken such good care of Kyle-his doctor called yesterday afternoon to check on him which was a good opportunity for me to ask for an antibiotic for Mike! Mike stayed home yesterday, except for a few hours in the middle of the afternoon when he went in to work. He came home feeling terrible with a bad sore throat:(

This has been such a test of faith as we sit by and trust that Kyle will turn the corner. I have personally never cared for a child this sick and it has been gut wrenching. I have never prayed so hard for my children than this past week. I have not been able to do much except sit with Kyle, distribute breathing treatments, give medicine, and cook a little dinner last night which has given me lots of prayer time.

Our wild man David is still home today. He had a rough afternoon, but I believe another day at home today will get him on the mend enough to go back tomorrow. He still has a bad cough, and actually slept most of the day yesterday.

Thanks so much for the emails, calls, and prayers for Kyle. I feel like we are in a time warp watching for signs of Kyle to get better. After all this is over, Kyle's doctor wants us to visit with the allergy/asthma specialist at UVA for another consult to discuss maintenance medication that will hopefully keep him from getting this sick again. Thanks again for all the calls and emails-it is so wonderful knowing that we have such good friends and family:)

Monday, February 23, 2009

A Long Weekend

Our weekend of fun in Roanoke was curtailed by sweet Kyle's asthma. We headed to Roanoke Friday night for a weekend of swim meet and family fun as we were planned to hook up with my brother and his family plus my parents. Kyle got sick Friday morning and I took him to the doctor. He was put on an antibiotic and the doctor told me to start the breathing treatments. It was really cold here over the weekend, so the cold blustery air did not help the situation.

Kyle did not swim Saturday morning in his events he was so sick. He ran a fever on and off all weekend and despite the fact that we were giving him all his asthma meds, he was still having issues breathing.

Sunday morning we woke up in the hotel and Kyle bounced out of bed and was ready to swim. We let him swim the 50 freestyle, 50 breaststroke, and 25 backstroke. From watching him swim, you could tell he was not himself, but he still placed in his age category. Have I mentioned lately that my boy is a tad competitive??!!

Anyway, by the time we got home he was really struggling to breathe and after a consult with our doctor over the phone, we were able to keep him out of the ER on Sunday night by giving him all the medicine we could find in our cabinet from previous croup and/or asthma episodes.

This morning, Mike and I took both kids to the doctor since David spiked a fever last night and started barking like a seal. The doctor listened to Kyle and is very concerned about his asthma and also diagnosed pneumonia on top of the asthma. He is to lay down all day with minimal talking and eating only little meals-basically no exertion at all to stay out of the hospital. We are doing oral steroids and breathing treatments every four hours-he is a sick little baby.

Mike and I have such guilt in our hearts that we allowed him to swim yesterday morning. He did bounce out of bed ready to go and he begged us to let him swim, but we should have known better. Kyle's asthma has been infamous for hiding the symptoms until it gets really bad. I never want to keep Kyle from doing something he is able and desperate to do with the asthma diagnosis, but in hindsight he never should have exerted himself yesterday. Our asthma specialist at UVA taught us years ago to never let Kyle use asthma to keep him from doing something, but again you have to respect it as well.

We will chalk this one up to a learning experience-Kyle's asthma has not really reared its ugly head for over a year. It started about three years ago when he was exposed to whopping cough that morphed into asthma. After this nightmare is over, we will talk with the doctor about some maintenance medicine for Kyle that will keep him from getting this sick again. Asthma is a dirty word in our household:)

David is also home today with some coughing and gunk. He was such a big boy at the doctor's office today and so far has cooperated with the breathing treatments and oral medicine. David is typically not a good patient, but we were so proud of him today! If you try to call our house today, we might not be able to hear the phone with both boys needing so many breathing treatments, our nebulizer is working overtime!

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Biographies and Pretty Piggies

Sometimes in the drudgery of the week, you receive little gifts and blessings that help you get through the week:) This week, I decided to pamper myself a tad with a massage and pedicure! My piggies were desperate for some TLC, and as I posted earlier, this pregnancy has done my back in. I just had to show off my piggies to the blog world, because it will be at least another month before we can break out the flip flops here in VA!



I also had to show off some of my Mom's hard work on the pink precious things that have come into this house. This is the only touch of feminine sweetness that our house has for now, but little Princess' bed is all made up with tons of gowns and blankets waiting for her to wear:) Have you all seen a newborn diaper lately?? I have some now and it baffles my brain how tiny they are:)


This touches my heart so... Two days ago, I was cleaning out Kyle's backpack and in the bottom of his bag I found the sweetest little biography that he had done. He had drawn a picture of himself, etc.. but in the middle of this little book, he had filled out his family information. I know we are adding a little baby girl to the mix, but it blew my mind to see it in print! I will treasure forever this little biography done by Kyle as we anticipate his baby sister joining our family. I will also treasure his first grade inventive spelling and will relish this forever!


Let me help you translate his "likes." According to Kyle, he likes to play basketball, play video games, swim, math, and watch TV!!:) I just love it!

Monday, February 16, 2009

Not Me Monday!



Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

I really did NOT rewash a load of white towels because I went to bed before they were done washing and I was too lazy to stay awake and put them in the dryer. I would never do that because everyone knows that I am married to a tree hugger!!!

I really did NOT push my ever-expanding belly out farther than it is to secure a spot at a basketball game last week:)

I really did NOT forget the fruit for Kyle's Valentine's Party-our school system has a strict Wellness policy that I totally support at all times. I would never forget the token fruit for the party, that would be illegal!

I did NOT wear the same maternity pants two days in a row because they are just so darn comfortable:)

I have NOT tried to dream up some excuse to visit the OB this month just to get another glimpse at little Princess.

That is all I am willing to confess that I truly have NOT done this week-how about you?!! Have a great week!

Monday Update

Never fear, Not Me Monday is coming later in the day:) I am writing this post with a clear head and no distractions-why you ask? My children are having a sleepover at my parents house!!! I cannot believe what wonders a good night sleep will do for you! The boys have a day off from school due to a teacher workday today, but I still have preschool so Kyle cooked up a plan to spend the night with my parents. Mike and I are really possessive of our boys and that is a super treat for both of them!

This weekend my parents and grandparents came to visit for a Valentine's Dinner. Mike's mom shared a lasagna recipe with me years ago that I have used a million times and it is always a hit! My mom was kind enough to wash and iron every piece of pink clothes that has come into this house over the past two weeks. She spent hours Saturday washing, ironing, and hanging clothes to get ready for little Princess!

David's room looks hilarious right now because the baby's bed is all made up and full of pink gowns and blankets while the rest of the room is Thomas the Tank Engine red and blue! It actually hurts your eyes to see all that newborn pink mixed with all that red and blue:)

I must run to preschool (I might even have time for a McDonald's tea this morning if I hurry). I will post my Not Me Monday later, but for now I am off to preschool world. I am trying hard not to be whiny-this baby I do believe is sitting on my spine and my allergies are in full gear-poor Mike:) Have a great Monday and don't forget to think up your own Not Me Mondays!!!

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Jehovah Jireh

This has been a bit of a long week in our house. Mike has had lots of extra meetings and conference calls. It is truly a scary time due to the economy for everyone. The economy is impacting public education and our local school system. The school division budget has to be reduced by several million dollars from an already tight budget. We live in a small, close-knit community and we all take great pride in our school system and have respect for our teachers. Both my boys have great teachers and that is such a blessing to behold:)

I have personally watched Mike wrestle with the budget situation desperately trying to come up with creative ways to cut this money without compromising student achievement or lose any of the wonderful faculty in any of our schools.

Recently, we have have learned of several people that have lost jobs. It is so easy to fall into a major panic. This morning, however, I was opening my bible to keep up with my bible study and an old bookmark fell out. I got this bookmark a long time ago for helping with VBS. Anyway, the bookmark tells all the different names for Jesus and I absolutely love them all. But today, my eyes fell on the one that proclaims that Jesus is Jehovah Jireh-My Provider. What a wonderful and reassuring way to remember that when times are tough we do have a Provider.

I love this video of all the names of Jesus set to Chris Tomlin's How Great is Our God. No matter what we face, there is a name of Jesus that we can call upon. I just had to share this awesome video from Godtube:) Have a great day!

p.s. do not forget to scan down to playlist to mute blog music to play this great video:) Enjoy:)

Monday, February 9, 2009

Not Me Monday!



Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

I am two weeks overdue on Not Me Monday due to our exciting baby news from last Monday! We are still accumulating pink by the bucketload and Mike is ready to start talking names:) In the meantime, it is time for me to share the scoop on what I have definately NOT been doing this week:)

I definately did NOT febreeze David's pants after a potty accident last week because I was too tired to walk upstairs to get a clean pair. Plus, he looked so darn cute that I couldn't bring myself to change his outfit. So, if Febreeze works for nasty pet hair like they advertise on the commercial then why couldn't it cover up a cute boy's potty accident? (by the way, it worked wonders so keep a bottle on hand)!

I definately did NOT avoid another first grade Mom at the gym. She gets a little excited to exchange gossip, so I pretended I couldn't see her because I had Kyle's MP3 player on! (Don't knock it because it totally worked)!

I did NOT ask repeatedly to go to the high school basketball game Saturday night so I could enjoy a bag of fresh popped popcorn. (I just realized that popcorn has made it into my Not Me Monday twice now so I think I can say that popcorn is my first pregnancy craving)!

I did NOT yell at a referee at Kyle's last basketball game. I am trying to maintain some decorum that I am not a sports-obsessed Mom so why would I dare yell "hey ref-how about a foul" louder than any other parent at the game. Just because Kyle got pushed across the gym floor by some aggressive third grader does not justify me speaking to the referees and questioning their calls.

Have a great week keeping up with all your Not Me Mondays!! I know you have them also...:)

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Brother Time



This picture absolutely warms my heart:) This was our last opportunity to play in the snow before the sun came out today and melted it all. David has progressed from carefully riding his own sled down the hill to THIS!!! Look at the joy in their sweet faces:) David was totally at Kyle's mercy on this ride down the big hill and he was loving it. I have already printed this picture in many sizes and it is already sitting in various spots around my house. I am a huge picture junkie and love capturing my kids' personalities and joy in my pictures. We will treasure this one forever because it shows that my boys (despite the tv wars really love each other and have such a blast together. It brings me to tears often to see the patience and love that Kyle has for his brother. David screams "Yay-yo" at every basketball game that Kyle plays in and Kyle is not the least bit embarrassed and waves right back to him. (Yay-yo is what David calls Kyle right now-don't ask where it came from we truly have no idea)!!

Kyle is so proud of David's accomplishments and encourages him every single day. We have explained the word "disability" and "Down Syndrome" to Kyle and for now those words mean very little to him. That is his David and he loves him dearly!

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Time Warp

Being home with your children for multiple snow days often feels like you are in a time warp! I love this precious time with my boys where our schedule is not rushed and we have lots of time to actually PLAY! There are always lots of high points and often a few low points. It snowed again last night, so we are home for the third straight day in a row and it does not look promising for tomorrow:) I just wanted to share some highlights of our winter break-we are referring to it that way since our spring break has been gobbled up with all these snow days!

This was perhaps the low point of the day. The kids were fighting over the tv (Johnny Test Vs. Calliou), I was nervous that Mike wasn't home yet because the roads were getting bad again, I was trying to cook dinner, devil eggs for Mike and this is the result. Lets just chalk this up to overactive hormones, worry for hubbie, and cabin fever! We will just refer to this as the "unfortunate deviled egg incident of 2009" and pray another egg does not get crumbled up again:)

David jamming and eating to a Dr. Jean CD!

Precious reading time for the boys in David's new big boy bed! I wish I could tell you that they both peacefully drifted off to sleep after the book was done. No one slept at all and believe me I tried everything! They were just so happy to be together that they just kept being silly!

The view from the golf course-we have never seen snow like this since we have moved here. We can barely see our neighbors house it has been snowing so hard. It kind of looks like Siberia:)

My little angels making angels-David insisted Kyle make just as many as he did!

David is obsessed with making snow angels and I LOVE this picture of his latest creation in the snow. It is beautiful:)

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Another snow day

I cannot believe I could not come up with another title for this post, except to announce that we are yet again having a snow day:) The kids are thrilled and I am always thrilled to be cooped up with my boys. We have been going through the boys baby clothes, weeding out what little Princess can use and what we will be passing on to the White family as they anticipate their little boy in April. It is such an emotional and fun thing to do as you reminisce about each little outfit. Kyle thinks it is fun to see how little he used to be:) Considering the fact he is outgrowing his size 8 jeans right now it is remarkable that he used to fit in 0-3 month clothes:)

It has been a crazy few days as we adjust to the idea of pink in our house:) I have had such wonderful advice already about raising little girls and the one that sticks with me the most is the idea that you need to put one of those headband bows in her hair right away so she will get used to having something on her head. Our dear friend, Caroline always has a hair bow in and I will have to ask Lynn if she did that:) I passed the hair bow advice on to Mike and I just got a puzzled look from him in response:)

Kyle is really into the idea of a big brother shirt for he and David, so I am browsing the internet (as well as Gymboree because they just put all their baby clothes on sale-what divine timing!!!) looking for a big brother shirt that would work for their ages and sizes.

Well, I am off to scout out more baby stuff and walk down memory lane again. I will probably not have many cute snow pics to blog later since this is one of those days that it will probably be too cold to get out today. The wind is blowing like crazy and it is still blowing snow around. The boys have not asked YET, but I know it is coming...

Happy snow day!:)

Monday, February 2, 2009

IT'S A GIRL!!!!!

We are so excited to share that we went for our ultrasound today! It appears that despite the multitude of boys on both sides of our family, we are having a girl!! We are in shock but thankful beyond belief that everything looked healthy and wonderful today. She is growing just like she is suppose to. We had a wonderful ultrasound tech that looked very closely and feels that she is just perfect! We are so beyond thrilled and I am off to share the good news with Kyle at school!

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Masterpiece

Dear Little Wonder,

Do you know little one how we love you so already? You came bounding into our life like a Freight Train many, many weeks ago. You announced your presence with a big bang and our family has never been the same since. It is almost absurd now to think you were so unexpected, when we talk of you so often. Your brothers are ecstatic about your arrival. Your brother, Kyle is the one that you may hear ask lots of questions about your size and my health, and your other brother David is the one that you may feel giving you "zerberts" through my belly and you probably hear his mischievous giggle. They are quite a pair and I know they will love you to pieces.

We are on the cusp of being able to identify you by the color of your nursery and hopefully even your name. (Just know little one, that it is not looking good for Esther if you are a little girl-I still have a few more months to "encourage" and I will keep you posted). But before we break out the blue or pink, I just want to pause and cherish this moment. Right now the only way we can identify you is by the hand that made you. You were created by the Master so therefore you are His masterpiece. He knitted you together in my womb and knew about you before the beginning of time. Your Daddy and I may be surprised by your presence in our life, but God is not. He delights in surprising us and you, little one, are the ultimate surprise.

Just know that I cannot wait to know what to paint your nursery, but I do not want this monumental moment to slip away and forget where you really came from. You were designed by the same hand that spoke the Heavens and Earth into being.

I cannot wait to break out the blue or pink, because if you must know it has taken great restraint to wait and buy anything for you until we know pink or blue. Your Mommy is quite the shopper and soon we will be so busy getting ready for your big arrival that I did not want to miss the opportunity to relish you as the King's Masterpiece.

We love you,
Mommy and Daddy