7 Year Anniversary

Then:Now:
I wish I had a better now picture but this is going to have to do for now. We aren't good about getting pictures of Cory and I together, mostly just with kids - but I am sure that you all know how that goes. Anyway, just thought I would put a little blurp about celebrating 7 years. I can't believe it has been that long and I am grateful for the last seven years even with all of its ups and downs. We have been very blessed and I look forward to many more years together.

In my ploy to find a small and simple gift for Cory this year I asked the girls what they thought I should get him, here are their answers:

Hannah: A snow machine, or maybe a Wii game that he could play with us.

Addy: A shoot gun.

These are all things that Cory wants, but I am not so convinced (with the exception of the Wii game) that these are top priority items - plus I was shooting for something a bit smaller.

Addy's Surgery

On Friday, March 19 we took Addy to an ENT becuase she had had strep for so long and we just couldn't get rid of it. After talking to the doctor we decided that the best option was to do a tonsilectomy/adnoidectomy. We felt good about the decision and made our appointment before we left. Her surgery was scheduled for Mar. 23 - four days later...I had a little anxiety but felt that we were doing the right thing. We arrived at the hospital at 6 am that morning - Addy was pretty excited (she had no idea what was coming!!!) mom was really nervous. The big crocodile tears in Addy's eyes were due to the fact that she didn't want to wear the hospital gown and wanted her kitty jamies back on - and she really didn't like that socks. So we compromised and let her wear her socks but she had to keep the gown on.

I sat on the bed with her while we waited and she colored this cute little coloring book the hospital gave her, played with the bunny stuffed animal - also provided by the hospital, and played on her leapster. After about 45 min to 1 hour of waiting she decided that she was ready to go home - she was a little upset when we told her that we couldn't go home yet, that the doctore had to still fix her throat.

Then the nurse brought in the mask that they would put on her in the operating room so that she could play with it and not be scared when they took her back. She thought it was pretty fun and even gave her bunny a chance to try it out.
They had these cute little padded wagons that they use to transport some of the kids who were not too happy about being there (all of the other kids were screaming and crying, but little Addy was so brave). We let Addy play with the wagons to kill some time before it was her turn.
They came and took her and she was so good and brave she just jumped up on the bed and went the nurse with a big smile on her face (it all happened so fast that I didn't even get a picture). This was the time that I had the hardest time and started questioning my decision, but I was so glad that she didn't cry otherwise it would have made it that much harder. The surgery was on about 20-30 minutes long but it seemed like longer becuase I was so nervous (good thing for texting, my mom was able to keep me busy while we were waiting). After the surgery the doctor came and talked to us and told us that the surgery went fabulous, and that her tonsils and adnoids were super infected and that she also had a really bad sinus infection. This really calmed my fears and was a reassurance that we made the right choice (where was my faith - lost in all the nerves I am sure!?!).

About 45 minutes after they took Addy we were reunited with her and this is where my emotions got the best of me, it was really hard seeing her so out of it. She was happy to see us though and we each gave her a great big hug, it was so good to hold her again. (Man I really am a baby, such a short little routine surgery and you would think that she just had major surgery.)
After a few minutes, Addy looks up at me and says "My throat hurts. Why does it hurt?" Maybe I should have explained a little better that it would hurt at first, but I was afraid that she would be scared and I didn't want to freak her out too much before the surgery.The nurse made her a little slushy with a popsicle and some sprite and she ate most of that and then they took her IV out and her little heart monitor thing that was on her toe (this was really what she complained about hurting the most). Then they sent us on our way around 9 am, just 3 short hours after we had arrived - and we spent most of that time waiting for them to take her back. I love her attempted smile in this picture...When she got home she told Hannah all about the surgery and how she was so brave, but the main thing she said was "I didn't even get a shot." (Nope just an IV and scalpel- thank goodness she doesn't even know what really happened).

Hannah Story: The day before the surgery Hannah had a lot of anxiety about what was going to happen. She even came home from school early because her stomach hurt so bad. We talked about what was going to happen and that everything was going to be okay, and she went about the rest of her day just fine. When bedtime rolls around she is sobbing in her bed because she is afraid for Addy - "I am scared they are going to cut her open and get her tonsils out." Maybe I should have gone into a little more detail???

Addy's recovery is going awesome she has bounced back so quickly, we only had two really bad evenings where she was in a lot of pain. On the second bad evening Addy cried for about 45 min. because her throat hurt but she didn't want to take her medicine that would make it better. Cory was gone and I couldn't handle her crying and Garrett having a melt down too, so I broke down too. After calling my mom in defeat she told me to go and say a prayer, which is what I did and then I got Addy calmed down and she even took her medicine. Everyone was happy and taken care of and we were sitting on the couch watching a Barbie movie (thanks Shera) when Hannah looks at me and says "Mom, things just aren't working out so good for you tonight." I smiled and nodded my head yes, then she goes on and says "Maybe you need Super Nanny to come and help you." I couldn't help but laugh.

Accident Scene

Here is the scene of the accident, where one little man sustained a green stick fracture in his right leg. He was in this position before the accident... ...after standing on the bed and walking off the end he found himself in this position and in a lot of pain.

He slowly lowered himself to a sitting position before mom could rescue and comfort him.
He quickly learned to use the injured limb and was just as mobile as he was before...the only draw back mom and dad always knew where he was due to the distinct thud the cast made when walking.In a couple of hours he is off to the doctor where the cast is removed and he is healed. We are grateful for little bones that grow and heal quickly.

SOOOO Tired.....

Sundays are long and hard when you are 1, especially when church starts at 11am and you are supposed to be in your bed napping. Needless to say we have resorted to leaving for church 25 minutes early and driving around until Garrett falls asleep. He usually does fall asleep, but getting him to stay asleep during the transfer into the building is not always a success. On this particular day it was a failure and when we returned home I put Garrett in his chair and gave him some sandwich after which I had planned on putting him to bed. He ate most of the sandwich and then he was SOOOO tired...On the other hand the girls are SOOOO tired of winter and are ready to go out and play. The sun was shining and Hannah decided it was "warm." She got dressed in her summer clothes and was out the door...as if the snow is warmer because the sun is shining?!?Addy joined in as well, but at least she was wearing long sleeves and long pants.After a few minutes she decided that in all actuality the snow really is still very cold and just because the sun is shining doesn't mean that it really is warm. So here we are ready to go out dressed from head to waist, and feet, in our winter clothes - and from waist to ankles in our summer clothes.

Garrett's Birthday

Our little man turned one....already!!! The year went by so fast, and we have enjoyed every moment of having him in our home. He is so different from the girls and in to everything which sometimes is frustrating but I could sit and watch him all day. He is just so funny!!!We had a few friends come over to celebrate with us and we let the kids play and do a pinata (all of those pictures, as well as the present pictures, are on my other camera and I still have to figure out how to download them). It was all more for me, as for some reason the first birthday is the hardest because it means they are moving into being a naughty toddler instead of a sweet baby. I am so grateful to have friends here to celebrate with us. He wasn't too sure in the beginning, but I think you can see from this picture in the end the cake was a hit.

I am so blessed to have this little guy in my life, I can't believe that a year ago he came into our family, and yet I can't remember life without him. I can still remember thinking the night before he came that I was in labor and yet being too scared to go to the hospital and have them send me home. I slept the entire night contractions and all, it was a good night sleep and then when I woke-up and started getting ready for my doctor's appointment they came stronger and stronger. I was so worried that the doctor would tell me it was nothing and he would see me next week...I was so relieved and excited when he announced I was 5 cm and he would meet me at the hospital at 3 that afternoon. Why I thought I would make it to 3 is beyond my but I did, and needless to say by 12:30 I was on my way to the hospital. The doctor drug-out my delivery so as to not interrupt his office hours, which was a bit annoying to me, but once he finally broke my water and 5:45 Garrett made his way into this world at 6:35...Ohhh how fast 1 year has come and gone!!!!

Tragedy Before a Year

On Tuesday Feb. 2, one week before his first birthday, Garrett was playing on the bed while I was vacuuming and he decided to see what would happen if he walked off the end of the bed... Result...Broken leg. After a half hour of crying he fell asleep so I let him sleep, but when he woke-up he was happy but would not put any weight on his right leg. So after lots of discussion we decided to take him in to have his leg x-rayed. The doctor assured me after checking him out and giving me the third degree as to what happened that a child of his age doesn't usually break bones because their bones are so soft. He said that he would x-ray it just to make sure and after lots and lots of time waiting (I was there for 2 hours) it was determined that he did fracture it or what they call a green stick break. Basically how I understand it is that their bones are so soft and bendy still so he just kind of bent his bone. The doctor put a splint on him and then referred me to an orthopedic doctor who would make sure it healed correctly and wouldn't cause him any problems down the road. We went there on Thursday and he got a little tiny blue cast that he has to have for 3 weeks. Due to the fact that their little bones are so soft it only takes half the time for them to heal than it does an adult. (All of the pictures of his splint are on my phone and I don't have the right cord to connect to my computer so there will be more pictures once I get that figured out.)They even gave him this little shoe to use if he ever learned how to walk on the cast, which he is pretty determined so he might actually figure it out. He has been a really good sport about the whole thing though and has figured out that he might just have to crawl for a while.We use one of my big slipper socks over his cast to keep it from rubbing on the back of his leg as well as to keep his little toes warm.

The girls are such big helpers and have been really careful with Garrett once we explained to them that his leg was hurt really bad. They also bring all their friends over to see his cast.

I am hoping that this is not the beginning of lots of injuries, as I was just thinking the other day how lucky we have been to avoid our childern getting injured...my hope is that our luck hasn't totally run out with Garrett.

Garrett's 11 Months

Garrett decided after Christmas that he was done with baby food and so we have moved on to table food. This is always a hard transition for me to know how much they are eating and trying to figure out what they can and will eat. Garrett decided that he likes milk a lot. Cory was putting the milk away one night after dinner and Garrett grabbed the container and tried to take a drink. Hopefully this won't become a habit!?! (Cory looks like he is ready for a drink too, look at that tongue.) Soon after giving up baby food Garrett also decided that he wanted to feed himself and usually he wants his own spoon and bowl or plate as well, which usually end up on the floor after a while. So three times a day we strip down to a tee-shirt and destroy the high chair, ourselves, and the kitchen floor. The joys of being almost one, and the headache and mess it creates for mom.