Love, Luck and LUNAcy

One Step at a Time....literally and metaphorically!

2010-09-20T08:26:00.000-07:00

Look who is getting to be a BIG BOY!

Wow, it has been a hectic 2 months, hence the absence of new posts. Emerson had her first day of preschool today and I feel like I can breathe a little bit. I thought I would take this time while the other 2 kids are watching Nick's Mega Music Fest to update the blog. Side note, the kids are obsessed with this special!!! I'm glad I thought to DVR the show because it is a GREAT distraction for when I need 45 minutes to get some things around the house done. In fact, I actually like watching it with them on occasion. We have a great time acting singing along and dancing.

I guess I'll start with an update on Emerson. I will try to condense everything as much as possible. She had exploratory surgery and a CAT scan on September 10th. Much to our dismay, they came up empty once again. Still no answers. Emerson was a champ and did way better than I expected! I am so proud of her. Thank God kids are resilient! She had 3 small incisions that are healing fantastically. She did such a great job bouncing back to her bubbly self that we let her go to school today instead of waiting another week. Me, on the other hand, is having a harder time getting back into the groove of things. The night spent at the hospital was brutal! I got absolutely ZERO sleep with all the damn beeping of the machines. And I had not slept the night before because I was so anxious. First it would be her IV (they set it to check every 30 minutes, UGH). Needless to say, I quickly learned out to reset it myself. Then after they would come fix that, one of her leads would cause the alarm to go off. And then when I would finally start to drift off a nurse or tech would come in to do their 4 hour vital check. Luckily Emerson was on morphine so she slept through it all. Okay, enough griping. I won't go into my less than stellar evaluation of the hospital. I may end of offending someone. I took Emerson back to the hematologist last Thursday with 2 pages of questions after a good 3 hours of my own research. I have to say, Dr. Cavalier was amazing and was not at all offended that I took it upon myself to do my own researching. She spent a good hour answering all my questions and explaining the different processes of the blood and how it all applies to Emerson's condition. I need to back up a little bit. In the hospital Emerson's hemoglobin dropped to 9 and they start doing blood transfusions at 8. She was definitely in the danger zone and Jamie and I decided we needed refocus our attention. Right now we are more concerned with restoring her red blood cells and iron storage than finding the GI bleed. So, Emerson will be starting IV iron infusion therapy. Basically she we be hooked to an IV once a week for an hour while they pump her full of iron. We will be doing this indefinitely as they watch how her blood responds. If her body does not start immediately making new RBC's than the hematologist will suspect there is something wrong with her bone marrow. Did your heart miss a beat? Mine did too. I will be a wreck if they have to do a bone marrow biopsy. So prayers needed in that regard. WE DON'T WANT THAT! So, right now the game plan is to wait and watch as her blood tries to restore itself. One theory the docs are not throwing out is that she may have the beginning stages of Crohn's disease. Typically Crohn's is not diagnosed until late adolescence so she is pretty young. But, she is having classic symptoms that match the diagnosis. It is possible that because she is so young that the damage has not progressed enough in her small intestine to be able to diagnose at this point. So, again, we are praying against that as well. Sorry, that ended up being a short novel. I do want to say that amidst everything Emerson has gone through, I am very grateful she is alive, happy, and able to do all the things normal preschoolers get to do. I feel so much sorrow for all the parents and children I encounter each trip we make to Children's that are far worse off than Emerson. I am reminded each time how lucky I am and that God is only going to give us as much as we can handle. Even so, when it is your own child being put through so much pain and anxiety with all the tests and doctor visits, it does not make it any easier. I want Emerson to be free of all of this. I want her to be COMPLETELY HEALTHY!

Okay, so on to some fun stuff. PIERCE IS WALKING!!!!!!!! FINALLY!!!!!! Gosh, we didn't think this day would come. He was just so content with being held and crawling he never wanted to even attempt to walk. But, I shouldn't have worried. Emerson was 15 months and Reagan was 14 months before they started to walk. I'd like to think that Pierce was being polite as to not upstage his sisters. He is too funny. He picked it up so quickly and it is though he has been walking forever. He's not as fussy either. He is better able to play with his sisters and Jamie thinks it is because his knees don't hurt anymore. Who knows? Those knees were pretty roughed up and calloused. He is also starting to point and talk a lot more. YAY! He is also feeding himself with a spoon and fork all on his own. His new favorite trick is to take off his diaper. He knows he is not supposed to and thinks it is hilarious. So, we have to keep shorts or pajama pants on him at all times. He is such a little devious little toot and loves to try to get away with things. I can only imagine how this is going to play out when he gets older. I can't believe how much and how fast he is growing! It is just so fun to watch my kids grow. I cherish my time with them and it hurts sometimes because I love them SO much. I just couldn't imagine my life without them. And I love that they love me back almost as much! They need me and it feels fantastic (most of the time)!

Now, on to Reagan. The middle child. And let me tell you, she is your classic middle child. Kind of quirky. Loud. Craves attention. Restless. However, she is SWEET as can be! She is finally starting to talk a lot more clearly. I'm hoping now that Emerson will be at school 2 days a week that she get in some practice! Poor child, she never gets a word in edge wise because Emerson just talks NONE STOP! I mean, it is relentless. Sometimes I have to tell her to just stop talking. Reagan wants to do everything Emerson does and have everything Emerson has. She idolized her big sister. It is too cute! She is pretty self-sufficient too. She can completely dress herself from head to toe and is constantly telling me she can "do it herself". Now that I can give her some more of my attention, we are going to start potty training. She has already had some success but I just haven't had the time to really focus on it and let her run around in panties. I have a feeling that she will pick it up pretty quickly.

So now that I have caused you all to drift off to sleep, I should probably start giving the little ones some focused attention! Hopefully it won't take me another 2 months to add another post.

Who are you callin' short....not me!

2010-06-30T15:56:00.000-07:00

Yay! Pierce is ONE and no longer considered 'short stature'. He has graduated and moved from the 4th percentile to 9th. Woohoo! I was so excited he had his little growth spurt. I mean, he's not going to be tall by any means and may not be a star basketball player, but there is now 8% of the population of one year-old boys out there that are shorter than he is. That sounds a whole heck of a lot better than 3%. He also jumped up in his weight percentile. He is now in the 32nd percentile and outweighed both of his sisters at his 1 year check-up. He is weighing in at a 21 lbs. 10 oz. No wonder my back has been hurting a little bit more lately. I was curious and looked back at the girls stats from their 1 year check-ups. Emerson hadn't even reached 20 lbs at that point and Reagan was 20 lbs even but but were quite a bit longer than Pierce. So, my itty bitty boy is now a lil' short chunk. I think he is going to be a soccer player because he has thick legs. We just need him to start walking so he can work on his dribbling (soccer not basketball) skills. Plus, he may have an advantage because his Aunt Heather can coach him.

Overall his check-up went pretty well. Because he has recently had some strange bruises on his chest and his last CBC came back with him being anemic (I know, when are we going to get a break?) they have ordered a bunch of blood work. Yep, that means another trip to lab at Children's. At least they know us there! And, Emerson is going to be thrilled that she is not the one getting poked this time. I didn't take him today because the poor little guy already got 4 shots today and I have to say he definitely did not do as well with pain as the girls. It's okay, he'll toughen up soon enough. He's going to have to start defending himself because his sisters take EVERYTHING away from him. In fact, I don't think he got a chance to open any of his gifts at his own party this past weekend. Emerson picked out a Toy Story Woody stuffed animal to give to Pierce and I figured out later she picked that one because SHE wanted it to play with. What a little stinker!

I decided to throw my little man a Texas Rangers themed-party. Well, I really did it for my 'big man' because Pierce had NO idea the party was for him. And I'm the first to admit that as much as I can't stand baseball, this party was the most fun I've had planning. It turned out to be a big hit except for the part where his father and I accidentally let him grab his lit candle. He cried and it took a while for him to try his baseball cupcake. He ended up loving it! But, on his real birthday when we lit another cupcake he immediately started crying. He vividly remembered burning his finger. It was so sad. However, he quickly perked up after I offered him some ice cream. He sure does love it, just like his big sister Emmy. The party got a little crazy once the kids went outside in the play pools and started stripping. Yep, 4 out of the 6 kids got butt-naked. Things got so wild at some point that poor little Tripp's (the son of our great friends) bottom started bleeding after too many trips down the slide into the plastic pool. Luckily, it was just a scratch and he was fine. I would post some pictures of the craziness but I might get arrested for kiddie porn.....ha!

As I was looking back at Emerson's 1 year stats I realized I used to record all of her milestones and write what she was doing each month. I feel awful I haven't done the same with the other two. So, here is a little about what Pierce is doing at ONE:

*he was a little slow at reaching these milestones but he IS FINALLY crawling on all fours and pulling to a stand

*he says mama (his first word, which makes me SO happy!) and no (I guess we say that a lot in this house

*he is BY FAR the LOUDEST of the 3 and yells whenever he doesn't get his way

*he LOVES the bath and shower

*he has 2 bottom teeth and we can just now see his top 2 coming in

*his favorite food is fruit (yep, pretty much any fruit you put on his tray he devours)

*he is my only child that accepted whole milk after formula...and I'm proud to say that I will NEVER buy another can of formula EVER AGAIN!

*he really enjoys playing with his sisters and they love playing with him (I got lucky!)

*he likes to bite faces....I know, weird! It's playful not vicious.

*he knows how to give big, wet, slobbery kisses

*we read the same book EVERY night or he gets upset

*much to his father's dismay, he does not like red meat and will only eat chicken

*he LOVES to swing

*he's a GREAT sleeper, sleeping 11-12 hours at night and 1-2 naps totally 3 hours during the day

*he put EVERYTHING in his mouth, even fitting an entire golf ball (toy) in his mouth. And, yes we put them away until he stops doing that.

*LASTLY, HE IS THE CUTEST LIL' MAN I HAVE EVER LAID MY EYES ON AND I LOVE HIM MORE EVERY DAY! I can't imagine my life without him and he is the BEST 'oops' of our lives!

Well, hello again.....

2010-06-15T13:42:00.000-07:00

So, I just haven't had the energy to keep up with this blog. I really doubt too many of you are that disappointed. But, for those of you who are checking for updates on Emerson I thought I would post a quick note about what has transpired since my last post.

~The milk/dairy-free diet DID NOT work. And, she was a real trooper for the 4 weeks we tried it. When we got word from the doctor that it was okay to quit the diet we drove through McD's to Emerson a chocolate shake. She took one sip, looked at me and said, "oh my goodness mom, this is sooooooooo delicious!" It was too cute and I was so happy she was happy.

~Unfortunately because the diet didn't work, her hemoglobin and hematocrit levels have continued to decline. She is nearing transfusion (blood) levels so we are now taking very proactive steps in finding the source of the bleeding.......

~Which means that she will be having exploratory surgery. We meet with the pediatric surgeon on June 22nd. He is currently the Chief of Surgery at Children's in Plano so we feel confident in his abilities. And with today's technology, this is considered to be a fairly noninvasive surgery with the main risk being general anesthesia. And, we know she has done well the other times she has been put under. Other than some mild nausea (that is controlled quickly with some IV meds), she bounces right back.

~The surgeon will cut a small opening at her belly button and insert an instrument that guides through the entire digestive tract to look for the site of the bleeding. They still hold true to the theory that it is a Meckel's diverticulum or lesion from an ulcer which should be visible to the surgeon.

~Tomorrow, Emerson will have another Meckel's scan at Children's to check ONE more time to see if they can see any abnormal growths before the surgery

~We are hoping the surgery will provide the doctors with the answers we have been waiting for since all this started over a year ago.

~If not, we already have a plan B. Our pediatrician would then refer us to the MayoClinic for pediatrics (which is in Minnesota). Think Dr. House from the television show. Basically, you go for about a week where you are set up with a team of doctors that specialize in different parts of the body and do a battery of tests in hopes that they can solve "this medical mystery" that the doctors keep referring to. It is just so discouraging every time the doctor comes back without any answers and says, "Emerson is STILL just a mystery to us."

~However, we do feel confident that the problem (once it is officially diagnosed) can easily be fixed. She has been through so many tests and has been carefully monitored that we know the big answer isn't going to be a tumor or cancer or any other horrible word. I feel so much empathy for mothers and fathers out there that have to watch their children suffer through the rigors of cancer. I have a hard time watching Emerson get her blood taken, I can not imagine what those parents and children go through during treatment of such a terrible disease. All in all, I would say that Jamie and I are pretty darn lucky and blessed.

Okay, so that wasn't exactly a quick note. I will try to be better about posting on a more regular basis. The other 2 kiddos are doing fantastic! Pierce is going to be ONE exactly 2 weeks from today. I can't even imagine the emotions I will feel that day. He is my last baby and it has all gone by TOO fast. I'll try to put a post about him after his birthday to let you all know what he's been up to.

Please keep Emerson in your thoughts tomorrow. Even though she has become a pro with all the procedures she has done, she still doesn't WANT to go to Children's tomorrow. She knows the drill, but it doesn't make it any easier on either one of us.

I'll end on a light note: GO CELTICS! SQUASH KOBE!!! (Gosh, I can't stand that guy!)

Results are in.....SORT OF.

2010-04-21T20:22:00.000-07:00

Okay, we are beyond frustrated at this point. I got a call from Emerson's GI doctor today with the results of her capsule endoscopy. Every thing looks normal EXCEPT that the mucosa lining of the small bowel is swollen and fragile (it started to bleed as soon as he inserted the camera). That doesn't even make sense. "Everything looked normal expect". Can anyone explain that phrase to me. Anyway, he said that this swelling was non-specific which is doctor code for "we still don't know what the hell we are dealing with here." So, what's the next step? You are not going to believe this, because I sure didn't. He suggests that this could all be from a milk protein allergy and to put her on a milk/dairy-free diet for a month to see if her hemoglobin and hematocrit levels rise. Are you kidding me? Shouldn't this have been the first step in the diagnosis process? It is the non-invasive approach! If it turns out that the final diagnosis is a milk protein allergy after 18 months of GI issues, I might have to turn all Erin Brockovich and find a way to get all our money back for these outrageously expensive tests. Not to mention all the trauma Emerson has gone through with doctor visits, hospital visits, anesthesia, bowel preps, blood draws, etc. Why has this never been mentioned before. I mean, Reagan had a milk protein allergy as an infant and outgrew it shortly after her first birthday. They had the same GI doctor so he knew the genetic history. Just further proof that these doctors have their heads so far up their asses they can't put two and two together. I'm thinking I can claim fraud and emotional distress. Sounds reasonable, right?

Part of me wants this to be the answer because that means an end to all the testing and no surgery. An easy fix, right? Well, eventually an easy fix. It will definitely be hard to put Emerson on a milk free diet. Just in my post I wrote of how much she LOVES ice cream and chocolate. She has made leaps and bounds toward branching out her diet. The variety of foods she will now eat is so much greater now. Just today I was watching her eat and thought about how proud I was of her. I am no longer worried that she is not getting a balanced diet. Last night she ate a hamburger (with requested lettuce and tomato) and today she ate a teryaki chicken and rice dish with red pepper and carrots over pizza. Now, I am going to have to tell her "no" to some of the foods she has grown to like. I am really going to have to get creative. At least for this month she can't have anything that contains milk. This includes cheese, yogurt, ice cream, butter, chocolate. The real question is "what CAN she eat?" To give you an idea of how drastically her diet will have to change, this is what she ate today that included milk products: cheerios with milk for breakfast; a Yoplait yogurt smoothie drink and a piece of bread with Nutella spread for lunch; a brownie for an afternoon snack; a go-gurt yogurt for a snack before bed. Plus, she asked several times to go get ice cream as well.

The other hard part of this diet is how to make sure Reagan and Pierce are getting their adequate dairy intake on a daily basis. Reagan doesn't drink milk and also loves cheese, yogurt, and ice cream. Do I deny her these things as well. Do I not even have these products in the refrigerator to offer anyone? I'm really going to miss the fun trips to the yogurt shop that Emerson loves so much. However, Jamie may be the hardest to retrain. He loves having chocolate, chocolate chip cookies and ice cream in the house. He is now going to have to sneak his goodies at work. So much to think about. I don't think I am going to get much sleep tonight.

Of course my first question for the doctor was, "what if this doesn't help with the bleeding?" Well, that means more diagnostic testing. At least we know for sure we have a month long break from anything invasive. I have an appointment with the nutritionist at Children's on May 5th to go over this diet plan. I'm not too sure of the reason. How complicated can it be? I will definitely be coming with my list of questions in hand so I have a better idea of why we are just now theorizing that a milk protein allergy is the possible cause. I mean, he was pretty confident that she had a Meckle's diverticulum and that didn't not pan out. So, as I go to bed tonight, I will praying for peace. I am a little wound up and am starting to become angry. However, anger is not going to change anything and is pointless. It will only add to the stress. I am going to allow one night to be angry and then move on. Well, I promise to try.

Too Much I Want to Remember

2010-04-19T18:10:00.000-07:00

Okay, so as I was reading Pierce his bedtime story tonight I thought of so much more I want to document about this time in the kids' lives right now. I wish I could capture all my favorite moments on video so I will always remember the best parts of them growing up. I want to remember everything but in reality I know that is just not going to be the case.

Current Happenings in Pierce's World at 9.5 months:
*I have to read him the same book, "I Love You Through and Through", before bed or he cries when I put him in his crib. He just loves this book and gets so excited reading it. He now turns the pages by himself and it is too cute. Also, for some reason I haven't figured out, he looks at me and smiles every time we get to the last page.
*He LOVES cinnamon rolls (the refrigerated Pillsbury in a can)! He can eat almost 2 rolls. He also love McDonald's hot cakes. But, his favorite thing to eat is frozen yogurt. As soon as he has that first bite, he starts smacking those lips like crazy.
*He smiles every time he hears the theme song to Dora. Oh, boy!
*He hates being but in his car seat. I think he is ready to face forward. Hang in there for 2 more months buddy!
*He puts EVERYTHING in his mouth.
*He has to sleep with his pacifier. And he only likes the NUK brand. He won't even grab for another kind.
*He has a ton of fun at bath time, just like his sisters.
*He just got his bottom 2 teeth last week.
*We are surprised that he is growing in dark hair. We thought he was going to be the lightest (skin, hair, eyes) of the bunch. And, he has these huge brown eyes. SO adorable. He gets lots of compliments on those flirtatious eyes.
*He is a great sleeper. He goes down between 7:30 and 8:00 at night and wakes up between 8:30 and 9:00 the next morning. I know, great for me. Well, it would be if Emerson slept through the night. He really only takes 1 nap at about noon for 2-3 hours. We are on a great schedule and I love it.
*He is drinking 3 six ounce bottles per day and is eating most table foods. We didn't do baby food for long, thank goodness.
*He mimics, "mama" and "dada" consistently and loves to talk to himself and play in his crib in the mornings.
*He "crawls" all over the house. He has definitely hit that curious stage. He also loves to scoot on his bottom while sitting up. It is only a matter of time before he figures out how to truly crawl and start cruising.

Life through Reagan's eyes:
*Dora is God in her world. The girl is OBSESSED. Seriously, it looks like our house is a shrine to Dora the Explorer. Maybe she instinctively recognizes her Hispanic roots.
*She idolizes her big sister and adores her baby brother.
*She sucks her left thumb unlike Emerson, who sucks her right.
*She LOVES shoes. I may be in trouble when she becomes a teenager.
*She has the best time swinging and sliding at the park or in the backyard.
*She is shy at first and clings to me until she feels comfortable in her surroundings.
*She is really independent and likes to dress and undress herself. She can even change her own wet pull-up. In fact, she is showing signs she is ready to potty-train. Unfortunately, I don't think I am.
*She really enjoys pretending to talk on the phone. She mostly talks to Nonna, Papa, daddy and Cinderella. Interestingly, not Dora.
*Her favorite thing to eat is chicken nuggets (as long as they are not from Chick-fil-A). She also loves strawberries and grapes. Unfortunately, she and Emerson have switched eating behaviors. Reagan is now the picky eater and Emerson has been branching out.
*We have put an end to Reagan's juice addiction and she is now only allowed to have one sippy cup of orange juice in the morning and sometimes I let her bring a juice box to the park.
*She has started this "hoarding-like" behavior and want to bring like 5 toys with her everywhere. But, it is not always the same ones. She picks a few different ones that she becomes attached to every day. Really weird. She is my quirky, peculiar child for sure.

Emerson's Reality as a "Big Girl!":
*She has become really interested in TV shows like "iCarly". I don't really know how she relates but she is definitely entertained. In fact, I can't get her to sit longer than 15 minutes for an animated movie, but she watched the entire "Chipmunks Squeakuel". I really want to be able to have an excuse to buy all the Disney movies I loved as a child on DVD but she won't watch them. She loves the idea of Cinderella and all the toys but won't watch the movie.
*She LOVES to be outside. We have been taking advantage of the great weather (aside for the last couple of days) and been going to the park everyday. Even though we have a swing set, she still wants to go to the park. She still plays outside in the backyard on a daily basis but still likes to earn trips to the park with good behavior.
*She is obsessed with our backyard/garage/alley neighbor. He is retired and smokes in his garage so he is constantly opening the garage door and we can see him each time from our living room. Anytime we are outside, she climbs up the slide to look over the fence and starts chatting away with him. Poor guy probably wishes we'd move so he can go back to smoking in peace.
*She prefers to wear pajamas and would wear them in public if we let her. We will literally walk in the door and she is going to her room to change.
*The child has an unbelievable memory. I am thinking she is going to do great in school! I think it is photographic. I mean, she remembers EVERYTHING!
*Ice cream/frozen yogurt and chocolate are separate food groups in her world. Definitely takes after her daddy with her sweet tooth. We have really been enjoying all the new self-serve yogurt shops that keep popping up. We have one we love to go to by our house. They even have a TV playing new children's movies set up with little chairs. They love it.
*She doesn't like juice and only drinks water unless you are offering soda.
*She is my personal secretary and answers my phone whenever it rings.
*We have to visit the Dollar Spot every time we go to Target (at the end with good behavior of course)!
*She still has a very difficult time getting to sleep and ends up in bed with us sometime before 3 am each night. Most nights neither Jamie nor I notice exactly when she climbs in to "snuggle". And each night when we are tucking her in she asks, "when can I come snuggle with you in your bed?" And each night the answer is always, "in the morning". However, each night she ends up sprawled out in between us way before the sun rises. Our fault, I know, for not putting her back in her room as soon as we notice.
*She still sucks her thumb. It is not a huge focus right now with everything else that is going on.
*She refuses to spend the night at her grandparents' houses because she says she'll "miss me too much".
*She is extremely dramatic and we do not foresee that she will be in any type of contact sport.

There is so much more that I am probably going to remember tonight as I lay down to attempt a good night's rest, but here is a start. I love how each of my kids have their own distinct personality and that their lives are evolving before my eyes. They are constantly changing and yet their core spirit remains the same. Emerson is a free spirit and has been since she was in the womb. She is very dramatic and creative. You can tell she is left brain dominant. Yet, we also see glimpses of an A-type personality. Reagan is quirky and rambunctious but also very reserved. You can tell what she is thinking with just looking at the expression in her eyes. And Pierce, he is predictable, sweet, and charismatic. Even though they are all different, I am blessed that they are all extremely happy children. They love life and it shows. Their curiosity and innocence about the world is enviable.

My Favorite Time of Year!!!

2010-04-18T18:54:00.000-07:00

Yep, playoff basketball! GO MAVS!!! Did you think I was going to say spring? I do love spring and the weather that comes with it. I can't tell you how much I love 75 degree weather. Not too hot and not too cold. But, the best thing about spring is playoff basketball. I've loved basketball ever since my grandaddy started taking me to Spurs games as a little girl. Sorry grandaddy, but I'm rooting for the Mavs! I still have my coyote mascot stuffed animal. Even though I'm a Mavericks fan now I can't seem to part ways with it. My basketball roots start in San Antonio.

Enough about my love for basketball. It has been a long time since my last post and I doubt I will be able to update you all on everything that has gone on. We have been busy and I am extremely tired. I think I may be even more sleep deprived now than I was when Pierce was a newborn. I will try to just touch on the highlights of the past 6 or 7 weeks but even then it will be a long post. So, here is the warning: if you aren't that interested in the latest adventures of a 4, 2, and almost 1 year-old then this would be a great place to stop reading. Don't say I didn't' warn you if your done reading and you think "gosh, I just wasted 15 minutes of my life that I'll never get back just now". This post is mainly just for me to look back on because life has been so hectic that I can't remember what I ate for breakfast this morning. At any rate, I do try to make it fun to read at the off chance someone else reads this.

So, I had to go and read my last post to see where I left off. Since then Emerson has had more blood work, another GI test, and another surgery. There was no cutting during the surgery but they had to put her to sleep again. That makes 3 times this year. She was very brave but you can tell these hospital visits are taking its toll on her. Last Monday they performed an endoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, and a capsule endoscopy at Children's Dallas. The capsule endoscopy is the latest tool that GI docs have to look for abnormalities. They inserted a capsule that is actually a camera inside her small intestine that then proceeded to take 2 pictures every second for 8 hours as it traveled through the bottom of her GI tract. We are hoping to get those results this week. I may go into more detail about our visit at Children's in a later post but for now I will just say I was less than impressed with the Dallas location. The upper GI series with a small bowel follow through ruled out any blockages in the GI tract that could be causing the bleeding. The surgeon on Monday shed some insight on why they are having a difficult time in locating the source of the bleeding. Basically, she has to be bleeding at the time of these procedures. Well, her problem seems to be happening intermittently and the procedures have just so happened to occur during the times where the bleeding has been inactive. This information of course did not eliminate any of my frustrations and fear but did ease a small amount of anger and resentment I've had toward some of the physicians. I had been holding up pretty well and making it through her procedures without getting emotional until Monday. The 3 previous times they have put Emerson to sleep I have been able to be in the room with her. They do things a little differently at Children's. So as they wheeled her off still awake to the OR (again, no cutting) I reached my breaking point and got emotional. I felt so helpless and was so afraid she was going to be scared and I couldn't do anything about it. It is definitely one of the worst feelings I've had yet as a mom. It didn't help that I was there alone. Jamie couldn't go because the "big guys" from corporate were in town to tour the restaurant with potential investors. Fortunately, she did great thanks to that anxiety medicine they gave her beforehand. Okay enough of the medical drama.......

And on to the little ones. Back on March 30th I took Reagan and Pierce to their well check-up appointments. At 2, Reagan is right on track as we suspected. She is our healthy girl and really haven't had any concerns with her since her 1 year check-up. She has been in for a few ear infections but other than that is in perfect health. Her behavior, on the other hand, needs some tweaking. Let's just say she has entered the "terrible twos" with a fury. This behavior has included full blown-throw herself on the floor-screaming at the top of her lungs-abundant tears flowing tantrums smack dab in the middle of Target. And yes, just last week as I was trying to ignore this hideous outburst that one of the cashiers picked her up to console her. Yep, that's right, totally reinforced the blood-curdling cries to where I'm sure she is bound to do it again on our next trip in hopes that the nice lady in red is there to rescue her from her mean mommy. She is however doing really cute things as well. She wants to be exactly like Emerson and does EVERYTHING she does. She literally follows behind Emerson and mimics everything from mannerisms to words. Most of the time Emerson obliges but there are other times where she just gets annoyed. And boy do I remember those days (sorry Heather and Michele). A few things I definitely don't want to forget: her "Reagan drives a car" dance move; the way she runs with her arms behind her back; how her "I love you" is so slurred that Jamie and I are the only ones that know what she is saying; and her obsession with Dora.

And for Mr. Pierce, his 9 month check-up wasn't AS great as Reagan's but nothing too alarming. 90% of babies have outgrown their reflux by this point. Well, Pierce falls in that unfortunate 10%. Really, I'm the unfortunate one because I am cleaning up and covered in spit up all the time. He continues to spit up to 20-30 times daily. The reflux has not improved at all and in fact it has become more of a nuisance. Why? Because now it is multi-colored and chunky. I know gross. But, it doesn't bother him so that's all that matters. He is what they call a "happy spitter". Yay, I guess. He falls in the 20 percentile in weight at almost 18 pounds and 4% in height. Poor guy got his dad's short genes. He is somewhat behind the girls in his milestones and I'm convinced that is my fault. Emerson hit all her milestones either on time or early because I was constantly working with her. Partly because I had nothing else to do and another part to ensure I was a "good mom". Well, poor Pierce hardly ever gets 1:1 time. Most of the time I am talking at him or around him not to him. Tonight I worked with him some on saying "mama" and what do you know he repeated me. He's smarter than I thought. He is trying really hard to crawl but most of the time settles on just getting around by doing a fish/frog style type crawl. Not quite the army crawl, but more of what looks like the breast-stroke in swimming. Little does he know he is doing the hard way. He is EXTREMELY protective of his mommy and gives anyone the evil-eye that gets close to me, including Jamie. In fact, every time Jamie gives me a hug Pierce starts to scream. WAY CUTE! I hope he is always protective of me. I'm proud to say that I have a "mama's boy"!!!! It is the non-stop screaming, just because he has figured out how to get some one's attention, that is NOT CUTE. Seriously, if I am in the room but not engaged with him he screams. It is not necessarily a mad or sad scream but a "hey, I still here" scream. We all thought it was cute a first and totally reinforced this behavior by laughing and well, it has gotten way out of control and I'm at a loss of what to do. I don't know how to get a 9 month old to stop doing something. I tried sternly telling him "no" and made him cry. Well, then I felt guilty. So, I tried ignoring it. Well, he does it in public and people started staring and giving me dirty looks. So, I am at a loss. Seriously, it is so bad I am contemplating giving my pediatrician a call just to ask, "how do I get my kid to shut-up?" No, but I do need quick solution. I still love him to pieces despite his constant "school-girl, like screeching".

Well, I warned you this post would be long. I really have a tendency to ramble. I think that may be because I pretend the computer is an actual person I'm having a conversation with other than toddlers and babies. I'm not going to lie, these last couple of weeks have really been a beating. I really needed to take a moment and regroup. Thanks to those who have read to this point for "listening". I had a great time today chatting with adults at my sister's bridal shower so I feel somewhat recharged for this coming week. I hope the weather perks up again because we have been doing a lot of things outdoors and the kids love it. And, I love getting out of the house other than going to Target. Plus, it is easier on the wallet to get out and go the park. I will try to do better about the updates and Emerson's results. I know some of you that I don't get to talk to on a regular basis check this for information.

Until next time, GO MAVS!!!! Great start tonight with a win against the Spurs!

Oh, and the picture posted were taken April 9th. I'll post more later. All the pics from the shoot turned out amazing.

NOT what I wanted to hear.......

2010-03-01T17:48:00.000-08:00

It looks like we are going to be spending a lot more time in doctors' offices. Over the weekend we noticed Emerson had started eating the dry wall again. Jamie and I had suspected her iron levels were dropping again because Emerson was starting to have erratic sleeping patterns and irritable behavior even before this last weekend. I took her in to see our pediatrician this morning to have her blood drawn and the test confirmed our suspicions. Her hemoglobin and hematocrit levels have both dropped to unhealthy levels. After her series of tests in December and January failed to give us any answers, Jamie and I decided to give Emerson a break from all the doctors unless her levels dropped again. I knew we would eventually have to revisit and address her medical concerns but I had hoped it wouldn't be this soon. So, after a long visit today we have a new game plan. I told our pediatrician I wanted a new pediatric gastroenterologist to give us a fresh perspective. She suggested that we go to Cook's Childrens in Fort Worth. She is going to be making some calls this week and talking to several specialists to hopefully put us in contact with the best of the best in the area. We could go to Childrens here in Dallas but she warned me that it is a teaching hospital and it may be a longer process. Obviously I didn't want to go that route. I think Emerson has suffered long enough. Poor thing has been having these issues (followed by lots of traumatic testing, procedures, hospital stays, etc.) since October of 2008. Emerson is only 4, so that is a large chunk of her life spent in doctor's offices. I am more than willing to drive the extra mileage to Fort Worth to get Emerson the best treatment. Heck, we will take her across the country if we know we will get answers.

We have taken her out of MDO this year because her immune system was unable to fight off any bacterial or viral infections. My goal is to have this "medical mystery", as they call it, solved and fixed before September so she can start back school in the fall. I also have Reagan enrolled, so I am really excited about having 2 days a week with only Pierce. Poor little guy rarely gets my undivided attention. Speaking of Pierce, we can't believe he is 8 months old today. Even more so, I am in shock that it is already March. And, that means that Reagan is turning 2 this month. Seriously!?!?!? My babies are growing up way to quickly! At the end of the month I will be taking Reagan in for her 2 year check-up and Pierce's 9 month, so I will give you updates on what they have been up to lately then. Let's just say for now that life in the Luna house is getting pretty loud, hectic, busy, chaotic.....you get the idea.

Want to know what I've been up to lately? Well, I'll tell you even if you aren't interested. Aside from the usual: fixing meals, cleaning up after meals, changing diapers, loads upon loads of laundry, giving baths, picking up a gazillion toys, etc. You might wonder if I really have any time after all of that. I have found the key is making time even if that means a little less sleep. If I don't do something for myself that I enjoy or take a few hours every now and then to do grocery shopping sans kids, I will be doing my kids an injustice. If I just go,go,go....all about the kids all the time, then I will go mentally insane. When I find my voice raising at levels close to yelling more frequently, than I know I need some breathing room and a time-out away from the kids. So, all that to say, I have found a new hobby. Who knew, but I love working on the interior of our house. In the last few weeks I have finished the kids rooms, refinished several pieces of furniture, shopped and bought new furniture for the living room, painted the master bed and living room (Jamie helped with the living room). Our house looks completely different and I love it. We moved right before Pierce was born so I really didn't have time to decorate and I am just now getting around to it. Kind of pathetic I know. Nonetheless, I am so happy with the results. I now feel like I am living in my HOME. The people at Lowe's know us pretty well now. They probably refer to me behind my back as "the crazy lady who brings her 3 young kids to Lowe's every other day". I'm sure they run for the hills if they see me drive up in my white minivan. I have also fell in love with Hobby Lobby. Oh my goodness. I should alert the bank to decline my credit card if I try to make a purchase with it there. I love everything in that store and I easily lose track of time while shopping. In fact, I just found the BEST BARGAIN EVER there today. LOVE IT!!!!

Jamie and I had a FABULOUS couple of days last week. We got to take a pseudo vacation to a hotel downtown for 2 nights and enjoyed every second of it. I did spend a good majority of time sleeping, but well worth it. We started our early weekend off on Wednesday with great seats to the MAVS vs Lakers game. Great game! I'd like to think Dirk dedicated this game for my birthday, since it was the next day. A girl can dream, right!?! On Thursday I had the most relaxing (and much needed) hot stone massage. If I were rich, I would get one EVERY day. And, almost just as good, I took a nap! A long nap! No interruptions! AWESOME!!! When our 2 nights were over, we quickly realized that our 'staycay' was not long enough. Maybe sometime soon we can get away somewhere with sand and ocean for a week. That would be heaven.

But, back to reality. We were quickly reminded today that we have important pressing issues here a home that need our attention. Maybe as celebration once we have Emerson ALL better, we can take that REAL vacation. For now, I am just going to do my best to make this next round of testing as easy for Emerson as possible. Wish me luck!

Boys vs Girls

2010-02-22T17:45:00.000-08:00

Okay, in the last 7 or so months I have learned a lot about the difference between girls and boys. As a mother of 2 girls and now a son, I am amazed at how even in infancy boy babies are just different (and not all in a good way).

* We all know men are smellier than woman (for the most part). Well, that starts right away. Boy babies are smellier. Their poop smells worse. They fart all the time. They seem too burp more and think its funny. Pierce is only 7 months and I am fearful that the smells are just going to get worse as he gets older and bigger.

* Boys come equipped with their own personal bath toy. Yep, I am talking about their penises. Or, as Emerson calls it, Pierce's "sprayer". She came up with that on her own folks! I had no clue that baby boys played with their goods at such a young age. Pierce has been enjoying himself for quite some time now. As soon as that diaper comes off and I stick him in his tub, he knows right where to grab. I'm sure he is going to kill me for publishing this on the world wide web later. Oh, I am deathly afraid of the first time I take his diaper off and find..... (you know).

*On the positive side, boys are SO sweet. Pierce is definitely a mama's boy and I LOVE IT! He loves to snuggle and prefers me over anyone. If I have been gone, the second I walk through the door he starts squealing for me to hold him. I hope that lasts forever! No, seriously, boys seem to have more of a sweet demeanor about them than girls when they are babies. Not to say that girls aren't just as fun. Don't get me wrong, I love my girls to pieces.

*Boys are louder. I swear, Pierce was born with one heck of a set of lungs. I have had this ear pain in both my ears for nearly 2 months (already had 2 rounds of antibiotics) and I am starting to wonder if he has permanently damaged my ear drums. Now, this could totally be due to the fact he has learned how to scream from his sisters. Nonetheless, he is LOUD and my ears hurt.

*Okay, this could be just that Pierce is my 3rd child and I'm exhausted, but I find it much easier to let him cry sometimes. I don't know if it is the mentality, "toughen up, your a boy" or "please stop crying, you kids are driving me nuts". Either way, I feel a little guilty. With the girls, even now, I feel so bad when they cry. With Pierce, not AS much. I still feel bad, but not AS bad. That is not to say that I let him cry for hours upon hours. But I do find myself telling him, "Pierce, that's enough." Please note, I said "tell" because I would never yell at him at this age. Maybe in a month or so. Just kidding!

*BOYS ARE FLIRTS!!!! Pierce has a way with the ladies. He smiles and coos at almost every woman that approaches him, whether or not they are complete strangers. In fact, he and the paint lady at Lowe's have formed a special bond as of late. That is kind of pathetic, it just goes to show you how often I go to Lowe's. The only places I seem to venture out to lately are Lowe's, Target, or Hobby Lobby. Yes, I lead a pretty exciting life!

I am sure this knowledge is not going to be newsworthy, but it probably would have helped to know some of this stuff before I gave birth to a boy. I'm pretty sure that I would not have taken notice to any of these differences if he was my first born. But considering I was already accustomed to raising girls, these little nuances were a little bit bigger than just XX vs XY. All in all, it is still an incredible joy to be his mother and I wouldn't change him for the world!

Supernanny would be so proud!

2010-01-29T15:32:00.000-08:00

SNEAK PEEK OF WEDDING PHOTOS - more to come as soon as I get them

I am so, so, so glad that Pierce did AWESOME with the cry-it-out method!!! It only took 3 nights to completely extinguish the crying. I was shocked. And, in those 3 nights he probably cried less than 2o minutes. Knowing this now, I wish I would have done this months ago. I feel like a new woman. I'm not really getting that many more hours of sleep but the sleep I am getting is uninterrupted. And, I have at least 2 times during the day where I can lay him down in his crib to nap and I can get stuff done. What a relief! He is such a big boy. He turned 7 months on the 29th. I can't believe it. He's even holding his own bottle now - which helps tremendously. I was counting the days until he could feed himself. That just gives me 20 minutes x 4 times a day that I have 2 free hands to fold clothes or wash dishes.

Back to the whole sleep issue. I did not sleep train Emerson when she was a baby because, let's face it, she was just plain spoiled. I picked her up at the slightest whimper. With Reagan, I wasn't about to make that mistake twice so I started sleep training her at 2 months and she is the best little sleeper. With Pierce, I had every intention on sleep training him early as well but couldn't because of his reflux. When he outgrew his wedge, I was terrified to put him in his room, afraid I wouldn't hear him if he were to choke. So, he slept in bed with us - me, Jamie, and Emerson (yes, most nights Emerson would make her way into our bed and I never took her back to her own room - another big no-no!). So when he started rolling over on his tummy to sleep on his own, I knew it was time for his own bed but I procrastinated until Jamie put his foot down. What can I say, I hate to hear my children cry and Pierce is my last baby, he is going to be a mama's-boy. I mean, who would want to see this beautiful smile turn upside down? By the way, he loves to swing outside with his sisters on their swing set from Santa.

Well, if we were going to kick Pierce out of our bed than Emerson needed to go too! Too bad that hasn't gone as smoothly. But, I am proud to say that we have not caved and she has slept in her bed all night the last 3 nights. Wahoo! I seem to wake up feeling a little more energized and with a few less neck and back aches.

2010 seems to be the year where I stop letting my kids "run the show" so to speak. I admit, I have been kind of a push-over and not really a stickler for rules. I am still really laid back when it comes to parenting, but having a 3rd child really added to my stress level and I'm not as lenient as I once was. Emerson is sent to her room, Reagan sits in time out, and sometimes Pierce has to cry when I have ANOTHER load of laundry to do and can't hold him. I mean really, I think Supernanny would be so proud. A few weeks ago she would have ripped me to shreds. Maybe it has something to do with having a four year-old who now talks back to me or child entering the terrible twos or a baby who cries whenever he can't see me. Sometimes I just want to lock myself in my room and never come out. There are lots of those days, but there are many more filled with pure joy. I also have a four year-old that is absolutely brilliant and an almost two year-old that is just as smart and adorable as she imitates everything her big sister does and a baby who just loves to snuggle.

Emerson is going back to school tomorrow after Jamie and I decided to keep her home the month of January to give her little body some R&R after her procedures. I think she is excited but she is worried she is going to miss me too much. Isn't that so sweet!?! I am having reservations because I am worried about her immune system and all the germs that come with preschoolers. I let her play in the play area at the mall 2 weeks ago and she got a stomach virus....that traveled throughout the house- so NOT fun! It seems her body can't fight off anything. And the last thing we need is to be constantly taking all 3 kids to the pediatrician every week - that can get expensive quick. I am, however, looking for those 2 days a week with just the babies. It's weird, the difference between 2 and 3 kids is tremendous. But if you were to throw a 4th in there I don't think it would be all that much harder. No, don't get any ideas. I have no desire to have 4 children.

Okay, here I am typing away instead of going to bed. I have found myself these last few nights (of which I finally have all the kids in bed before 9) staying up late doing not much of anything. Instead, I need to be catching up on some much needed zzzzz's. So, I'm off to dreamland - hopefully filled with pleasant ones.

Finally Recovered

2010-01-21T15:40:00.000-08:00

Well, I think I may have finally recovered from last weekend's festivities. Heather is now officially Mr. Tyler Lyons Jones. It has a nice ring to it don't you think!?! What a beautiful wedding it was too! I had the best time and Heather was gorgeous. Emerson made the CUTEST flower girl EVER and was such a ham. I really think she thought the whole shindig was all for her. We are really looking forward to doing it all again September 18th when Michele gets married.

We were fortunate enough to have a night sans any kiddos the night of the wedding and I could really enjoy myself. I didn't have to worry about drinking one too many glasses of champagne because I knew I was going to get to sleep in. Boy, was that a great feeling!!! We enjoyed that so much that Jamie and I have decided to take a weekend at the W Hotel in February. CAN'T WAIT. I typically am not one for dancing but I found myself having a blast on the dance floor with a great group of girls. Heather has some great friends that she has had since grade school and I just think that is so cool that they are still best friends. That is truly a rarity to have such genuine friendships. It was weird, for a couple of hours I was not in mommy-mode and was able to let loose. I felt free. Not to say that I don't LOVE every second of being a mom, but I really needed some time without any kids.

The next day we celebrated Emerson's 4th birthday with family and friends. Yep, she turned 4. I can't believe it. She is growing way too fast. She is so bright and has such a sweet spirit. I really hit the jackpot with her! She is already talking about turning 5 and having another party. Poor thing doesn't realize and year isn't just next weekend. However, for me it may seem like time will pass that quickly. Next on my mommy agenda is to plan Reagan's 2nd birthday party.

Speaking of Reagan, you won't believe what she has been doing. Drum roll please.......using the big girl potty. I have done nothing as far as potty training, gosh she is only 21 months. I thought I still had a good 6 months at least to even consider starting it. She has done it all on her own. For now we are still keeping her in diapers and going to gradually transition but she knows exactly what to do. So glad I can check that off my to-do list. GO REAGS!

The time has come that I need to sleep train Pierce but I am procrastinating because there is going to be many, many tears from both my little man and me. My husband will be the first to tell you that our kids have me trained. I admit that I give in way too easily because I hate to see any of them cry. I am horrible at discipline and I know sleep training Pierce is going to be pure torture. Wish me luck and the strength not to cave.

A quick update on Emerson. Her biopsies came back normal-Great! They still don't know where she is bleeding from (and yes, as of today we are still seeing blood)-BAD! Jamie and I have decided to put a hold on all the testing unless we see a decline in her health. The pediatrician agrees and as long as Emerson maintains her weight and her hemoglobin levels don't dangerously drop we are going to stop torturing the poor child. I really don't have enough confidence with the medical professionals these days to find the answer and I am unwilling for Emerson to be treated like a lab rat. Hopefully everything will work out for the best. At this point that is all I can do.

I May Need to Rethink My Last Blog Title

2010-01-03T08:41:00.000-08:00

Well, the New Year has not started off on the right foot and we didn't really end 2009 that great either. All 5 of us are sick.....fun times. 5 co-pays later, along with 8 prescriptions and 2 steroid shots, this nasty little bug we passed around got pretty expensive. The worst part is feeling awful all the while having to take care of 3 sick babies. Why is it that when I am sick all I want to do is sleep the day and night away, but my sick children do not want to sleep AT ALL!?!? I am just hoping that this isn't a sign of what 2010 has in store for the Luna family. On a positive note, it looks like we are going to meet our family deductible for medical insurance pretty early this year! Emerson is scheduled for ANOTHER colonoscopy/endoscopy this Friday. They are still searching for the source of the GI bleed which is causing her anemia and bloody diarrhea. Unfortunately they are suspecting she may have Crohn's disease. However, I am hoping they are wrong like they have been about pretty much everything else. Last Monday they did a Meckel scan where she had to be put to sleep and be scanned for an hour after they injected her with some dye to look for diverticulitis....but yet again found nothing. I just want the testing to stop because I just don't know how much more my sweet baby girl can take. Every time they put her to sleep she just gets so sick. If I could, I would take away all her pain and fear and undergo all the testing for her. I wish she was old enough to understand that we don't want her to go through all this but it is in her best interest. And I know I should be grateful that she is not battling cancer or some other horrible life threatening illness, but my heart still breaks for her.

In other news, Pierce had his 6 month check-up. I am in shock that my sweet, sweet boy is already 6 months but so excited. I really love the 6-9 month age range. SO FUN! Pierce is such a happy baby and is a real big flirt. Poor little guy is going to have to have some testing done too. It just never ends with 3 kids I guess. Anyway, the doctor is not pleased with his growth patterns and feels that his reflux is starting to prevent him from thriving like he should. I have to take him tomorrow to get a bunch a blood work done (definitely going to have us both in tears) and we started increasing his calorie intake by mixing less water with his formula. I will take him back at the end of the week to check his weight and reevaluate from there. His spitting up has been quite colorful these days between the pink amoxicillan and green beans we tried before he got sick. Thank goodness we only have carpet in the bedrooms! At least he is not bothered by the reflux which is a relief. In fact, the pediatrician said some babies are happy spitters and do fine to where there are no concerns. It is when it starts to affect their weight gain that it becomes an issue. He is rolling over more and more and last night was the first night I found he had rolled onto his tummy to sleep. He outgrew his tucker wedge/sling for reflux and is now in bed with us. Some people may judge, but with the amount he is spitting up I don't feel comfortable putting him in his room yet. Throughout the night I am frequently having to wipe up spit up and put his pacifier back in. It is so much easier to have him right next to me than walking across to the other side of the house several times a night (not to mention the fact that he would wake up his sisters). We are working on him sitting but he is not a big fan because it just makes the reflux worse, which is weird because it should help it. He is also not a big fan of eating solids either. He refuses to eat rice cereal (I don't blame him) and was not thrilled about green beans. Both the girls were so eager to start solids so it is a little strange that he is not interested.

We had a great Christmas! We stayed home this year because the thought of traveling with the kids was a little scary. It turned out fabulous. We just enjoyed our time together and spent most of the weekend in pajamas relaxing. Pierce was pretty much clueless as to be expected and only wanted to eat the tissue paper from his gifts. Reagan was still a little overwhelmed this year but was very excited about all her new Dora toys. And Emerson was beyond ecstatic! This was the first year I think she really understood the whole concept which made it SO fun for me. Upon Emerson's request, Santa brought the kids a swing set and the girls are having a ton of fun swinging and sliding. It is great for me too because I can sit and watch from inside where it is warm! Santa had me in mind too when purchasing this gift. It has been a little too cold to let Pierce swing but I am sure he is going to love it too.

I hope everyone had a great holiday season. I will try my best to keep you updated on Emerson's test results as soon as we know anything. The next few weeks are going to be a little bit hectic with Emerson's birthday and Heather's wedding. We are really excited to have some FUN distraction away from all the doctor visits and testing!

Bring On the New Year!

2009-12-19T07:11:00.000-08:00

Well, 2009 has definitely been a busy year. Giving birth to our third child in four years really ages you. When I look at mine and Jamie's engagement picture taken five years ago, I am reminded just how stressful and exhausting raising babies and toddlers can be. Lets just say it looks like at least ten years should have passed instead of only five. In 2010 I will enter the last years of my twenties when I turn 29 but I feel so much older. I am keenly aware that 2010 will be the year I need to start using eye cream. Don't get me wrong, my 3 beautiful children are worth every single wrinkle and gray hair!

How do I know 2010 is going to be different than 2009. Most importantly, I will not be pregnant or giving birth. I will not have to even worry about getting pregnant (Jamie got a vasectomy right after Pierce was born). What a relief!

Second, our tax rebate is going to increase from last year with another added dependent....woohoo!!!! Jamie and I are going on a mini vacation. Well, more like a local getaway to a hotel for some much need R&R. If we have the energy we will probably throw in a Mavs game and treat ourselves to overpriced food at a couple of fancy restaurants. I think we deserve it. Who know, we may get really wild and crazy and go to a movie...haha. Oh how things have changed in such a short time. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Third, both my sisters are getting married. The kids will get 2 new uncles this year! Good thing the girls already just adore them both! We are so excited for both of them. I think it is time for the kids to have some cousins!

Fourth, I will be drinking this year on New Year's Eve!!!!! And, staying up past the ball drop.

Things I will HAVE to do in 2010:

~potty-train Reagan (fun times...insert huge amounts of sarcasm)

~teach Pierce how to self soothe and sleep in his crib (probably going to be the hardest thing I will do in 2010 because most likely I am going to have to let him cry-it-out)

~send Reagan to MDO - I can't wait! I won't know what to do with just Pierce...shopping sounds good. No, better yet - SLEEP!

~somehow figure out how to take all three kiddos to the neighborhood pool in the summer

~baby proof the house

~find more ME time or I WILL go insane

~have more date nights or Jamie and I will forget that we once knew how to have fun together

Things I HOPE will happen in 2010:

~Pierce's reflux will resolve itself

~Emerson's doctors will gain wisdom and figure out the source of her illness - my ONLY Christmas wish this year

~establish more routine and better sleep schedules for everyone

~I will miraculously wake up one morning with the motivation and skill to become a good cook

~a special mommy and Emmy trip to San Antonio to visit my grandparents and go to Sea Worl

~have time to finish decorating the kids' rooms

~frame and find places for the professional pictures taken over the last year

~win the lottery - gosh, these kids are expensive!

I hope everyone has a great Christmas! I am definitely grateful for my 3 perfect blessings this holiday season. I predict 2010 is going to be filled with lots of joy! Just watching my children grow and learn and love is pure happiness.

Hallelujah

2009-12-13T08:02:00.000-08:00

I found a new pediatrician that I just love!!! I can't tell you how relieved I feel to finally have someone listen to my concerns and be empathetic. She is also a young mother of a little girl the exact same age as Reagan and can really relate to many issues we are going through. She spent a good hour with Pierce at his appointment and answered all of my questions. She never made me feel as though she was in a rush to get to her other patients. She never made me feel ignorant. She validated my concerns. She related my situation to issues she experienced with her own daughter. She was very personable and truly seemed as though she cared about her patients. At one point she just held Pierce and loved on him because she thought he was so sweet and cute (well, who wouldn't think that!?!). The nurses were great! The front staff was friendly and accommodating. The office was very kid friendly. In the waiting room there was a beautiful fish tank with LIVE fishes (not fake like the other office) and all the exam room doors were wrapped with Christmas paper. I could not have felt better about the appointment. In fact, I left feeling reassured and relieved. She even called herself (just like she said she would) later that day to tell me she had received some of the test results that Pierce has already had done. AMAZING!

I also want to mention a few cute things Emerson said/did this week that I don't want to forget. She is becoming quite creative!

The other night she got soap in her eye while washing her hair (she cried even though she uses Johnson & Johnson's No Tear formula) and asked me "what do we do to make my eye stop burning?" I told her we needed to wash it out with clean water. She responds "no, I don't think that will work. I think I need a piece of chocolate to make my eye feel better." Creative and quite manipulative don't you think!?! Because she was so cute I gave her a piece a chocolate. The crying immediately stops and she says "yep, my eye feels much better." OMG. I think I may be in for some trouble.

Then, this morning Pierce woke up crying for his bottle and Emerson asks "Mommy, why does Pierce cry so much?" He really doesn't cry that much but for a 3 year-old it may seems like all the time. I tell her that "babies just cry sometimes and that usually he is trying to tell us something because they can't talk yet. This morning he was telling us that he was hungry." Again she disagrees with me and says "no, that's not it. I think he cries because he wants me to play with him and make him laugh." And you know what, she may be right. She is great with him and always seems to be able to make him laugh. And he just adores her right back. It is such a great feeling to watch your kids love and adore each other. I am so blessed.

I just love that the ABC Family channel has a ton of Christmas movies airing during the whole month of December. We were all watching Santa Claus 3 with Tim Allen and Emerson got so upset that they were referring to his character as Mr. Claus. I mean she would not let it go. "Mommy, why are they calling him Mr. Claus? His name is Santa. Why does he have 2 names?" I mean, this went on and on and on. No answer I gave her was sufficient. I have a feeling she may figure out the whole "Santa" thing before most kids. I can just see it now, upset parents calling me because their kids are distraught after Emerson breaks the news that Santa is not REAL. She is so observant that she may realize that one Santa looks a little different from another Santa. And then will come the questions. I better be prepared and come up with some clever answers.

We did go see Santa this year. The past 2 years Emerson wanted NOTHING to do with him. This year she was eager to tell him she wanted a swing set. We got a picture of all the kids on his lap and the expressions on Reagan and Pierce's faces are PRICELESS!!!! At least there was no crying. Hope you enjoy the photo, we definitely got a good laugh out of it. I guess it was worth the outrageous $16 fee.

Introducing Tayla and Allah and Quinda and LOTS more.

2009-11-28T16:29:00.000-08:00

So, I am sure you are confused by the title. I promised I would talk about Emerson in my next blog and update you about what is going on in her life. Tayla and others (too many to count and all with names I have never heard of) are Emerson's imaginary friends. Evidently having imaginary friends is a sign of high intelligence. Well, I sure hope so because recently I saw an episode of Oprah featuring a 7 year-old schizophrenic whose early symptoms included hundreds of imaginary friends with weird names. Keeping my fingers crossed.....just kidding. At least she can entertain herself. This year was especially hard coming up with Christmas gift ideas because she spends most of her time playing and talking with her imaginary friends. One of the crafts Emerson brought home from MDO was a turkey that the teachers wrote all the things Emerson was thankful for on each feather. There were five feathers: mommy and daddy, brother and sister, Tayla, apples, my red ladybug. I couldn't stop laughing and proceeded to call Jamie at work. I really don't know why she put apples and her red ladybug. She rarely eats apples and the red ladybug is some random stuffed animal she hardly plays with. It just makes you wonder what is going in her head.

It is hard to imagine that in about 6 weeks my little girl is going to be 4. I still have such a vivid memory of the day she was born as if it were yesterday. She has brought me so much joy and I don't know what my life would look like without her. The main thing I am thankful for this year aside from welcoming Pierce into our lives to complete our family is the peace of mind I received at Children's 2 weeks ago. Contrary to what we have been told over the last 9 months, anemia is actually very common in 2-3 year-olds because they are such picky eaters. And Emerson is not only a picky eater but she eats like a bird, snacking on a few bites here and there throughout the day. Among her favorite things to eat are strawberries, yogurt, chicken nuggets, ice cream and her main food group is CHOCOLATE (just like her daddy). I can't even get her to eat macaroni and cheese, grilled cheese sandwiches, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, cereal, hot dogs, spaghetti o's, all of which most children love. She refuses to eat anything that appears to have orange cheese on it and she won't touch anything that has different items mixed together such as a casserole. It makes cooking dinner very limited. And the bad part is her sister is starting to become really picky too. Hopefully this phase will pass soon because the only iron you have is from the foods you eat. The hematologist told us to put her back on iron therapy for at least another 3 months and we will check her hemoglobin levels again then. In the mean time I will be trying my best to increase the amount of iron-rich foods she is getting. Fortunately this week she tried iron fortified cream of wheat and loved it....YAY! She won't eat any sandwiches so I was trying to come up with a way to get her to eat Iron Kids bread and bought Nutella (the chocolate spread). I know it is mostly sugar and sounds nasty but she liked it and got her iron from the bread. We are taking baby steps.

So, a few other things about Emerson right before she turns 4:

~she fights sleep more than any child I have ever seen (I think she stopped napping at 18 months)

~she still comes to sleep in our bed with us in the middle of the night (totally my fault for allowing this to happen for so long)

~she ADORES her aunts and future uncles

~she LOVES to sing and dance (crazy freestyle but hated ballet/tap class)

~she is such a big helper when it comes to her sister and brother

~her best friends are boys

~she is starting to become interested in Disney princesses

~she has a remarkable memory (she remembers exact word-for-word conversations that happened months ago)

~she is terrified of doctors (who could blame her?)

~she doesn't appear to have a clue about volume control

~she LOVES baths where she "practices her glides" she learned in swim lessons

~she is still my snuggle-bug

I am amazed daily at just how smart and observant she is. I am so proud of the independent, sweet, caring, helpful and well-behaved little girl she has become. And I can't wait to see what is in store for all of us at age 4!

Synapses Are Firing Like Crazy!

2009-11-09T09:40:00.000-08:00

Now that Reagan's ear are free of fluid, her language is coming along at lightning speed. Yesterday we were shocked that she said "sorry" after she dropped something. We have never asked her to say that word. She is a little sponge, soaking up everything around her. I really enjoy just observing her and how much she is learning on a daily basis. I am so thrilled about her new spontaneous language. I was really beginning to worry that she had a language delay when really all she needed was some antibiotics to clear up her ear infection (that was missed by our pediatrician). Thanks to a late night trip to Acute Kids with a screaming toddler, followed by an hour waiting at Walgreens, we have a talking toddler. Not only is she communicating, but she seems happier. Once again, I trusted my instincts and KNEW she had an ear infection. I should have just bypassed our pediatrician and went straight to Acute Kids. That would have saved me a $25 co-pay. They should have a return policy. If they miss a diagnosis, I should get my money back.

A little about what Reagan is doing now at 19 months:

~she copies everything her sister does

~she LOVES her baby brother (her first word was baby, she is more excited to see Pierce in the morning than me and she is constantly kissing him)

~she would rather drink her diet than eat (LOVES orange juice)

~she is OBSESSED with Dora

~she is developing a cute, quirky personality

~she loves shoes, sunglasses and jewelry....uh oh

~she is climbing on EVERYTHING, it is only a matter of time until we will be going to the ER for stitches

~she is VERY INDEPENDENT

~she wants to stay at school with her sister when we drop her off - yay! NEXT YEAR!!!

~she takes everything away from Pierce (toys, blankets, pacifiers, teethers, bottles....you name it, she wants it)

~she has discovered how to take her diaper off (let's just say I have cleaned up more pee than I would have liked in the last few days....solution: panties over diaper)

~she causes our house to look like a tornado has been through 10x over on a consistent basis

~she loves baby dolls, and is very good at acting like a mommy.....so cute!

I guess I should let you know what is going on in Emerson's world next post.

What....is it really November?

2009-11-01T06:14:00.000-08:00

I can't believe today is the first day of November. And Daylight Saving to top it off. Unfortunately I did not get that extra hour of sleep. Little children do not appreciate that extra 60 minutes. They wake up when the sun comes up. Oh, joy! It is going to be a long day.

It seems like just yesterday I was buying presents for 2 babies. Now it is time for me to shop for 3. Some may think it might be a little early to be thinking about Christmas but I typically have all my shopping done by Thanksgiving. I HATE shopping in crowds with a passion. This year time is ever more pressing because between now and Christmas I think there is only a couple of weekends where my calendar is empty. My sister is getting married January 16th so I have several weekends with wedding stuff. I can't tell you how excited I am for Heather and Tyler. They have been together almost as long as Jamie and me. And let me tell you, the girls ADORE Tyler. They can't wait to call him Uncle Tyler.

Well, last night as you know was Halloween. I have to say that I still really don't understand the all the excitement surrounding this holiday. As we were trick-or-treating through the neighborhood we came across many houses where it appeared hundreds of dollars were spent decorating. Not to mention the cost of costumes. This year I resolved myself to not spend a fortune on costumes that are worn once. Reagan was Dora (she LOVES Dora) and so I made her outfit which was really easy. She had all the clothing pieces, I just had to dye them. Then, Emerson was a ballerina. Did she WANT to be a ballerina, not really. But that was the only choice she was given. WHY? Well, she had said she wanted to start dance this year. So in August we enrolled her in dance, bought the leotard, tights, tutu, ballet shoes and tap shoes and started dance. After 3 classes she decided she didn't want to go back. Dance attire isn't CHEAP. I was determined to get my money's worth. It just seems so silly especially in this economy to be spending so much money on these things. I don't want to sound like a party-pooper because I do want my kids to grow up having fun during this holiday as I did when I was younger. In years past we have gone to festivals and I think I like that better. There are fun activities like face painting, jump houses, petting zoos, etc. It seems when you go door-to-door about one in every five houses are passing out candy. Plus, you should have seen Reagan last night. She had some of the best facial expressions. I wish I brought the camera along. She was absolutely terrified of some of the decorations and didn't appreciate when dogs came to the door. Emerson had a lot more fun this year because she finally grasped the whole idea but she got tired pretty quickly and wanted to be held. Jamie had to work so my mom came over to help me take the kids around the block....thank goodness. I only have so many arms. But as we were going up to the houses we got to thinking how silly it was. Here we tell our children NOT to talk to strangers, yet we let them take candy from them. Seems a little paradoxical.

So, Christmas here we come. I LOVE CHRISTMAS. And, this is the holiday where my kids get spoiled!!!

My Growing Boy!

2009-10-29T17:03:00.000-07:00

I still can't believe that Pierce turned 4 months today. It makes me a little sad at how fast he is growing especially when I think that he will be my last baby to say mama for the first time, to give me a kiss for the first time, to say "I love you" for the first time, to look at me like I am the greatest person on the planet. I know most of you will think this is crazy, and I am sure I will too in a couple of days from now (or even when bedtime rolls around tonight), but I am a little sad that I won't be having any more children. I wonder when that baby fever goes away.

I took Pierce to his check-up today and as promised I went with a positive attitude. I went there as if I was meeting the doctor for the first time....clean slate. I felt I owed him a second chance (or 10th but who's counting?). Well, today was the day that the straw broke the camel's back so to speak. I know doctors are not perfect and do not have all the answers, but there is no reason for them to be arrogant and rude. I won't go into specifics but let me just say that my search for a new pediatrician started the second I got home. I would really appreciate it if someone could point me in the direction of a female pediatrician who is also a mother in the McKinney, Allen, Frisco areas.

Back to my growing boy. He has been growing like a weed. He has jumped to the 25% percentile in weight at 13.4 lbs. WOW! I can't believe that especially with the amount he is spitting up. I wonder what he would weigh if he did have severe acid reflux? Just today, I had to change 3 times before leaving for our appointment at 11:30 because he gave me so many milk baths. At least the pain has subsided....thank you Prevacid! He has grown 5 inches since he was born and is now 23.5 inches long. I think that is in the 1oth percentile. He may end up being short like his dad.

Here are some things that describe Pierce these days:

~he LOVES to try and be louder than his sisters

~he is constantly smiling and starting to laugh

~he lets you know when you are not paying enough attention to him

~he gets upset when I walk out of the room

~he prefers to play lying on his back

~he loves his pacifier (I couldn't get my girls to take one no matter how hard I tried...they are thumb suckers)

~he seems to get irritated when Reagan is too loud

~he will FINALLY doze off while in his car seat

~he sleeps through most nights and has been doing that for some time now

~he refuses to nap (I guess I can't have the best of both worlds)

~he likes to sit in the exersaucer and bumbo seat

~he only wants mommy to hold him when he is tired

~he is drooling like crazy

~he is constantly putting his hands in his mouth

~he loves the sound of running water

~HE IS PERFECT!!!

LUCKY x 3

2009-10-27T15:35:00.000-07:00

First off, I want to apologize for my extremely long blog the other day. I really went off on a tangent that probably came across very pessimistic. My anxiety about Emerson's anemia showed in the form of extreme frustration that I had to take the opportunity to vent. Strangely enough it helped me relax and look at things from a different perspective. I think that I had just spent so many countless nights unable to sleep because I am so afraid that there may be something more serious going on that we haven't found yet. What a negative way to think, right? It seems like a lot lately I have found myself worrying about things that I have no control over. I need to just have faith that everything is going to turn out okay. And you know what, it always does.

I have come to realize that I can't expect for doctors to know everything. They are human and make mistakes just like the rest of us. Before Emerson started having these issues I really liked my pediatrician. So, I think I am going to give him another chance. I go in Thursday for Pierce's 4 month check-up and I plan on going in there with a renewed sense of confidence that he is doing the best that he can. I will give you an update on Thursday. I think maybe it is just me. A lot of people recommended this doctor to me and I know a lot of other people that use him too that just love him. I need to have a different approach and just relax. I tend to be a little high strung sometimes. I'm sure a lot of you can attest to that.

You know, despite the few minor health issues the kids have had, I am so, so, so lucky to have 3 beautiful, healthy children. Especially considering the high risk pregnancies, I have been so blessed. I consider each of my children my own little miracles. After 7 months of bed rest with Reagan and going into preterm labor with her several times, it is just amazing that she was born full term completely healthy. I follow some blogs of moms who have had micro-preemies that survived but do have lots of medical issues and some who have lost their precious children. I can't even imagine the strength it must take to move on from that. I find these women to be so inspiring. My concerns about the kids are just minuscule compared to some families. I really am so lucky. Not only do I have beautiful, smart, sweet children but I get to stay home with them and watch them grow into amazing little people. I definitely have the best job in the world. And I have my hubby to thank for being such a great father and provider for all of us.

So, I will move forward with the process of finding answers to Emerson's anemia with a positive attitude.

2 Free Hands...Never Ending Co-Pays...M.A.D.D.

2009-10-24T13:52:00.001-07:00

I am having trouble finding a time when I am not holding one of my 3 children. Finally, I have a few moments today where I have 2 free hands to type with. Reagan and Pierce are sleeping AT THE SAME TIME!!! For some reason Pierce has decided he doesn't like to nap during the day. Part of it is my fault because it is somewhat difficult to stay on a strict schedule in this house. And who ever thought it was a good idea for preschool hours to be from 9-2? That is right smack dab in the middle of nap time. So every M,W,F I have to wake up both Reagan and Pierce from their nap. Such a pain. Plus, 9-2 just isn't enough time to get much accomplished. If I was sending Emerson just so I could have an easier time at home with 2 kids I wouldn't send her. Not only is it a hassle to get everyone fed, dressed, and in the car ready to leave by 8:40 but then I have to unload everyone and take Emerson inside to her classroom with the other 2 in tow rain or shine, cold or hot. Then once I get home, it is almost as if I am just turning right back around to go pick her up. But, Emerson loves school and it great for her socially. Sorry, I am probably going to go off on a few tangents today.

Next one; last week alone I spent $100 in co-pays for the kids. And, I will probably getting some bills in the mail for my 20% of labs, tests, etc. What is the point of medical insurance if you are going to go broke anyway trying to keep a family of 5 healthy? I should just start going to Parkland (the county hospital) and get treated for free. I mean, the whole reason we have a messed up insurance system is because we are picking up the slack for people (most not even US citizens) who don't pay for health care. Maybe I just need to move to Canada. If you haven't seen the Michael Moore documentary "Sick" I highly advise watching it. VERY THOUGHT PROVOKING AND MADDENING AT THE SAME TIME.

The never ending co-pays leads me into my biggest frustration I said I would get into. M.A.D.D. aka Mothers Against Dumb Doctors. If you a doctor reading this I apologize. I am referring only to doctors I have had experience with. In fact, I absolutely LOVE my ob-gyn, she is awesome. For those of you who don't know we have been trying to find out why Emerson is severely anemic. To go back almost a year, I started noticing (along with her teachers) that Emerson was becoming very lethargic and not looking at all healthy. She has always been a very picky eater and eats very little of the foods she likes. She is very petite, at almost 4 she still wears a 2T and some of those are too big. However, no one but me and my family seem to be concerned that she isn't gaining weight. I suggested to her pediatrician that I think she may be anemic because I am also anemic. He totally disregarded my concerns and said that it was highly unlikely because it is very rare for a toddler to be anemic. He wouldn't even test her. So, a couple of months pass and she develops pica, a condition where you eat non edible things due to mineral deficiencies or mental disorders. She literally destroyed our walls because she would take bites out of the corners and eat the dry wall. So, I take her back in with my concerns and research on pica. Still, he doesn't think it is anemia. He thinks she is acting out because of the upcoming arrival of Pierce and to bring her back after she adjusts. If it continues he would refer us to a psychiatrist. Well, I was not okay with that answer and I insisted on a blood test. It is so simple, they do it in their office. All it entails is a finger pick and a drop of blood to test for a hemoglobin level (just like checking your blood sugar). When the number came up as 9 (it should be around 13) the nurse said, "oh I must have left alcohol on her finger, let me do it again." With the second reading being the same, she brings in the dr. and he is shocked. ALWAYS TRUST YOUR MOTHERLY INSTINCT. So he put her on iron drop supplements. We had to give her 6 times the daily value you are supposed to have to bring her levels up. He wanted us back in a month to check her levels again. After 4 weeks we come back and have her levels checked. They rose to 11 (still somewhat low but better). He told us to continue the iron for 1 month and then stop and that would be the end of it. There was no question as to WHY she was anemic especially since it is evidently so rare. There was no checking her levels again before stopping the iron. There was no checking the levels again to see if her body was retaining the levels without the supplement. I am not a doctor but that just seems careless. AND IT WAS. Literally a week after we stopped the iron, the systems returned. We end up going to a gastroenterologist because there is concern she is losing blood internally. She is then scheduled for a colonoscopy and endoscopy. He said there is no reason (other than medical) why a toddler on an "American junk food diet" should be anemic. Well, he finds nothing but tells us to put her back on the iron and he will check her levels again in a month. Same story, a month later her levels are back up and then he tells us to stop cold turkey...the end. Wait, what? Haven't we already gone down this path? Didn't you say there is a medical reason she is anemic? Shouldn't you refer us to someone else to find the answers? There needs to be a next step. I just don't get it. I have completely lost faith in these doctors. It seems like half the time they have no clue what they are dealing with, so lets just IGNORE it and HOPE that it goes away. Or, is this a ploy to keep bringing you back until they get it right so they can make more money? I just don't get it. COMMON SENSE. Maybe I should just become a pediatrician myself and treat my own kids. Needless to say, I am now doing my own investigating and will be taking her to a hematologist (blood specialist) in hopes he can lead me in the right direction.

You would think that was it, but it is not. Now I am having to deal with Reagan. I have been concerned for some time that Reagan isn't talking enough. She is only 19 months and I know every baby develops differently but Emerson was way more verbal at that age. And I used to work with children with disabilities including speech delay so I have seen some red flags. Again I brought up my concerns about her language to her pediatrician and he dismissed them again. Be patient, it will come. Did he ask me or remember that she has had recurring ear infection? NO! Well, after this last ear infection last week and a week full of antibiotics I saw some slight improvement in her attempts to say words. Coincidence? I don't know. Anyway, I took her to an audiologist and the tests were concerning. Right now they are showing some damage in her right ear (the ear with all the ear infections). Is is permanent? We don't know. Could that be affecting her language? It is hard to say. Again, ALWAYS TRUST YOUR MOTHERLY INSTINCTS and pursue every avenue. I'm sorry I rambled on forever but this just infuriates me. We go to doctors in hopes that we can trust them with our precious children and then to be dismissed because we don't have a medical degree is insulting. We know our children better than anyone. They need to take that into account. I am in the process of finding a new pediatrician who is also a mother. I think that will make a BIG difference. Mothers understand other mothers.

So, if any of you reading this knows of a great female pediatrician who also has children of her own let me know. Anyone in the McKinney, Frisco, Allen area. Also, please keep Emerson in your thoughts as we try to get to the root of her anemia. We have been off the iron for about 10 days and I am already noticing signs her levels are dropping again. There is no way I will be taking the doctor's advice and waiting 4 months to recheck her levels.

Next week is going to be busy. Reagan has another appointment with the audiologist and Pierce has his 4-month check-up. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT? He will be 4 months on the 29th. Wow, where does the time go. And then of course all the Halloween festivities!!! But after that comes the dreaded Christmas shopping. I can't believe that time of year has come again. Have a great weekend everyone!!!

The Sun is Back but the Lunas Aren't

2009-10-18T13:16:00.000-07:00

The crew: Kenlea, Cade, Emerson, Jace and Reagan

Our family has been passing around a cold with one another over the past couple of weeks. And I am its latest victim. Just when we finally get a beautiful weekend we are stuck inside because both Reagan and I feel crappy. I can't believe how much it has rained in the month of October. So much so that we had a very muddy adventure to the pumpkin patch on Thursday. Let's just say we were covered in what could only be called a mixture of mud and most likely cow dung. Fortunately I was able to salvage our shoes after a good 30 minutes of washing them outside and then in the washing machine. I would have been just sick if Emerson's brand new tennis shoes from Stride Rite (they were $45 which is expensive for kids shoes) were ruined. Luckily they look good as news. Emerson is such a tomboy. She loved every minute playing in the mud with her best buds Cade and Jace. Yes, her best friends (really the only friends she ever talks about) are boys. Her teachers at preschool say that she only plays with the boys. Jamie better watch out because we may be having lots of boys over to our house as she grows older.

Anyway, back to the cold. On Friday night I had to take Reagan to Acute Kids because she was screaming for hours to where I couldn't comfort her. It turns out she has a nasty ear infection. Her pediatrician must have missed it because she was in with the same symptoms just last week. More on my frustration with doctors in another post. Well, I was feeling okay (just a slight sore throat) until Saturday morning. When Pierce woke up and wanted his bottle I wanted to crawl under the covers and stay there all day. I felt and still do feel horrible. Unfortunately the days of resting to recover are a thing of the past. I have 3 very dependent children to take care of. Lets just say the weekend has seemed to drag on forever. And as most of you know Jamie works all weekend so I literally had no relief. My mom did take Emerson to her house for a few hours but I was still left with a very sick and cranky toddler. And to top it off Pierce was unusually fussy yesterday too. Even though we are not 100% at our house I still feel really lucky that none of us have the swine flu because that has been a huge anxiety for me lately. I am so worried that if Emerson catches H1N1 that her little body and weak immune system won't be able to fight it off. I have even contemplated taking her out of school during the flu season but was reassured by my pediatrician that the chances of dying from H1N1 are just the same as the seasonal flu. I wish the media would quit blowing this out of proportion so paranoid mothers like me can sleep a little easier at night. There is so many confusing, contradicting information out there that it just gets to be too much. I just have to have faith that we are all going to be okay. Plus Emerson just loves school and I really think it is important for her developmentally.

I am hoping that I can feel better soon so we can all enjoy some of this beautiful weather before it rains again. I really hope it doesn't decide to get too cold too soon because I haven't had time yet to buy winter wardrobes and coats for the kids. I guess I better hurry up and do that pronto considering we never know what this Texas weather is going to do. Next post I fill you in on why I have decided to start a group called M.A.D.D. (Mother's Against Dumb Doctors). I am not really starting a group, just being sarcastic because I have completely lost faith in doctors as of late.

A WORK IN PROGRESS, WELCOME!

2009-10-14T12:57:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone. My blog is still in the beginning stages as I am still learning how to navigate this site. I am mainly starting this blog to give me an outlet to express the joys and frustrations of being a mom. As a mother of 3 children, all 3 1/2 and under, life can get pretty chaotic and I am hoping that this blog will give me some release at the end of the day. I also think it is a neat way to chronicle life's happenings through an online scrapbook. With things so busy around here, the time flies and I don't want to forget any precious moments with my children. They are growing up so fast, way too fast in my opinion. In fact, I just realized Emerson is going to be turning 4 in 3 months from today. That makes me so sad but at the same time I am so happy and proud of the beautiful, caring and sweet little girl she has grown into. I have found that I really enjoy reading my friends' blogs so I thought I would jump on the bandwagon. Hope you like it!