Life Is Good: Excuses and More!

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Excuses and More!

It's been a long time since I've written. I have a lot of good excuses. I really do. Oh...okay...I'll share a few. Ummm....it's the holiday season and my mind has been wrapped around all the festivities, activities, responsibilities, and dare I say...gift giving...that comes with this time of year. Thankfully ab out 99% of my Christmas shopping is done (and most was done online). I only have a few loose ends left, a few packages yet to arrive, wrapping and more wrapping to do. Did you know wrapping presents with a 3 year old around is much like wrapping presents with 3 or 4 kittens around. Speaking of kittens. Ryan wants 2. That and a puppy. I'd like to accommodate. I really would. Okay...back to the excuses.

#2: I've had sick kids. Three out of the four of us were hit...no plowed over...by the stomach bug the Friday after Thanksgiving. Yes...we thought it could be food poisoning, but we were the only ones to get it until several days later. Oh it was awful! Puking until you can't puke no more. And the scoots to boot. Wade and I recovered within a day or two. Unfortunately Ryan is still battling the scoots. (Oh poop how I hate thee!) Our world has been wrapped around poop for way to long now. I took Ryan to the doctor (hoping for a pill or something to "fix" the problem) and the doc said she felt it wasn't quite necessary to send him to the hospital for IV fluids. What?!?! I'm glad. That wasn't even on my list of possibilities. So she said take him home and try to make him drink and eat as much as possible. Did you know that there a few things you just CANNOT MAKE a kid do? I can think of 2 major things right now...eat...and use a toilet. We may be on the upswing of this nasty virus (trust me it's nasty!). Ryan is having less episodes and *gasp* he's actually eating a little now. As for the potty training...yeah right!

#3: I have 2 small kids, and they both tend to think they need me full time. I love it! Don't get me wrong I'd love a little more *me* time now and then but I'll take the time with the boys over *me* time any day. I sure hope Ryan stays in bed for a while longer this morning so I can actually finish this post.

#4: By the time the boys have both gone to bed in the evening I can't think straight to save my life. Did you know that I actually purchased something from Amazon the other evening and did not remember it at all until my mom said something about wishing she could find something? That something ended up triggering my memory about the previous evening's purchase. Ugh! I guess I expend all my mental energy during the day. So just so you know...my mind is open for service from 6a.m.-8p.m.

So now on to the boys and off the excuses (especially since I can't think of the other ones).

Ryan.

I just love that boy. He's funny, cute, ornery, sneaky, playful, wild, loud, ornery, sweet, loving, and ornery. He's a good boy. Lately he has gained an interest and desire for money. Thankfully right now he doesn't have any concept of currency. He just knows that money is needed to buy things, and he wants a bunch. A dozen pennies over 2 dimes any day! I have a jar full of loose change a drawer in the kitchen that has some too. He tries to raid them both but he knows his options are limited to the drawer. (Loose change adds up and I'd rather him not scatter money all over the house). Have you ever read the book "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie?" Well here's my version of a new one...If you give a boy a penny...he's going to ask for more...and if you give a bunch...he's going to want a place to put them...noticing his pants don't have pockets...he's going to ask to change his clothes...and if he changes clothes....

Ryan thinks he's funny. And he'll tell you so. "I'm funny". Well, in fact, he is. His latest comedic acts include sneaking, snatching and story telling. Let me explain. Sneaking: Ryan loves to sneak around the corner and "do" or "get" something he thinks is off limits. If you catch him you're eyes will be met by a mischievous grin and a sneaky little laugh.

To be continued...

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Brandy Danielle

Brandy is our firstborn, our precious angel baby girl. Her entry into this world wasn't without excitement. At 26 weeks I started preterm labor with contractions 5 minutes apart. With 10 weeks of strict bedrest, most of which were in the hospital, she made it to 36 weeks.
Brandy was diagnosed with "possible/probable" heart defect around 28-30 weeks gestation. After her birth she was whisked away to the NICU for monitoring and after a few days her defect was formally diagnosed and labeled...atrial septal defect and a cleft mitral valve.
Brandy, upon indications of failure to thrive and pulmonary hypertension, underwent her first of 2 open-heart surgeries at 4 months of age. A week after her surgery on the day of her anticipated discharge home Brandy coded for 13 minutes...a stoke.
From that point on Brandy's life was full of doctor's visits, endless crying, pain and suffering. She underwent another heart surgery, fundoplication and g-tube surgery, treatment for infantile spasms, and a mountain of tests and procedures. Her brain damage was extensive.
Upon counseling of our wonderful, most amazing heart surgeon, Dr. Christopher Knott-Craig, and many hours of prayer, we finally called in hospice and called off all of the extensive medical interventions and surgery needs that would prolong her suffering while possibly prolonging her life. Brandy, our precious baby girl...our angel...passed out of our arms and into the arms of her Saviour, Jesus at the tender age of 17 months.

Ryan Andrew

Ryan, our micro-preemie miracle, is a ball of life. After nearly a year of trying to conceive imagine our delight when we finally knew he was on the way. My pregnancy with Ryan was uneventful at first. It seemed perfect and with all of the precautions for preterm labor being taken and monitored we entered this pregnancy with cautious anticipation covered over by a whole love of naive excitement.
At 20 weeks we discovered our "Baby Peanut" was going to be a little boy. We began to make plans and began dreaming about the day we would meet our son.
Almost 2 weeks later everything changed in our lives. It wa a whirlwind of fear and emtions as I began to bleed, was sent for monitoring in L&D and eventually had an appointment with my OB only to find out that it was serious. I had incompetent cervix with hourglassing membranes. The doctor admitted me to the hospital immediately and an emergency cerclage was placed. The statistics were grim, but the hope was to keep our son inside for at least 10 more weeks. We only made it 10 more days.
Early in the evening of February 11, 2007 our son, Ryan, came into this world in emergency fashion at only 23 weeks 5 days gestation. He weighed 1 pound 8 ounces and was 12 ½ inches long. He was so tiny. All I could think of was “oh my goodness is he really that tiny? And is there any way he could actually make it?” I tried to hold on to hope, but in all honesty I had never met anyone with a baby born that early and that small that ever made it.
Ryan did make it! It was a long, hard road, but in the end he spent 90 days in the NICU. He was on a ventilator for 2 months. Finally on one fine glorious day in May we bundled up our 4 pound 4 ounce baby boy and went home...May 11, 2007.
Ryan is now a spunky, lively, strong-willed little boy. His laughter is contagious and his spirit is compelling. He is our miracle. There are no words strong enough to share our delight and joy that God has blessed us with this little boy.

Evan Alexander