Milestones

I feel like I have had this "blog" running through my head all day, and I tried to keep track of everything so I could get it all on here. It is close to 10pm and all 5, yes even Wilson, of us have had baths, eaten, worked and played outside...so, I am not sure my writing will be as eloquent as it was playing in my head.

Since my last entry we have had three major milestones, which prompted me to try to recall all the milestones the kids have reached, that I HAVEN't mentioned. I will start with the past 48hrs.

Friday night was our first trip to the ER for one of the kiddos. First time, in three years, not too shabby right? And, it wasn't even for an injury! Poor Bowman. 2007 has so far proven to NOT be his year. However, since we have long since met our deductible, deciding to go to the ER was a no brainer. Here is the crazy part, bed time is 8pm, he goes down after his bottle, happy little guy. He sleeps soundly until 10:30pm when he stands up in his crib and comenses to SCREAMING at the top of his lungs. This is not like Bo. Jake goes in there (like the great dad that he is, you see I am trying to catch up on my TWO recorded episodes of What About Brian), and comes out WITH Bo, saying "he sounds like he has croup". Huh? Just like that? All of a sudden? Okay, well, Anna had it before Christmas, and so we knew to whip out the humidifier and calm him down. Round two, twenty minutes later, same thing, this time he isn't just barking like a seal he is gasping for air, then there is the indention of his chest and his 5second or so pauses between labored breaths. After about 3min of this, this mom said, "He is going to the ER". First time I have paniced as a mom, not outwardly, just my heart racing. All four of us were dressed, in the car (I even remembered blankets and a sippy for Anna), within about 1.5minutes. 3minutes later we were at the ER, admitted and on a breathing treatment, steriod shot and chest xrays. They confirmed the croup and added the breathing difficulty was due to "Stryder". At 2am, they said that we had to stay at least 4hrs for him to be monitored, so Jake and Anna headed home, Bo slept in his stroller and I flipped through channels and listened around me to the ER goings on (mind you it is Friday night). It was really bizzare, the ER that is and we were at a small one, in South Tulsa, so it wasn't like Tulsa Regional or something more "north" of us (and yes that is a semi-snotty, semi-stereotypical, semi-BAD statement).
That is another story in itself though. Long story short, we were actually asked to stay until 6:30am or so, b/c our pediatrician wanted to see Bo himself. He really didn't want to admit him, b/c the nearest Peds unit was at St. Francis and they were already overwhelmed and mostly with pneumonia and RSV cases and he didn't want Bo getting anything worse. He did however think that Bo was not as stable as he would like and said he was going to put him on a home steriod treatment for 3days and cough suppressant. By 7am we went home. I slept until almost noon, and Bo has been fine since, a tad congested but happy and such. And so we therefore, survived the ER.

Next milestone, Anna can write an "A". Yes, folks just a few days past the 3rd bday and she can write an A. I showed her a few times, in chalk on the driveway, and then waited 24 hrs asked her today, out of the blue, to write me an A and Voila!!! Good thing for her, if she can nail an N, she has her name down, which by the way she does know how to verbally spell already. I am not sure at what point they begin writing letters, but seeing as she recognizes most all of them, it is the next natural step. Am I proud? You bet! Am I scared? Yep...cause this girl is on her toes. And when the word "Mom" comes out occassionaly, instead of Mommy, I am just awe struck at how quickly they mature.

Sippy Cup - you got it. We went to church today and when I checked Bo in, I checked Y for Sippy Cup N for Bottle, Y for Cheerios. This is a first. In the two weeks we have been gone from Church he flip flopped. It used to be N for Sippy, Y for Bottle and N for Cheerios. As his nice teacher said (can't remember her name), "I bet that paci hasn't gone anywhere"....too which I reply "Absolutely not, he is attached". And right now, that is fine with me, he isn't even a year! We can't ditch all the baby stuff before a year. So, one bottle a day is all I get, to snuggle him up, and I cherish it all.

Oh Milestone #4.....he sleeps through the night. Yep, all night, every night, 12hrs or so. Took him 10 1/2 months, but he figured it out. Alleluia.

Okay, so this might count as the worlds longest and most boring blog, but really it is a way for me to capture the goings on that otherwise would slip through the cracks.

I have had quite a week, purchasing Bo his first pair of shoes, the sippy thing is official, Anna turned 3, I took a baby to the ER and felt panic for the first time as a mom, I put the two of them to bed, with kisses and cuddles and realize that when my eyes open, they might be staying up later then me and putting me to bed. Yikes! Slow down!

More next time, I have some good pictures too and well, like Sarah F. says, that is why you come here anyway isn't it?
Sorry to dissappoint you this time. Today was my day to just yack.
Oh, but I WILL NOT close without my thankful list:

1. Friends, real friends, the two or three (Connie, Sarah, Christy, Kristy) that passed through my head at 2am as people who I would NOT hesitate to call to come get Anna. What a feeling that I knew none of them would care what time or what it was for.

2. My husband, for calming me, for loving me, to seeing that I had the weekend I wanted despite our crazy Friday night. I wanted time outside, with my family, working on the yard and that my friends I got!

3. Clean kids/self/husband/dog. Sounds cheezy but if you know me, you know I like clean, and when I get to throw Dog in there you know it is a good day. And for that, I again must say THANK YOU HONEY!!!

4. Good Insurance. Better believe we are taking this new insurance to the max, going to see how it really works for us. So far two surgeries, ER visit, 3 chest xrays back in Feb. a few routine appts. some chiropractor and several psychiatrist and psychologist appts for me. Know how much $$$ has left our pockets? Including prescriptions? (which there have been a lot of), I will say less than $200.

5. Remembering to take pictures. I am so glad I got over my need to have everything (aka Camera) in its case, in its place etc. and just decided to leave it out. As I loaded about 250 pics since Feb. onto Shutterfly, I am so glad I got back into capturing moments.

6. Our house/yard etc. it is so nice, it feels like OURS, like we LIVE here, this is HOME. We have now been here just as long as we were in AR. so it makes sense....but I love it.

7. My chiropractor, Travis, who is a friend too. I just go in, tell him where it hurts or is tight and he gives me some tips, an adjustment, and tells me to come back tomorrow and miraculously I start to feel better....he works wonders and if you live in Tulsa and are interested, let me know. I would gladly refer him.

8. On that note, our pediatrician. Hello, do Dr.'s really say (at 4am), "I will be up in a couple of hours and will come down there and see him myself". And surely as that he shows up, in person and takes care of Bo and of me, telling me I did the right thing taking him in. Which, I know, I don't need validation from a dr. to know that he was in trouble. But it still felt good and if you live in Tulsa and need a ped. I would recommend Dr. Kaltenbach in a hurry!

9. Anna, my dear Anna, who called me a nut case (as her father does some times), chuckled and followed it up with an "I love you mommy". Now seriously, how can you NOT love that?!

10. Life - it is good, I am thankful for every up and down of it, I am never alone and that is the best part!

Good night.