A-Mazing

I just wanted to let everyone know that Jude is doing AMAZING!  And I'm not talking about  "Pretty-good-for-a-kid-who-just-had-a-tonsillectomy good".  I'm talking about "Amazing-for-kid-who-hasn't-had-anything-done good".

Yesterday, in recovery, the heavy painkillers turned out to be too much for Jude's respiratory, so they gave him some regular old children's Tylenol.  And that turned out to do the trick.  The doctor had prescribed him some pretty strong stuff, but we just asked that the Tylenol be given every four hours during his stay.

However, I was prepared for Jude to be one miserable little boy when he really woke up that afternoon.  Well, he woke up and was completely normal.  And happy.  

He played with his iPad.

And he played with his puppy (the puppy was Aubrey Lane's Christmas present, but Jude claimed it and loves it.)

Last night, I slept in the bed with him and he was cozy and comfy all night.  

This morning, his ENT came in and saw him.  Dr. Boone had anticipated this being a pretty rough surgery for Jude, but he was AMAZED as well.  His exact words were, "Jude is going to make a liar out of me."  He asked in disbelief if all Jude really had was Tylenol?  His next words were, "He is one tough little booger."  The doctor had initially restricted school for two weeks, but told us that he should be able to resume regular activities soon.  

We got to go home early, and Jude has been just playing and being his normal self.  Except actually a little bit sweeter than normal- is that possible?

This evening, one of my sweetest friends, Lacey, brought by some dinner for the family.  I feel completely blessed by her friendship and kind heart.  However, I felt slightly guilty about the dinner because Jude seemed so happy.  But I am SOO THANKFUL!

I'm very indebted to my mother-in-law for taking good care of my Aubrey girl.  She ran her back and forth to the hospital so I could feed her.  Little stinker is still refusing the bottle.

I am also very thankful for everyone praying, texting, and calling to check on Jude.  And I am totally in awe of how God has brought Jude through all of this.  To think, we put off the surgery because we were afraid it was going to be pretty tough on Jude.  And it turns out that it was unbelievable easy.  This was all totally the works of God and I want to make sure He gets all the credit for all the wonderful things He does for me and our family.  

A couple of people have warned me that it can be worse a couple days after surgery, so please continue to pray for that sweet boy.

"I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee."

Psalm 138:1

She's Eight Months Old

Aubrey Lane, you are already eight months old.  Actually you have been eight months old for a whole week now.  That's 2/3's of a year... TWO THIRDS!!!  You are growing so fast, my sweet girl.
  

I'm excited to actually be able to document your weight and height this month because I just took you to see your pediatrician for an ear infection...


At 8 months old you weigh exactly 17 pounds and you are 27 inches long.  I'm not sure what percentage that is.  You wear 9 months and some 12 months clothes, size 2 shoes, and right now you are back in a size 2 diaper because we had some left over ;-)


Other than the ear infection, you've been pretty happy... well maybe not completely.  You have been cutting your top front teeth, and they haven't been that fun for you.  But now you have 3 teeth.  


You aren't crawling yet.  Actually, you don't seem to really have any interest in it.  You army crawl or roll everywhere you need to go.  You even lunge from sitting onto your belly, but you have no interest in getting that belly off the ground and onto your knees.  Pediatrician says not to worry a bit, but I try to work with you on it.  (The result of being a "therapy mom" with Jude for over 4 years) You hate it.  Every bit of it.  However, you have started pulling your self to standing using the safety bar in your stroller.  You love your stroller and you hop and dance in it every time.  I'm a little nervous you're going to hop right out of it.


Since you are teething, your eating habits have been a little off.  You are not always interested in spoon feeding; however, I've started you on stage 2s, but I'm a little disappointed over their lack of texture.  So I've just started mashing fruits and veggies with a fork and feeding you that.  You love it!  You love mangos, sweet potatoes, pears, and avocados.  


A couple of weeks ago, I offered you some puffs and you love them.  You haven't quite perfected picking them up, so I bought you some Mum-Mums for you to hold and eat yourself.  You are officially a Mum-Mum addict.  You LOVE feeding yourself, and you cry for more when you have finished.

You also put everything you can find in your mouth.  We call you our little nanny goat because your favorite thing to eat is magazine paper. 

of course I had to take a picture of you before I took it away

You don't want the sippy cup anymore.  You are more interested in playing with it than drinking from it.  I'm trying not to stress over it because I know that you'll get it when you are ready.  BUT... I'm a stresser, and the fact that you don't want to do anything but nurse makes me a very nervous for you during this week when Jude has surgery.

Eating isn't the only thing that teething has thrown a wrench into.  My sweet little girl, you have slept through the night since you were 8 weeks old... until now.  You wake up between 3 and 5 lately.  And I, the mom that said, "Babies sleep in their own bed", have been putting you in bed with us and nursing you back to sleep.  I actually think you want to get in bed with me more than you want to eat.

You are a good player.  I've packed away the bouncer and swing, and I'm about to pack away your jumper because you are not interested in playing in it either.  Instead, you love to sit and play with your piano and dance to it.  You love to roll around on the floor and pull out my magazines and tear them up.  I don't know why I'm in a rush for you to crawl when you are already into everything.  


You also love whatever toy your brother has and you are always right next to him trying to play with him.  Jude, on the other hand, has started testing the waters.  And he's not exactly your biggest fan.  He hits you, pushes you, pulls you down when your sitting, and kicks you.  And you have turned into quite a sensitive little thing.  You burst into tears at his every physical assault. 


You are doing some really sweet things right now.  You are snuggling your face into everything when you are sleepy.  When I'm holding you, you spontaneously lean in and give me open mouth kisses on my face.  

You have started showing some stranger anxiety.  We were in JC Penny the other day, and you were happy as a lark riding and hopping in the stroller.  Then a young man leaned down to say hello to you. You. Squalled.  You just lost it.  But you were fine as soon as he got out of your space.  


You have started taking to your daddy a little more.  You cutely say "Da Da" every time you see him.  I can't lie... it makes me a little jealous, but I'm glad you are finally taken with him.  


You are a pretty easy baby.  And pretty easy going too.  You are still "quietly curious", as you daddy calls you, and you would rather quietly examine you environment than dive right into whatever is in front of you.  You are generally pretty happy and content.  The only things that make you upset is taking a toy away and changing you.  


That's right, you dislike being changed, and you HATE the changing table.  I think it's just the laying down part because you start screaming the moment I lay you down to change you, but as soon as I sit you up, you are fine.  And oddly, it's worse on the changing table.  I've gotten to where I don't even like to use it because you put up such a fight. I just lay a blanket down on Jude's toddler bed or the floor.  Hopefully that will get a little better as you get older.


We have had a full month of sweet memory making.  One of those noteworthy moments was going to visit Maw Maw Katie and Paw Paw Steve.  Paw Paw Steve had only seen you a few times, but you are his only granddaughter, and he is smitten with you.  We went out to eat, and you were so fussy, so Paw Paw Steve swooped you up, rocked you, and sang loudly to you in the restaurant.  Y'all were both happy as two peas in a pod.  When he would stop singing you would jump and give him a couple tugs on his shirt to start again.  It was pretty stinkin' sweet.

Another on of those moments was yesterday at the zoo.  You are still the community streaker.  I'm starting to think you strategically poop on your clothes so you can be naked.  You wait until I've exhausted all extra outfits before you strike again. And the zoo trip was no different.  About two-thirds through the trip you ended up streaking again.  Here's a picture of the streaker and Uncle Joey.

Tonight, sweet girl, is the first night you will spend away from Mommy and Daddy.  I miss you bunches, but I know you are in good hands with your Maw Maw Lucy.  Plus, I know it will be good for both of us because we are pretty attached to one another.  But that's okay.  You are only a baby for a tiny bit of time, there will be plenty of time for you to be independent later in life.  For now, I'm just soaking up all these sweet baby moments with you.  


I love you, sweet Aubrey girl.  

He did great.

Jude did wonderful in surgery!  

They were able to get an IV started.  It's in his shoulder, but beggars can't be choosers, right?

The surgery went smoothly and quickly.  However, recovery didn't so much.  My poor Judey Jude had a really rough time and was in a lot of pain.  It took them a little over an hour to get his pain under control, and he was MISERABLE.

A little snuggling from daddy was good medicine.

We also had a special visitor.  Maw Maw Lucy brought Aubrey Lane to the hospital during surgery so both could visit Jude.  (And I could sneak in a little feeding)  

Right now, sweet boy is sleeping peacefully in a room on the floor, NOT the PICU!  YAY!!!   And since he's resting, I might try get a little nap myself.  

A great big THANK YOU to everyone praying for our family.  God is so faithful to us.  

What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me? Psalm 116:12

Surgery Day

Today is Jude's surgery day!

I was afraid he would be too sick for surgery, but he got clearance from his pediatrician Friday, and despite him feeling pretty bad yesterday, he seems fine this morning. It must have been all that Louisiana sunlight and fresh air he got at the zoo yesterday :-)

We are currently in a room in pre-op waiting for the show to get started. We are a little anxious, but we know God's got this!

I have a few prayer requests. If you don't mind, I'd like to be specific so all my beloved prayer warriors can help me out.

1. Please pray that anesthesia is able to start an IV on Jude without any complications or difficulties.

2. Please pray that Jude handles the anesthesia well without any complications.

3. Please pray that the surgery goes very smoothly.

I will update as often as I can. Thank you for prayers!

Angel

Surgery Date... and more

Yesterday, the ENT's nurse called me and told me that they have a date for Jude's tonsillectomy.  "March the 26th, in two weeks" were her words.  


She continued to tell me that Jude needs to have blood work and a couple other things done the week before the surgery.


Well, I called my mom to let her know and she brought to light that the 26th is NEXT MONDAY!  I called the nurse back and she just didn't realize that the 26th was only next week.  


So yesterday we spent running around doing pre-op stuff and "attempting" to get a successful stick for blood work.  Attempting being the key word.  I held my sweet redhead tight as they dug around looking for blood.  He was such a big boy and only cried for the sticks.  


Here he is last night with his bandages.  He was so tired and starting to feel bad.

We are "attempting" at a different lab tomorrow so please say a prayer that they get a successful stick on the first try!


It was Aubrey Lane's 8 month birthday yesterday too, but she was running a little fever and cranky so I haven't got her monthly post done yet.  


Speaking of fever, both kiddos ran fever last night and we ended up in the pediatrician's office this morning with BOTH kiddos.  So thankful my mother in law came along to help me with them.  The double stroller is just too much somedays.


Both kids are now on antibiotics.  Aubrey Lane for her first and hopefully only ear infection, and Jude for a respiratory infection.


Hopefully everyone will be better for Monday, the BIG surgery day.  So please keep our family in your prayers for this coming time.


Now onto the "more".


Please take the time this week to love and pray for your neighbor. I'm not just referring to your friends, coworkers, or fellow Christian brothers and sisters. When I say neighbor, I mean anyone God puts in your path. 


There is too much hate in this world... please take a few minutes each day and replace some of that hate with love!

Because they're ours...

When Jude was born, several doctors talked about his unique characteristics like his chromosome abnormality was completely to blame for all those details. 


Not only would they would contribute his medical problems to his genetic disorder, but also physical characteristics like his curly red hair and short stature as well.  The disorder even gained credit for his happy disposition.  


Many of these opinions made Lane and I feel like Jude belonged to his genetic abnormality more than he belonged to us.  


Then we had Aubrey Lane.  She does not have the same chromosome abnormality that Jude does, yet she shares so many of her big brother's characteristics.  They even share a small birth defect.  When Jude was born, he had a little dimple in his lower back known as a sacral dimple.  Lane has one too, but the doctors still credited Jude's chromosome disorder to that birth defect.  Well four years later, a healthy baby girl was born with that same exact dimple.  Proving that Jude did not have his dimple from his genetic disorder, but because he was Lane's son.


This makes my heart so happy and I watch both Jude and Aubrey Lane in amazement as their personalities develop and I see so much of Lane and me in them.  And I love how they are even sharing so many personality traits.


Now don't get me wrong, God is completely responsible for creating both of those precious babies.  But God did give them our genes. 


So, because they're ours...


they both have their father's blue eyes


Jude has my course curly hair inherited from my own father


they both have a great love for music


Aubrey Lane has my pug little nose


they are both little shorties


Jude is a cranky morning person just like his mommy


they both rub their faces and snuggle blankets when they sleep


Aubrey Lane already sings like her daddy


Jude loves the outdoors like both of his parents


they both have tiny little feet


they are both well known for their happy and sweet personalities


I could not be prouder or more in love with those two little people that are so much like Lane and me.


 

AWANA be a Big Boy!

At our church, on Wednesday nights, all the children participate in AWANA.   It stands for "Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed" from 2 Timothy 2:15.  Well this is Jude's first year to participate, and he is having a blast as a Cubby!

Last night, Lane shadowed him and we participated in his class where I learned two things.

1.  Jude is very accepted and loved by his peers.  None of his funny quirks and yelling seem to bother or scare them at all.  They seem to genuinely accept Jude as part of their group.  It's very, very sweet.

2.  Not only is Jude accepted by his peers, but dare I say he may actually be somewhat of a leader among them?  Every time Jude was acknowledged or praised, the children would copycat what he was doing.  For example, during story time, Jude became very excited and started clapping.  The story teller acknowledged him and told him good job.  Immediately, about 7 other children sitting next to him start clapping with him.  It was kinda cute.  

Jude is also getting better at his walking; taking steps on his own and going where he wants to with the assistance of hand holding.  So he walks from class to class.

sorry... these pictures were taken on my phone

Okay... on to some updates.

So remember the whole sleep apnea scare?  Well that day while we were at the hospital, the doctor ordered an xray to see if Jude's adenoids had grown back.  A couple weeks later, we received a call that they had and we needed to see our ENT.  When we got to the ENT, he informed us that it wasn't Jude's adenoids that they saw in the xray; it was his tonsils.  Apparently the tonsils aren't getting smaller, only bigger.  But he didn't want to make the call for them to come out.

So Monday, we saw our pulmonary specialist again and he said that it's time for the tonsils to come out.  In fact, he wants them out ASAP.  And he said he didn't even want Jude to have any other procedures until the tonsils were taken out.

Tonsils being removed is a big surgery for Jude.  The doctor said that he'd be in the hospital for 2-4 days at least and he couldn't go to school for 2 weeks.  He also said Jude would need to sleep in our room for those two weeks.  They told us to be prepared that Jude's eating would regress in the beginning, but ultimately be better in the long run. 

So we are waiting for the nurse to call us with a surgery date.

On the flip side, we got some good news.  Despite the increase in severity of sleep apnea, Jude NO LONGER HAS TO WEAR OXYGEN AT NIGHT!!!  The doctor said that since Jude pulled it off constantly, that he'd be more worried with him wearing it than not wearing it.  

So I had to ask:

Does this mean no more O2 tanks in the truck and only going on road trip vacations because we need to bring the oxygen concentrator?  

The doctor told me to leave that junk at home and go have a good time!

I have to admit, it was a little scary at first, but the doctor is über conservative and careful, so I know that he would have never told me to do this if it was too risky.

Well, that's it for now.  I hope y'all are all enjoying this fabulous early spring (guess the groundhog was wrong- again).  

Angel

Catching up

As I'm writing this blog post, it does occur to me that I would not have to play "catch up" all the time on this blog if I would make a little bit better effort at keeping it up.  BUT... that's kinda hard to do when you've had a week like I did.  


We started the week with me and my redhead having fever and a runny nose.  I got better after a couple days, but it progressed into an upset stomach for Jude.  So I had one snotty, puking, miserable little boy to tend to last week.  It was a miserable week for everybody.  


Saturday rolled around and Jude got up and seemed to be better, but by noon, he was back to being miserable for the rest of the day.  So we counted church out and decided to let the family sleep in and rest Sunday morning.  Wouldn't you know, Jude got up in the best of moods.

So we took them for a wagon ride.  (I had been giving them wagon rides regularly during the week because I read somewhere that sunlight was good for bronchial congestion)

Aren't the soooo cute in their sunglasses?

Monday got here, and I decided that Jude was ready to go back to school.  Then I got a call from the school to come get him :-(  so we cancelled today's activities too.  Hopefully, he will be well enough to back to school tomorrow.

The good news is that Aubrey Lane stayed well through all of it.  

Hopefully, today will be a turning point for Jude and our family.  And you'll start to see fun stuff on the blog, not just health updates.

Hope everyone is enjoying this gorgeous day we are having,

Angel