Friday's during Lent is a day of fasting and not eating meat. With that being said on Friday night's during Lent the kids get scrambled eggs, toast and fruit for dinner. They don't usually complain but it is not Katie's favorite. So here I am feeding Katie her eggs because she really did not want them, Jack is finishing his toast (he loves eggs his are already gone) and Maddie was getting fussy.
I asked Jack to give Maddie her binkie, she was getting fussy. All of the sudden I hear, "Mommy Maddie took my toast." I couldn't stop laughing
In trying to get Maddie to want to eat her baby food we have been sitting Maddie at the table in a booster seat. We give her biter bisquets or toast with, lots of butter. She loves it. I noticed lately she has been trying to communicate what food she wants. Because Phil was working late we did dinner picnic style on the living room floor.
Maddie recognized the toast and wanted that instead of the binkie. Needless to say I had to go make her her own toast.
Hope everyone has a good weekend. It will be cold and rainy here.
Happy Friday!!!
TTFN
(for those of you who don't know what this means, "TA TA For Now")
Friday, March 13, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Pilbert's Birthday
HAPPY BIRTHDAY PILBERT!!!!!!
Hugs and Kisses,
Chelsea, Katie, Jack and Maddie
GO IRISH!!!!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
last week saga continues
As I was grateful that Wednesday was uneventful Thursday made up for it. I spent the entire day running errands and helping a friend have everything ready for her husband's business taxes, I barely had time to breathe. However, the first Thursday of every other month we have a meeting with other Cardiac Kids Parents (see link down the side). We are members of the Levine Cardiac Kids founded in April of 2007. These are the parents like us who have one or more child(ren) with some type of Congenital Heart Defect (CHD) and siblings who are normal (whatever that is).
When we were in the hospital after Maddie's surgery we were given a bag of goodies of all sorts of things. Most of it were things you might forget if you had an experience like ours (toothbrush, toothpaste, playing cards, puzzle book). They had a monthly meeting while Maddie was in the hospital so we went. The meeting was very informative and I was very glad some of the parents were smart enough to get together to help new families like us.
Because they are aware of families with siblings, they also let the siblings do something fun while the families are meeting. So we decided to bring Katie and Jack. After the Pizza dinner social Katie and Jack were taken to the 8th floor play area by the CHILD LIFE Group so Phil and I could enjoy the meeting.
This month one of the Doctors from the Sanger Clinic spoke about all the advances that have been developed for the many different CHD. Some things were truly amazing. The showed how some new procedures are done some of which was really unbelievable. However, Phil and I learned how truly blessed we were. We were the only parents in the room with a child with a coartation of the aorta. The reason why......because all the other children had much worse CHD.
Children born with half a heart, hearts that the valves were messed up as to where the blood is to pump to, severe holes where the blood is leaking into the wrong area. Some of these children had to have heart transplants at less than one year of age. I could not possibly imagine having to go through more that one surgery with Madelynn. The first and hopefully only one was a road I never wish to travel again.
For Madelynn there is the small chance that the repaired area will shrink and she will have to go through an outpatient OFFICE procedure to balloon it back open. Yes they do it as an office visit. That part kills me every time I hear it. As of Madelynn's last echo in January her heart looks so good unless you knew what you were looking for you would never know her heart was repaired. Her scar has almost disappeared. It truly is amazing.
When the meeting was over I literally wanted to run home and see Madelynn. We had to pick her up at Grandma Bacho's house. I just needed to see her smile. I was grateful and relieved at where she was in her recovery. I met a couple who was pregnant with their 1st child, a little boy, who was going to be born with a CHD. They have a general idea but won't know the true severity of it till he is born (sometime in the end of June, beginning of July). There was also a young boy who lost his battle with his heart condition last week.
I hear from people all the time. I can't even imagine what it has been like for you. I don't think about it that way. What we went through was nothing compared to some of the others. I don't know what I would had done if I knew Madelynn's condition before she was born. I heard in another meeting that Parents of CHD children are chosen. That Phil and I were chosen to be Madelynn's parents. I don't know why but that word CHOSEN stopped me dead in my tracks.
Then I heard of a mother who took photos of children in the hospital, premature babies, very sick babies. She took these incredible photos for families because for some that would be all they had because the child only lived a few hours or days. One of the parents Thanked her and told her this was what God created you to do.
Some days I wonder If I am doing what God created me to do. I feel like some days caring for Madelynn in her recovery is not enough. I feel like I have walked this road with her for a purpose and I am missing the reason why. So needless to say I have truly been searching for the reason. Although Madelynn is doing very well in all aspects of her recovery, the journey is not over. I am supposed to take what I learned and do something with it. I am not sure what though.
As a quick side note Madelynn went for her weight check this week and gained another 10 oz. I was stunned and very excited. This makes her 13 lbs and 10.5 oz. She still has a long way to go because she still can not be plotted on the chart for her weight yet. She is a fighter and working very hard in her therapy too.
TTFN
When we were in the hospital after Maddie's surgery we were given a bag of goodies of all sorts of things. Most of it were things you might forget if you had an experience like ours (toothbrush, toothpaste, playing cards, puzzle book). They had a monthly meeting while Maddie was in the hospital so we went. The meeting was very informative and I was very glad some of the parents were smart enough to get together to help new families like us.
Because they are aware of families with siblings, they also let the siblings do something fun while the families are meeting. So we decided to bring Katie and Jack. After the Pizza dinner social Katie and Jack were taken to the 8th floor play area by the CHILD LIFE Group so Phil and I could enjoy the meeting.
This month one of the Doctors from the Sanger Clinic spoke about all the advances that have been developed for the many different CHD. Some things were truly amazing. The showed how some new procedures are done some of which was really unbelievable. However, Phil and I learned how truly blessed we were. We were the only parents in the room with a child with a coartation of the aorta. The reason why......because all the other children had much worse CHD.
Children born with half a heart, hearts that the valves were messed up as to where the blood is to pump to, severe holes where the blood is leaking into the wrong area. Some of these children had to have heart transplants at less than one year of age. I could not possibly imagine having to go through more that one surgery with Madelynn. The first and hopefully only one was a road I never wish to travel again.
For Madelynn there is the small chance that the repaired area will shrink and she will have to go through an outpatient OFFICE procedure to balloon it back open. Yes they do it as an office visit. That part kills me every time I hear it. As of Madelynn's last echo in January her heart looks so good unless you knew what you were looking for you would never know her heart was repaired. Her scar has almost disappeared. It truly is amazing.
When the meeting was over I literally wanted to run home and see Madelynn. We had to pick her up at Grandma Bacho's house. I just needed to see her smile. I was grateful and relieved at where she was in her recovery. I met a couple who was pregnant with their 1st child, a little boy, who was going to be born with a CHD. They have a general idea but won't know the true severity of it till he is born (sometime in the end of June, beginning of July). There was also a young boy who lost his battle with his heart condition last week.
I hear from people all the time. I can't even imagine what it has been like for you. I don't think about it that way. What we went through was nothing compared to some of the others. I don't know what I would had done if I knew Madelynn's condition before she was born. I heard in another meeting that Parents of CHD children are chosen. That Phil and I were chosen to be Madelynn's parents. I don't know why but that word CHOSEN stopped me dead in my tracks.
Then I heard of a mother who took photos of children in the hospital, premature babies, very sick babies. She took these incredible photos for families because for some that would be all they had because the child only lived a few hours or days. One of the parents Thanked her and told her this was what God created you to do.
Some days I wonder If I am doing what God created me to do. I feel like some days caring for Madelynn in her recovery is not enough. I feel like I have walked this road with her for a purpose and I am missing the reason why. So needless to say I have truly been searching for the reason. Although Madelynn is doing very well in all aspects of her recovery, the journey is not over. I am supposed to take what I learned and do something with it. I am not sure what though.
As a quick side note Madelynn went for her weight check this week and gained another 10 oz. I was stunned and very excited. This makes her 13 lbs and 10.5 oz. She still has a long way to go because she still can not be plotted on the chart for her weight yet. She is a fighter and working very hard in her therapy too.
TTFN
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Thriving
Well one of the things I left out from my Tuesday fiascal was the fact that somewhere in all the chaos I did manage to take Maddie for her weekly weight check. The previous week when we were there I was very disappointed. Their new scale came in and it was the first time Maddie was weighed on it. In a week she had gained no weight. Suddenly all of the horrible memories came rushing back.
I quickly wanted to analyze everything we had done in the last week and figure out where had I failed her. I knew she was eating, no vomiting, she was playing (maybe too much). I finally had to stop myself. I needed to remember it was a new scale and I would follow the next couple of weeks and see where it had taken me.
So Tuesday, after the day I was having I only expected the weight gain to be a few ounces. Is 10.5 ounces just a few ounces. I almost fainted. Not only had she gained 10.5 ounces in a week, her total weight to date was 13lbs and 1/2 oz. She still does not plot on the growth chart for weight but, I see little rolls on her legs, and her chest is not so caved in and her face is fuller. Her therapist also said that she is very strong with her legs and she really is trying.
So on those days when you really feel like you should throw in the towel and go back to bed in hopes to start the day over.....open the curtains and enjoy the sunshine there is always something that can make your day brighter.
TTFN
I quickly wanted to analyze everything we had done in the last week and figure out where had I failed her. I knew she was eating, no vomiting, she was playing (maybe too much). I finally had to stop myself. I needed to remember it was a new scale and I would follow the next couple of weeks and see where it had taken me.
So Tuesday, after the day I was having I only expected the weight gain to be a few ounces. Is 10.5 ounces just a few ounces. I almost fainted. Not only had she gained 10.5 ounces in a week, her total weight to date was 13lbs and 1/2 oz. She still does not plot on the growth chart for weight but, I see little rolls on her legs, and her chest is not so caved in and her face is fuller. Her therapist also said that she is very strong with her legs and she really is trying.
So on those days when you really feel like you should throw in the towel and go back to bed in hopes to start the day over.....open the curtains and enjoy the sunshine there is always something that can make your day brighter.
TTFN
Monday, March 9, 2009
The first 3 days
I am about to cover the last 9 days because they have really been up and down. It will probably cover a few entries because there is a lot to say. Sunday, March 1st it rained, sleeted, snowed all day. It was miserable and we never left the house. When we woke up Monday morning it was no longer raining, sleeting or snowing, it was just a beautiful blanket of white sparkles. It was 5 am and most of the schools were shut down the night before so the world was undistrbed. It looked so peaceful outside. I crawled back in bed for just a little while because unlike the rest of the world I was one of the few who had to trudge through it to get to work.
Truly I had a ton of work to do, the month needed to be closed and days like today were the perfect days to go to work becasue no one would be there, no interuptions. So Daddy, Katie, Jack and Maddie piled in the truck and took me to work. That was the only bummer thing for Phil is that he really couldn't enjoy the day off becasue you get pulled in so many directions having three children 5 and under. As beautiful as it was I am glad it is gone, we had morning lows in the teens and I really, REALLY dislike that. It doesn't start my week off well.
However, in true Chelsea fashion my week went from bad to worse. I had been having problems with my garage door opener. The batteries for it are hard to find so I was just using the key pad. I over slept as far as the time I wanted to get the kids to daycare. I try to have them there on my days off a little before 8 so they can eat breakfast with there friends. I am running around like an idiot get Maddie's treatment done getting Katie and Jack dressed. We have PT on Tuesday so I try to have her breathing treatment done early before the Physical Therapist arrives. Did I mention it was only 20 degrees out. So I come home from dropping Katie and Jack off at school. Pull in the driveway, lift the key pad to open the garage door and my combination doesn't work. I try 5 times, no dice. I called my neighbor to see if she had a 9 volt battery. She did but that didn't fix my problem.
So just so we are all on the same page...it is 20 degrees out, my garage door opener does not work, the key pad on the garage door does not work, putting a new battery in the key pad didn't fix it, Maddie is in her car seat in the truck and it is running to keep her warm. My neighbor says do you keep any windows open. I quickly said no. I always lock all the doors and windows. Yea Right!! Except one on the second story. My neighbor walks around to the front windows and says......Uh this window is unlocked. She goes home to get a butter knife we pop the screen and I am in the house. THANK GOD!!!
For those of you wondering why didn't she just use the key to the house??? The only key to the house is locked in the van, both sets of keys to the van are locked in the house. One of the very first gifts Phil and I were given when we bought our house was a garage door opener. I haven't used a house key in 10 years, yes I said TEN YEARS. After Maddie had her PT session at the house Tuesday morning I was exhausted but I had errands to run. I go to the cable company to turn in one of our DVR boxes stand in line for 10 minutes realize I left the remote for the box on the bed. They won't take it back without it so I left.
Most of Tuesday was a total wash out so I just gave up went to pick up the kids, stopped by Lowes had a crap load of keys made. When I got home I stopped by a few neighbor's houses and passed them out it the hopes that Tuesday NEVER happens again. I'll have to continue the saga tomorrow. TTFN
Truly I had a ton of work to do, the month needed to be closed and days like today were the perfect days to go to work becasue no one would be there, no interuptions. So Daddy, Katie, Jack and Maddie piled in the truck and took me to work. That was the only bummer thing for Phil is that he really couldn't enjoy the day off becasue you get pulled in so many directions having three children 5 and under. As beautiful as it was I am glad it is gone, we had morning lows in the teens and I really, REALLY dislike that. It doesn't start my week off well.
However, in true Chelsea fashion my week went from bad to worse. I had been having problems with my garage door opener. The batteries for it are hard to find so I was just using the key pad. I over slept as far as the time I wanted to get the kids to daycare. I try to have them there on my days off a little before 8 so they can eat breakfast with there friends. I am running around like an idiot get Maddie's treatment done getting Katie and Jack dressed. We have PT on Tuesday so I try to have her breathing treatment done early before the Physical Therapist arrives. Did I mention it was only 20 degrees out. So I come home from dropping Katie and Jack off at school. Pull in the driveway, lift the key pad to open the garage door and my combination doesn't work. I try 5 times, no dice. I called my neighbor to see if she had a 9 volt battery. She did but that didn't fix my problem.
So just so we are all on the same page...it is 20 degrees out, my garage door opener does not work, the key pad on the garage door does not work, putting a new battery in the key pad didn't fix it, Maddie is in her car seat in the truck and it is running to keep her warm. My neighbor says do you keep any windows open. I quickly said no. I always lock all the doors and windows. Yea Right!! Except one on the second story. My neighbor walks around to the front windows and says......Uh this window is unlocked. She goes home to get a butter knife we pop the screen and I am in the house. THANK GOD!!!
For those of you wondering why didn't she just use the key to the house??? The only key to the house is locked in the van, both sets of keys to the van are locked in the house. One of the very first gifts Phil and I were given when we bought our house was a garage door opener. I haven't used a house key in 10 years, yes I said TEN YEARS. After Maddie had her PT session at the house Tuesday morning I was exhausted but I had errands to run. I go to the cable company to turn in one of our DVR boxes stand in line for 10 minutes realize I left the remote for the box on the bed. They won't take it back without it so I left.
Most of Tuesday was a total wash out so I just gave up went to pick up the kids, stopped by Lowes had a crap load of keys made. When I got home I stopped by a few neighbor's houses and passed them out it the hopes that Tuesday NEVER happens again. I'll have to continue the saga tomorrow. TTFN
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Katie, Mommy and the Potty
We have been talking to Katie about being a big girl and going to big girl school. We have been showing her, her new school for the fall. She came to us and told us she wanted to wear panties to bed. She wanted to be a big girl. Seeing as I never sleep anymore I figured I would wake her in the middle of the night to help her learn to get up in the middle of the night to use the potty. Little did I know the events that would occur.
I wake in the middle of the night because I her Lady whimpering. I quickly think of Katie and quietly hurry myself to her room to take her to the potty. I whip back her covers only to see her wide-eyed as if I had two heads. I said come on lets go potty. I get.... NO Mommy I already went. I asked her when. She said she just went. So let's replay this in her 5 year old mind.
She wakes to go potty. Follows the trail of night lights I set out, goes potty and goes back to bed. I wake to Lady whimpering because Katie got out of bed. I probably scared Katie to death. She thought everyone was asleep and here I come. I felt so bad for scaring her but the more I remember the big wide eyes in the middle of the night the more I laugh.
Then we have the worst night. We had a strange day and Katie had something to drink later than normal. I was worried and did not want to see her fail so I wake her out of a dead sleep and carry her to the bathroom. I stand her up and she sits on the potty. I am helping her because she is still half asleep I thought she would either fall in or off while trying to go. She looks up and me with one eye open, Mommy I really do not have to go can I go back to bed?
Feeling like dirt I get her off the potty grab her hand and start to lead her back to bed. Katie was still half asleep and I guided her right into the wall. If she wasn't awake she was now. Yes I checked her head in the morning for a bruise and NO she did not have one. I supposed what I should learn from all of this is the following Katie came to me about the overnight potty. She will have accidents I should let her do it her way. She will probably live longer. TTFN
I wake in the middle of the night because I her Lady whimpering. I quickly think of Katie and quietly hurry myself to her room to take her to the potty. I whip back her covers only to see her wide-eyed as if I had two heads. I said come on lets go potty. I get.... NO Mommy I already went. I asked her when. She said she just went. So let's replay this in her 5 year old mind.
She wakes to go potty. Follows the trail of night lights I set out, goes potty and goes back to bed. I wake to Lady whimpering because Katie got out of bed. I probably scared Katie to death. She thought everyone was asleep and here I come. I felt so bad for scaring her but the more I remember the big wide eyes in the middle of the night the more I laugh.
Then we have the worst night. We had a strange day and Katie had something to drink later than normal. I was worried and did not want to see her fail so I wake her out of a dead sleep and carry her to the bathroom. I stand her up and she sits on the potty. I am helping her because she is still half asleep I thought she would either fall in or off while trying to go. She looks up and me with one eye open, Mommy I really do not have to go can I go back to bed?
Feeling like dirt I get her off the potty grab her hand and start to lead her back to bed. Katie was still half asleep and I guided her right into the wall. If she wasn't awake she was now. Yes I checked her head in the morning for a bruise and NO she did not have one. I supposed what I should learn from all of this is the following Katie came to me about the overnight potty. She will have accidents I should let her do it her way. She will probably live longer. TTFN
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
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