Kael's Surgery

Well, Kaelin's adenoids and tonsils are GONE!!! It was definitely time. She always sounded stuffy, had issues with ear infections, then not being able to get the fluid to drain from her ears. She had 20% hearing loss for about 2 1/2 months after a battle with a nasty ear infection in December. Most importantly, she had sleep apnea. These were her symptoms:

• snoring - loud, squeaky, raspy
• nocturnal snorting, gasping, choking (may wake self up)
• restless sleep
• heavy irregular breathing
• sleeps with mouth open, causing a dry mouth upon awakening
• chest retraction during sleep in young children (chest pulls in)
• sleeps in strange positions
• unrefreshing sleep
• excessive daytime sleepiness
• excessive irritability
• change in personality
• difficulty concentrating
• Breathing stops for a few seconds at night during snoring or loud breathing (sleep apnea)

• Swollen lymph nodes (glands) in the neck
• Breathing through the mouth instead of the nose most of the time
• Nose sounds “blocked” when the person speaks
• Noisy breathing during the day
• Recurrent ear infections

We took her in on Thursday morning. She was very apprehensive, but after they gave her an oral medication (like xanax), she turned into jello. She started talking, actually slurring, and didn't have a care in the world. It was beyond comical. Randy and I were completely cracking up.

She's starting to get loopy here
Then turns into mush :)



Here are some videos. She'll probably be mad at us later in life for this, but wow it was funny :)

In this video, Kael was looking at a picture of Reece and then the picture went off the screen, that's why she's asking for him.



I don't remember what she was talking about, but SHE was the one being loud :)



She woke up really upset (from the anethesia), but in general did SO GREAT! She definitely started cheering up after they took the heart monitors and IV out. She was NOT impressed with them.

Right before she started waking up

My poor little Nushie
Notice my wet shirt (at the neck)? I almost passed out. Seeing her in pain, mixed with blood, not eating and low blood sugar...NOT GOOD. The nurse had to give me something to eat, drink and a wet towel for my neck. Totally embarrassing!!!! And here I was concerned that Randy might pass out. Nope, he was fine, but not me.Mr. Giraffe needed oxygen too!

She has bounced back really quickly. She still has some pain in her throat, but complains the most about a sore on the side of her mouth from the surgery. She was arguing with Reece and fighting with him yesterday, so obviously, she was feeling back to normal ;)

I can already tell a difference in her breathing. She doesn't snore anymore and her voice is different. She has a higher pitched voice and sounds more like a little girl, if that makes sense.

Easter (6 days late)

What can I say? I'm just a little behind. What's new. :)

This was a fun Easter for us. Kaelin sort of gets what Easter is about. She knows that we're celebrating that Jesus is alive. That He died for us, but that He's alive again. It's hard to know how to explain that to a child, but I'm sure she understands more than we think she does.

She also loves the idea of candy and time with family. I say the idea of candy because almost every piece she eats, she dislikes. She wants to like it, but just really doesn't. Reece on the other hand is a different story.

And the eggs...how could I forget. The kids LOVE eggs. They play and play with them. I'm so tired of hiding eggs. Oh yes, 6 days after Easter and we're still playing that game.

Joanna

Sam
Trying to get the eggs in the trees

All the cute little cousins

Kael and Reece right before church. Randy was playing on the worship team, so I got them ready by myself. Horrid morning, but the rest of the day was much better.

Can you see that Kael had been crying?

What I discovered while getting the kids ready:

1. Reece doesn't like the buttons on his shirt (this is totally because Kaelin hates buttons)

2. Reece hates his flip flops or "flop flops" as he calls them. He just wanted to wear his ratty play shoes instead. (NO, he did not win this battle)

3. Kaelin REALLY doesn't like bows on her dresses. She doesn't wear frilly dresses with bows very often and since she was already in a bad mood, it did not help matters. (No she did not win the battle even though her bow isn't tied in the pic.) I waited till church to retie it.

4. Kaelin doesn't like having her hair curled, but thought she was super hot stuff when it was done. She kept telling me that she looked pretty :)

5. Just because the morning is bad, doesn't mean the rest of the day will be. It's all about getting past it. Satan really tried to keep us home from church, but we made it. We were late, but I was able to be in worship for 2 songs and all the stress of the morning lifted and I was so glad we overcame it. Church was amazing and the rest of the day was so much fun too.

Hope your Easter was wonderful and full of celebration! Our God is alive!!!!

Another day at the beach day

Wow, we must be on a roll. We're not too big on going to the beach. I know that is blasphemy to some of you northerners, but it's true. We've been to the beach twice in the past month, so we may have just set a record for us. Maybe we're just trying to get it all in before we move up north for the summer.

We met some of Randy's cousins out at the beach and we had so much fun. The kids are beyond content playing in the sand and water. I seriously think they could play out there for 12 hours straight and still not want to go home. They love it! Plus it's always more fun when you have other kids to play with.



Daddy and Kael making castles

Reece thought he was so cool sitting on the little truck eating chips :)

Daddy pulling Kael and Reece

Don pulling Kael on the board

Posers :)

And this is why we don't go to the beach over spring break...
It was worth it to hang out with these fun people though!

Family

Randy's cousin (Kevin and Sherri) and family came down for vacation a few weeks ago. We had a wonderful (although short) time with them. We met together at the park for a little while. The kids had a blast playing together.

Sherri is a sweet blogging friend of mine and she has a way with words. She's been through so much, but has a very positive outlook and a quiet grace that inspires me. Wish we could spend more time together. Maybe this summer?!?! :)



Sherri, Danielle, Jessica, Me, Wynette (and Joanna)

Just being silly

Another one of Randy's cousins and his family came down for vacation this past week. What fun it was to spend time with them. Heather is also a blog friend, whom I adore. She thinks I have her on a pedestal and she's right. She is a terrific mother and friend. I often look to her for advice. She thinks she steals ideas for decorating from me, but I often steal ideas from her while looking at her blog. Love ya Heather!!!

Don and Heather's kids are so sweet. They played so nicely with our kids and Kaelin thought William was the coolest little guy.


Suzy and Kaelin

Jamming out at our house while Don and Heather had a date

Jack was totally into it

The girls playing together

Sweet little Suzy with a hat that Reece wanted her to wear

Rides on Randy: Kael, Reece and William

What a full, but fun table

At the park with some of the cousins. Super sweet group of kids


NOTE: Thank you too Wynette, Sherri and Heather! I stole some of your pictures :)

What we do all day: Part 2

Here we go again :)

We get stamp ink EVERYWHERE (I didn't discover what Reece had done until the damage was done. That's what I get for going to the bathroom while "washable" ink is being used by my creative geniuses)

We eat ice cream (not too often though)

Then we work out. Except that the kids always stop after 5 minutes and I have to keep going

The kids love to cook in their kitchen

We prepare envelopes to send to our President. Kaelin was so proud to be my helper

We have plumbing problems

The kids get as dirty as humanly possible

...and love every minute of it

Then drive mommy crazy when Reece decides to "help" clean the van by dumping dirt in it....I did have to chuckle after I got over the shock

We find out that Barbie can do many neat tricks

We pretend we're superheros (if only you could've seen my cape)

We go camping in the closet

We print out pictures, color them
then cut them out

I find play-doh and cutters in very ODD places


Yes, I know my kids are in pajamas in most of these pictures. I'd be lying if I said we didn't like to wear pajamas till at least 10AM. That's the way we roll :)

Can you tell I'm bored without my husband home? (He's gone on a camping trip with the school kids.)