 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Stories Three years ago today, Andy and I made the difficult decision to take our 13 day old son off of his ventilator and allow him to go be with our savior, Jesus Christ in Heaven. On this one day, I like to share our story not only to honor Brady’s memory, but to remind everyone of the hope and peace that comes with knowing God. We are to embrace our suffering and draw our strength not from this world, but from the power of God, which doesn’t compare to anything here on Earth. Today, our family will light a candle and talk about Brady, and watch the slide show from his memorial service. I will share his story with our kids to remind them of how much Brady did for them. He was not supposed to live here on Earth very long at all. In fact, with all of my pregnancy complications with the triplets, it is truly a miracle that he even survived inside of me at all. I know that God’s hand was “heavy upon me” during my pregnancy because a very spiritual woman made sure to tell me that after church only days before I had the triplets. I have taken comfort in those words so many times during my grief. I truly know that God did not forsake me, which doesn’t mean that I don’t grieve for my son, because I do. I watch Drew, his identical brother, so many times and wonder how much Brady would be like him. My heart aches every time I hear the name Brady, or sometimes when I watch our kids play so well together. I will give extra long hugs to my children today, so please do the same with your loved ones. Take those extra few minutes and just watch and take in the miracles that life has to offer you today. Say the words of kindness you feel like saying, but may be scared to. Everyone has their own kind of suffering or sorrow, so be extra considerate of others because you never know what they are going through. I love you Brady, and even though I don’t pretend to understand the why’s of it all, I KNOW that you are in Heaven watching over us. I have such peace knowing that I will get to see your sweet face again one day! “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23
May 28th, 2011
I haven't written in so long, I don't even know where to begin! I'll recap Spring and then see how much more typing I feel like doing... Last week was a busy one for us. Eli had his last tumble class, which meant he performed his routines to us and got a trophy in the "M&M Olympics". I will post pics soon. He enjoyed going every week, but I definitely need to help him with some of his moves. :) He also had his last week of preschool, ending with Field Day, which meant playing outside all day. I volunteered for the afternoon shift, and it worked out that Andy could go too, so we got to supervise the bounce house and watch the kids do their Trike-A-Thon for St Jude's Hospital. Eli has a couple friends he talks about all the time from school, so I hope that we are able to get a playdate or two in this summer with them. He asks "Is Matthew available?" everyday because he and Matt are best friends and play as much as they can together! It's super cute. He is into Ben 10 and all superheroes, which he pretend plays often. He also likes Ghostbusters thanks to the PS3 game and Star Wars (lego PS3 game).
As for Jordan and Drew, they have had a great Spring! Changing by leaps and bounds, as most toddlers do. They have had a few minor illnesses, but on Friday the 13th (my fault for taking them to the dr that day??), they both had bigger diagnoses. Drew was diagnosed with asthma. He had been coughing at night for a few days, and looking back, would cough some when he was active. However, it is under control with a preventive dose of singulair daily. We only used his nebulizer that week he was diagnosed. Also that day, our pediatrician heard a heart murmur with Jordan. We both figured it was nothing since she'd not noticed it before, but went ahead and had an echocardiogram done. Results were that she is fine! She does have a functioning heart murmur, that many people have and it doesn't affect their health at all. They are talking in full sentances, but usually use 3 to 4 word combinations. They are getting 2 year molars (all of Drew's are through the gums, but Jordan's are being stubborn). They both ask for orajel at night, so you know it hurts! Now, Jordan says "teeth hurt" but won't let me use orajel b/c she hates the taste. Jordan is our little polite princess, saying "excuse me" even when it's one of her brothers that burps, or bumps into her and knocks HER down! She has decided (most of the time) that she doesn't like to get her hands dirty, and definitely doesn't like finger painting. Drew still operates at a higher level than her, faster and louder! He loves airplanes, legos, dump trucks, but will still play with dolls, dress up, and have tea parties. They both are obsessed with Diego, and watch it everyday. Jordan has such a love for animals that I can't even bring myself to kill a spider in the house in front of her. She will literally lay down beside one and say "awe". Drew continues to be scared of dogs, but we are trying to work on it. Jordan is fully potty trained, and Drew just goes when he wants to (about half the time).
As for Andy, he got two masters classes under his belt and starts with two more in about a week. Hopefully, he can finish up in September (if they offer 3 core classes in one session, so pray that they do)! He is getting his degree from Southeastern Oklahoma State, who has professors come to base to teach in the evenings and on Saturdays. He got some credits from some AF training, hence the speed at which his is going to complete his degree! It makes for busy weeks and not alot of playtime in the evenings with the kids, but it's long overdue and we are all managing it fine, knowing it's short term.
I am busy, of course too. I have been working once a week down at the Children's Hospital because we have 2 Child Life Specialists on maternity leave. I could work more, but the kids remain my top priority and it gets too hectic if I add more than once a week into our routine. Besides, I know and have been told repeatedly to enjoy these years because they fly by, so I am! I also stay busy with some responsibilities at our church, chairing a committee and keeping up with the needs of our families when they have babies (meals, etc). I love doing it, and think it's a great example to show the kids to give time of yourself to serving God and sharing His love. I completed my Disciple class, which met every Wed for 9 months!! It was a huge committment, but worth every late bedtime on Wednesdays for the kids.
January 11, 2011 An update from Indiana!
First of all, happy new year to each of you! We hope that 2011 has great things in store for you and your loved ones. We have brought in the new year with a bang, changing up our schedule a bit and extending our time here in Indiana to visit family! We found out just before Christmas that Andy would be TDY for half of January, and also found out that Andy's sister (Abby) and Cathy's sister and niece (Stephanie and Olivia) would be visiting IN this month. With those major factors, and wanting more time for the kids to play with their cousins and grandparents, we made a decision to fly Andy back to OK and myself and the kids stayed in IN for an extended vacation! So far, it has been a great visit, and we are sure that it will continue. One thing is for sure and that is that the kids are getting spoiled! But, I am mostly keeping their same daily routine. It just happens to be at different houses each week. For those who do not know, Andy's dad was diagnosed with cancer just before Thanksgiving. He began chemotherapy and radiation treatments just after Christmas and is doing remarkable! He will do these treatments for about 6 weeks and then have surgery to have his tumor removed. His prognosis and good and he is facing this challenge boldly, as he does any challenge he faces. He has a great attitude and we are so proud of him. We remain hopeful and prayerful that he will be cancer free within this year and stay that way! We appreciate any and all prayers that go his direction too.
As for the kids, all are doing well. We all battled various illnesses around the holidays, but I think everyone is on the mend. I ended up in Urgent Care on Sunday with Eli and Drew because Eli was crying that his ear hurt (which he's never done, despite several ear infections in his life). Eli did, in fact, have an ear infection, but Drew got a clean bill of health (just getting over a viral infection, as I suspected, but wanted to get his ears checked anyway while we were there)!! Jordan has remained the healthiest of all of us so far, and I hope that we avoid some of the other nasty ailments that have hit some of our friends and family this month!
Christmas was fantastic! Santa visited the kids here at Grandpa and GG (Meyer's) house. Eli got a board game (Elefun), which was on his list, and a Kung Zu Battle hamster with armor (the things they have nowadays as toys...)! Jordan and Drew got a shopping cart to share and each got a doctor's kit. If I recall correctly, Eli got one of those his 2nd Christmas from Santa also... The kids also got a variety of clothes and toys from their grandparents and the gift exchange with their cousins. They love all their things, but more importantly, they were able (and still are) enjoyed getting to know their cousins, aunts and uncles better. Maddy loves Jordan, and Eli fits right in playing with all of his big cousins on both sides of the family. Drew has made many new friends with his ability to snuggle with anyone who is willing to offer a shoulder. Aunt Kelly has probably gotten the most snuggle/sleep in a rocker time with him though, and I don't think either of them would complain about it.
During our trip, all of the kids have gotten to play in the snow at least once, and I plan to take them out tomorrow, as we got a few inches today. Drew wasn't quite sure about it at first, and then warmed up after Andy pulled him around on the sled. Eli and I (along with Great Grandma Donna) have baked cookies on several occasions during the younger one's naps. We each have an apron that I brought along, and so we wear those and have a grand time. In fact, we baked today! I am just glad there are others here to eat our goodies, so that I don't.
Okay, here are some general updates on the kiddos since the last one that I typed was in October (sorry about that)!
ELI: Is into anything and everything...battling (any form of good guy versus bad guy, of which he always wants to play the good guy), pretend play, legos, board games, playdoh, Toy Story, Batman, Transformers, Star Wars (mind you, he hasn't seen most of these movies, but he likes the toys that go along with them)! He got a Nintendo DS from his cousins and loves playing it. He is still great most of the time with his brother and sister. He needs reminded to try to solve problems himself (i.e. Drew takes his toy or knocks down his lego tower). He will say "they are still learning" so he has listened to what we tell him! He is obsessed with the word "poop" and uses it all the time to try to be funny. I have tried ignoring it, and now have told him to use other words instead to be funny, but I still hear it several times a day. I hope that this is a phase, but have been told by some that it's not. I didn't have brothers, so I don't know! :) He does like to make others laugh and act silly, which he gets honestly from his parents (mostly Andy). He has a great memory, and will remind me of things that I often forget! He is still sensitive when playing with others, and cries easily when he's tired and/or when older kids tell him he can't do something (i.e. his cousin saying he can't be the good guy). He loves rough-housing and wrestle time, and is missing his Dad lots.
He is still the pickiest eater I know, and I have accepted that he may never change. I did start having him do a "try it bite" of some foods he used to eat. He makes me put it in his mouth (he won't even touch it), and both times, he has gagged like he's going to throw up! Oh, the drama... The first one was sweet potato, and the second food was chicken. He didn't like either, obviously. He really did try the chicken without protest, but still gagged and I let him spit it out. Hee, hee...I love this boy. He is so stinkin' cute that I am sure we spoil him (and all of them) more than we should. But, oh well. We do discipline them all and teach them respect for themselves and others, so our extra TLC is just our parenting style. They truly grow too fast not to just love and appreciate each of their unique characters!
DREW and JORDAN: I know that they are individual children, but they are so similar in their development right now, that I am clumping their update together (plus, I got long winded and it's getting late)! They talk up a storm! They are so adorable, just blabbing on even though we have not a clue what they are saying usually. They say lots of words, and put two or three words together. I can understand them better than others since I am with them all the time. They play well together most of the time. Jordan is persistent when she wants and toy that one of the boys is playing with, so I usually have to intervene and distract her, and if/when that doesn't work, she gets put in time-out. She does listen sometimes though. Often she will just walk up and take something from Drew, and then when he protests, I tell her to give it back, and she does. She just wants to know if she's going to get away with it or not! :) Drew is still a bulldozer/bruiser extradordaire. He has began protesting rules some also and finds himself in time-out when he looks at me while doing something that I have told him "no" to several times. He is still my most snuggly kid, and is attached to his pacifier, which I know we will need to break sooner rather than later. He still loves anything that Eli is interested in, and runs with the big kids when they let him. Cars, blocks, and musical instruments top his list of favorites. Jordan is more into baby dolls, putting on dress up stuff, and reading books. They both still love bath time and eat decent compared to their big brother. Drew has actually gotten more picky, while Jordan has began trying more new things (and eating more than both her brothers)!! Both kids love "Buzz" from Toy Story and are still very much into Elmo and Curious George.
Well...that's all for now folks. Next update will hopefully be around Eli's birthday in February, but may only be photos! We won't get back home until the first week in February, so we'll be unpacking and adjusting back to our routine...preschool, bible study, etc. Love to each of you!!
October 28th, 2010 Fall Update
Eli is at school and kids are napping, so I will try to type as fast as I can while eating my lunch, so that you all can get a Meyer family update! We are doing well. I hesitate to say great because the "bugs" come through our house pretty often during the Fall season. We go just a few days, or maybe a week before one of us isn't feeling the best. Early October found us all fighting different viruses, and I (Cathy) was even down and out for a few days and had to call on our wonderful neighbor, Debbie and Auntie Ruth to help me out. Thanks ladies! Drew had an ear infection that would not clear up, so after two different antibiotics, he had to go in and get shots for 2 days of a really strong antibiotic to get rid of it. Doctor says that one more ear infection and we will be visiting the ENT. (He's had 5 since June). Like Eli, it's hard to tell when Drew is sick b/c he doesn't usually run a fever, so I am always guessing at the reason for his grumpiness. Jordan has stayed relatively healthy, but is battling the awful allergies here in Oklahoma (like Eli and I), so she gets to get her nose wiped alot, which she loves (haha).
October was a busy month, as usual. We had Grandpa and GG here for a few days, which we loved!! We got to take Grandpa to Pops on Route 66 (Eli's favorite) since he hadn't been. There was a car show going on there that day, so it was even cooler than usual. We also explored a pumpkin patch with them in the heat...a bit too hot for all of us! Eli is very much into Halloween and scary things (like his dad), so we have been doing lots of fun Halloween crafts, baking Halloween cut-out cookies and cupcakes, and going to the big warehouse Halloween store to get some new Halloween decorations for the house. Tonight is Eli's school's Festifall, which is the PTA's big fundraiser, so we are all excited about going. They have tons of games, bouncehouses, silent auction, pumpkin painting, etc and the kids get to wear their costumes. Saturday night will be neighborhood trick or treating and Sunday night is Trunk or Treat at our church, so the business continues.
We visited another pumpkin patch with my coworkers and their families. It was a cooler day, so felt more like Fall. We did a hayride and the kids loved the petting zoo. Jordan and Drew are very much into animals and their sounds right now!! They can name and make sounds for a ton of animals, including most farm animals, monkeys (of course), elephants, snakes, bees, and I am sure more.... Dogs and monkeys and pigs are their favorites and both of them go around singing "EIEIO" everyday, all day!
October was also our swim class month! Twice a week we all went to the YMCA for our 30 minute class. Ms Asha and I were in the water with the babies (except one day that Andy got to come, which you will see in the photos because GG took some for us). Eli was next to us with his teacher, Ms Hallie, who was awesome! He had 3 to 5 other kids in his group and learned a ton. He absolutely loves it and I promised him we would sign him back up again after Christmas. He jumped off the diving board, learned different strokes and how to breath through his nose under water (he could do his mouth before). One day, he scared me by jumping into the water without the teacher there (she was on the other side) and I had just taken him to the bathroom. I was holding Jordan and told him to wait on his teacher (I thought he would sit down on the side of the pool like he does when she is working with other kids), but instead he jumped way out and stayed under the water. I ran over (still holding Jordan) and the lifeguard came down and we pulled him to the edge. It scared me to pieces (I am stressed now thinking about it), but it didn't phase him at all. We talked about it later, and he sincerely said, "I am so sorry I did that Mommy" but told me he wasn't scared. He's part fish...and I have gray hairs.
Jordan and Drew updates: They have all their teeth except their 2 year molars. Still the same foodwise with Jordan being more picky than Drew. They know lots of their body parts, and poor Jordan gets her eyes poked often by Drew, saying "eyes" and I have to remind him to be gentle. He's a brute, that's all there is to it. He pushes, sits on her, hits with anything he can find, and just bulldozes into anything and everything. At church, the nursery workers tell me everytime that he's hit his head, usually from just running straight into a wall or cabinet! Both of them have tempers sometimes, which is normal, but hard because they feed off of each other and mimic everything, so I have to be extra careful to ignore the inappropriate behaviors and praise the good ones! A challenge for sure. They really are just sweet, happy kids though and play great. They love puzzles, reading, legos, outdoors, animals (Drew loves dinosaurs and cars). Jordan loves babydolls, hats, jewelry. I know my child development, but it's just amazing to me to see the difference in the activities they choose and how Jordan is so much more inclined to play with "girl" toys than Drew is. I don't promote it one way or another and let them choose for themselves.
Eli is doing great as well. He continues to love school. He loves his cartoons, so we still monitor the amount of time he watches them. He and our neighbor Matthew (4 yrs old) play together almost everyday! They play rescue heroes, or super heroes, or restaurant outside in the house that the babies got for their birthday. He went to the zoo with them the other day. He still eats the small selection of the same foods. He is excited about going to Indiana at Christmas and asks all the time when we are going there next. He asks for tons of things he sees for his birthday, most of which I am sure he will forget by then. We got our house painted (exterior) this week and Eli got all of his play painting supplies and sat outside and watched them work. He loves his Daddy and is sad when he has to go to work. The other two also attack Andy as soon as he gets home, and Jordan usually won't let him put her down without throwing a fit! She does love being held!!
Well, that's the latest. Baby waking up, so more later... :)
September 18th, 2010 2010 Summer Review:
I have “written” in my head a hundred times what I would put as an update, and then something happens, and all we get updated is photos. Thus, I typed this in a Word document and edited it different times before copying it over to our website. I read Stephanie’s updates on Olivia and am envious of her time and ability to write! I had that time when it was just Eli too, but never the talent of being so eloquent in my writing. Anyway, I digress. Fall is underway here in Oklahoma, with the temperatures dipping into the 70’s in the evenings, and topping out at 90 or so, which is definitely bearable compared to the over 100 degree weather we had for weeks on end. The kids are doing great, as are Andy and I. Eli is over 3 ½ and the twins are 18 months old!! Even though time flies, we always make sure to stop and enjoy the ”moments” and we continue to be in awe of the overwhelming joy our children bring us, and how awesome our God is who created them and gave them to us!!
We have had a BUSY and FUN summer, traveling more than I ever thought possible with three young children! In June, we drove to Charleston, SC to help our niece Olivia celebrate her 1st birthday (and see my sister and brother-in-law, of course). It was a brutal 21 hours in the van, but we were able to stop in Chattanooga and see some close friends of ours, the Poolers. Libby and Eli were very close friends when they lived here in OK, and they picked right up where they left off when we reunited them. We were also able to meet their newest family member, Margaret, who is precious and only a couple of months younger than Jordan and Drew. The kids did okay on the trip, but we weren’t able to drive late into the night much because one of them would, without fail, wake up screaming in his/her car seat! The trip was fabulous, and it was wonderful to see all the “Jordan cousins” play together. Some highlights include:
A day at the beach!! It was D & J’s first times to see the ocean. They all loved it and played in the sand and some shallow water from when the tide had come in. The babies were hesitant of the waves, but liked being held out in the water for short times. Mostly, they wanted to just run around! Jordan fell asleep on Mommy and Drew fell asleep on Trisha after some serious playtime!
We also went to a cookout at a neighborhood pool with our friends, the Liegls. Eli swam for the first time by himself with his snorkel gear on! Drew fell asleep on Daddy in the water (I guess the sound of water relaxes the boy)!! Jordan loved being carried around in the pool, as shown by her huge open mouth.
Other fun times were had at the Water park, where Eli had his first taste of Dip-N-Dots (he’s been hooked ever since); the Children’s Discovery Museum in Chattanooga; Olivia’s 1st birthday party; and a trip to Chili’s with the Allens (3 adults, 4 kids ages 3 and under made for a quick ordering/inhaling of our food and margaritas, while trying to keep them all from pulling stuff off our small table)!
In July, we again drove to see family, but this time it was to Indiana! Andy’s mom flew out to drive back with the kids and I since we planned to stay in Indiana for awhile (we had a lot of stops to make)! First, we spent some time with the Warran family down in Plainfield. The kids had a blast playing each day, and I tried to help Brandy prepare for her new teaching job and adjust to the idea that she is having another baby!! Woohoo! Baby Warran is due in early March, so he/she may share the triplets’ birthday. Fun times included the slip and slide, water balloon fights, playing school, and the older three using their imaginations non-stop. Brandy and I were able to sneak in a girls’ night and go celebrate at our college friend, Jana’s, wedding!
Andy ended up joining us in Indiana earlier than anticipated, which was unfortunately because his Uncle Bob passed away. I was glad he was able to come to IN for the funeral, which was the most moving service ever. Bob belonged to a wonderful church in Winamac, IN and he was loved by many. We’ll miss you Uncle Bob!
The rest of our trip was spent seeing all the family and friends we could. We were able to be in town for the Jasper County Fair Open Swine show, which meant Eli got to show his pig! He was tired that day, but loved it, as did his big cousins, Kaylynn and Garrett. Time at Grandpa and GG’s was spent riding on any farm equipment he could find, performing puppet shows, and playing outdoors in the sprinkler and the campers. What can I say? Our eldest is obsessed with camping! We also managed to make it over to Andy’s brother and sister-in-law’s lake house, which is always a great time. At one time, there were 9 kids ages 5 and under there, all running around, swimming, having a blast! We were also able to see some friends on our way through St Louis, the Fuzzells, which was always a much needed break from the van, and a fun dinner with friends. Lyla had Eli having a tea party with her, and the babies ran around so wild that we are sure Butch is thankful that he has only girls, and no twins! J
Summer days here in Oklahoma were very warm this year! While it is typical to have such heat, we had weeks of unrelenting 100+ degree sunny days, which made it hard for us to spend too long outside. The kids loved their little pool, while Eli made use of our hot tub (cooled off) as his swimming pool. He actually got really good at snorkeling, and putting his head under the water while plugging his nose. We went to Pelican Bay, the local pool, once, and to Cooper and Cale’s neighborhood pool once. Fun, but hard, since there were 3 kids to keep up with and only 2 adults each time. We also went to the Zoo and the park a few times before the heat became unbearable. Not to mention, the many days of just playing inside with each other and their toys.
In late August, we once again loaded our van and drove the family to Indiana. This time, we celebrated my Grandma Templeton’s 80th birthday with a nice party in her backyard. The Allen family flew in from Charleston, and my Uncle Jeff and his girlfriend, Jill, flew in from Philadelphia. We couldn’t have asked for more perfect weather and had a wonderful time visiting with family once again. The kids entertained Jeff and Jill by amazing them with their energy, walking and talking skills, and willingness to snuggle with them. Drew had Uncle Jeff rolling with laughter and calling the little man “Drew Carey” because he would put on black Mr Potato Head glasses and then run around screaming with laughter ( as would all of us). The glasses would fall off, and Drew would go over to Jeff to get them put back on…and off he would go again. Since there was some “help” in town (aka “us”), my Mom and Dad had a list of projects to get done on the house. We girls made it to Lafayette one afternoon to pick out Mom’s kitchen cabinets, which was fun! Andy, Andy, and my Dad built a porch for the house. Yes, they built a porch!! All of us were pretty impressed with their carpentry abilities and it ended up looking fantastic! The projects got checked off, and Mom and Dad got renewed energy to keep plugging away at the mountain of remodeling still ahead of them.
Since we were in Indiana, close to the grandparents, Andy and I decided to stay through Labor Day weekend and celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary with friends. It’s always so hard to see everyone when we go to Indiana, so we dedicated this weekend to just relaxing together and catching up with friends of ours from high school and college. We camped near Lafayette for three nights, and had a BLAST! The kids stayed with us on Friday night, and did great. On Saturday, GG took on the challenge of watching them overnight, and we are thankful to her (and to Nana and crew, who helped her on Sunday).
SO, that is a recap of our summer. Lots of traveling, lots of fun! Now, on to updates on our three munchkins! Enjoy!
ELI JOSEPH: 3.5 years old, weighs about 32 pounds, don’t know his height, wears size 8.5 shoe. He is growing up so much! I know everyone always says this about their kids, but it’s so true! He still has a wonderful imagination and plays and watches a variety of things, including: Rescue Heroes, Spiderman, Tom and Jerry, Casper, Transformers, airplanes, Monster Trucks, Froggy (thanks to some hand-me down books from the Schers), The Magic School Bus, etc. He’s gotten to watch a lot of new Disney movies on our trips to Indiana, thanks to our neighbors, who lend us 3 or 4 for our trips. So, he likes Toy Story, Chicken Little, and Monsters Inc now too.
He goes to preschool two days a week at the same church-based program he attended last year for just over a semester. He has two teachers and loves school, ready to pack his lunchbox and leave as soon as he wakes up in the mornings. He doesn’t really tell me much about his day, but he’s happy and the teachers are great, so we are happy! He did already try to pee outside on the playground, and get told that they “only go inside at school”…that’s my boy! He asked to go back to swimming class, so I plan to sign him up next month. He hasn’t taken a class since he turned three, so he will be with an instructor instead of in the water with me now. I know he will love it, and I plan to be right next to him, since I am signing J and D up too (for the Mommy and Me class)! Our sitter, Miss Asha, is going to come too, so that both babies can be in the same class.
Eli, as do most young kids, says some things that make us roll with laughter. I wrote some down on our way back from Charleston, so here they are:
“According to my calculations…” (usually when talking about how much longer we had to go)
“Oops, I guess I got carried away!” (when he kept asking me over & over to turn his movie on in the van)
He told his cousin Trisha this when she asked him about some bruises on his legs. “Don’t touch them. God made me as I am.”
At the ocean: “Whoa! That was a big California wave!”
And, the one most have heard (or read on Facebook): To his Sunday school teacher, who was offering kids butterscotch cookies, “No thanks, I don’t like butterscotch. Well, I don’t like butter, but I like scotch.” J
DREW GREGORY: 18 months, 22 pounds (10th percentile), 31.5 inches long (25th percentile), 46 cm head circumference (10th percentile). The boy is wild! That’s all there is to it…he is loud and fast! He has slimmed down a lot (many said so on this last trip to IN). He just loves to be rowdy, and yell for no reason. He and Jordan get going and you can’t really stop them…usually we don’t try because it’s cute and funny! He absolutely adores his big brother and follows him around everywhere, mimicking every move and sound that Eli makes. He is a climber too! He mastered the furniture in August, and this week has been found on the kitchen table at least 3 times a day. He loves to play with trucks, airplanes, balls, and blocks. He says a lot of words, including: mama, dada, Eli (Ei), Jordan (ordn), dog, hot dog (hot dawg), bath, ball, bye bye, hi, done done (when all done), and I swear he said “puppy” today outside when he heard a dog bark! He also does lots of sign language: eat (his favorite), please, all done, bath, more, and drink.
He and Jordan both are really into animals and their sounds right now, especially dogs. They say “dog, woof, woof” all the time when they hear one, and we crawl around pretending to be dogs all the time. Drew can tell us where his mouth and nose are, and we are adding to those quickly. He is a Mama’s boy and follows me around more than Jordan, especially when he’s tired. I do lots of cooking with him on my hip because as soon as I start a meal, or am in the kitchen, he thinks he’s hungry! He is still sweet as pie, snuggling in so tight that you wonder if he can breathe sometimes. He is also a helper. He will help me clean up most anything, including toys and he insists on putting away the stool after the kids all brush their teeth each day.
JORDAN ELIZABETH: 18 months, 20.3 pounds (3rd to 10th percentile), 30.25 inches long (10th percentile), 47.5 cm head circumference (80th percentile). Miss Jordan is our sweetheart, but with sass! She got glasses the day we left for Indiana!! I had taken her in that week for a check-up with her ophthalmologist (Drew sees him in Nov). I noticed her doing lots of squinting and looking over the tops of her eyes, so it was not surprise to me when the doctor recommended glasses. She does pretty well overall wearing them, but it really depends on her mood. I don’t think they are the most comfortable pair, but they were the most indestructible, and the only pair we could get before leaving on vacation. I am sure we will test many different styles and go through them all. These already have scratches on both lenses! I also suspect that Drew will get some because he always wants to put her glasses on and then runs around, yelling and smiling a wide open mouth smile, when I do put them on him.
Jordan loves to lie on her tummy in the bathtub and blow bubbles, so I know she will love swim class. She plays on her own for long amounts of time, often looking through books or exploring a toy thoroughly. She is also a climber, but a more cautious one. She has mastered the couch and the kitchen chairs, but has yet to make it on the table. She loves to dance and sing. She chatters away all the time, just saying who knows what! It’s so cute. She says most of the same words as Drew, including: mama, dada, Eli (Ei), Drew, dog, hot dog, ball, book, hi, bye, and bath. She signs the words eat, please, all done, more, baby, bath and drink. She loves to wear hats and shoes, and any kind of toy or necklace around her neck (i.e. stethoscope). She is already particular about which shoes she wears too! It’s just so amazing to watch each child develop and be so unique!!
Life is good. We are just trying to enjoy each day as it comes. I am taking a Disciple class at our church on Wednesday nights, so the kids go with me to the church nursery. Eli actually gets to go to the Wed night programming for kids, and then to the nursery. I am enjoying it, even though the kids are out late that night. Andy takes that time to study for some tests he is trying to get done for work. He is busy every week, and his schedule varies each day. He’s been in the Training Squadron as an instructor for a year and a half now, so we are about halfway through his commitment there. While we have no idea what the future holds, we can’t help but start preparing our minds for moving from here soon. In fact, I mentioned it to Eli once and he had tons of questions about what we would take with us and what would stay for weeks after our conversation! I worked downtown at the Children’s Hospital as much as I could between our trips this summer. I really love it when I am there, but it’s so hard to commit to many days with all the child-centered activity here. Some of the things on my “to do” list take months, while others just stay there, never to get checked off…but that’s okay as long as I get to kiss my kids each morning and rock them to sleep each night (or read and say prayers in Eli’s case). Now that the kids are older, I do venture out with them more, which warrants lots of stares and comments from onlookers. Usually, its’ “Oh my, you have your hands full.” And sometimes, its’ “I am glad that’s not me.” But I AM glad it’s me! I love my life, my husband, my kids, my God….love them all beyond belief.
May 16th, 2010 Airplane For Sale!
First, let me update you a bit on the family. We are all doing well, despite the rainy/tornado weather this past week. We had our first sirens for tornadoes on Monday and the kids did great. Andy had just gotten home from work, thankfully, and grabbed Eli out of bed (still napping) and I grabbed the younger two. We only had to spend short amounts of time in the closet, and the kids did great, having snacks, reading books. We have decided to move our "shelter" to our bedroom closet though b/c there is no way we could all actually fit in the current closet for any length of time! The "supplies" have already been moved, and Eli insists on practicing everyday.
Drew is cutting teeth like crazy. His first molar came through earlier this month, and he's cut 2 incisors this past week, with two more on the horizon! It has pretty much killed our night time sleep routine, but such is life, right!? Jordan is waking alot too at night and crying out some during the day, so her incisors will soon be arriving too. They get along great most of the time. Jordan isn't intimidated by Drew's size or "pushy" attitude, which is good b/c he pretty much doesn't care about his surroundings if he sees something he wants! They have bitten each other a few times, but know when I say "no" to stop (Jordan is better at actually LISTENING to me when I say no...). Drew LOVES Eli and tackles him as soon as Eli wakes up everyday. Eli is big time into "camping". He wants to do it 24/7. Most of the time, he "camps" in our bedroom, gathering supplies, pretending to chase bears, or build a tent. He doesn't take naps most days now, so that is an adjustment. The babies are right on the verge of going from 2 naps to 1, and do only 1 nap more often than not. It has helped our bedtime for sure though, getting them all down earlier!
NOW, for the big news.... We have an airplane for sale (kind of)!!! We have decided to DONATE our Cessna to our church! Now, before you all freak out, just know that we are doing it with great JOY and EXCITEMENT! The church is starting a capital campaign titled "Expanding Our Kingdom" and the money will go towards building a new building to accommodate our expanding congregation. We have been part of the planning process and have thought about how we would contribute for awhile now. After hearing some stories of others, going to dinner at the Pastor's house, and praying, we knew that this was what we were supposed to do. God gave us a way to give in the way that we really wanted to, without completely depleting our budget! This is about sacrificing for the greater good, and we are thrilled to know that in the future, even when we won't be here in Oklahoma, that others will benefit from our gift. Acts 2 has given us so much, and we know that they are going to continue to do amazing things and reach those in need. SO, if anyone is in the market for a plane, your money will go to a great cause!!! SPREAD THE WORD...you just never know how God is going to make it work out!!
April 21st, 2010
TWO posts in ONE month~I am good! :) First off, happy bday Alex and Aidan!! We just got back from a 10 day trip to Indiana and we had a blast! I have uploaded pics to the computer and will try to post some (we took 300+) soon. Our main goal was to help my parents on their farmhouse remodeling project! We got lots done, but still more for them to do. Andy got lots of time in the backhoe and it was decided that he could always run one of those as a career should he choose to leave the Air Force! While we were there, we also had time to play with Brandy and the kids, help my Dad with the pigs, see Garrett's 1st communion, and spend time at the lakehouse with the Meyer family.
Eli had the time of his life. He got to play in dirt, with pigs, ride tractors and big machines, play with his cousins, fish, watch cartoons, and get spoiled by grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends. He is talking up a storm, being so creative, and grown up. He LOVES learning new words, sounding out words to try to guess how they are spelled or what letter they start with, and tries writing his name and other letters on his artwork. He listens great most of the time. He doesn't always need (or take) a nap, but that sometimes catches up with him and causes his whiny side to emerge.
Drew is walking/running all the time! He really picked up the pace in IN and prefers to walk now instead of crawl. He LOVES to be chased, to get in on any wrestling or rough housing, and eats anything I offer him! He prefers table food and is still getting some babyfood and soy formula as supplements since he isn't quite digesting dairy products yet. He says lots of words, and his latest is "Hi GG", which he says as he puts his hand or a toy up to his ear, pretending to be on the phone. He also loves kicking and throwing balls. He had a blast playing with his cousins in IN, just keeping an open mouth and squealing happily at all the chaos and noise that so many kids produces! We have some great photos of him being chased by his cousin Kaylynn that I will post.
Jordan is walking now too! She takes about 5-10 steps and is really getting daring. Falling doesn't phase her. She will just crawl or get up and try again...just depends how fast she wants to get somewhere! She is doing much better in the last week with trying new table foods! Some she still just plays with, but others, she actually chows down on. She is talking more too, saying "mama", "dada", "gaga", "baba" and lots of babbling. She pretends to talk on the phone too (actually did it first), and continues to love books and playing by herself more than her brother. She and her cousin Maddy got along really well during this visit to Indiana. We have some photos to prove it too, so watch for those.
April 2nd, 2010
How is it already April?! Time continues to fly by here, and we love every minute of it. Babies are awake, so I am going to type fast and update what I can. We have some great new photos, and some sent from Aunt Jen from March that I will try to post this weekend.
Yesterday was a rough day for all the kiddos. Three check-ups, 6 shots, one ear infection, and a trip to Pops to make our oldest smile! Here are the stats from their appts:
Eli: 30 lbs (30th percentile), 37 3/4 inches tall (60th percentile), has beginnings of ear infection, healthy otherwise, switched to another allergy medicine as his are out of control with Spring in the air, had to get one shot that we missed awhile back, so he was NOT happy!
Drew: 20 lbs 9 oz (20th percentile), 28 1/4 inches tall (10th percentile), head circumference 45 cm, had to get 2 shots, healthy otherwise and reaching milestones appropriately!
Jordan: 17 lbs 14 oz (3rd percentile), 28 inches tall (10th percentile), had to get 3 shots (Mommy somehow missed Jordan's 6 and 9 month vaccinations...oops), otherwise healthy and reaching milestones appropriately also!
Drew is a champion walker and is quite proud of himself. Jordan is taking more steps too!! This week she took her first couple and just today took about 4 before falling...she doesn't want to be left behind. She and Drew have really been playing together alot this week, which is adorable. She usually chases him (crawling, and him walking) and then tackles him like she's going to give him kisses. They both squeal the whole time! She did bite him on the arm for the firs time this week too, and it left quite the bruise. Don't worry, he got her finger last week pretty hard with his chompers!
Overall, they are doing better sleeping. We've had a rough patch here and there and have had to let them "cry it out" for awhile sometimes at nap and bedtimes. They alternate who sleeps all night, and are getting better at soothing themselves back to sleep without waking the other baby. Drew is an avid eater, trying anything I will put in front of him, preferring "real food" to babyfood. Jordan on the other hand will not try anything too mushy (she will try crunchy items, like pretzels, saltines, teddy grahams). She is very particular about her baby food too, and is quite resistant when she doesn't want it (clamps her mouth shut, moving head side to side, pushes it out with her tongue...you get the picture). SO, it looks like she is going to be like Eli and be picky! Eli keeps telling me he will "try new foods after Easter" so we'll see what next week holds. He told me that he would try new foods when he turned 3, until he actually did turn 3 and then the Easter idea came along... :)
We love spending time outdoors. Eli's new favorite is "wimming" in the hot tub. Andy got it up and running and Eli and the neighbor kids have already decided it makes a great swimming pool more than a hot tub. He even got some new snorkel gear that he got to try out this week! He gets frustrated pretty easily at the babies, but is great at using his words instead of hitting/pushing most of the time. Baby gates have helped us out a ton. He is into Spiderman, Scooby Doo, and Monster trucks.
Okay, I am pushing my luck, so I will go for now. Happy Easter to all of you! Praise God for his son Jesus because without him we would not have freedom from our sins or death. May He bless each of you this weekend, as he does us everyday!
March 18th, 2010
I literally spent the past 45 minutes typing everyone an update and somehow clicked a butto and lost it all! :( I am too mad and tired now to do it all again, but promise to try again soon. Briefly, we are all doing good, staying mostly healthy, having fun, and enjoying our family life here.
Please pray for all of us, especially me (Cathy), tomorrow, as we remember our little Brady Thomas on the one year anniversary of his death. Enjoy every minute you have with your children here on Earth.
January 27th, 2010
Wow, has it really been over two months since an update!?! I apologize! At least Andy gets some pics posted now and then for you. :) I have two boys sleeping and a girl playing with my chair, so we'll see how much I can update you all right now. Because of limited time, I will start with the most recent for each child and add more as I can. After all, this is how I am keeping up with their milestones for the most part, so I better write some stuff down for their future "baby books."
ELI: Turns three soon, and has grown up so much this last year. He has literally grown up too, moving from a 2T to 3T pant right after Christmas. He really had a growth spurt. He has stayed healthy until just last week, when I decided to take him out a few places like the park, church, post office. Despite my best effforts to keep his hands out of his mouth and using ridiculous amounts of hand sanitizer, he managed to get a viral and bacterial infection. He was a trooper at the doctor. He asks me daily "what can we do today?", prompting me to try to do some creative projects and use our imaginations. His favorite thing is to pretend that all of us are an animal of some sort (i.e. Jordan and Drew are most days kittens or puppies, for about 4 days straight, we were all characters from the cartoon Dinosaur Train, and had to use those names when talking to one another). He is still into cars and planes, and Monster trucks. I decided to keep him out of school this semester, to keep him healthy and have more time to do fun things together. He and I are taking a swim class again at the YMCA next month, as he pretends to swim around the house daily and puts his face under his bathwater all the time! He still is a picky eater, refusing to try new things. He's back into potty training too, so maybe by his birthday he will be out of diapers completely...
DREW: Just cut two more top teeth, so he has 7 total. Fastest crawler on the block (started crawling while we were in IN for Christmas). He is "cruising" along furniture, moves from one object to another standing up, often lets go and stands for about 5 seconds before falling. He's a bruiser, plowing over anything in his path, including his siblings, walls, etc. He and Jordan have both walked pushing an upside down laundry basket, but no other steps yet. Loves to eat and yells at me if I don't feed him fast enough! He has motivated me to rearrange the living room and have the entrance to the hallway and kitchen blocked since he never wants to stay in the living room! His brother's room is already "the place" to be, which Eli isn't a fan of. :) He says "mama" very clearly and often uses it to get out of his crib b/c I can't help it when he does so! He and Jordan are eating meats now and both love feeding themselves cheerios. I tried yogurt last night, but it was a rough night afterwards, so we aren't trying it again for a bit (Mommy needs some sleep!). Oh, and Drew LOVES Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star! Anytime I need him to quit fussing, all I have to do is sing that song and he breaks out in a big smile...so stinkin cute! Last week at the doctor, he weighed 20 lbs (with clothes on) and he's wearing 12 month and up clothes!
JORDAN: Jordan's 8 teeth are really through the gums now and show pretty easily! Since she's had a break from teething, she was sleeping better until this past week when she had a double ear infection. She's a happy girl and loves to watch her brothers play. She loves music or any beat, moving her head side to side (like saying no) to any rhythm! Drew bounces to music. Jordan is also a fast crawler and avid explorer. She's great a moving from object to object standing as well, and "falls" better than Drew (she rarely cries and tends to catch herself better). Both love bath time. She smiles everytime I play her glowworm that Nana and Papa got her for Christmas. She's still pretty petite, fitting in most of her 3-6 month clothes still, but also wearing some 6-9 month stuff. She weighed 17 lbs with her clothes on last week at the doctor. She's still tempermental (sp), as she doesn't like to get messed with (ie get dressed, put on a coat, get in her carseat, etc) and let's you know it! Drew and Eli are very distractable when they get upset, but not Miss Jordan. It makes her more mad if you try to distract her with a toy or song. :)
ALL OF US: Andy is now officially in a new squadron!! He's an instructor in the Training Squadron here, which we are thrilled about! It means we know we will be in OK for at least 2 more years AND he will not deploy! Instead, he will teach new AWACS pilots how to fly the big plane! He likes it and the staff he works with. I am staying busy trying to keep up with the kids. I also am in charge of our church's congregational care for families when they have a baby (ie coordinate meals to be delivered, give them gifts, etc)! I love it, as I can do it during my small breaks here at the house. I am working some still down at the Children's Hospital covering for staff who are gone, but it is difficult for me to do so right now during the week b/c of childcare. Our wonderful provider, Ms Kyra, is expecting her first baby in April and doesn't watch children anymore. We are thrilled for her, but miss her too! We have a great provider, Ms Asha, who helps me weekly, but she has another job in the afternoons, so working a full day isn't an option right now. The babies have to stay in during this flu season (they are still getting their RSV shots monthly), so going somewhere isn't an option either. Auntie Ruth comes by a couple times a week to help out also, but it's not fair to ask anymore of her than she already does! My days really do fly by and I love it. I look at Eli and just can't believe how big he is and know that I need to spend as much time with the kids as I can because they will be "busy" with school and sports and friends in the blink of an eye.
CHRISTMAS: I never wrote about the holiday, even though I did in my head 100 times. It was a great trip to Indiana, and it was wonderful to spend time with our family and friends. The travel through the night went relatively well and the kids stayed healthy (minus a few feverish days). Eli asked Santa for the same two gifts the whole time and got them: Hungry, Hungry Hippos game and a "doodadoe" (a self named toy that I once let him play with in Target while I shopped)! It was hard at times because Brady wasn't here, of course. I still think of him so much and most of the time, I smile because of where he is. But there are times still that the pain sneaks up on me and catches me off guard. Andy and I got to see his gravestone for the first time since ordering it. I liked going there and wish I could more often. While it was hard, it gave me peace. I imagine that Jordan and Drew's first birthday will be the same as the holidays...thinking of him and wishing he was there, but then remembering that he is so much better off in Heaven than here with us.
Alas, my free time is over....I got way more than I ever imagined, so enjoy this update. It may be awhile again!
November 23rd, 2009
Both babies are awake, so this will be fast! We are all gearing up for Andy's birthday and Thanksgiving this week. Eli is super excited about Daddy's birthday and talks about it everyday. He somehow knows all the months that our birthdays are in, so we talk about who's is next too. He is healthy, but I am glad we pulled him out of school. He is taking 3 hour naps and asks to go to his bed sometimes before he even gets lunch. He sleeps through the night most nights, and is more energetic each day, so we are hoping that we are on the upswing! Funny new phrase is "I haven't made up my mind yet" when I ask him a question in which he has a choice (ie what he wants for snack, which cartoon he wants to watch, etc). :) He has really been enjoying playing Diego dominoes and Memory. We play them everyday! It's so much fun to watch how he tries to remember where the matches are, and he's pretty good at it!
Jordan now has 5 teeth! Can you believe it?! Drew has 3 (all on bottom). They have started solids and love them. Jordan prefers her fruit or vegetable over rice and oatmeal. Drew eats it all, and lots of it. There for awhile, Jordan really out-ate Drew, but he has surpassed her now because he loves his solids. They both still take about the same amount of bottles, but it's hard to gauge b/c Jordan still nurses alot.
Jordan is up on all fours alot now, doing the rocking back and forth! She army crawls when she wants to move though. Drew has started army crawling too, so they are everywhere! Eli has a big brother book that talks about when the baby was growing and the character would ask his parents daily if the baby was big enough to play yet. The other day when they were crawling, Eli said, "they can play with me now!!" and wanted them to chase him....he's the best big brother!
Okay, gotta go. Have had to get up three times just while typing this much! Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. We are thankful to have so many wonderful family and friends who care enough to check out our website! Have a great week.
November 14th, 2009 Trying to stay Healthy...
Sorry that it's been awhile since our last story. We just seem to be in the perpetual cycle of fighting one illness, getting better for a day, and then battling our next one. Today, we are all feeling okay, but there are definitely some runny noses (yucky ones) in the house. No fevers that I know of this morning, so that's promising. Ever since Eli's hospital visit, he just hasn't been 100%. Some of you have commented on this, noting that he doesn't look like himself completely in his photos. He just doesn't have the same energy that he did, and he's had several illnesses since then (i.e. fever, pink eye, ear infection, etc). We really have tried to isolate him (and Jordan and Drew) by staying home as much as possible. Eli has only been to school 1.5 days in the last month and on those days, the teachers said he wasn't himself. So, in every effort to try to let his immune system rebound, we have decided to pull him out of school for at least the rest of the semester. He loves it, so I hate to do so, but his health is more important. Also, because of his illnesses, Jordan and Drew have had a few rounds of it too. They both visited the pediatrician on Thursday again because they were running fevers for a couple of days, and Jordan had developed the barky cough yet again. She has croup, but luckily, we got the medicine in time to get her on the mend before any hospital visits! The babies have also began their monthly Synagis injections to help protect them from RSV. They qualify for them because of their prematurity and the fact that they have a two year old brother (aka germ carrier)! Their doctor told us during our visit that Jordan and Drew should not go anywhere public (even the store or church nursery) until RSV season is over in April. This is going to be difficult, but we know that their health comes first, so we are working on figuring our schedule out so that the have the least amount of exposure to germs this winter as possible.
In non-medical related news, all of the kids are having fun and are as adorable as ever! Here are some of their latest accomplishments/fun momemts:
JORDAN: cut another bottom tooth this week (now has 3 total, all on bottom); rolls EVERYWHERE and has begun army crawling just yesterday, which means she actually holds her head up instead of plowing it into the carpet when she pushes off the floor with her legs; eats rice and oatmeal cereals, and we will start solids this week; she isn't as into it as Drew, but eats a few bites before wanting to just chew on the spoon; we introduced sippy cups, but she just kept letting hers drop to the floor
DREW: cutting the same bottom tooth as his sister, so he too has 3 bottom teeth and no top ones yet; rolling EVERYWHERE; babbling alot more, making lots of different sounds, inlcuding "mamama" (yeah); now giggles at Eli and loves watching him play; he loves eating and eats about twice as much cereal as his sister; he has actually drank water out of his sippy cup a couple of times. He is also sitting up really well by himself for several seconds before tipping over.
ELI: has been pretty low key, watching cartoons and pretend playing with household objects and his toys; he's been really into Dr Seuss books and we role play the characters all the time; i.e. he is Sam I Am and tries to get me to try green eggs and ham; he's got a great memory and usually remembers more of the book than I do!; he knows the month of all of our birthdays, and we talk about whose b-day is next (Andy's is Thanksgiving Day); he's getting excited about Christmas, as we have been talking about Jesus' birthday in December and he saw some trees decorated with lights the other night on our way to yet another trip to Walgreens; he continues to make us laugh with his quotes, some of which are below:
"Sure do." and "Sure am." are his favorite responses right now;
He told me the other night at bedtime that I had "beautiful brown eyes";
When Andy was driving the other day, he had to stop quickly at a red light, and Eli said, "easy tiger!";
He also calls us "partner" or "pal" sometimes when we are talking to him (usually disciplining him) and we have to try not to laugh out loud.
Andy and I are great. Andy's been more under the weather than me. His ORI is over at work, so things are less stressful, which is nice. He's upgrading to Instructor Pilot this month and next, which means some classes and training, but nothing that effects his family time with us. The babies are starting to sleep better when they aren't sick, even daytime naps last a couple hours, which helps my sanity. I am looking forward to our trip to Indiana for the holidays and trying to prepare for it now because it takes me that long to get things organized! :)
October 24th, 2009 Eli's Hospital Visit
Well, I had started to update the website last week and then I had to go take care of one of the kids. The story stated that we were all managing to stay healthy...how things change in just a few days! Last Saturday night, Eli began running a fever, but was acting fine still. Then, by Sunday afternoon, he was pretty raspy and still had the fever. I called his pediatrician Monday morning, but they couldn't get him in until Tuesday morning, so we went to the doctor then. Monday night Eli's fever spiked and he and I had to go to the tub with lukewarm water a couple times. Andy had to fly on Tuesday, so we were trying to let him sleep...I don't think I slept more than 30 minutes that night! Eli's fever at one point was 104, and that was taken with our ear thermometer (which I usually add a degree or so to). Anyway, as we suspected, Eli was diagnosed with croup by his pediatrician. Eli tested negative for strep and both flu viruses, but there are lots of false negatives with the H1N1 type virus, so he said he could be fighting that too.
So, we went home on Tuesday from the doctor and rested. Eli continued to get worse throughout the afternoon and evening. Andy was not scheduled to land until around midnight, but was able to call and check in with us about 5pm. Eli was pretty worn down at that point, and wouldn't swallow his saliva so I knew his throat was pretty sore. This is the kid that has had strep a few times and we barely knew it! He hadn't eaten anything all day and would try different drinks and say, "that didn't help". By 9 pm, his fever was back up to 102/103 and he refused to take his medicine. He began grabbing his chest and retracting (spot between his ribs going clear in and out) like he was having trouble breathing. At first, I didn't know if he was just upset b/c I was trying to get him to take medicine, or if he was truly having difficulty breathing. I called our pediatrician service and the doctor on call could hear him over the phone. At this point, I was freaking out b/c Eli laid down on his bed and was still retracting/wheezing and was so lethargic. The pediatrician told me that his airways were most likely too swollen to swallow anything, including his own saliva, which was why he had been spitting it out all evening. He decided to call 911 for me and have an ambulance come to the house so that Eli could get relief earlier than if I took him to the Emergency Room myself. SO...I called a neighbor and friend, who came to stay with Jordan and Drew, and Eli and I went by ambulance down to Children's Hospital (where I work and where the babies were born). Eli was too sick to even care that there were rescue trucks at our house. Andy happend to call to say he was stuck in Nebraska for the night b/c his plane broke down, and to his surprise Eli and I were in the ambulance.
Eli got two breathing treatments of epinephrine in the ED to open his airways, and some steroids to help with the inflammation. They gave him a tylenol suppository and his fever went down within the hour. The staff were great and Eli was finally able to rest some. We were blessed to have our pastor and a friend come down to check on us, and family to go check in on the babies. Eli and I spent the night at the hospital and Andy caught a commercial flight home the next morning. Eli stayed another night in the hospital and came home on Thursday. He is still not 100% but is on the mend. When we left the hospital, I asked him what his favorite part was and he said, "getting better." I couldn't agree more. So far, the younger kids are healthy, and we continue to pray for their health.
I will update more later....thanks for all the prayers and support once again!
September 27th, 2009: Rollovers, teeth, and more...
This might be a hodge-podge of information because so much has happend since our last update. When I only have a few minutes, or if I am holding a baby, it's easier to post pictures than stories, so you get more updates of those. Besides, I assume most of you would rather see the kids than read about them! We are having a great Fall, but staying very busy, and not really getting alot of sleep...
First, the most recent since it's fresh on my mind.
DREW cut his first tooth today!! We knew it was coming b/c he has been nawing on his toys, fingers, etc for awhile now. It's his bottom right middle tooth, and it looks like the other middle tooth will break through in the next day or so. He has been congested and running a low grade fever, so he's had some nights in the swing, but managed to sleep pretty good last night in his crib again. He rolls over all the time to his tummy, and prefers sleeping that way. He has a very strong torso and loves his exersaucer. He has even tried pushing with his legs when he's on his belly, so we joke about how life is going to change so soon, when Jordan and Drew are crawling. Eli will talk about how they will chase him...he can't wait.
JORDAN is rolling over now too, from her back to tummy! She has really just started doing it consistently this weekend. She had been getting pretty close, but getting her arm stuck, but now she can go all the way, and then back onto her back again. She "talks" all the time, sometimes pretty loudly, so we are often laughing at her. She has really been spitting up alot again, but we think it's because of her teeth and the congestion that she's been battling. She laughs at Eli all the time when he is playing or running around, and laughs at his cartoons.
Andy got back on Thursday night, after being gone for about 2 weeks for his job. Luckily, his mom (GG) was able to come out and help me. I don't think I could have made it without her! While she was here, we did lots of fun things, including laundry, dishes, and more laundry. You get the picture! Unbelievably, it rained almost every day she was here, so we didn't get lots of outside time. We managed to go to lunch one day, get take-out a couple of times, get the babies to their 6 month check ups, and play, play, play with Eli. She was quite the trooper, getting up with me several times a night to help out (for some reason congestion and teething is not a good combination for our kids). The babies' check-up went well, with both Jordan and Drew staying in their same percentiles for height and weight that they were in at 4 months (J: 3rd, D: 3rd for ht, 20th for wt). Jordan weighed in at 12 lbs 6 oz and was 23.75 inches long. Drew weighed 15 lbs 9 oz and was 24.25 inches long. Drew got his 6 month immunizations and both got there first sets of flu shots (not a fun experience for any of us).
ELI continues to love school and his teachers have told myself, Auntie Ruth and GG that he "is a joy to have in class". :) He's realy been using his imagination lately at playtime. We go on all sorts of adventures either in our airplane or flying his little Matchbox airplanes to different states and countries, from riding in a taxi in NYC to go see a movie to going to Hawaii to see volcanoes. He also loves stories, saying "tell me a story" during lunch or while we are playing. He will tell some of his own, but prefers to listen to others. One of GG's favorites is when he walked into the room and pointed his finger at her, saying "this means I mean it!" (I guess I was over-emphasizing my seriousness b/c like his Daddy, he tends to try to joke and smile his way out of trouble). He is really sweet with Jordan and Drew. We are so blessed to have him as a big brother to them.
As for me (Cathy), I am taking a Women's Bible Study on Wednesday mornings at church and it has been very challenging and rewarding. Along those same lines, I spoke at our first ever Women's Conference at our church (Acts 2) in a session about Overcoming Obstacles. I, of course, spoke about Brady's death. It was on the 6 month annivesary of his death, so what a great way to commemorate his life. We videotaped the introducation, with a church member putting my words to photos. Pastor Mark actually saw it and used it as a videoclip last Sunday (the 21st) during his sermon. I am working on getting a copy of it and will share the video with you when I do. Until then, you can always check out his sermons at www.Acts2umc.org. Well, duty calls, so we'll post pics later.
September 7th, 2009 Zoo, Football, Teeth, Clean house...
We have had a GREAT couple of weeks! Andy was able to have a few days off over this past weekend, and it was wonderful. We celebrated our 9 year anniversary with two date nights last week! A lot has changed in 9 years. Actually, a lot has changed in just one year. The last week of August marked the one year anniversary of Grandpa Jordan's passing and of our embryo transfer that resulted in my pregnancy with the triplets. We sure miss Grandpa and Brady, but are comforted to know that they are together and that we will join them one day for eternity. While talking about Brady, his gravestone is now in place and my Mom and Dad were thoughtful enough to take a picture of it and email it to us. I will try to post it if the children let me after typing our update.
As far as new news...Jordan and Drew are officially in their nursery! On Sunday (their 6 month b-day), we moved the crib from our bedroom to theirs. Now there are two cribs, two dressers, a rocking chair and a changing table all in their room!! Needless to say, there's not much floor space. :) Drew began sleeping in his crib about 4 or 5 nights ago and is sleeping like a champ! We truly believe that switching him to a soy formula helped his tummy troubles and thus, helped him be happier and sleep better. I have not given up completely on nursing him once in awhile to try to keep his immunity up, but we wanted to go all formula for awhile to see how much a difference it made. Jordan cut her first tooth on our anniversary (the 2nd) and then her other bottom tooth on the 4th! She shows she's hurting by not going to sleep as easily as normal and wanting to be held more often. She and Drew are both sleeping until at least 3 to 5am before waking for the first time, which has done wonders on our sleep schedule. Getting more than a couple of hours at a time is great!!
Since Andy had some time off, we have been able to clean the house a bit and manage to still have fun. We took the family to the zoo on Thursday. Eli loved riding the train more than seeing any animals. In fact, he told Auntie Ruth that night that he didn't see any animals at the zoo! Guess they didn't make an impression. :) He loves school and doesn't even say bye when we drop him off. When he asked to have something the other day, and I told him no, he replied, "Mommy, can I please have a better choice?". Too funny. He continues to have very vivid dreams, often waking and crying, telling us about a storm, or an animal that he swears is in the house. He's been enjoying more outside time since Andy was home and the weather was nice. We've went on many walks, and he uses the pedals on his tricycle once in awhile now instead of pushing with his feet.
We are excited that GG is coming to visit on Saturday! She will get to see Andy for a day before he leaves for a TDY for a couple of weeks. She is anxious to get her hands on the kids. We'll post more pictures soon. Love to all of you and BOILER UP!
August 21st, 2009 Things continue to go well and be busy here. I have a feeling that won't change anytime soon! First of all, the updates on Jordan and Drew. Yes, Jordan did roll over a week after her brother! From tummy to back. She continues to get stronger and tolerate her tummy time better and TALKS up a storm! She just loves making noise...it's adorable (until it turns into a scream)! She is more vocal for sure than Drew. He "talks" too-not as often and makes different sounds. For awhile now, it really sounds like "mama" when he is crying (he knows how to melt my heart already)! Jordan has slept through the night on several occasions, including the past two nights! Yeah!! She had to get her 4 month immunizations yesterday (I am a bit behind), but she was a trooper and calmed down way sooner than I anticipated. Drew is very strong with his upper body and head control. He has giggled too (don't remember if we've shared that). Both are ticklish, but it is easier to get Jordan to laugh than him. Eli is ready for school!! We marked the calendar and have been counting down the days. Andy and I went to Parent Orientation on Tues and Eli and I went to Children's Orientation on Thursday. He got to meet his teachers, classmates and play in the classroom for 30 minutes. He, of course, did not want to leave. I know he will do great, and more importantly, have fun. He will go two days a week. It will be a nice break for him and for us. He is doing great potty training and usually has accidents only when he is playing with a friend. I am sending him in pull-ups next week just to be safe, but he went while we were there on Thursday, so I am sure he will transition to going there pretty quickly. He continues to learn new things daily. He loves trying to catch buys with a bug catcher Miss Britt and Ms Shirley sent him. He opened it in the house and almost let a huge beetle out yesterday! He still dreams alot. He came out from his nap the other day scared and running, asking "where's the combine?" over and over. Eventually I got it out of him that he had dreamed about "Frank, the combine" from the Cars movie coming to his house with a blue airplane. In the movie, he is like a bull and chases the cars. I explained that combines were real, but that Frank wasn't. He sighed, saying "oh, I thought he was real and he is just pretend." So clever. He can count to 12 or so and sings his ABC's alot. He can recognize some numbers and letters too. Andy and I are both good. I work a few days a month down at the hospital and love it. He is busy at work and will be for awhile. I work the next two Saturdays, so say a prayer for him as he gets to face the challenge of taking care of the three little ones by himself!! Well, Auntie Ruth is coming over this Saturday, at Andy's request. :) We got our photos back that we had taken in early July, so I will post those soon.
August 5th, 2009 I am going to try to make this short, but it's been awhile. However, I am one tired Mommy and all kids are sleeping, so I am soon to follow! First things first, DREW ROLLED OVER yesterday for the first time!!! Tummy to back and has done it several times today. So cute, but now it's almost impossible to get him to have "tummy time" b/c he rolls onto his back almost instantly. He continues to have tummy/gastrointestinal issues that make him cranky at times. He went several days without a stool, so the doctor told us to do a glycerin suppository and then put dark Karo syrup in any bottles that he takes (he mostly nurses). He did go without us having to do the suppository yesterday, but we did one tonight b/c he hasn't gone again and he's been fussing alot tonight. Pray that these issues resolve themselves soon b/c we worry that he has some residual affects from his infection long ago. Jordan gives us smiles all the time and giggles alot. She "talks" more than Drew, making lots of noises when I talk to her. She giggled yesterday for the first time from me tickling her, instead of just from a toy or facial expression. She feels like a lightweight after carrying Drew! She is sleeping a ton, so I think they are both having growth spurts (they are both eating a ton too). Eli is a great big brother, mimicking my "motherese" voice when he talks to the babies. He'll say, "oh, that's so cute" or tries to tickle them and make them smile. He is back on the potty training wagon by his own accord. He came into our room Sunday morning, saying "There's poop everywhere." I was nursing a baby (who knows which one at those wee hours), so Daddy jumped out of bed and saw that Eli didn't have a diaper on. Oh my, I thought. But, alas, Eli had went some in his diaper and taken it off in his bathroom and finished on the toilet! I was imagining it down the hall, all over his bed, or something, but thank goodness it was contained to the bathroom! Eli also discovered his eyebrows this past week, asking me one night while I was reading him a story what they were (my hint to get plucking again)!! He felt his and we looked in the mirror at them...funny that he knows so many body parts but hadn't noticed eyebrows yet. OK, it's turned into a long post, so I am done for now. I could share a million more stories.... Overall, we are doing great. Getting into a routine. Staying inside again b/c of the 100 degree weather. Love to all of you!!
July 25th, 2009 Back Home Again Well, we made it back all in one piece from our trip, and are adjusting well to being back home. The flight back went smoothly, only taking us about 6 hours in the air. Jordan slept the entire first leg (3.5 hours). Eli got bored after an hour or so and climbed into the back seat with me and the babies. He was standing at my legs (behind Andy) and then laid down on the floor at my feet and fell asleep! Drew did well also, sleeping most of the time. We have transitioned well back into our routine. Andy went back to work on Tuesday, and I actually went to the hospital for a couple hours to catch up because I am working two days next week! If you remember, I am a PRN Child Life Specialist at the Children's Hospital that the triplets were born at. I work when the other specialists are gone. I haven't worked since last October! I plan to only pick up a couple days a month and a Saturday here and there. Eli jumped right back into his routine here, and is doing great. He had a b-day party and another playdate today. After coming home from his playdate, he looked at Jordan in the bouncy seat and said, "her sad." When I stated that I didn't think she looked sad, he replied, "her sad. Her missed me." Oh, how cute he is! He has been testing some limits, of course, and so we've had to use stern voices and time-out some. He tells Andy and I both that we're "not being very nice" and we have to continually explain that we are the bosses and we are allowed to talk that way! Jordan and Drew went to the doctor on Thursday for their 4 month check-up (a couple weeks late). Jordan weighed in at 10.5 lbs and was 22.5 inches long. She was finally on the growth chart (at the 3rd percentile), so we are making strides in the right direction! Her and Drew's head circumferences were both in the 10th percentile, so their brains are growing! :) Drew weighed in at 13 lbs and was 22.5 inches long. He is in the 20th percentile for weight, and 3rd for height. Both kids got clean bills of health. Drew got some immunizations (Jordan will get hers in a couple of weeks), so he has been a bit under the weather these past few days. He got his first live virus vaccination, so he ran a fever Thurs night and Friday, but is doing better today. He has been our "high maintenance" baby lately, having lots of crying spells. He will cry so hard that it breaks our hearts. We think that he is having some pain from trapped gas, so the doctor gave us another medicine to try, along with the gas drops we give him at every feeding. They seem to help! The poor little guy. It doesn't help that he also still prefers to be held or in his swing instead of in his crib. He will go down in his crib at night, but then wakes up a few hours later and then can't seem to get settled in again, and by morning he is beside me in our bed or in his swing b/c I am so tired that I need a little bit of sleep! Jordan has been a champ lately. The reflux medicine she is on is helping so much and she is such a happy baby now! She loves the aquarium bouncy seat and the playmat with the toys above her head. She just smiles, kicks, and talks. Okay, now for my disclaimer on photos. We had 500 photos on our camera from our trip! This is not an exaggeration, so be patient with us. I haven't decided if I am going to post a bunch, do them with photo bucket, or just upload some highlights and send an album to all the family. No matter what though, we promise to have some posted soon...
July 14th, 2009 Indiana Visit We are still on our vacation, but wanted to share some stories before we forget them all, or we don't have time to write about them. We've had some great adventures, showing off Drew and Jordan to many family and friends. All the kids have adjusted wonderfully to our back and forth schedule, staying at both grandparents' houses and at the lakehouse for the 4th. Eli has LOVED playing with all of his cousins. He got to ride many tractors and even an excavator at Grandpa and Gigi's. At the lake, he watched fireworks on the boat and went swimming with his aunts and cousins. At Papa and Nana's house, he has been spoiled by his two older cousins, Kaylynn and Garrett. He's fed the pigs marshmallows, been to see the animals (or "aminals" as he calls them) at the County Fair everyday, played at a family reunion, and so much more! Still on his agenda is showing a pig on Friday and going swimming again. Drew and Jordan have done great on this trip!! First, they adjusted to flying in our Cessna and slept most of the time. I did have to changed two dirty diapers on my lap and feed Drew in the first 1.5 hours of the trip, so I was a bit nervous about the next 5 hours, but it went great. Eli sat up front as "co-pilot" and loved it. He helped Andy fly, looked out the window, watched some movies, and even took a nap! Since we've been here, Jordan and Drew have both started smiling so much more, and "talking" too. They also have discovered their hands, and chew on them often. Last night, they both slept really well, so let's hope that it continues... Drew has become a "rocker", meaning he prefers to sleep in the rocking chair with someone instead of staying in his crib! Hopefully this habit will not continue this week. On Monday, we had a service for Brady out at his gravside and then a wonderful lunch at the Methodist Church that I grew up in. The service was beautiful. Aunt Abby read a poem that I will post on here soon. It was given to us by my Grandma T, whose sister lost her daughter at a young age many years ago. The poem was read at her funeral. I know that there were many people at the burial who have lost a child, and I hope that the poem helped them to feel peace like it did us. We are so thankful to have had Brady in our lives for the small amount of time that we did. We are all God's children, and we are blessed that God chose us to be parents. I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to all of you who came out to support us on Monday. When we pulled into the cemetary and saw so many vehicles, we couldn't believe that you were all there for us. It warms my heart still to know that our family is surrounded by so much love! Thank you again.
June 30th, 2009 I can't believe that June is almost over! We have had alot of exciting adventures lately. First, we had a nice Father's Day. We relaxed and then went over to Aunt Ruth and Uncle John's for a cookout. It was our first trip over there with the twins and they did great! Eli was entertained for hours with Cooper and Cale and we were able to visit with family. This past weekend we had even more outings. On Friday night, we went to a restaurant in downtown OKC and met up with a bunch of people from Andy's flight. I got to meet some people and all of his coworkers got to finally meet Jordan and Drew! It was our first outing just the five of us and it went pretty smoothly considering we had 3 kids ages 2 and under. After dinner, we walked around Bricktown and Eli got to see the sights...motorcycles, horse drawn carriages, a baseball game, and the riverwalk. On Saturday, a small group from our church came and watched the kids while Andy and I went on a date. We chose to go van shopping...very romantic! :) We are glad we did though b/c we got a great deal on a new Honda Odyssey and brought it home that day! Eli had two b-day parties that day, so it was busy. Then, on Sunday, we all five went to church together for the first time. Eli was excited to go play in the nursery, and the babies both did well during the service, falling asleep for most of it. Drew did keep tradition and pooped out his diaper onto his clothes just like his big brother did his first time at church! Now we are preparing for our trip to Indiana later this week. We plan to fly the Cessna, so wish us luck! It will be faster, but requires me to be very clever with my packing and take as little as possible. On Monday, July 6th, we will have a small ceremony for Brady in Rensselaer, as we bury his ashes next to my grandparents. If you would like more information about it, please email or call me and I will pass it along. I think that planning the service and going to church on Sunday, reconnecting with God, has made me alot more emotional this week. We have been doing well in our grieving process, but sometimes I experience all the pain again and it just takes over. I know that having Brady buried will give us some closure. It will be nice to have a place to take the children as they grow and talk about their brother to them. Eli mentions Brady all the time, just out of the blue. It's so wonderful! Okay, I am pushing my luck with this long story, so I will go. All the kids are doing great, growing and staying healthy. Pray that it continues! We are looking forward to seeing as many of you as we can on our trip. Love to all of you and God Bless America!!!
|
Contact This Site's Owner