'Tis the Season

It's been a hard last four months, but today I want to write about how watchful and mindful of us the Lord has been.

Remember when I was in Boise with sick kids, waiting for Dave to recover and trying to get home?  He got a call one afternoon that essentially told him that if he didn't drill by the end of that day, he was being discharged from the National Guard.  Which led to me getting a call from my husband that I better not take the kids to the doctor until future notice.  I called the insurance and verified that we did, in fact, lose all coverage effective the date of discharge.  And I cried.  A lot.  There were other unknowns and are other repercussions of his discharge that came with it, but nothing hit me as hard as losing health insurance.

A few weeks went by.  Dave called and left messages, trying to find out what was going on, when his discharge day was, if he had already been discharged, etc. And we never heard back.  Then Abby got sick.  So Dave went on base and got into his records and found out he hadn't been discharged yet.  So I took her to the doctor.  Then I got sick.  Then Isaac.  Each time, it was okay, we were still on, we could still go to the doctor.  Then one day a woman called and told Dave that his official discharge date was Dec. 20.  And she apologized left and right for the way it had all been handled and the lack of communication on their end.

That was great until Tuesday when Isaac and Abby were diagnosed with chronic ear infections -- meaning there is fluid on their ears that won't go away with antibiotics and has to be manually drained in an outpatient surgery when they put tubes in their ears.  We were referred to a doctor, she couldn't get us in until January.  We had planned on switching insurances in January, so we thought - "No big deal, we'll just wait until the new insurance kicks in and get it taken care of then."  Then Abby woke up crying this morning and told me, "Mommy, ear hurt, need go to doctor."

Great.  So we have two children with ear infections that won't respond to antibiotics, fluid that is building up and causing them extreme discomfort/intolerable pain, a doctor that can't see us until January, insurance that ends on Sunday.  I called the doctor back and said that I needed some help knowing what my options are and what I should do with these two toddlers.  She called back and told me to try another ENT Specialist.  So I called, and they can get me in tomorrow; however, THURSDAY (today) is the doctor's surgery day, so the soonest they could get operated on would be next Thursday, which is only if the hospital has room on the schedule to put in two more patients.  And, either way, we won't have insurance.  The nurse at the ENT specialist's office also told me the worst-case scenario is that the fluid will build until the ear drum breaks and the fluid comes out.  And the ear drum will generally heal itself, we would just probably need antibiotic drops to get the kids through it, which without insurance would cost us around $260 for the two kids.  Do-able.  Not favorable, but do-able.  She explained the protocol for taking care of the kids if the ear drums did break, bathing procedures, etc., and said that without surgery a broken ear drum could, in the long run, lead to hearing damage/loss.  I listened to it all and took notes on everything she said -- worried, relieved, etc. Though in my mind I was already crying at the thought of watching them go through that much pain for that long until the drum just broke on its own.  I went ahead and got them the appointment for tomorrow.

And then I did what any good parent would do and started to pray HARD.  I called and told Dave what had happened and asked him if could please try to get in touch with the Sergeant in charge of his discharge and see if, by some chance, the paperwork had fallen through the cracks again or they were waiting on someone to get back from vacation and it hadn't been signed or SOMETHING that might make it so we had insurance longer than the previously-established date of December 20.

And I called my mom who urged me to talk to Dave's work and see if, since he had involuntarily lost insurance coverage, there was a way to get on insurance prior to the date they had given him already.

I was about to go and look up a number to call when Dave called me and said, "Um - so I talked to Sgt. ???????, and we have coverage until December 31, at least, possibly longer than that.  She said she can't guarantee coverage past that, but she can guarantee we will have it until December 31."  I was speechless and got out something like, "How?  Why?"  And he said she was basically holding it for signatures through that date as a favor to us because of this situation and -- I think -- because she still felt bad about the lack of communication throughout all of this.

Or maybe you can scratch all of the above - or loop it all together - and just say that Heavenly Father needed me to know today that He is still aware of ME and is watching out for us because He knows we are doing all we can do.  And that is the story I am sure I can join with countless others this holiday season as many people see and feel the hand of the Lord and His miracles in their lives.

But you know what?  I don't think it's limited to this season.  I think this is just the time when we have eyes to see and ears to hear.  And I hope I can do better at seeing and hearing all the time to take note of and offer thanks for the miracles that happen in my life, and the lives of those I love, EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.

Update 12/17: We went to the ENT Specialist this morning and have surgery scheduled for next Thursday, Dec. 23.  I am incredibly nervous as a mother - it is going to be so hard to see them go through all of the pre-op stuff and get put to sleep.  And I know they are going to seriously FREAK OUT!  I'm crying already at the thought.  BUT, I also know that this will be the end to a LOT of misery and pain and sleepless nights.  And for that, I am so thankful for modern medicine and that they don't have to get to the point of having so much fluid build up that their eardrums break on their own.  They'll be able to hear better and sleep better and not have Tylenol and Ibuprofen on the top of their best friends forever list.  After last night's tears and cries all night from Abigail, I think that would be even more miserable to watch.

Everything you didn't want to know about my life . . .

First of all, welcome to Brianna Jane -- 7 lbs. 4 oz, 20 1/2 inches long, born at 6:26 a.m. on Sept. 29 after way too many hours of labor, particularly in this hospital (oh to be divinely blessed to have a baby at Gritman again!!!! *sigh*).  And she is an angel, a jewel, the most chillax baby ever, and keeper of the newly-grown segment of mommy's heart.  We love love LOVE her and cannot imagine life without her, even though I am still self-confessing to have a hard time imagining life WITH her.  It's going to be a CRAZY, crazy ride!!!  I really hope the chillax-ed-ness stays, cuz with her older brother and sister, I'm going to need it!  Heck, we're ALL going to need the balance!!!

Second of all, I feel like life the past week has been a living hell.  Yes, I just wrote that "out loud" and even used "that word."  And both after describing our new little angel as an angel and totally chillax and the BEST BABY EVER!!!  Let me expound.

About 10 days before Brianna was born, Abby started screaming in the supermarket -- the kind of scream that isn't a two-year-old tantrum and that no mother could ever ignore.  And it didn't stop.  For hours.  After a way-too-long wait at "Quick Care" (like three hours), all with a screaming-in-pain toddler and me nine and a half plus months pregnant, carrying her up and down the hall with a diaper bag full of toys and books to keep her happy during our wait (none of which ever left my bag or distracted her from her obvious pain), we learned she had a double ear infection.  Awesome.  Got the prescription, got the drugs, headed home for another sleepless night of crying and trying home remedies to calm her down and almost setting the house on fire (pretty sure I already wrote about all of this somewhere).  Thought that was the end of another ear infection story.

Fast forward a few days -- Sunday.  We were in the mother's lounge, just trying to get through with the twins, when I got distracted by another new mommy in the ward. I'm still trying to make all the friends I can and find my niche.  And it was great fun until . . . Abby started screaming in pain!!!  Isaac had got her fingers caught on the inside of the shower stall door.  Look away for two seconds . . . . The nursery leader brought her to me an hour or so later and told me she was pretty sure Abby had dislocated her finger because she wasn't using it, it was swolen to her knuckles, and she cried whenver anyone touched it.  Awesome.  Back to Quick Care.  Good news: Same doctor as diagnosed her ear infection; Isaac didn't have one, Abby's was almost all cleared up; the finger was fine!!!  Home again, home again, jiggidy-jig.  To Daddy who was home sick from church.

About five days before Brianna was born, Dave started with cold chills and a fever.  I can't remember if he missed work this time around or not.  It all blends together already.  But needless to say, I was wondering if I was going to have a baby by myself while my husband nursed a fever and my mom watched two crazy toddlers.  And it wasn't looking too promising.  Then two days before, he said the fevers had stopped; he was fine.  We could have her anytime.  Perfect.  Thought that was the end of another Dave-fevers-aches-exhaustion-missing-work-or-church story.

Brianna was born!  It wasn't as relaxing as Gritman had made having a baby.  It wasn't ideal in any sense of the word.  There was no mommy-daddy-new-family-bonding or rest and relaxation while the nurses watched the baby for the first 48 hours and treated the new couple to one last meal all their own by candlelight.  Nope - cuz this hospital leaves the baby with you all the time and doesn't do anything special like that.  But that's another story.  SO -- as Dave and I are trying desperately to get some sleep, keep up with a nameless baby Jane, document every feeding, how long, which side, what kind of diaper came from it, at what time, blah, blah, blah.  And while the nurses kept coming in (or sending someone in) every hour to check on me and keep up with their regulations to incessantly come in and wake me up just to be able to write down how I was sleeping and doing and feeling.  And while the birth certificate lady kept calling us to find out what we were naming our little girl and if we needed a book of names and "I'll bring one right up" and then keep calling you until you make a decision.  And while the breastfeeding expert finished her entire schpeal even as I was struggling more to keep my eyes open than you would in the most boring lecture EVER after only a few hours of sleep in the preceding 72 hours.  And while the wall let out a high-pitched squeal every time someone next door turned on the water in either sink or flushed the toilet or anything.  And while you thought someone else was coming in every time anyone opened a door on either side of your room because it shook and banged your door EVERY SINGLE TIME . . . .

While all of this and more was going on, Dave started getting a sore throat (again) and a horribly throbbing headache.  And kept trying to get some sleep on the makeshift bed in my room.  About noon-ish, after no sleep for two days, he decided to run home and shower and change and steal a quick nap before coming back to get through one more night in the hospital. (Baby Jane was jaundicey and not eating and producing like they thought she should, so they wouldn't really let us go home -- or so we thought at the time).  And he left me with the strict instructions that I was to have a name chosen by the time he got back (I had Samantha, Natalie, and Naomi for approved first names and his stamp of approval on Jane and Grace for middle names -- so I got to draw the lucky combination from a hat and make a decision before he got back -- lucky me!  you can see how well THAT went!).

Meanwhile, back at the Motel-6-disguised-as-the-Palace, I decided I had HAD it with this hospital, staff, hourly visits to make sure I was sleeping and that Baby Jane was peeing and pooping on schedule while I was getting my rest, etc.  So I told them I wanted to go home NOW.  Dave didn't get the memo until later, but I really didn't care anymore.  I vented to one nurse who told the Charge nurse who called the pediatrician and OB.  Dave came back a few hours later, having spent some one-on-one time playing with the twins instead of napping, and we got back to the business of choosing a name so they would let us leave with our "Baby Jane."

Oh, but I forgot to mention that just after Dave got back, he told me he'd had a horrible cough hit and should get a mask from the nurse's station.  Which he did.  And while he was doing that, my mom called and asked me if Dave had mentioned that Abby was broken out all over her body with 1/4" hives and that she was struggling to breathe so much that mom was really worried about her.  No.  He didn't mention either of those things.  Huh.  I pointd mom towards the inhaler on Abby's dresser, was informed by Dave that her hives weren't "that bad" and to not worry too much.  And the birth certificate lady called.  And we were back to choosing a name.

We finally did choose.  And got home.  And Abby's "no big deal" hives were getting worse.  As was Dave's cough.  So we sent Dave and Abby to "Quick Care" and got Isaac in bed and started to settle new baby Brianna Jane into her new home.  And we waited.  And I started to worry about how late it was and how tired Dave was and how early his morning and long his day at work were going to be.  And we waited.  And I called Quick Care and was told they couldn't give me any information -- which I insisted was garbage and pressed further until she told me they must be back with the doctor because she didn't see them in the waiting room.  And we waited.  And four hours later, they came home and announced:

"Abby doesn't have chicken pox but is deathly allergic to amoxicillin -- like the last dose you skipped when she was having a hard time breathing could have cut her off entirely. I, on the other hand, have an upper-respiratory infection, a double ear infection, and strep throat."

Gasp. sigh. cry. stare in disbelief and amazement. escort new baby to bedroom to never leave again.

I couldn't believe it!  It was horrible!  And he's been there from birth to Quick Care visit.  He even cut her umbilical chord.  Totally exposed.  Wow.

But at least Abby got some benedryl and a prescrpition for the next few days and was going to be okay.  Or so we thought.

Dave locked himself in the office (where he still sits today, sometimes lays, on his ever-so-comfie cot), my mom and I started spraying and disinfecting everything in sight, and we restlessly went to bed.

We got Abby's medicine a little late the next day.  So imagine our amazement when a few hours later, she was totally and completely . . . . no, not healed, BROKEN OUT AGAIN!!!  This time the hives were so close on her arms that they were just large lumps.  And on her hands and ears and feet and legs.  And she was pale and swollen all over . . . and an absolute bear!!!  What. the. heck.  With General Conference playing on the internet in the background, I called the Pediatric Allergist and got a prescription of . . . some really powerful medicine.  And we were instructed to bring her in on Monday.

Monday I got Dave in to see a doctor because when I took Brianna in for a jaundice check and me in for a whooping cough vaccine and strep throat check, the doctor told us that it was almost medically impossible for Dave to have strep while on antibiotics for his tooth extraction a week or so before.  So I talked to my friend Emily and my mom and decided he had mono.  But when he went to Quick Care Sunday night, they told him they wouldn't test him for mono because his joints didn't ache.  So I got him in to see the doctor Monday after work.  And they tested him for strep.  And were blown away that the test was positive.  And wouldn't test him for mono but told him to finish out his second, double-strength prescirption of amoxicillin and come back if things didn't improve.  Pins and needles all week long, much hand-washing, hand sanitizer everywhere, etc.

Tuesday we took Abby to the doctor - and her allergy was cleared up.  But her double ear infection was not.  And she had either Fifth Disease or . . . well, he tested her for strep.  Good news! She had strep!  No need to go back for a nasty blood draw that afternoon.  Nope. Isaac and I just got to go back for a strep test that afternoon.  And Isaac tested positive.  One shot in Abby's leg and two prescriptions later, we thought we were finally over the hump!

Until Dave went to the doctor today because he has only gotten worse.  And was told that the long test had come back negative for strep.  So he has a virus.  And they drew blood to test for mono.

But what the heck?  How do Abby and Isaac have strep when Dave has mono . . . .

Or do they all have something else entirely?

Here we sit like birds in the wilderness, birds in the wilderness, birds in the wilderness.  Here we sit like birds in the wilderness . . . waiting for our food.

Oh, and Abby got some cold virus in all her office visits.  Which, in spite of all of my best efforts and keeping Brianna behind locked doors almost 24/7, not even touching her in the same clothes I had been wearing outside of my bedroom -- Brianna now has.

And my mom flies home on Wednesday.  And I'm praying we have this all figured out/straightened out by then.  Praying . . . praying . . . praying . . . praying.  Please join me!!!!

Who would have ever thought that bringing home a new baby would be the LEAST stressful part of my week?

Like I said, she's an angel . . . an absolute gem!!!

L.A., Palmdale, Lancaster - Oh, my!

Wow!  I cannot believe, yet again, how much time has flown since my last post!  Christmas was great (more on that later), I had surgery on my foot on Dec. 17 (more on that later). Then we drove down to Boise to take my babies to my mom's house before winter storms blocked our passage because . . . .

We're in California for a week!!!

First of all, this is the first time I have left my babies for more than two days since they were born (and that was only once)!!! Need I really write that I bawled when we put them down for their morning nap before leaving to drive back home?  Abby just stared at me; Isaac whimpered and reached up to me and touched my face!  It was really sweet!  And I cried when we got back New Year's Eve and I saw their socks and shoes laying around and their empty beds!  Yes, it is true!!!  As many times as I have thought how nice it would be to have a break, it is so different and so hard to not have their songs and smiles and words and blabber and laughs and hugs and kisses, etc. It didn't help today when I called my mom after we landed and learned that Abby is back in fever/lethargy mode.  But I realize what a huge blessing it is to have time with Dave and made a decision that if we're going to do this, we're going to do it right and just enjoy ourselves!!! 

We spent some time cleaning and packing and even tried to go to the movie TWICE (the internet times were wrong both times, and by the third time we bagged it - so we still haven't been to a movie since my birthday before the babies were born!!!!), then stayed the night in Spokane at Dave's sister's last night! When we landed in L.A. this afternoon, the temperature was 81 degrees!  We actually had to TURN THE AIR CONDITIONER ON in the car as we drove! In JANUARY!!!  And here we are - ready to scope out the area, decide where we might want to live, make some connections, see how far different locations are from Dave's work, spend some time as tourists in L.A. or wherever else we want to go, (maybe even go see a movie - could it happen?), etc.  And it is going to be GREAT!!!!

I'll keep you posted!  And write about all the other things, New Year's resolutions, last year's follow-ups, etc.  But for now -- Happy New Year, dear friends!!!  May it bring you the best of all your hopes and dreams for years past, present, and future!

Lynette's Wedding

 Lynette and Robert Carlson

October 17, 2009

Columbia River Temple

Richland, Washington

We got to spend the weekend with our dear friend Lynette, her new husband, and their families.  Though the weekend did not go as we had planned (Abby got sick again, starting Friday night), thanks to our dear friend AnnMarie, we got to have a quiet place for the babies to rest and still take the wedding pictures.  It was a perfect day in every way.  Just as the wedding party's shots were taken, the clouds came in (in the most perfect way) and we were able to get some amazing shots of the bride and groom and the Temple.

Congratulations you two!  We wish you the same peace, joy, happiness, and love that you felt (and can so obviously see) in these moments that you will remember for the rest of your lives!

 

 

Ebbs and Flows

Wow! Has it really been two months since I posted anything on here? What a two months it has been, too!

Dave got through AT and then we went to Boise for him to photograph his sister's wedding. It was a beautiful wedding, and he did a GREAT job with the pictures. He also finished his summer class and his SMART Orientation in California. Last Friday (Aug. 14) was actually his last day of work at Schweitzer as well, so we have ONE week to just enjoy each other and life and pull together some last odds and ends before the next school year starts! Crazy! We're planning on taking the babies backpacking in the Seven Devils, just outside of Riggins. It will be an experiment for sure -- both in their endurance and our strength to carry them -- but it will be a LOT of fun! I'm really excited!

I celebrated my REAL 29th birthday in July! I can't believe this is my LAST year as a 20-something. But 30 is the new 20, right? Dave surprised me with a late birthday party -- we went up to his sister's in Spokane, she babysat while we did sealings in the temple and then we had a bbq and poolside party at her apartment complex (she had TWO cakes -- cheesecake and german chocolate, Dave made chicken and fat free everything -- french onion dip, my favorite potato chips, diet root beer, etc.). After that he surprised me with a cruise -- a lake cruise, that is, of Coeur d' Alene lake. The weather was perfect, and though we would never spend the money to do it again, it was a nice day on the ferry and very fun to just get away. Then he surprised me by choosing and buying me a new dress for church -- a skirt and top combination, actually. We probably should have stopped with one, but while he was picking through Ross's selection, he found so many things he liked that we came home with three skirts, two dresses, and two tops! I'm already planning on returning one dress and one skirt! ;-D A girl just doesn't NEED that many new items for church once a week!

Isaac and Abby turn the big ONE next Saturday! Can you believe it has already been a year? I sure can't!

Abby is Abby -- cute as cute can be, a prima donna, true sugar and spice and everything nice. She has her two canine (vampire) teeth coming in on the bottom, though they are taking their sweet time and I'm not sure they'll beat the ones on top that are threatening to peek through as well. Her hair is growing in and just so, so, so CUTE!!! And she really is just so sweet! I can't think of a better word to describe her than that. She's a timid explorer, but a curious little explorer just the same. And when she isn't sick, she is getting just bold enough to take ISAAC'S pacifier instead of sitting back and crying every time he takes hers. She's going to be a challenge for him one of these days -- and he's going to regret all the times he pushed her around, let me tell ya!

She has been sick once a month since May -- same thing: fevers to 104-105, loss of apetite, vomiting, lethargic, etc. I've been doing some research, though, and found that this is all very similar to the symptoms for what they have termed PFAPA. The cure, though no one knows why, is to remove their tonsils. So we need to do some autoimmune system tests to first rule out anything there that might be causing all of this and then I'll start talking to specialists (though I'm not exactly sure who or what that means) about this other thing and maybe getting her tonsils taken out. She also got a cold last week, which she has since shared with every member of the family (Daddy being the latest recipient and, unfortunately, the greater casualty).

Isaac is Isaac -- isn't it a relief? . . . . Sometimes. He is truly toads and snails and puppy dog tails -- as long as he can follow them, grab them, pull them, and otherwise explore and investigate and partake of EVERYTHING in his sight. Dave gets frustrated that he simply CANNOT leave anything in order. If he sees clothes folded on the sofa, in the laundry basket, or even in his drawer, he simply cannot resist the urge to PULL them out, THROW them around, and just mess them up. Dishes in the cupboard, books on the bookshelf, things in the drawers, ALL are basically at his mercy and will certainly LOSE.

Our latest development for him is that his two front, bottom teeth have broken through and are quickly rising to the top! So much fun that he could get them in before his 1st Birthday!

Isaac has also recently decided to audition to be a vocalist in the next Jurrasic Park movie. He is making sounds that even I have never heard before. I would tell someone to tell Hollywood, but he's increasing in volume and intensity so quickly that I am sure no one else will have to tell them -- he'll take care of that himself!

So life at the Chaffee residence is pretty much busy, busy, busy and fun and stressful and crazy and wonderful every minute of every day.

Missed the Memo

So I'm pretty sure I wrote a very definite memo (blog entry) to that horrible virus that has plagued us for over two weeks now. You read it, right? It's still on the blog -- still in my recent history of posts. So why is it that as soon as Isaac's fever broke without the aid of any medication (oh happy day!), Abby's fever returned -- along with the vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea, etc.? I guess I just wasn't specific enough when I said, "Virus, virus -- GO AWAY!!!!!" I'm actually beginning to wonder if it really IS a virus or if the virus missed the memo because I'm not calling it right. But how's a girl to know, right? How am I supposed to know more than two highly qualified pediatricians, living in two different parts of the state?

One day at a time -- one sleepless night at a time -- one set of tired arms from holding babies all day at a time -- one dose of two screaming and needy infants waking at 2:30 a.m. at a time -- just. one. day. at a time.

Life Update

It has been a CRA-A-AZY week!

On Monday, Isaac had his six-month Wellness Check (yes, one month late -- such is life). I asked the doctor to look at his leg because he was still favoring it quite a bit and not putting weight on it. Besides that, he had a few times in the previous week and a half since his fall at church that he had cried out in pain when someone touched it wrong or tipped him sideways or whatever. I was worried about a dislocated knee or something. So - the doctor said she didn't see anything or any cause for concern, but that the only way to be sure was to have an x-ray done. Translation: More money spent than you want to spend, but your love for your child and concern for his health and well-being drives you to just do it. So I drove him to Gritman and had an x-ray of his leg taken. The doctor didn't call the next day, but Grandma Gail held Isaac and bent his knee, putting pressure on something in it and causing him to cry out in pain, yet again. So I knew something had to be wrong, but who am I, right? Well, Wednesday morning I got a phone call from the doctor that HE HAD A FRACTURE and she had already contacted the Orthoped. Surgeon and scheduled an appointment for us to go and see him. Translation: I felt like an AWFUL mother and called Dave in tears about our son's broken leg! Oh, and she said to not put any pressure on it and keep him off it -- as I looked down and saw him trying to crawl around on the floor. AYYYYYY!!!!

So - Dave came rushing home and spent the rest of the day with us, taking care of Abby while I went to the doctor with Isaac, etc. Know what made me really mad? We got there at 2:35 for our 2:45 appointment, filled out paperwork, and I played with Isaac to keep him happy (since I had WOKEN HIM FROM HIS NAP to go to this doctor appointment, presumably to get a cast on his leg -- that's what my cousin [an Orthoped. in Burley] said would happen when I had the hospital fax him the x-ray report). 15 minutes later, they took us back into a VERY WARM room where I continued to play with Isaac for ABOUT AN HOUR, trying to keep him happy, his patience wearing thinner all the time. FINALLY, after around an hour and a half, the doctor walked in, cheerful as could be, and said, "So, he has a fracture . . . ." Got that --- AND? "And we aren't going to do anything because we find with infants that casts and things are more of a hassle and can cause more damage, what with blisters on their heels and things, than they are worth. The smaller bone is acting as an internal splint, so we won't need an external splint. So - watch him carefully, keep him from hurting it more, and we'll see you for a follow-up in three weeks."

ARE YOU SERIOUS?!?!?!?!?! Did you just make me come in here, my husband missing class to sit with our other baby, charging me an office visit and making me sit in your HOT room for OVER AN HOUR with a TIRED, CRANKY infant? Just to tell me you are GOING TO DO NOTHING?!?!?!?!?! Is your phone broken, cuz I'm pretty sure that would have been easier all around, and you wouldn't have had to take time to show me the x-ray and try to make me feel better about you DOING NOTHING AT ALL about my baby's broken bone!!!!!!!

I'll tell you what -- when three weeks comes up, I'm going to call and see what their procedure is. If it involves us going, paying another office visit to be told we need to get ANOTHER X-RAY and then told to come back for a THIRD visit to READ the X-RAY, I'm going to tell him to just call the x-ray in and then give us a call with the results, NO OFFICE VISIT FEES ADDED to my already uncomfortable medical bill for the month of March. And if they don't agree, I'll simply have my cousin call in the order for X-rays and find out what is up. Honestly, folks!

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, ABBY spent the end of last week THROWING UP and running a VERY high fever that WOULD NOT BRAKE. HERE -- we go -- AGAIN! But this time, I refused to take her to hospital or the doctor's office until it was ABSOLUTELY necessary. After the last time and the blood work, injection, x-rays, and ER visit, I am not going to make the mistake of going back and giving them another opportunity to make money on my child.

So - we sat it out -- and checked her temperature and gave her medicine all day . . . . . and all night . . . . . and tried hard to not get too worried as her temperature varied between 101.2 and 104.2. Then we called the pediatrician on call and got some really helpful feedback -- FREE OF CHARGE!!! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for restoring my faith in the medical profession.

When our home teachers came over that night, they told us what doctors and other medical professionals hadn't bothered to consider during round one of these symptoms a few weeks ago when they ordered x-rays, blood work, etc. HIS DAUGHTER GETS THE SAME WAY WHEN SHE'S TEETHING!!!!

So -- Abby handles teething with the usual high fever, runny nose, cough, and the additional THROWING UP and being just plain GRUMPY and a mommy's girl. I can handle most of the cuddle time; but I could do without some of the rest of it, not going to lie!

We also decided to start weaning them from needing to be swaddled to go to sleep. ANY SUGGESTIONS? The pacifier is next, which I think will have to wait until after the teething, cuz it's already a lot to deal with at once. But we're making progress with Isaac in the not swadling process, and I think Abby is slowly moving that way as well.

Then today, guess who else started the teething symptoms -- minus the vomiting? ISAAC!!! But he isn't handling it very well. So, life with the "two by two" continues. And it's more fun some days than others.

BUT then you go in at night when they are sleeping, looking so happy and peaceful and BEAUTIFUL that all you think of when you say your prayers is to offer gratitude for the MULTITUDE of blessings that come with your amazing little angels!

Angel Isaac

Well, the flu finally caught up with us this week -- and overtook us! Isaac started getting sick on Monday, starting with the runny nose; then Abby caught up and passed his symptoms with an endless runny nose and excessive slobber EVERYWHERE!!!!

Her runny nose soon turned into the whole shebang: cough, fever, heavy breathing that keeps me up at night, watery eyes that leave water marks around her eyes from the dried tears that effortlessly and silently flooded over, etc.

On Thursday, Tracy brought Aliah over for me to watch her while Tracy ran to class (which actually turned into me watching her SLEEP while Tracy ran to class, which worked for me!). Before she left, I was holding Abby and noticed that she felt really warm to me. I gave her some generic Tylenol (I couldn't find our thermometer at that point and figured I'd rather be safe than sorry and her teething could probably use some medical soothing anyway) and put her down to sleep for a bit. When my kids are sick, sleep is my number one rule! Anyway, the warm-to-the-touch skin soon got hotter. Pretty soon, I felt like she was burning up; no matter where I touched her skin, it was VERY warm. I found my thermometer and took her temperature. 101.4 degrees. I got out the Tylenol and gave it to her and then tried again to get her to sleep. She woke up screaming all night long, didn't sleep longer than 45 minutes at a time when she did sleep, and was just miserable. I got her fever down to 99.4 at my lowest check, but it was mostly up in the 101-102 range all night long (even WITH medicine). At 7:00 a.m., I asked Dave to give her a bottle before he left for school (hoping that would buy me at least an extra 30 minutes of sleep). When he picked her up, he said, "Holy cow. She is REALLY hot!" I told him I already knew that but he could get the thermometer if he wanted to see where she was at that moment. He got a temperature of 103. We called the Family Birth Center at Gritman and were told to bring her in.

We opted to wait the 30 extra minutes and take her to Quick Care instead of the ER. What followed was a day of doctor's visits, x-rays, a blood draw, an antibiotic shot for the fever, a few oxygen tests, and a follow-up doctor's visit. The follow-up visit had originally been scheduled as their six-month wellness check and immunizations. But with Abby's high fever, she couldn't get the shots; and I opted to keep she and Isaac together with the shots and have the same fussiness to deal with, independent of other factors and extra fussiness. However, instead of canceling the whole thing, the nurse said we should just go ahead with the wellness check and come back in for the shots the following week, at our convenience. Cool! So we went ahead and had the doctor's visit.

Anyway, after the babies were weighed, measured, etc., while they were still stripped to their diapers, waiting for the doctor to examine them, Isaac started to get really fussy. I have to hand it to him, he had had a really long day! We woke him up early to go to the doctor with Abby; he sat in his car seat all day long while I ran in and out of offices, getting all of Abby's tests and things taken care of, and he was just hungry and tired. Abby had, of course, been fussy as well and, consequently, had received quite a bit of attention. Of course, she's sick; so I doubt she really noticed that much that she had the upper hand that day. But Isaac did notice.

So, I decided to turn the tables while we waited for the doctor to come in. I put Abby in her car seat and was VERY happy that she didn't scream at me. She just sat there. Then I picked Isaac up and sat down at the foot of Abby's car seat. I stood Isaac up at Abby's feet and said, "Look, Isaac; it's Abby! Say hi Abby!" He got so excited to see her. Quickly followed his high-pitched squeal that says he is VERY excited. Abby also smiled, looking sheepish and pleased to see him all at the same time. She even looked like she might be ready to play, her eyes flirtatiously saying to him, "Let's ditch Mom and go roll around on the floor for a while!" Well, as flirtatious as a 6-month-old will get with her brother, anyway!

I had put Isaac's pacifier in his mouth earlier (which they generally only get when it's time for bed, but the day's activities rendered it an exception). Anyway, he was smiling so big, mouth wide open, that the pacifier fell. I said, "Boom!" And Abby looked at Isaac and started to giggle!!!! It was a quiet giggle, but it was a giggle nonetheless, the first of a few giggles her brother was able to get out of her in those precious moments.

That little exchange made my heart smile! I had been trying all day long to get my little girl back, to get her to smile or laugh or even blow raspberry bubbles at me with her motor lips. All of my attempts had failed -- she was just not feeling well enough to play my games! But then her brother popped into her little bubble and just brought sunshine into her world! That day, Isaac was Abby's Guardian Angel; and he did a fabulous job! I may be mommy, and with that may come an undeniable bond; but he's her brother, the one that will be there with her through moments in her formative years that I can't be present for. And I really think they will be best friends.

It kind of reminds me of a little conversation I had with my niece, Alexis.

Alexis is three years old and the only niece I have been around from the day she was born (until Arimo took them away from me, that is!). Anyway, my other niece, Madison, is just 11 days younger than Alexis. Those two little girls absolutely LOVE each other! They will call and talk to each other on the phone (I can hardly get them to say three sentences to me on the phone!) and they look forward to any moment they get to spend together. They've kind of been raised as twins, with the exception of the miles between them. But they don't seem to notice or care!

Anyway, when my sister was visiting me this last year when the babies were born, Lexy and I somehow got off on the topic of marriage. Not in a grown-up way, but in a "I'm talking to a three-year-old about this" sort of way. She was telling me that when she grows up, she is going to marry Madison. Nique and I laughed and explained that girls don't marry girls; girls marry boys. She was undeterred, "No, I'm going to marry Madison because she is my best friend!" And that was the way it was in my adamant niece's little world!

She mostly had the story right -- you DO marry your best friend! She'll learn the folly of her thoughts in a few years; but what stood out to me is the bond these girls have. They may fight over toys when they get together. They may try to out-boss and out-run each other. They may get into heaps of trouble together that they never would have considered on their own. But at the end of the day, they absolutely love each other! They connect in a way that no grown-up can connect with either of them. They are each other's best friends! That's what I wish for my babies! And in that moment, I saw that my wish is coming true! ;-D

And, p.s., Isaac got up on his hands and knees today ALL BY HIMSELF!!!! No prodding or raising from me, no siree! And he scooted backwards as he was trying to get over to me. But, the important thing is, he STILL did it.

P.P.S. -- Isaac weighed in at 17 pounds, 6 ounces; is 27 inches long; and has a head circumference of 17.25 inches. Abby weighed in at 16 pounds, 2 ounces; she is 25 1/2 inches long; and her head circumference is also 17.25. The doctor said he was worried about their head measurements, since they have jumped from like the 25th-30th percentile to over the 95th in the last few months. Dave isn't worried, though; he just says it's genetics and a sign of their extra large brains! What else do you expect from kids who are destined to win all of the Nobel prizes, including the Nobel Peace Prize for their altruism and the Nobel Prize in Science for their amazing brains! ;-D