Minor Difficulties

Sorry for the absence. Our computer got sick. It is better now. The kids are doing great, though.

Joseph went to a Speech Pathologist yesterday, we will be continuing speech. She graded him with a mild to moderate delay. He is still only making 2 word sentences, with a lot of jibber/jabbering (jargon).

Yesterday all 3 had a visit to the Physiatry....Brian will continue with Occupational Therapy. He has to work on his focusing, aggression with other children, and self aggression. Bralee will be continuing with Occupational and Physical Therapy. She is still right side leg weak, which will be requiring a special booty. She is also still having texture and tactile issues with her hands. Joseph will be continuing with Speech and Occupational Therapy.

Monday I decided to take away all "lovies" (pacifiers, blankets, and pillows), they (we) are all having to get used to sleeping without them. It is hard, but harder in the middle of the night. They seem totally lost in the middle of the night without their "lovies".

Nana 2 the Rescue

I will start off by stating, I have no pics. Sorry. Shane and I have been ran ragged, I am not even completely sure as to the location of my camera.

Thankfully, Mom watched the kids Friday night. Shane and I were running on little sleep. You can guess it, we have been sick. Funny how a cough can disrupt a entire household. I ended up leaving Brian only, Saturday night as well. Shane and I were so tired, we could still hear Joseph jingling his blankie and sucking his fingers, feel Brian rustling in our bed, but they were not even at our house.

Today, I had a bad feeling about his breathing and decided to take him on in to the doctor. Good thing, he was retracting. They automatically gave him another breathing treatment. I had just given him one 2 hours prior. We are now on steroids, also. The kicker, they asked that we limit his activity....too funny. Brian goes at 99 mph, 99% of the time and even though he is sick it is no different. He was crackly and wheezing and still running full force.

The plus side to this. We are building up immunities!

Finally some SNOW

Loved this photo of Bralee

Good shot....show how much taller Brian is than the other 2!

Yeah, they like their BOOTS!

Joseph

Brian

Brian

I bundled her up...snug as a bug!

We finally got some snow. I went out, not really wanting to, but I tackled the grocery store that dreadful day. I was coming in the doors of the grocery store, as people were angrily exiting "there is no milk!" My first stop was the milk, forget bread, I do not want to hear 'milk, Mommy, milk' and not have anything in return to that request. We go through about 1 gallon per day. Guess what...sitting there on the milk shelves, was milk, may not have been the kind the, for mentioned wanted, but it was milk and in my house milk is MILK!

As I am getting a couple of other items, I was asked by someone, if I needed both gallons of milk? I sadly replied, yes. I was not purposely being greedy, but here in the valley of East TN you never know what the weather will throw your way!

The weather started off with sleet that turned into an ice layer. Then we got some beautiful "hard" not soft and fluffy snow on top of that, about 3 to 4 inches. Although, we needed a little bit more sleet and ice on top of that, as it melted a little.

This all started late Friday evening. Early Saturday morning (3 to 4am early) we were debating which hospital to take Bralee to safely. We ALWAYS use our local children's hospital, but the weather, combined with the roads was not ideal for commute. We decided to use the closest hospital to us, noting that we would not allow them to take extreme measures. If need be we would just have them transport her by ambulance to the children's hospital.

Crazily and luckily everything worked out for the best. I suppose the weather kept everyone at home. Shane was in and out of the ER in record time 1.5 hours. They were great for that episode.

We have a follow up with Pediatrician tomorrow. Crazily, we were more exhausted than she was. She still has terror episodes, but doing great. We allowed them about 20 minutes in the snow.

My Boss's!

I thought to myself the other day, 'my I am tired, wonder if my boss's would mind if I nap as well?' Naturally, I would just get good and asleep and they will wake up, so I just opt the idea of sleeping/napping.

I will make 1 statement about the stage we are going through at the time. I hate it. It is like having a lot of fussy co-workers. These tantrums are ridiculous. I have been having a really hard time with cabin fever/anti-socialism. Now, I truly do not know if I could carry on a conversation with anyone other than a 2 or 3 year old, unless of course it was in regards to my child. I go days, sometimes longer with only speaking with my Mother or Shane. That is the only "adult" conversation I have.

During this stage, I love my kids a lot more when they are asleep. They are not fighting, stomping, falling out in the floor...we are all at peace.

Hair, What to do?

I know, it looks like Bralee has a full head of hair, but, no. Her hair is thin. I wish it would grow longer, but in time, I suppose. The thickness, I am guessing I should be glad it is not.

He has his horse all tucked away for the ride!

Brian, after a great haircut! He has only had maybe 2 complete haircuts. With his Sensory Input issues haircuts are always horrible. You can go in expecting and really needing to get it cut, to come out with maybe one snip around the ear or at the crown cut. I love this photo of Brian with his hair and REALLY regretted ever getting his hair cut in the first place. We are now just going to let it grow.

Between the 2 photos you can really see how much a haircut can change a person. I love his look both ways, but I really like his hair longer.

Pulmonary

Our Pulmonary appointment went uneventful to say the least. To start off, we were given mask for Bralee and Brian, asked to go outside the office and sit in hall to await our turn. Bralee and Brian were both running high temperatures.

Luckily Bralee’s oxygen levels were good 100%. While on the other hand Brian’s were 95%. They brought us in complimentary doses of Motrin for the fevers. Brian took his like a champ. Bralee reclaimed her’s about 5 minutes later. This resulting in a suppository. I was pondering the chances of Brian and Bralee being admitted yesterday. Thankfully, my mother was with me at the appointment.

We will not be graduating to bi-annual appointments just yet. We will be returning and continuing our every 3 month check up.

You may be wondering where Joseph was during all this. He was having a solo blast and a little mischief.
Final report…all 3 have the flu!

I must say, this seems all to normal and I know it should not. My kids look and act like normal healthy kids, but raise Bralee's shirt and you will see the battle wounds. The wounds that cause the onset of a minor cold to turn major quick. Then we have Joseph, pull down his pants and see his battle wounds. They cause him discomfort in ways he is yet able to express fully. Brian, he just rolls with the punches. My kids cannot peel back their skin and show you their fragile insides. They are tough and healthy on the outside. It is the frail and under-developed insides they cannot show you.

Joseph where are you?

At about 4 this morning, Joseph started crying. I, half awake go to comfort him. I did find it odd. Usually they waste no time and just make the journey to our bed and climb in. Thinking this, I did try and wake myself a little more.

I turned on the light and he was not in his bed, nor on the floor beside his bed. I could barely see his head peeping out from under Bralee's bed. He started screaming at this point. I could not get him out and honestly not sure how he got under their. I yell for Shane. I had not waken my muscles up enough to lift the bed for his escape.

On the health front: Brian has pink eye and this morning was doing great aside from that. School called at lunch for us to come and pick up Bralee. She is now running a temp of 103 and sporadic coughing. Brian now this evening is running a fever of 101. Joseph, he is fine, running WILD. He is still on antibiotics. We have our 3 month check up at Pulmonary tomorrow. All I can say, is what great timing for Bralee's sake (or not). I will try to post any updates good, bad, or improvements as soon as possible.

On the remodeling: we still have about 2 days of work left on it. I did not say which 2 days. That is the key phrase.