Saturday, September 28, 2013

Poor Blog part 2


 Over the summer we had baby praying mantis' galore.  This one is on a strawberry plan leave.  I love praying mantis'.. they are so cool looking.  I was so excited we had babies.  They were EVERYWHERE.
 Spaz will eat any pepper he sees on my plants.  He is a tad bit ornery!!



 I have tried growing pumpkins several times before but never have done well with them.  This year I got 2 pumpkins!! A white one and a bumpy orange one.  So happy!


We went to the park last weekend.  Here are my kids being cute!

There was a little puddle left from rain that had tons of fish in it.  The creek (or drainage/runoff area really) had dried up from the main water source.  So being the kind and loving people we are, we saved as many as we could.
 
  

There were also several frogs in the area that the kids held.

Smile for the camera...  Check out Max.  Joe is "eating" Ike's frog. 
What is a park day without sticks??


 Enjoy Fall before Winter comes and we all freeze to death. Here is a picture from last winter.  This was in our neighborhood.  It was super huge!!  The bottom was like a fort/cave.  Just an idea for you once you get snow this year!


Friday, September 27, 2013

My Poor Blog!

My poor, poor blog.  It's been months since I posted anything.  So I'll give a quick update and post  some lovely pictures.


We got Henry last Fall/Winter.  Then we went back to add another dog in spring.  His name is Spaz because he is such a crazy dog!

 Henry and Spaz checking each other out on Spaz's catcha day.
 Spaz

 Spaz is a momma's boy type of dog!
Sam colored her hair pink...

We made Blobber and I suggested they acted like they sneezed it out...



 Max loves licking me for some reason..
 Joe turned 8!
 Max turned 12!!
 Joe got a BB gun for his birthday.

 Ike trying it out too.

 Sam wanted her hair brown with blue tips.  It didn't go as planned but it is different.  She found a butterfly on the deck that had a missing wing.  Spaz probably ate it.  He chases anything that flies.  Seriously if dogs could have ADHD he would be a poster dog!  Anyway, Sam saved the butterfly and not only did it not die the first night it lived for about a week!  Then one day it was died and she cried all day about it.

 Over the summer we visited granpparents and friends a lot.  We went to the Discovery Center in Springfield, Mo while there.  Sam sure has some crazy hair...
 Joe's hair is sticking up too but it is hard to see.
 Sam and Spaz being cute
 Sam started 5th grade.  I still homeschool her, Joe, and Ike.  Max goes half days to 6th grade then comes home in the afternoon...about the time the other 3 are just waking up.  The plan is for him to transition to full days at school. Ike is in 1st and Joe is in 3rd grade this year.
 Joe and Ike made houses on the first day of school.
 Max and I.
 Ike turned 6!
 He picked Golden Corral for his meal because they have cotton candy.

 Sam turned 10!!  Double digits.  She also picked Golden Corral.
Sam being silly
 Sam marked on Joe's face while he was sleeping.
 And Joe got revenge 2 nights later. Don't worry.. it was washable!

I'll post more tomorrow.  Enjoy for now.

Friday, March 22, 2013

World Down Syndrome Day

yeah, I know it was yesterday. Hope everyone had an awesome 3/21.

Here is my cutie pie that introduced me to the world of Down syndrome...
This was right before Sam was born.  Back when Max was my one and only.  I love all my kids to pieces but I have to say I still miss those days of just Max and I hanging out all day during our thing.  Which as most of you know really consists of OT, PT, Speech, doctor appointments, playgroups, play dates, etc...  :)

We went out to eat last night and the waiter saw Max and said, "today is Down syndrome day, right?"  I thought that was awesome.  He said he had watched a film the day prior in one of his classes.  I think the film was the one that our local Down syndrome guild made.




Enjoy.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Walt Disney World and pneumonia

Happy 1st day of spring!!
I'm so happy it is officially spring.  I love this season.  Soon we will be outside playing in the dirt :)  Too bad it's freezing outside still.  It snowed yesterday.  During spring break it snowed!

We went to Disney World for 9 days the first of February.  It was our worst vacation.  Max had been sick the week prior.  In fact he had missed that whole week of school.  He had pneumonia.  I had taken him in on a Monday (he had been sick for 2-3 days before that) to the doctor because he had the most awful sounding cough.  I was thinking he had pneumonia... I am good, right?  They tested for flu and strep, which were negative.  I'm the one who suggested xrays for pneumonia. He started antibiotics and had a follow up in a few days. He really did not improve that much. He got a new antibiotic and a couple of shots of a different antibiotic.  He seemed to be improving so we left for Disney early Friday morning.

We had a 2-3 hour layover.  We ate at the airport while waiting.  Max only ate about 3 french fries. When we finally made it to Disney World that evening we were walking up to check in for our cabin and Max started throwing up. Saturday morning I called the on call doctor back home.  She called in yet a new medicine for him to a pharmacy I found that delivers!  This one had to be taken with food otherwise he threw it up.  And really he was throwing it up anyway, no matter what.  I had to force him to take a few bites of something to take his meds.  It was awful and took forever because he wanted nothing to do with food.  By Monday I was ready to take him to urgent care. The doctor said give him about 24-36 hours and if there was no improvement to take him to urgent care.  I gave it one more night.  Tuesday he still just laid around and slept. I finally called urgernt care (that comes to pick up patients) Tuesday afternoon.  I was also getting sick by this point.

Saturday Pete took the other 3 kids to Magic Kingdom while we let Max sleep in.  Max and I met up with them after lunch.  But Max was miserable the whole time.  Sunday we made a late start and went to Hollywood studios. Again, he was sick and miserable.  I had carried him on my back pretty much the entire 2 days so far. Monday I took the other 3 to Epcot while Pete stayed with Max.  I started to feel sick that afternoon.  We almost left a line that we had been in for about 45 minutes because I felt like I was going to pass out then once that passed I felt like I was going to throw up.  I am sure the people around us were thinking, "stay away from her!"  We made it to the ride and left shortly after that.

I had already decide I was just going to enjoy the trip and not take a ton of pictures.  I did take these with my phone..




Gosh, my kids are strong!

Tuesday Pete took the 3 kids to Animal Kingdom and I stayed at the cabin with Max. Like I said, I felt bad too and had a fever so I was fine with staying back.  I was told when I called urgent care the wait was 4 hours. But what else was I going to do??  It took about 3 hours of waiting.  I was tested for flu and strep.  They were negative so they just treated me as if I had bronchitis or pneumonia since Max had pneumonia. as for Max there was nothing more they could do for him so they sent us to an ER at Florida hospital in celebration, FL.  Max got an IV, started fluids and a dose of meds.  We were there for 5 hours (by the time we got there it was midnight).  He then got transferred, by ambulance, to another hospital, in Orlando, that had a children's department.  Why did they not take us there in the first place? I don't know.  That ambulance ride was $700.

Ended up Max had streptococcus pneumonia, mrsa.  Meaning it was penicillin resistant. Fun, right?  Max and I finished up our Disney vacation in Florida hospital.  We flew out Saturday (on my birthday!) so the doctor ordered our release forms the night before but for Saturday before our flight.  That way Max could get another couple of doses of meds.  We got out early, like 7 am early that morning.  Our flight was at 7ish that night.

By the time we made our way to the airport I could tell Joe was feeling sick.  By Monday Joe and Sam were both sick. Took them to the doctor and they both had strep throat. about an hour later Ike spiked a fever.  I called the doctor and he got meds too.  We were all on meds but Pete!  Long story a little shorter... They ended up having strep throat they think was penicillin resistant plus "some" virus on top of it.  They all had awful coughs!!  I also got sick again and got treated for an upper respiratory infection.  That was an awful week with several trips to the doctor and many trips to the pharmacy.

We finally all got better but it took awhile.  In fact I still have a cough but it is fading.  Max had sores on his butt from being in the hospital on his back for 5 days.

It was not a fun trip!! At least the 3 healthy kids got to visit all 4 parks.  I don't think Max remembers any of it though.  Pete took the kids to Sea World while i was with Max.  They did not like it.  It cost $350 for the 4 of them to get in and the kids were mostly too small to ride any rides.  They saw the whale show.    It was a very expensive trip!  However, we bought travel insurance so they are (should be) covering medical expenses and part of our trip for "trip interruption".  I have filed half of that but not any medical stuff yet as I don't have all the bills for that yet.  Fingers crossed we get a good chunk of our money back.

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

sick, sick, sick!

A couple of weeks ago we all shared a stomach bug, well, all but Sam.  I only a had very mild case. I just felt sick but never got sick (as in throwing up like everyone else!)  We got over that and then last Friday Max was sick with a fever.  Thursday night I woke up with Max shaking next to me like he was freezing.  However, he felt like a little space heater.  He stayed home Friday from school.  Saturday he perked up but by afternoon he was back in bed.  Sunday he was in bed the whole day. He also developed a cough Sunday night.  Monday he was still laying around and not feeling that great.  His temperate was in the range of 101-103.5 degrees.

At first I was think maybe flu.  This is the first year I didn't get them flu shots... the first year ever.  Time just got away and I never made it happen.  I know, bad mom, right?  But then after he got that awful cough I wasn't so sure about the flu anymore.  Tuesday I go ahead and take him to the doctor.  They wanted to test him for Strep and Flu.  I asked about pneumonia as well. The doctor agreed to test him for that too.

The first 2 are just swabs.  Which you would have thought we were trying to chop something off of him.  He very loudly protested.  They were both negative.  Sigh of relief that it was NOT the flu :)  For the xrays to test for pneumonia we had to go to another building across the street.  It was pouring down rain and Max thinks he melts in rain or something like that.  We of course drove as it was not really walking distance but still took forever to get the kids to the car then back out of the car across the street.  Max did protest the Xrays but once we explained it was only a picture he calmed down and listened well.

Couple hours later I got the call from the doctors office that Max, indeed, does have pneumonia.  Poor Max.  He is now started on antibiotics.  Hopefully he feels better within a couple of days.  We are leaving for Disney World in a few short days so I am also really hoping nobody else gets sick!!

He looks miserable and he sounds awful! First time one of my kiddos has had pneumonia.  Pete had it a few years ago and I remember he acted like he was dying.  Max is taking it much better ;)  I have never had it so I don't know how painful it is.  Knock on wood... since I do get coughed on and cleaned up throw up last night (I think b/c he just ate then all the coughing it came back up).  I also drank after him Thursday night.  Hoping I have a super strong mom immunity!

Monday, January 21, 2013

Shopping...at Justice

I am not a huge shopper.  Or at least I'm not a fan of shopping with 4 kids in tow.  And really, when don't I have 4 kids in tow?? 

Sam received some clothes for Christmas that she wanted to return.  Of course it was the super girly store Justice.  She also had a gift card for there from her birthday (back in August).  I hate going in that store.  The boys get super bored there while Sam tries to decide on what exactly she has to have. 

Upon walking in the store this is the music line up.... Taylor Swift, We are Never, Ever Getting Back Together, then it was some song by one direction, right after that it was Taylor Swift again. Same song.  I like Taylor Swift but I really don't want to listen to her songs over and over again while shopping in the dreaded store of Justice.

Sam eyed some pink sparkly boots as soon as we walked in.  They didn't have her size.  SO she searched and searched for something else.  I was ready to wrap it up by that third song.  I don't know how long we were in there but I'd guess close to an hour, maybe 45 minutes.  urgh.  She finally settled for another pair of boots, that were not on sale, off white in color (to get really dirty!), and cost $50.  Apparently Sam got the girly gene of never having enough shoes.  I'm not like that.  But at that point I didn't really care what she picked out I just wanted to leave!

I hate returns after Christmas.  We have 2 more stores still to go to.  A lot of years I wait so long I decide to just say screw it and donate the item I intended to return.

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Christmas 2012

 I'm not posting a bunch of Christmas pictures but here's a few.  Henry was all into getting his picture taken Christmas.  He kept butting in.
 Henry
 
 Ike is all into Lego Starwars.  He got several different sets. He was happy.
 Max and Sam got an Ipod to share (along with other stuff).
 Joe's favorite present was probably his snap circuits.  It is a very cool toy.  He also got several sets of K'Nex and a new copy of super mario bros Wii since our other one got too scratched up.
Hope everyone had a good Christmas.

Monday, January 7, 2013

3 silly boys

 Joe made his own "nerf" shirt.  He has the guns, a pair of flip-flops and I think some shorts.  So he made his own shirt to match.  It turned out pretty good.

 Max just being goofy but wow so cute!
My Mr. dress-up man.  Ike dressed like a girl.  Yes, it's a pirate hat but it has long hair.
Sam helped him get dressed up like a girl.