Our Christmas Vacation...So Far

A quick rundown of our vacation up to this point.

Wednesday. Dec. 17th: We have some great friends who were willing to brave the storm to get us to the airport (we're thankful that we got there early, apparently the roads were getting worse by the min, making getting there difficult). Our flight was delayed for an hour and a half, so we had plenty of time for lunch, shopping, running up and down the terminals, playing... and not getting into much trouble thankfully. Enough playtime in the airport that it was nap time on the plane! After we got settled in at Grandma and Grandpa's we headed out to Cafe Rio for a long awaited Shredded Chicken Salad.
Thursday: Up and off to our favorite tree lot (truth be told it is the only tree lot that we have bought our tree from in 20+ years -Robinson Tree Farms) to pick out the "perfect" tree. This year it was decided that it would be skinnier than usual to leave us more room for the growing crowd that we have for Christmas. After getting back I was done for, some sort of flu bug had me whipped. I was off to bed, and everyone else was able to have a great time.
Friday: I still wasn't feeling well, and was told to stay down and get better. Unfortunately everyone lost their appetite when Braden threw-up at the breakfast table. Poor little guy, I hate seeing little kids being sick. The washer started going.
Saturdayy: I'm feeling better (still a bit queasy, but up on my feet and functioning), Braden is still vomiting, and now Brit has it. Oh aren't we a fun bunch to be around. I got out and got a little shopping done today. Grandpa, Grandma, and Sasha started decorating the tree. Sasha had a diarrhea diaper, here we go with another one? Washer is still going.
Sunday: Grandma made it to church, only because she had library duty today, I'm still good, Braden is still sick, Brit is flat in bed/running to the bathroom, we don't want Sasha sharing what she might have (no more symptoms, or episodes today thankfully), Grandpa is sick now. The washer is still going, and going, and going. Braden really isn't doing well, Grandma and I take him to the ER for possible dehydration. Unfortunately it was confirmed, he vomited again in the ER so they decided to keep us for an IV bolus, and another one, and then decided that since he wasn't keeping oral fluids that they would admit him to RTU for an overnight IV. They think we will be out within 24 hours.
Monday: We're technically admitted to RTU, Grandma goes home at 2am, Mommy and Braden spend the night. More IV fluids, more oral fluids, more vomiting, so we are staying another night. Brit is feeling better, Grandpa is still down, Sasha hasn't had any more symptoms. The washer is still going, going. going, and going. Grandma is working so hard to keep the germs down so that no one else gets sick (more company coming, and family for Christmas). Braden isn't keeping things down, so we are staying another night, I started getting really worried around 1am and thought that Braden really needed a blessing, thankfully there were a couple of staff members in the hospital who were able and willing to help us out. (didn't really want to make the "heart attack" call as Brit called it that time of the day if I could avoid it)
Tuesday: Grandpa is doing better, but still has some cold symptoms, Braden lost his dinner, but they are thinking that he just had to much milk, so we are good to go. His personality seems to be back, so we are excited to be going home. Washer still keeping up with us. Sasha still seems to be in the clear. JJ and Chris have made it into town, and have been added to the mix, it is great to see them. Emily is still avoiding us and for good reason, she can't afford to get sick.
Wednesday: Braden didn't have a good night (vomiting, and diarrhea), or morning (again, and no interest in drinking). After talking to the RTU Dr. "Mike" he told us to come back in. So off to the ER yet again, a catheter, and another IV. This time they decided to admit us upstairs. We miss Dr. "Mike", but we do have a good team of doctors up here. I unfortunately decided that I would like to have another go at the sick "patient" thing again myself. So shortly after getting him admitted Grandma came and took me home to bed. Brit stayed with Braden at the hospital today and is staying tonight. Grandma and Grandpa G visited Braden and Brit at the hospital for a while in the evening. Sasha is still going strong. Grandma hasn't even been phased by this. A great had goes to the washer, still going. Grandma, Grandpa, JJ, Chris, and Sasha had a great time at the family Christmas Eve Party (Emily and Matt were there along with all the Aunts, Uncles, and cousins)
Thursday: Christmas in the hospital, Santa was really good to Braden. He is still so lethargic, it is so hard to not know what is wrong, still no fever, just can't keep anything down. It made splitting the holiday for my sisters with their husbands families much easier since it was decided that we would put off celebrating until a later date. I'm feeling a little better by evening, so I headed up to the hospital, wearing a mask to make sure that I don't give Braden anything else. The doctors kept apologizing to Brit that they don't think that we will be able to take Braden home today, he had to keep telling them that it is ok, that we aren't planning on it, that we would rather stay and make sure that he is doing better. Brit stayed again, he "loves" his chair bed.
Friday: The doctors think that we can go home later today. I'm still not totally sure how I feel about that, we will give it a little more time. His personality seems to be coming back a bit better, his appetite seems better. It's been 26 hours since he last threw up. Here it comes again, and so does another night here. Sasha is really feeling testy, we can't blame her, her world must be feeling really strange right now. She is struggling not having her family all together. She has a cough now so we aren't taking her up to see Braden, it just isn't worth it to risk it. My family decided to have Christmas tonight, so much for waiting till Braden got home from the hospital. Oh well, our Christmas will be getting him home and having him healthy.
Saturday: Things are going really well, he made it through the night without the IV, since it went bad at 6am yesterday, so they took it out to see how he would do on his own. His personality is really coming back today. He has a little bit of a rash, but the doctors say that it isn't anything to worry about, that they think that it is related to the virus. (he still hasn't had a fever with any of this, no one has). We are really encouraging fluids, and restricting any solid foods at this point. The doctors said that when we feel comfortable we can go. He is exceeding his fluid intake requirements by himself, and keeping it down. Also that if he is vomiting once or twice a day we are still ok, just look out for dehydration. We finally got to take that wagon ride out, and are home!!! The poor washing machine won't know what to do without running around the clock, neither will Grandma. Thank you so much everyone for all of your help, we don't know how we would have done it with out you.
Sunday: Today Brit and the kids came to church for Sacrament, Grandma, Grandpa, JJ, Chris, and I were able to go for the whole block (thank you Brit for letting me do that). We went to Grandma and Grandpa G's after naps, and were able to have a part of our Christmas with them, Ian, Crystal, Courtney, and Caleb (it was the first time that we met their kids!) were also able to make it. Sasha broke out in hives, started itching, and then was having a hard time breathing a little later. It is hard to have her allergic to dogs, she loves them so much (at a distance at least). Thank you, it was nice to spend some time together. Now everyone is sleeping, and hopefully will sleep well all night. So to all a good night!

A couple of videos of Braden

Tonight I am thankful for:

Being able to stay home with our kids, being there to see all of the little things. At breakfast this morning Braden was eating really well with a spoon(in his left hand even :). He usually just holds a spoon in one hand and eats with the other. I really love watching as he is developing. Today Sasha started making fun of how Braden is talking, it is so cute. I had forgotten how much fun it is to hear the early chatter of conversation. I just wish that I could understand him.

I hope that you enjoy these as much as I did watching him this morning at breakfast.

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To cut or not to cut

For those of you who have known me through most of my life this I guess is what I have often looked like from behind, or there is always this familiar look.

I decided that I was ready for a change, I couldn't afford a whole new wardrobe (though a few new things sure would be great), so I thought that a little something with my hair could work. What do you think?

Yes I realize that my eyes are closed, but it was the clearest picture, sorry.

When I got home Braden took a few minuets to realize who I was, and has been just fine since. Sasha keeps reminding me that "mommy hair short" and that we both got our hair cut. Brit loves it, and so do I. Now to figure out how to get it to look like this on my own. Good luck to me!

Cute Things Kids Say - Part 2 "The Backfire"

So, a couple of posts ago, we talked Sasha into not getting up until it was 7:00am or at least to stay in her room until then. Well, today that backfired - she slept in. Since it was passed 8:00am, "Daddy, no seben my clock!" She was determined to staying in her bed until there was a seven (not just a seven on the clock, but a seven on the left side - where it is supposed to be). I tried to explain that it is ok to get up anytime after seven and that seven had already come and gone. Eight comes after seven so it is ok to get up, but she didn't buy it; her clock had to have that seven on the left side.

Solution? yep, you guessed it. We changed the time on her clock so that it was just a few minutes before 7am and we let her wait until the clock turned over. Then she was so happy to come eat breakfast with us (even though it was actually 9am).

She is so cute but so very assertive! If it is not the way she thinks it is supposed to be, then it is wrong. That is the way it seems. She is so so very smart though and we love her so much. Thank you Sasha for making our life so interesting and so much fun!