11 years!

December 2007

The past 11 years have been the best years of my life! We are a perfect match. We take celebrating our anniversary very very seriously.

Our Day:

Get a sitter

Lunch at Rubio's (yummy!)

The Proposal (hilarious!)

Hobby Lobby ($53 later)

Home (spend time with the kids)

Drop kids off (Thanks Grandma and Grandpa)

Dinner at El Taco Tote (yummers!)

Dairy Queen (Reese's blizzard with lots of extra Reese's)

Watch Taken in the comfort of our own home (oooh! it was good!)

pick up kids

It was the perfect way to celebrate our 11th anniversary!!!

Happy Birthday Chris~ finally!!

Chris felt like he hadn't really had a birthday this year because of checking in to the hospital pretty much at the stroke of midnight on his special day. After finally getting out of the hospital I would hear comments here and there about how he didn't even get a "real" birthday this year. I decided that he needed an "official" birthday celebration so I declared June 25th as his birthday for 2009. He received phone calls, texts, and the whole shebang.

He said it really felt like his birthday and he felt much better after feeling like he had finally turned 33. If I were him I think I wouldn't have complained about not getting a year older!

But whatever...Hahaha!!

I hate to brag...

..but Chris and I sure make cute children!

This is NOT an announcement, BUT don't be surprised if one day we announce that we are having another adorable kid.

One more would be perfect.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO THE BEST DAD IN THE WORLD!!!

WE LOVE YOU SO VERY MUCH!

THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO!!

together again

These two really missed eachother while Carson was in the hospital.

Everyone was so happy to have us all home and together again.

Going to church for the first time after being away for a couple weeks was quite the reunion as well. Our ward family had been praying for Carson and our family and I think everyone was really happy to see him and his cuteness.

swimming after a long hospital stay...

So happy to be free from iv's, picc line, machines beeping, hospital beds, nurses coming in all night, hospital walls and boring tv.

Although we are very grateful for the wonderful doctors, nurses, visitors and great care we recieved!!

Feels wonderful to feel the sun on our skin again and be together as a family again.

Hmmm...this is a curious picture.

We're HOME!

No more of this:

(sitting in the hospital with a sick baby)

And now a whole lot of this:

(look at those fangs!)

We got home on Thursday night! It feels amazing to be back home with my family! I missed all of them SO much! I missed my friends, garden, kitchen, laundry, bathroom, bed, running kids around,

EVERYTHING!

Carson is happy and healthy. We have quite a few follow-ups to attend this summer, but nothing we can't handle.

Thank you all for your prayers and love! We feel that so many of our prayers have been answered and we are so very blessed!

innovative

When you are stuck in the hospital for 14 days it's important to have several forms of entertainment.

UPDATE: Carson's iron levels are pretty low. Normal is about an 11 and his is at 6.2. He is starting iron supplements today and hopefully his levels start going up in 3 days. Thursday is still looking good for going home. As long as no fevers return and they see his iron levels going up. So you know what to pray for. Keep the prayers coming! Thank you all for your prayers, love and concern!!

No fevers!

Carson has not had a fever since early yesterday morning!!
He had his try at some applesauce with rice cereal mixed in and did pretty well until he burped then some came up. So a small vomit.
His iron is pretty low right now, but nothing that can't be helped with some supplements. He has also lost a pound. I'm sure as soon as his body is back to normal all that will come back and level out right where it should be.

Last night Chris and I got to sneak away for about an hour to get a bite to eat together. Grandma stayed with Carson and snuggled him and he slept almost the whole time. It felt so nice to feel the outside air. Especially since it was 6:30pm. We ate at Pei Wei's and then got Dairy Queen. My blizzard was so crappy! I ordered a small Reese's peanut butter cup and there was hardly any candy in it! Very disappointing for sure. I ended up getting a horrible stomachache and felt nauseous for a couple hours. It sucked, but glad I got to get out for a short time.

We are sitting here in our room listening to some sort of drill going on out in the hall. Or at least I think it is a drill.
The other day from our window we saw a fire right off the freeway. We missed the crash, but saw the aftermath. It looked like a van lost control and took out some signs and was majorly on fire! We saw an ambulance, firetruck and police rush to the scene. Hopefully those involved made it out ok.

Today Chris is bringing the kids to visit!!! I am SO excited! I haven't seen my kiddos since last Friday! I've never been away from them that long. Talking on the phone and seeing pictures of them via text is just not good enough! I am SO homesick it hurts sometimes. Especially at night. I think we just might have to throw a little party when we get home! Which by the way, is looking like Thursday June 11th. Hopefully everything continues on the up and we don't have to stay any longer than that. I just want to be home with my family and doing all the "mom" things I use to do.

JUST IN!!! Carson doesn't have to be hooked up to IV fluids anymore! Only when it's time for his antibiotics! Last lab blood culture looked good! He's a free man! Well in that aspect any way!!!! I feel like having a party just for that!!!

Turning point

Today has been an awesome turn around day for Carson! He was crawling all over, went to a sitting position on his own AND pulled himself to standing a couple of times! He is a little shaky, but you can tell he is getting stronger. We are so happy that he is FINALLY showing signs of winning the battle! The days seem to be getting better and better. The night time still seems to be a little rough with a fever and some vomiting. Hopefully that will change real soon.

catching up on updates

Tuesday night: Carson had a fever and vomited a few times. Didn't end up being a restful night like we had hoped. Wednesday morning we made up for it and slept the morning away.

Wednesday: By now for how long he has been on antibiotics the fevers should have subsided. They keep coming back and then he starts vomiting. So today was a day of laying off the Tylenol to see what his fever does. If it reached 102.9 again which was Wednesday early mornings high, then they would be doing an MRI and an eco to see if there is any fluid around the brain or heart. Thankfully his fevers have not reached that high. They seem to be on a slowing down trend.
Last night he got a burst of energy and started to crawl around and even tried to lift himself to standing. He didn't get up off his knees, but he sure was trying.

Thursday: We had a decent night. Around 4am he woke up and vomited. I got him all cleaned up and we laid down and he seemed uncomfortable then he finally pooped. What a mess that was. We got some good sleep after that though!

Right now: He keeps getting a low grade fever and uncomfortable and crabby. After getting some Tylenol he calmed down and is now sleeping peacefully. Yay! Maybe I can finally eat something!

I think the threats of more tests is working. It's time to keep getting better and stronger! Let's hope that's the trend he continues to follow.

bedtime update

Chatting with his big sis, Taylor

Today has been a pretty good day. Although Carson's fevers keep coming back and he is struggling to keep any food down he still manages to show us he is getting better. He is getting pretty dang good at getting control of his neck and head. He can even sit for a short time with a little help. Though a little wobbly he showed off his muscles when Ben and Kim came to visit this evening and got up on his hands and knees for a minute!
Hopefully we both get some good sleep tonight. No nurses coming in from 11pm to 6am! WhooHoo! Pray there won't be any uncomfortable fever or vomiting.

good and bad

Carson's 2nd CT scan looks really good. No fluid build up and pressure. He was playing with some toys and his toes and IV yesterday. He seemed to be feeling a lot better.
Later though, his fever came back. It keeps coming back. This morning at 4 he started vomiting. They are pretty sure it is just from the illness and not stemming from his brain. Thank goodness. Hopefully he will get past this stage and stay out of it very soon.

At 3:30pm yesterday Carson was finally taken back to get his PICC line. It was scheduled for 2:30pm and he had been fasting since 4am. That extra hour was torture. While they were giving him his PICC he got a hearing test done. I imagined myself reporting that all is well.
All is not well.
I was taken into a tiny room and sat down and told that Carson has mild hearing loss in his left ear and severe hearing loss in his right ear.
I was not expecting that. I knew it was a possibility, but I didn't believe it would actually happen. I feel like I should be waking up any second and breathing a sigh of relief that this was all just a very bad dream. Oh how I wish it were.
Chris wasn't here yet when I was given the news. I held onto it for about 2 hours before I actually was able to utter the words. I also didn't want to tell him over the phone.

Today at 4:30pm we meet with the Dr. about Carson's new hearing condition.
I was emotional and in shock when I was given this news that truly blind-sided me. Now I just feel numb. I keep picturing him growing up and all the challenges he may face. I don't like it.
I never thought that we would actually be going through anything like this. Sure there is worse out there. Sure it could have been MUCH worse. Still could. But not ME. Not MY baby.
But yet, here we are.
Sounds selfish I know.
Sorry, I wasn't done when publish post accidentally got hit.
Just want you to know I am not full of complete sorrow.
I know that as we exercise faith that all things are possible through our Father in Heaven. I know that the trials that we are given are meant for our benefit. It is our opportunity to grow and exercise our faith in fasting and prayer. We will get through this and all will be well.

update

Carson was given Zofran last night around 11pm. It kicked right in and he was able to keep his food down. Besides all the interruptions he slept decent. He hasn't had any food or drink since 4am. He will be getting a PICC line and a hearing test done at 2:30pm today. He's a little cranky because he is hungry, but he has to be put under for the procedures so nothing for him for now.

He got some toys to play with and is thoroughly enjoying them. It's so great to see him act like a normal happy baby! I can't wait until he has the strength to sit up, crawl and even hold his head up by himself for longer periods of time.

Thanks so much for all your prayers! Please keep them coming!