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Saturday, October 16, 2010

The wee one...

...isn't so wee anymore.  I can not tell you how incredibly sad I am to think how he is going to turn 1 next month!!  I seriously get depressed.  I may need psychological help.
Last night Zach and I were driving home for having dinner in Norfolk and he was so incredibly fussy (probably because his stubborn behind would not take a nap) and nothing I did consoled him until I reached around and let him hold my hand.  He held my hand from 264 at Effingham all the way to downtown Suffolk, where I live.  If you are familiar with this area, you know that is probably about a good 25 minute drive from that point.  At times I would take my hand away because I thought he was sleeping and he would bust out crying again, so I would give him back my hand.  He would hold it, wrap both of his little arms around my arm, rub my arm against his face and at times he would even kiss my arm.  AAAAHHHH my heart strings!!!  I can't take it!!  It kills me that he is growing up.  I know, I know.  Everyday he is learning something new and it is very exciting to watch him grow, but there will come a day when holding mommy's hand/arm will be taboo.  **tear**
Are we sure it's child neglect to put them in a box so they can't grow bigger than they are?  Like fish?  I'm kidding!!!  Don't report me!!  hahaha!!!  Seriously, how come NO ONE told me that watching them grow up would be this hard?!  And this is just his first year!!!  Thanks a lot everyone!!!
my teeny baby...
...is getting so big

Friday, October 15, 2010

The price of being sick



 Many of you know that Zach had the stomach flu last week.  This whole situation really irritated me.  Not because he was sick, but how the professionals handled it.  So, Zach couldn't hold anything down (if I could even get it in his mouth) and I took him to his doctor.  He tells me to just ride it out.  This is on a Tuesday (the 5th to be exact).  Cost of him telling me that...$20.00.  Zach got worse through the night, so on Wednesday I told Doug, who was at work, that Zach needed to go to the hospital.  He stopped by the house (he was working, but was in the area) and told me to call his pediatrician back.  I called and told them the whole story and they agreed that I should take him to the hospital.  Not the closest one to me, but the children's hospital in Norfolk.  So I packaged him in the truck and Doug drove back to work to try and find someone to come and relieve him so he could come out there with us.  I was so distraught that
my baby had to go to the hospital.  I called my mother in law and could barely speak because I was so upset.  Now, Charlene had just had surgery on one of her knees that Monday, so she was pretty high on drugs!  Since she couldn't meet me at the hospital, she called my father in law, who was at work, to come and sit with me.  Poor Clay.  Looking back I'm laughing because he was probably thinking "why do I have to sit here?".  But he did like a good "Bumpa" (that's baby for grandpa).  He watched as they stuck my child 6 TIMES for an iv.  Zach was so dehydrated that it was almost impossible for them to give him any fluids.  After the iv team couldn't get it on the 5th try, his nurse tried and was successful.  He got fluids and some sugar since his was in the toilet.  Doug eventually got to the hospital and relieved Clay of his post.  Before they sent us home they checked his sugar again and it was still low, so he received a higher dose of sugar.  He seemed to perk up a little and the nurse practitioner told us it was just a bad bug and that we could go home (without any medications to help us...this would have made the $150.00 copay easier to swallow).   When we got home I thought he was doing a little better.  He accepted some fluids and crackers.  The next day he seemed slightly better.  He still wanted me to hold him while he slept (pretty much all day).  He vomited 3 times that day.  He also developed a rash which started on his head and then spread south (notice the picture above).  He didn't improve throughout the day and I told Doug he needed to come home from school and help me.  The next morning (Friday the 8th) Doug was scheduled for his cardiac ablation.  Doug's sister, Jan, was to meet us at the hospital and pick up Zach so I could be with Doug.  Weeeell...as I loaded Zach in his car seat I said to Doug "here's a towel on the arm rest in case he gets sick (because I was driving)".  No sooner did those words leave my mouth, Zach projectile vomited all over the truck.  So back inside to clean him off.  Back to the truck, which had been wiped out by Doug, we headed out for the procedure.  I at this point had enough so I told Doug to call his sister and ask her to stay with him while I took Zach BACK to children's hospital.  I called his doctor and told them that I was taking him back to the er and after explaining everything that had gone on in the last 24 hours she says "well, yeah, that may be a good idea.  Go ahead and take him."  Thanks for your permission, but I was taking him no matter what you said!!!!  So back to the er we went and yes, there was another copay.  After we were taken back to our room, within the hour of being back there Doug walked through the door!!  He told me that they never scheduled him for the procedure.  They scheduled him for an appointment, which he ALREADY HAD!!!!!  Oh Laaaaaawwwwwd!!  I said "well I hope they didn't charge you the co-pay since nothing was done".  Yeah...they did...for an office visit!  WHERE IS MY WINE?  WHERE IS MY WINE?!?!  JUST GIVE ME THE WHOLE BOTTLE...WITH A STRAW!!!  What in the world!!  I couldn't worry about that at the time (although, the wine would have been nice).  They tried to give Zach another iv and were unsuccessful.  They stuck him twice, but since he was so traumatized from the time before, they stopped.  They tried another route.  Through the mouth.  Strange concept huh?  I'm not saying that's where they put the iv...duh.  They let him munch on a slushy.  A slushy that came from the slushy machine in the er.  Say whaaaat?!  How cool is that?!  I must say, it was pretty good.  It tasted like the orange crush soda only... slushier.  Guess what else they gave him!!  Go on...guess.  MEDICINE TO MAKE HIM STOP PUKING HIS GUTS OUT!!!!  Umm...why was this never given to him before?!?!?!  LIVID!!  Zach downed almost 16oz of slushy without incident.  The attending doctor said that giving that medicine is a judgement call since Zach is so young.  Well...I would think that ones judgement can see that this poor little child had not kept food or liquid down in about 4 days so something to stop that would have been a good idea.  GEEEEZ!!!  So we finally were able to go home, prescription in hand for the miracle no-puking drug.  I am happy to report that he has been puke free for a week now.  I miss the cuddle time, but sooooooooo glad he's feeling better.  It's awful to see your child like that.  However, since then Zach has seemed to discover his loud screaming voice.  He screams for everything whether he's angry or happy.  I'm trying to find the mute button, but I'm unsuccessful thus far.
So for now we are waiting for a new appointment for Doug and looking for volume control on Zach.  I'll keep you posted on how these things go.
Hope all is well.
Love
Sarah

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

I'm wearing the poncho to bed

So my little man has the stomach flu.  It has been quite the adventure I must say.  I mean if you consider being thrown up on twice an adventure...
My niece Maggie was sick while we were in Canada and I think she shared her cooties with Zach.  It's so hard when they are this little because they can't tell you what's wrong, which has made sleeping EXTREMELY difficult.  Zach and I haven't slept through the night in about 3 nights.  He just sits there and cries and cries then will come lay with me and be restless, then get back up and cry some more.  This morning out of frustration I said "Zach!  You are fine...go back to sleep.  Stop crying".  Just so we are clear, I didn't yell at him, but I was tired...very tired.  So after that he threw up.  Fine went out the window at that point.  I thought that he was doing better.  Yesterday he didn't have a fever and he seemed more like himself, which was an improvement over how the night before went (projectile vomit definitely calls for a poncho).  Last night he actually slept without me having to hold him and he did really well until about midnight or so.  Then it was up, down, up, down, cry, nap, cry, nap.  By 0700 he had a fever again and was throwing up bile (I'm sorry, I know it's gross...but not half as gross as his diapers I could tell you about!).  So I nursed the bug long enough.  I followed the nurses directions from the weekend (thanks Optima triage nurse!), my instincts and Doug's, but after this morning, it was time for Dr. Curry to step in.
I took Zach to the doctor this morning, which he normally does well with, but as soon as Dr. Curry came in he freaked.  The good doctor told me that there is a stomach virus going around and he has seen many kids come in with it.  Unfortunately, it lasts about a week.  The good news is his week should be about up!  He said that since he is still too young, he couldn't give him medicine to help with the vomiting, nausea or diarrhea, but I could give him something to help with the snotty nose (yeah, we have that going on too).  When he finally got Zach's mouth pried open to peak at his throat, he told me that Zach was also cutting all 4 bicuspids at the same time.  How lucky are we?!
Zach finally ate some mini-saltines for me today (and by the way, they are so cute!) and some juice.  I stopped the pedialite because he didn't like it unless I cut it with water and I was informed by Dr. Curry that I was defeating the purpose.  $6.00 down the drain.  He told me to get him some gatorade, which I did, and he's only had a little bit.  The amusement ride in the living room is silent (his swing.  That boy can get it going like he's going to swing all the way around) so that must mean the little boy is napping or just really quiet while he watches Mickey Mouse,  so I think it's time for mommy's nap.

love
Sarah



Saturday, October 2, 2010

Red and Orange and Yellow...Oh my!

That's right!!  Fall is finally in the air!!!  I love the crispness and the smell of fall.  It's all so...so...fallish!  By far my favorite season!
Now that I've found a few mommy minutes, I can try and write on the happenings that have gone on since I wrote last.Doug's family and I traveled to Canada on the 23rd for a wedding.  Zach's godparents tied the knot...finally!!  It was by far one of THE most beautiful wedding's I have ever been to!  It was at a place called Balls Falls in Jordan Ontario.  Megan and Vince were married in an old barn that I believe was built in 1882 (at least that's what the sign said that was hanging above the door on the inside...it said "1882").  For any men out there that may read this, I know you won't care about the details, but I'm going to jot them down anyways.  Their theme was apples (they are in perfect harvest right now), they had the most beautiful flowers all throughout the barn, mason jars on the ledges filled with candles, and as favors we were treated to homemade apple butter and dutch apple pie jam.  Delish!  They also had a candy table for the adul...I mean kids and at 11pm we had pizza!!  Apparently if you have an open bar you have to serve food.  I was not complaining.  Everything was perfect.  Vince's mom even came out of retirement and made their cake!  Beyond amazing!!  3 tiers with the top being essentially death by chocolate, the middle was white cake and cherry vanilla cream and the bottom was chocolate and mocha!  Say whaaaat?!  Soooo good!  Check out the lovelies below.

The is the barn...I'm sure you figured that out already though
The stunning bride and her dad




Who are those boys?

Family photo op
He looked happier when he was taking a picture with Zach...hmm...


CAKE!!!



the bride dancing with her sleeping godson 


He had a liiiiiittle too much...little lush
The night of the wedding we stayed in a bed and breakfast.  This was my first time and it wasn't at all how I pictured it!




 As you can see, it was a newer home nestled in a vineyard.  It was gorgeous!!  The owners were just as sweet as they could be.  Anyone who leaves out bowls of Lindt chocolate, jelly beans, chocolate covered raisins and peanuts and a bowl of York peppermint patties and Hershey kisses on your bedside table is ok in my book.
Once we left the B&B we went back "home" and everyone sort of relaxed until we went out to eat...again.  Listen, I'm all about eating, but after our hosts fed us homemade scones (which came with homemade peach, strawberry and raspberry jam), scrambled eggs, bacon (regular and turkey), bowls of fruit, tomato wedges and some sort of apple pastry tart thing at the end...you can see how some people wouldn't want to eat.  That someone wasn't me.  So we went to the Ridgeway restaurant in Ridgeway...der...(that's where the family lives) and Doug's uncle Joe bought EVERYONE breakfast.  One of his friends owns the restaurant so we got the VIP treatment.  Seriously, everything was delicious.  We had "open" bar, a fruit/cheese/cracker tray, spinach and artichoke dip with pitas and these were just the appetizers!  Could you put anymore food in your belly after that?  Some of us can, so I ordered a Greek omelet that came with hash browns and a banana walnut pancake.  Oh my gosh!!  Everything was absolutely divine!!  I was pretty full after this...I will admit that.  After that, Doug, Zach, myself, Charlene, Megan and Vince drove to the cemetery to "visit" Megan's mom Sharon.  I know this may sound strange, but the headstones there are very pretty.  Some of them have so much color etched in them.
The next day, Jan, Jeremy, and my little sick niece Maggie left to visit Cooperstown, NY (home of the baseball hall of fame) and we were to fly back home.  Us, Doug's parents, Megan, Vince and uncle Charles (Megan's dad) drove to Buffalo to have on last visit with uncle Joe.  He lives right in the city in a 3 story home that he converted to 3 apartments.  He lives on the 3rd floor which used to be a maids quarters.  The 2nd floor may become ours if Doug chooses to go to law school at the University of Buffalo.  Guess what we did next...we went to eat!!  I had "real" buffalo wings in Buffalo!!  They were so amazing and I was told they weren't even the best you can get in Buffalo.  Let me tell you people, these wings aren't like ANY buffalo wing I've ever had.  They were amazing!

I'm pretty sure I gave you enough to read, so I will stop now.  Hope everyone is well!

Love,
Sarah

P.S...my cousin Elizabeth had her baby on the 23rd!!  No one knew what she was having (not even her) until the baby came.  Sooo...she had a little girl!!  Her name is Audry Elizabeth Falcon and she weighed 8lb 8oz and was 19.5in long.  Little porker!  
  Isn't she precious?