Our first trip to the ER!

It was inevitable, you have 2 boys, you are going to make a trip to the local ER at some point in time. But I would have put my money on the trip being for Aidan not Asher. Yes, sweet little Asher took a nose dive off the changing table Sunday night. He had a nice bump and a depression above his left ear. The depression was what prompted the trip. So, Aidan changed out of his pj's, I grabbed the diaper bag, and Derek grabbed the car keys. By the time we got in the car Asher was fine, no more crying but still the bump and depression, I called our pediatrician and after several questions(no he's not throwing up, yes he is alert and responsive) he directed us to the Children's Hospital.

I've been to the ER once in my life...Derek was playing first base, he got run over by the base runner and was knocked out for a few seconds. He seemed fine until he asked someone to drive his car home and when the teammate asked which car was his, Derek gave the description of a car he had in high school. We were soon on our way to the ER at a local sports medicine clinic and he was the only patient when we got there. He ended up having a concussion which got him out of work for a few days, and me as well because he needed someone to babysit him.

We were not so lucky Sunday night, the ER was packed. Our wait time was 2-4 hours. Derek took Aidan to his parents while Asher and I waited. About 3 and 1/2 hours later we were finally ushered to the back. By that time, the bump was nonexistent and the depression was no more. Derek and I had contemplated leaving several times but we just never made it to the door. The ER doc walked in about 12:30am to examine Asher, who had been asleep in my arms a couple of hours by now, and told us he thought Asher was fine but he wanted to have x rays and possibly a CAT scan taken just to be sure. Asher slept through the x rays(Austin the x ray tech was very impressed) but we were not so lucky with the CAT scan. Asher did NOT appreciate the padded vise grip like device holding his head and the velcro body suit on the rest of him. I did not know he could reach some of the decibels I heard, my ears were ringing by the time the scan was done. The second the tech undid the velcro, Asher stopped crying(no tears were shed), and he gave the nurse the evil eye all the way back to our room.

About 1:30am, the doctor was back with the diagnosis, skull fracture and the neurosurgeon will be in to see us shortly. Not exactly what we expected to hear. He did tell us Asher would be fine, his brain was fine, there was no bleeding, the fracture would grow back together normally, but Asher was being admitted to the hospital overnight for observations. The neurosurgeon had the same to tell us, apparently an infant's brain has many natural fractures in addition to the soft spot and they all grow together as the baby grows. This would be no different. I convinced Derek to go home and he left about 2:30am.

Asher and I finally made it to our room about 4:30am, the 5 nurses that came by to check on us were so nice. They even brought me snacks. Asher was also supplied with diapers, wipes, and formula since I had not packed the diaper bag for an overnight excursion. Another neurosurgeon came by about 6am to check Asher and of course, wake him up. After checking out his new surroundings and a bottle he went back to sleep. A nurse came by shortly after he fell asleep but she didn't want to wake him so she came back about 9am. Not long after, Namaw walked in. Pops was circling the parking lot and after a phone call he came inside as well. Asher was very happy to see Namaw and she was very happy to see him being his usual self. The neurosurgeon in charge came by about 11am and said Asher was fine and we would be getting our discharge papers soon. We were out of there a by 12:30 and I was so happy I hugged the nurse that released us.

It is not the way I want to spend another Sunday night, Monday morning but all was well in the end.

Baby guppies and the first loose tooth

We've been pretty busy the past week. We headed to the lake last weekend to relax and go to Abby's 2nd birthday party. Aidan and Avery had a great time jumping and climbing on the HUGE jumpy/obstacle course inflatable. The party fulfilled my expectations with an excellent birthday cake. Asher passed on the party...hot, humid weather and a chubby baby don't go well together.

We heard some great news, Boomer and Heidi(cousins from Indiana) found out that their soon to be adoptive son was born and they are looking forward to picking him up at the end of the year. He is the cutest thing, he's got a head full of hair. We are already looking forward to an Indiana visit to meet him when he arrives! Congratulations Boomer and Heidi!!!

The boys and I purchased some fish last week. We bought the tank back in June, for Aidan's birthday but we never got fish. The first inhabitant was a large tadpole, he didn't last long. Then Aidan and I talked about getting some fish but plastic figures and plastic animals keep turning up in the tank. So finally, one day last week, we cleaned the tank out and headed to the pet store. We purchased 2 guppies(both females, from a female only tank), 3 zebra tetras, and 2 shrimp(which Aidan keeps calling lobsters). We also had some rocks for the bottom and a tank decoration that looks like an old junky car for the fish to swim through and enjoy. It was a lot of fun putting the decorations in the tank and then putting in the fish. One of the shrimp went to the junky car and sat in it for most of the night. All was fine until Tuesday morning when I noticed some new additions. We had 5 baby guppies, and 1 dead adult guppy. I'm not sure what happened with the adult guppy, but having Aidan didn't seem to mind the dead guppy so much because of the babies. He also thinks it's cool watching the "lobsters" eat the dead guppy. It's great having a boy.

Other exciting news, Aidan discovered a loose tooth last night and Asher is crawling. It is his own version of crawling but crawling nonetheless. I've had to move all visible cables from around the tv in the living room, which seemed to be favorite items of his. We'll see what's next.

BadA** Marine

Derek sent this video to me and I wanted to share it with you. My dad was a very proud Marine and this brought tears to my eyes and a painful longing in my heart. I am thankful that we have service men and women such as this man who are willing to fight for the freedoms that we hold dear.

First days of school

It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be...of course, I didn't get a chance to be emotional about my oldest child going to kindergarten(and essentially leaving me forever!) because my husband did nothing but complain about the carpool traffic the entire time! My friend,Christy, and I did go back after we dropped our boys off to sit in the parking lot and wait for them(one last look) to be walked across the breezeway from one building to another. As sad and pathetic as we seem, there were other parents(many other parents) out of their cars, standing on the hill near the buildings, video cameras in hand, waiting to glimpse their little ones as well. Afterwards, Christy and I(and the younger boys) went to breakfast and then ran several errands until time to pick up at school. We were there about 30 minutes early but a few friends had already been in line 30-40 minutes. Aidan said he had a great time and seemed very excited about being in kindergarten. He brought home a picture he colored and a picture he had drawn and then told me the story they had read in class that inspired the drawing. The excitement had worn off by this morning. It was next to impossible to get him out of bed this morning. He didn't want to go to kindergarten ever again, he just wanted to go back to sleep. This coming from a child who can easily sleep until 10am. Of course, I was the exact same as a child("Mom, just 5 more minutes!) and when I talked with my mom this morning she had a good chuckle and mumbled something under her breath about payback. Needless to say, Aidan had a another great day. He proudly told me that he did not get in trouble even once! Apparently he got in trouble yesterday(HIS FIRST DAY!) for having his hands on Avery. Now that I think about it, he got in trouble last year on his first day for climbing on rocks he had been told not to climb on. Must be setting a trend.

Enjoy the pictures. The one of Asher was taken this morning by Aidan.

Never again

Never again will I schedule both boys, at the same time, for a pediatrician check-up when I know that they both have to get shots. WHAT WAS I THINKING? The only smart thing I did yesterday was not tell Aidan ahead of time that he had to get shots. The appointment started out fine, we only had to wait in the waiting room a few minutes(long enough for me to fill out a form), after we were called back a nurse came in almost immediately to weigh and measure Asher(22.2 lbs and 29.5 inches long), then it was Aidan's turn(43.2 lbs and 44.5 inches tall). Aidan also had vision and hearing tests(which he passed, he did tell the nurse earlier that he didn't need those tests because he could hear and see just fine). We also had a new experience, Aidan had to pee-pee in a cup for a urine test. That was fine as well, it actually was not a first for him...we were coming back from the beach last summer, stuck in traffic, not moving, on a bridge, and Aidan had to go to the bathroom, luckily we had an empty coke bottle...it is so easy to be a boy. We then saw Dr.Brian, who checked out Aidan, Dr.Brian left to put in the order for the shots(4 for each), then a nurse came in for a blood sample, which meant a finger prick. I have to give her credit, she is good at her job, Aidan was complaining and stating his case as to why Asher should go first when she grabbed his hand and before he knew what happened, it was all over. Asher did good too. Then Dr.Brian came back in to check out Asher and chat a little more. After he left, we read a few books and then the nurse with the shots came in. That's when it turned not so good. Aidan saw what was about to happen and panicked. I was holding a sleeping Asher so the nurse went to get reinforcements, another nurse came in to help and Aidan was now hiding behind me and pleading not to make him get shots. In the end, I handed Asher to the other nurse, put Aidan on the exam table, and held him down so the nurse could administer the shots. Not a fun experience. Aidan actually didn't cry when the nurse gave him the shots, he was just screaming beforehand. Asher handled it much better than his big brother, but he had no idea what was going on. We finally made it back to the car(2 and 1/2 hours later), went by McDonald's, and as we were heading for the toy store I asked Aidan if he wanted to call Daddy and tell him how brave he was getting shots. "But Momma, I wasn't brave. I screamed the whole time." Well, at least he's honest.

3 days and counting

My friend, Christy, and I ended up taking Aidan, Avery and Davis to the Georgia Aquarium on Wednesday. Despite being very crowded, we had a wonderful time. The layout is fantastic. Sort of like a wagon wheel, there is a center common area and each specific aquatic feature branches out from that center. We saw Beluga whales(mating no less! Luckily Aidan and Avery were not very interested in the Beluga whales so we did not have to explain two whales having sex to 5 year olds), sea lions, whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, jellyfish, 2 types of otters(large and small), south african penguins(no ice needed), the boys touched rays, baby hammerheads, the largest brown shrimp I've ever seen, horseshoe crabs, and starfish, needless to say, there were a lot of freshwater and saltwater fish to view. Many of the exhibits had overhead tunnels so the fish could swim above you as well as in front of you, there was a play area for children and a large whale tunnel to slide down, a movie about ocean conservation, outdoor viewing of the sea lions, and really cool "bubbles" that allowed the kids to climb under and pop up into the exhibits, and of course, the exit of the aquarium was through the gift shop. That gets you every time. It was a well spent day and I'm, sure we'll make it a yearly destination.

Our cousins, Boomer and Heidi came through town this weekend. We had a great visit, albeit a short one. Aidan enjoyed playing cards with Heidi, they beat Pops in Old Maid which is always fun for Aidan. The first thing Aidan said when he woke up this morning was that he was ready to go see Heidi and Boomer. I hated to tell him that they were already on the way back to Indiana.

We've got a busy week:check-ups tomorrow for the boys(and shots!), meet the teacher, and first day of school for Aidan. I can't believe he's going to kindergarten! I'll post about how it all goes....