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Saturday, January 26, 2008

No News

We have not heard back from Lorelei's biopsies yet. I called twice, once on Thursday and then again on Friday and no one has returned my calls. I know that they have received the messages, the operator said they probably haven't gotten them back or haven't read them yet. It would be nice of them to at least let us know that. Oh well. I will update the blog when we hear, hopefully on Monday or Tuesday. Thanks for the prayers!

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Snow Day- AGAIN!!

Yes, it is shocking- we actually had another big snow day! Two snow days in one week is unheard of around here! Paxton hasn't seen snow in his three years of life and now twice in one week! It is freezing here and the snow has stuck on the ground for several days now. The big snow day was Saturday and the kids had a blast out in the snow. We threw snowballs at each other and daddy pulled Paxton and Lorelei around on our surf board which was converted to a sled that day. Lorelei did a face plant in the snow and Paxton had a ball! This time I really tried to get some good pictures. No telling when we will have another snow day like this!

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Scope Results

Lorelei's scope went well yesterday. The day began early as we headed to the Children's Hospital at 6:15 am. We got there around 7:00 and signed in and then had to wait. It was a long wait because Lorelei could not eat or drink anything after 12:00 the night before. She was a bit cranky but luckily between Mama, Daddy, Grandmama, and Grandaddy we kept her fairly entertained. They took us back around 8:00 to a room and took vitals. There we waited to see the Anesthesiologist and the GI Doctor (Dr.Tenjarla). Around 9:15 they gave her a little drink that would help calm her but also made her loopy. After about 10 minutes they took her back and did gas and an IV. They also used a breathing tube during the procedure. She was away from us for about an hour and then they came to tell us she was waking up. When I entered the GI Lab, I heard a child screaming and crying but didn't think it was Lorelei because it was deeper cry. So I was surprised when we walked in the room and saw the nurse trying to rock Lorelei but she was not having it! She was most unhappy and needed her Mama and Daddy's loving. The nurse said that she woke up feisty. I held her and rocked her for a while and she remained upset for about 45 minutes. We did get her to take some apple juice and that helped calm her.

Lorelei had calmed down and Josh and I went to look at pictures of the scope and speak with Dr. Tenjarla while Grandmama and Grandaddy attended to Lorelei. The doctor showed us several pictures (as you can see below-sorry, but they are not that gross). What they found was that her duodenum (where the stomach empties in to the intestines) had enlarged lymph nodes. You can see in the pictures below the bumps but it is not supposed to look like that. These enlarged nodes could mean one of three possibilities: 1. Food Allergies; 2. A bacterial infection; 3. A cell infection. We will know more in 1 week after the biopsy's come back. They also found some Gastritis in her stomach, which is caused from reflux, and she is back on Prevacid now. The doctor explained that the enlarged nodes seem to think this is why she is not wanting to eat, becuase it hurts her, and thus she is not growing. We will see an allergist if this is the reason. If it is not allergies, then we will have to see what the doctors has in store for Lorelei next.

I feel okay about the results. We will see if this leads to helping Lorelei grow or if it is just one more thing that they have found that is a piece of the puzzle. Thanks for all the support and prayers! It was a long day for all of us but we are through it for now.

The first two pictures are the enlarged nodes and the other pictures are of her stomach and esophagus. Some pictures show the gastritis and other show a normal inside.

Thursday, January 17, 2008

A camp "in" and a snow day!

This week Paxton wanted to have a camp "in". Not that he has even been on a camp out, but he wanted to bring his and Lorelei's couches/beds into the living room to watch a movie, eat popcorn, and sit by the fire. We decided this would be fun on a cold winter's night. We went to the movie store (which by the way, we will not be taking Paxton back to for a long time!-there are lots of scary movie covers even near the kids section, he couldn't help but looking at them and talking about the "scary" movie all night!) to look for a Disney Classic like Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, etc. But to our dismay, they did not have any of those! We did find The Little Mermaid, and since we are very much into Princesses right now, we decided to get it. The kids had a two night camp in to watch the whole movie. They liked it ok, but I don't think they really got it, especially Lorelei, who spent the majority of night two climbing on the back of her couch over and over again!
We also had a snow day! Paxton and Lorelei have never seen the snow so we let them go out and play when it first started and then later in the evening we walked up to Grandmama and Grandaddy's house and got to enjoy the beautiful snow. It did stick but not enough to close anything down. Anyway, I got a couple of cute pictures of the kids in the snow. Of course no good ones of Lorelei because she is too busy moving! Lorelei kept saying "Snowflake, snowflake!" And Paxton was SOOO excited and danced around!

Saturday, January 12, 2008

A Great Week!

Paxton had a great week at school! I just have to brag on my boy because we have had some difficulty in the behavior area at school. However, this week he was super everyday! His teachers even gave him a certificate at the end of the week for best behavior! Paxton was so proud of himself and we are sooo happy about his good choices!! Yeah for Pax!!
Paxton also had something else that made his week great: He read his first book! I had checked out an easy reader at the library and this morning I got it out to see what he could do. I was amazed that he could read all 23 pages mostly by himself! I helped him with really only a couple of words but most sentences he read on his own!! I am so proud of my little reader and he was pretty proud too! I guess I will need to fish out all my kindergarten and first grade easy reader books now, I knew saving them would come in handy one day!

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Lorelei Update

**Update**- The scope has been scheduled for Friday, January 18th.

For all of you keeping up with Lorelei's health, you might have known that we had a GI check up this week. This was the one where we were told last time (October) if she had not grown sufficiently she would "have bought herself a scope." Well, looks like Lorelei went ahead and bought herself that ticket for an endoscopy. We visited with her sweet GI doctor yesterday and once again Lorelei has fallen down on the charts for growth. She did gain some weight and grow a little bit taller but not sufficiently. The doctors want to see if there is anything going on in her that could be causing this. A scope is where they put her under anesthesia and put a camera down into her stomach, look around, take biopsies (small amounts of tissue), and then she will come out of it. It is an outpatient procedure, thankfully, but it will take a lot of the day and the procedure will be done at the Children's Hospital in the operating room. We are not sure yet when it will be done, maybe as early as next Friday. I will let everyone know when we know.In addition, they have ordered some labs drawn, which we didn't get done yesterday due to child care issues.

So, anyway, just to review: They are NOT doing this because Lorelei is small. They are doing this because over a year ago she was in the 75%, then %50, then %40, then %30, then %20, then %10 and now less than 3rd%. They said next time she would not even be on the charts. It is not normal for a child to drop this much. Her technical term right now is "failing to thrive." I know, and our doctor knows, that she isn't failing to thrive but both doctors tell us this is not right. So we trust them and we want Lorelei to meet her full potential. If that means she is small, fine, but as for now we will do what the doctors' years of training tell us to do.

Please pray that all the decisions being made are helping Lorelei in the long run. Pray that the upcoming procedure goes smoothly. Please pray that if they find something that it is treatable that she can grow to her God given potential. If they don't find anything, pray that the doctors can figure it all out another way.
We are doing ok with all of this. We knew it was a distinct possibility and are not that surprised by it all. We are ready to be done with it and not have to keep going back to doctors, but in the whole picture of Lorelei's life this is not huge ordeal. I will keep everyone updated as I know more! Thanks to all!


Lorelei and her three new best friends:

Snow White, Dorothy the Dinosaur, and Minnie Mouse

Monday, January 7, 2008

A New Year!

A late happy New Year to everyone from all of us! 2007 was a good year for us, we are so thankful that Lorelei's health has improved and we could all breath a little easier this past year. I wanted to take the space in this post to give updates on the kiddos, you know, how big they are, what they can say, do etc. I guess this is more for my own records than it is entertaining, so here goes:

If you can't tell that's his "Happy New Year" hat!

Paxton

-33lbs, 39 inches

-New Year's Resolution: "To eat more candy!"

-Knows 25 sight words and is starting to read simple sentences. Yesterday in church I wrote the sentence "I see a dog," and he read it perferctly!

-Loves to play board games, especially Hi Ho Cherrio! (thanks aunt Jessica!)

-loves to play http://www.starfall.com/ on the computer in addition to others
-He is very much into pretend play: We play "Giant" ALL the time. "The giant is coming to get me, the giant is not obeying, the giant is asleep, etc." He likes to play daddy and feed Lorelei's babies, it is too precious!
-Since we took the clock out of his room, he is sleeping until 7:30-8:00 in the morning! Hallelujah! We had a clock in his room and he knew when it said 7:00 he could come to our room, but he begin staying up so late at night just watching the clock waiting for it to say 7:00, so we finally took it out and things have been so much better.
-He is making better "big boy" choices at home, we are working on school!
-Loves to teach his little sister colors, letters, how to whisper, you name it, he wants to teach it to her!
-He loves to sing "Blessed be the name of the Lord" and "Shine Jesus Shine!" and other Christian music that he has made up- it is too precious to hear your child singing to the Lord like that!
-Finally likes to watch TV- this is a first for us because Paxton has never really cared about it before.
-Paxton is the sweetest child! He loves to love others and I really see him growing up into a little boy now!



Lorelei
-23 lbs (ok, not quite but close enough), 30 inches? (on a good day!)
-New Years' Resolution: To gain weight and grow taller (ok, that's my resolution for her)
-She talks in little sentences and phrases now, some of my favorites are:
"It's a race!" - whenever we go anywhere
"I like it!" -referring to songs we sing or certain toys.
"Get it." - a demand for whatever she has just asked for (apples, Dora, Snow White, etc)
"I can't find it!"
"Where's Daddy?"-whenever Daddy leaves her sight
"I love you!"
"1,2,3, Wake up Jeff!" -from the Wiggles
"I don't know!"
"I'm fine"- whenever anyone asks: How are you?
"Nooooooo!"- ok that's not my favorite but one I hear a lot now.


-She can count to ten if you say it with her.
-Calls every color "yellow"
-She loves Princesses, Dora and Minnie Mouse
-Lorelei sleeps with 7 pacis, a pink blanket and Dorothy (from the Wiggles) Minnie Mouse and Snow White
-Loves books and can sit and listen quite well to very long ones.
-Lorelei is still finicky about eating, she eats just little enough to make us sweat!


So those are the updates on my precious little ones. They will be having a new first cousin (Uncle Matt and Aunt Jessica) in June making a grand total of 8 first cousins! We hope that 2008 will be another great year for us and for all of you as well!

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Nana and Papa's Visit

Well, Nana and Papa were in town the last week and the kids were crushed to see their playmates leave town yesterday! Honestly, Paxton moped about all morning because his personal play assistants were gone! We had a great visit and we enjoyed them being here with us to celebrate the holidays. One day while they were here we went to the Children's Museum downtown. We haven't been in almost a year but Paxton remembered that this was the place where you can paint on the walls! The kids had a great time painting, playing with moon sand, recycled tire (I know it sounds weird but it is so cool and so not messy!), playing with the Alice in Wonderland display, and playing in the water center. Of course Paxton had a little too much fun with the water and Nana and I ended up stripping Paxton down and drying his clothes under the hand dryer near the bathrooms!


Other days, we toured the town, art studios and many local restaurants! Yum! The kids loved getting in bed with Nana and Papa in the morning and at night! Josh and I were out on New Year's Eve and when we got home all 4 had been in the bed sleeping! Needless to say, we have been adjusting back to the "normal" routine, which includes two small children taking naps and going to bed on time and in their own beds. What a bummer we parents are! I am thankful that the kids could have so much fun with their grandparents and be spoiled!


As usual, my picture taking skills were not so great while Nana and Papa were here and I only managed a few pictures. So here they are:Little Cheer Lady!

The Banana Slide!

Smelling flowers in the garden

Playing with the recycled tire.

The water center; That raincoat didn't do a lot of good keeping him dry.

Paxton played in the water center a long time! He loved the fishing pole and net.

Pink pajama ladies!