Ryland's surgery

Talk about the worlds shortert surgery! Mark got there at about 6:30 this morning to check in. I had to take the other 2 to daycare and turn over my duty from yesterday, so I met them up there, and walked in about 2 minutes after they took Ry back. Not even 10 minutes later they were already bringing them back into us.

Good thing I had a friend warn me about the "coming out of anesthesia" because it was AWFUL. He cried, screamed and thrashed himself about for a good 30 minutes. I held him for the first 20 or so and then Mark held him because my arms were getting tired from trying to contain him.

we got to leave after about 30 minutes and he fell asleep on the way home. He was all about eating a "nana" (banana) when we got home and then some oatmeal and a cracker and milk. Then we went and took a nap together about 9:30. He's still asleep but I'm going to go get him in a little bit so he doesn't get too much sleep and not sleep tonight.

Thanks to all our friends for the phone calls and posts on the blog and email to check up on him!!!!!


On a different note, HAPPY ANGELVERSARY JAXON THOMAS!!!!


For those of you who don't know about Jaxon, courtney and Colin but are curious, you can learn more about them here www.tripletbutterflywings.com

Going under the knife

Ryland goes in for his surgery for tubes tomorrow. I'm nervous for him, but feeling a bit relieved because this poor boy has had over 10 infections in the last 7 months. That's just too many, plus the ENT said he has some hearing loss in his right ear. Only time will tell if it is permanent or due to all the fluid that is just sitting there in his ear. So if you could keep ry-bug in your thoughts tomorrow (thursday 29th) we would all really appreciate it! Thank you,

I meant to post these pictures last week but never got around to it. It was SOOO hot a few saturdays back (right before the CF walk) and we all cooled down by getting sprayed with some water.

If you're happy and you know it

They absolutely love this song. I'm glad I finally caught it on video, it makes me laugh so much!!!

Here are some updates....
-Ry's regressed a little bit, he isn't telling us when he has poop anymore :(, we are trying to encourage it but he's not interested right now.
-Cassie asked me 3 times yesterday to go potty, and she WENT!!! I'm so proud of her. I asked them to please keep an eye on her at school and ask her and encourage her to go. I'll get an update tomorrow from the AM staff about how today went.
-Rylands facial wounds are finally healing. Tristan bit him on the face 3 times on friday morning and we were out of the room. I tell you those kids act fast.
-They have more and more words everyday! Cassie's back at it again with her favorite game "what's that", she'll as as much as she possibly can. Right now we are working on "thank you" and "I'm sorry" and they are doing really well. They are putting more and more words together, I'm so proud of them!

They are growing up so fast, it's crazy. I can't believe they will be 2 in just a few months.

Look Nana and granddaddy.....bunk beds

We were playing with the kiddos this afternoon and the kids decided to pull all the blankets off the lowest and middle shelf. Mark was laying on the floor of the playroom looking towards the window (and away from Tristan) and I turned around to get some diapers ready for changes. I turned back around to see Tristan LAYING on the second shelf. He got himself up onto that shelf all by himself. His action was soon followed by the other two. Thus began the up and down, on and off game that continued for the next 20 minutes or so. Here are a few pictures from the fun event, LOL. At the very least we figure that we're set for bunk beds for the kids...didn't you see the top shelf?

First Santa letter

I know what the kids want and what they are asking santa for this year, a TRAMPOLINE!!!!! They had such a blast over at Annie's house with Conor jumping inside the SAFE trampoline. I think we've added that to our list of things to put in the backyard after we get the deck built this summer. They spent hours jumping, hours. Even I had fun and got a workout from it!

Cystic Fibrosis walk 2008

This was our 3rd walk in Seattle and we had a BLAST!!! We had so many family and friends show up to support us and walk with us. It was an amazingly beautiful day, much different than the rain-drenched walk we had last year. Thank you to everyone for walking with us, you don't know how much it means to both of us!!! WE LOVE YOU! Here are some pictures from the event:

Woohoo They have rythm!!!

I had to take over someone's duty at work this afternoon so Mark came and got the kiddos. He was playing with them and they started dancing to the music of a toy. He grabbed the camera and got this video. I'm SO excited they have some rythm, because I have none!

Lots of catching up to do!

I've wanted to blog so many times this week, but it's been such a crazy week. This is the first time I've had a chance. So exciting things to share...

-Cassie has been using the potty before bathtime for 9 days straight now. And on Friday when we got home from daycare she said, "pee pee" so I took her upstairs and she WENT!!!!

-Ryland used the potty on Tuesday. He ended up peeing all over me (LOL) but he was sitting on the potty, so he got an M&M. Boy did that make him happy!

-Last week Ry started telling us when he had poo poo in his diaper and this week, he started telling us he needed to go poo poo. We have yet to have success with poo on the potty, but he has recognition so that's a step in the right direction. There are some funny pictures from this weekend in this next slide show, I hope you enjoy!!!

A Fun day with Nana and Granddaddy

We went over to Nana and Granddaddy's for some fun outside play today and then went to dinner at the Spaghetti Factory. Here are some pictures from today

FIRST Haircuts!!!

The boys FINALLY got their first haircuts this weekend. Here are a few pictures from the event.

Poor Ryland and a lengthy update

I am so frustrated for Ryland. He just got off antibiotics for his ear infection 48 hours ago, and saw the doctor because his wheeze is acting up. She said one ear looked great, the other looked like it was healing, but we won't know for a few weeks. He was given chewable Singular to see if that helps clear up the little bit of "gunk" he's got in his lungs. She says the majority of the wheezing sound is actually coming from his throat, which could be caused by an immature and therefore floppy airway. She isn't too concerned and thinks he will grow out of it, but wants us to give this a try since we are a tad concerned about it.

I was surprised when I showed up to get the kiddos from daycare and he was running a 101 temperature and not wanting to play, just wanting to be held. Our pediatrician had already left for the day, but seeing that she just set eyes on him that morning, I called her at home (thank God I work with her!!!!) and told her what was going on. She was so kind and understanding and immediately called in a prescription to Rite Aid. The base doesn't carry this med so we have to pay for it out in town. It's the only thing that's ever completely cleared up an ear infection for Ryland.

We go from Ammoxicillin, to Augmentin to Zithromax, then the Ceftin is the only thing that works and keeps him ear infection free for at least a few weeks. So she called in the Ceftin for him. This will be his second time on this antibiotic and I hope it gives him at least a few weeks of relief.

He has an appt. with the ENT on the 14th of this month to discuss the possibility of tubes. I'm very very insistant upon them. Mark needed them when he was a baby, and poor Ry has had about 9 infections (or 3 continuous lasting for 2-3 months) in the last 10 months. I'm fed up for him...so he and daddy are going to go see the ENT.

Other than that, things are wonderful. All 3 kids are starting to combine 1-3 words, like bye daddy, hi puppy, or no mommy (No= Cassie's favorite word) and Cassie is very much into disciplining the boys. They take it well though. She is definately the leader of the pack, whatever she is doing or playing, they start to copy her. She has a wild imagination already and is very into "make believe" play. I can't believe how fast they are growing up...we are already starting to talk about plans for their 2nd birthday-YIKES!!!!

Mark is working part time as a bouncer in the evenings, and actively looking for a job that would allow me to get out of the military. This is just a really bad time economically to be looking for a job. Our tentative plan is for me to extend for one year (both my enlistment, and my duty at this current command) while I work on completing more of my pre-requisites for nursing school, and while Mark looks for a job that will support all 5 of us. I'm taking 2 classes this quarter (Anatomy and physiology and nutrition) and hope to continue to take 2, maybe even 3 classes per quarter over the next 12 months. The business (http://www.ehpsupplements.com/) finally MADE some money in March, but then again in April we slipped into the red. Mark has two opportunities this summer to do some business promoting, so we are planning that right now.

Up and coming, I have been invited as a guest speaker August 1-3, 2008 at the CFRI 21st Annual Education Conference "Living a Medical Miracle: CF Today and Tomorrow" at the Sofitel San Francisco Bay, Redwood City, California. I am honored and have quite a bit of stuff to do to get ready!
We are planning on having our first family camping trip the weekend of August 29th, so we'll see how that goes. My command is doing a BBQ that day at Jim Creek Campground in Northern Washington, and we have reserved the group site for the command for the weekend.

Hope everyone is doing well!!