KerryAndGabe.com

A couple weeks ago, Cullen had his first high fever and some vomiting. He also had a cough and a little congestion, so we were pretty sure that he had some sort of cold. I now think that the congestion was unrelated, and he had learned how to make a new noise with the coughing. The fever got worse over the next couple days. This time period coincided with his regular 6-month check up, so they decided to go ahead and test his blood and urine for signs of infection. The doctor wasn’t overly concerned, but we all figured that we could save another trip to the doctor since they would want to test everything by the next day anyway.

His white blood cells were elevated, so now the doctor was a little more concerned. Once we got the urine sample. it looked a little abnormal at first. They prescribed him with antibiotics and said they would contact us about the culture. She did not want to diagnose him with a bladder infection since that would mean we needed to get additional testing done at the hospital.

Meanwhile, Cullen improved greatly after just 12 hours of the antibiotic. I didn’t think that this was a coincidence! They wanted us to complete the course of antibiotics and then scheduled us for an ultrasound of the kidneys and a VCUG (Voiding Cystourethrogram) study. We had these done about a week ago.

Poor little Cullen has been subjected to at least 5 or 6 catheters now. He has had this done at least twice in the doctor’s office (testing for infection), twice in the ER (two separate trips), and now the VCUG study. The ultrasound of his kidneys was the easy part. The hardest part of that was keeping a wiggly baby from wiggling off the exam table. It didn’t hurt, and he didn’t seem to care about the slippery gel all over his belly.

The VCUG was NOT fun. He hates being catheterized (can you blame him?), and this particular test takes much longer than it does to get a urine sample. After they collected a urine sample, they injected a dye into Cullen’s bladder. For infants of his age, they like to do this twice. Once the dye fills the bladder, they wait for him to urinate and watch the x-rays to determine whether urine is refluxing into the kidneys. Unfortunately, we did not need to do it twice as the reflux was immediately obvious with the first void.

Cullen screamed through out the whole test. I am not sure how long it took, but it felt like FOREVER (not to mention the tube that I swear they were threading all the way up to his brain). It was so difficult as a parent to subject him to such torture. Poor little guy looked at me as I held his hands. His questioning eyes demanded to know why I was doing this to him and why wasn’t I picking him up?? I felt so bad for him.

I thought it was very interesting that the radiologist told us the results of the test and the severity right away. I thought that it was quite unusual that they did not send the results to the pediatrician first. She explained that he has Grade 2 reflux on one side and Grade 3 on the other.

From what I had been told (and the research that I have done online), it is common for many kids to outgrow the condition. The ureters are not properly attached to the bladder, allowing urine to back flow to the kidneys. This is a condition that was present at birth. For many kids, the problem corrects itself presumably as they grow and the “valve” gets bigger and stronger (the connection isn’t exactly a valve, but it acts like one, I think?). Many kids require surgery, especially those with more severe reflux. The severity is on a scale of Grade 1 through 5.

These are all the facts that we know. We now have an appointment with the specialist next week, and I hate to have to wait so long to get more answers. Based on the experiences of others and Dr. Google, I’m guessing that they are going to want Cullen to take a maintenance dose of antibiotics. He would have to take the antibiotics daily until he grows out of it or has surgery. From what I have gathered, it is very common for kids to out grow Grades 1 and 2. Grade 3 can be outgrown as well, but it sounded like it was maybe just as likely to have surgery? I’m not sure. I have also heard that it is very common in siblings, something like 30% of siblings also have it. Given Maddie’s history of unexplained fevers, I would be very surprised if they did not want to do the same VCUG test and ultrasound on her. If they do not feel that surgery is necessary at this time (seems unlikely), then I think that he needs to be retested every year or maybe twice a year. Again, everything in this paragraph is a guess.

It’s my understanding that undiagnosed kidney reflux can be very serious. The earlier the diagnosis, the better. Cullen is very young, so we are lucky that his doctors did not wait for infection after infection to find out about the reflux. It sounds like it is manageable upon diagnosis with careful monitoring (periodic VCUG tests/ultrasounds, diligent testing of urine with fevers, etc) and regular, low dose antibiotics. Repeated bladder/kidney infections can be bad, but we would hope to prevent them, if possible.

I am looking forward to getting our questions answered at next week’s appointment. Until then, I’m trying not to worry too much about my sweet little boy. He is getting extra hugs and kisses from me in the meanwhile.

Something that makes me happy: Going out to a concert with my hubby (and friends) made me happy! It is always a little strange getting out of the house without the kiddos. It makes me feel like we need to do it more often!

Something I’m thinking: Um, August already???

Something I’m hoping: I’m hoping that the tests that we have to do for Cullen come back without any serious problems. I’m trying not to worry too much.

Something happening around the house: Right at this moment, Gabe has the kids upstairs in the bonus room. I’m hearing kids’ songs and Maddie’s constant babble. Everyone sounds happy, and I think I’ll join them soon and finish this later!

Something I’m reading: I finished Little Earthquakes in time for book club this week. I’m trying to get started on Special Topics in Calamity Physics, which is our August pick for book club. I have tried starting this one in the past but haven’t gotten too far. Maybe I’ll have more success this time.

Something I’m watching: We watched King of Kong, a documentary about competitive (classic) video gaming. It was entertaining enough. I told Gabe that if he got laid off from his job, it is not acceptable for him to pursue world records in arcade games.

Something I’m playing: It would be nice if I could use this category for board games or card games, but I haven’t had much opportunity for those lately. I do get to play Words with Friends on a daily basis. I’m still playing a little Scramble 2.

Something tasty: We had fajitas tonight with friends, and they were tasty (though a bit spicy!).

Something Maddie is doing (29 months old): She is doing ok without the paci, but bedtime has been a more lengthy process. She babbles quite a bit before falling asleep. Her naps have been more challenging as well. She had a very rough night last night with lots of waking, so we are really hoping she’s not getting sick. Maddie has been asking us to read lots of books, and she has started reciting some fairly complicated books almost word for word. Repetition, repetition, repetition. She’s very into doing everything all by herself. If you do something for her, she makes a point of putting whatever it was back to the original state and then redoing it by herself. Parenting a toddler requires quite a bit of patience.

Something Cullen is doing (27 weeks old): Poor little guy has had a rough week. He started on Monday night with a fever and vomiting. He had a little congestion, so we thought he must have a sort of cold or virus when we took him to the doctor on Tuesday. Wednesday was his 6-month check up. Since he had gotten worse, they decided to take blood and urine samples and run some cultures. The blood test showed an elevated white blood count, pointing to a bacterial infection. Unfortunately, the urine looked abnormal and the cultures grew bacteria. So, he is being treated for a bladder infection. We will find out more this week with a follow up visit to the pediatrician. He is going to have to have some further testing at the hospital. I’m trying not to worry about the guy too much until we know more, but obviously that’s hard to do as a Mommy. The pediatrician focused on his illness, but we did talk about his 6 month well visit a little bit. His weight was 16 pounds, 10 ounces (30th percentile), length of 27 inches (68th percentile), and head circumference of 17.5 inches (98th percentile). Dude has a big noggin. The pediatrician commented on Cullen’s “advanced” babbling skills. He has been cooing at us and squealing more often. He has been rolling more to get places, and you can just tell he wants to crawl. He’s not quite getting on his hands and knees, but he’s getting closer. He is able to sit for brief periods by himself, not just in the tripod pose. We’ve been introducing him to foods, and this week he had banana, avocado, and sweet potato. He’s hitting a bunch of milestones all at once!

Something I am struggling with: Cullen’s health issues. Sleep. Keeping up with photos.

Something I learned: I am learning a little bit about kidney reflux, one of the things that they are testing Cullen for soon.

Something I’m looking forward to: Maddie’s ribbon dancing class and a possible visit with my parents.

Something random: I love how Cullen touches my face. I think it’s his special way of telling me that he loves me. It’s not an exclusive affection for me as I’ve seen him to do it to certain others as well. Of course, he does prefer me over all others right now. He’s all about Mommy!

Something captured: I will now always think of this as “The Shimmer Wall,” immortalized in song by Barenaked Ladies at last night’s show. It was a big deal for Gabe and I to get out of the house and see a concert together!

Others writing The Sunday Somethings: Audrey

Something that makes me happy: Lazy Sundays with my family (though we did make some plans for after nap, so today isn’t totally lazy).

Something I’m thinking: I’ve lost over 40 pounds since January!!! Yes, I know that some of that was due to giving birth to Cullen, but I’m counting that in my numbers, thank you very much.

Something I’m hoping: I’m hoping that my grandpa gets well soon. He’s not been feeling well and is currently in the hospital.

Something happening around the house: Intermittent ants. I hope that isn’t a sign of what’s to come. We need to call the pest control people this week and put a stop to the parade before it’s a real problem.

Something I’m reading: I’m almost finished with Little Earthquakes for book club this week. I think I can finish it before Wednesday! I’m enjoying it. She’s really hit the nail on the head with various baby and child issues. Some parts have really made me laugh because they are all too true!

Something I’m watching: I don’t think we watched anything this week, aside from maybe an episode of Losing it with Jillian or Hell’s Kitchen. I want to see Inception, but I’m not sure when or how that is going to happen.

Something I’m playing: We wanted to play some games with friends on Friday evening, but the kids did not cooperate. Oh well, next time. We are still playing Words with Friends and started playing a boggle-type game (Scramble 2).

Something tasty: We had some tasty peaches from our produce box this week. I love the smell of ripe peaches! Yum! I tried pureeing some and putting them in pancake batter this morning, but I don’t think that it worked out too well. The pancakes were fine, but they didn’t taste very peachy.

Something Maddie is doing (29 months old): Thursday, we decided to say goodbye to the paci. She has been using it only at night and during naps for a while. We had wanted to take it away entirely a while ago, but she has had lots of major transitions this year. I should do a separate post about the paci.

Something Cullen is doing (26 weeks old): Cullen had a big week, too. He turned 6 months old – I can’t believe it! He also had his first taste of solid foods. We decided to skip the yucky rice cereal this time and go straight to banana. We might try cereal later once we have some fruits and veggies to mix into it. I’ll have to do a separate post about his first taste of solid foods.

Something I am struggling with: I’m struggling with the space on my hard drive. I’ve been taking more video clips lately on my iPhone and regular camera. They are taking up space, and I don’t have time to deal with them! I need to figure out a system or something.

Something I’m looking forward to: Dinner with friends, Cullen’s 6-month appointment, book club, and a fun-filled Saturday!

Something random: My friend Shannon says that Vermont is random.

Something captured: I think Cullen wants to crawl!

Others writing The Sunday Somethings: Audrey

I really did write most of this on July 4th, but I didn’t have my “something captured” ready to post…and then we got back late yesterday, so I hadn’t had much of a chance to finish it up.

Something that makes me happy: Any quiet car ride makes me happy. These are becoming a little more common (though not quite common enough!).

Something I’m thinking: Happy Independence Day!

Something I’m hoping: I’m hoping that my tick bite heals. It still looks yucky after a month.

Something happening around the house: Not much for several days since we were in the mountains.

Something I’m reading: I read a lot of princess stories to Maddie this week.

Something I’m watching: I think the only thing we watched this week was an episode of Hell’s Kitchen.

Something tasty: Vegetarian chili with lots of fresh veggies. Yum!

Something Maddie is doing (28 months old): Maddie’s doing great this week with her potty training. I think she just had one accident this week, and that was during the day when she was too busy at school to be bothered by a trip to the potty. She had no overnight accidents and did great when we spent over 3 hours in the car (twice!). She’s been singing a lot of songs this week. Her favorite song right now is, “Where is Thumbkin?” Since the music teacher at school puts on a sort of glove with finger puppets for the song, she MUST have a sock over her hand to perform it.

Something Cullen is doing (23 weeks old): He gave us a small break a few times this week by sleeping in the bassinet for an hour or two. It gave us hope, anyway. Cullen has been very interested in grabbing toys and drooling on everything. He seems to enjoy tummy time more and more. He’s quite strong! His eyes are as blue as ever! We’re starting to wonder if they will really stay blue. Maddie’s were blue until she was at least 8 months old, so we’re not holding our breath yet. He’s starting to roll a bit more and may even be rolling to get places. He’s rolling over in the bassinet, too, so we might have to start letting him sleep on his tummy.

Something I am struggling with: Aside from the usual sleep issues, I can’t think of any other struggles at the moment.

Something I’m looking forward to: Ooh, I’m going to sneak out to two movies this week, I hope…Toy Story 3 and Babies. I also hope to see Eclipse before too long!

Something random: Maddie rejected some blueberries from her snack the other day. When I asked what was wrong with those blueberries, she said, “there’s deer on them.”

Something captured: Our family on the 4th. Once again, I appreciated Scott taking some photos for us!

Others writing The Sunday Somethings: Audrey

I’ve been working on this post for weeks…have even had it mostly written. So I’m finally getting around to posting it. Click on any of the ER photos to see the entire ER album and the snow photo to see the rest of the snow album.

While I hoped that I would never have to do it, I assumed upon becoming a parent that at least one ER visit would be in my future. I relaxed a bit after going through nearly two years of Maddie’s life without the nearly inevitable ER trip. We had a few close calls with very high fevers and a bout of croup, but no actual emergency.

And before Cullen was even 8 weeks old, he had already had TWO visits to the ER as well as a couple of close calls. For the close calls, protocol would have us go, but since we had been treated already they let us visit the pediatrician in the morning.

As much as we tried to keep the kids separated, Cullen caught his first daycare bug from his sister before he was even 3 weeks old. Cullen had some projectile vomiting twice within a couple minutes. I took his temperature, and his temperature was elevated but he didn’t have a fever. We called the after hours nurse, and while we were on the phone she had us check him again. Fever is defined by anything 100.4 or above. He had exactly 100.4. Once I told her that, she did not hesitate and sent us directly to the ER.

Initially, I was very overwhelmed and worried about our little man. We scrambled to secure care for Maddie so we could both go to the hospital. Fortunately, our neighbors came to the rescue quickly and my sister was able to relieve them not too long afterward.

We arrived at the ER and had to wait each step of the way: to get checked in, to see the triage nurse, to get into an ER room, to see the doctor, to get tests, etc. The worst part was not being able to feed him until we had seen the doctor for the first time. He was so hungry, and I hated that I couldn’t soothe his crying. Once we finally saw the doctor, I was allowed to feed him and he was much happier…until the nurses started his testing.

They collected blood and urine and prepared him for the spinal tap. They hooked him up to the IV with teeny splint, poor little guy. I debated whether or not to give him the offered pacifier, but decided he could use a bit of comfort. He did great with all the poking and prodding, though he expressed very firmly that he did not enjoy it. The spinal tap was the worst as they had to ensure that he didn’t wiggle while the doctor had the needle in his spine. He was not amused. All of the testing was very unpleasant for me to watch. They did two RSV tests while we were in the hospital, and those were invasive and unpleasant as well.

Shortly after we got a room in the ER, they informed us that they automatically admit newborns under 4 weeks old when they have a fever. They started him on antibiotics while in the ER through his little IV. They administered antibiotics throughout our two day stay in the hospital.

The initial tests came back negative for any infections, which is a very good thing. The RSV test was also negative (both times). The reason that they wanted us to stay for 2 days is so that they could get back the 48 hour cultures before releasing us from the hospital. At very least, they wanted to make sure we were covered with antibiotics up through when they would have the results.

While in the ER, Cullen didn’t have a bassinet. This meant that I could not snooze at all since I had to either hold him or monitor him closely on the unsafe hospital bed. We were told that they had a room for us, but it took forever for them to actually admit us. We didn’t end up getting into a room until 6am. It was a very long night for this Mommy! Gabe left the ER around 11pm to pack a bag for me. He brought me some essentials for the overnight stay and went back home to be with Maddie.

We were much more comfortable when we got into an actual room in the hospital. They had a bassinet for him, of course, so I was able to sleep in the hospital bed. This beats a pull out couch or reclined chair! I was thankful for the bed. I didn’t get very much sleep that first day, but the second night went fairly well.

I was grateful to friends who helped us out while Cullen was in the hospital. I obviously couldn’t leave the hospital since I needed to care for him and since I was nursing him constantly. Gabe was able to come to visit us while Maddie was at daycare. We had friends bring us meals and pick Maddie up from school, so all of that was very helpful. I hated to see Cullen hooked up to all the wires and tubes, especially when the nurses and doctors came by to mess with him. But all in all, it wasn’t a terrible hospital visit and all the tests came back negative. Cullen developed quite a bit of congestion by the end of our stay, so we chalked up the fever to being just a virus that he picked up from his big sister.

We had another snow event coming on Friday night. Since Cullen was looking great and they were able to get enough antibiotics in him to last through when they would get the 48 hour culture results, they allowed us to leave a little early. We were so happy to go home, and we were thankful to get home before the snow started.

That night, he vomited twice but had no fever. If he had vomited one more time (or had a fever), they would have sent us back to the ER that night. Thank goodness we avoided a repeat trip! It took him a while to get over his cold, but he was still a pretty laid back baby during his recovery.

Four weeks later, we made our second trip to the ER when he had another minimal fever. I learned that they don’t automatically admit babies once they are over 4 weeks old. They didn’t have to do the spinal tap, either, so that was a relief. After about 4 hours in the ER, they sent us home to monitor him and visit the pediatrician in the morning. He had a few more fevers that week, but they fortunately didn’t send us to the ER each time since we had already had the testing. Now I am just hoping for him to stay fever free until he is at least 3 months old when they won’t automatically send him to the ER. Stay healthy, little boy!

He actually had more fevers after his two month appointment and immunization shots. Poor little guy! This time, we avoided going into the doctor or the ER since they were certain it was a reaction to the immunizations.

Time has really been flying with Cullen. I can’t believe he’s already TWO months old! Wow. This means it is time for another letter to Cullen. (more…)

Happy Anniversary to The Sunday Somethings! My first entry was on March 15, 2009. I was lucky to have caught the anniversary. Today, I was thinking that it had been close to a year. I checked and was surprised it was exactly a year!

Something that made me happy this week: Warmer temperatures and the start of spring-like weather!

Something I’m thinking: I’m not a fan of the time change.

Something I’m hoping: I hope I don’t have to go back to get my haircut corrected. I managed to sneak out of the house yesterday to get my hairs done, and I worry it might be uneven like that other time.

Something happening around the house: We have a new kitchen sink! I’d post a photo, but I haven’t taken one yet and it has been full of dirty dishes most of the week.

Something I’m reading: I haven’t read any books this week. I need to get some of the upcoming book club books and get started on those. I hope to attend book club again!

Something I’m watching: I don’t know why I didn’t think of adding this category before now! We have been watching a bunch of stuff lately. American Idol is quite a commitment, plus we have to make sure we watch the results show before someone spoils it for us on Facebook! I was disappointed about Lilly and Alex this week, especially about Lilly. We really liked her. I should do one of my television posts soon to recap what else we’re watching.

Something tasty I ate this week: I’m addicted to Easter candy, especially Reece’s peanut butter eggs and the marshmellow hiding eggs. I can eat a whole package of either of those in one day. I should probably not allow myself to buy any more Easter candy.

Something Maddie did this week (24 months old): She has quite the imagination. This week, she told me that a half eaten muffin was a rocking chair and part of a cracker was a horse. Where does she come up with this stuff? Maddie and I dyed Easter eggs with Nana today! She seemed to enjoy that. As I type this, she’s informing me that she is picking her nose. We’re proud.

Something Cullen did this week (7 weeks old): Well, he had a fever 3 times this week that is yet unexplained. He has no other symptoms, as far as we can tell. He may be a tad fussier, but I think it might be because he’s going through a growth spurt and is hungry all the time. He was weighed on Friday and weighed 12.5 pounds. Big boy! We went to the ER on Monday night, and thankfully they did not admit us this time. I’m also glad that they didn’t send us to the ER the other two times he had the fever. We’re starting to wonder if maybe our thermometer is inaccurate. We went out and bought a new one and compared readings on the 3 thermometers that we now have for rectal temperatures. Ours is a few tenths higher, so we’re going to monitor the differences. The next time we go to the pediatrician, we’re going to bring our thermometer to compare. Considering his fevers have all been minimal, he may not have had a fever at all if our thermometer reads high. How frustrating!

Something I struggled with this week: Potentially faulty thermometers. Ugh!

Something I’m doing towards my goals: It’s not really a goal per se, but I did finally submit my taxes this week!

Something I learned this week: When infants are under 2 months, they are sent directly to the ER when they have a fever (even if it is during regular office hours). Under 1 month, they are automatically admitted and all the test are run (blood, urine, spinal fluid). Apparently after a month, they don’t always admit which was the case when we went this week. After Cullen reaches 3 months of age, we shouldn’t have to worry about being rushed to the ER for minimal fevers.

Something from last week: Another new category! I thought I’d use this one to give a little update on some things that I was hoping or looking forward to from the previous week. Or just an update on things that were ongoing the previous week. So some updates from last week… we bought a double stroller! We also got a 2nd car seat for Maddie that she will eventually use when Cullen needs the convertible that she is in now. I’d hoped for a stress free week, but that didn’t exactly happen with a trip to the ER, three calls to the after hours nurse, a chat with the doctor on call, and two trips to the pediatrician’s office.

Something I’m looking forward to next week: Dinners with friends and maybe a birthday party.

Something random: Not all of Maddie’s books are appropriate to be read to a toddler! I think we’ll wait on some of those stories.

Something captured: My before and after pictures. I hope that it only appears uneven in this photo because a little hair is tucked behind my ear and it curled up a bit more on that side. Hrm…

Others writing The Sunday Somethings: Audrey

Something that made me happy this week: Going on a walk this evening before dinner with my family.

Something I’m thinking: I’m thinking about buying a double stroller. We could have both pushed strollers tonight, and that would have been fine. I’m sure there will be times where one of us will need to stroll both kids, and Maddie is still a bit too young to walk everywhere. I actually walked this evening’s walk with Cullen in the Sleep Wrap. It wasn’t too bad, but I don’t think I could walk around all day at a zoo or park like that.

Something I’m hoping: I’m hoping that Cullen doesn’t get sick again. His temperature is a little elevated this evening (though not a fever at this point), and he’s not quite himself.

Something happening around the house: Ugh. We’re experiencing some “fun” home ownership issues. I guess our house is starting to act its age. The water heater broke yesterday. Gabe walked out with Maddie to go grab some lunch, and he discovered that the garage was full of steaming hot water. Not good. Fortunately, we found someone to come out almost right away and they fixed it yesterday. We have been enjoying our hot water today. We also bought a new kitchen sink and faucet today and plan on having the same guys install it. Our kitchen faucet and sink are falling apart and got worse this morning with the messed up water pressure due to air in the pipes. We are thinking about getting lighting installed in our library, something that we have wanted to do since we moved into the house. What kind of library doesn’t have suitable lighting? We are debating replacing the remainder of our brass light fixtures. I’m not sure we’re ready to do all of that.

Something I’m reading: I finished Flyte! Our book club is sorting out our picks for the next 6 months, so I might have to start reading some of those if I’m ever going to finish any of them.

Something tasty I ate this week: I made my own pizza for the first time! I didn’t make Cindy’s pizza, but she inspired me to give homemade pizza a try. Yum! I will have to make Cindy’s someday. It looks very good.

Something Maddie did this week (24 months old): Poor girl got strep throat for the first time. She seems to be getting all the same kind of illnesses that I had frequently as a child. Maddie felt pretty bad, resulting in some sweet cuddles with her Daddy. I think she’s feeling more like herself now. Not feeling well did contribute to some extra toddler tantrums. She is certainly embracing being a two year old. She continues to say funny things. She often requests socks saying, “her feet are cold” (whether or not that is actually true). This week, she came up with a new one. She said, “Daddy, I need my shoes. My socks are cold.” I love the toddler logic!

Something Cullen did this week (6 weeks old): He rolled over from his front to his back this week, though clearly not intentional. He has done this a few times previously on the bed, which I thought was a little sloped so it didn’t “count.” This time he rolled over on the floor. It certainly wasn’t intentional, but he was happier afterward. Cullen smiles a little each day. He still has a little acne and a lot of cradle cap. He’s holding his head up extremely well. We estimate he’s between 11.5 and 12 pounds.

Something I struggled with this week: Broken water heater, sick child, recovering my iTunes library (the only copy of it was on our iPods and a broken hard drive), dealing with toddler tantrums, realizing that my maternity leave is half over, realizing that Cullen is no longer a newborn, accidentally not refrigerating Maddie’s antibiotic necessitating a new prescription (which is not covered by insurance, by the way), chronic lack of sleep.

Something I’m doing towards my goals: I’ve been actively gathering suggestions and sending out emails for our book club. This falls under my goal of staying active in at least one book club. I’ve also done a little bit towards my MS fundraising goals and plan to focus some more efforts in that direction soon. I went back and created my 2005 photobook, so I guess that can potentially count as “create yearly photobooks for my family” since some of it has both Gabe and me. Ooh, and I see that “replace the kitchen sink” was one of my goals…we bought the sink and faucet and are replacing it very soon!

Something I learned this week: I learned that I had already scrapbooked 2005….after I finished my 2005 photobook! Hrm, oh well, the old scrapbook was heavy and bulky. The photobook version is a little different, but the important things are well represented.

Something I’m looking forward to next week: A relaxing, stress-free week???

Something random: We’re watching more reality shows than normal this season – Survivor, Amazing Race, and American Idol. We’ve really been enjoying all three! I’m not sure who we want to win Survivor, but I love the Heroes vs. Villains thing. I haven’t watched Survivor in several seasons, but I know a lot of the players this season. The cowboys on Amazing Race make us laugh. We are rooting for Crystal Bowersox on American Idol and also like several others: Alex Lambert, Andrew Garcia, Casey James, Lee Dewyze, and Lilly Scott. Lee Dewyze is probably my second favorite at the moment.

Something captured: Poor sick little girl wanted to snuggle with Daddy and read books.

Others writing The Sunday Somethings: Audrey

I didn’t start Maddie’s letters until she was 4 months old. We were quite overwhelmed in those first few months. It would be interesting to see some of what I might have said in those letters. I thought I might as well start Cullen’s monthly letters from his first month. (more…)

Something that made me happy this week: I was happy when we found out at Cullen’s 2-week appointment that not only had he regained his birth weight, he gained an extra pound and an ounce. He weighed in at 9 pounds, 11 ounces on Tuesday. He was 21.5 inches long, putting him in the 71st percentile. Quite different from his peanut of a big sister.

Something I’m thinking: I thought I was tired last week at this time. Wow, I had no idea.

Something I’m hoping: I’m hoping to have a boring week and a healthy family.

Something happening around the house: Snow, again. This kind of snow was much better. It was pretty, it didn’t cause problems on the roads, and it is melting away quickly.

Something I’m reading: Board books to Maddie. That’s about it.

Something tasty I ate this week: Several friends delivered real food to the hospital while we were there with Cullen. This was very much appreciated!

Something Maddie did this week: Maddie continues to be a chatterbox and cracks us up all the time. Last Sunday evening, she blamed her brother for the first time. She tore the wrapper off the crayon, and Gabe asked her, “why did you tear the paper off the crayon?” Maddie’s reply was, “Cullen did it.” Wow, I can’t believe how early that behavior starts! She’s not even 2! And then a couple days ago, Gabe was taking her downstairs from her crib in the morning and she passed some gas. Gabe asked, “Maddie, did you toot?” and Maddie’s reply this time was, “Bunny tooted.” I guess since Cullen wasn’t at home (he was at the hospital with me), she had to resort to blaming her stuffed animals. Hilarious.

Something Cullen did this week: Cullen seems to have his first illness which, due to his age, meant an ER visit for us and a two day stay in the hospital. He vomited several times and had a fever on Wednesday night. They take fevers in newborns very seriously and subjected him to a number of tests including a spinal tap and several equally unpleasant tests. It was a difficult couple of days, and we’re not quite recovered from it. We have been home from the hospital since Friday night.

Something I struggled with this week: Obviously taking my newborn to the ER and having him admitted to the hospital was a struggle. I encountered my first situation where I had to prioritize my children and give attention to the one who needs it most. Maddie was very upset when we left her on Wednesday night to take Cullen to the hospital. It was heartbreaking, but we had to focus on what was going on with Cullen at the moment. I knew that we would have times like these with multiple children, but it was still difficult.

Something I’m doing towards my goals: We watched another episode or two of Dead Like Me.

Something I learned this week: I learned a little more than I wanted about the ER and pediatric ward of the hospital. Fortunately, Cullen’s visit was a precautionary one, standard protocol for newborns with a fever. Thank goodness it wasn’t more serious.

Something I’m looking forward to next week: Maddie’s birthday! I can’t believe that she will be TWO at the end of this week.

Something random: I’m excited about seeing the rest of Cullen’s photo session with Catherine Keene Photography. This should happen tomorrow!

Something captured: My little guy in the smallest hospital gown ever, hooked up to an IV and various monitors. This was taken while we were still in the ER (where we stayed for about 8 hours).

Others writing The Sunday Somethings: Audrey