Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Packing

Heidi
* Shirts, Pants, Underwear, Socks - 4 days
* PJs
* Tablet & power cord
* Cell phone & power cord
* Camera & batteries

Chloe
* Shirts, pants, underwear, socks - 4 days
* PJs
* Nintendo DS & power cord with games

Jacob
* Shirts, pants, underwear, socks - 4 days
* PJs
* Nintendo DS & power cord with games

Jaxen
* Shirt, pants, socks - 4 days
* PJs
* Diapers & Wipes
* Sippy cup
* Toys

Tyler
* Clothes - 4 days
* PJs
* diapers & wipes
* bottles
* Formula
* Boppy Pillow

Monday, July 16, 2012

Accident Prone?!

Sunday afternoon, we went to a celebration picnic for Relay For Life.  It was a family event at the park - a way of saying thanks to those who worked so hard.

Jerry wanted to go "make an appearance" before he had to head to work.  I got the kids ready and fed them before hand. . . you never know what they are going to eat at events like these and I like knowing that they have at least eaten something.  So while we ate and visited with friends, the kids played on the playground.  Chloe took Jacob and Jaxen and pushed them on the swings.

Then the kids decided to play on this huge hill - which I told them to be careful on because they could get hurt.  Needless to say - Chloe took a pretty good tumble. . .
Knees - all bandaged up.

Arm
Other arm

Face
Then in a seperate accident, while chasing after Chloe - Jaxen took a tumble and scratched his face all up.

What am I going to do with these children?!  I think they need to be wrapped in bubble wrap!

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Doctors & Getting Old

It's been an insane week - too many appointments to keep up with.  Last post was about Jaxen's -month well baby last Wednesday.  On Thursday Tyler had a very uneventful 4-week well baby.

Friday the 13th made my baby 1 month old and brought with it the big appointments.  Jaxen's checkup at the KU Outpatient Burn and Wound Care Clinic.  They gave him the all clear with the burns on his hand and arm.  However, next month we are seeing the head of plastic surgery Dr. Bhavsar to re-visit the idea of plastic surgery to the scars on Jaxen's face.  The concern isn't with the coloring. . .it will fade to the color of his skin.  The concern is for the thickness of the scar. . . as of now it will be noticeable for the rest of his life.  We have a special prescription lotion that we get to apply to his face 2-3 times a day that is suppose to help reduce the scar tissue.  The lotion is so special the Walmart Pharmacy had to order it for us and it's going to take 7-10 days for it to come in.  Hopefully, the lotion does it's magic and Jaxen doesn't have to have surgery.  However, Jerry and I are prepared for some decision making on getting the plastic surgery for Jaxen.  As you all know, this is the year to get it done if it needs to be done since our insurance is maxed out. 

On the way home from Kansas City, Jerry asked me to call and get him an appointment with our doctors office to get his hand xrayed.  finally!  He has been in pain for weeks!  Every time anything touched his thumb he about came unglued it hurt so bad.  And it was getting worse by the day, Friday he couldn't even hold a cup of water to drink!  So it was time to see a doctor - WHY ARE MEN SO DIFFICULT?  Had it been me or the kids, he would have insisted we be seen immediately.

The doctors office was able to see him that afternoon.  The kids and I went with him but ended up staying in the car because it was just easier - Jaxen and Tyler were sleeping, Chloe and Jacob were watching TV.  Well, once again Jerry's blood pressure was extremely high - this is the second time he has been in the doctor's office within the past month and registered a high blood pressure reading.  :-\  {After his doctors appointment we went to Walmart and the blood pressure machine told him to see a doctor ASAP}  Needless to say, Jerry came home with a prescription for high blood pressure medicine and goes back August 2nd for a full blood work up to get everything under control.

His hand xray showed that he didn't break or fracture his hand - instead he was diagnosed with gout. 
Gout is a kind of arthritis.  It can cause an attack of sudden burning pain, stiffness, and swelling in a joint.  Gout is caused by too much uric acid in the blood.  Most of the time, having too much uric acid is not harmful.  Many people with high levels in their blood never get gout.  But when uric acid levels in the blood are too high, the uric acid may form hard crystals in your joints. 
The doctor told him that gout is found mostly in men and it can bring a grown man to his knees overnight.  So Jerry also got a prescription for an anti-inflammatory to take care of his pain.  The gout will go away in a few weeks but they can't really treat the gout and put Jerry on blood thinners because of his high blood pressure issues.  So hopefully, this all helps him manage his pain and come August 2nd they figure out all the little things that are wrong with him. 

Geez!  He's falling apart on me already!  I know I shouldn't but I can't help but tease him.  It's all really funny to me, I thought I was feeling old and falling apart after birthing four kids!  Although he's making me scared to turn 30. . .

. . . I have two weeks before all the doctors appointments start up again. . . I think I might have to get a bigger calender!

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Jaxen's 18-month Update

Jaxen's 18-month update was this afternoon.  Thank goodness the doctors office calls a couple days before to remind you because I didn't write it down in my planner.  And in fact, when the office called I didn't even listen to the message, I assumed that they were reminding me of Tyler's appointment on Thursday.  However, when they called again the following day to remind me of Tyler's appointment.  So I re listened to the answering machine message and it was in fact for Jaxen.

Jerry stayed home with Chloe, Jacob, and Tyler.  It was just me and Jaxen.  :-)

After all the basic question and answers that happen at every well baby checkup.  Jaxen completely excels at his 18-month milestones - walking, running, climbing, clapping, drinking from a cup, feeding himself, etc.  He excels at everything EXCEPT talking.  By now Jaxen should be saying at least 6 words fluently - the absolute minimum.  So by it's self, the lack of talking isn't a huge deal - most 3rd, 4th, 5th born children are slower to meet certain milestones because they don't have to with older siblings.  It's a little odd, that Jaxen is excelling at everything else except one thing.  So we are being referred to a Speech Therapist to verify that there is something going on with Jaxen. 

The doctor thinks Jaxen is fine and that he will develop his speech in his own time.  BUT if there is a problem - it is 10 times easier to correct a problem now, verses when his struggling in school.  :-\  So we are just waiting on a call from the doctor's office letting us know when Jaxen can be seen at Children's Mercy's Speech Therapist.

Jaxen also got caught up on his shots this afternoon.  I'm not sure why and how we fell behind with Jaxen's immunizations but we did.  And because we had to switch doctor's, our new doctor wanted to wait until they received Jaxen's medical records to verify that he didn't receive the immunization.  It's been a crazy fight with the lab personnel to get Jaxen up to date because they didn't want to double immunize.  But I wanted him immunized because you have to have proof of these immunizations before they can start school.  And it is much easier to hold an 18-month old down for a shot verses a 5-year old!  Dr. Beatty totally agreed with me and got the shots for Jaxen.

Tomorrow, same time/same place is Tyler's 1 month checkup.  :-)

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Wic

This morning the older boys had a WIC Appointment.  These appointments are so annoying and are fairly short. The hardest part is getting everyone up, dressed, and out the door.  Since it's a pretty big deal to get everyone ready AND JERRY WAS HOME.  I just took Jake and Jax.  I left Chloe home with Tyler.  :-)  Brave step for me, but Jerry was home  - tired and sleepy but home.

This appointment was Jacob's last for Wic.  He turns next month {OMG! When did he grow up?!} and is officially graduated off the program.

The boys were very well behaved while we were there and it gave me the confidence to take them upstairs to the Health Department and apply for Tyler's Birth Certificate.  Which isn't a big deal, just some paperwork to fill out and $15.00 later you walk out with a copy of the birth certificate.  But little things like that can be a nightmare with unruly children! 

So it's official, Tyler is ours - the birth certificate says so!!  :-)
Here are the boy's stats :::

At 4 years, 10 months, 1 week and 5 days old, Jacob is 38.5 pounds.
At 1 year, 6 months, 3 weeks and 2 days old, Jaxen is 29.5 pounds.

Also, Jaxen and I both had our iron checked and passed with flying colors.  :-)

Monday, July 9, 2012

This is how I juggle. . .

Just Imagine.  6:30pm.  Four kids hungry.  An 18-month-old screaming for attention.  An infant wanting to be held.  Dogs barking.  Phone ringing.  Total chaos.  One Mom.  Yup, that's my life!  What do I do?  Sit back and smile.  :-)

Pancakes for dinner.  It's quick.  It's easy.  Chloe and Jacob take Jaxen to the boys' room and play with him while I pack up Tyler in the sling and get busy in the kitchen. 

Come knocking on my door while Jerry's at work, around dinner time and this is what you will see:



I'm a baby wearing mommy, just trying to get things done.  What will you hear?  Screaming, Crying, Laughing, Giggling, Fighting.  Oh, the joys of motherhood just bounce off these walls!  :-)

And I count my blessings, that this little man -

. . . Can sleep right through it all.

Forgive the lack of updates. . . things get really, really crazy around here sometimes!

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Sad News

For those of you that know my Godfather, Joe Irons.  This is the email that I received from him today.  Not sure if you guys knew what he was going through, but his email saddened me.
My mailing address is ************. How is everybody doing? Well I have been going to the Moffitt Cancer Center since Feb. I came down with Leukemia and I've have been getting kamor every 3 weeks. Than I get blood transfusion every once and a while. I go for a bone marrow transplant on the 15th of August, My baby brother Jeff was a 100% match and I got him flying down on the 30th of July. Well I'm getting tired I'm going to close----- Love ya Joe

I'm getting ready send him pictures of the kids.  If you have time, let him know you are thinking about him....
Love to all

I took out his address for privacy reasons, if you need his mailing or email address, let me know - I have both.

Tyler's Birth Annoucment

Sunday, July 1, 2012

July - Photo A Day

This post will be updated daily - or as often as I can - for the month of July!


#1. Self Portrait -
Feeling pretty good!  At 24 days post pardem... 1st time that I tried my jeans on and they fit!!

#2. Busy -
Yeah... With an 18-month old and a newborn - it's always chaos!! 

#3. Best Part of Your Day -
Watching a sleeping baby... naptime means quite time in this house!

#4. Fun -
Kids cooling off in the swimming pool!

#5. On the Floor -
After a moment of eerie quiteness, I find Jax playing Hi-Ho-Cherry-O!!

#6. Chair -
Tyler isn't safe anywhere!! Jaxen can climb into Tyler's highchair by.him.self!

#7. Garden -
Jerry cutting down dead trees... my garden will be in that spot next summer!

#8. Lunch -
Mmm, Egg Salad Sammich!

#9. Big -
The baby bunnies are on the MOVE!!

10. Your Favorite Color -

July Calendar

Sunday, July 1st - 
Monday, July 2nd -
Tuesday, July 3rd -
Wednesday, July 4th - Fireworks @ Harrisonville City Park
Thursday, July 5th -
Friday, July 6th -
Saturday, July 7th - Jerry goes back to work. . .

Sunday, July 8th -
Monday, July 9th -
Tuesday, July 10th - Wic Appointment
Wednesday, July 11th - {Tyler 4wks old}
Thursday, July 12th - Tyler Dr Appointment @ 1:30pm
Friday, July 13th - Jaxen KU Burn Center @ 10am
Saturday, July 14th -

Sunday, July 15th -
Monday, July 16th -
Tuesday, July 17th -
Wednesday, July 18th - Emily's 5th Birthday - Party @ 5pm
Thursday, July 19th -
Friday, July 20th -
Saturday, July 21st -

Sunday, July 22nd -
Monday, July 23rd -
Tuesday, July 24th - {Short Term Disability Ends}
Wednesday, July 25th -
Thursday, July 26th - Jerry's 31st Birthday
Friday, July 27h - ROAD TRIP TO IOWA
Saturday, July 28th - Baby Shower @ 12:30pm

Sunday, July 29th -
Monday, July 30th -
Tuesday, July 31st - ROAD TRIP HOME