I accidentally clicked on this picture tonight and thought it was so cute.
Uncle James is holding Kristen and Aunt Paula is holding Loryn in the hospital the day they were born.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
Hunter's Unofficial Birthday & Ashton and Allison Home
This morning Ashton and Allison flew home from North Carolina. The lady that sat next to them came up to me as I waited for them to get off the plane. She said they were so good and praised Ashton for being so nurturing with Allison. She was also impressed with how smart he is. I was so happy they sat next to someone nice. That was my biggest worry.
After we picked them up, we went to my parents and then all of us went to Chuck-a-Rama to celebrate Hunter's birthday. After that we went to Chuck-E-Cheese. Hunter has been begging us for months to go back, and Catherine and Brooke wanted to go to satisfy their lifelong feeling of deprevation from not going as children. We had a great time.
In the evening we went to Ardie and Lorraine's for Karen's birthday/24th of July party. They even put candles on a cake for Hunter and we sang to both of them. Then we all enjoyed a fireworks show put on be Scott Ashton and John Culpepper.
The kids basically collapsed in the car. Especially Ashton and Allison who had been up since 2:00 am our time.
It was a GREAT day!
After we picked them up, we went to my parents and then all of us went to Chuck-a-Rama to celebrate Hunter's birthday. After that we went to Chuck-E-Cheese. Hunter has been begging us for months to go back, and Catherine and Brooke wanted to go to satisfy their lifelong feeling of deprevation from not going as children. We had a great time.
In the evening we went to Ardie and Lorraine's for Karen's birthday/24th of July party. They even put candles on a cake for Hunter and we sang to both of them. Then we all enjoyed a fireworks show put on be Scott Ashton and John Culpepper.
The kids basically collapsed in the car. Especially Ashton and Allison who had been up since 2:00 am our time.
It was a GREAT day!
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Crazy Babies
Here is a list of some of the funny things Kristen and Loryn have done lately.
- Sit together at the piano and play the keys, then turn and hug.
- Kristen say "baby" and point to herself.
- Loryn hit Kristen with Kristen's sippy cup which Loryn stole. Kristen then cries, but keeps coming back and getting hit again. Kristen didn't hit back just looked broken-hearted at being picked on by Loryn.
- Two days ago, about ten minutes after I put them down for their nap, I walked by their door and heard them babbling and laughing at each other.
- Yesterday when I went to get them from their nap they were both standing in their cribs holding onto the side and jumping and laughing across the room at each other.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Kids in North Carolina
Ashton and Allison left for North Carolina today to visit Dave's parents. They flew as unaccompanied minors, but everything went well. They both became a little teary at the airport, especially right before getting on the plane. I felt the same, but I couldn't show them that. I just had to put on a smile and reasure them they were going to have so much fun. Beverly said a woman that sat behind them told her in the airport after they had picked them up, that they had been just perfect on the plane. There were several other minors traveling alone and I guess they all sat together and did just fine. It was still a little nerve wracking for me though.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
School is Out & Church with Kids
I guess school finished over half a month ago, but we are still adjusting. It is so nice not to have to wake the kids up and get them ready in the morning. The only things we really have scheduled is on Tuesday & Thursday Ashton and Allison go the the literacy center here and study math and reading for an hour. It is a wonderful free program offered to anyone in our community. Ashton started doing the reading in first grade and quickly became a great reader. Hopefully it will help Allison do the same. Now Ashton is doing the math program.
Mostly we are taking the summer one day at a time. Our big accomplishment this last week is that we made it to church on time without Dave. He had to play the organ on Sunday, and was sitting at it with his back to us when we walked in and actually sat up front on a bench. After the first song he sat down next to the organ and I watched him look at the doors and scan the back of the room. I could tell he was wondering where we were. To his great surprise we finally caught his eye during the sacrament. As he said, he didn't think to look for us in the front. Just because we haven't sat on a bench in months????? The kids actually think sitting on a bench is a really exciting thing. Now if we could get them to actually sit on it we will be doing really well.
Mostly we are taking the summer one day at a time. Our big accomplishment this last week is that we made it to church on time without Dave. He had to play the organ on Sunday, and was sitting at it with his back to us when we walked in and actually sat up front on a bench. After the first song he sat down next to the organ and I watched him look at the doors and scan the back of the room. I could tell he was wondering where we were. To his great surprise we finally caught his eye during the sacrament. As he said, he didn't think to look for us in the front. Just because we haven't sat on a bench in months????? The kids actually think sitting on a bench is a really exciting thing. Now if we could get them to actually sit on it we will be doing really well.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Seizure Update
I took Kristen to her pediatrician today. After discussing everything that happened, he believes it is a virus related seizure. He said the rotovirus (sp?) is known to sometimes cause seizures in small children and since Kristen had been experiencing vomiting and diarrhea for two days before it happened, he believes the virus causing the stomach problems is also to blame for the seizure. If she has another seizure he will send her to Primary Children's to see a neurologist, but if he is correct that it was the virus, she probably won't have any more.
Thanks to everyone who has remembered us in their prayers and for all your love and concern. It is comforting to know we have such a wonderful network of family and friends. Love ya all!!
Thanks to everyone who has remembered us in their prayers and for all your love and concern. It is comforting to know we have such a wonderful network of family and friends. Love ya all!!
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Kristen's Seizure
Yesterday we had a scary experience. About 10:00 am Kristen had a seizure. I was down in the laundry room when I heard her fall in the kitchen. I ran upstairs to see how she was. She was on the floor but not near anything to climb on. I scooped her up and went back to the laundry room, when I noticed she was acting very strange. She was arching back away from me and jerking a little and gagging. Her eyes were very dilated and rolling back with her eye lids wide open like she was scared. I thought she was going to throw-up or choking on something, since she has had had a stomach bug since Tuesday night. We ran to the kitchen sink and I was holding her on an incline and patting her back, but she continued to jerk and gag.
At this point her coloring started to look awful; her lips were turning a little blue and she was very white. She also started drooling. I immediately called 911 and they sent an ambulance. (Actually they sent two police cars, an ambulance, and a fire truck. It was quite the scene in front of our house.) Before any of them arrived Kristen did start breathing again in short gasping breaths, but her eyes were still staring off into space. The seizure itself probably lasted about a minute. The police officer arrived first and had me lay her on the couch. He made sure she was breathing and then the paramedics came in and gave her some oxygen. She was still out of it but did fuss when they pricked her finger. She was very white and dazed. They told me they wanted her to go to the hospital and took her to the ambulance. I actually didn't even see her go because I was trying to make phone calls. I couldn't go with her because I still had to make arrangements for the other kids. You might say I kept my head during the important part, but panic took over once the police and ambulance got there. When they asked me if there was anyone I could leave the other kids with I said yes, but I couldn't remember the names of any of my neighbors or ward members. My mind was racing but unable to remember anything. I did call two people, but they weren't home and I was left staring at the ward list unable to find the names of anyone else I knew. This was a little crazy since there are tons of people I could call. Finally I recognized one name and hurried and called her. I also had three other neighbors show up at the front door. They had seen the commotion and come over to see if I needed any help. What a relief. Allison and Hunter went next door and Ashton and Loryn went to the friend I had called.
The ambulance left with Kristen, I made final arrangements for the other kids to go to different homes, and then I hurried and went to the hospital. When I arrived Kristen was in the ER screaming at the top of her lungs with one nurse holding her and several others trying to help. She recognized me, but even I couldn't console her. She was MAD!! The doctor said it was normal for a child her age to be very upset and irritable for several hours after a seizure. It took three of us to hold her down while wrapped up in a blanket in order to get an IV in her arm. It didn't help that the first try didn't work. They took several blood samples to test her electrolytes and to do cultures. They also decided to sedate her since they wanted to do an MRI and X-rays and needed a urine sample and there was no way to get any of those things otherwise.
Before I left home I called Dave and he called my parents. He takes the bus to Salt Lake every morning which means he doesn't have a car at his disposal. My parents picked him up from work and brought him to the hospital. He and my dad gave Kristen a blessing as she slept after coming out of the sedation.
To finish the story, all the results of the test came back normal. Everything looked fine. Their only explanation was that maybe she spiked a fever despite not having a fever before or after the seizure. Otherwise maybe it was just a fluke. They told me to follow up with her pediatrician on Monday so that is what we are going to do. We walked out of the hospital around 2:00 pm.
Today she has been completely normal except she continues to have diarrhea and she threw-up again tonight. I just hope she and Loryn get over this stomach bug soon and that we don't have any more seizures.
At this point her coloring started to look awful; her lips were turning a little blue and she was very white. She also started drooling. I immediately called 911 and they sent an ambulance. (Actually they sent two police cars, an ambulance, and a fire truck. It was quite the scene in front of our house.) Before any of them arrived Kristen did start breathing again in short gasping breaths, but her eyes were still staring off into space. The seizure itself probably lasted about a minute. The police officer arrived first and had me lay her on the couch. He made sure she was breathing and then the paramedics came in and gave her some oxygen. She was still out of it but did fuss when they pricked her finger. She was very white and dazed. They told me they wanted her to go to the hospital and took her to the ambulance. I actually didn't even see her go because I was trying to make phone calls. I couldn't go with her because I still had to make arrangements for the other kids. You might say I kept my head during the important part, but panic took over once the police and ambulance got there. When they asked me if there was anyone I could leave the other kids with I said yes, but I couldn't remember the names of any of my neighbors or ward members. My mind was racing but unable to remember anything. I did call two people, but they weren't home and I was left staring at the ward list unable to find the names of anyone else I knew. This was a little crazy since there are tons of people I could call. Finally I recognized one name and hurried and called her. I also had three other neighbors show up at the front door. They had seen the commotion and come over to see if I needed any help. What a relief. Allison and Hunter went next door and Ashton and Loryn went to the friend I had called.
The ambulance left with Kristen, I made final arrangements for the other kids to go to different homes, and then I hurried and went to the hospital. When I arrived Kristen was in the ER screaming at the top of her lungs with one nurse holding her and several others trying to help. She recognized me, but even I couldn't console her. She was MAD!! The doctor said it was normal for a child her age to be very upset and irritable for several hours after a seizure. It took three of us to hold her down while wrapped up in a blanket in order to get an IV in her arm. It didn't help that the first try didn't work. They took several blood samples to test her electrolytes and to do cultures. They also decided to sedate her since they wanted to do an MRI and X-rays and needed a urine sample and there was no way to get any of those things otherwise.
Before I left home I called Dave and he called my parents. He takes the bus to Salt Lake every morning which means he doesn't have a car at his disposal. My parents picked him up from work and brought him to the hospital. He and my dad gave Kristen a blessing as she slept after coming out of the sedation.
To finish the story, all the results of the test came back normal. Everything looked fine. Their only explanation was that maybe she spiked a fever despite not having a fever before or after the seizure. Otherwise maybe it was just a fluke. They told me to follow up with her pediatrician on Monday so that is what we are going to do. We walked out of the hospital around 2:00 pm.
Today she has been completely normal except she continues to have diarrhea and she threw-up again tonight. I just hope she and Loryn get over this stomach bug soon and that we don't have any more seizures.
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