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.

Memorial Day

It rained most of the day, but the sun came out for a little while this evening, just long enough to go to the cemetary and see Aunt Debbie's grave.

Dave and kids at American Fork Cemetary at Debbie's Grave

The kids had a fun time running around and looking at all the grave stones and monuments. Dave's grandmother is burried their too Amazing Rainbow

On the way home it started to drizzle a little bit again, but when we got out of the car their was the most amazing rainbow. It was so bright you could see each color distinctly, and it stretched all the way across the sky. This picture doesn't do it justice.

The light was purfect for taking pictures of the kids so I hurried and snapped some closeups of all of them in their natural state and habitat (not glamour shots, but real pictures of everyday life).

Mr. Ashton

One happy, funny, friendly, crazy little guy.Princess Allison

What a beautiful smile and such a sweet, loving, friendly girl.

Hunter "Total Sweetness" aka "Senhor Hunter Pants"

Zest for Life, Love of Playing, Little Ball of Energy

Miss Kristen

Happy and On the Move

(She pulled out her other ponytail making her hair poke out on the one side. This is a typical look for her and Loryn. She is so cute you just want to tickle her.)

Miss Loryn

So Sweet and So Busy

(Loryn has such a cute smile, but it is very hard to capture on camera. Her whole face lights up when she smiles.)

Update on Laundry Room

In case anyone was worried that I just demolished my laundry room and it has stayed that way, do not fear.

I didn't have any updated pictures last time. Shortly after demolition my dad came and helped re-sheetrock the old doorway, and make all the necessary patches. Last weekend I bought the tile for the floor, and you can see some of the pieces just laying on the floor (left bottom corner next to toilet). We switched the electrical for the washer and dryer and moved the water hookups to the center of the back wall. This made it possible for us to switch the position of the washer and dryer so the dryer door doesn't hit the toilet anymore.

It still needs one more coat of mud on the drywall, and then it can be textured, primed, painted, tiled, and finally we will put in a new cabinet, sink and countertop.
This is a picture of the old doorway into the playroom. It is now closed off, and there is a new doorway to the playroom directly from the family room. All that space that used to be hallway is now part of the laundry room. There will be a kitchen sink cabinet next to the toilet with a small utility sink and then countertop across to the wall on the left. Hopefully there will be cabinets above as well.

Demonlition

Tearing out the Wall

The past two months have been very busy around here. In April I demolished my laundry room and we are still working on putting it back together again. It is very exciting but so much work. This has taken up most of my spare time. A short way into the destruction process I decided to take some "before" pictures, thus the first pics have some evidence of chaos to them.

Looking into the bathroom/laundry room from the family room. When you go through the door there is a small hallway to the right that leads to the playroom. In order to use the bathroom you had to lock the door to the family room and hope no one was in the playroom because although there was a doorway into the laundry/bathroom, it was too small to have a door of its own. This is less than ideal.

Here is a picture of the hallway into the playroom. Why is there a hallway to a bedroom but no door on the bathroom to the left? Why? Who buys a house with a bathroom with no door? Functional Door into Playroom

The laundry and bathroom was very cramped. This itty-bitty pedistal sink was the only sink I am sure would fit in this space, and you couldn't open the dryer door all the way because it would hit the toilet. The chair in the picture was for demolition purposes. I was so excited to be knocking all this out that I didn't want to take the time to remove the chair for picture purposes.

Tear it All Out!

What a beautiful, beautiful site!!!

Here are the toothpick remains of the hallway wall. The pedistal sink is gone as well as the awkward cupboard in the back by the dryer. Just some plumbing and electrical to move.

Happy Birthday To Me

Well I am officially 31 now. It is 1:40 AM and I have been up working on stuff for church tomorrow, but I wanted to wish myself a Happy Birthday.


Perhaps I am a little slap happy at the moment, but this seems like a good place to insert the picture Ashton and I put on his birthday party invitations. We took the picture of him and then he modified it on the computer. We included the following phrase as though it was a word bubble coming out of his mouth.

YOU WILL COME TO MY PARTY!

Alien Tub Babies

Catherine heard about these funny tub pictures and specifically asked that I share them.

These were actually taken January 30, 2008, so about two weeks before the babies birthdays.

"What's everybody looking at?"

The babies like to play with their Dora the Explorer tub toys. Unfortunately for Boots, he is about to be eaten by the Kristen monster.

"Look mom, even my tongue is clean," says Kristen.

Kristen still enjoyed taking a bath back then. She is now going through an anti-bath phase we hope she outgrows soon.

"So do you like my hair," asks Loryn.

We discovered that before rinsing out the baby shampoo you can do all kinds of fun sculpting with baby-fine hair.

Hunter's Potty Training Miracle!!!

February 17, 2008 is a very significant day in our home. It is the day the switch turned on and Hunter went from being in diapers to being completely potty trained.

There were times I honestly thought I would be potty training the twins and Hunter at the same time. Miraculously after many failed attempts on my part, this Sunday afternoon Hunter decided to use the potty and has been using it ever since. Just like that, it was all over...done. No accidents. Dry at night. A miracle.

In case anyone thinks this was too easy, may I remind them that Hunter was already 3 1/2 and had shown zero interest in potty training to this point. I hadn't actively been doing any potty training for a while. I guess he just needed to decide for himself it was time, and have the confidence to do it.

As a reward for Hunter potty training we all went to

Chuck E. Cheese.

Hunter playing Ski-Ball while Loryn watches in awe.

Try throwing just a little harder Hunter.

Joy Riding

Kristen loved this little car, but Loryn wasn't so impressed.

Ashton, Kristen, and Allison--They really are having a good time.

"I don't think I like the features on this one," thinks Kristen while examining the Jeep ride.

Kristen wasn't so sure about the big moving Jeep. In fact she and Loryn freaked out when it started moving.

"Get me out of this thing," cries Loryn behind the wheel.