Daddy is new?

So, we're sitting at the table eating tonight. We started talking about Devon's birthday being yesterday... Daddy: I'm old. Lyric: You're not old Daddy, you're still new. I wonder when the new is going to wear off of daddy?

Story Bell

Story now has a medical history. When the doctors now ask, "Have you ever been hospitalized?" She can say, "Yes."

Last Monday I took Story to the doctor because she had been sick over the weekend and I thought maybe she had an ear infection. Before going in that morning I was complaining about taking the kids to the doctor and they say, "It's viral, there is nothing we can do." But I took her in anyway because I knew if it was her ears she would need an antibiotic.

We got there and they said, yes she has an ear infection and they didn't like the sound of her lungs. They wanted to get a picture of them and take some blood. So I was like okay, I drag the three girls to the Xray room. Story was so cute standing up on these little stirs so they could get the Xray. Lyric and Cadence waited so patiently. Then I drag the three girls to the room for the blood. They had to get three nurses there to help me: one to hold Cadence, one to hold Story's arm and one to take the blood. Story cried when they took the blood, but it wasn't too bad. One of the nurses gave Lyric a stack of stickers and asked her to pick out a special sticker for her and her sisters. She was so busy digging through the stickers I don't think she noticed what was going on with Story. I then drag us all back to the room so they can tell me what the chest xray said.

They saw something in the left lung, they think she has pneumonia. At this point I am still thinking okay their going to give me medicine and we are going to go home. Not! They said they had to check her oxygen in her blood to make sure it was high enough to send her home. I am still thinking send her home... where else would they send her... I guess I was too busy trying to heard the three of them around, hospital had never entered my mind. The levels were too low. Hers were mid 80s and they like it to be in the 90s. They said they needed to do a breathing treatment on her. One of the nurses held Cadence while I held Story down to do the treatment. This was way worse than taking the blood! I think maybe by this point she was tired of being messed with so she fought the breathing treatment the whole time! Afterward, the levels were still low. So the doctor comes in and tells me that she needs oxygen and so they are going to have to send her to Dell Children's Hospital. I know I turned as white as a sheet because I was in shock!! Just the name Dell Children's Hospital makes me think of a really sick kid, not my kid...

The doctor was so sweet and talked REALLY slow to make sure I was taking it all in. At first she said I could drive her as long as I went straight there, but then after talking to the hospital they decided she needed to ride in the ambulance, so she could be on oxygen for the ride. Okay at this point I cried!!! It was all so scary!!! The paramedics came and were awesome! Devon showed up to pick up Lyric and Cadence who were such troopers through the whole ordeal!

Story and I rode to the hospital in the ambulance (which Lyric thought was pretty cool!). When we got to the ER they did another breathing treatment (which she didn't mind at all) and it didn't make a difference with her breathing. They decided to admit her. When the nurse put the IV in she just laid there with her little arm out. I think she was exhausted and didn't care what they were doing at this point. I was still in complete shock. When I think of a children's hospital I think of really sick kiddos. It is very scary to think you could be one of those parents! They took us up to a room sometime in the afternoon. We get to the room and it has a baby bed in it. I didn't give it any thought. I just thought well I guess when you are a little kid in the hospital you have to sleep in a crib. The next thing you know about 5 or 6 women walk in wearing masks and the scrubs over there scrubs. They looked like the haz mat team showing up for a chemical spill. They start checking Story out and one of them start asking Devon and I questions. I was thinking what in the h@** is going on! Well, finally one of them realized they didn't explain what was going on and she said they wear the protective clothing when someone has respiratory problems because they don't want to spread it from patient to patient. It made perfect sense to Devon and I it was just a little scary!

They said she had a viral infection in her lungs and she was dehydrated. So they gave her fluids and kept her on oxygen for the night. I got no sleep at all that night! She wanted me in the bed with her. She would say, "Come on mama, get up here. Let's go night night." So of course I would climb in the bed with her. I would lay there until she fell asleep and when my back could take it no longer I would go back to my spot on the couch bed. I did doze off once, but they came in to take her temperature/ blood pressure and woke me up.

Those of you who know me well know I do not like hospitals/ doctors. I have issues with the whole set up! Can someone please explain something to me? Why in the world do you need to check the temperature/ blood pressure of a two year old every two hours during the night while she is sleeping? I can kind of understand the temperature thing, but seriously what are the chances that a two year old's blood pressure is going to change? I just really don't get hospitals!!!! I will step off of my soap box now. ..The next day Story was feeling much better. The day nurse came in and saw Story in the baby bed. She said, "You are kind of big for this baby bed." She then looked at me like I was crazy and asked, "Does she sleep in a baby bed at home?" I told her know this was just the bed they gave us. She said, "Well I can get you a big bed. You don't need this baby bed." Why do you think the nurses who saw me hanging out of the baby bed didn't offer us a bigger bed? I really don't get hospitals! They decided we could go home in the afternoon. I was relived I really did not want to spend another night in that hospital and I know Story was ready to get out of there! Story is better one minute she will be playing and feeling good, and the next she is crying and wanting to be held. I am sure it is going to be a long slow recovery...

Kiss Me I'm Irish...

Well not really, but how cute am I all decked out in my St. Paddy's Day duds!

And since we were doing a photo shoot I had to have some fun :-)

What did she put on my head?

Getting Ready for the Big Party

Today we spent much of the day getting ready for Lyric's party. Story and Daddy worked in the front yard pulling weeds. Lyric found a bug. Cadence watched from the driveway. Daddy made a boat and the girls helped paint. We are all working very hard for Lyric's Underwater party.

Cadence Can Stand

Candence can stand in her crib! Isn't she too young for that? Devon was working on his computer in her room and he looked over and there she was standing. I think maybe the chewing is better at the top.

New Family Member

Our newest family member has arrived. The tadpole we ordered came in the mail yesterday. It was very exciting! Devon and I thought we killed him because the water was pretty warm when we put him in it, but so far he is doing okay keep your fingers crossed. Lyric has decided to name him Little Tad. I told her I didn't like that name at all, it is kind of like if we had named her girl. She totally disagrees and loves the name. I decided I was going to call him F.T.B. (Frog To Be), so she decided that would be okay for a middle name. I know it is hard to tell in this picture, but Little Tad F.T.B Cox really is a cute little guy!

Lyric made this for him today, I am not quite sure what it is supposed to be, but she spent quite a bit of time on it. She used construction paper, straws, pipe cleaners and lots of glue!

Week in Review

We had a really busy week. We went to Bryan on Wednesday because Cheryl was having a baby. Finley Slade was born on Wednesday afternoon. I have no pictures because I didn't take my camera. The labor wasn't too bad she went to the doctor that morning and he sent her to the hospital; Finley was born around 3:30 that afternoon. No offense against you hospital birthers, but in my book homebirth is the way to go (surprise, surprise). Faith stayed with us Wednesday and Thursday nights. The girls all play really well together. On Friday, I took the girls out shopping, to McDonald's, to Kroger and then to Cheryl and Reiley's. They all were really good and we had no trouble at all. Cheryl and Reiley thought I was crazy for taking the 4 of them out and about, but it wasn't a big deal. I just felt like I had a daycare:-) For example, when we were at McDonald's I said everyone stand with their hands on the wall while I order. They all stood there. Story got off of the wall twice to tell me she gave Faith a kiss. Finley is doing well at home. Cheryl and Reiley aren't getting much sleep, but that's life with a newborn! When we were driving to Cheryl and Reiley's Lyric asked, "Why did Cheryl have her baby in a hospital?" I had to smile because she doesn't yet get that her mama is the "strange" one according to most people.

Busy Weekend!!!

We had a very busy weekend! It started out on Friday with the girls painting Wesley's wrapping paper for his birthday present.They used paint and Bingo dobbers to fix it up for him. Story worked really hard! They were proud of the final product.

Wesley probably will not realize the hard work that went into his wrapping, but the girls had fun and they finally got to use those Bingo dobbers Mimi J gave them.

After the wrapping paper was dry we wrapped the present and headed to Bryan. This trip is becoming increasingly harder!!! It is less than two hours, but the girls seem to always lose it before we get there. Story slept most of the way this time, but Lyric was up and ready to be there! We played the pass game for awhile and she LOVES that, but I tend to get bored with it. One person starts telling a story and then passes to the other person and they continue the story. She loves it! We finally made it to Bryan after one potty break and a bag of cookies:-)

On Saturday, we went to Wesley's patry. I did not take my camera, well actually, I did, but I didn't take it out of the car. I may try to add pictures from my mom's camera later. Wesley was too cute! He had a really good time with the cake. I think he enjoyed clapping while covered with cake or at least the adults enjoyed watching him clap while covered with cake. Yes, he was outside so it was okay that it was flying everywhere. I can't believe he is already one!

They had a pinata at the party, which was a first for my girls. We have seen pinatas before, but have never been to a party with one. We told them when it busts open there would be candy inside and they could run and get some. Lyric was so cute. The pinata was busted open and candy went flying. She walked up and got one piece and walked back to my mom, "Grammy, I got one!" She would have been completely satisfied with that one piece, but we explained you could have more than one. Aunt Kendra passed out little bags for the candy and Lyric filled it about half way up. Story on the other hand was clueless! She just stared at the candy on the ground. Kendra gave her a bag and she just kind of looked at it. I tried to help, but she showed no interest. Sydni took over and Story's bag was overflowing with candy in the end. I will have to say Sydni has been around a pinata a time or two. I wonder how long it will take my girls to get the hang of it?

We drove back to Round Rock after the party. It was a really long ride! We left Bryan about 8:30 expecting the girls to sleep on the way home, NOT! Well, Story did sleep some of the way, but not Lyric. She was up the entire time. She wanted to play the pass game, she wanted me to tell her a story, she wanted to hear a CD (and another CD and another CD and the radio and another CD). Cadence slept most of the way, but woke up about 5 minutes from home. Yes, we eventually made it.

Sunday was the Kite Festival at Zilker Park. This was our third year to attend. It was a lot of fun, as usual. We started out with the girls wanting to fly their kite.

There were tons of kites out there, but daddy tried flying it for his girls.

Cadence liked being out and seeing all of the people and kites.

Lyric was really paying attention to her kite!

Story had a great time flying the kite. I think daddy was a little nervous she may let it go, but she did awesome.

We saw quite a few Nemo kites, which was very exciting for Story. "It's Nemo, mama. Look mama it's Nemo. Mama, there's Nemo!"

The girls decided they wanted to jump in one of the Moon Walks. Okay, sure you guys can jump. But they had to jump in the Princesses. Of course, it has a huge line because it is the Princesses. Spider Man had no line, but wait I have girls, so we wait in the line. We finally get to the front get the girls shoes off and get them in. Ah, it is nice to be in the princess jumpy. There are only little girls age four and under. It was worth the wait!

While the girls were jumping Cadence was playing Peek A Boo with daddy.

After jumping Uncle Brandon and Katie joined us. We decided to find a spot and spread our blankets. I fed Cadence and Devon and the girls went to a puppet show. We all had some food (the festival wouldn't be complete without some "festival" aka: fried food) and enjoyed the kites. After awhile we decided to go fly the kite again before heading out. The girls were really into it this time:-) Daddy and Uncle Brandon were working so hard for "them".

Uncle Brandon and Katie got some hugs before they left. (Well at least from the youngest two children).

On the walk back to the car we discovered we pushed the girls a little too far. Cadence was completely out, but the other two were really cranky! I pushed Lyric in the stroller and Daddy somehow managed to lug the other two. It was a pretty long walk, but we eventually made it.

The girls and I were so tired we were in bed asleep by 7:00 Sunday night. Story slept until 7:00 Monday, but I don't think it was enough. We got to Lyric's Spanish class this morning and she said, "Can you carry me, I too tired to walk." She may have been tired, but she was able to make it the 15 feet up the driveway and to the door.

About the time they get recovered we will be heading to Bryan again for the birth of Finley.