It really is glorious when toddlers can start wearing their swim suits and the weather is perfect for it. It's also delightful when you catch a pose like this. One that shows her in all her God given perfection... at least that is how I see this picture. I love it.
Taking a break from school and enjoying what the afternoon had to offer we went outside to play. Evelyn doesn't miss a beat. She started her own softball game where she was all-time batter/runner. We watch the videos over and over.
It was a beautiful day for lunch on the driveway.
I hesitate to post this picture...... but this is a blog for myself and my family to remember right? This is life, a part of our life and to be honest this is one of the lesser bloody noses of his life. None the less, even though I knew it was coming, it still takes my breath away to walk into his room to find him like this after his nap (in this case) or up in the morning. My sweet, sweet boy. It started around the time he turned one. I ended up taking him to the ER for his bloody nose. Looking back through the blog, I realized that I had never posted about this before. Maybe this is the time to. I had almost forgotten. About the time he turned one, I went in to get him up from his nap and blood was all over the mattress and the sides of the pack n play. Alarmed I picked him up, after a while of not being able to get his nose to stop, I decided to take him in. Rob had been out of town at the time, so a friend came over to stay with the kids. She even folded my Laundry. I'm pretty sure I had three baskets full! Anyway, this was the ER trip that went off course and was absolutely frustrating and heartbreaking but that was so fruitful in the end. Long story short, .... OK, I'm having a hard time making this long story short. Thomas was rushed to the back and I kept trying to give his backround but they were super concerned for him and the nurse was very rude to me. Tell me can't you see he has trouble breathing. As I tried to explain him to her, I was cut off every time. The poked and prodded this sweet boy so much not getting one successful vein to give blood. I tried to help again but the nurse snapped with, "let the nurse do her job" Not being able to stay quiet any longer and tired of getting the disgusted looks from this lady, I replied with "I am a nurse and I'm his mom!" They had not been concerned about Thomas' bloody nose but with his breathing. They admitted him to the hospital and diagnosed him with pneumonia but the next day and new doc said that he didn't have pneumonia but probably asthma. By that time his bloody nose was over and no one even said boo about it to me. We were discharged and told to see a pulmonologist in Dallas. That is where the fruits of this experience come in. When we saw the Pulmonologist, she said that he did not have asthma or the precurser to asthma. She said that he has larengial and trachial malasia, which I think could just be called floppy throat. Which made him wheeze and have trouble coughing up phlem. Which is why he looked similar to a bull frog when he would breath. And why the ENT told me one time that the reason he wont sleep on his back is because his throat collapses on him. Um. scary. She also said that his throat was very narrow. Everything else about his lungs looked really good. She said his throat would probably be normal by the time he was ten. The fruit to this was that when They were wanting to do heart surgery, this is what made them wait. The surgeon in Dallas read the pulmonolgist's report and advised that we wait till he grows older, otherwise there will be complications from his airway. Praise God, I took him in that crazy day with a bloody nose. I guess that brings me back to this picture. Along with the other pictures etched in my memory. Thomas continued having bloody noses mostly in the dry winter months it would get bad. I've only taken once more to the ER for a bloody nose because I couldn't get it to stop, because so much if it drained down the back of his throat into his stomach we walked in to the nurse triage room and he threw up blood all over the floor. We were not admitted but stayed till we could get the bleeding to stop. It amazes me how many times Thomas has stumped docs in his little life time.
Since then we've been prescribed a medicine for his nose that helps us to manage it. There are still days where we find him like this and it still takes my breath away.
Thank goodness for baths washing him clean and medicine to help healing. Handsome as ever.
April was our flu month. You know the kind that you get and it lasts over a week, knocks you out cold, unless you have marbles and mazes to ease your pain, the kind that everyone asks, "didn't you get the flu shot?" OK, so no one actually asked me that, being inside the house for weeks straight taking care of the sick and being sick yourself, then all recovering... Building up immunity naturally of course. There were two lucky ducks who didn't get the flu, Rob, who did have the flu shot and Bella, who did not have the flu shot. As you can see in the picture she takes wonderful care of the sick. Sweet, goofy Bella!
Spas, tents and laundry. Nothing else is needed to make this day fabulous!
One of my favorite things is this toddler with a pony tail. 100% of the time she takes it out within 15-30 minutes but it's worth it every time.
Spring time at the lake. We spent a few hours here even though the water was still chilly. Spontaneously, I through cooking a meal out the window. We hopped in the car, picked up a hot n ready pizza and drove out of town to a little park and lake. It was so relaxing. Quiet country filled with the laughter of happy kids and a happy Momma.
Thomas loved splashing
Something's got his leg!! Ahhh!
Or maybe he's just stuck in the sand! Ahhh!
My dearest Grace took a picture of her darling self on the way home from a cousin's first Holy Communion. She took this picture right before we witnessed a motorcyclist hitting the pickup truck that was in front of him! Sparks flew and the cyclist was on the pavement in front of my car. Praise the Lord he jumped up and said he was ok. Praise the Lord I have a fear of running over motorcyclists so I always stay far back in case something like this would happen to give me time to stop! Few, shook us all up. Boy, was I fill with gratitude that the man walked away with minor injuries. It was a good day with family....oh let me not forget Evelyn hiding in the van with the iPad, no one knowing where she went. We looked around the house and drove around the neighbor hood before finding her. Maybe it was only 5 minutes but it sure felt like eternity! So again, a good and eventful day ending with gratitude and a beautiful snapshot of this growing young lady in whom God and myself is well pleased. :)
It's often that I take these two running with me. It's always a little slower and a little more difficult but I do love to experience the joy that they find as the ride along with me. It's always filled with awe and wonder.
I should probably have all the kids write there own memory from this day. I'm sure each would have an exciting story to tell about the doc pouring the freezing liquid over his hand and on the floor and teaching them about liquid nitrogen. This great doc is a home school dad and took science class on for me that day. The kids said it was the best doctors appointment they had ever gone too. Grace and Anthony got a chance to freeze Bella warts, with Bella's permission, and here she is, as brave as can be, freezing her own. She was amazing, as usual!
T and I enjoy playing together.
Anthony practicing his map drawing.
Anth's goal sheet. :) I asked him to come up with goals for the day. I like what he cam up with.
Proud AW, proud Momma.
1st time crawling out of her crib.
Early morning reading with Tom. Pondering in our hearts how to grow closer to Christ through Mary!
Can you tell that T missed his nap this day. Commissary trips are exhausting!
'Twas the day before Rob's birthday and all through the house, was baking and making the pie for my spouse. The big kids all left me with littles to conspire, they new it'd be difficult for me to put out their fires! On and on and on did I bake while one climbed here and the other threw there...
it really was a frightful sight but with the love for my husband I pushed on with might. Due to all of God's grace so to Him be the Glory, the pie turned out beautiful but that's not the end of my story....
The big kids came home, we cleaned up the mess, decorated for tomorrow to celebrate he, who is the best!
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