Back to Normal

Today was the first normal day we've had in too long. Well lets be honest, nothing about the three of us is very normal. So I guess we are getting back to OUR normal.

Riley was over the moon excited about going back to school today! When her friends got off the bus Mariya ran straight to her and gave her a big hug and Major was dancing around chanting "Rileys back!", "Rileys back!" Cutest thing ever! Miss Benanti also gave her the most precious art work that the whole class made Riley last week! It was a Christmas get well card with all their hand prints! We will cherish it along with the darling teddy bear Miss B gave Ris when she came to visit her in the hospital. What a fantastic teacher and class!


Keags stayed home with me while I worked all day and kept herself extremely busy as always. I've never had a cuter co-worker in my life!


After dinner at Sa's house (which we are SO blessed to be able to do so often for so many reasons) we had a great Family Home Evening. Nana found the Little People toy nativity sets today. So we played with those and talked about that wonderful night. I was surprised how much Keagan knew thanks to a Christian preschool and Primary!








Normal and average days are such a huge blessing! I love a good vanilla kind of day when you've just had way too much rocky road lately! Today vanilla was delicious and I'm hoping for alot more days like it ahead!

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Keagan's Christmas Program

Wednesday night was Keagan's big Christmas Program at John Wesley Preschool. I didn't anticipate just how much fun it would be! It was a whole bunch of darling 3 and 4 year olds, all dressed up in their red and green, showing off what they have worked so hard on. The program titled "The Stable Where Jesus Was Born" was based off the book by Rhonda Gowler Greene. Keagan and all the 3 year old classes sang "O, Come All Ye Faithful", "There Was Much Rejoicing", "Mary Had a Baby", "Joseph Dearest, Joseph Mine" and "A Child's Gift of Love".

Watching my baby up there singing every word and doing every action made my heart swell. She just did so well, never missed a beat, looked beautiful and beamed. When she came in with her class she had folded arms and a big proud smile when she saw me, Nana, Sa, Todd, Kellie and Addie there to cheer her on. And we definitely did all cheer!

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Home Sweet Home

When Riley was released from the hospital yesterday, I did my very best not to scare all the other patients with my celebratory scream! I was ecstatic to sleep in my own bed, to end all the pokes and prods of Miss Riley and get home to Miss Keagan! But Riley was definitely the happiest in the bunch, and rightfully so! She scooted all around the house this morning in her favorite jammies just giddy to be independently playing and leaving a trail of messes behind her. And for once I'm happy to clean them up! Cause we are home!

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My Heart's in 2 Places

I'm sitting in Riley's hospital room at midnight, anxiously standing guard over my sweet baby trying to will each of her breaths to be good ones. And I'm just as anxiously missing her darling sister who I'm sure is cuddled up in Nana's bed with a stuffed animal or two. It's an awful feeling to have your heart in two different places at once!

I never take for granted when we are all asleep in our own beds, safely at home and healthy. I'm seriously wishing that were the case tonight! Even more then usual.

Monday morning Riley had a follow up visit with Dr Reed. She looked good and was acting healthy and happy. At the very end of the visit we decided to just check her pulse ox. Both the doctor and I were shocked at the 74 reading and checked that several times. After a breathing treatment we could only get her oxygen level up to 86, so an ambulance was called. My poor Riley was terrified and unhappy in the ambulance. But being the incredible kid she is, she still had a smile for me! Its hiding underneath her mask.




After a much too long ER stay we decided she wasn't sick enough to need TCH. But she needed to be on oxygen so she was admitted to St Luke's in The Woodlands. Last night was rough! No sleep, 4 liters of oxygen and a lot of prayer later, we managed through. Today brought much better news! She worked her way slowly down on the oxygen.




This afternoon Nana came and kicked me out (literally) so I could go home and take a shower and pick up my Keags from school. Of course I was so excited to see Keagan and she looked at me and said "I thought Nana was picking me up!" And her first words once in the car were "Mom Nana forgot my bow today!"

That began a great 3 hour visit of our little family of 3 together in Riley's little room. We played and had so much fun. Bubbles, coloring, stickers and toys from the play room all made both girls happy. Who knew that the medicine Riley really needed was some pure entertainment from her sister! Once her sister had her laughing, Riley didn't need any oxygen at all!




Another visit from Nana to pick up Keags and then Riley got lots of cuddles from Grandma Linda. But once everyone leaves, the place gets quite and Riley's breathing gets worse. That means the oxygen goes back on and we fiddle with it all night to see what she can handle. So now, unfortunately I worry and I pray. I worry about both my girls and what they need from me. One needs me to comfort her through needle sticks and breathing treatments. And the other needs to know I love and miss her and totally still care about her being the line leader today! Equally as important. But in two different places.

Tomorrow I will give the doctor my very best argument as to why we should be able to go home. I will be arguing for Riley and for Keagan. Riley always does better at home. I can do her breathing treatments and monitor her there. And Keagan needs us all home together. Lets hope we get there!
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Roller Coaster Ride!

So goes the life of a special needs mom! I am totally a roller coaster lover. And it's a good thing too! Because that came in handy yesterday.

I spent all morning on a celebratory high. My baby was taking steps! She was fighting against her challenges, proving doctors wrong and showing her incredible strength! I was beaming with pride and excitement. And then last night the car on this ride came down that hill!

Riley and I spent all night in the Emergency Room. Riley had both a small cold which causes her asthma to act up AND the stomach bug. All hitting at the same time of course. Which lowered her amazing seizure fighting abilities. In the car of all places, she had the biggest scariest seizure she has ever had. She normally has focalized seizures but this was a big, nasty grand mal. And this mommy was terrified! I pulled into the Hooks Airport parking lot to hold my baby and watch to see if I needed to do CPR. All while keeping Keagan distracted looking at the ducks out the window so she wasn't as terrified as I was!

Hearing the full story Dr Reed sent us to the ER to just check if everything was ok. What followed was an interesting night of lots of throwing up by my poor baby, amazing people watching, two IV sticks, good medical care with good drugs for my Riley. Miss Taryn also joined us to help and provide moral support. She was a fabulous secretary and second set of hands!

I went to sleep at 1am after a long night that had followed several sleepless nights, being very thankful. Thankful we were in our own beds. Thankful for medications. Thankful for all the people around us who love and support us. Thankful our ER visits, although still too frequent aren't as often as they once were. And very thankful that Nana offered to take my morning mommy shift this morning and let me sleep til 9:30!




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The Definition of Perseverance!

So proud of my little miracle! The tears have come and gone all day! What an incredible example of strength, determination and perseverance she is!!

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In Other News

I have fallen behind on blogging. Dont judge me.
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Miss Riley got in trouble at school yesterday! This is so out of character that all her teachers couldn't wait to laugh and tell me when I picked her up!

She loves her time on the computer so when her turn was over she refused to get down! In protest she threw off Miss B's hand and threw the keyboard on the ground! After serving her very first time out she put herself back in time out and began to fake cry! When Miss B questioned her she laughed at her hilarious self! What a smarty pants!




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This week Keagan had croup. Not fun! She started showing signs of the supper nasty cough on Friday night so I tapped into my doctor mom skills and treated her how I thought best. I put her on a steroid twice a day and a prescription cough medicine that we had in the medicine cabinet. When we went to see Dr Reed on Monday morning she was amazed that I had done exactly what she would have done! I reminded her this ain't my first rodeo! I also asked her how terrible of a mom I am that I secretly love the Rx cough medicine because it makes my independent energizer bunny mellow and cuddly!




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We have a new obsession at our house! Elf on the Shelf!

Our elfs name is Elmer and he is admired and adored by both my 4 year olds! They are also very worried about what he is reporting to Santa about them each night. When I told Riley Elmer was going to tell Santa she went in time out, she started to cry! The best part of their morning is trying to find Elmer. He's keepin them on the nice list! So if he works then I don't really mind that he's a tiny bit creepy.












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The Elf madness is spreading!




We seriously watch "The Elf Story" movie at least 73 times a day.




And our car has caught the virus as well!




Yes my car has elf ears and a hat on it!! Nana bought them for the girls and when I said I didn't want to put them on the car both girls started to cry. So momma gave in.

I secretly love it! But don't tell anyone that! Especially not the woman who almost ran me off the road today trying to ask where I got them. She said they were "beautiful!" Now that's a little much!
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Today was my incredible dad's 69th birthday.

He spent it in heaven and I spent it missing him and wishing for one more hug and one more chat. Just like I do everyday. But I also spent it in a way he probably would have. With his grandkids whom he adores and attending a church meeting!




Happy Birthday Dad! I miss you!
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