Hey Honey!

This is my honey. That’s what I call him. It’s either honey, Rich or Richard when I’m mad:D Tonight I was giving Arabella a bath in the kitchen sink so that I could keep an eye on Aidan & Maya watching “Tangled” in the living room. Rich was studying in his office. Somehow Maya managed to turn off the sound and that really annoyed Aidan. I didn’t want to pull Arabella out of her bath so I just called out to Rich. I said, “Hey Honey!”. He couldn’t hear me so I told Aidan to go get him. So Aidan goes to the door and yells out, “Hey Honey!”. He cracks me up!

 

(random but priceless pic)

Maya does the same thing. I call them all sorts of things like sugar, sugar pie, stinker bug, sugar bug, baby, nena/mamita (just Maya or Arabella). The other day Maya and I went to get Aidan up from his nap and when I walked in his room I said, “Hi sugar!” and Maya said to Aidan, “Hi sugar!”.

I love how kids learn and copy what you say. It’s so cute. When Aidan says, “Oh crap!” it’s a nice little reminder to only say nice words. Gotta work on that one.

Angel

This past week, nothing and nobody makes me happier than this little guy. Of course, I always love him, even when he is making it almost impossible. I’m not sure what happened but as of this week he is an ANGEL (knock on wood)! That might be an exaggeration because he still has his moments but his moments now are nothing compared to his moments a couple of weeks ago. Lately, I love EVERYTHING about him! Every time he opens his mouth he is saying something so cute and funny and sweet.

Aidan, this is what you do that makes me laugh:

We’ve been trying to teach you that it’s not nice to laugh when you “toot”. Instead you should say, “Excuse me.” You have gone above and beyond your responsibility. You not only say excuse me when we hear you “toot” but even when we don’t hear you. And you make sure that we hear you say it by getting our attention by saying, “Excuse me mom! Excuse me!” If I don’t respond, you keep saying it, “Excuse me! Excuse me!”

You have always been affectionate but you have become even more loving and affectionate. Any time daddy or I are about to walk out the door you run to us and say “Bye! Give me a hug!” So we give you a hug. Then you say, “Give me a kiss!” So we give you a kiss and you are happy:) Then you say, “Have fun!” Pure cuteness!

You don’t throw a tantrum when it’s time to leave the park, anymore. I love that!!!!

You love being praised. You love it when I tell you what a good boy you are and you hate it when I tell you that you are being naughty.

This is probably one of my favorite things that you say right now. You ask me every day where daddy is. I always tell you that daddy is at school. You respond, “Daddy’s at school getting an education about medicine!” You are so smart and so cute. You look forward to August because that is when you get to go to your school and get an education just like daddy.

You are THE best! Please keep being the perfect little angel that you’ve been the past week. Oh, and please stop trying to poke Maya’s eye out at night. That’s the only thing that really makes mommy unhappy. I love you to pieces!

Did I mention…

I know I’ve said it before but this time I mean it. Arabella can officially walk! It’s just been such a long process and a lot of work went in to getting her to this point that I had to celebrate and make a big deal every time I though she was a walker. Now she is  REALLY a walker.

She does it by choice and doesn’t just go from point A to point B in a stumbling rush. She casually walks around and makes turns and everything! She still has to pull herself up with something, she can’t get up in the middle of the floor with no support but she’ll get there. The therapist is so happy with her progress that we will be seeing her every other week instead of every week! Yay!

Going to get the mail! Their favorite thing ever!

Can you take this cuteness? I barely can!

Easter

Today is Easter Sunday. I’ve been so excited about Easter this year for some reason. Now that the kids are getting older and understanding holiday’s it really makes it a lot more fun for me. I went out and bought the kids an Easter outfit and made the girls crochet flowers to match their outfits. Sad day. Maya is sick. We didn’t want to take her to church to contaminate the nursery so we stayed home. We still planned a little something for them.

Yesterday we went to the Davie Easter Egg Hunt. There were so many kids there that Aidan & Maya didn’t get any eggs:( They did get a bag of candy anyway and they got to bounce in the bounce house. Afterwards, we had a moment of insanity and decided to take them to watch the movie “Hop”. We were glad we did! Aidan LOVED it! He walked out of the theater and said, “That was fun!”. Maya & Arabella didn’t do too bad either. “Hop” got them excited about the Easter bunny.

Last nights preparations:

Let’s just say I’m not winning “Coolest Mom Of The Year”. I can’t bring myself to let my kids binge on candy and junk food…EVER. It doesn’t matter the holiday. Halloween, they trick or treat their little hearts out and I let them have a couple pieces of candy and then stash the rest. I know, I’m so mean! This is what they got in their Easter eggs.

I’m not THAT bad. I did put 1 starburst in each egg. I figured, they love Annie’s organic cheddar bunnies and graham crackers so that’s what most of the eggs had. The others had Annie’s organic bunny fruit snacks. It was a treat for them and they loved it.

Last night the Easter bunny came to our house and got into our jar of jelly beans.

He sure made a mess!

He left a trail of jelly beans

(Our carpet is due for a cleaning so the jelly beans went straight to the garbage after the kids followed it. Aidan did eat a couple, yuck!)

The Easter bunny left them EASTER BASKETS!! YAY!

They played all morning with their new toys! Harmonica’s, bubbles, lip gloss, toy story and tinkerbell notepads, stickers, Easter egg play dough, etch & sketch and some candy that Daddy Easter bunny insisted on putting in their baskets:)

I love holidays with my kids!

Since we couldn’t go to church we went to the park for an Easter egg hunt instead.

Maya didn’t feel so hot:( The fresh air was good for her though.

Her hair looked cute!

Arabella’s hair, on the other hand…let’s not go there. The kids played for a bit and then Rich came and told them that he just saw the Easter bunny!!! He gave them their baskets and off they went!

Aidan was so excited about the Easter bunny that he had no interest in the eggs for the first few minutes. He just kept looking around and asking where the Easter bunny went.

Even after he opened an egg he still looked around for the Easter bunny. So cute.

Now, pictures galore!

“How many did you get?” “Do all of yours have stinkin’ crackers in them?” hahaha!

“Mmmm, starburst!” Side note: My friend watched Aidan & Maya a week ago and gave them a  ton of candy behind my back (Yes, I’m talking about you AMY ODENWALDER!). She said that Maya was the only one of all 4 kids that could open the starbursts.

Sisters

 

Yep. This is as good as it get’s folks. They won’t all 3 look at the camera and smile at the same time so out of about 20 pictures, this is the best one.

It is precious to me.

Adjusting in a good way

Since the trach:

Life is AMAZING!!!!! It has taken some adjusting but in a really good way. Getting out of the house is sooooo much easier. Even if I was just going out for a few minutes I had to suction Arabella, put a cap on her trach, make sure the suction was stocked with catheters and then haul it around. Now, I just go!

Bedtime was a process. I had to do her trach care (cleaning under and around her trach), suction with saline and then I could get her to bed. Then, if she cried I would have to go back and suction her again. After she fell asleep I would go in and put an HME(artificial nose) on her trach. Now, I just enjoy our few moments before bed and then put her down.

She is the most talkative in the morning. She wakes up and  just goes on and on about who knows what. It’s so cute to hear how much she has to say in the morning.

I am in heaven! Life is so much easier in so many small ways. I’m super happy with the way everything happened. Arabella didn’t have to endure being put under anesthesia several times. Hopefully she won’t have to have surgery to close up the stoma. Only time will tell.

Lovin’ it! I am lovin’ life without a trach!

Soaked

This is what happens when it starts pouring during the kids nap and daddy calls me for a ride. Sorry babe! Couldn’t come get you!

Sheriff Woody

This is Aidan’s BFF aka Sheriff Woody. We bought him to bribe Aidan into going #2 on the potty. Initially the rule was he had to go 8 times…that didn’t last long. Rich was so excited about giving him to Aidan that 1 time was enough. Aidan is CRAZY about him! Woody has to do everything with him, and I do mean everything. We went out for a walk/tricycle ride and he insisted that Woody come along so I had to tie Woody onto the front of the tricycle. Aidan was in heaven.

I thought he would get bored of Woody after a couple of days but like all true love, it’s lasting:)

I heart date night!

Last night was so perfect. Rich and I got to go out ALONE! My friend, Heidi, watched Arabella (thank you Heidi!!!) and we were able to just relax and enjoy each others company. Rich got me the most beautiful necklace for my birthday! I LOVE IT!

I’m such a sucker for jewelry that has to do with my role as a mother. This necklace just makes me beam with pride.

Last night we went to Bucca di Beppo where I was humiliated by the staff singing to me very loudly. Then we went to the Ft. Lauderdale boardwalk. We walked along the beach for a bit and then went up to the shops. It was so nice to just walk and talk and enjoy the atmosphere. The weather was perfect and the music made me want to dance.I kept trying to get Rich to dance with me but he was too embarrassed. It was my ideal date night.

The beginning of the end

Happy Birthday to ME! The big 29…the beginning of the end of my 20’s. This is gonna be fun! It just so happened that today was one of Rich’s busiest days of his entire pharmacy school journey. That’s ok. Tomorrow is date night and I am so excited to see what he has planned! Today has been AMAZING! I woke up feeling on top of the world and the kids were being great and my friend Laura came by with a delish smoothie and magazine to wish me a happy birthday. I spoke with my mom who got an ipad2 as a gift from my brother!!! Lucky mom and lucky me because now we can use facetime and see her everyday since we have an ipad2 as well! Then, my friends Amy and Robin came by with the most beautiful purple tulips. Then, Rich came home for lunch with beautiful flowers and cadbury eggs. YUM!

Since Rich was gone all day and it rained most of the day, I chilled with my babies at home. We went out after the rain stopped and splashed in the puddles for a bit.

Arabella LOVED splashing in the puddles and screamed and pulled away from me because she wanted to walk through them by herself. If that’s what it takes to get her to walk, I’ll do it! By the way, Arabella joined Aidan & Maya in the tub after splashing in puddles. It was her 1st normal bath! The trach removal was the BEST gift I could have ever received.

29 years old and I feel like I’ve lived a lot. I’ve finished college, served a mission, married the man of my dreams and I’ve been blessed with 3 amazing kids. 29 years…I’ll take it!

I STILL CAN’T BELIEVE IT!

What is wrong with this picture?

I’ll give you a hint: NO TRACH!!!

ARABELLA GOT HER TRACH OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can you tell I’m excited?!?!

This was completely unexpected and I am still in shock. Here’s the story:

Last night Arabella was out like a little light. I went to bed and not a peep from her. I heard her stir probably around 5am but didn’t think anything of it. Got up a little before 8:00 (I know, I’m lazy when I can get away with it:) because that is what time Arabella woke up. I didn’t just get up, I jumped up because I heard something I’m not supposed to hear 1st thing in the morning…HER VOICE! With the trach she can’t make normal sounds, they sound “airy” if that makes sense. So, I jumped out of bed and grabbed her. Sure enough, her trach was sticking out! I freaked out because I didn’t know how long it had been out and I immediately tried to put it back in but I couldn’t get it in. When you have a trach baby you are always supposed to keep a half size smaller trach on hand so I grabbed a 3.0 trach and tried to put it in but I couldn’t even get that in. I even put some sterile lubrication on the end of the trach and still no success. I knew she must have pulled it out when I heard her stir because the hole had already started to close up.

During this whole ordeal she was fine. She was breathing fine and not struggling but I didn’t know how long she would last. There was a definite fear in my mind that she would begin to struggle and then deteriorate quickly. I wanted to get her to the hospital and our doctor as fast as possible. I called my AMAZING friend, Lucy who rushed over to my house to stay with Aidan & Maya and I left with Arabella. We got to Dr. Singer’s office and he sprayed her nose with a numbing spray and then me and a nurse held her down while he put a scope in her nose and down to her vocal cords. After he pulled out the scope he looked at me and said, “I think we are going to leave the trach out.” Can you imagine the look on my face? “Really?” Is what I responded but in my head I was saying, “REALLY?!!!!!!!!!!!!!” He said that her right vocal cord is moving but her left one is still paralyzed. She can breathe fine but has a little bit of stridor when she gets upset.

I picked up my trach-free baby girl and walked out the door with a few scary instructions in case of emergency and a HUGE grin on my face. The drive home consisted of me laughing and crying and then looking back at Arabella (repeat for 20 minutes). Like I said, it is so much to take in I haven’t quite taken it all in yet. It was so unexpected and sudden. It’s a lot to process. You have to understand, a trach baby has been a part of my life for 2 1/2 years, 16 months with Aidan and then 16 months with Arabella. There is so much I look forward to like giving her a normal bath, taking her swimming, not having to lug around the suction machine, not having to get up to suction her all night long when she is sick, shorter bedtime routine, not always worrying about her pulling her trach out, no more trach care and most of all just being able to sleep without constantly worrying!!!!

I feel like the happiest mom in the world. I feel so blessed and soooo grateful that everything has happened the way it has. Don’t know how else to describe how I feel right now. BLESSED.

Happy 16 months to me!

16 months ago today I was given a special gift. Arabella:) I was just thinking the other day that I haven’t written the details of her birth. I will definitely be posting that soon before the details start to fade. It was one of two of the single most scary moments in both mine and Rich’s lives. When we talk or even just think about it, we shudder. We also love to ponder on the true miracle that her life is. I have on occasion let my mind wander and try to imagine what life would have been like had we not been blessed to have her with us. I can’t imagine not feeling the joy that her sweet giggles and kisses and smile bring into my life. She is a gift sent from heaven.

(She put the headband on all by herself and wore it most of the day)

Arabella at 16 months is sweet and feisty. Is it possible to be both? Well, she is. She knows what she wants and she demands it…NOW! Yet, she is so very affectionate and has an INCREDIBLE smile.

Arabella, at 16 months you are:

*Extremely picky eater. You love cheese more than anything. Yogurt, fruit, milk…hmmm…yep, that’s about it!

*Still crawling. Am I allowed to make a request? Pleeeeeeeease start walking soon! The therapist said at her last visit that the ball is in your court. We have strengthened your muscles and developed balance and stability through special exercises. There is nothing left for us to do so will you please start walking?!?!

*Your 2 favorite words are Nemo and Elmo. The only way I can tell which one you are saying is by looking where you are pointing. You try to say everything you hear but you have mastered mommy, daddy, night night, bell (tinkerbell), nose, eye, mouth, doggie, ball. That’s all I can think of right now.

*You love to play with Aidan & Maya but you are also quite independent and great at entertaining yourself. Anything that they do, you try to do. So cute to watch you try to be a big girl.

*Your favorite thing to watch is Elmo’s World but you will watch pretty much anything with Aidan & Maya.

*You love playing on my bed during and after every time I suction your trach. You laugh hysterically while trying to get away from me. Cute but sometimes annoying.

*You weigh a whole 19 lbs!!! Yes! You’ve been stuck at 17 lbs for ever and finally reached 19 lbs last week. You are still in size 2 diapers. Such a little bum!

(Chillin’ in the chair daddy got you to match Aidan & Maya’s. You LOVE it!)

You are a joy, a blessing, and a treasure. Thanks for being mine.