Cleaning and scrubbing will wait ’till tomorrow, but children grow up, as I’ve learned to my sorrow. So quiet down cobwebs! Dust go to sleep! I’m rocking my baby. Babies don’t keep. – Ruth Hamilton

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Spring Break so Far

* I started writing this before our day today!


Spring break in the past have been trips to the beach or even to the lake. This year is a bit different...shocking I know.

We had a trip to the ER on Saturday because Mack had a massive bruise and needed platelets then a snow storm hit on Sunday. I love snow, but it means Mark has to work...which means a long time in the house alone with three kids-one super fussy because of a diaper rash-one just straight sick and another one needing things to do! Whew! We made the best of it.

Sunday Mark picked up my friend Celine and she helped keep me sane:) thanks friend! I think the thing that has been getting me is I have been trying to clean as we go-and if you've been around any kids you know this is an unattainable goal!

Once I realized I needed to fully play with them it got much more fun. So the house is a mess and it has to be excepted-when we can't get out.

Monday we finger painted! Whew quite a mess, but they had fun. My mom said, "you will miss the playing and regret trying to organize". So true!!

Tuesday Mack and I had to head to the hospital for four hours for more blood. Then we head to St. Louis for his weekly appointment. We plan to stay there and do some fun things-like going to see baby animals at a farm...we can do things outside because Mack's ANC is up to 2200!!!!! Good days ahead!!!!!



We headed to the mall


a MUCH needed playdate



Avery loves to play with the camera-this is our mean faces




Total cuteness-wow


Pauly Deans Snow Ice Cream-YUM


All ready to play in the snow...inside!  Yellow is her color!


Finger painting




Finger painting...not so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




We hope everyone is having a spring/snowy break!!!
 
 
***For anyone looking for relaxation (something I know I need) and an amazing work out-you need to try hot yoga!! I am in love and it helps me so much with the stress I'm going through. I go at night before bed and sleep so much better (when there isn't a kid awake)! It makes me a better mom for sure and I have dropped a lot of weight. People ask what we're doing for ourselves and this is one thing. Plus...we signed up for a 5k in four weeks. These are things that have really been helping me with everything that has been going on.***

This is Insane!!

I have to post this right now! We are here in the doctor's office as I'm writing this.

Last night was another sleepless night with every kid awake. Mark and I are are on the brink of total exhaustion. We had to rush all three kids out the door for St. Louis this morning to make Macklin's appointment.

I had to pull over for more coffee...it was a rough morning!

But now I am full of emotion!! We just got word Mack's treatment is working. We are able to go off all but two medications and there is hope of getting his central line out (maybe) this month. We also don't need to come back for weekly appointments.

With all of this great news-we DON'T have to live in a bubble. I feel like we can start to be a normal family again.

Miracles do happen!! Every prayer and every thought about Mack has worked! I titled this Insane because its hard to believe we had such a sick little boy and now he's going to be okay!!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!











Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Play at Our House


This video is really cute how they play together, but it's also sad what their play entails. It shows how much they're soaking in during this experience! You can tell a lot from kids free play and being doctors in our house is popular. Who knows maybe it can spark some future professions-I would be proud!

Friday, March 22, 2013

Happy Happy Happy

Mack and I drove to St. Louis after work on Tuesday for his weekly appointment.  We decided to break the trip up a little bit.  That way he wasn't in the car for four hours (plus the time spent sitting at the appointment).  It was fun to have alone time and to be with just one kid.  My mom has my brother's kids on Tuesdays, so when we got there we were greeted by lots of people.  It was a fun evening and very relaxing.  Mack is a totally different child when he is alone and loved having his cousins all to himself-and Mum and Papa.




He is so different than Avery when it comes to being without me.  He wants to go to other people.  When I got out of the shower on Wednesday morning he had run out of the room and was sitting in my mom's lap.  I love that!  It's great to see him form these bonds.

After a quick breakfast we were off to his appointment.  There the doctor said he was still very hopeful about Mack and his progress...we were starting to worry a lot.  My friend Meagan came to the appointment so I had extra ears and someone to explain things to me.  She is also great at supporting us and loving Mack! 

Dr. Wilson said the first sign that his treatment is working is the white blood cells rising (again, you can't get more white cells).  He said that he didn't want to give us a time frame because he didn't want to freak us out, but because we are getting further out he said about three months is when we reassess a bone marrow transplant.  Dr. Wilson also told us once his levels become normal we can expect to be on the medicine for another year, but after that he would be a normal little boy.  That is mind boggling.  Only 20% of people who have had this treatment have it come back and none have been our doctors patients.

Mark and I kept thinking a bone marrow transplant was where we were headed because we haven't had ANY good news in months.

After the appointment we were sent back in the transfusion room to play while we waited for his blood results.  First they gave me his platelet number and I wasn't surprised when they weren't great, because again, that's what we're used to.

Then...the nurse came back and told us his ANC went from 180 to 1,160!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was in SHOCK!  How is that possible?

Well, like the doctor told us, his white count would go first.  If he stays in this range for two more weeks (I'm waiting for today's results now-and it just came in at 1,518-up it went again:):)) we can get off one of the medications.

I (we) finally have hope.  I have finally been able to cry happy tears!  This is the most amazing thing and proves miracles do happen.  He is a miracle!


This is at the hospital in Columbia-Avery got to come play with him
This is one happy boy!  So are his parents!

Here's a Random Friday Post

Today was our first "normal" Friday in a long time and with some good news about Mack this week, I was ready for a day home with my babies!
 
I really love my time home with them and to make the day better we had a friend come over to play.  The kids played and Rachel and got to catch up, but then they left...




and total craziness started! 
 
 Lincoln had a major accident and as I was cleaning him up and about to put him in the bath, his siblings were playing nicely in Avery's room.  I didn't realize this entailed taking every clothing item out of her drawers and every shoe out of the closet and EVERY toy out of the boxes!!!  I stopped and brought Lincoln (naked) into the room to clean that mess up.  Then he peed on the floor and I heard giggling from the bathroom.  The other two escaped the mess in the room only to make a bigger mess in the bathroom by "playing" with the baking soda that was about to go in Lincoln's bath!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
 
I am so happy to be home with my babies, but this is what I felt like afterwards:
 
Haha!  What a day-do you see all the stains on my shirt?  It's what it's all about right? I just have to remember all the days we couldn't be at home and how blessed we are to be here and not in the hospital.  Happy weekend everyone-and happy spring break to the people that live around here.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

New Member of Our Family

 Lincoln got a fish for his birthday.  The only fish they know about it Nemo...so can you guess the name of our fish?

 Meet NEMO!!
 They love him.  I never thought they would care so much, but this is how we find them in the kitchen just watching him.  They also remember to feed him everyday. 
Hopefully Nemo can be a part of our family for a while.  Welcome Nemo-Welcome!!!

Monday, March 18, 2013

HOME

Our time at home has been full of play.  The weather has been cold and snowy, but we had a break this week and temperatures were warm.  The evenings were filled with time outside.  They have been happier and sleeping so much better.











 
Last week was a happy week!!!  Hopefully this week brings the same for us.

Sunday, March 17, 2013

And For the Real Party


Lincoln was coming up on his first birthday and we knew we wanted to do an Italian theme (Made in Italy) party.  He is our life long souvenir from our Italy trip and always makes us think of the time we had there!  We wanted to give him an Italian name-Rocco was our favorite-but we changed at the last minute to Lincoln and decided Rocco would be his nick name (Papa only calls him Rocco).

We had a celebration on his actual birthday and knew we still wanted to have a party.  I was not going to cancelle it, so it was postponed because of our hospital stay.  At the last minute we decided to have it on Friday night.  Since it was planned last minute, not all of our family could be there, but we did have a great turn out and it was 75 degrees!

I had planned a lot of activities thinking it would be inside.  There were noodles in the water table, chef hats to decorate, aprons to wear, pizzas to be made, and more...of course the only thing that actually happened was the noodles in the water table.  The rest were not touch-it was great because they were fully entertained outside playing!!  The Gator was a huge hit!!

A table full of noodles=fun!




Bruschetta-a recipe we learned in Italy

We always had cheese and bread





I love this picture!

Silly String Fight


Mack had extra attention

Yep Avery has her princess outfit on

Lending a hand




We had a garage full of fireworks from a party.  It was the perfect day to bring them out.  Mack was in heaven and Lincoln was in awe!  What a great way to celebrate Lincoln turning one and us all being home to do it!  It was emotional to have a normal/happy/exceptional day!

Lincoln update:

Our baby is growing up fast. I am not going to lie and say he is an easy one year old-nope! NOT AT ALL! I have never seen anything like him before. I'm not sure if it's because he's the third and constantly trying to catch the other two or what, but he is constantly on the move. He wants everything the other two have and won't stop until he is crying or the other two are crying. We have to hold him A LOT to make sure he is safe. 

With this being said, his smile and actions bring laughter to our family and even though it can be frustrating at times, he is such a funny baby full of personality and determination.  He is walking now-it's crazy to see a little baby walking down the hallway!

Lincoln adds so much energy to our family and reminds us everyday that we have so much to look forward to.  Even when I am crying or sad, he will make me smile.  He walks over to me and lunges into my arms and gives sweet kisses.  One of my favorites is when we are running around like crazy people and I will look down to find him holding on to my legs wanting to be held. 

I took him in for his one year appointment last week and the little (big) man weighs in at 22 ILBs and is 30 1/4 inches long.  I explained how hard he can be at times and how he hasn't been sleeping-it all goes back to his eczema!  I kept thinking it was an ear infection, but he has it so bad all over his body that it causes him a lot of pain.

Overall, he is healthy, active and growing like crazy!  Happy birthday to my baby...toddler now!!!!  Mommy and Daddy love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!