Looking forward to a new month....

I'm a little behind on blogging so I guess it's time to catch up!  After my Grandpa passed away last weekend, my husband had to go to Wisconsin for a week for work, not the best timing but we made it through.  I spent the days working, taking care of my loves and helping my family plan my Grandpa's service.  The kids were great, even the dog took it easy on me(not dragging me around the house).  I was very happy to see my husband when he came home and I was able to see my Uncle Gary from Germany, who I hadn't seen since I was 3.  He had come in for my Grandpa's service and we had a nice family dinner at my parents Friday night after I got Bill at the airport.

On Sunday was a hard day for my family(my Grandpa's service).  I wanted to tell a little bit of what I remembered about him, but I just couldn't do it. I instead posted in the blog I wrote about him.  I see his empty chair at my grandparents house and think he'll be right back.

After the reception that was at my parent's house for everyone who went to the service; Liam, Bill and I drove up to Phoenix for Liam's surgery that he was scheduled for Monday morning.  I didn't sleep all night, anxious for the morning and scared for him.  Once they called us back to pre-op and they got him in a gown and all the questions answered; I just wanted to run out the door and not look back!  I knew the surgery would be the best for him and just had to deal with my fears.  The tears started to roll as his OR nurse took him from me.  She assured me they would take good care of him. I thought to myself, they had just met him, how could they promise not to let anything happen to him.  So as I saw her take him, I piece of me went with him.

                                                    ~Liam and Daddy before surgery
Bill and I were sent to the waiting room.  He knew the heartache I was feeling without me or him saying a word.  Before I got through even a quarter of the magazine I was carelessly thumbing through, Dr. Raines came out and told us that Liam was in recovery. I immediately jumped up and he said it would be a few more minutes but they would be coming to get us (I was ready to run back and grab my baby).  Liam's left ear had been completely full of fluid, worse than when we went for our consult appointment and his right was getting full too.  As we walked back to recovery, I heard him crying.  A relief that he was putting up a fight with the nurses!!! He was happy to see us, relieved for us to hold him and excited when he got to have some milk(since he hadn't eaten since 9 the night before).

Liam is doing great so far since the procedure; he is babbling more(his quality of hearing was affected from the fluid), he slept through the night for the first time in weeks and is is all around a happy camper.

                                                     ~Liam's first real meal after surgery, so happy!!!

Thank you all for the prayers for him, we will see how the tubes are doing when we go for a follow-up in two weeks.  I am looking forward to this week home with him and getting things back to normal after Bill being gone and losing my Grandpa.

I am excited for this new month!!! Lots of plans and fun things we have coming up!!!

What a week....

I've been a bad blogger, but it's been a crazy week filled with sick kids, working overtime and adding another class on top of the other one I'm taking and fitting it into everything else!!!!  So here's and update to what the family I love so much has been up too.

As I blogged last Monday, Liam has to have surgery to have tubes placed.  Not long after I posted that blog, Dr. Raine's office called to schedule Liam's surgery, I have since had a feeling of worry on my heart since that call that probably won't go away until the surgery is over and I know my boy is going to be okay.  Liam's surgery will be on Monday February 28th at Phoenix Children's Hospital.  The nurse that called to make the appointment said, "Well the doctor usually likes to do his youngest kids first thing in the morning and so far Liam is the youngest so you will have to be here about 5:30 in the morning."  All I could think was, it usually takes me a couple hours to be fully awake and I hope the doctor has had a good night's sleep and his coffee before he operates on my baby!!!!  Just another worry on my mind.  We will drive up the night before the surgery and Rylie is staying with my parents.  She is protective over Liam and hates seeing him left just at the baby-sitters much less to see some person in OR attire take him away from us. Especially since she associates the hospital with being hurt.

The germs have been winning the illness battle at the Fitzgerald House.  Before we took Liam to Phoenix I was sick for a little over a week with bronchitis.  When we got back from Phoenix, Liam got sick.  Poor guy had a rough time, especially with the extra drainage and his ears.  Just as Liam was feeling better, my angel Rylie got what Liam and I had. She still isn't feeling well and I'm going to try a remedy that helped me get better that also comes in child dosing.  I am ready for the germs to leave our home!!!  DIE GERMS DIE!!!!

Work has been crazy busy, patients everywhere without anywhere to put them.  A few of us even stayed 5 hours past our 12 hour shift to help with the number of patients.  After putting in a 17 hour day and almost falling asleep on the drive home, I think I will help out on the days I'm off rather than staying after the 12 hours I've already worked!

We had a great Valentine's Day as a family.  I went to work for the morning to help with a disaster drill then came home and made about 30 strawberry and creamchesse cupcakes.  Rylie was missing her party at school and wanted it extra special for her.  We decided to do a family dinner, Ry still wasn't feeling so well and we knew most places would be packed. So we went to Chuck-E-Cheese and for yogurt after.  We had a great time playing together and I couldn't think of any other way to spend Valentine's Day!!!

                                                       ~From my Hubby <3~

                                            ~Some of the cupcakes I made for Rylie~
Also on Valentine's Day, Liam turned 10 months old.  It is crazy how fast time is going, I wish I could slow it down a little bit.  Yep I enjoy the baby stage and even though he usually doesn't sleep through most nights. I love rocking him in the middle of the night as he looks at me, holding on to my hand.  It's our special time, quiet and just us.  He is a mama's boy but I know as he gets older and starts hanging with Bill more and starts sports, he will change to Daddy's team.  Liam walks while holding onto the furniture and is getting brave with letting go.  He is starting to stand by himself without holding on and will take a step between objects.  I would be surprised if he isn't walking into his own birthday party!!!  I can't believe in two months my boy will be 1!!!  I love being his mama!!!

                                                      ~Liam-10 months old~
So there is what we have been up to.  Rylie is still doing dance on Wednesdays and I am preparing for Bill's trips to Wisconsin for work.  Every time he is gone, it reinforces why parenting is a team sport and props to single parents and my mom who do or have done it by themselves.  We have Liam's surgery the end of the month, Bill's birthday in March and then onto Spring with our busiest month of April!!!!

And the verdict is....

As I wrote earlier in the month, we were going to take Liam to see a specialist in Scottsdale for is frequent ear infections.  Well that appointment was on Friday.  I was praying, crossing my fingers and toes that Dr. Raines would tell us it was just something he would outgrow and that we would need to keep an eye on.

For the exam, Dr. Raines looked in both Liam's ears and said what we were told before, that there is fluid behind the left ear drum and it was not draining properly.  Then he wanted to check Liam's hearing. I smiled to myself thinking this should be fun and how active Liam is, my thought was "good luck doc!"  He then took us to this other doctor who was a hearing specialist.  I was pretty impressed by the sound proof booth and the equipment that was going to check Liam's hearing. 

The first test was to check the vibration motility in each ear, basically it checked how much sound was getting through each ear.  Unfortunately the quality of sound that Liam is hearing is decreased in his left ear due to the fluid.  His right ear was normal.  The test was done by putting ear plugs (like the ones they use with newborn hearing screening) that were hooked to a machine that gave readings.  The hearing test was done by having Liam and I in the sound proof booth.  There was a speaker behind me on the left and right.  Above the speakers were little animals in plastic boxes that made noise and there was one in the middle in front of the booth.  I had Liam standing on my lap with the speakers behind him inside the booth, the doctor(on the outside of the booth) would say his name in one of the speakers and then play the animal, Liam would respond to whichever side he heard his name. The tones of his name were changed to check the range of his hearing.  When we first started, he was slow to respond to the left, although the doctor assured me he was learning the conditions of the test.  I am very happy that Liam passed his hearing test, even with the quality of what he is hearing is decreased in the left ear.

After the test, we met with Dr. Raines again.  His diagnosis was for Liam to have tubes placed in both ears.  My first question to him was, " how they were going to get my active boy to hold still?"; answer was general anesthesia.  My second question was, "exactly how do they put him under, who is there to watch his vitals and respiratory status and how long is the procedure?" Okay so that was three but the answers were that he would be put under using a mask that medications are put through, that there is no intubation or IV and there is an anesthesiologist monitoring him during the 10-15 minute procedure.  He said most of the surgeries are easy, uneventful and Liam would wake up in 15 minutes wondering what all the yelling was about.

At the end, the doctor gave me information on the surgery, possible post surgery complications(not what an already worried mommy needed) and what to expect after surgery.  He said his nurse would be calling this week to schedule Liam's surgery.  So while we wait for his surgery date, we are just trying to keep him from getting sick or anything that might trigger an acute infection.

As a nurse, I assist with many sedations for different simple procedures but now that I have to trust a stranger with my baby boy and sedating him, I have to say it sucks to be on the other side of that table.  We do look forward to our boy feeling better and have faith his surgery will be great without any complications.  Now when the time comes, the nurse getting Liam out of my death grip for the surgery might be a different story!

Dancing in Reality

So last Wednesday Rylie started her first dance class.  I was very excited for her, as I knew she was excited and as everyone knows I am my kid's biggest fan, okay their Daddy is there in the fan club too.  It was a little hectic getting there because Ry fell asleep 45 min before we had to leave and only got a 30 min nap.  As soon as I said dance class though, she was ready to put on her leotard and tights, messy bedhead and all.  I also had Liam with me, who was overdue for his nap and sitting for an hour watching sister dance was not his idea of fun.  We got there with 5 minutes to spare and wrestled to get her ballet slippers on when right before class the teacher said they were doing tap first.  After a quick change(which seemed anything but) she was in her first dance class.  Of course I had the camera and video camera ready to capture her fist dancing moves.  Okay in reality, I only got 3 pictures and about 20 min of video out of the hour class. Brother wanted to eat!!!

As soon as I sat down to watch the class, there were two moms sitting beside me.  They both nicely started talking to me, asking how old Rylie was and if this was our first class.  One mom had said her daughter had been dancing there a year and the other mom said it was her daughter's first class too, like Rylie.  It didn't take long for me to notice "the other group of moms" sitting down from us loudly talking about $200 shoes, so and so's wedding, who was mad at who and so on.  The mom sitting next to me that had been there for a year leaned over and said, "They are always like that and they don't let anyone else in."  I then leaned back and said, "it doesn't bother me any, I am here to watch my daughter dance, not fit in with the "click" of dance moms."  She smiled back as to look relieved she had found another mom like her.

See I had recognized three of the four moms "in the click" sitting down from us.  They were girls that were a few years ahead of me in high school and in the same year of high school with me.  The girls that were in the so thought "cool click" that were always talking about everyone else; who had what, how someone looked and how much money was spent or they had.  They were the girls that were to shallow and stuck-up to have a conversation with the "average Joe."

I smiled and thought to myself, "These shallow, stuck-up girls in high school grew up to be the same stuck-up moms, probably raising daughters just the same."  I know I probably sound judgemental, but as someone raised as the average girl, I was always taught that you are the person you are on the inside no matter what life circumstances you have and that you treat other people the same. I as a mom strive to raise our kids to be the same; being nice and personable to everyone. I was also a proud mama seeing Rylie make friends with another little girl within the first 2 minutes of being there.  Rylie is well liked at school and makes friends easy because she is welcoming to anyone that wants to play and be nice to her. I plan to continue to teach her that life is about the friends you make, the way you make a difference in the lives of others and be grateful for the relationships you make along the way.

I was very proud of Rylie and she loved her dance class.  After all, we are there for dance lessons and if we make some friends along the way, then it's just an added bonus.  As for the "click moms", some things will change in life and others will remain the same.  I just look forward to all the fun Rylie is having and her recital in June.  I will be her cheering fan!!!

"Why do people try so hard to fit in, when you were born to stand out."

Vegetable Soup and Italian Potato Soup

Italian Potato Soup
*5 medium potatoes, sliced thin
*1/2 cup diced onion
*1 1/4 pounds Italian sausage, form bite size pieces
*2 1/2 teaspoons salt
*1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
*6 cups water
*1/4 cup butter
*2 cups of milk
~In a slow cooker, layer 1/2 of potatoes, onion, sausage, salt and pepper.  Repeat layering
~Add water and butter. Cover.
~Cook on low 10 hours.
~Add milk
~Mix well and serve
~Makes 6 to 8 servings

Vegetable Soup
*4 cups vegetable broth
*3 cups of water
*2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
*2 cups dried pasta
*2 1/2 cups frozen vegetables, thawed
*Salt and pepper
~In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients.  Mix well
~Cook on low 8 to 9 hours or high 3 to 4 hours
~Makes 4 to 6 servings

Chicken Noodle Casserole & Pizza Chicken Pasta

Pizza Chicken Pasta
*1 (16oz) package of bow tie pasta, cooked
*1 (26oz) jar spaghetti sauce
*1 teaspoon pizza seasoning
*3 skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into cubes
*2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

~In slow cooker, combine all the ingredients, except cheese
~Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours
~Sprinkle cheese over top.  Cover, let set 10 minutes
~Makes 6 to 8 servings

Chicken Noodle Casserole
*1 (8oz) package noodles, cooked
*4 cups chopped cooked chicken
*2 (10 3/4 ounce) cans cream of chicken soup
*1 cup milk
*1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

~In slow cooker, combine all the ingredients.  Mix well. Cover.
~Cook on low 3 to 4 hours.
~Makes 6 servings

Blessings in Diapers

The most expensive part of having a baby is the diapers and formula if you aren't breastfeeding.  When I was pregnant with Rylie, my friend Nichelle had just had her daughter Zayda and she had a friend that had worked at a grocery store and they had to throw out packages of diapers that got opened in shipment.  Nichelle was given these completely clean, unused but opened packages of diapers.  When Zayda outgrew a size of diapers, Nichelle gave us what she had left.  I was so grateful for her generosity and we had now had diapers from preemie size to size 3 for our baby girl that was on her way!!!  Now many of you know Rylie probably couldn't fit one side of her cute butt in a preemie diaper being almost 9 lbs. but I held on to them just in case.  Thanks to Nichelle's diaper gifts, we didn't have to buy diapers for Rylie until she was about 5 months old.

A couple months after Rylie was born, my friend Jessica had a tiny 5 lb. baby girl  and were quite surprised as they had no preemie clothes and no preemie diapers except for what they had been given at the NICU.  So I remembered those tiny diapers I was saving for something(just in case).  I was able to pass on the preemie diapers that Nichelle had given us, that Rylie could never wear and give them to Jessica for her tiny baby girl.  I was happy to pass the diaper blessings on!!

When I was pregnant with Liam we had gotten some diapers from family and friends and I had put some Target coupons to good use(can't let coupons go to waste) to stock up on diapers for our baby boy.  We probably had 4 or 5 packages when he was born.  A couple of weeks after Liam was born, my brother-in-law Philip had called to ask what diapers and wipes I preferred.  I thought this was a little odd but he then said that Bill's office wanted to throw us (a surprise for Bill) diaper and wipe baby shower.  I was very grateful for the offer, considering I hadn't met anyone he worked with yet in his new office and was surprised at all the diapers and wipes we had been given.  With the supply of diapers and wipes, we just now on Saturday had to buy Liam a box of diapers since he was born and still have wipes from the shower.  We are grateful for our diaper blessings!!

A couple months after Liam was born, my friend Lisa had a baby boy and I had some diapers that Liam outgrew.  Again, I was able to pass the diaper blessings on!!!

We are extremely grateful for all the diapers that have been given to our babies and I love passing the diaper blessings on!!! So now for any baby shower or baby present, it will have diapers included with their gift(diaper blessings).