Lots going on...

It's just been crazy around here lately! To start off the update on a sad note, Chris's grandfather, GaGa, passed away 2 weeks ago. He was 87 years old. It was hard all around for everyone, but we're all doing okay now. Chris's grandmother is doing pretty well, so that makes all of us feel a little better.

Zach had another ear infection. That makes 3 (although one of those 3 times he had infection in both ears, so I guess it could really be 4 infections). He has his next well check on the 16th, so we'll start the talks about the possibility of tubes then. I guess the general rule of thumb is 6 in a year. So we'll see how that plays out. I hate the thought of him having to have any sort of surgery, but the poor kid has pretty much had one ear or the other infected constantly for the past 3 months.

Yesterday we had a play date with Heidi and Kaylan (which is funny because they go to the same babysitter, so it's not like they never see each other - it was more for Heidi and I, I think!). Here are some pictures!

Zach and KayKay playing together - she's only recently become aware of him, and he just can't figure out how a person can be smaller than him!

Don't worry, he's not about to hit her in this picture. See that purple thing in the middle of the picture? It's a button that makes things light up and play music. He's just showing Kaylan how good he is at hitting the button!!!

KayKay - she wasn't very happy right here, and I thought she was making funny faces.

I think she looks a lot like Heidi here. She just figured out how to roll, and we were trying to get her to do it, but she's a little on the stubborn side and refused to indulge us!

Zach hitting that button again!

The kids checking each other out - they were having a good conversation here too!

Zach playing with one of his blocks - his new favorite passtime, in addition to trying to crawl!

Snow!!!

I know it's totally selfish to say this because we just had 2 weeks off - but HURRAY it's a snow day!!!!!! The following pictures really express my enthusiasm!!!!!!!!! Zach
Kaylan

Enjoy the snow and be careful!

Periorbital Cellulitis.....

........ is a very scary term. It's basically a very serious infection in the skin surrounding the eye socket. It causes high fever and can lead to meningitis due to the close proximity to the brain. It's ususually a result of a sinus or ear infection that travels into the eye area. Want to know how I know so much about this disease? Zach had it and was in the hospital for three days.

He woke up on Dec. 29th looking like this.... and he had a fever of over 102. So we called the pedatrician, who told us to take him to the emergency room.


We had to wait like 3 hours in the emergency waiting area and rooms until we saw a doctor... I guess it was a busy day for emergencies. That's not very comforting when you've got a sick baby whose eye is swelling worse by the minute. I actually don't have a picture of how bad it got... I couldn't bear to look at it again. But it was completley closed, and it stuck out so far that it looked like there was a giant gumball under his eyelid. They talked about sending him to Riley but decided unless he got worse it wasn't necessary.

With Grandpa Dave in his room. My parents, and Chris's mom, were really good about visiting us and bringing us food. Heidi came and stayed with him some too. I think it made him feel better to see so many familiar people when he was in an unfamiliar place. And actually, the hospital was quite nice and let Chris and I sleep there for the two nights he stayed. Which was a really good thing for all of us.

The baby jail crib he had to sleep in. You can see his little foot and how he's connected to all those monitors.

Once we got home on New Year's eve. Giving Mommy some love. He was much better and VERY happy to be home where no one tries to poke him with needles....

I'll spare everyone the AWFUL details about how they tried to give him an IV and only after poking him about 6 times they realized his veins were too small.... or about how they couldn't find a vein to draw bood from (3 separate times) so they had to guess where one was and then sort of poke around in his arm until they hit one..... or how he had to have a shot in each thigh every 12 hours and we had to pin him down... or how the oral antibiotic gives him diarrhea so bad that they called in an additional prescription for the diaper rash we're supposed to expect.

All I care about is that he's home and healthy and happy.... we go back to the doctor tomorrow for another checkup. But he's been fever free since the day he was admitted to the hospital and seems to be doing really well. Just check out the proof below....

Christmas!

Overall it was a great Christmas! A little overwhelming but a lot of fun... I guess that's what the holidays are all about! Most importantly, Zach had a really great time and did extremely well with all of the traveling and new people. On to the pictures!

Zach playing in one of his new toys!

Just look at that face! The face is Chris's but those eyes and ears are all me...

Playing in his super awesome racecar walker that Grammie Angie got him! (Kaylan got one identical to it, but she's a tad too small to enjoy it just yet)

Unwrapping presents with Aunt DeeDee and Grammie Angie

Kaylan flirting with her Uncle Chris... I swear that baby sleeps and sleeps, but whenever Chris has ahold of her she wakes up and smiles and laughs!

Claire and Zach... she informed us that she likes him a lot better now because "he can do stuff"...

Claire helping change his diaper. I love this picture. Just look at Zach's face.... you can tell he's really thinking 'She doesn't know what she's doing. Why are you people letting her do this'......

With Claire and Chris.... it's a good thing Claire is big for a 5 year old, because otherwise I'm not sure she'd be able to hold Zach!

With Daddy Christmas morning

Unwrapping presents

Me, Mom, Kaylan, Grandma Carolyn, Zach, and Heidi on Christmas Eve

Getting his first taste of pineapple (which he loved) with Grammie Angie

Heidi, Kaylan, Me, and Zach. It cracks me up to see how little Kaylan is in comparison to Zach!

Kaylan as Mrs. Claus.... doesn't she look like Heidi here???

Zach in his Santa outfit

Okay we know it's funny we dressed them up as Santa and Mrs. Claus.... but it was Mom's idea and she bought the outfits. They were pretty darn cute, actually..... plus we'll have something to torture them with when they turn about 16!