Tid Bits

We have been pretty busy.  Helping three children with homework takes a lot longer than helping just one.  We have been having lots of fun, though. Here are some interesting tid bits that have been going on at our house.

- We have had a kindergartner teaching a first grader and second grader how to tie their shoes.  They are now almost experts.

- Anton brought home a recipe for "raisin cereal" from school.  It called for three cups of cereal and one cup of raisins.  A GREAT recipe for me.  So we made it.  We had just enough different things for kids to dump into the mixture, i.e. one cup per kid, minus Devin, he was busy eating toast instead.  Anton excitedly sat down to eat it and asked, "Does this have protein in it?" and "I am sure it is very healthy."  I didn't know five years old were worried about nutrition that much. 

- We still have fun at bedtime.  Some nights are better than others.  We got a twin air mattress for Devin, the three boys in the full bed wasn't working out very well.  There is just enough room for it on the floor.  We move it onto the boys bed in the morning so they all have space to play.

- For the first time ever Tyanna earned 100% on her spelling test last week.  And then she got another 100% this week!  Good job, Tyanna.

- Anton and Tyanna have become Isabel's fashion consultants, choosing her clothes and helping to get her dressed. Now if I could just get them to change her diaper, or get her potty trained, that would be even better.

- Devin loves sitting at the keyboard and listening to one of the pre-recorded songs on it, "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring"  He will listen to it over and over.

- Zackary has fallen asleep each time the CPS worker has been here, taking a nap on the couch. He isn't getting enough sleep at night, but enjoys his time with Mom enough that he won't take a nap, ever.  I guess that curling up on my lap while I visit with the CPS worker quiets him down enough to have him fall asleep.

- Isabel LOVES the sunbeam song ("Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam").  This week it has been the only song that the kids choose to sing each night for scripture study.  We have all of the kids crouching down to the floor to JUMP up as high as they can at the appropriate parts of the song.  Isabel included.  She crouches down and tries so HARD to jump.  She just doesn't quite get it, yet.  About a month ago, we were singing it and after trying to jump twice at the beginning of the song she went and got her doll and helped her doll "jump" for the sunbeam song.  She was THRILLED with her ingenuity.  I only wish I had gotten a video of it.  It was adorable!!!

- Another favorite song at our house is "Scripture Power."  When we sing it, we have to go through it at least three times, so that everyone gets their fill of the chorus.

- Devin's favorite lullaby is "I Am a Child of God."  We go through it twice, once in Spanish and once in English. Devin sings along both times in English.

- During scripture study we have always done it in both languages.  Just this week I decided to start helping Tyanna and Devin "read" (repeat) in Spanish.  They are thrilled with being able to learn some Spanish.

- Tyanna's reading is improving, slowly.  She just gets distracted so easily.

Things overall are going really well.  Life is a lot busier with five children versus three.  The cousins LOVE playing with each other.  I just need to learn how to help them not tattle on EVERY LITTLE THING!!!

Rachelle's next court date (Devin's and Tyanna's Mom) is on March 7.  We will see what happens then.

Aunt Annikka and Aunt Brina got matching pajamas for the kids.  I just couldn't resist getting some pictures.

They are all supposed to be smiling in the pictures above and below. It is more difficult to get five kids to all look at the camera than I thought.

At least they all look quite adorable.

What is a photo session without one where everyone gets to make a funny face?

The boys WOULD not hold still for their picture. This one is the least blurry of all of them.

And the girls. Isabel and Tyanna are enjoying having another girl in the house. They both like pink and pretty things.

A Family of Seven

On Saturday we inherited two children. Temporarily.?.  We are thrilled to welcome Devin and Tyanna into our home.  Linden's sister is currently unable to care for them, so we have them for a while.  We were able to put a twin bed into the kids room and with a little arranging there is still room for the kids to play!!  Thank goodness that this room is SO MUCH BIGGER than their old room.  We have two dressers, a full bed, a twin bed, a crib, and a toy box in there.  The three boys sleep in the full bed, Tyanna gets the twin and of course Isabel is in the crib (toddler bed).  Now if we could just actually get them to SLEEP!!  Devin and Tyanna aren't quite used to a regular bed time, so the last few nights have consisted of all five kids getting into bed at 8:00 pm, Anton, Zackary and Isabel's normal bedtime, and then lots of playing, giggling, talking, bathroom trips, water trips, and "Mom (Aunt Rachel) so and so is pushing me, pulling the covers, etc."  until 10:30 PM when everyone finally settles down and falls asleep.  They have been instructed that there is only one bathroom trip per child per night.  And that they aren't to get out of bed unless they are bleeding or the house is on fire.  I even stay in the room sitting in the dark, encouraging less playing which helps.  Hopefully in a few more nights they will be more settled and more used to all being together.

A challenge of welcoming two more children into our home includes transportation troubles.  Our car only seats three children.  Hmmm, our three plus two more is FIVE!!  I didn't know how I was going to get them to school and home again while Linden is at work. Thank goodness for a wonderful Relief Society President that asked for volunteers at church and then made several calls until she found someone to watch the three youngest kids in the morning for me while I took the other two to school.  I was extremely anxious to have someone I had never met watch my kids, but she was a wonderful lady.  Another amazing and generous lady in our ward let us borrow her van so I could get the kids picked up on Monday.  By Tuesday the School had declared Devin and Tyanna as transitional, i.e. homeless, so that they could arrange bus transportation for them so that issue is solved, THANK YOU!! 

The kids love playing together.  Our biggest challenge is trying to get them to focus on homework after school and helping Tyanna catch up with her work.  I am also amazed at how much they eat.  On Sunday Tyanna had SEVEN, yes seven plates of food.  Devin wasn't far behind that.  Tyanna is seven years old (officially tomorrow) and Devin is eight.  They are really good kids and have even been good examples for Anton and Zackary at getting their pajamas on the FIRST time they are asked.

We have had some great moments of peace and comfort as we read books together and sing songs together.  How wonderful it is to have Devin and Tyanna with us!  They miss their Mom, but seem to be truly enjoying our home.  Last night as we were reading scriptures Zackary watched Devin, Tyanna and Anton each read by themselves and when it was his turn to "read" (repeat the words we read to him) he asked me to show him how to read!!  Our little boy that normally onlys sits still long enough to tell me about four letters wants to learn to read!! 

I'll get a picture of the kids posted after school.  It has been a little hectic around here the last few days and I haven't even thought of getting a picture until now.

Summer Fun

So, I was debating on working backwards to play catch up or if I should start with the oldest info and work forwards.  I opted for the working forwards. This summer the boys had a BLAST at the Melaleuca picnic. In years past either they were too little to truly enjoy all the activities or one got sick and we took them home early. It was great fun to watch them enjoying the fun activities and eating all of the snow cones, popcorn and cotton candy their little hearts desired.

First up, was the horse rides, before the lines got super long.  The year before last this was the one activity they did, before Anton got sick and we sent them home.  When we got to the front of the line in years past we had to talk Anton into getting on the horse and Zackary was so giddy with excitement that we could hardly contain him, he would just hop right up onto the horse.  This year, we couldn't even talk Zackary into getting on a horse, whereas Anton jumped right up on the horse with great enthusiasm.  Go figure!!

Anton enjoying his horse ride, immensely, as evidenced by the tongue. Notice he is on by HIMSELF!!  No mommy to help this year.  Way to go Anton!

Proof that Isabel was there.  She and Papa and Grandma Butler (thanks to Brad for giving her his guest ticket) hung out in the shade.  Of course we slathered them all up with sunscreen, but she was so bald and little we decided to keep her in the shade of the tents.  She LOVED the cotton candy.  Let me say that again, She LOVED!!!!! the cotton candy!!!!!

After the horse rides we went down to the carnival games and all of the rides bouncey toys, etc.  We played a few carnival games, but the boys were much more interested in the rides and bouncy toys.  So, we let them ride the ferris wheel.

You can kind of see who is who. Anton is in the blue hat and Zackary is in the white hat.

Up next was the octopus.  They said they got really dizzy, but had fun.

Finally we moved to all of the bouncy toys and slides.  This was quite interesting.  You can really tell which boy is more adventurous while they were playing on these toys, or at least less afraid of heights.

Here is Anton starting to climb, then looking back down and deciding he liked being down better.

Zackary went all the way up without any hesitation.  He enjoyed the climbing.

But more than the climbing, he enjoyed the sliding down!  He went all the way through the maze and slid down about twelve times while we waited and waited and waited and waited and waited for Anton to emerge.

Still no Anton.  But Zackary sure is enjoying himself.

I finally went around behind and found Anton.  After much encouragement he FINALLY climbed to the top.  I told him he would have lots of fun sliding down.

When he got to the top he just sat.

And sat.

And sat some more.  Hmmmm, maybe is is worth trying to climb back down.  NOPE.  Looks to steep and scary.  So he sat there, at the top.  I was beginning to wonder if he would ever make it down or if I was going to have to climb in and slide down with him.  Anton, despite the fact that he is the older brother, will never go down any slide at any playground until he has watched Zackary go down several times.  We finally got him to go down with Zackary at his side.  We then went on to another bouncy slide and Anton and Zackary went down that one about 20 times together, side by side.  That is the only way that Anton would go down.  Thank goodness for little brothers!!  They had a BLAST!!  My little guys were quite disappointed when I told them it was time to go find Grandma, Papa and Isabel.

We had a great time at the picnic.  Thanks to Melaleuca.  The boys LOVED it.  Next year Isabel might even be big enough to join in on the fun.

Our Christmas!

Since we had just gotten home with Zackary from the hospital the day before, our Christmas was pretty low key.  Also, I had hoped all week to figure out what to get the kids for sure (we had been racking our brains to come up with ideas for much longer).  We had already gotten them piano books for piano lessons from Grandma, a couple of drawing books, and another book. But, we hadn't gotten them anything else to open. Every kid needs a toy to open on Christmas.  Between sick kids, the hospital visit and everything else, we never got anything else for the kids on Christmas.  How truly grateful I was for an annonymous Santa on Christmas Eve. We had some packages delivered to us.  Including three wrapped boxes, which Linden and I assumed were for the kids.  SCORE!!  Thanks to our wonderful Santa and Aunt Leonora our kids had toys under the Christmas tree. The boys scored with some legos and a Wonderful Western building block set.  They have loved playing with them.  Isabel got a stuffed elephant and the most adorable little doll EVER!  She is handmade and Isabel LOVES her.  Linden dubbed her "Cynthia" as he has naming privileges to all dolls in our house.

We are truly grateful for our Santa and Aunt Leonora for giving our children something fun to play with on Christmas.  THANK YOU!!

The boys on Christmas morning, notice our beautiful tree that Daniel and David cut down for us on the Christmas tree outing.

Isabel decided to sleep in on Christmas, so we let her.  Anton and Zackary did a little bit.  I wish Zackary would have slept a bit later, considering that he had just gotten home from the hospital and was still sick, but it was Christmas.

We had a great Christmas, I had planned on visiting several of the widows and widowers in our ward the week preceding Christmas, but decided not to get them sick, so we are trying to get them visited now that we don't have any diseases to share.  I just hope to teach the kids to worry more about giving than getting.

Hope everyone had as wonderful a Christmas as we did.  I am truly grateful for the Christmas Spirit of love and joy and sharing.

Another Hospital Visit

YIP! We had two children with hospital stays in 2011!  Thank goodness they were both just overnight stays.

The Sunday before Christmas Isabel had a pretty good cough, no other symptoms (other than puking from coughing so hard, twice, the first during Sacrament meeting, that was FUN).  That night Zackary seemed a little bit feverish, but nothing big.  He was running around like himself.  The next day Isabel's cough was much better and Zackary seemed to be doing just fine, other than a cough like Isabel's.  All three kids were running around about like normal.  Tuesday was about the same.  We opted to stay home on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and not run any errands (i.e., finish Christmas shopping) so that the kids would be in their best health for Christmas. 

On Wednesday, Zackary seemed to be feeling worse.  His slight fever that he had for a couple of days spiked, but then it broke that evening just when I was thinking I needed to take him to the doctor.  Thursday morning Zackary was running around like he always is, very happy-go-lucky.  He seemed to be all better, so we decided to keep our schedule that day.  Go to Shelley to visit Aunt Leonora, Unlce Kevin and Katelynn, newly arrived from Colorado.  I made him sit still as much as I could and take it easy, but he seemed to be fine.  Late afternoon he started not feeling very well.  We got home to make dinner and Zackary sacked out on the couch as soon as we walked in the door. About 6:30 PM his fever shot up, so we called the doctor, he just wasn't himself.

Luckily our Pediatrician's office was able to see him in half-an-hour.  We spent a good amount of time at the office while they listened to his lungs for a VERY long time, SEVERAL TIMES, monitored his oxygen levels, etc. His fever was 103.  They finally decided to give him a breathing treatment, and a shot of antibiotics and send us home for the night.  Giving us very specific instructions of what to watch for with his breathing, and setting an appointment for in the morning we were on our way home after about an hour at the doctor's office being told that Zackary might have pneumonia.

The next morning (Friday) he didn't have a fever and he seemed to be feeling a little better.  Still not himself, but a little better.  So, I packed the kids up and we headed over to the doctor's office again so they could listen to his lungs and check his oxygen levels.  Grandma Nielsen joined us to help with Anton and Isabel.  The doctor listened to his lungs and checked his oxygen levels again. He said that while Zackary seemed to be looking a little perkier than the night before his oxygen levels and the sound of his lungs were worse, warranting a stay at the hospital.

Grandma dropped Zackary and I off at the hospital and headed back to our place with Anton and Isabel.  I attempted to get a hold of Linden, but because he was at work I was only able to text him, so he didn't know Zackary was in the hospital until that afternoon when he got off work.  Thanks to Grandma Nielsen, Alex and Jenna for watching Anton and Isabel. Linden came straight to the hospital that evening and we had a few different visitors, also.  I stayed at the hospital with Zackary that night and because Linden had to work early the next morning (Saturday, Christmas Eve) Grandma Nielsen dropped the kids off to stay with Grandpa and Grandma Butler that night.

Zackary tolerated very well getting the IV, getting his blood drawn, the chest X-ray, and having to wear the oxygen sensor.  He didn't like any of them.  He hadn't been eating or drinking very much all week, so we were told he couldn't go home until he was drinking again, and also after we figured out for sure what he had and his oxygen sats. were looking better.

The "leashes" were what Zackary liked least about being in the hospital. He was afraid to use the bathroom because he didn't know quite what to do with his leashes.  He was afraid that he couldn't use the bathroom. After about an hour of him doing the potty dance we finally convinced him that he could use the bathroom, despite the cords.  It worked and he was much more comfortable.

For about the first six hours of being in the hospital Zackary seemed very lethargic, just wanted Mom to hold him, not even Dad was good enough.  He didn't want to lay on the bed, even if Mom was there with him.  I'm sure that's because that is where he was when they started the IV and drew the blood.  So, I sat, cradling him in the chair for about six hours.

I left to go home and pack up a few things after Linden got there.  When I got back Zackary was smiling and seemed to be doing much better.  Still not 100%, but much better.  His oxygen levels were still low despite several nebulizer treatments and sessions of CPT.  He wouldn't eat dinner or drink anything, still.

He was admitted to the hospital as a possible pneumonia, that morning.  So they started him on IV and oral antibiotics and told us depending on the x-ray results he might get steriods, also.  The results of the chest x-ray came back as (forgive any incorrect spelling, please) Perry-Hiler Pneumonitis.  The nurses all told us that he probably had asthma after that diagnosis.  We wouldn't be hearing from the doctor for sure until later in the next morning the next day, so I called Dr. Edwin, my brother.  He said Perry-Hiler Pneumonitis is a very non-specific term for "your lungs look fluffy in the Hiler region," the Hiler region being a specific part of the lung and it could be anything from a virus to many different things.  Our doctor the next morning said about the same thing.  Most likely he had a viral infection, especially since he hasn't really had any previous asthma symptoms, although there could possibly, maybe, be some underlying asthma issues.  While Zackary was at the hospital he got the two antibiotics and after the reading from the radiologist came back they gave him a dose of steriods.

After I got back from packing for an over-night stay, Zackary was much perkier and continued to improve throughout the night. He was indesperate need of sleep.  He hadn't gotten any all day, which is about par for hospitals.  After all of the CPT, nebulizer treatments, night medications and vital checks we finally got him settled for bed about 10 PM.  From 10 to 11 PM the alarm on his oxygen sensor kept going off because his levels were to low, partly due to him sleeping.  After an hour of them going off every few minutes, the nurse re-positioned the sensor and no more alarm.  YEAH.  Zackary and I could finally get some sleep.  At least inbetween the CPT, nebulizer treatments, vital checks, etc. We were woken up about every one and a half hours for those.

The following morning we got a call from Linden about 6:30, when he was getting to work, scheduled to work all day.  He called to see how Zackary had done during the night.  The call woke Zackary up and he was quite agitated, saying he wanted to go home and trying to pull out the IV and get rid of the oxygen sensor. Then his nose started bleeding quite profusely.  Then he started coughing up blood clots about the size of a quarter.  I pushed the call button, one nurse came, then two, we were finally able to get Zackary calmed down and get the bleeding stopped.  Right about then I started not feeling too spiffy, i.e. I better lay down before I pass out. (This is the very reason I chose to not have a medical profession.) About twenty minutes later, Linden called and said they had let him leave work.  YEAH! 

We got Zackary and I cleaned up and got the sheets all changed from the drama first thing in the morning. Then breakfast came.  Zackary ate and drank.  His oxygen looked good.  The nurses seemed to think that we would be able to go home, we were just waiting for the doctor to say it.  Zackary was still hesitant to use the bathroom and had to be talked into going after a while of doing the potty dance.

We knew for sure that Zackary was doing better because the day before the nurses had asked him about picking out a gift from under the Christmas tree and he wanted ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with anything that didn't involve me holding him while I sat in the chair.  That morning when asked, he was excited to pick out a gift.  We told him he couldn't go pick one until he had drunk more.  Bribery works.

Christmas Eve morning, before breakfast.  We finally got to see his cute smile again.

Zackary in his hospital bed, it didn't seem so awful the next day. He ate the donut, but not much else they brought him for breakfast.

With his gift he picked out trying to figure out how to open it with one hand, due to the IV.

Thanks for the help, Dad.

Yeah, a new football.

We are very grateful for the wonderful care that he received from the Pediatric Center, and the nurses, respiratory therapists, and staff at EIRMC.  They weren't rushing to get us out the door at the doctors office and the hospital staff was wonderful, despite the fact that it was the Holidays and they were working. We also enjoyed the carolers that came by on Friday night and brought Zackary a cute little fire engine.  It was great.

We went straight home with Zackary home on Christmas Eve.  Linden insisted that because Anton and Isabel hadn't seen me for about two days that I go to his family Christmas Party with them while he stayed home with Zackary.

Zackary was SUPER excited to be home.  While I was driving him home he asked me if he was going home and if "he could not go back to the hospital for FOREVER?"  I told him that we were going home and I hope he didn't need to be back in the hospital for forever.

I am very grateful for Priesthood blessings and prayers being answered.  I am also very grateful that we didn't end up having Zackary in the hospital on Christmas.

Merry Christmas!

A few days before Christmas Anton was working on a project at the table.  In the midst of coloring and in deep thought he popped up with the following:

Anton:  Mom, I like Christmas better.

Me: Better than what, Anton?

Anton: Mother's Day.

There you have it, Christmas is better than Mother's day. (I whole-heartedly agree.)

We've Moved!!

I am sure that most of you that read my blog already know, but yes, we have moved.  We are now mostly completely settled.  I have only three more boxes to unpack, but I first need to rearrange a few things and re-organize so that I can get everything I need where I want it.  Linden claims that I have hidden everything from him.  I am just too anal to let him unpack anything because I want it where I want it.  Plus, I am the one here all day and need to know where things are placed.  He will eventually learn.  Unfortunately, one of the boxes that is not unpacked yet is the box with the cable to connect the camera to the computer. So no new pictures this post.

Today was our first Sunday in our new ward.  It seems like it will be a great ward.  I am really missing living in Shelley and being so close to grandparents and not in a city, though.  Maybe someday we will be blessed enough to get back to Shelley.  (Linden is hoping for Firth, we'll see.)

The thing that I like the most about our new place is that I don't need to have on four layers of clothes in order to stay just semi-warm.  The second thing is that there are NO mice. The third thing that I am enjoying about our new place is that when both of the boys need to use the bathroom at the same time one of them doesn't have to hold it or pee out the back door.  Hmmmm,  maybe the thing that I am actually enjoying the most is the fact that Isabel now shares a room with her brothers and not Mom and Dad.  YEAH.  I don't have to turn sideways to walk around her crib and get to my clothes.  I don't have to go to the hallway to put my pants on anymore because that is just something that can't be done while standing sideways between a bed and a crib.  I can get dressed in my room.  She sleeps better and Linden and I sleep better.  We have a space of our own again.

Anton is adjusting to his new school.  It has been difficult.  I feel that his class in Shelley was perfect for him.  Here it is good, there are just lots of challenges.  For some reason the district decided that all of the kids that either registered late or moved in would be sent to an overflow class instead of breaking it up throughout the district.  The overflow class seems to me to mostly consist of kids that their parents didn't care enough to make sure they got registered on time.   There are about four kids total in the class that know their alphabet.  Most of the children don't know their alphabet, numbers, or anything really.  The teacher is struggling trying to help them catch up. The childrens' social skills are also a bit behind, probably because of the type of environment they live in, making it more difficult for my shy little Anton to make any friends.  I know I shouldn't judge.  I wish there was something I could do to help these kids.  I am volunteering for half the class day every Friday in the classroom.  But where the kids really need help is at home.  In the meantime we continue to let Anton read to us at night and work on challenging him with work at home.

Zackary and Isabel have started getting quite jealous of each other.  While Anton is at school they both have to be held by me if one is held by me.  They both need to have the same toy. It is really cute to watch the way they interact with each other, best friends most of the time as long as they both feel they are getting what they need and want.  We are all like that, though.

Zackary is making progress with his speech.  He is also quite the gentleman.  He will always say, "Thank you for helping me, Mama."  with EVERY little thing.  I am astounded how polite he is.  He also is currently insisting that I listen to him and "see" him when he is talking, even when I am driving he wants me to "see" him.   He is always saying, Mama, I am telling you something, Mama, I am telling you something, Mama, I am telling you something, Mama, I am telling you something, Mama, I am telling you something,  SEE ME, Mama.  I think that he has caught on that I can't look at him while I am driving at least.  On all other occasions I am required to look at him so that he knows I am listening.  Hopefully soon he will realize that my ears work just as well if I am not looking at him while I am cooking, etc.  By then I will probably miss having him need to tell me every little thing and "see" him.

Isabel LOVES blankets.  Whenever she wakes up from her nap she always has to have her blanket leave the crib with her and be snuggled.  And when she sees Anton or Zackary get one of the blankets we keep on the couch and try to play with it she goes to them and takes it from them and insists that we snuggle her with it.  She is quite territorial with any blanket and thinks it belongs to her.

Linden and I are grateful that he has a job.  It is much better than when he didn't have any job at all.  We are truly blessed to be able to live in a bigger, warmer, cleaner, more comfortable home.  THANK YOU!!