PAPA

This is my Papa. He has always had a white beard for as long as I can remember. Every year he dresses up as Santa and doesn't need a fake beard. His is perfect!

This is Camden wearing a Santa bib. This bib has been hanging around our house this past year on random stuffed animals. Dan pointed at the bib which happened to be on a Monkey at the time and asked Camden what it was. Dan was expecting him to say Santa but he responded with "Papa".

I love that Camden knows his Papa is Santa!

Get Out Of Town

We had a nice little getaway this past weekend with our good pals. They have a beautiful cabin, just north of this blasted heat, in Prescott and invited us(our germs and all) to join them.
Even though we just went up for the night I was embarrassed with how much crap we packed. The back of our car was chucked full as well as theirs. It's amazing how much you need when the kids are in tow.

We ate more food than anyone should. We brought crap, baked even more, and devoured pretty much everything! Tiffani was so smart and brought cookie dough for us to enjoy. The altitude didn't like her cookies but we did.

The sleeping arrangements worked out just perfect. Jace got the hook up with this awesome portable crib and slept like a log!

The other kidlets enjoyed a late night movie in the family room snuggled up together.

The adults stayed up way past our usual bedtime playing board games, and of course eating more snacks. I didn't want the night end, it was THAT fun!

Our kids played so well together and were such good sports. At what age are they too old to be doing this and why do I think it's so cute now?

While hanging out at the park Sunday afternoon we happened upon some nice cowboys who kindly offered horse rides to our kids. Camden was mesmerized by the "horseys" until he got up close. Although he didn't take them up on their offer to ride, he at least got to touch one thanks to Tiffani's patience.

And of course the ride to and from is were most of the memories came from. The moon was beautiful, the small traffic jam was a nice break, Spencer's radical moves in his two-banger, and many more. Thanks for the invite we had a blast!

Keeping Things Exciting!

Poor Jace hasn't been feeling well the past couple weeks. His body finally decided to show me something I felt the doctor needed to see. A pretty ugly, painful looking rash coupled with irritability and not wanting to eat. I decided to take him to Urgent Care because of course it was Friday night when this all went down.

I'm normally not a huge fan of Urgent Care, or ER, simply because the doctor is not invested in you or your health. It's as if they see the same crap all the time and just want to get their shift over with. They never have any follow up and could care less if what they prescribed really did the trick. But that's just my opinion.

Tonight was much different. I followed the advice from my pediatricians website on where to go. It was a bit of a drive but worth every minute and mile on the car.

I went in expecting the doctor to treat Jace Man and came out with a diagnosis and prescriptions for not only Jace, but Dan and me as well. He was so thorough and felt it "un-ethical" to allow me to leave without being treated seeing how I was coughing up a lung in his office. I guess Dan was right, we needed to get to the doctor. I thought we could tough it out and be fine. Guess it was worse than I thought.

Poor Jacers has that stupid Hand-Foot-Mouth infection with painful blisters in his ears and throat from Dan and I coughing our nasty respiratory secretions all over him. And Dan and I have Walking Pneumonia. So in case you're wondering...we are one big germ fest over here!

And P.S. if you notice Dan and I looking a little "puffy", spare me. Just know we are on a serious dose of steroids mixed with nasty antibiotics to clear this crap up!

Male Bonding

Dan's friend was in town this past week and as a result there was quite a bit of male bonding going on! They made it to two different Dodger's games. One of which they witnessed the pitcher getting nailed in the head with a line drive all while chatting with that teams doctor. They went golfing a few times and even played in a tournament together. They enjoyed eating food that isn't good for you. They were able to enjoy way more Sports Center and ESPN than anyone should, all while sitting next to someone else that cared. Good times!

Thanks for coming to play Tyson, we love you!

1 Down 3 To Go

I'm thrilled that Camden is feeling much better. I really can't believe how hard that entire ordeal was. He makes sure to tell us several times a day that he has "no owies". He even got to go golfing with Dan and his buddy Tyson after being cooped up and his "strenuous activity" limited.

Day time is good and we are working on nights. He is still up a few times each night and I'm thinking that might be out of habit now. We will deal with that! I haven't noticed him randomly falling asleep and I'm hopeful that's due to better sleep quality. I guess we will wait and see how big of a difference not having tonsils makes.

Baby Jace on the other hand has had a rough few days. He is sweating like a pig still, spitting up more than usual, and fussy throughout the day(totally not his norm). I feel bad not knowing what's bothering him. I keep thinking he can't possibly be getting more teeth, but he is still drooling a bunch and chewing on everything. I'll keep my fingers crossed.
Dan and I have had a wicked cold for at least two weeks. I'm crossing my toes that neither of my boys get it, but I'm not holding my breath.

One person doing better, three more to go!

Knock On Wood

I'm a little scared to admit this out loud but.....today was a much better day. I'm hopeful Camden is on the mend. Last night I was able to get a bowl of mashed potatoes down him. That is the first amount of real food he has eaten all week. He only woke up a handful of times throughout the night as opposed to 10+, I consider that significant progress.

This morning he helped me make blueberry muffins and put down 1.5 of them. I think he secretly enjoyed being able to eat again; although lunch and dinner were another story. The crazy kid even turned down an ice cream cone.
Giving him pain medication has become less painful; he still cries but doesn't have to be held down. I can tell something is a little off because he will randomly tell me in the middle of the day that he is tired and wants to lay down. That would have never happened before. EVER. I'm not sure if it's the new Camden, the sick Camden, or the drugged up Camden. But is it bad if I kinda like it, no matter which one it is?

Jace on the other hand was crying this evening which is totally rare. It took him a good ten minutes to settle down(I understand that is nothing, but for him, it is weird). He was sweating like a pig when I noticed his second tooth came through. He now has his bottom, front, right tooth. He is going to town!

They both got baths, drugs, and into bed before 8 o'clock. Things are lookin' good!

He's On A Roll

On several different occasions I've found Jace lying on his back when I distinctly remember putting him on his belly. Each time I wondered if he had mastered rolling over, or if his big brother helped him out. I couldn't bring myself to writing it in his baby book(let's be honest...I haven't pulled that out since he was born...whoops) unless I saw it with my own two eyes.


But today I saw it. Several times. He is almost a pro. Watch and learn...

Ahh...this is the life!!!

First Tooth

This little guy...I mean big man...decided to roll over from his back to belly a couple times today. He also decided after several blow out diaper changes to let his tooth pop through. I wish my kids didn't get teeth so early!
But for memory sake he got his bottom, left, front tooth! Good job Jacers!

This Too Shall Pass

I was ready to throw in the towel today. This has been much harder than I ever anticipated and it wasn't even me who had surgery! I'm positive it would've been hard no matter what, but with all the other sickness going on around here it hasn't helped my case.

I try to remind myself, This too shall pass.

Jace has been sweating like an overweight menopausal woman, not wanting to eat, pooping like it's going out of style, and sleeping quite a bit. I'm not sure if it's a lingering stomach bug, a cold, him getting shots, or teething. Who knows, maybe it's a combination.

This too shall pass.

I followed some wise advise from a sweet friend and have been making Camden take his Lortab for pain. It hasn't been an option. If Dan is home he holds him down and I administer the goods. If Dan isn't, I wrap him in a blanket which doubles as a restraint, and make him gag it down. Oh to be a fly on the wall at my house. I'm not sure if the medication is helping but it makes me feel a little better.
Yesterday another dear friend brought dinner by. She was probably scared for her life when she walked into my disaster of a house. I'm not joking when I say there wasn't even a spot for her to put her tupperware on my counter. She graciously opted for the spot with spilled chocolate milk and grape slush, pretending not to notice. Talk about embarrassing!

Camden was up at least 10 times last night in hysterics. I am losing the last bit of patience I have left with every passing nanosecond.

Remember Lissa, This too shall pass.

I promise I'm not writing this for your pity, because heaven knows what you'd find if you came over to help. I would probably be too embarrassed to even answer the door. This so called way of venting is mostly for my sanity. I am currently barricaded in my room with a Dr. Pepper in hand while I have some "me time" on the computer.

I know this is but a small moment in time, and hopefully someday I will look back and be grateful we went through it. But for know I look forward to remembering, This too shall pass.

4 Months

On Monday The Jacers hit his 4 month mark. We took him to the doctor today and learned the following stats:
He weighs 17lbs 14oz(90%), and is 27in(90%) tall, and his head is 42.4cm(50%) around.

He got one shot per leg and did NOT even cry. I've heard of that happening but never really believed it. Well believe it folks. I've been saying for the past four months that Jace is just what we needed. He is calm, reserved, patient, and the perfect baby!

We attempted rice cereal for the first time this week. He actually did better than I anticipated. I think he is a solid guy and ready for more food. I guess we'll see how quickly he catches on.

I remember my mom telling me she used to lay us on the floor when she fed us cause it went down easier. I tried it with Jace Man and it worked like a charm.

Not Looking Good

After we all made it to bed last night I was awaken by my eldest son(it always is, but I gave him permission this week). As I sat on the floor rubbing his back trying to soothe him to sleep I heard a gurgling noise coming from the crib(that's another post, they both sleep in the same room now). I jumped up to see Jace choking on green vomit. I ripped him out of bed and as instincts had it, pounded on his back. He got up quite a bit, never crying, but I could tell he didn't feel well. I tore off the sheets, handed him to Dan with a clean pair of jammie's and went back in with Camden who fell asleep shortly thereafter.
After being up a few more times that night we woke up to Jace completely lethargic, not wanting to eat(you know somethings wrong if he won't eat). I wondered at first if it was the cereal I fed him the night before(I'll save that for another post...his first bite of "real food") that didn't sit well. But that thought quickly went out the door when Camden began throwing up. We've got the flu!

So on top of Dan and I both having a cold from hell, Camden just having surgery. We now have two kids with the flu! Yippee!!!

As of 5 o'clock this evening Jace seems to be on the mend. He hasn't thrown up at all today and has even kept down 4 ounces of formula.

Camden on the other hand is starting to worry us. It breaks my heart that he is old enough to understand he needs to run to the toilet when he's got to barf :( Not to mention his throat was just cut to shreds and the vomiting definitely won't help his pain. He doesn't want to drink his pain medication because his throat hurts. I get that. But how to do help your 2 year old understand that he needs to stay hydrated or his pain will increase? And if he takes the pain medication his throat won't hurt as bad, which in turn will allow him to swallow easier. It's a no win situation in his eyes and my reality.

The doctor warned, "It will get worse before it gets better". I felt ready to deal with Camden post op. But not with the flu and a head cold from hell.

1st Hospital Stay

Monday morning we dropped Jace off at Kathy's(our babysitter) and made our way to the hospital by 7:30. While I checked in, Dan and Camden had some male bonding time playing games on the cell phone(it's a guy thing, I'll never get it).
It wasn't long before we found ourselves back in the pre-op area ready to go. Things ran pretty smoothly and on schedule without much lag time for him to think about food.

After a few minutes of bubbles they had an awesome "child life specialist" come in and get Camden used to the idea of putting the anesthesia mask on his face. They spread some yummy flavoring on the mask and told him to help Mr. Bear smell it. When Camden put the mask up to the bears face, she moved it's chest and made a breathing sound. She explained to Camden that the mask helps Mr. Bear breathe. Camden quickly caught on and would put it on his own face and take a deep breath.

I am a firm believer that each child learns differently. And I'm well aware that Camden takes things much better once explained several times(like his mom). I have found he enjoys role playing and I often use his "baby Eddie" to explain how Camden needs to do things. So for two days before he went to the hospital I explained to him what was going to happen. I showed him on "baby Eddie" as well as himself where his tonsils were and how the doctor would make his "owies" better.

So when they brought Mr. Bear out I thought it was brilliant, and just what he needed. Last time Camden had surgery he cried hysterically when they took him back. This time was much easier. I asked him to hold Mr. Bear and help him breathe and they both would both go back to see the doctor. It worked. He didn't cry, and neither did I. What a relief!

After we got him settled into his room and some good ol' narcotics on board he was a crack up. His voice was several octaves higher(not that it was deep before), and he was in a trance. He immediately wanted out of his room to go for a walk(once again like his mom, not wanting to be cooped up). This is how we spent a good portion of our stay in the hospital.

The nurses insisted on keeping him hooked up to the IV even though I could see he only got 10cc every hour. So we carted that dang thing around the entire hospital. The floor he was on was small and not much going on, so he HAD TO be out and about. We made it down to see the bunnies, trains, pet therapy dogs, cafeteria, you name it we traveled to it.

I now have a far greater appreciation for parents who spend a lot of time in the hospital with sick kids. It is hard! You feel cooped up, your kid feels cooped up. People give you sympathy looks that just make everyone feel awkward. People bend over backwards to help hold the door or move out of your way in the hall(which is all VERY VERY nice, but I just wanted a sign that said "tonsillectomy, he's not dying". It was hard being with a healthy kid in a place where others were mourning illnesses that could be taking over.

This morning Dr. Yin came in and asked Camden how he was doing. Camden said, "I tonsils bye bye". The doctor laughed, gave him a high five, and wished us good luck!

It's good to be home.

Camden Conversations

Tonight at dinner:

Camden: Daddy, I haf a tookie?
Dan: Yes, after you eat your dinner.
Camden: Momma, I haf a tookie?
Lissa: Yes, after you eat your dinner.
Camden: Chewie(the dog), I haf a tookie?
Dan: (laughing)Did he really just ask the dog?
Lissa: (laughing)Yep!

Tonight while he was lying in bed trying to go to sleep:

Camden: Heably Faaher, na...na...nas day. Na..na..me nigh night. I farted. E-suze me. Name, Sesus-ist....Amen.
Lissa:(sitting in the comfy chair pretending to be asleep) AMEN!

10 days in 1 post

We had so much fun on our little getaway, it was really hard to narrow down my pictures so bear with me!

We spent a good chunk of time in Idaho hanging out with my little brother and parents. It was different going to their new house. It felt as if we were staying in a vacation home instead of "going home to visit". It is a beautiful house and there are lots of new and exciting things to do nearby. We look forward to our next visit and I'm excited for the memories that can be made in that house.

Seeing how Camden is obsessed with dinosaurs we spent a couple hours at the dinosaur park. It was hot but a perfect way to break up all the driving we were doing. He wasn't quite sure what to think at first but quickly fell in love.

We even let the dinosaurs enjoy a nibble off our little Jace man. They found him to be rather tasty!

I'm not sure who Camden enjoyed spending time with more, Uncle "tay-lub" or the "big big dino's". Either way, we had a blast!

Whenever we get together with my family we always manage to play games. You can always find a board or card game going on. Camden caught on pretty quick!

On Saturday we had fun hanging out doing girl things. While Dan spent the day doing what he loves most...golfing, we enjoyed gossiping, eating, and painting nails!

I'll have you know that my mom and Nanny don't even remember the last time they had polish on their toenails. It was so fun to rope them into the good times and give them a little primping. They thought I was weird for wanting to capture the moment on camera...but this my friends...was a big deal!

We spent one of our days at Lagoon with Dans family and had a great time. It was nice to spend a day with his mom and siblings. A big thanks to everyone who helped put it together, we had so much fun!

Thanks to Leslie we were able to spend a morning at the Discovery Gateway and had a blast. Our kids played so well together, it made me sad they don't get to hang out more.

I'm pretty sure Camden is going to go through withdrawls soon. He had constant entertainment and we were always doing something exciting!

Not to mention Dan and I enjoyed ourselves too. We had a blast out on the lake and it reminded us how old we really are.

Thanks to everyone who went out of their way to make our stay so much fun! We miss being on vacation already!