We are very happy to be home after our hospital stay. Connor had a very difficult night last night keeping his oxygen levels appropriate. There was a pretty big scare between 1-3am, but after he got some really good coughs out, he was able to breathe a lot better! The ICU staff and doctors were considering transferring us to the floor in the middle of the night and then the oxygen problem happened...that kept us on the unit through morning rounds. I really had to fight hard to get him released to home, but I finally convinced them that he would be much better off at home recovering than being vulnerable in the hospital to secondary illness.
I have to say, we are exhausted and are in need of sleep. You never get a good nights rest in the hospital, and last night was no exception. Please agree with us in prayer that Connor's pain would be minimal. He is such a trooper!!!! He is taking Tylenol every 4 hours and rotating Tylenol w/Codine every other dose. Since we have been home he has been playing so good with little agitation. We thank the Lord that he is doing much better than we anticipated and we trust that this will continue!!!
I will update again in a couple of days and let you all know how he is recovering.
We are all hoping for a good night of rest tonight!!!!
Lovebug Hugs,
Lori
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Successful Surgery!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We are so happy to report that Connor is out of surgery and it was a great success!!! We arrived at the hospital at 10:30 and we waited and waited to be called back. Finally we were in the pre-surgery screening area and we were told that Connor's surgery might not happen. Apparently the hospital is so full of patients right now that they did not have an ICU bed available for him to be in, so they put the surgery on hold. By 2:00pm we were told that a room became available and the surgery was a GO!!!! They administered some "happy" medication to Connor to settle him down a bit and then he got the giggles like you can't believe!!! It was the cutest thing I've ever seen. Here he was, getting ready for a big surgery and he was giggling like a silly school girl!!! I guess there really are hidden blessings behind every obstacle!!!
Before they took him in to the operating room, one of the nurses came back and told us that our prayers must really have been answered for this surgery to take place. There were 8 surgeries on hold and Connor was one of two that actually happened. Praise the Lord for that!!! We don't know why Connor was chosen, but we are thankful that he was and that we didn't have to turn around and go home.
About 2:30pm they took Connor from us and headed down that long, ominous hallway to the operating room. We, of course, had prepared Connor best we could to make that long walk without us. We assured him with our prayers as well as the little white treasure box we always send with him into the Operating Room. It contains 2 silver hearts that represent Daddy & Mommy's hearts going with him into the unknown and it also contains a small coin with his name on it and a picture of a Guardian Angel that promises to always be at his side. We have sent that box with him on far too many occassions, but it somehow gives us comfort to send it with him. Before he left us, I once again told Connor the story of his little guardian angel, Herman (that many of you remember that have read the blog from the very beginning). I reminded him that Herman would be there waiting for him when he entered the big white room and he would be doing loopty loops in the corners to make him giggle. We also told him that Herman would sing his favorite songs and whisper in his ears how much we loved him, but that Jesus always loves him more. It is always fun to remind Connor how much he is loved, even if it is in a silly manner.
Before they took him in to the operating room, one of the nurses came back and told us that our prayers must really have been answered for this surgery to take place. There were 8 surgeries on hold and Connor was one of two that actually happened. Praise the Lord for that!!! We don't know why Connor was chosen, but we are thankful that he was and that we didn't have to turn around and go home.
About 2:30pm they took Connor from us and headed down that long, ominous hallway to the operating room. We, of course, had prepared Connor best we could to make that long walk without us. We assured him with our prayers as well as the little white treasure box we always send with him into the Operating Room. It contains 2 silver hearts that represent Daddy & Mommy's hearts going with him into the unknown and it also contains a small coin with his name on it and a picture of a Guardian Angel that promises to always be at his side. We have sent that box with him on far too many occassions, but it somehow gives us comfort to send it with him. Before he left us, I once again told Connor the story of his little guardian angel, Herman (that many of you remember that have read the blog from the very beginning). I reminded him that Herman would be there waiting for him when he entered the big white room and he would be doing loopty loops in the corners to make him giggle. We also told him that Herman would sing his favorite songs and whisper in his ears how much we loved him, but that Jesus always loves him more. It is always fun to remind Connor how much he is loved, even if it is in a silly manner.
After Connor was on his way, we headed down to the cafeteria to get a bowl of soup. We sat in our, all too familiar spot, in front of the large fish tank. We remembered vividly all the moments we had sat at that table in tears pleading with the Lord to spare our little boys life. Today, was different story. We thanked the Lord for His faithfulness to Connor over these 3 1/2 years and thanked him for the many miracles that He has preformed for Connor. We asked the Lord to spare him, this time, from pain. Our prayer is that he would have minimal pain as he recovers and that this surgery would accomplish what we sincerely hope it will......better health & an increased immune system for Connor.
Well, it wasn't more than about an hour and we received the page. We called up and sure enough, they were done with the surgery and the surgeon was waiting to talk with us. We knew that everything must have been a great success since it was such a short surgery. There was a spring in our step as we headed down the long hallways here at the hospital. When Dr. Sie greeted us she had a big smile on her face and said that Connor did GREAT. His tonsils were removed as they were the size of unshelled almonds on each side. Comparitively speaking, that is huge compared to the size of Connor's throat (well, to anyone's throat for that matter!). His adenoids looked very good and were quite small so she left those in and she felt that was the best decision. We trust her fully with Connor, so we are grateful that he didn't have to have them out as well. His airway was in perfect condition and looked completely normal and his ear tubes we in proper size and location for his growth over the next year. All things considered, this was a great outcome. Since the tonsils were the only thing to be surgically removed, his recovery should not be as difficult as we anticipated. It will still be rough, but probably only a couple of weeks.
The surgeon helped us better understand that Connor may actually have a better time of recovery not eating by mouth than he would if he were eating. We were surprised, because we were sure this would be the other way around. Actually, with the g-tube, we can make sure that he has proper nutrition and hydration without having to activate the throat muscles, which will be better on Connor for the long run of the recovery. Praise the Lord for answered prayer on this issue.
We are with Connor in the ICU right now and he is struggling to keep his oxygen levels up on his own and is requiring oxygen to supplement his breathing!!! Please pray that he would be able to do this on his own so that we can go home tomorrow.
We appreciate all of your prayers and I will update again later.
Lovebug Hugs,
Lori
Monday, November 02, 2009
Surgery Tomorrow...Nov. 3rd 2009
We are once again heading into the operating room. Tomorrow, Connor will go into the OR at Children's Hospital for his Tonsil & Adenoid Removal Surgery. We check in at 10am and the surgery is scheduled for 11:45am. We will be posting updates just as soon as we have information both here and on Facebook. Thank you in advance for your prayers for Connor. This is going to be a rough surgery for him. The recovery will be more difficult for Connor than the typical child because he is still exclusively on the g-tube for his nutrition. Typically, children would enjoy milkshakes and popsicles to soothe the pain and swelling post surgery, but Connor will not be able to do those things. We are quite sure that they will give him some pretty strong pain medication for that very reason, but time will quickly tell what he will need.
Randy is home so he will be with us at the hospital which I am very grateful for. My mom will be here with the little munchkins and we anticipate a couple of days in the ICU and then hopefully we will be able to bring him home.
Time to get some sleep before the big day tomorrow. We covet your faithful prayers and encouragement.
Lovebug Hugs,
Lori
Randy is home so he will be with us at the hospital which I am very grateful for. My mom will be here with the little munchkins and we anticipate a couple of days in the ICU and then hopefully we will be able to bring him home.
Time to get some sleep before the big day tomorrow. We covet your faithful prayers and encouragement.
Lovebug Hugs,
Lori
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Coming up for air.....
As I mentioned in our last entry, we had a big week with Connor starting preschool and Alex turning one. What I didn't anticipate was the fact that sickness was going to befall the Robertson home once again.
Connor did start preschool and made it 3 days until he came down with a horrible cough, runny nose, fever and flu symptoms. Within a day, Alex and Mackenzie came down with it too. Randy came home and he got sick within a day. Yikes!!!! Mackenzie had the croup, Alex had a fever and really bad cold symptoms and I ended up in the ER at Children's Hospital with Connor last Sunday. They diagnosed him with croup, sinus infection and asthma. He is now on an inhaler for some breathing issues.
This past week was spent trying desperately to get everyone feeling better, but it has not been easy. Mackenzie is finally feeling somewhat better after 10 days, Alex is still miserable with an awful cold (on top of teething) and Connor is doing much better, but still coughs with a bit of a runny nose. Randy went back to work today, reluctantly, but felt that he had used enough sick days. There have been lots of sleepless nights around here and I just have to pray that things are going to look up soon.
I'm so torn about sending Connor back to school as we must keep him healthy for his upcoming surgery. I think I am just going to play it by ear for a while and see what my heart tells me to do. We did start Connor on some, much needed, nutritional supplements and a vitamin regime that we really pray will do the trick to build him up in his immune system and allow him to survive the world around him & the germs that are inevitable. So far, we have seen an improvement in his mood and sleep.....let's hope that these results continue to improve his overall health.
We know that many of you are also battling sickness, swine flu and fall colds. We understand what you are going through and we will pray for all of our blogger friends to feel healthy & strong soon. Remember, good hand washing and covering our coughs as well as some simple common sense can help us all feel safer in this germ infested time where sickness seems to be very widespread. We want everyone to feel happy & healthy and we pray that sickness would stay away, so let's all do our part...I guess the Mother Hen in me is coming out....I just want all the little chicks to be well!!!!
Lovebug Hugs & Well Wishes To All!!!
Lori
Connor did start preschool and made it 3 days until he came down with a horrible cough, runny nose, fever and flu symptoms. Within a day, Alex and Mackenzie came down with it too. Randy came home and he got sick within a day. Yikes!!!! Mackenzie had the croup, Alex had a fever and really bad cold symptoms and I ended up in the ER at Children's Hospital with Connor last Sunday. They diagnosed him with croup, sinus infection and asthma. He is now on an inhaler for some breathing issues.
This past week was spent trying desperately to get everyone feeling better, but it has not been easy. Mackenzie is finally feeling somewhat better after 10 days, Alex is still miserable with an awful cold (on top of teething) and Connor is doing much better, but still coughs with a bit of a runny nose. Randy went back to work today, reluctantly, but felt that he had used enough sick days. There have been lots of sleepless nights around here and I just have to pray that things are going to look up soon.
I'm so torn about sending Connor back to school as we must keep him healthy for his upcoming surgery. I think I am just going to play it by ear for a while and see what my heart tells me to do. We did start Connor on some, much needed, nutritional supplements and a vitamin regime that we really pray will do the trick to build him up in his immune system and allow him to survive the world around him & the germs that are inevitable. So far, we have seen an improvement in his mood and sleep.....let's hope that these results continue to improve his overall health.
We know that many of you are also battling sickness, swine flu and fall colds. We understand what you are going through and we will pray for all of our blogger friends to feel healthy & strong soon. Remember, good hand washing and covering our coughs as well as some simple common sense can help us all feel safer in this germ infested time where sickness seems to be very widespread. We want everyone to feel happy & healthy and we pray that sickness would stay away, so let's all do our part...I guess the Mother Hen in me is coming out....I just want all the little chicks to be well!!!!
Lovebug Hugs & Well Wishes To All!!!
Lori
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Big Week Ahead Of Us.......
Well, this is going to be a big week for the Robertson gang!!! Randy is off at work again and Connor will start preschool on Monday and Alex will celebrate his first birthday on Tuesday!
First of all, Connor. He will begin preschool at Alpac Elementary on Monday afternoon. I am hopeful that this will be the year for Connor to have a great experience at school after last year being such a devastating start. If you'll remember, he got sick in just the 4 days he was in the classroom last year. I am nervous that Connor will struggle with illness again, but we just have to give it a try. I took him to orientation on Friday of last week and it was a complete nightmare. He screamed and cried the whole time. I don't know what prompted such severe outbursts, but it was extremely hard for me and it was an unfair way for him to meet his teacher. Connor struggles in so many areas, I desperately want him to excel in school, to fit in and be accepted and be liked by others. It's really hard when he isn't where the other kids are, they look at him differently and I wonder what his education profile is going to look like. We are so committed to Connor and to his progress in a variety of areas, and education is on the top of the list. I guess that's why this is so important to me that he receives the right placement and the right place for him to try and make strides with preschool learning and social integration. We are putting our best foot forward tomorrow and praying for good results. Please pray for Connor in this area. Pray that he would feel comfortable in the classroom setting and that he would be safe from illness. Pray that the teacher and para-educators would know how to best encourage and boost his learning. Pray that he would have fun with other kids and enjoy learning new things. I know for most kids, preschool is an anticipated step toward independence and expanded opportunities, however for Connor, there are many limitations because of his delays. Call me overprotective, that's OK, but I just want the very best for him and I am worried!!! He will be in school Monday - Thursday in the afternoons from 1:00 - 3:40. I will be taking him to school because it is too much out of my comfort zone to send him on the bus when he's not walking or communicating yet. That one's going to take me a while to feel comfortable with. So, for now it will be me and the bug-a-boo off to school (with the other munchkins in toe as well) 4 days a week. Wish him well tomorrow and say your prayers for an awesome day and a great start to preschool.
OK, now on to Alex. Our little peanut is going to be ONE year old on Tuesday. It's really hard to believe that he is already approaching this huge milestone. It truly seems like yesterday that he was born...maybe that's just because I haven't shed that baby weight yet...Hee Hee. Since Randy is not going to be home, we have opted to celebrate the big #1 on the 25th with the grandparents instead of doing it on his actual birthday. He will enjoy being the center of attention with lots of love & snuggles & presents. He recently recovered from about a 10 day sickness with a yucky virus called Rotavirus. Poor little fella, lost a lot of weight and was just miserable. He's starting to eat normally again and he's beginning to fill out in his little face as well. He's cruisin' all over the place, but hasn't taken any independent steps yet. Probably within the next month he'll be walking all over the house!!! He finally has 4 teeth, that have all come in within the last 3 weeks....literally. Teething has been miserable for Alex. I hope that he can get some more so we can make better strides with eating. He really doesn't like anything he has to chew yet, because he just has those silly gums. But now that he has front teeth we are making a little bit of progress in this department. He remains a constant joy and he keeps me on my toes....he's faster than lightning!!
We enjoyed taking Mackenzie to the Puyallup Fair last Friday on opening day. She just loved the animals and the petting zoo. She has no fear when it comes to animals so she was playing with Billy Goats, bunnies, and even a little baby hen. She also loved being on Daddy's shoulders to see the giant draft horses. Wow, those things are big!! We strolled around all afternoon and she even went on her first roller coaster...Daddy accompanied her on the Tiger Coaster while Mama video taped. She did great and loved the 3 rides that she went on. In fact the next morning when she got up she kept talking about how "very fun" the fair was. The scones and corn dogs were yummy, but boy oh boy, every year they are more expensive....Whew...It was a small investment just to attend the fair for a few hours. I'm not complaining though, we had a great time!!!
That's it for the moment. I'll try to post pictures of our big week soon. Also, our thoughts and prayers go out to our California family members on the news of Uncle Ernie's entrance to Heaven. That was Randy's dad's brother and a wonderful man. We loved him dearly and we are praying for Aunt Shirley and the rest of the family as they find peace in this difficult time.
All our Lovebug Hugs,
Lori
First of all, Connor. He will begin preschool at Alpac Elementary on Monday afternoon. I am hopeful that this will be the year for Connor to have a great experience at school after last year being such a devastating start. If you'll remember, he got sick in just the 4 days he was in the classroom last year. I am nervous that Connor will struggle with illness again, but we just have to give it a try. I took him to orientation on Friday of last week and it was a complete nightmare. He screamed and cried the whole time. I don't know what prompted such severe outbursts, but it was extremely hard for me and it was an unfair way for him to meet his teacher. Connor struggles in so many areas, I desperately want him to excel in school, to fit in and be accepted and be liked by others. It's really hard when he isn't where the other kids are, they look at him differently and I wonder what his education profile is going to look like. We are so committed to Connor and to his progress in a variety of areas, and education is on the top of the list. I guess that's why this is so important to me that he receives the right placement and the right place for him to try and make strides with preschool learning and social integration. We are putting our best foot forward tomorrow and praying for good results. Please pray for Connor in this area. Pray that he would feel comfortable in the classroom setting and that he would be safe from illness. Pray that the teacher and para-educators would know how to best encourage and boost his learning. Pray that he would have fun with other kids and enjoy learning new things. I know for most kids, preschool is an anticipated step toward independence and expanded opportunities, however for Connor, there are many limitations because of his delays. Call me overprotective, that's OK, but I just want the very best for him and I am worried!!! He will be in school Monday - Thursday in the afternoons from 1:00 - 3:40. I will be taking him to school because it is too much out of my comfort zone to send him on the bus when he's not walking or communicating yet. That one's going to take me a while to feel comfortable with. So, for now it will be me and the bug-a-boo off to school (with the other munchkins in toe as well) 4 days a week. Wish him well tomorrow and say your prayers for an awesome day and a great start to preschool.
OK, now on to Alex. Our little peanut is going to be ONE year old on Tuesday. It's really hard to believe that he is already approaching this huge milestone. It truly seems like yesterday that he was born...maybe that's just because I haven't shed that baby weight yet...Hee Hee. Since Randy is not going to be home, we have opted to celebrate the big #1 on the 25th with the grandparents instead of doing it on his actual birthday. He will enjoy being the center of attention with lots of love & snuggles & presents. He recently recovered from about a 10 day sickness with a yucky virus called Rotavirus. Poor little fella, lost a lot of weight and was just miserable. He's starting to eat normally again and he's beginning to fill out in his little face as well. He's cruisin' all over the place, but hasn't taken any independent steps yet. Probably within the next month he'll be walking all over the house!!! He finally has 4 teeth, that have all come in within the last 3 weeks....literally. Teething has been miserable for Alex. I hope that he can get some more so we can make better strides with eating. He really doesn't like anything he has to chew yet, because he just has those silly gums. But now that he has front teeth we are making a little bit of progress in this department. He remains a constant joy and he keeps me on my toes....he's faster than lightning!!
We enjoyed taking Mackenzie to the Puyallup Fair last Friday on opening day. She just loved the animals and the petting zoo. She has no fear when it comes to animals so she was playing with Billy Goats, bunnies, and even a little baby hen. She also loved being on Daddy's shoulders to see the giant draft horses. Wow, those things are big!! We strolled around all afternoon and she even went on her first roller coaster...Daddy accompanied her on the Tiger Coaster while Mama video taped. She did great and loved the 3 rides that she went on. In fact the next morning when she got up she kept talking about how "very fun" the fair was. The scones and corn dogs were yummy, but boy oh boy, every year they are more expensive....Whew...It was a small investment just to attend the fair for a few hours. I'm not complaining though, we had a great time!!!
That's it for the moment. I'll try to post pictures of our big week soon. Also, our thoughts and prayers go out to our California family members on the news of Uncle Ernie's entrance to Heaven. That was Randy's dad's brother and a wonderful man. We loved him dearly and we are praying for Aunt Shirley and the rest of the family as they find peace in this difficult time.
All our Lovebug Hugs,
Lori
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Connor & Alex - New Pictures!!!
Connor's 3 1/2 year photo's --- I know we have been late in posting current pictures...so here you go!!!! Isn't he getting big? We are having so much fun with him and he is such a joy to our hearts!!!!!!!
Connor had such a blast at his photo shoot at Indigo Studios....Russell Lorne did a great job capturing Connor "in his element"!!! Here he is standing up saying "Hi Friends"!!
Alex at 9 months!!!
Such a happy guy!!!!
I love that toothless grin!!!
We are so blessed with these handsome fellas!!!!
Lovebug Hugs,
Lori
Sunday, August 16, 2009
August Update!!!!!
What a tremendous blessing it is for me to get messages from those of you who are awaiting an update on how things are in the Robertson home. It reminds me that there is a world beyond these walls that cares and loves us beyond measure and wants to know what's going on.
Once again I find myself apologizing for not making time for the blog. These 3 munchkins keep me on my toes around here and summertime also carries its own busyness. So here's a bit of a rundown on life around our house.
July brought HOT HOT HOT weather around here and I thought the boys might just melt up in their bedroom. Unfortunately, they have the hottest room in the house....so those nights were pretty unbearable for them (and the rest of us) because of the heat. We did survive it though and we took off for Eastern WA for some vacation the 19th of July. Myself and the kids went to Leavenworth with my folks for a week and then Randy met us over there at the end of that week and accompanied us to Wenatchee for another 5 days with the Robertson side of the family. Our time in Leavenworth was hot and fun, however, Connor ended up having another 'bout with MRSA. I caught it right away and started treating it, but there's never a calm moment in my heart when that little fella is sick. He ended up coming back home with my parents and we kept Mackenzie and Alex with us for the Wenatchee part of the trip. We endured record high temps with the rest of the state that week and were quite glad that we opted to stay in a hotel instead of trailer camping this year. We had a nice time with family, as we always do and had fun in the pool as well. Randy took some time to get back out on the water and do some skiing, which he hadn't done in 2 years...so he loved that. I was hoping for a day on the water as well to do some skiing or jet skiing, but I realized that my grasp is still not what it should be to do that, so I was with the kids.
This summer has been a trying time with Randy gone so much. It seems that his schedule just doesn't let up and we only have him home for maybe 3 days at a time, but just last week he had been gone for 6 days, came home for 30 hours and now he's gone again for another 6. Whew....it is hard to keep my chin up some days, but I really am trying to manage with a joyful heart. Some days are not as successful as others in this department, but the days keep moving forward.
Our littlest guy, Alex will be turning the big #1 in just a month (Sept. 15th). I can't believe it's already been a year. Where does the time go?? I wish I knew the answer to this question, but in the hectic life we all seem to lead, it goes without saying that we loose so much time in the process of doing life!!!!
Alex has struggled to get teeth. As of today, he finally had a top and a bottom tooth sneak out from underneath the skin. I think this poor little fella is gonna get 6 or 7 teeth at once...from what it looks like in that swollen little mouth of his. He hasn't been sleeping well, which is always difficult, so I look forward to these teeth coming so we can get back to a normal sleeping schedule. Other than that, he is such a happy little guy and so much fun....He is almost walking, so we are hopeful for independent steps by his first birthday.
Mackenzie continues to be my outdoor girl. She has a great love for rocks. She could stay outside all day collecting rocks and digging in the dirt. That poor girls fingernails just can't stay clean enough for me, but hey, she's having fun. I keep wanting to start the potty training experience with her, as I really think she's ready, but I haven't made it a priority yet. I need to get on this for her sake, and mine. She continues to be a very picky eater, so that is challenging. Any tricks of the trade would be greatly appreciated if any of you are so inclined to share your thoughts. She's a pile of fun and her little, high-pitched voice is a hoot. She says some of the cutest things and we're constantly worried that we're not video taping enough or capturing all of these moments so that we have them forever. Some days I just have to remind myself that I am making a heart memory if I can't get it on film or video.
Connor is a busy little guy too. He is really flourishing with his "gait trainer" walker. He loves to walk and he has taken 7 independent steps on his own so far. We're so proud of him and we encourage him to become more mobile every day. He still loves his water therapy with Miss Erica and he looks forward to it every week. We had another insurance battle over the past month so he missed a couple of sessions, but it looks like that is all getting resolved nicely. Last week we had appointments up at Children's Hospital with his ENT. After doing the evaluation and X-rays, they have determined that Connor needs his tonsils and adenoids removed. They are both quite enlarged and could be a big contributor to his sinus infections through the winter months and his poor sleep habits. We will see his cardiologist this coming week to get him cleared for surgery and then hopefully, we will have the procedure done in early September. It will be a pretty big deal for Connor and they feel that he will, most likely, spend a couple of nights in the ICU before coming home. They prepared me for a pretty unhappy little guy for about 2 weeks, but said that they would provide good pain management for him. I have some apprehension with all of this, but I am trusting that we are moving in the right direction for him.
Our families are doing well. This coming week we will celebrate Dad Robertson's (John) 85th birthday. What a blessing to celebrate our parents and how wonderful they are. Mom Robertson (Ruberta) has been battling a cyst in her knee for a few weeks now. She was in a lot of pain at first and now that seems to be getting better. We are praying that this goes down on it's own so the doctors don't have to do any kind of surgery. Dad & Mom Milliren are doing great as well. Still trying to figure out if they want to sell their house or stay...no decision on that yet. Dad (Bruce) hasn't done near the amount of fishing this year that he normally does, but maybe he'll catch up this fall. Mom (RaeAnn) is busy as ever, but did slow down last week with a UTI, but she is feeling much better now. My brother Bryan just summitted Mt. Adams this weekend...way to go Bryan...I'm proud of you! There's nothing like standing on top of a mountain, huh? Anyway, everyone is busy now and getting ready for the start of school here in a couple of weeks.
Well, there you go...another update on our busy family life. My to-do list keeps getting longer and longer and I find it harder and harder to get things crossed off.....such is the life of just about every mother I know. Keep us in your prayers as always, and know that we very much appreciate all of your love and support for our family.
Lovebug Hugs,
Lori
Once again I find myself apologizing for not making time for the blog. These 3 munchkins keep me on my toes around here and summertime also carries its own busyness. So here's a bit of a rundown on life around our house.
July brought HOT HOT HOT weather around here and I thought the boys might just melt up in their bedroom. Unfortunately, they have the hottest room in the house....so those nights were pretty unbearable for them (and the rest of us) because of the heat. We did survive it though and we took off for Eastern WA for some vacation the 19th of July. Myself and the kids went to Leavenworth with my folks for a week and then Randy met us over there at the end of that week and accompanied us to Wenatchee for another 5 days with the Robertson side of the family. Our time in Leavenworth was hot and fun, however, Connor ended up having another 'bout with MRSA. I caught it right away and started treating it, but there's never a calm moment in my heart when that little fella is sick. He ended up coming back home with my parents and we kept Mackenzie and Alex with us for the Wenatchee part of the trip. We endured record high temps with the rest of the state that week and were quite glad that we opted to stay in a hotel instead of trailer camping this year. We had a nice time with family, as we always do and had fun in the pool as well. Randy took some time to get back out on the water and do some skiing, which he hadn't done in 2 years...so he loved that. I was hoping for a day on the water as well to do some skiing or jet skiing, but I realized that my grasp is still not what it should be to do that, so I was with the kids.
This summer has been a trying time with Randy gone so much. It seems that his schedule just doesn't let up and we only have him home for maybe 3 days at a time, but just last week he had been gone for 6 days, came home for 30 hours and now he's gone again for another 6. Whew....it is hard to keep my chin up some days, but I really am trying to manage with a joyful heart. Some days are not as successful as others in this department, but the days keep moving forward.
Our littlest guy, Alex will be turning the big #1 in just a month (Sept. 15th). I can't believe it's already been a year. Where does the time go?? I wish I knew the answer to this question, but in the hectic life we all seem to lead, it goes without saying that we loose so much time in the process of doing life!!!!
Alex has struggled to get teeth. As of today, he finally had a top and a bottom tooth sneak out from underneath the skin. I think this poor little fella is gonna get 6 or 7 teeth at once...from what it looks like in that swollen little mouth of his. He hasn't been sleeping well, which is always difficult, so I look forward to these teeth coming so we can get back to a normal sleeping schedule. Other than that, he is such a happy little guy and so much fun....He is almost walking, so we are hopeful for independent steps by his first birthday.
Mackenzie continues to be my outdoor girl. She has a great love for rocks. She could stay outside all day collecting rocks and digging in the dirt. That poor girls fingernails just can't stay clean enough for me, but hey, she's having fun. I keep wanting to start the potty training experience with her, as I really think she's ready, but I haven't made it a priority yet. I need to get on this for her sake, and mine. She continues to be a very picky eater, so that is challenging. Any tricks of the trade would be greatly appreciated if any of you are so inclined to share your thoughts. She's a pile of fun and her little, high-pitched voice is a hoot. She says some of the cutest things and we're constantly worried that we're not video taping enough or capturing all of these moments so that we have them forever. Some days I just have to remind myself that I am making a heart memory if I can't get it on film or video.
Connor is a busy little guy too. He is really flourishing with his "gait trainer" walker. He loves to walk and he has taken 7 independent steps on his own so far. We're so proud of him and we encourage him to become more mobile every day. He still loves his water therapy with Miss Erica and he looks forward to it every week. We had another insurance battle over the past month so he missed a couple of sessions, but it looks like that is all getting resolved nicely. Last week we had appointments up at Children's Hospital with his ENT. After doing the evaluation and X-rays, they have determined that Connor needs his tonsils and adenoids removed. They are both quite enlarged and could be a big contributor to his sinus infections through the winter months and his poor sleep habits. We will see his cardiologist this coming week to get him cleared for surgery and then hopefully, we will have the procedure done in early September. It will be a pretty big deal for Connor and they feel that he will, most likely, spend a couple of nights in the ICU before coming home. They prepared me for a pretty unhappy little guy for about 2 weeks, but said that they would provide good pain management for him. I have some apprehension with all of this, but I am trusting that we are moving in the right direction for him.
Our families are doing well. This coming week we will celebrate Dad Robertson's (John) 85th birthday. What a blessing to celebrate our parents and how wonderful they are. Mom Robertson (Ruberta) has been battling a cyst in her knee for a few weeks now. She was in a lot of pain at first and now that seems to be getting better. We are praying that this goes down on it's own so the doctors don't have to do any kind of surgery. Dad & Mom Milliren are doing great as well. Still trying to figure out if they want to sell their house or stay...no decision on that yet. Dad (Bruce) hasn't done near the amount of fishing this year that he normally does, but maybe he'll catch up this fall. Mom (RaeAnn) is busy as ever, but did slow down last week with a UTI, but she is feeling much better now. My brother Bryan just summitted Mt. Adams this weekend...way to go Bryan...I'm proud of you! There's nothing like standing on top of a mountain, huh? Anyway, everyone is busy now and getting ready for the start of school here in a couple of weeks.
Well, there you go...another update on our busy family life. My to-do list keeps getting longer and longer and I find it harder and harder to get things crossed off.....such is the life of just about every mother I know. Keep us in your prayers as always, and know that we very much appreciate all of your love and support for our family.
Lovebug Hugs,
Lori
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
