Windy Day Smiles.....

Hi everybody..........I'm having a fun day playing with my toys while Mama is baking Christmas cookies!!!! It's pretty windy around here. We had 50-60 mile per hour gusts of wind at my house. We even lost part of our fence on two sides!!!!!!!!! Yikes, Daddy is gonna be busy!!!!!!


I'm looking at all the Christmas Tree lights and they sure are pretty around here. Ok, here goes....I'm blowing everyone a Christmas kiss!!!!! Smooches are great aren't they? I get lots of them so I just had to share a few with all of you.

Lovebug Hugs,
Little Bug

Bye, Bye Nasty Comb-Over Hair.....My First Haircut!!!!!

Before, I had nasty comb-over hair and looked a bit like the Grinch or Woody Woodpecker......


Then, Mama cut lots of my hair off............(Daddy says I just lost all of my powers.........yikes!!!)


Now, I have my first official military hairdo!!!!!!!!!! I look so cute......(Sorry for the blurry picture.....you can be assured there will be more to follow!!!!!!!!)

Lovebug Hugs,
Little Bug

PS~ Just in case you're wondering, I've officially been home for 5 weeks as of tonight.....Yeah for me!!!!!!!!! I don't ever want to go back to that hospital now that I know what fun it is to be at home!!!!

Our "Delayed" Thanksgiving Dinner !!! But still FANTASTIC!!!!

WOW.............Look what Mama made for our Thanksgiving Dinner!!!!!!!!


I know it was a little late but my Daddy was gone so we had our family Thanksgiving Dinner last night and what a spread it was...........I couldn't wait to sink my gums into it but...........


Abbey said NO!!!!! She told me that I was too little so she was gonna eat mine for me!!!!!!!!! She said she would tell me how it all tastes later........


So can you believe it............Daddy and Mama gave my turkey dinner to Abbey our dog!!!!! And she even got to eat off of Mama's fine china!!!!!!!!!! I think that's ridiculous!!!!!!!!


Looks like Daddy ate too much again and got a little sleepy.....me too!!!!!!!!! I'm not quite sure about this picture though, I think Woody Woodpecker (some bird that Mama always says I look like) must have flown in and took my place in this picture.....I think I better tell Mama to cut my hair soon!!!!!!!!!
PS...By the way, How do you like my flyaway, after bath hairdo??????????????

Lovebug Hugs,
Little Bug

PSS..................

So this is what Daddy and Mama do after I go to bed.....They bring out the Chocolate Marble Cheesecake and eat it all by themselves........Man, I can't wait to grow up and have teeth so I can eat all of the yummy treats that await me!!!!!!!!! But for now, I'm still sleeping!!!!!!!!

Christmas Decorating - Day #2 (More to follow)

Little Bug as snug as a bug in a snowman rug under the tree.......Oh, he is so CUTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Christmas Decorating - Day #1 (More to follow)

This pregnant Mama got in BIG TROUBLE for going up in the garage loft to look for Christmas boxes....especially when the ladder fell and I had to call for help...........


The beginning phase of Christmas tranformation in the Robertson home!!!


Abbey and Connor closely supervise Mama and Daddy as they put up the BIG 12ft Christmas tree in the living room!!


Little Bug getting sleepy by the snowman Christmas tree in the family room.


Oh.......The wonder of Christmas in a child's eye!!!!!!!!!!!!


Daddy and Little Bug peering through the branches of the BIG tree!!!!! Oh, how I love my boys!!!!!!!!!!

We did it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, it's official............We broke the record for Little Bug's number of days at home. Three weeks and two days and counting!!!!!!!!! We had a follow-up appt. at Children's Hospital today and Connor got a lot of kudos for staying healing and looking great. His Pulmonologist, Dr. Carter says that he won't have to come back for a lung appt. for 6 months!!!!!!! Praise the Lord for continued answered prayers and great news!!!!!!!!!!!

Tonight we decided to take the Christmas things out of storage and get started on transforming our home into a Christmas wonderland. We got our living room tree up and now it just needs to be decorated. Lots to do, but what fun it is to do it with Little Bug in his bouncy seat watching with wonder at what he sees. We have pictures, but I will probably post them tomorrow.

This pregnant Mama is tired and my back is a bit achy, so ta ta and fa la la la la la la la la!!!!!!!!!!! (that must be sung for the full effect....hee hee!!!!!)

Lovebug Hugs from the record setting Robertsons!!!!!!!!

Daddy's Afternoon With Little Bug....

Look at me, I'm in my Baby Einstein Exersaucer.....Boy is it fun.....I stayed in it for almost an hour playing and then Daddy let me watch Baby Neptune and I learned all about water.....What fun!!!!


My dog Abbey likes to play with me and she even made me smile from ear to ear this afternoon....She even kissed my cheeks!!!!! Hee Hee.....I love Abbey!!!!!!!!!


After dinner, Daddy let me look at Mama's new candle......I loved the firelight...Mama said me and Daddy looked unforgetable in the glow of the candle!!!!! I loved my afternoon with Daddy. I've been missing him so much since he was gone on his trip. Now that he's home he loves to kiss all over on me...I can't say I mind it very much, in fact, I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!

Lovebug Hugs,
Little Bug!!!

New Pics........

Dear Jesus, "Please bring my daddy home soon. I miss him soooooooooooooooo much and I can't wait to play with him soon" Amen!!!!!


Oh my, I love my tummy time, especially when my Mama turns on my Baby Tad so I can sing and watch his lights. I love to exercise!!!!!

Lovebug Hugs,
Little Bug

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!

Little Bug and Mama wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!! We miss all of our family today but we know that next year will be different and we won't have to worry about sickness all the time. We especially miss Daddy today (and every day) and we wish him an extra special Thanksgiving at Hickam AFB in Hawaii.


Daddy, Look what you are missing!!!!!!!!!!! Don't worry, we'll do this all again when you come home!!!!


Oh my goodness.....Look at that plate below.....I think Mama forgot that I'm just a Little Bug.....How am I ever going to finish all that food?????????????


Oh silly me.........That's for Mama......You know she's eating for two!!!!!!!!!!!


I'm overwhelmed by all the new things I've tried today.....I loved the mashed potatoes and gravy.....Yummy...I wasn't sure about the dressing.......I definately do not like crandberries.....and Mama wouldn't let me try the green bean casserole....she says that's all for her......."What a piggy", I thought!!! Hee Hee...............Ok, I'm going to take a little rest now after such a big Thanksgiving Feast!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have a happy day!!!!!!!!
Lovebug Hugs,
Little Bug and Mama

2 Weeks Home & Doing Great!!!!!

I'm having so much fun in my new high chair!!! I can sit for 45 minutes playing with my toys 2 times a day. Mom & Dad say this is good exercise for keeping my head up, but I just think it's fun to play!!!


I especially like to sit in the kitchen and watch Mama cook.....I even watched Daddy make breakfast one morning when Mama was at the doctor checking up on my new brother or sister....It was funny to watch Daddy put all kinds of veggies in the Vita Mix and try to make an omlette...He says it's really good for him, but I could tell by the look on his face when he ate it that he likes Mama's omlettes better!!!! Hee Hee....


I seriously do not know why Mama thinks it's fun to take these kinds of pictures.....I wasn't sure about wearing Daddy's hat......especially after he had just worn it pheasant hunting......Hey Dad...What's that smell anyway????


Ok, all better now...Mama just gave me all kinds of kisses and I was smiling ear to ear, but I'm really sneaky when the camera comes out.....I stop smiling!!!!!!!!! Anyway, Mama loves this picture and says if you look at my beautiful eyes too long you just might fall in......She says I have eyes as blue and big as the ocean!!! Ok, I guess I am pretty cute.....Keep looking and if you happen to fall in, don't worry, I'll save you!!!!!


Ok, I'm pooped now.....it's time for me to go night night......I have to get lots of sleep because tomorrow is my very first Thanksgiving!!! Mama and I are going to hang out and lay low at home so I don't get sick. Mama promised me she would cook turkey, mashed potatos and gravy and of course, green bean casserole!!! I hope she lets me taste some of it!!! Oh c'mon, who are we kidding....Mama will give me anything if I ask for it.....I think I might have her right where I want her.....Hee Hee!!!!


Thanks for all your prayers....I'm going for my record of being home longer than 3 weeks at a time. I've got another week to go, and I'm doing great.......No more hospitals for me....only visits to my favorite ICU nurses and doctors!!!

Lovebug Hugs & Thanksgiving Kisses,
Little Bug

PS ~ Daddy I miss you sooooooooooooooooooooo much!!!! Mama talks about you all the time but she doesn't nibble on my knee caps like you do. Please come home soon, my knee caps miss you and I miss hanging out with you too!!!!!!!!!!! Happy Thanksgiving Daddy! I am thankful you are my daddy!!!!!

Adapting!!!!

Daddy and Mama in a "big bug" family hug!!!!!!!!!!!!


Daddy and his Little hunter buddy........


This last week we have certainly been trying to adjust to homelife with Connor. After a couple of days of sheer craziness, we have settled into what feels like normal. Our normal is far from the typical normal as we deal with many medical issue that persist, but we are trying to make it fit into our life schedule. Nights are difficult with only small blocks of sleep for Little Bug, but we are hoping that this will only get better. The medicine error that we detected hasn't made a huge difference yet. We ended up taking him off of the anti-spasm medicine because the side effects were too severe for Connor. He ended up having horrible dry mouth and no matter how hard we tried to keep constant moisture in his mouth, he was miserable and fussy all the time. I guess no medicine is without it's dark side, so we are hoping that when we follow up with the GI doctor in December that she might have a couple of other suggestions for his severe cramping and spasams.

Thanks to Grandpa and Grandma M. we were able to go to church for the first time in months on Sunday. We certainly need the support and fellowship of our church family and it was wonderful to be back together on a Sunday morning once again. Thanks Grandpa and Grandma for watching Connor so we could attend church!! This week holds appointments for Connor, OB check ups for Mama and preparations for Daddy to leave again on the 19th!!! Always busy days around here!!!!!

We are so grateful for all your continued love, support and prayers.............keep it coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lovebug Hugs,
Lori

Things are looking up!!!!!

After a trip to the pediatrician's office yesterday a couple of adjustments were made to Connor's medications and we hope that this is beginning to provide him with some much needed relief. When we left the hospital his dose of the anti-acid he takes for his tummy was cut in half and only scheduled for once a day. Whether this was an oversight or just a flat out mistake, I'm glad I saw the difference in what we used to give him when he has been at home before and I was able to bring this up at his appointment. Sure enough, the anti-acid, Prevacid, that Connor takes needs to be given 2 times a day for little ones because it metabolizes into the body quickly and it is not a long lasting medicine, so it is best at managing acid when a full dose is given twice a day. Our pediatrician also suggested that we fill the prescription that Connor received from the GI doctors which is an anti-spasm medicine. It is possible that Connor could have what is known as a spastic colon and his pain comes on so suddenly and severe that he doesn't know how to process the foreign cramping in his body. Hopefully, this medicine combination will be exactly what Connor needs along with all the tender loving care he already receives.

We appreciate all your kind words of advice and believe me, we are well aware that Little Bug is not used to being home yet. We are trying a room by room approach so that he doesn't get on stimulation overload. Right now we are working with the main living area in our home and his room. We're hoping that he will soon find it soothing and comforting to be in his own familiar surrounding. We've also continued playing his lullaby music that we played in the hospital at night so that he can remember something that has been constant. Last night did prove to be a better night for Connor. He slept for a good 5 hour block, then was up for about an hour, then back down for about 3 hours. Randy and I did the tag team approach to caring for him last night so Randy went to bed at 8:30 and I stayed down with Connor in the family room and put him down for bed in his pack-n-play downstairs. I woke Randy up at about 2am and he came down, then I went up to bed until about 9am. Hopefully tonight we will try Connor in his own room with the monitors set up so we can all get a better and more consistent nights sleep. We're trying our hardest to make this transition work for all of us!!!!!

After about a 4 1/2 hour power outage in Auburn this morning we were greeted by the sound of our phone ringing about 9:10 this morning. Randy was quick to answer as he thought I was still sleeping. After a couple of minutes I heard the prancing of happy feet quickly making their way up the stairs and into our bedroom. Randy bounded in with the good news we were praying for......Amniocentesis results are just fine!!!! Looks like, for all intensive purposes, we are carrying a happy, HEALTHY baby!!!!!!!! Praise the Lord, we needed something of good report to set our eyes upon. We now wait with anxious, excited, HAPPY hearts to greet our new little bugaboo into the world on April 7th 2007!!!!!!!! The due date is the day before Easter!!!!! What a perfect time of year to remember the promise of new life, of new beginnings and of a new experience for our family!!! All praise and honor to the Lord for providing this extraordinary news to us today!!!!!!

We are greeting this weekend with happy, hopeful hearts for Connor to continue looking up and feeling better and for Randy and I to walk each day free of worry for the new baby!!!!! Praise the Lord!!!!

Lovebug Hugs,
Lori

Wind out of our sails............

Just when we thought that life was great and we were all home and healthy, we are finding out that Little Bug is still having trouble. Oh how quickly the wind is taken out of our sails......UUUUGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We weren't home more than 6 hours when Connor began having his extreme spells of discomfort and now it's 3:33 am and we have hardly slept at all. Between painful cries, a flair up of MAJOR diaper rash and extreme gagging and wretching, Little Bug is just flat out having a rough time. We can't believe how quickly things change every single time we bring him home......We don't know what to do......We're praying, but somehow, we are feeling no comfort from even that......We are holding and comforting him and that doesn't seem to do the trick either......There is GREAT frustration in the Robertson household in these wee early morning hours........We just don't know what else to say......except that we can't believe this is happening.....AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!

Lovebug Hugs,
Lori

Outta There!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is Little Bug with Dr. Gonzales.......She just fell in love with Connor and it was hard to say goodbye......But after a few tears we got our "walking papers" (discharge orders, that is) at about 10am today!!!!! Mama needed to take a quick trip to the pharmacy to pick up Connor's meds, but not before Little Bug showed off in his new high chair insert..... Thanks for the great invention Gayle!!!!!


Way to go Connor.......you'll be strong enough to sit in that high chair by yourself in no time!!!!!!!!!! OK, Mama's off to pick up your meds.......


While Mama is off picking up meds, Daddy decides to try out Connor's crib and steal a little of his blow-by oxygen....oh my goodness, I don't know who the patient is??????? I'm sure while Mama was gone Daddy found something educational for Little Bug to do.............


WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOT BARNEY.........Mama has a lot of training to do!!!!!!!!! UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!


OK, It's time to say goodbye to room #2025...............So long room.......we won't be back any time soon (Lord willing!!!!!) Hey wait... Where's Daddy?????


Oh, that's right, he's got some packing to do......There goes Connor on Daddy's cart.......Just for information sake, this move out of Children's Hospital only took Daddy 3 trips with the cart.......That's a record for us!!!!!!!


Down we go on the Giraffe elevators.......Take me to the 1st floor and then to the car please!!!!!!!!!!!!! Let's go HOME!!!!!!!


Final picture at the exit sign with our pal Fransisco from Healing Paws..........


Little Bug's tuckered out from the long morning of packing up and saying goodbye!!!!! Next stop.......HOME!


Low and behold we were welcomed home to balloons and a wonderful homemade poster from our sweet neighbor's, the Foxes......Thanks for your creativity guys and also for watching Abbey!!!!!!!!!!!

So, we're home at last and snuggled into the comforts of home.....I can't wait to go make dinner in our own kitchen.....Homemade Taco Soup's on the menu tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hooray!!!!!!!!!!

Lovebug Hugs,
Randy, Lori and Little Bug...Oh yeah, and Abbey too

"Surprise" Blog...(Thanks for the title Tammy....)

Sorry we haven't posted since the 31st.....Quite frankly, we've just been having so much fun with Little Bug, we couldn't find time to blog!!!! Connor is doing FABULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!! All the doctors are so please with his progress. He is one day away from being finished with the narcotic wean and everyday he is looking better and acting more like himself. His lungs are sounding more clear and he is not requiring supplemental oxygen to keep his saturations up. Praise the Lord for so many answered prayers!!! He is talking and jabbering all the time (just like his daddy....hee hee!!!) We've been getting smile after smile from him and he is even sleeping great through the night!!!! We are hopefully and prayerfully optimistic that his "episodes" have subsided for the time being......He is pooping without pain, just like a normal kiddo.....He cries when he's messy, but hey, who wouldn't???? We are pushing forward on his physical therapy because he is so weak, but he will get there!!!! We've been taking walks during the day here in the hospital and we are off the monitors all day long. He's decided he likes bath time now and he smiles away once his body touches the warm soapy water!!!!! Yeah......all these things lead to one major announcement...............WE ARE GOING HOME ON WEDNESDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Continue to pray that nothing stops the plan that is set in motion at this time!!!! We are so excited to take Connor home as a healthy little boy!!!! Don't get me wrong, Connor still needs to be protected from germs and colds and flu, but we think we can just hibernate at home for a few months until he is a super strong boy who will be ready to meet the world!!!!!! I have a feeling we are going to be pretty crazy about being protective, but hey, can you blame us????? We just want to stay at home and enjoy our days in our wonderful, safe and loving refuge!!!!!

Well, I better get back to the bug!!!! He was napping when I came in to write, but he could be awake now and ready to jump outta bed!!!!!

Things are going fine with Randy and I. We went last Thursday for the big Ultrasound and Amnio for the new baby. Things looked good and we will get the amnio results by this Friday. Continue to pray for a great report for new itty bitty bug!!!!!!

Lovebug Hugs,
Lori

Little Bug's 1st Dress Up Day!!!!!!!!!!!!

Low and behold, first thing this morning I looked up above Little Bug's bed to find a real live Ladybug on his wall.....Yep, that's right, a Ladybug in a controlled environment, closed air system hospital.....Go Figure.......


This is Little Bug's window sill all dressed up for Halloween.....Thank you to all our family and friends that sent cards and brought baskets......We love the treats and Little Bug actually got to hand out some of the treats to his ICU friends......


Here is Little Bug all dressed up like a bumble bee.....Thanks Auntie Marsha for finding me my neat reversible coat for one of my costumes......Sorry I'm sleeping, but bee's have to fly really fast and flutter at rates that would break a human person's brain....it's a wonder they even stay alive.....I guess that's just like me.......I'm a medical wonder!!!!!


Yeah......Daddy's here......and I had my first wardrobe change.....Now, thanks to cousin Brenda and special friend Carrie, I'm the cutest little Love Bug in the whole wide world......My goodness, I still can't wake up from all this excitement because I'm hotter than a pistol in this thing.....


What a cute Halloween family I have!!!!!!


Mama had the most fun she's had in months just taking me off my monitors and showing me off all around the ICU for 40 minutes.....I love to see you smile Mama.....I promise we're going to have lots more fun, good days......


Here I am with some of my favorite ICU buddies.......Actually, besides Vince (my very favorite RT) all the gals and mama are expecting new little bugs.......I think there must have been something in the water around Children's Hospital in July.....Hee Hee.......


Hey....don't I look like one of those Ann Geddes pictures.......It's just not normal what she does with those cute babies, but I'm glad I'm picture perfect just like them.....Hey, maybe Daddy and Mama should send this photo to her and she could publish it???????Hmmmmmm....Daddy would be proud of me, I'm already thinking up ways to make a buck or two.......


Oh my goodness....I think I've had too many treats.........Daddy says it looks like I'm storing up candy in my cheeks for the cold, hard winter.......


Here I am in my final wardrobe change of the night......this is the other side of my bumble bee outfit......now I'm a tired little bug with droopy antenna's and super hot feet......c'mon, won't someone get me out of these outfits.......


I had such a fun day dressing up in my costumes.......Hope you liked my pictures!!!

Lovebug Hugs,
Little Bug