SOLD!!!

Once again the roller coaster ride of life has been taking us for many loop de loops!!! As many of you know we have been trying to sell our house so that we can move back east to New Hampshire to be close to Randy's job. Well, it finally happened......we sold the house. It's been a whirlwind really. We received an offer and got everything settled within a couple of days and the buyers needed it to be a 30 day closing. So, we are down to our last 11 days in our home here in Auburn and we are scrambling to find a rental in New Hampshire. We are following a lead on a home in Bow, NH that we are hoping will be settled really soon. We've been selling a lot of our household furniture and such to get the weight of the move down to a more managable level, but it has been tough to do that. I don't know why we become so attached to our things, but we do. It's certainly been an emotional time as we think about wrapping up our life here in WA and heading east to area we know little about without friends and family.

Our closing date is Nov. 17th and then we will stay with my parents in Tacoma until the rental is settled out there and then I will fly out with the kids and meet Randy. We're pretty sure that Randy and my Dad will drive our truck and moving trailer out to NH and then my mom will fly with me and the kids to meet them. It is going to be our next great adventure and all though we are looking forward to the welcome change it will bring our family and the added presence of Randy at home, it is difficult to realize we won't be here anymore.

In the midst of all of this, Connor had his adenoids removed last Tuesday, November 2nd. He is doing really well after the surgery and shows only small signs of discomfort. We didn't have to stay overnight at Children's, which was a miracle in my book. The surgeon was glad that they removed them because the were 75% the size of normal adenoids. That means that he only had access to breathe out of 25% of his nostril space. Poor little fella. We hope that this make a significant difference in the way that he breathes and also fights off infections.

Please continue to say your prayers for us. I will update as we get closer and with all of our new information.

Here we go on the next wonderful chapter of the Robertson's lives!!!

Lovebug Hugs,
Lori

Happy Heart Day Connor

Newborn...just home from the hospital.Connor's open heart surgery 23 Aug 2006...7 months oldAnd here he is today....walking and smiling....Praise God!

Daddy's just reminiscing about the past.....and Happy Heart Day Connor!!!

I sent along a couple of extra pic's just because....no real order.... just because.

Happy Heart Day Connor!

Today marks the 4 year anniversary of Connor's open heart surgery. It is sobering to think about that day as we feared that we may loose him, but as we joined with the prayers of thousands of people, God answered our prayer and healed Connor's heart through the aid of surgery. We are happy to announce that he is in excellent heart health!!!!

What an amazing journey we are on with this special little boy. Althought there remains great challenges and myriads of unanswered questions, he is our miracle and we are grateful for his life each and every day!

As God continues to unfold the story of his life, may we always be found faithful in the fact that we are giving credit to God for giving him strength and endurance and for teaching us how to be the best parents we can be to him.

We love you Little Bug and we celebrate YOU today on the Happy Heart Day #4!!!!
Lovebug Hugs,
Lori

Haven't Posted In A Long Time...

I know it's been an awfully long time since I posted. I am sorry for those of you that have followed our blog for the past 4 years to have so many recent periods of silence. I wish I could say that things have changed for us, but they really haven't. Things are constantly busy with the kids. Connor, now 4 and 1/2 is still battling long periods of colds and infections that keep us down for a while. He continues to be fed by his feeding tube and his smile still lights up our lives! Mackenzie turned 3 in April and she just wants to experience the world in any way she can. She is a dramatic little girl who loves Tinkerbell and Fairies and she craves new adventures!!! Alex will be turning 2 in just a few short weeks. Whew...he's a fast one....always moving and running somewhere. He loves to climb and quite frequently I find him on the book shelves in the family room!!!

We have put the house up for sale by owner and we are praying that the Lord brings just the right buyer to enjoy our wonderful home. It's hard for me to think about selling this place as we have lived so much "life" here in the past 5 years. But, we need to be realistic and we have to get ourselves positioned closer to Randy's work. The commute to Boston is really a killer for him and for our family time together. We don't see him very much and it is really taking it's toll on all of us!

We will most likely move to the state of New Hampshire and rent for a while until we decide on just the right city for our family!!! We hope that things in the economy settle out sometime soon so that we will have a greater confidence to buy something out there! We again, are putting our faith and trust in God that He will work out all the tiny little details of this relocation. Our hearts remain heavy at the thought of leaving our precious families and friends here. So much so, that I cannot even speak of it right now.

The past weeks have hit us hard with pneumonia, sinus infections, coughs and colds. Alex is the last to get it and he's going on a week and a half of not feeling well. Continue to pray for us that better health would come to our home and we would be free from illnesses!

Thanks for continuing to support and pray and encourage us in all our endeavors. We are blessed and we are grateful to have so many wonderful family, friends and followers of the blog!

Some people have contacted my parents in efforts to find out how we are doing and have mentioned that they could not access the blog anymore. I'm not sure what the problem is, but I do hope that you will see this latest update and things will be revived. Maybe it went inactive because I hadn't posted for so long. We are also on Facebook if any of you would like to find us there. Just send a friend request and you can see more minute to minute updates to our lives.

Many blessings and our prayer is that you are all enjoying a wonderful summer!
Lovebug Hugs,
Lori

2010 Has Arrived!!!!

Hard to believe we are already in our first week of the new year. Happy New Year to all our friends near and far. This will shape up to be another big year for the Robertson's.

Let me catch you up on a few details for the family. Connor is doing well after his tonsil removal. He struggled for about a month or more with continued sickness, but seems to have mellowed out quite a bit and is doing very well. He has been such a joy the past couple of weeks with smiles, laughter and playtime. We enjoyed a lot of family gatherings over Christmas and he survived without sickness.....Praise the Lord!!! Still a bit gun-shy about getting back to school so we will hopefully be able to have home services and therapy here for a while.

Mackenzie is doing great. I'm not sure if I had posted the news that she had fallen in October and slashed open her forehead. She had to have 16 stitches in her pretty little forehead, but she has been surprisingly cooperative about the healing process and putting cream on it to help avoid a terrible scar. During our Christmas trip up to Ferndale last week we had a special day with some cousins and aunties and Grandma R. at a salon where she got her first haircut. She looks like such a big girl now.....still long hair, but now she has bangs. It's adorable.

Alex is exploring the world like quite the little adventurer. He loves to climb and get into everything. He has no fear, and he is curious about everything!!! His giggle can brighten up your darkest mood and he smiles all the time. He is still having a difficult time with teething. Currently he has 7 teeth and working on a couple more, but they are slow on the move. I think he will be a much happier camper once his little chompers are in place and we can put teething behind us.

Randy & I are facing many decisions as this new year ensues. Our biggest news is that Randy has been transferred to Boston, MA as his American Airlines base. This came as a big surprise to us back at the beginning of November. He started out there as of January 1st and this commute is going to be a killer for his time with the family. After much prayer and contemplation, we have decided that it is best to preserve the family and get us to be together more. That being said, we will be moving East.....New Hampshire, that is! WOW.....A cross-country move with our little brood will not be an easy task, but it is a necessity. Randy is going to be getting the hang of things out there first while we decide how we will accomplish this move. I anticipate a spring move, but the timing will be completely up to the Lord's timing for our family. Please be praying for us as we make this transition....it is difficult for us to imagine being away from our wonderful family and friends, but we also see this as the opportunity for our first great adventure with the kids. It's natural that we have totally mixed feelings about the whole situation.

We pray that you are all doing well and are in good health as the days of January quickly pass. It is always our hope that each of you that follow this blog would be encouraged by the words that are written here and by what the Lord is doing in each of your lives individually. Please let us know how you are doing by leaving a comment. We just love hearing from you and believe it or not, your words are always such an encouragement to us.

Be blessed in the days ahead....I will post more news on the upcoming move as soon as I know more details. Thanks for your continued prayers and love!!!

Lovebug Hugs,
Lori

We're Home!!!

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

He Hears !!!

Every time I see this picture I am reminded of.....yes the worrisome hours of waiting for news of Connor's condition or what's next for him or even if he will make it through....the questions go on and on and remain in our hearts even to this day.

But as I reflect back on Littlebug's Journey I can't help but remember where he came from....and praise God......for where he is today! It would not be so without the prayers of all of you. Lori and I want to deeply thank you for your prayers and petitions on behalf of our precious Littlebug.

And ya know....... I think God has a very special place in his heart for the prayers of his little ones....and I know he's hearing our Littlebug!

Love,
Dad

Reminiscing again....

A picture of Love....
it can't get
more beautiful than this!

From a Thankful Daddy and
a very lucky Hubby to have such a
beautiful wife as Lori!!!

Love Randy

Happy 4th of July & A Little Info About The Family!!!

Happy Independence Day Weekend!!!!

I remember when I used to be so good about updating the blog on special occasions and writing about all of the wonderful things, and sometimes not so wonderful things happening around our house. Well, that was before 3 little firecrackers keep me busy ALL THE TIME!!!! I'm sorry that I haven't updated more, but I simply can't find the time on most days. I know that everyone is waiting for more pictures and more posts, so please be patient with me. I really want to put pictures up of Hawaii, but quite frankly, I haven't even gone through our pictures yet and it's been over a month now. So, again....please bear with me!!!

We had a nice 4th of July. Lots of great BBQ and sunshine. Alex held his first sparkler for his first 4th of July......So Cute!!!!

So this is how we are....
Randy ~ Poor guy had a toothache so bad last week, he ended up in the dentist office twice and finally had a root canal. He's doing much better and back at work as of yesterday, 4th of July! Still flying about 21 days a month for AA and wishing that life wasn't passing him by while he is away from the family. While he is at home, he is doing an awesome job maintain our little garden. We've enjoyed some fruits and veggies from our bounty and I even made a small batch of homemade hash browns the other day with our first handful of baby reds. He's working hard to keep our grass green this summer, which is ending up to be quite a big job. But, it's green and lush....Good job honey!!!

Lori ~ The sea urchin wound has proven to be much more of an ordeal than one would have imagined. Swelling is still pretty great in my index finger and palm and still no feeling yet. I am using it without a cast or wrapping on it so I can get used to not protecting it. Doctor says it may be 6 months or more until feeling comes back. Uuugghhh!!!!

Connor ~ Enjoying pool therapy for the summer since his other therapy's have stopped until the fall. He is walking with a "gate trainer" walker everyday. It is so fun to see him in this little contraption.....He's even run in it a couple of times. He had to go on antibiotics on Friday of last week for a sinus infection so he has been fairly miserable in the heat with such a bad cold and cough. He has pulled his entire g-tube (fully inflated balloon and all) out twice in the last week. He is getting stronger and stronger and his nighttime feedings are getting more and more difficult. We are really seeking wisdom on how to proceed with this dilemma!!! He also had his 3 year pictures taken a couple of weeks ago...they turned out so cute.....I will post them soon.

Mackenzie ~ Growing like a weed and wants to be outside ALL THE TIME!!! We were recently given a big wooden big toy with a swing and slide from our neighbors who didn't need it anymore. Randy has worked tirelessly to get it installed and safe so she can play. She loves it and loves digging in the dirt and picking raspberries and strawberries from our garden. As hard as I try to keep her a girly girl, she digs more, falls down more and has the dirtiest fingernails I've ever seen. Grandma Nanny tells her she could grow a garden under her nails. She finally lets me paint her toenails (which she calls Toneys) so you can't see the dirt as much on her feet. I think she has a bit of a tomboy streak in her....she has bruises up and down her legs from climbing just like you'd see on a little boy!!! Suck a stinker!!!

Alex ~ Still no teeth yet...but he's definitely working on them. He is such a happy fella. Smiling all the time and eager to be with you!!! He is cruising all over the place and curious about everything. He is pulling himself up the standing position and side-stepping around his toys and the furniture. I think he will be walking in no time...Watch out world!!! We finally got his 9 month pictures done and they are adorable. Again, I will post them soon. We now have updated pictures 0f all the kids and that makes me feel good. Alex is really fun to watch....He is definitely going to be our problem solver. He studies things and trys to figure out the way things work without getting frustrated, unlike his sister who gets frustrated easily if things don't work the way she thinks they ought to!!!

So, there you have it...a little more info on things going on in our neck of the woods. We hope you are all enjoying your summer and this beautiful, great NW weather that we are having.

All our Lovebug Hugs,
Lori

Say it isn't so........

This has to be short and sweet because I am typing one-handed. OK, let me explain...briefly! We had a wonderful time in Maui and it was just the relaxation and fun that the doctor ordered!! What the doctor didn't order was the hand injury that I came home with. I was snorkeling one day (toward the end of the trip) and found myself being dangerously tossed into the reef by the crashing waves and changing currents....when all was said and done I got cut up by the coral reef and my hand got smashed into a black sea urchin. I had 117 quills/spines in my left hand. I had one night in the ER in Maui and 3 doctors appointments back home and it's not getting better. The swelling has increased in my left pointer finger and the hand is now in a cast. I saw an orthopedic surgeon today and the final verdict is surgery. I go in tomorrow at 10:30 am for full sedation and hand surgery to remove the major culprit in the tendon center of my hand and to repair the damage. I'll be down for about 3 days with pain meds and then in a cast for 10 days or so.

We are hopeful that everything will heal quickly and I can get back to the business of being a wife and mommy soon. Randy is taking a little time off to be home with me and the kids and Grandma Nanny will be close by as well.

Will post with updated info soon. Thanks in advance for your prayers!!!

Lovebug Hugs,
Lori

PS ~ The snorkeling was fabulous and I had the chance to swim with turtles....Too fun!!!!!

Fevers, sniffles and colds all around...

Well what a bummer. We are 6 days away from leaving for Maui and all three kids have fevers, sniffles, watery eyes, and colds. I feel like I am coming down with the same stuff. Yuck! I should be thankful that it isn't the day before we are leaving and we just come down with it. We have 6 days to let it run its course around here. How I hope and pray that Randy doesn't come down with it. He just left today, but Connor's had his fever for 2 days now. I'm glad that the majority of errands have been accomplished for our trip and the last minute things shouldn't take more than minimal effort.

Say a prayer that we all get over this soon.

Lovebug Hugs,
Lori

Here's what we're up to...

It has once again been far too long since I made an update about family life here at the Robertson's. Spring has definitely sprung around here. Randy was able to get our little garden prepared and planted during his last time at home for a few days. Now we just have to feed, water, fertilize and wait for the bounty!! Mackenzie had a great time being a gardener with Daddy. She is our outdoor girl. When she wakes up in the morning it's the cutest thing to go in and get her. You'd think there would be a greeting of Daddy or Mama, but no, it's usually the word "Outside" with the inflection of a question mark at the end. It's so cute. The moment she's awake she wants to go play in the dirt and plink around the yard.

Connor is involved in 3 therapies during the week. Monday's is a big day for him. He has physical therapy here at home with his new school therapist, Matt. They are getting along beautifully. He is genuinely excited to see Matt on Monday's. They've been working on a really neat platform swing that Connor loves. It is really working his core strength and you can tell he is working hard when you see him on it. Connor is sidestepping along the couch and other surfaces as well as pivoting his strength to turn corners and go in the opposite direction. This is a huge accomplishment for Connor. He was fitted for new orthotic shoes a few weeks back and we have just received them last week, so we are now working ourselves up to wearing them every day!!! Monday's are also academic days for Connor. His preschool teacher comes for 1 hour to work with him on educational goals. Right now, they are working on concepts such as in and out and cause and effect type of play. Connor enjoys his playtime with Teacher Noell.

Connor is also involved in occupational and speech therapy on Thursdays. Natalie and Katie work with him on his fine and gross motor skills while trying to incorporate sign language. There is a lot going on in those sessions which I think can be very frustrating for Connor, so we are not seeing progress in this department at present, but we press on. I think Connor's favorite day of the week (other than the days Daddy comes home) is Wednesday because that is when we get to go visit Erica and do one hour of pool therapy. He loves Erica and he loves the water. Splishing and splashing and kicking are a big hit with him. He is doing well with the therapy. It is not swimming lessons, so he isn't learning to swim. He is being challenged in his muscle strength and leg coordination in hopes that we will begin walking skills soon. He is progressing nicely in this area.....Remember, he marches to the beat of his own drum, so the timing may not be perfect, but, as I always say, "He's getting there"!!!

I have mentioned over and over and over again on this blog that we remain frustrated about the feeding/nutrition situation with Connor. He is still not taking any food by mouth. He is exclusively fed through his g-tube. We are becoming increasingly concerned that we need to push him and challenge him to eat by mouth. We try suckers in his mouth to give him a good experience and he will still have nothing to do with it. How we wish for the day when Connor will eat by mouth. This remains a struggle...a big one!!!! Enough said!!!

Alex is just as happy as ever. He has a ready smile as soon as you catch eyes with him. He loves to play and eat!!! He's the chunkiest of all our kiddo's and we just love the sight of that little baby fat on his legs!!! We always say, we could just eat 'em up!!! He is sleeping wonderfully with his brother in the "boys" room. They do so well together. Neither one wakes the other up. It is a great situation, and I can now count on them sleeping through the night, which is wonderful for this mom who needs her rest. Still no teeth yet, but Alex is working really hard on cutting those first bottom teeth. He loves rolling around to get to his toys...no crawling yet, but I think we could be getting close. He babbles all the time and I've even heard him mimick, Mama...but don't tell Daddy!!! At 7 1/2 months Alex is starting to exhibit seperation anxiety. I never really sensed this in either Connor or Mackenzie, but Alex is another story. As soon as he sees you leave his sight, he gets pretty teary eyed. And then, as soon as it started, he is happy again as soon as he sees me. I hope we can help him navigate through this time of finding some independence. No matter what, he is such a joy and makes our days fun.

Randy and I are anticipating a wonderful trip coming up in just a couple weeks. Mackenzie will have the fun opportunity to be in her first wedding....in Hawaii!!! Our niece, Lindsay is getting married on Maui. Kenzie will get to be one of the flower girls and will get to walk down barefoot in the sand on flower petals. What fun!!! So, Randy and I and Kenzie will head out to Maui on May 19th and will have a week of fun in the sun!!!! This will be a great time for all of us to be together, rest and play!!! Grandma Nanny & Pop Pop will be staying with the boys so they will have a fun treat as well getting spoiled by grandparents. We are blessed for their willingness to stay with the kids so that we can have this fun time. There are many preparations to get ready for, but it is all fun stuff. However, I had really wanted to drop this pesky baby weight before the trip....no such luck....I have some work to do to get back to the real Lori!!! I need to step up my commitment to looking and feeling better.

Anyway, that is what's going on around here. Hope all is well in each corner of your world, wherever that may be. If I don't have the opportunity to post before we leave on the 19th, rest assured I will post when we return from Hawaii. You can see I've changed the way the blog looks a little. I guess I thought it was time for a change....It's kinda like changing around the furniture at home, Ha Ha!!! You can continue to view everything the same way as you used to. Please continue to leave us comments when you visit. We LOVE to hear from everyone, some days, it's just what I need. You can also let us know your reaction by checking the appropriate box....praying for you, funny or love it!!! Just thought I'd have a little fun with some of the gadgets that are available to this blog. Thanks again for visiting. You all play a vital role in our family and were thankful for your commitment to visit us here on the blog.

Lovebug Hugs,
Lori

Here's a selection of various Easter, Birthday, Outside and Professional Pictures


The Kids Easter Baskets...Connor (left end) Mackenzie (middle) Alex (right end)...Spoiled little bunnies!!!



It's my very first Easter everyone!!!



Ok, has everyone seen the movie "A Christmas Story"? I know Mama didn't put me in a pink bunny suit....but this is comin' real close guys!!!!!! What were you thinking Mama????



Hey, these bunny ears aren't so bad. I think I like Easter grass!!



You mean I have to start learning to drink from a sippy cup now??? Rats, I love my BaBa!!!



Why is it then when Mama leaves the house....even if it's just for an hour or two....dirt and mud seem to quickly follow????



Getting dirty with Daddy!!!


Making mud puddles...



I just have one question here....Is Mama gonna find out about this????


There's our sunshine girl...Thanks for the pretty sunglasses Auntie Maureen... I wear them every day to get ready for our big airplane trip to Hawaii!!!



I love to chew on my toys!!!


Alex snuggling with Auntie Marsha at the big family birthday party....I was pooped out!!! Thanks for the snuggles and lovies auntie!!!


Connor and Daddy opening presents....Hey Grandpa & Grandma...I love my new set of sports balls. They're really cool!!


Playing with Daddy and my new basketball!!


Mackenzie's 2 Year Portrait!!! Isn't she a big girl. She got to be all dressed up and we even curled her hair with a curling iron for the 1st time. She definitley had the beauty treatment.


Sitting pretty and smiling like a good girl!!!


Being a cutie pie!


I think she really had fun at her photo shoot!!! We got lots of good pictures. Now it's Alex and Connor's turn for their next professional pictures. We'll post them as soon as we get them back.


Lovebug Hugs,
Lori

Easter Pics...

Just a few pics of Easter Egg coloring....Will post more pics soon. We'll be celebrating Easter tomorrow since Randy is home now.


My little funny bunny boy!!! 7 months old today...where does the time go?


Ready for dunkin' Mama!!!


Connor was not particularly into Easter Egg coloring this year. He was awfully tired, and I realized yesterday that he has 1 new little spot that the doctor thinks could be MRSA again. We're treating it with topical cream this time and it looks much better today.


Our little barefoot princess....Looking at all the colors....
Mackenzie turned 2 on April 2nd. It was her golden birthday because she turned 2 on the 2nd. We celebrated with a Mickey Mouse party and took her to Charlie's Safari....Just Daddy, Mama and Kinzie. I'll post pictures soon.


Who's the fairest bunny of them all....ME!!!!

Lovebug Hugs,
Lori

Insurance News...

I received great news yesterday from Blue Cross/Blue Shield about the coverage for Connor's feeding supplies.

Here's how it went down.....I had been calling daily to find out what the predetermination review results were and there hadn't been any news in days, until Friday when they told me that they had sent me out a denial letter for coverage of Connor's supplies and formula. When the woman told me this she was aghast at the fact that her company actually sent me a letter telling me I couldn't feed my little boy. As we talked she told me that she was the mother of a 3 year old as well and she just couldn't fathom being in our position. She knew there must be a way to find a positive result to the situation so we began putting our heads together and we came up with a plan. Throughout our conversation I told her that I had prayed before I even called that day and asked the Lord to give me favor with the company and to get a helpful and kind person on the other end of the line. I told her she was an answer to my prayers and she said, "Great...I'm a Christian too!!!" We worked on putting another letter together with procedure codes and diagnosis codes and prayed for the best. She said she would personally walk the letter over to the proper department and let me know the results. Yesterday she called me to let me know that the results were in and we had received full coverage for Connor's supplies. I feel so blessed that she was willing to help us in the process and the battle for our insurance compay to see the need for this.

So, the weight has been lifted for coverage and we can place our order without having to worry. We still have to meet the yearly deductible and if our out of pocket expense of $1500 is not met, then they will cover at 85%. Once our out of pocket expense is met (which it is for this year already....) they will cover at 100%. It is always up to a yearly review, but we are confident that with the help of the nice lady at BCBS we won't have any trouble .

So, there you have it....answered prayer. Thanks for all you advice and prayers on this issue. I am beginning to understand the insurance battle that so many of us face on a daily basis and I realize that not everyone gets good news all the time. My encouragement for those of you who might have similar battles is to never take no for an answer and keep trying. As frustrating as it is, keep calling and keep pushing. With the economy the way that it is, we can't be too frugal with our finances and with our precious treasures...our children. Find someone on the inside of your insurance company who can be your advocate on the inside and hopefully you will make progress and you will get good news as well.

Although we continue to have challenges, this is one I can cross off the list for the moment.

Lovebug Hugs,
Lori