A Seasonal tease.......

Last Wednesday (Eli's Birthday) - we had an absolute gorgeous day....70 degrees....and we spent almost the entire day outside....that day turned in to quite the tease though - we are back inside again - it's been cold and windy with snow flakes here and there for the last 3 days...Oh spring when will you really come??

Birthday BOY!

Happy 3rd Birthday ELI!!!

We are so proud of you and the "charming" little boy you've become....you give us plenty of reasons to laugh and smile each day!!


We hope you have a fun day today and keep up the good work with your now "big" boy underwear!

Miss our cute faces?

Cause we miss all of you!!

11 1/2 weeks old......

.....and cute as ever.....

A chemo update...

Not a lot to report - Eric has been feeling pretty good....he is usually always pretty achy but he can usually control that with tylenol.

We were under the impression that today would be his last Chemo treatment - but we were misinformed. About 2 treatments ago - they removed one of his Chemo drugs because it can be a pretty damaging drug to your lungs....and they are very cautious with this drug and because of that the Dr. wants to do 6 complete rounds of Chemo instead of the 4 rounds (8 treatments) Eric was orginially scheduled for.
So that means 2 more months (4 more treatments after today's) and we are now hopeful that his last treatment will be at the end of April. Thank you all for continuing to keep our family in your prayers.

Adventure Number 3,427.35

I think it is safe to say we are not done making lemonade just yet!!

So first a little background info.....we have been in Billings since last Saturday....Eric had to work in Denver all week...so we all drove up here - Eric flew to Denver and back out of Billings so I would not have to spend the week alone caring for the kids and could enjoy some great help from family!

So today we decided to head back to Rapid City....to have the weekend at home before the start of another busy week of work, school, chemo, and all the "others" that come with our week. We had a slow start out of Billings today - just had some errands to run and getting everything packed up after 7 days here is a "feat" in and of itself.

So finally at 2:30 we were on the road. Going back to Rapid City - we have our choice of 2 routes - Interstate 90 or Hwy 212...we usually take Hwy 212 - because it usually proves to be about an hour faster, traffic is minimal even though it's a 2 lane highway - the drawbacks though are no cell phone service for a good portion of the way and not a lot of places to stop.

Off we went....at Crow Agency - we got off the Interstate and headed onto the highway.....we made it whopping 10 miles down the highway and our car starting vibrating (FYI - we just purchased a used Suburban in Dec - ya know - to haul ALL our kids!)....so we quick pull over and sure enough - we blew a tire and now have a very lovely flat on the front passenger side! Of course I start panicking - "WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO" - Eric the rational one - "WE ARE GOING TO CHANGE A TIRE" - mind you, had I been alone - I would be in full out tears by now - I don't know how to change a tire....and to add fuel to the fire - of course we have no cell phone service.

So the process begins.....we now have to get the jack out - (thankfully it was not buried under our 27 bags but rather on the side in a compartment toward the back) - Eric knows exactly what he is doing with the help of the vehicle book and the instructions on the "jack" kit....remember I would still be crying! We get the jack under the car (in we of course I mean Eric - I had nothing to do with it)....get it up....but just can't get it up high enough to get the tire off (we were on a slant on the side of the road). Kids screaming, crying, antsy all the while in the car and wanting out of their car seats....and me standing practically on the roof of the car hoping for one wee little bit of cell service to get through to my parents we need some help! Thankfully they were on there way out of town shortly anyways - kind of headed in the same direction as us...So I figured if we could just reach them...they could detour and give us some help. I did manage to get through after about 98 different tries...basically to yell into the phone in hopes that they would hear something that we could use there help....they heard us and of course were on there way....

So at this point we are in need of a board or something to place under the jack to get it up just a little higher....Eric is such a genius....and definitely has the mind of an engineer....of course he is on the hunt for anything in the car that could just give the jack that little boost it needs....and of course he finds it. My mother knows how much my kids love, love, love to write on paper and she just so happened to give us a huge stack of little note pads she can no longer use at the shop.....so under the car they go....and yep - worked like a charm - flat tire off - new tire on - flat tire put back under rear of car - we are ready to go!

OR SO WE THINK! I go to start up the car to get some heat going - BATTERY IS DEAD! - You've got to be kidding! We did not have anything running in the car at all during this time (but had already had a bad run in with the battery once before and probably should have replaced it then). Oh happy day....thankfully we still had help on the way...because of course we had no signal to call and tell them we had the new tire on. So we got the cables out - set them on the hood and waited. Thankfully some nice lady came along and offered to "jump" us before our help even arrived...it took a bit but we got the "burb" going....and now I am happy to report - we are BACK safely in Billings....it was just getting too late to even think about continuing on - the kids had had it......

And tomorrow we'll be getting a new battery and new tires before we begin our journey again! Stay tuned.....the adventure just never ends!

A Swimming Ballerina!

Ema was so proud of her new "ballerina" swimsuit tonight!

Some Montana Fun....

Some outside fun....

There is still PLENTY of snow here....compared to at home....so Ana & Eli enjoyed some "snow" time yesterday!



Grandma found them a cardboard box to use as a sled and these two thought it was the greatest!


Cousin J - always a smile....and jumping the "springs" out of the jumperoo!


Poor Grandma and Papa....we all finally are out of the house and gone and yet when we are back...this is what their living room turns into and noise level is like no other!

The Littlest Little Lady.....2 Months Old!

Adi is 2 months old today.....
it's gone fast and slow all at the same time! Guess that's the story of our lives right now....we don't know whether we are coming or going right now.

Her 2 month stats are:

Weight: 11 lbs. 6 oz....so little still ( I love it!)
in comparison...
Ana @ 2 months 12 lbs. 10 oz
Eli @ 2 months 13 lbs. 10 oz
Ema @ 2 months 12 lbs. 6 oz....

Height: 23 inches (barely)

Ana & Eli @ 2 months 23 1/2 inches
Ema @ 2 months 23 1/4 inches

8 weeks.....

And Healthy!!!

Feeling Better.....

Adi is just starting to give us her first smiles....



Gotta catch this girl quick...she is feeling better and on the move....

Home Sweet Home....

WE

ARE

ALL

HOME!!

Going Home....

At least somebody get's to go home this morning....


Adi is going to be observed all day with no oxygen and may just get to go home this evening!!

Little Girl with a BIG Appetite.....

So Adilyn was delivered breakfast this morning......we found a little humor in it.....

Her Breakfast tray consisted of this: (if you can't read it - it says)
1 orange juice
1 Cheerios
1 2% milk
1 scrambled egg
1 sausage link
Guess I can just go ahead and give up the breastfeeding!?!


And this is what was given to Ema...... 2 lovely pieces of dry toast.....with a little imitation butter....which Eric actually ate but he did comment that it actually tasted more like un-flavored croutons....keep in mind this is definitely not what I ordered Ema for breakfast. And to add to that....2 days ago I ordered Ema a grilled cheese sandwich and french fries for lunch and under her gray plate cover was nothing more than an empty plate. Ahh hospital food - gotta love it!

7 weeks old....

Adi was 7 weeks old yesterday......and this is where she is spending it....kind of a bummer...but she is on the mend and moving in the right direction. Hopefully we'll get to take her home either tomorrow or Thursday!

Tuesday Report....

Well it doesn't look like anyone will be going home today :(

They both are still proving they need oxygen in small amounts especially when they fall into a deep sleep. Adi is still really struggling to cough all the "gunk" up that is in her lungs and so they are still having to suction it all out a couple times a day.

They both however have had there IV's turned off...they still have them, but are no longer tethered to them - hooorraay!! They are also letting Ema try going today without her oxygen all the time so she can actually get down and move around a little bit....she is enjoying her freedom!!

So I guess we wait and see what tomorrow will bring.....

She actually wasn't as grumpy as she looks in this picture....

l

The Monday Report.....

Well we are moving on up.....

Adi was moved out of PICU this afternoon - so now both girls are in the same room on the regular Peds floor....it's nice to be in the same room now...but it could make for an interesting night.

Still no exact word on when we are going home.....they both need to be off oxygen and maintaining good O2 levels and eating and drinking well.

Adi is eating really well - she kind of had a rough night just gagging and coughing on all the "gunk" that is coming up....but they seem to be suctioning her out pretty well. She is having a much better day today with lot's of rest.

Ema is close to be weaned completely off her oxygen but still needs to start eating and drinking...so far she has very little interest in either. Her x-ray this morning showed her lungs already looking a lot better than when she came in.

Eric and I are holding up pretty good - the hospital scene is getting kind of old and it's starting to wear on my nerves especially....but we'll make it through hopefully only 1 or 2 more nights here.

Ana and Eli - well they are just getting spoiled at home by Grandma and Papa.......Thanks for all the continued thoughts and prayers.

Pictures of the girls will be coming soon!!

Hospital Stay....

Just a little update....or maybe is it we are making more lemonade??
Yesterday afternoon, I decided to take Adi back to the Dr. again....she just started to lose her color and again just wasn't eating and struggling to breath....Just before we walked out the door I got Ema up from her nap and got a fever reading of 104.0....YIKES....so we loaded her up too and Eric, myself with the 2 girls and Eli headed for the Dr.'s office.......(Ana was at the rodeo - lucky girl)...When we got there they immediately put both girls on oxygen because there O2 levels were so low and then we just waited...The hospital is so full we had to wait for them to get rooms together for the girls.....Once we got the a.o.k......Eric, myself, both girls on oxygen, Eli, the Nurse Practitioner and one other nurse....walked our way across the street to the ER to be admitted to the hospital (it was quite the sight - crossing a busy street)......from there it got really hectic....just getting them stabilized (especially Adi) and hooked up to all there machines with iv's and oxygen, meds etc....Our night was VERY long.....both were pretty much awake most of the night either because they were agitated or someone was working on them which in turn meant we were up most of the night....but we survived and are all functioning on a few hours of rest now which is better than it was or has been. So thankful my parents were both able to make it here in a timely manner and they have been switching off with us at the hospital and at home taking care of the other 2...along with our lovely babysitter Ali who we've also already called in a couple times to help with the older two also!!
So that is where we are at right now....Adi is doing much better today, is slowly being weaned off of her oxygen and has finally gotten to eat today. Ema is also finally starting to perk up....her fever has kept her pretty lethargic....but when it comes down then we have the interesting task of of keeping a 17 month old sitting still since getting up and walking around is pretty much impossible when you are hooked up to an IV and oxygen. They both had the start of pnemonia but we hopefully caught it in time that it hasn't progressed. The earliest that it looks like we could possibly get out here with either of them is Tuesday....
Thanks for all the thoughts, messages and prayers....we know we will get out of this "dark valley" some day.

Just can't catch a break.......

Sickness has "rained" into our lives....and now seems to be "pouring" into our lives and it seems as though we just can't "catch a break".....

Eric got sick with a nasty virus last Friday night which landed him in the ER on Saturday evening with a fever and chills and although to the healthy immune system it may have been nothing...to his it could have been detrimental.....and even though he got worse on Sunday before he got better....good news was he still got to have Chemo on Tuesday....so as of that day...we have 1 month to go of Chemo...just 2 treatments left until they re-evaluate if more is needed....please pray we are done and that the cancer is completely gone....

And of course it doesn't stop there......in a household of 6...if 1 is sick there is bound to be more.....and there is....Ana has been running a very low grade fever off and on all week with a minor cough....Eli...the healthy one is still gong strong talking our ears off...pretty sure a fever would not even slow him down right now....now if only we could convince him to do his "duty" on the toilet, the world would be a better place! Ema on the other hand is feeling crummy...high fever and terrible cough but still managed to pull 2 handfuls of "poo" out of her diaper today to hand over to her Grandma Judi....I'm sure it was lovely.....(thank you Judi for enduring all the "poo" in our house right now).....and where was I during that lovely gift hand-off...at the Dr. with the sickest little one right now...poor Adi a mere 6 weeks old and now has a terrible case of RSV...so we are now doing nebulizer treatments every 4 hours and are headed back to the Dr. tomorrow for a check up since we are closely monitoring her......I feel so bad for her...her little lungs are trying so hard to breathe, she has the most pitiful cough....1 because she doesn't know how and 2 because she hardly has the lung capacity to even get anything out and she tries to cry but is too hoarse to even be heard....pray she doesn't get worse...if she does...it will most likely land her in the hospital which we just don't need!


And so here she is taking in one of her treatments....