After a rough morning, we experienced an AWESOME evening. We took Noah and Callie to Tropicanoe Cove here in Lafayette. It was great. We actually took Callie swimming for the first time. She went on the lazy river and hung out in an inner tube...and loved it. We floated around that thing at least 10 times. Then we dangled her legs in the water for a little bit. After getting dressed again, we decided to take the mini train ride around the park. (Noah LOVES trains!). It was a lot of fun. Now, Noah's in bed, Dave's headed there and I just have to get Callie into bed before I turn in. I'm sure we'll all have good dreams. :-)

Quick update

Now that we are home, blogging seems to have fallen lower on the "to do" list. Callie is almost completely healed. We are all so happy to be home. Noah is behaving himself...or maybe I am just learning how to parent better? After talking with a friend of mine who acknowledged that her daughter's love language is quality time...and the improvement in behavior when she gave her that, I decided to study Noah a little more. His love language seems to also fall into quality time. He likes to play games and cuddle...and when I give him these things intentionally, he seems to listen better in other areas. I have also learned to just not go out an hour before naptime. That's just silly to set myself (and Noah) up for failure. With those two things, I think we are actually making progress.

We had lifegroup last night. It was so good to see everyone again after a 3 week absence. It felt so nice to be back in community. Our friend, Karissa watched Noah for me since Dave had to work. Afterwards she stayed and we hung out for a few hours. It was a lot of fun. It's sad that she is leaving so soon. I sometimes do not like living in a transitional college town.

We really don't have much going on today, which in some ways is nice. We leave next Monday for vacation. I guess I could start organizing a little bit for packing. The weekend is going to be really busy before we leave. Well, I've run out of things to talk about...my brain is still hitting the snooze button. I guess I should go spend some time with my son and maybe refill up his pool.

Callie tries cereal

Well my girl is growing up so fast. She tried cereal yesterday. She wasn't thrilled with it, but didn't do too bad. I have a few pics. Noah was very interested in feeding her as well. Unfortunately, he tried shoving the spoon in a little far, so we ended the big brother helper.

Noah having some summer fun

Callie- 3 months (almost 4)

Jesus rocks.

So I've been pretty blown away by how much God has worked in the last two weeks. Here is a partial inventory of some of the cool things that have happened:

1) *Home hospital* Callie is a hard stick when it comes to IV's. Her's fell out so they needed to re-do the IV. They attempted 4 different times in various places (both feet, hand, forehead-eew). Finally they were going to attempt the hand again. At this point, I was practically in tears and I prayed, "Please let this one go in". No joke, Callie moved her hand just enough the the needle actually slid into place. The nurse was actually surprised. Whew. Thanks Jesus.

2) We had great people step up right away to watch Noah while we dealt with being admitted: Emily, Dede, and later my parents all took turns watching Noah during this ordeal. I'm so thankful that people were available and could help out.

3)We had many people come and pray over Callie and she landed on many church prayer lists (I keep finding out about more and more even now). Because of that, and the wisdom of the doctors, we are now home today.

4) We got transferred to Riley on Friday to a shared room with a late night TV watcher only to find out that they weren't going to do any procedures on her until Monday. I cried. I called Mom and asked her to pray (selfishly) that at the very least we could get a private room or something where I could actually get some sleep. 12 hours later, our nurse came in and had a room for us.

5) That same nurse, was an old highschool friend of Dave's. She showed up at a time when we were feeling scared and overwhelmed and it was nice to have a sense of familiarity (even though I had never met her...it was still nice to have a sense of "home"). Since then, we have developed a friendship and I'm thankful for the cool ways that God works.

6) This past Monday, Dave was supposed to work at Thorntown all day (also the day we were supposed to get out of here). For the first time in 2 years, Thorntown made a scheduling error and scheduled Dave for Tuesday instead of Monday. It gave him the opportunity to come to the hospital with me and Callie. This was also the day that we were told we were not leaving, and Callie had to have another aspirate (something that I just cannot be present for). Dave was there to come along side me and to go with Callie. It would have been a HORRIBLE day if he would have had to work.

7) Tuesday: Dave did go into Thorntown. The doctors came in and decided to discharge us around 11:30. Dave got off work right around that time and was able to be there to pick us up and take us home.

8) Frisbee Golf- Dave went and played frisbee golf with some friends on Tuesday. He drove the van and when they were playing only kept the van key (not his whole set) in his pocket. After finishing 21 holes, Dave reached into his pocket for the key only to find an empty pocket. He called me and asked me to start heading out that way while they searched for it. Mom and I loaded the kids up. On our way there, we were talking about it and mom said, "pray about it". Well, not thinking about that before I decided, that could be a good idea. I silently lifted up a prayer. Before I was even finished, my cell phone was buzzing. It was Dave. I picked up the phone and said, "You have got to be kidding. Did you find it?!". Yes, was the reply. Then I told him my story. CRAZY!!! Thanks Jesus for even allowing us the small victories.

9) Dave got surprisingly paid for the 4th of July at Thorntown (It was on a Friday, which is not one of his normal days there). As it turned out, that extra money came at a great time. It helped us as we ate out 3 meals a day for 2 weeks.

So, we've seen God do some cool things recently. My faith has definitely been built up, that's for sure. Have a great day!

Wordless Wednesday- Together Again

We're so happy to be home!!

We're HOME!!

I tried blogging twice yesterday and it erased it when I tried posting...so here we go.

Yesterday, Dede and Noah came to visit us in the morning. Dave was working at Thorntown. The doctors had come in and rounded in the morning. They mentioned that we might go home either late that evening or tomorrow morning. Given the way events had been going, I was told to expect Wednesday morning. However, at 10:30 they gave her the antibiotic in an oral form instead of through an IV. She took it down like a champ. An hour later, all the doctors came in and discharged us...it happened so fast. Mom and I started throwing things in bags and I called Dave. He happened to get off work shortly after and arrived here around the time we were actually discharged (God timing). So, we all loaded up and headed back home. It was SO good to be home. Callie found her fan again. She had missed it. Mom practically did all our laundry while I unpacked and reoriented myself again. Dave went off to play frisbee golf with a few of his friends. Mom left in the evening and Dave and I toyed with going to the fair, but it was just a little too much on our first night home. We ended up grabbing dinner and then coming back home and playing with Noie and crashing on the couch for awhile. Everyone slept in until 7:15 this morning (Callie slept through the night...from 9-7:15). Dave let me lay back down until aroun 8ish. Now we are deciding what our plans are for the day. Noah is watching Little Einsteins. Callie is squealing at her Baby Einstein gym. Dave's placing an order for work. And, I just finished breakfast and am trying to sneak in this blog in between play times with my kiddos. Whatever we decide to do, it's going to be a good day because we are all home, healthy, and together again.

Small provisions

As it turned out, it wasn't a terrible day. They drained Callie's lump around 1. Dave went down with her and apparently, I'm just glad that I wasn't there. She came back pretty tired from crying. She slept a good portion of the afternoon. Dave and I had headed to the video store and rented a few movies. So we watched one of those. Then Dave told me to head out for a little while. So, I found a Target and went for it. I have decided that I am not a downtown traffic kind of girl. It's a bit hairy trying to get on/off the interstate in a downtown city.

I got Callie some cute things for next summer (they have some great deals right now). I also bought myself a purse because I am tired of carrying my wallet and my phone around in my hand.

When I got back, the nurses (whom I've started to think of as family) stopped me before I hit the room and wanted to see my new purse. We chatted about how much we all love Target. My favorite nurse, Christy, is working. She has been so great. Really, all the nurses today are wonderful and for the most part I've seen them a few times before so we're growing friendships. I admit, I will probably honestly miss them when we leave here.

Callie seems to continue to do well. She got a bath today and was really good for daddy. She is just now starting to stir again and is due for her meds. All in all, I am so thankful to my husband who made this day bearable and allowed me to get out for a little bit so that I can remain sane. There is still an end in sight, it's just a little bit longer distance than I first assumed.

Dave's taking the computer tonight, but he'll be back tomorrow afternoon sometime. Hopefully by that time we'll have an idea about what the next few days hold.

Best laid plans...

Well, I'm working at not crying. The doctors came in this morning. After looking at her lump, they noticed it being more red, and "organizing". Meaning that like a zit, it's starting to form a head. With that said, the new plan is we are here until AT LEAST Wednesday. They are going to pull more fluid this morning. I can't feed her until that happens. They will pull fluid, keep her on IV antibiotics for awhile, and then when they switch her to orals (after doing this procedure), they will most likely want to monitor that here at the hospital for another 24 hours...putting us at leaving Wednesday at the earliest. I'm sure I will get my bearings and rally again, but for now...it's just starting to settle in. I had my bags packed and sitting ready to go. Now, I guess we need to move back in. Dave has offered to bring me back some pictures to hang up on the wall of our new "home". We just got back from the ultrasound and it indeed shows fluid. So, here go starting week 3.

Here's a bit of a God story. Dave was headed into Thorntown (halfway to Indy) to work this morning. When he got there, Thorntown realized that they had mistakenly scheduled him for Tuesday instead of Monday. This has NEVER happened before. On any other day, he probably would have been upset about driving all that way for nothing. Today, he decided to come here and spring us. Well, as it turned out, it's God's provision for me. If I had to deal with the amount of things that are happening/not happening this morning on my own, I would have been a mess. As it is, Dave will go down with her for the aspirate and he has been here playing Uno with me to keep me distracted. I'm feeling feisty and frustrated and he is even handling that in stride. Thank you Jesus for even small provisions.

I miss my friends and family immensely. Thanks to those who have called and checked in. It's been nice to at least connect in that way. I'll maybe write again when we have a better plan...for now, per usual, we just wait.

The final countdown

I'm chomping at the bit, ready to go home. Homesick is an understatement. Here's hoping that tomorrow is still the day and that they push things through efficiently so we can get home early.

More deep thoughts

So, I should be sleeping, but it's elusive tonight. I just finished watching the movie, "Facing the Giants". I wasn't exceptionally thrilled with the acting, but the take home message is pretty powerful...along with many of the inspirational lines throughout the movie. It's left me thinking...How do I respond when tough things happen? Am I living my life in way that is honoring to God? These two weeks in the hospital have taught me a lot about faith, perserverence, patience, and waiting on God. He is indeed answering our prayers. At first, I felt that He was taking His own sweet time. But, looking back and seeing all that Dave and I have learned from this experience, I see His perfect timing in all of it. My faith has grown. I am a huge complainer by nature, and through this I have learned to adapt to situations that I didn't think I would, and still be thankful. I've still had my weak moments, but in them, I've seen God's strength.

My relationship with Dave has really grown. We've learned to really rely on one another and have learned what it means to love in good times and bad. Dave has really shown that to me. He's made me laugh when I've wanted to cry. There have been many kind words spoken to encourage one another. I have felt his support and encouragement throughout this whole ordeal. He has shown complete integrity when it comes to prioritizing family, even when it is hard. My respect for him has grown in these last two weeks. We've held hands, had really great meaningful conversations, and realized the importance of time spent well together. It's become a very sweet time in our marriage.

I've also personally learned to cherish the moment's with my kids. I miss Noah and even when he frustrates me and I often feel inadequate, I wouldn't change where we are at right now for the world. He's an amazing kid and I'm up to the challenge of raising him to be a strong, compassionate man who respects his elders and makes wise decisions. He really is a pretty great kid. He called me today and hearing his voice say, "Hi Mommy! I wuv you!" is by far the greatest reward that I will ever earn. Nothing compares. I've learned so much about Callie as well. She has really blossomed over these last few weeks. She cherishes attention and delights under it. She has laughed and is so joyful, and despite her circumstances, she has remained happy. Childlike faith. She is a warrior. I can't wait to see her live that out as she get's older.

We have felt the love of our family and friends who have surrounded us with support and prayers. In many ways, I feel we are walking away from this situation a little older, a little wiser, and with a little more faith. Having your child in the hospital leaves you feeling helpless and scared for them. But I'm not really helpless. I have seen the power of prayer acted out more times than I can relay this week. I have finally opened my eyes and can see how God moves through trials. Callie IS being healed, even now...for that, I am thankful...more than you know.

So, these are my deep thoughts for the evening. I've made many mistakes in life, but I'm so thankful that God gives second chances. I hope that when we leave here, I will not forget the lessons that I have learned. I pray that my attitude reflects Christ working in me...and that my actions show that. It's been in this time of weakness as a parent, that I feel God's strength around me...and am comforted that He loves my kids even more than I do. Thanks God for being so good.

Pictures from around the hospital

The pretty flowers Dave brought for us this morning. They are incredible. :-)

Noie and Callie hanging out in the crib-cage. Callie was more interested in her balloon, than the photo.

Callie giving her "blue steel" look

Medical spelling bee

To all the nurses and medical professionals who read this blog: My apologies for the poor spelling in previous blogs:

C-def for C-diff
"pick" line for picc line
vankomyocin for vancomycin

Yep, I'm learning. I'm sure there were more, but these are all the ones that I have since learned the proper spelling for.

I love my family

Dede and Noah were making their every-other day trek down here this morning. I loook forward to these visits all morning. The big surprise was that Dave came with them (he was supposed to be home sleeping). They came in toting flowers and clean clothes...and the laptop back. It was a wonderful surprise. Noah was an absolute angel and wanted to be with Callie most of the morning. He kept giving her stuffed animals, kissing her, and had his arm around her when they were sitting together. He's such a great big brother. I pretty much teared up most of the morning at his cute antics.

When talking to the doctor's this morning, they were really enthused by her progress and are pretty confident that we can leave Monday morning. Mom Y. said that she would come spring us early since Dave has to work until late afternoon. So, there is an end in sight, and I am relieved. Callie is doing well...currently on her next round of antibiotics and snoozing.

Dede, Dave, and Noah just left. It's hard for all of us to say goodbye right now. I miss them already, but am hopeful that we will all be together again on Monday...at last.

A sweet break

I love my husband. He pretty much kicked me out this morning to go shopping...didn't even give me a limit. I just headed over to the Circle Center. It was the first time I had been in the van in a week. I found a few things for Noah, but absolutely did not find anything that I liked that was in my size. Oh well. Maybe Dave can extend that non-limit for when we finally get home. :-)

Getting out in general really lifted my spirits and has probably given me what I need to make it through the weekend. I can't believe it's been almost 2 weeks since I've done something outside of a hospital that didn't pertain to getting food or showering.

Callie is off isolation. I made my case to the resident doctor this morning and he agreed that it wasn't enough to warrant isolation, but they would keep watching her. I appreciated it. They are doing some minor tests now on her latest diaper, but unless something comes up, she is in the clear. I can live with that.

My not so favorite doctor was in at 6:30 this morning trying to talk to me. Really? 6:30? Is that really necessary? They don't round until 9, she could have waited an hour to talk to me, but oh well. I was up after that. (I think Noah woke grandma up at 6:20 this morning, so I can't really complain too much)

Dave takes off for work around 3 and won't be back until Monday sometime (hopefully to spring us from the hospital and take us home!).

There is noticeable progress in her lump. It is definitely shrinking (finally), which means that the antibiotics are really starting to kick in. She's sitting in the bumbo hanging out with us right now. I'm so relieved that something positive is finally happening. Thank you Jesus.

On another note, I want to wish my friend Summer a VERY happy birthday. She's only a few months older than me, but today is her special day. We have been friends for quite a few years now, and I really have enjoyed how our friendship has evolved and grown. She's an awesome person and an awesome mom. Have a great day Summer! Love ya!

Melancholy

Noah and Dede just left, Dave's not off work yet, and we were just told that we are here at Riley until at least Monday.I'm feeling a bit melancholy. I'm sure I'll rally...but I'm just not there yet. Callie had a few flecks of blood in her stool and now there is all this hub-bub about C-def. None of the nurses think it is that at all, just a side effect to the heavy antibiotics she's been on. However, until they test it, she is now in isolation...great. They just took away the one thing that has been keeping us going....our daily walks. Now, I can almost guarantee that she does not have this (me being the expert doctor that I am and all). The nurse has left to get a second opinion. Forgive me...I'm not trying to discredit doctors. However, I would love to minimize the amount of unnecessary tests if there are other more likely possibilities. So there. I've said my peace...not that it makes a lick of difference, but oh well.

Callie is snoozing and I think I may lay down. It was a heck of a night last night with the nurse coming in and waking Callie up a few times. (We saw midnight, 2, 4:30, and 6am.)

OK-quick note about the medical profession. I am so glad that I am not trying to be a doctor...it seems like a cutthroat business to get through med school, internship, and residency. Residents and interns alike are both trying to one up one another at patient's bedsides with who knows more information. They jump in like eager puppies to get their say in. I understand it. Heck, I would probably be the same way. But as a patient, I tend to listen to the ones who are more laid back and confident in their position. They just seem more credible for some reason.

A bit later:
Dave just called and he said it's probably a good thing that they are running the C-def test, just to make sure. So, my doctoring skills need a little work. Oh well, it's not like they're not running it anyway...Hopefully the results come back negative. Perhaps I should stop griping about the doctors and let them do their job.

Thankful Thursday (on Wednesday)

We just found out that Callie's staph infection is resistant to certain antibiotics, namely the one that she has been on the longest. However, the secondary one...the vancomycin, has been effective, it is just a pretty heavy drug. They are nixing both however, and switching her to a narrower version of an effective drug. The only problem? They can only give it to her through an IV...meaning we are in the hospital until this goes away...which can take up to another week or so.

Admittedly, I was pretty depressed...however, Dave noticed and has done his best to make the night easier. For what it's worth, Callie is doing great otherwise. We rented Penelope and so I am watching that right now. He just left for the evening, but we've had a great day together.

So, instead of complaining about this being unfair, I think that I need to be reminded of the the things that I am thankful for...so here is my Thankful Thursday (on Wednesday)

1) I'm thankful that we finally know what we are up against and have a plan of action.

2) I'm glad that Noah has been in great hands, and that I still get to see him thanks to the efforts of the grandparents.

3) I'm thankful for the time that Dave and I have gotten to spend together. We have really connected over the last week and a half.

4) I'm thankful for all the ways that God has provided for us, and for all the lessons I feel that I am learning along the way.

5) I'm thankful that Callie has been herself and still smiling and cooing and "talking", because to have her really sick would make my heart ache more than it does now.

6) I'm thankful for friends and family who have come around and supported us.

7) I'm thankful for great doctors and nursing staff who have certainly done their best to make all of this easier on us.

So, with that said, I know that God is with us and that He has a plan for the next week and a half. I pray that these antibiotics kick in and that she heals quickly (for everyone's sake).

My husband is pretty cute...even when everything else stinks.

If I have to hear, "We'll just wait and see" one more time, I'm pretty sure I'll scream and perhaps fly across the room and start wringing necks. OK, it's not that bad, but still we are on day 9 of this ordeal with no real plan yet...except wait. They have confirmed that it is a staph infection. Hopefully later today they will have it more pinned down on whether it is resistant (MRSA) or sensitive to antibiotics. In the long run it doesn't matter because the antibiotics she is on targets both.

I still mentally chuckle when all the doctors come in to round. I have a few that I have mentally re-named from characters of Grey's Anatomy. I have to have something to keep me occupied. :-)

Dave worked all night last night and then drove down here. He didn't get much sleep, but has been awake for the morning as doctor's have rounded and we decided to grab lunch. Our second lunch in a week where it's been just the two of us. Let me tell you a little secret about my husband: When he has had little-to-no sleep he gets silly. It's really quite amusing to watch. He says something silly, which is often not that funny, but because he thinks its funny, it actually becomes pretty funny-and endearing. Silly man. It's one of the things I absolutely love about him. He keeps me amused and he definitely keeps the fun in our relationship. His silly antics have been the basis for many happy family memories thus far (even in the midst of trials). I think I'll keep him. He has the ability to make me laugh when all I want to do it cry or get mad. We walked to the strip mall again to eat. It was, as always, nice to hold hands and have a bit of time to ourselves in this crazy period of life. How about this for romantic? He got a bowl of icecream and gave me the first spoonful. Now, (as if I wasn't sure before) I know that he loves me. :-)

So, this is our life. We are most likely going to be here until Friday- a (very) slim chance we could break out tomorrow, but the infection has to show improvement for that to happen. So, that's our continued prayer: That God would bring healing, and soon.

Room Change

Ok, so I'm a blogging rookie and am not near as elequent as my wife but we wanted to let you all know that Callie and Kim have been moved to a new room with added ammenities. Unfortunately our primary doctor is going off of the service for the time being (this is normal in a teaching hospital) but his parting gift was that he recommended we move to this new area. Kim has a private room with a bathroom, DVD player, and VCR so she is very happy. The new info is:

Room--3919
Phone--(317) 274-9371

Please continue to call the room if you want to get ahold of us as our cell phone minutes are dwindling quite low.

The funny thing about our new doctor for the time being is that his parents own the clinic where our normal Pediatrician's office is in Lafayette. It's amazing how we keep getting little connections. God is definately taking care of us through the trials.

Hopefully this all makes sense because I am typing fast at work tonight before I rush off to my next patient.

Thanks for all of the support through the ordeal already.

Noah, nodes, and new books.

It was a good day today. We still don't have much news, but Mom Y. brought Noah down for a visit. That made my day completely. It was so great. He saw me coming down the glass elevator and ran to see me. There is something about little arms wrapping you in a hug that make everything else bad fade away. It did my heart so much good. I love the little squirt and miss him something fierce.

From the sounds of it, we are most likely going to be in the hospital for the rest of the week. They are not going to release her back to Home Hospital until they see some progress. So, I guess that's what we continue praying for. If they don't see progress, they will most likely look for more pus and may have to pull more out again (if there is some) to give the antibiotics a chance to work.

We've had a pretty low-key afternoon. I'm reading Karen Kingsbury's new book, "Between Sundays" and LOVING it. It's one of the book's that Dave bought me. They make a reference to Vineyard in there...It was awesome. She is by far my favorite author. They are life-changing reads. Dave took a nap and is getting ready to head back to Lafayette to work.

He's taking the laptop, so no new blogs until sometime tomorrow. Hopefully the next blog will be with something a bit more definitive.

Happy Birthday DAD!!

Since we have no cell minutes and we are stuck in the hospital, I wanted to take this time and wish my dad a very happy Birthday!! Hope that you have a great day and a present is forthcoming (just not on time). My dad's a great man and I'm honored to have him around. To our kids, he's Pops...but Noie likes to call him "Pots"...which is pretty cute. Anyway, for what it's worth. Happy Birthday Dad. We love you.

Evening Update

It's been a nicer evening after a rather stressful morning. Dave has been here off and on. After the biopsy, he headed into Thorntown for a few hours. After getting Callie to sleep in the evening we left the hospital to grab a quick bite (that wasn't McDonalds). It was the first time I had left the building since Friday. Callie was under a great nurse's care so we weren't too worried. We actually had almost a pseudo date. We held hands, went for a walk, and ate at Noodles and Company. The funny part is, we didn't really talk we just silently ate our food because we are both so spent and too tired to have a real conversation. Don't get me wrong, we have actually connected really well since we have had all this time together. But we were both pretty exhausted and this trial is taking it's toll. He ended up leaving and heading to Jen's for the evening shortly after we got back. He is totally spoiling me and has bought me not one, but three new books to add to my collection. He's a good man to feed my reading addiction. :-)

As for Callie, they came back with some preliminary results. Of course, I have had so much medical jargon thrown at me this last week, I feel completely unable to process and take in any more information. I forgot what the bacteria is called...something like graham positive coccus. Don't quote me, I really don't remember. What I DO know is that she is on exactly what she needs to be on to treat this particular infection, so that is good. We'll hopefully have some more definitive answers tomorrow or the next day. I'll ask Dave tomorrow to clarify what's up. My mind is too full of information to be able to sort things out anymore. These evening blogs should prove to be fun...I just hope they make an ounce of sense.

I'm signing off. Have a good night.

Eek. Low on cell phone minutes

Dave just checked our cell phone minutes and we only have 90 minutes left for the rest of the month. Yikes! So, unless you have AT&T, please try calling (317) 274-9421 (our hospital room). Or, when we get home, call the home phone. Thanks!!!

Here's what we know...

...which is still not a lot. Dave went down there with Callie to have the biopsy done. They were gone about 2 hours, but Dave said that the actual procedure didn't take that long. They ended up not sedating her (I am SO glad that I was not down there...just thinking about it breaks my heart and makes me cringe). I'm not sure their reasoning why they didn't put her under except that sedating someone her size could provide more complications than it's worth. They pulled out a decent amount of pus out of the node. Pus, from what I am told, could indicate an infection, which is kind of what we have expected from the start. They also put in the longer term IV line so that she can continue to have antibiotics. With all this, there is a chance that we might be able to have her transferred back to Lafayette to consider receiving antibiotics there. I imagine we'll at least be here another night or so. Again, don't know too much, but at least we are moving in the right direction.

Here we go

Well, a Monday morning here is much different than the weekend. They have full staff and we are finally getting somewhere. I feel like we are in an episode of Grey's Anatomy though with all the interns and residents at our bedside. I gave her her last feeding at 3:30 this morning. She was supposed to be off food for 6 hours before this procedure. I was hoping that they wouldn't push it off till this afternoon because that meant I wouldn't be able to feed her for most of the day. If you've seen my kid, you will notice that she hasn't missed many meals...and doesn't like to.

God's provision came again. As they were rounding, the doctor's told us that the radiologist had an opening at 11:30. Just as he said that, the nurse came in and said that they could take her now (9:30am). So, that is where Dave and Callie are. I have opted out having seen her undergo enough procedures to last me a lifetime. I'm counting on Dave to recap it for me. As a vet, he is pretty interested in seeing what comes out when they aspirate it. So, please be praying as they put her under that there are no ill side effects and that she is safe through all these proceedings.

We'll keep posting on the blog to update everyone as we (finally) know things.

Sunday

Today has actually been a pretty good day. She has been taking her antibiotics orally and actually doing OK with it. The lump is still as present as ever, with no change. Dave came by this morning and stayed the whole day. The highlight of our day was that my parents brought Noah down to visit. It did my heart so good to see my little Noie. He actually seemed really excited to see me and gave me hugs and kisses. We played on the elevator and ran around for awhile. I think he really enjoyed "running" around and all the new things to explore. We were able to take Callie with us and walk around the hospital. I miss my little guy so much. They are swinging by to say hi to Kathy's daughter, Jen and her family on the way home (That is also where Dave is crashing at night). So, they've all left. Callie is napping and I am settling in for the night. I'm getting used to the routine, so I am not as emotional right now. It is what it is. I'm just so happy to have seen both my kiddos today. Not much else to report. Hopefully I'll have at least some preliminary news tomorrow.

I am just going to pause and say a BIG heartfelt thanks from Dave and I. People have shown us so much support: Calls, prayers, cards, emails, presents, visits, offers to help. They are all appreciated deeply. We love you guys and thank you for loving us so well during this trial.

Well, I'm glad that I didn't blog last night. Our fav nurse was working again last night. I was noticing that Callie was really crying hard (as if in pain) as they were giving her the antibiotics last night. She checked the IV and determined that it needed to come out. It's bad if this particular antibiotic goes into tissue. They checked that, then set to run her 4th IV line since our stay. I decided that I just can't be in there anymore, since I can't stop them from doing it and she is not excessively comforted when I'm there anyway. It was awful. They tried 5 times and were unsuccessful. They would bring her back in to give her a break and I would nurse her. She's a hard prick because she's such a healthy baby (read: chubby). They have a hard time finding her veins. Finally, they decided that they needed to stop for the night (mercifully). They decided to give her the clyndomycin orally. She wouldn't be able to receive the other orally, but frankly, until they find out what's up, I'm OK with that.

She (and I) slept great last night. I slept like a rock since the bench folded out into a bed.

The doctors were just in. They are going to let her stay on oral meds today and wait until they aspirate the lump tomorrow to make any further decisions. The timeline is to have it aspirated sometime tomorrow (hopefully they will nail down a time in the morning, but looking at the afternoon) and have some preliminary results by the evening. They are planning on culturing it which will take another 1-2 days for results. We are looking at being here at least until Wednesday would be my guess. If they decide to continue with the IV's drugs, they are going to have to run a "pick" line, which is a little more long term. They will have to sedate her to get it in. It sounds scary, but at this point, her poor little veins have about had it.

She's sleeping peacefully now. Dave's on his way in with some more clean clothes for both of us. It's another day of waiting and just hanging out.

As for prayers: Please pray that this will heal soon and that they can do it early morning so that we can have the results back sooner. Also pray for just our family in general. Noah is starting to feel the effects of the long stay. Dave is trying to manage and assist 3 places (work, home, hospital) and is feeling the stress. Callie and I haven't seen the outside world much in the last week and have probably an even longer stay. Pray for something to give. We have really felt everyone's prayers here. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Dave just walked in and handed us a card from our friends, the Wards. At the bottom is a verse that encourages me:

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in times of trouble therefore we will not be afraid." Psalm 46:1-2

What we do when we're bored

Callie has some free reign within the hospital. She is allowed to have her monitors off when we are around and she only has the IV hooked up here when she is receiving meds. So, Dave and I were able to take her for a little walk and showed her the sights.

The picture below is of Callie in the hospital's bumbo chair. It's awesome. We definitely need to get her one soon. Whoever thought of it is a genius.

Reflection

I always feel slightly embarassed reading back through my evening posts and how unhinged I sound. Granted, that's pretty much how I was feeling at the time, but still. Sitting here in the light of day and reviewing the last week, I have come up with some thoughts:

I am thankful for the great service that we have had in all the hospitals that we have been at. I am especially thankful for Dave's friend who is a nurse who has helped us out tremendously since we have come to Riley (and all the great nurses at Home Hospital as well)

I am learning a ton about hospitals and how to manage with your kid in it. From basic necessities to making sure that you have your vices to keep you sane (for me: Kleenex, a wi-fi connection, and privacy) to asking the right questions.

Everything is manageable once you get your bearings. Once I have settled down here, I am finding that it's not so bad.

The times that Dave and I HAVE spent together have been nice. We've even gotten to hold hands again as we walk down to the cafeteria. We never get to do that anymore while wrangling kiddos. He's been pretty supportive through this...and I am so thankful that Callie and I aren't going through it alone.

I'm really cherishing the moments that I just get to hold her. She laughed and giggled today for the first time while Dave was playing with her. It was so cute to see and even more amazing that it happened while she was in the hospital.

I miss Noah- even his tantrums. It's hard not seeing him for almost a week now. Dave will sometimes mimic his antics and it makes me want to see him so badly.

This experience has made me grateful for the times when my kids are healthy and thankful that, unlike many of the kiddos here at Riley, we get to go home soon (and are not here for months at a time).

God has really shown up- through people coming to pray, people praying elsewhere for her (she's made it to a couple of church prayer lists), little things that he does to minister to us (times that I have prayed for an IV to go in so that she wouldn't be in any more pain, and 5 seconds later it slid right in, much to the nurses surprise. Or getting a private room less than 12 hours after I had prayed for one). I feel God's presence and feel cared for.

Callie is sleeping now. The doctors came in this morning and although they said it was a long shot to try and get the on-call specialist doctor to aspirate the lump this weekend, they were planning on calling. I appreciated that. I am still expecting nothing to happen until Monday, but I appreciated their efforts. The new situation makes it much easier to handle staying here throughout the weekend.

Well, for those who have been keeping up...sorry that you are seeing me come unglued now and then. I blog for many reasons...some to keep people updated and others to vent and process what's happening in our world. Take it for what it is.

Thank You Jesus

Thank you Jesus for small miracles. Last night was not so great. The nurse finally came in at 12:30 and asked the guy to turn it to mute. The TV still stayed on the whole night. At 6 this morning, our rockin nurse (AKA Dave's old schoolmate) came in and told us she got us a private room. HALLELUJAH!!! She said when talking to the doctor it was unlikely they would release us back to Lafayette, but she was able to get us a private room. Now let me tell you, this is a small miracle. These rooms do not come about easily. What are the odds that a nurse that Dave knows would be working in this unit in this gigantic hospital and end up actually being our nurse for the night? Slim. So, that it happened, I truly believe is God's provision for us. Despite my evening emotional lapses, I am still seeing God's hand move throughout this situation. He gives us what we need so that we can sustain. We are trying to find a way to really thank our nurse/Dave's friend for pulling some strings (because we know she had to). She works again tonight and has requested us again. I've decided that I really like her. She is such a sweet woman and has really helped make this scary place a little less scary. We are now in room 3179. The phone number has changed as well, but I don't know it. Feel free to call the cell phone.
(Our new abode...what you can't see is actual space to move around)


(A definite improvement)

Are you kidding me?

11:30pm: The roommate insists on watching TV (The Family Guy now) and there is no end in sight. I did get him to turn it down a notch, but it's still pretty audible. His baby is crying. There are babies crying down the hall. I'm pretty sure sleep will be elusive tonight. Heck, maybe I'll turn on the TV on my side and join the fun. I've already asked the nurse to speak with our doctor about transferring back to Lafayette for the weekend. It's silly to stay in this overcrowded room when we can be getting the same treatment in Lafayette, in a private room. I can be closer to Noah and the rest of my family, and they need the bed space. I'm more than willing to drive back Monday morning early to have this procedure done and go from there. Please Lord, let the doctor have favor on this suggestion.

Sorry that you are getting the brunt of my raw emotion. A week with averaging 5 hours of sleep and watching my daughter get tortured in the name of science have me fed up and raw. Maybe tomorrow I will feel more gracious and in control of my emotions, but tonight...well, as I said earlier...Late night is not a good color on me.

Frustrated

Our new accommodations...on the right side of the crib is the curtain

I am so incredibly frustrated right now. We just saw the ENT who just told us that they are just going to keep doing the same treatment that we had in Lafayette until Monday...in our spacious private hospital room with a bed where we knew the nurses. Now, we are sharing a small room without a bed, no bathroom and we didn't have to. They are going to aspirate it on Monday (take a sample). Apparently the person that does it, does not come in on weekends. I could scream. 2 more full days of this in terrible settings.

In other news, our night nurse came in and she is an old friend of Dave's from highschool.

Visiting is tricky down here. There is barely room for Dave and I in this space, let alone visitors. You can call a direct line leading to our room 7am-9pm at (317) 274-9146 if you need to get ahold of us. Otherwise, we are now entering weekend minutes, so we can chat.

Riley

Wow. Where do I begin? We were told to be ready by 9:30 this morning so that when a bed opened up at Riley, we could head right down there. We waited until 3pm before that call came. We arrived here around 4:45ish. This place is huge and daunting. It's beautiful and recently updated...but still daunting. Admitting was a nightmare and Dave said that they were new and had to look in handbooks and when talking with the nurses, we don't have all the right information because we weren't checked in right. We are sharing a room. I must be spoiled because in all my hospital stays (birthing babies and this last week with Callie) we've never had roommates. It is just hard to stay with two cranky babies and try to be considerate of your roommate when all you want to do is be by yourself and follow your own routine. We are in the far end of the room which is small and hard to access with the curtain drawn. There is no bed, but a chair and the roommates have the TV on loud around the clock. There is no bathroom, no kleenex, no remote nearby. It's scary and large and well, scary. The resident doctor came in and the word, CT scan was thrown out. It makes me cringe. They will hopefully do this stuff tomorrow if they're going to do it. I would hate to have them wait until Monday given these circumstances. Callie has about had it too. She is finally sleeping again so I felt that I could sneak away (I have to sit in the lounge). Dave's sitting with her now. He is headed to my step-sister, Jen's tonight to sleep. I'll stick here with Callie.

Perhaps once I get my bearings I can stop crying for a minute (I have been for the last hour and a half) and maybe be at peace with this place. Callie needs me to hold it together. Fortunately, she will probably not remember this ordeal at all, while I feel that this has been a week that I will remember for a long time.

Funny Callie story: Since she is so young and does not have object permanance yet (the ability to remember that things are there when you don't see them), she has looked at her IV'd hand about 15 times like it's the first time she is seeing it. She looks at it questioningly as if saying, "Where'd you come from?" A few hours later, she'll do the exact same thing like it's the first time she's ever seen it. It's rather amusing.

My room service menu came in Spanish. Dave just started laughing. Seriously? So, now I am selfishly praying that a private room becomes available and that they onsider us a perfect candidate for it.

Blogs may be a little more intermittant, since I don't have access in the room. But I will still try to keep you posted. I took some pictures of the place and may try to upload them tomorrow (or later tonight if I can break away again).

We miss and love you guys.

Still waiting

Well, it's noon and we're still here at Home Hospital. They are waiting for a bed to open up at Riley and then we will head down there. We've had a fun morning with Noah, who is finally playing with us again. He's tacking Dave right now. It's been fun to play with him. Our favorite nurse is on, so we have enjoyed seeing her as well. We'll keep you posted.

Tired and Frustrated

Why is nighttime the worst for me? The events of the day have passed, leaving me tired, hurting for my baby, frustrated that there has been no progress, missing my son and husband, and emotionally vulnerable...and thus whiny. I am going to turn in soon after battling with Callie to get her to sleep. Perhaps some sleep will provide more clarity. I feel as though I am running on autopilot. I have stopped trying to understand why and what is happening. Please Jesus come, clear my mind so that I can sleep. Help my baby. Be with my family. We love you.

Evening update

Well, I am thankful that I have been blogging throughout the day because this day has been long and full. The latest news is that we are now headed to Riley tomorrow morning. They will most likely biopsy the lump to try and determine what it is. The ENT here did not feel comfortable doing it on such a little one...and I respect that he knew his limitations.

Dave has headed home tonight to pack. I will be going home early tomorrow to shower and throw a few things together. We were told to expect to be there at least through the weekend. So, that's where we stand. It has been a long day and I don't have much more to say. I'm still trying to just sit down and process. The Taylors stopped by and prayed over her, which we always appreciate. (Thanks guys!) William and Emily came by to visit tonight as well as grandma and Noah. I am going to have a hard time not seeing Noah for at least a little while every day. He doesn't miss us, he's happy with grandma, but his world is still turned upside down as well. We all have to process this out and get through it, I guess.

I'm anxious tonight to finally get some sleep in a "real" bed (in our new room), especially with not knowing what we face tomorrow. Please be praying for a quick diagnosis, healing for Callie, and strength and energy for Dave and I.

Thanks so much.

I can't think of a wittier title than "update"

Here we go. It has been a rough morning. Callie's IV was hurting her. When they checked it, they saw that it was leaking and so they removed it. For about an hour I got to hang out with my little girl without tubes. She took a leisurely bath and we snuggled. Then came the horrendous task of re-inserting her IV. I have never felt so helpless as a mother. It took 4 different pokes (arm, foot, forehead, hand) to finally get it in. By the 4th attempt, I was weeping as she was looking at me screaming and her eyes were begging me to make them stop. I begged Jesus to please let that 4th attempt work, and mercifully, it did...and it ended up being in her hand. The forehead thing freaked me out, but if they could do it without hurting her anymore, I was going to let them.

After that 45 minute ordeal, she was EXHAUSTED and fell asleep hard. Abby and baby Kate came to visit and keep me company. While they were here and just as she had barely been asleep, they came to get us for the ultrasound. Abby came with us to offer moral support. Callie slept through this one because she was still so tired. She didn't sleep through the chest x-ray though. However, she has slept hard after all the tests, and is still sleeping now. Sheri Helms came and brought me a homemade grilled chicken and salad. It was so nice to eat something not from a store.

We haven't talked to the doctor yet, but the chest x-rays came back negative (they were looking for other enlarged lymph nodes) and the ultrasound has not been confirmed, but I heard the sonographer say that there was no change. So, we are running out of options here and are just waiting to hear what the next step is.

We were just moved to a bigger room (4723) where I now actually have a bed and a shower here. It's great. There's actually room to walk around. The nurses have been great and as soon as it opened up, ran us here before it filled up. So, we'll see what the next day or so brings.

Dave just got off work and came straight here. Hopefully we'll hear from our doctor soon.

Thanks, as always, for all the prayers and support.

Morning Update

Again, not much to update. She is scheduled for a chest x-ray and another ultrasound this morning, but we're not sure what time. We had another OK night. I think I may have slept 6 hours or so off and on. Callie, who usually sleeps through most of the night has been rousing a few times throughout since we've been at the hospital. I imagine it's the new place and people coming in and out and poking at her. Poor Dave called around 6 this morning and I had been in a hard sleep. I was pretty incoherent and told him I would call him back. I ended up waking up at 7:30 thinking that it was still 6:30. Yeesh. He's headed to Thorntown this morning and will be by in the afternoon. Becky W. stopped by and brought me a muffin this morning. Callie is finally sleeping for her morning nap. I hope they let her sleep for awhile before waking her to take x-rays/ultrasound. She is still doing remarkably well considering. Hopefully today we'll find out something more definitive or at least have an idea if she will be sent to Riley and what to expect. Being such a control freak, I really feel like God is telling me to let go. I am a hard core planner and like to have everything scheduled. At the hospital, nobody can tell me what time things will be or what exactly to expect. Since I have nothing else going on besides being here for her, it doesn't really matter much I suppose. But, it is a lesson for me in "letting go" of needing to know every detail. The doctor should be in to talk to me around noon. I'll try to post again after I hear from her. Blogging seems to be a good release for me whether people check it or not. There is something about expressing things that allows me to deal with it a little better. Thanks for the prayers, we are really feeling them.

Spiritual Thoughts late at night

So, everyone has turned in for the evening. I just got Callie settled down and asleep. Night is the best time for me to reflect. Jesus has really met me here. Although we have not seen physical healing yet, we definitely feel God's presense and the church body surrounding us. I feel more peace than I normally would under these situations and have only cried once so far. It is definitely getting my spiritual attention however. For a long while I don't think I would have had the faith to pray for healing after watching so many of my friends suffer losses. Yet, God has given me what I need to believe and have faith. I KNOW that Jesus can heal her..and have a quiet certainty that He will. Whether that's giving the doctor's wisdom to diagnose the lump or through a miracle, I have faith that He will respond to our prayers and the prayers of those around us. So Jesus, I pray that you would come and work in little Callie's life both physically and spiritually. Heal her body Lord. We give her to you knowing that you are the ultimate healer. Help us to grow closer to you through these trials. Thank you for always being there for us, no matter what.

Day 3 Evening Update

I wish that I had more news. Our doctor just came in to chat with us. She had contacted some specialists at Riley to bounce ideas off of. The good news is she is doing everything that they would recommend. The bad news is, Callie is still not responding. They have started her on a new antibiotic this morning. They are going to give that another 24-48 hours to see if it helps. So far, there is no change. If that does not work, there is talk of sending her to Riley where at that point they may need to go in and remove it. We're not sure of anything at this point. We'll just see how the next few days go.

They are planning on doing a chest x-ray to check for the possibility of other inflamed lymph nodes and another ultrasound to check the status of the fluid tomorrow morning. Again, I ask for everyone to keep praying.

She took a nice long nap this afternoon and is currently hanging out on dad's lap. He was singing to her earlier and she lit up. She is still in pretty good spirits. Noah and grandma are coming for a visit soon. Speaking of which, they just walked in the door. Signing off.

DAY 3 UPDATE

(Callie receiving her ECHO)
It's been a parade here starting this morning. The ENT came in first thing. He didn't have much to say. Her doctor came in shortly after. The lump has not decreased in size despite the antibiotic treatment. She wanted to run an ECHO on her heart to rule out a particular disease as well as some more blood work. It was the most emotionally challenging thing to watch them poke and prod her all morning. She, again, has been a pretty good sport. I am noticing that she is pretty tired. Mainly because every time we win the battle to get her to sleep someone comes in and wants to do something to her. I have begun turning them away unless it's completely necessary if she is sleeping.

Noah and grandma again came by this morning. It was nice to see Noah even though he didn't really care to see me. Tony brought a team of guys (Nate, Alan, Zach, Garrett, and Tyler)to pray over Callie. It was great and much needed. Unfortunately, we had so many interruptions every time they attempted to pray for her that Dave and I began to see it as a spiritual attack. Still, we are comforted that our God is a much bigger God and can do incredible things. We are believing that he can heal her. The guys all came on their lunch break to pray, so we know that it was a sacrifice and we appreciate the love and support that they showed us. I love our church.

Please keep praying for insight for the doctors. As soon as they can reach a clear diagnosis, they can begin putting her on an appropriate treatment. Thanks for all the prayers thus far. We have really felt them.

I'll post again when I hear back from the doctor.

Evening Update

It's been another long day. Callie had an ultrasound this afternoon. It showed fluid in the lymph node, but the cause is still unknown. That's the big problem as we face a now indefinate stay here. An ENT is coming tomorrow to investigate it further. If he can't figure it out, we are then referred to a pediatric specialist from Riley. The interesting thing is that Callie is still acting normally, aside from this large lump on the side of her neck. We've had a few visitors. Grandma and Noah came to visit this morning. Summer came right in time for the ultrasound, bringing flowers. Dave also bought Callie a balloon and her first real dolly. Dan and Darlene stopped by in the evening and we played a round of cards. Things are going OK. Right now, we are just asking for prayer for healing and to give the doctor's wisdom in making a diagnosis so that she can be treated properly.

Dave just left to head home, and Callie and I are hopefully going to settle down for the night. I managed to squeeze in a nap this afternoon, so I am not feeling too terrible. Thanks to everyone for their support and offers of help. It is very much appreciated. We love you guys.

2 am update

So, it's 2am. I had finally fallen asleep when they came in to do her vitals. I now am having a difficult time falling back asleep on the board they call a couch. Callie, fortunately is sleeping well in her "crib". They are giving her another round of antibiotics in an hour. I am debating if I am just staying up since they are going to wake me anyway. Her blood work is coming back on the high end of normal (Her white blood cell count was on the higher end of OK). They are sending out more blood work to determine what the infection might actually be, but we won't get the results for another week. So, right now she is on a cocktail of antibiotics to fight the infection.

Becky W. stopped by earlier and brought me a blanket and pillow. I'm tired, but just not tired enough to fall asleep on the couch...especially knowing it will only last an hour. I hate that it takes me almost that long to fall asleep. Ugh. I'm being whiny. 2 am is not a good color on me. I am very thankful that Callie seems to be doing pretty well all things considered. She is still smiling and content most of the time, despite the tubes coming out of her hand. She is a trooper. I will give her that.

Well, I should either close my eyes again, or get some food because I'm feeling a bit hungry. Peace.

Callie Update

Well, thank goodness Dave understands my need to be connected to the online world, for he brought me his laptop tonight as Callie and I stay overnight at the hospital. This morning I noticed Callie had a really large lump on the side of her neck. It panicked me and I was set to take her to immediate care. I called her doctor who said that it was probably a swollen gland and to take her in in the morning if it were not better. Still feeling uneasy, I called Dave again. After explaining the situation and that it was only on one side, he agreed that she should be seen today.

At her appointment the doctor recognized that she had an infected lymph node, most likely due to a staph infection (although that's speculation right now). Per the doctor's recommendations, we headed to the hospital straight from the doctor's office. She was admitted earlier this evening so that they could give her antibiotics through an IV. So far, she is being a champ. She is currently watching jeopardy and laying in her crib-cage. We have been doing a lot of holding and cuddling and nursing, so she has been fairly content. We are here for at least the next 24 hours. Visiting hours are from 11am-8pm.

Grandma Yenerich came to the rescue and jumped in her car to come stay with Noah (Dave still had to work overnight tonight). Thankfully, Emily was around earlier to take him until she came. He was getting bored of the hospital. A big thanks to both of you!

I'll keep you updated on Callie's progress as I hear things. In the meantime, prayers are always appreciated. Thanks!

Interesting Quote

I'm reading a book by Dee Henderson and I found this quote on prayer from one of her characters interesting:

"To be passive and throw up your hands and say, 'I don't care, whatever you want Lord,' is as much a cop-out as pushing for only what you want and not being able or willing to accept something different. To deny Him being Lord. It hurts to not have your prayers answered. The difference is I still believe in the One to whom I pray, whereas you have simply stopped praying."

Weekend Update

We had a great weekend. It started on Thursday when we went to Martinton. We hung out with Dave's parents for the evening. They fixed a great dinner and Noah rode the tractor with "papaw".

On Friday morning, we headed up to see my family. Dad and Kat watched the kids while Dave and I hunted for "Sox" apparel, since we can't find it in Indiana. We had another great meal (the 3rd meal that I did not have to make) and then headed up north.

We checked into the Doubletree hotel, which was right on the magnificent mile. We love priceline. It was pretty sweet...everything had just been remodeled in 2008. We walked around a little bit before heading to the White Sox game.

Background: My mom knows Jerry Reinsdorf, the owner, very well. She used to work for him, and they became friends over the years. Growing up, we would always go to one Six game, and one Bull's game a year...oftentimes we would be in the box with Mr. Reinsdorf. However, its been almost 10 years since I have been there. It was nice to go back and see him again.


The White Sox played the Oakland A's. We met up with my mom, her male friend, Dick (she doesn't like to refer to them as boyfriends), my grandma, her nephew, my sister and her boyfriend, Brian (She's OK with that), and Brian's friend Eric. Another couple who were friend's of my mom also came. Yeah, we pretty much took over the suite. Staying in the suite was really the only way you could get me to go with a two year old. Noah was able to move around and play with toys that grandma C. had brought him. We had a great time.

Dave had never experienced life in the "box" and I think he really enjoyed it. Mr. Reinsdorf was in and out. Since the Sox were losing (and lost), he spent a lot of time with his GM, I think. Noah was a champ. He did so well and listened. He even laid down when we asked him to. He crashed hard and we couldn't even rouse him for the fireworks. Callie, however, showed interest in the bright lights in the sky.

Callie spent the majority of the game asleep on my grandma's lap. I know that it made her day (She had yet to meet her) and it was pretty cute to see. We had a great time.

Incidentally enough, my mom and Dick were staying at the same hotel as we were. We found that out during the evening. Dick and my mom went out with Jay and Brian to Navy Pier after the game, while Dave and I took the tired babes back to the hotel.

In the morning, we checked out early and just started walking around. We had breakfast at McDonalds than headed to Millenium park. Noah had a great time splashing in the water.


We ended up taking a carriage ride around the lake front. It was a lot of fun (despite the fact that I nursed Callie for most of it). Dave and I have been trying to take one since our honeymoon 4 and a half years ago. Two kids later, we finally got our chance.

Afterwards, we met up with mom and Dick at Giordanos Pizza. Dave's one request for the weekend was that he have Chicago style pizza IN Chicago. We accommodated him. :-) Noah was pretty tired though and ended up falling asleep on my mom. Callie pooped all over me (and I mean all over) and then fell asleep as well. We headed for home after that.

All in all, it was a great weekend.

Noah's good behavior streak ended this morning. He is now in time-out for throwing a fit over pajamas (again). I need to go and get him out and pray that the rest of the day goes better. I am sure that it's because he is tired because he woke up too stinkin early this morning. Sheesh.

Here's hoping for a good nap this afternoon (for all of us).

Quick Update

I'm pausing in the midst of packing (which with two kids is an all day affair) and writing a quick update on the happenings in our life. We are headed out of town tonight to go see our parents (Noah really enjoys his mamaw, papaw, manny, and pots). Then we are headed up to White Sox game for a (as my mom terms it) a family reunion with my mom, grandma, sister, and the significant others. Surprisingly, I'm actually somewhat looking forward to it. I am not however looking forward to entertaining my son at a night game IL time. It will be a LATE night as there are fireworks afterwards. We secured a hotel in Chicago though so we won't have to drive too far that night. On Saturday we are planning on just walking Chicago (my FAVORITE thing to do). I don't even need to shop per se, I just love walking around and seeing all the fun buildings and sights. Maybe we'll head to Navy Pier or Millenium park if the weather is nice.

Have a great 4th everyone!