Thanksgiving 2014

Today (or three years ago today) was my due date.  It was Thanksgiving 2011 and I was so uncomfortable and so ready to have a baby.  I went back and read a few posts from the old blog and in some respects, it feels like that time was light years ago - but somehow, it feels like I blinked and Jack is three years old.  We've been talking a lot about how his birthday is coming up.  I ordered his pirate cake yesterday at Target.  He was pretty pumped but wanted to know why he couldn't take it home with us RIGHT THAT MINUTE and had to wait until his party in two weeks.  The concept of waiting is completely foreign to a toddler.  Serves me right though - this appears to be a lesson I will never learn.  Its not like I really had a choice in the matter though - Jeff seems to have moved into his office building and the groceries weren't going to bring themselves home from the store.  

We had a busy weekend otherwise.  On Saturday, we went over to my sister's to celebrate Thanksgiving.  It was awesome - she did an amazing job with everything.  The food was delicious and I think I ate everything in sight.  Jack does not care for the Thanksgiving fare.  Boppa went to Jack's school on Thursday for a Thanksgiving celebration - apparently, Jack only ate mashed potatoes.  

Seriously though, how brave is Boppa?  Actually, how brave is New Horizon Academy?  They had a huge Thanksgiving celebration - all the parents were invited.  I had intended to go, but since I was off work on Wednesday, I was nervous about taking more time off, so I was pretty grateful that Boppa could go.  Plus, it would have been really hard to tell Jack that he wasn't coming home with me.  Its good for them to spend some "alone" time together anyways.  But anyways, Jack only ate mashed potatoes, and a roll or something.  He didn't do any better at my sister's either - he completely rejected the mashed potatoes on Saturday, ate the crust off his roll and declared himself finished.  We went to Target yesterday to get our own turkey for Thanksgiving and he talked a lot about eating turkey, but my guess that he'll be turning his nose up at it yet again on Thursday. 

We really aren't planning on having much of a celebration on Thursday - we've got Uncle Brendan and Auntie Lindsey coming over for dinner and we're planning on a really laid-back kind of day.  I'm thinking we'll stay in comfy clothes, watch movies, eat a bird, and let the kids play together.  That sounds like my kind of holiday.  Their little girl, Juliet, is about a year younger than Jack but they're cut from the same cloth.  They're wild together.  Every time I ask him who his best friend is, he tells me its "Friend Juliet" and we haven't seen Lindsey and Brendan since Nora was born.  Friend Juliet must have made quite the impression on him.  Actually, this morning Jack and I were talking and he told me that "friend Juliet" is his best friend, his favorite color is pink (although it changed to yellow five minutes later), his favorite animal is a cow (this did not change), he wants to be a "boy-er" when he grows up (although he wanted to be a firefighter later on), and is favorite food is, of course, pancakes.  

So, anyways, on Saturday we had Thanksgiving and then the kids and I came home and Jeff went to work for the rest of the night.  We really didn't do much of anything - I was so tired that I made popcorn and a movie in bed sound like the most exciting thing ever in the universe and Jack was game.  My secret was that I attached the word "party" to everything - like, "Hey, Jack!  Do you want to have a popcorn party and pajama party in bed?  It's going to be the best bed-party ever!"  Anyways, I got the kids wrangled into their pajamas and sat on the bed for a while to play with Nora.  I put her down on the bed and went downstairs to put the popcorn bowl away.  When I came upstairs, Blue had curled himself around Nora, and she had pushed herself up onto his chest - both parties seemed pleased with the arrangement...

   

Seriously, if only he had opposable thumbs, I'd save an absolute fortune on day care.  I moved her into my lap after she got a bit fussy, and Blue followed, checking on his charge to make sure she was being well cared for.  

On Sunday, Jack woke up and had obviously gone digging for treasure in his nasal cavities - he had a really gross bloody nose.  He needed to have a bath because we had family pictures and so I threw him into the tub.  His nose was still dripping when he got out and I rolled up some toilet paper to stick up his nostrils.  Well, you would have thought that I was pulling his nose hairs out with tweezers because that kid screamed.  He stood and looked at himself in the mirror and shrieked.  When I was getting him dressed, he was totally fine but when I took him back into the bathroom, the hysterics started again.  

Anyways, pictures went pretty well, save for the fact that Nora was fussy the entire time - which is really the only time that she's ever been fussy in her entire life.  There's a character Jack often reminds me of - Lenny from Of Mice and Men.  If you've read the book then you know what I'm talking about.  

The photographer kept telling Jack to give his sister a kiss or a hug and Jack would just maul her.  Glad he's showing his brotherly love - we just need to keep working on that "gentle" factor...

Seriously though - look at my ginger!  Her hair looks really red in this picture, and I don't think it's all that red in real life - more "auburn" as Gampy Arizona calls it.  

After that, we went to Target - again, my mistake - shopping the Sunday before Thanksgiving and before the Vikings game.  With two kids to boot.  I got all the groceries (and kids) in the car and I turned around and said to Jack, "Well, that was just madness" and he kept saying, "Mommy, that Target was just mad-mess today.  Just mad-mess."  Actually, he also said, "Whoa, Mommy.  I got a lot of poopies in my diaper."  And this is while we were mid-shopping trip.  Lovely.  

When he woke up from his nap, we stuck around the house, called Gammy Arizona, and ordered pizza for dinner.  And today, the kids are at Grammy Camp - sans Mommy.  But it sounds like things are busy, but going pretty well.  

Anyways, my kids continue to amaze me every day.  On Friday, Nora started using the jumper at school and I keep thinking, "wait - she's too little!" but really she's not any more.  

She's getting busy now and really into exploring the world around her.  She loves raspberries on her belly.  In fact, on Friday night, I was blowing on her belly and Jack came and laid down next to her and said, "Mommy, you spit on my tummy now."  I think he wanted in on the action.  

Nora is absolutely enamored with her brother and follows him with her eyes wherever he goes.  She turns her head when she hears his voice.  On the other hand, maybe I'm just deciding she loves him.  Obviously, she's not trying to figure out how to best protect herself from the flying and unpredictable three year old.  Obviously not.

And it's a three-day week for me.  I'm headed out of town for a deposition tomorrow and I expect the office to be pretty quiet on Wednesday when I get back.  And then, there's Thanksgiving and I'm hoping to get the house decorated for Christmas on Friday.  Of course on Saturday, we're heading down to Rochester for the big Disney Junior Live show and my little big-man will be three years old.  

How this tiny baby grew into that chunker of mine... oh boy.  I'm going to start crying.  Time to go to work!   

A Hard Day's Night

I am so tired.  Nora has been going through a growth spurt and seems to want to eat all the time.  Generally this is fine, but after she's done eating and I get her back to sleep, I've been lying in bed and thinking about Jack.  My parents always taught me to plan for the worst and expect the best, you know?  But all the planning I've got going on in my brain has lead for many a sleepless night.

With that being said, there's a lot going on with Jack still - we finished up testing today.  He had his brain MRI and blood work completed.  We were originally set for the test to start at 7:00 a.m. but they called on Monday and pushed us to 9:00 this morning.  Because he was going under general anesthesia, he couldn't eat or drink anything.  We didn't get started on the MRI until 11:30 because the two patients ahead of us needed additional scanning because of some abnormalities found.  Those poor parents.  Children's Hospital is a lot of sadness, cloaked in a lot of happy.  Fortunately, Jack only asked for something to drink a few times while we were waiting - his poor lips were chapped and I could tell he really wanted some water.  When the tests were all done, he pounded some juice boxes, a bottle of milk, a bag of Teddy Grahams, some peanut M&Ms, and animal crackers.  My parents came with us to the hospital and I think I would have lost my mind if they weren't there.  Honestly, I don't know if I could have gotten through today without them there - I would have taken everyone's head off.  Plus, they didn't judge me when I started crying, made sure I had a sandwich, and kept me distracted when Jack was in the MRI machine.    

We're home now and he's resting.  I'm doing a few things around the house and then I think I'll lay down for a few minutes to see if I can catch a quick nap.

In terms of Jack's health, everyone who reads this knows what's going on with him by now.  Obviously, we're not out of the woods yet and still very much in the forest.  But, we've got a working diagnosis, a treatment plan, and Jeff and I are on the same page as to where we go from here.    And that's pretty much all I'm going to say on the subject and I don't know that I'll write any more about it.   Its not really for public consumption and if someone stumbled across this website fifteen years from now to discover something Jack wanted to keep private, I'd never forgive myself.  Everyone has been so amazing - calling to check on us, the offers of help, the thoughts and prayers, advice, and a simple listening ear - I have been so humbled.  So, going forward, if you want to know what's going on, just call and I'll tell you.  I kind of feel like I need to close ranks to protect him.

The past ten days have obviously been consumed by this, but we have managed to have some fun too.  Nana and Boppa came home last week and the kids and I went over to their house for some pizza on Friday night.  Daddy came over and met us there after work.  Jack had so much fun playing with Nana.  Nora was pretty content to sit on Boppa's lap and show off her smile.  Frankly, I think she charmed the pants off of her Boppa.

On Saturday, we celebrated my nephew's first birthday.  Jack had so much fun playing with Wim, riding bikes, playing with balloons, and running around.  We came home to take naps and I went to the store.  We had family movie night with Jack's favorite - popcorn.  Consumed supervised.

On Sunday, my girlfriend, Kirsten, came over to meet Nora and for a long overdue visit.  Jack and Jeff went to the gym so we could have some girl time.  When the boys came home, Jeff went off to work.  The kids and I went to celebrate "Friendsgiving" which is a Thanksgiving celebration I've had with my girlfriends for the past twelve years.  Jack had a great time playing with the kids.

So, Jack is really into counting right now - he counts up and down from ten all the time.  I think I've said this before, but he counts everything.  We can't leave day care at the end of the day without counting all the pictures the wall and we have to even count the stuff in the pictures.  In any case, we spent the entire drive to and from Friendsgiving, counting up and down from ten and then yelling "BLAST OFF" when we hit zero.  He's also getting pretty good at his ABC's too.  Jeff got him a "gee-tar" and he plays this and sings his ABC's.  Jeff also taught him some other songs - my personal favorite is the "I Love You, Mommy" song:

Somewhat unrelated, Nana and Boppa came home from Oregon with new outfits for the kids - Nora is getting so big that she's starting to fit into her six-month outfits.  I guess I grow them big, huh?  But Nana does a great job of making sure that her grandbabies are always stylin' and looking cool....

Grandma Jersey also does her part - a few years back, she sent Jack a moose hat from her Alaskan cruise.  The first year, it was the only hat Jack would wear and now it's become his "thing" and is now his most important winter accessory.  The first moose hat got worn out that winter.  Last year, Jeff and I brought one back from Canada and my parents found a third one when they were on their Alaskan cruise in August.  Anyways, Jeff found a little moose hat for Nora online:

So now at school, we've got Big Moose and Moose Junior.  We're having family photos taken this weekend and I really want to get one of the kids in their his&hers moose hats.  I don't know what we're going to do next year - Jeff and I will probably have to take an Alaskan cruise so we can stock up on more moose hats for the kids, I guess.  Oh pity.

Nora seems to get cooler by the day - she's found her voice and makes sure she's heard.  She is so happy all the time.  Seriously, all the time.  Every day when I pick her up from day care, it's like I told her she won the lottery.  Even if I put her down around the house, when I go to pick her up, she acts like seeing me is the best part of her day.  Her smile seriously makes my day.  

Her most favorite thing in the world is getting her diaper changed - the minute she gets naked, she starts flopping her arms and legs, arching her back and scooting all around the changing table.  She can roll from her stomach to her back now and she is so close at going from her back to her stomach - she just can't seem to get her arm out of the way.  I also happen to think she gets cuter by the minute and it seems she steals the heart of everyone she meets.

This includes her big brother.  The other day, Jack woke up and came into our room.  Nora was sleeping in our bed and Jack climbed in with her, scooted over to her, and held her hand while she slept.

He's telling me not to take a picture, and I know he's wearing Santa pajamas prematurely, but ever since it snowed, it's all he wants to wear.  I've told him that Santa only comes when Mommy says he can and he's got to be a good boy - otherwise Mommy will tell Santa to skip our house this year.

This weekend, we're celebrating Thanksgiving with my family and we've got family pictures on Sunday.  Jeff has been working like a mad man and he's hoping that things will slow down in the next two weeks or so.

In any case, I want to take a minute to thank everyone for everything - you have no idea how much something as simple as a text or email to check on Jack means to us.  It makes me feel less alone, less afraid, and comforted in knowing that there are people who love my little boy and care about his well-being.  For this, I am so grateful.  But if you happen to see the Sandman, send him my way, will you?  

Nora's First Snowfall

Alternatively titled:  This One's for Becky

I should explain - my girlfriend Becky texted me on Friday night to check up on Jack.  Like me, she is an avid family blogger/photo taker/sarcastic comment writer and let me know that I really mess up her routine when I don't post on Mondays.  So honey, this one's for you...

So, it snowed today.  It was predicted, but just every other first snowfall that came before it, there was complete and utter pandemonium.  I went to the grocery store yesterday to pick up a few things for dinner and it was like the Zombie Apocalypse was coming.  People were out in full force buying out everything in the store.  I'm glad we already have shovels and a snow blower (and the friendly neighborhood kid, Tyler, who will do anything for a buck) because there were news reports that home improvement stores were selling them like hotcakes.  I wonder where that expression came from.  Anyways, I digress.  I woke up this morning and looked out the window to see snow covering the ground and falling from the sky.  As any working person will tell you, this causes me to inwardly groan at the thought of the commute that lay ahead of me that morning.  Still, I turned to Jack ,who was still lying in bed and told him that it snowed.  He looked up at me and said, "No, it didn't Mommy."  And I told him to come and look out the window:

So, Jack goes to look out the window (that's what he's doing in this picture, FYI) and says to me, "Look, Mommy!  There's snow!"  I said, "Told you so!" and then he pulls his head out from the window shade and asks, "Where is Santa Claus and where are my presents?"  I have no clue where he got that from, since he couldn't have cared less about Christmas last year and we don't really talk about Santa Claus all that much.  He's got a few Mickey DVDs that talk about Santa Claus a bit, but that's about it.  So, I told him that Santa comes on Christmas, which is in December and AFTER his birthday and he's got some waiting to do.  In any case, we went into his room to get dressed and I told him that I'd picked out a nice, comfy outfit for him to wear to school today.  He told me he needed to wear something with Santa Claus on it.  I told him that he didn't have anything with Santa on it and he told me he did.  So, I asked him to show me.  He opened up his closet and pulled out his Santa pajamas.  Kid showed me, I guess.  But still, I told him that he couldn't wear his pajamas to school and that seemed to appease him.  I was kind of cringing in the corner, hoping I wouldn't have to fight him on that.  

I got the kids all bundled up and ready for school.  

      

Nora was mad at me that I made her wear a hat to school.  It took about a half-hour to get the kids to daycare, which is insane, and by the time I'd finally dropped her off at school, she'd fallen asleep.  Oh well.  I'm of the frame of mind that she'll sleep when she's tired and she won't when she isn't.  Schedules be damned.  I couldn't find Jack's snow gear this morning (I think I gave it away.  Oops) so I've got to go shopping to get him a snow jacket, pants, boots and waterproof mittens to keep at school so he can go outside to play.    

The other day, I wondered to my mother whether I'd ever just have a "normal" day.  It seems like there is invariably a crisis of some sort just about every day.  On Friday, Jack decided to shove an entire roll of toilet paper down the toilet and flush it, which left me cleaning up a half-inch of toilet water before I had to take him to school.  As a side note, I put him in his room for a time-out and shut the door, telling him that I was so mad at him I couldn't look at him.  As I was mopping up the mess, I can hear him crying through the door, "But I'm a good listener!  I want to apologize!"  So I let him out and he looked at me and said, "Mommy, I need a hug."  This makes parenting very difficult and Jack a pro at parental guilt manipulation. Anyways, This morning, there was snow, obviously, but Nora blew out twice.  She made it through three outfits and I made it through two (she generously blew out on me when I was feeding her) before we even got out the door this morning.  My mother told me that, no, I probably wouldn't ever have a "normal" day and if I did, I'd be bored.  She's probably right.  She usually is.    

My parents are supposed to fly in from Oregon tonight and I'm hoping that their flight makes it in safely.  So, that's been weighing heavily on my mind.  They're literally flying right through the heart of the storm, so keep some thoughts and prayers going their way for responsible pilots.  

Anyways, enough about the snow.  On Friday, Jack's school called to tell me that he was acting really off.  Given the events of the past week or so, I thought it best to go and get him.  I'm grateful to his school for keeping an extra close eye on him and knowing my child well enough to know when something is wrong.  They told me that he was sitting in a corner, kind of dazed, and it took Ms. Anna a while to get him to focus on her.  When he finally did, he started crying and told her his head hurt.  Well, I went up to get him and took one look at him and knew he wasn't himself.  I walked into his classroom, he saw me and started crying.  He came over and sat on my lap and kept telling me that he hit his head and that his head hurt - although he couldn't say what he hit his head on or where it hurt.  I guess I don't really know if kids can get headaches.  Maybe they can.  A doctor once told me little kids couldn't get strep throat and Jack proved him wrong.  So, who knows?  I took him home and I thought he had a fever.  I gave him some Tylenol and let him sit up with me for a little bit.  I eventually put him down for his nap and he slept about three hours.  He was still crabby when he got up and he was running a temperature, so I just kind of let him do his own thing while I worked and took care of Nora.  

Both kids needed baths on Friday night, which is always kind of a hassle.  You never know if Jack is going to buck the bath and fight me or if he's going to go quietly - if not excitedly - into the water.  So, I finished up with Jack's supper and went upstairs to give Nora a bath.  Jack followed and insisted on helping me bathe her.  

He did a great job for the most part - we just need to constantly remind him that he needs to be gentle with her.  This morning, though, she was sitting in her bunny chair in the bathroom with me and Jack came in, sat down next to the chair and told her that he loved her and gave her a kiss.  He was kind of playing with her for a few minutes and I could hear him mumbling under his breath, "Jack need to be nice to Nora.  Jack need to be gentle with Nora so Nora not get sad."  Melt my heart.    

Anyways, the big news of the weekend was that Jeff took Jack to his first movie on Saturday morning.  They went to the 10:00 showing of Big Hero 6 and they had the full movie experience.  Jeff trooped off to the show with enough diapers and snacks to change and feed all the kids in the theater, but at least he was prepared.  Jeff said that Jack did really well during the movie and actually watched most of it - he kind of stood up and climbed on the chairs a bit, but he ate his popcorn and even asked to go potty TWICE during the movie, which is nothing short of amazing.  

This makes Boppa quite happy and I see many afternoons in all their futures, watching movies together and eating popcorn.  Anyways, while the boys were at the movie, I spent my time cleaning and such.  I talked with Gammy Arizona for about an hour too - she had surgery on Friday afternoon but sounded in great spirits by the time we talked on Saturday.  But this made me so late in getting to the store that half the produce was picked over and they were out of Jack's fruit.  Mom problems, I know.  

By the time I got back from the store, Jack and Jeff were having lunch.  I put Jack down for his nap and Jeff went into the office.  I know that I said before that Jack really enjoys cooking with me and so I had picked up some stuff at the store to make pizza for dinner that night.  Jack was totally into it and kept asking to make cookies when we were all done.  He was pretty excited to eat pizza for dinner that night too.  We were talking at dinner and I asked him who his best friend was.  He told me it was Friend Juliet - Auntie Lindsey and Uncle Brendan's little girl.  Then, I asked him what his favorite color was - it's still yellow.  His favorite animal is a monkey and he wants to be a rock star when he grows up.  So, there you have it.      

Yesterday we didn't do much.  The boys went to the gym in the morning and I spent my time getting ready for the week and punching people at the grocery store.  Kidding.  Kind of.  Jack didn't nap that well yesterday and when he woke up, he was full of the wiggles.  I asked him what he wanted to do and he told me he wanted to go to McDonald's and play.  So, I got the kids bundled up and drove to McDonald's.  When we got there, Jack pitched a total fit and insisted I take him home.  We came home and had a dance party to the latest Taylor Swift album.  

Which brings me to more things that Jack says - there's a song on the Taylor Swift CD that's called "Shake it Off."  I was singing and dancing around the room with Nora and Jack promptly tells me, "You need not shake Nora.  You need stop it."  He really means that I need to stop dancing with her and pay attention to him, but it doesn't sound good.  Last night, we were on FaceTime with my mom and I said that Nora was so cute I wanted to eat her.  Jack told me that I was not allowed to eat Nora.  This really scares me for school today and what he's going to tell his teachers.  Or whether they're going to call me in for a "talk" about what's going on at home.  

As a side note, Jeff told me that he and Jack watched an SNL skit the other night.  Apparently, Jonah Hill was the host and the bit was all about him getting hit in the man-parts with tennis balls.  Jeff told me that Jack thought it was hilarious and was laughing just like a little man.  At the end of the skit, apparently one more comes at Jonah Hill and Jack said, "Oh no!  Not again!"  And this leads me to conclude that kids are way more observant than we give them credit for.  This also reminds me to tell Jeff that he should not watch horror movies while Jack plays with the iPad next to him on the couch.  

I write so much about Jack because he's hysterical right now and does so much more than Nora does.   That doesn't mean that Nora isn't totally awesome, because she is.  Seriously, I could not have asked for a better baby.  She is amazing.  She sleeps well, loves to be held (but is okay if she isn't) and smiles for all sorts of things.  She's currently working on rolling over.  I've got a play mat for her and I put her down on it the other day and watched her work herself counterclockwise all the way around the mat.  She thinks Jack is really funny.   Nora is really fascinated by all sorts of things.  She grabs my arm when I'm changing her diaper and thoroughly inspects my forearm.  She loves all the butterflies, birds and elephants that hang from her swing and bouncy chairs and she really focuses on trying to get them.  

That's actually a picture of her inspection skills that was taken at daycare.  And again, she seems to be adapting really well there.  Minus the pink eye and ear infection business, of course.  I didn't love the newborn phase with Jack - I'll admit to that now.  But I am just digging it with her.  She is absolutely amazing and I miss every day since the day she was born.  She is changing and growing so fast and learning new skills all the time - she just amazes me.  I can't believe we're going to start solid foods next month and teething is right around the corner too.  She has been an absolute blessing and one of the two best gifts I've ever been given.    

Coming up this week, I've got a lot of office time, which is nice because I'll be traveling the second half of this month and into December.  Nothing (or nowhere) too exciting - just a lot of road trips for depositions and trials.  Jack has his EKG on Thursday morning and my dad is also having some minor surgery on that day too.  This weekend, we're going to be celebrating Baby Bash's FIRST birthday party which amazes me too.  It's like I blinked and he turned one.  I can't believe how much life can change in a year.  Nora and Bash weren't even in the world this time last year and now, it's like they've always been here.  It really gives meaning to the fact that we need to treasure every moment and savor the times together.  Okay, enough of the sap.  Waterworks off.  Mama need to get some work done.  

Hope you enjoyed the latest (on time) installment, Becky.

Mama Bear Mode

*Disclaimer- This post was written over the course of several days...*

Monday
Without a doubt, my children are the single most important thing in my life.  I swear I would take down a toddler if he was hurting one of my kids.  I am fierce, scary, and I will chew you up and spit you out if you so much as hurt a hair on my child's head.  If something is wrong with one of my kids, I will use every resource in the world to make things better.  In short, there is nothing I wouldn't do for one of them.  Absolutely nothing.  And I'll always be that way.  I can't ever imagine a world where I'm not their biggest advocate, protector, and supporter.  If they're hurt, I'll mend it.  If they're angry, I'll fix it.  If they're scared, I'll protect them.  Whatever they need, I'll be sure they get it.  I am their mother and there is no obstacle too great for me to overcome when it comes to them.  I never want to imagine a world where they're hurting and I can't help them make something better.  And I want them to always know that.  No matter what, I will fight for them and help them in any way that I can.  I never want them to think that they're alone in this world or that I wouldn't move mountains to ease their troubles.  I don't want a relationship with my kids where they feel like they can't come to me for advice or help with their problems.  Even now, I tell Nora and Jack that they can talk to me about anything and there's nothing I won't do to help them.  They might not understand it now, but I hope that sentiment gets ingrained in their subconscious and they always remember that Mom will fight for them - no matter what.  Yes, I am in Mama Bear mode.  You've been warned, so watch out.  

I suppose I should back up a bit - I'll write a little more about Halloween later, but we (or rather I) had quite a scare this weekend.  Jeff and Jack woke up and went to the gym like they normally do on Saturday mornings.  I spent the day getting back to routine - cleaning, shopping and getting things ready for the week.  After the boys come home from Lifetime, Jack likes to have his "post-workout smoothie" a la Mommy.  When he was done with his liquid lunch, I put him down for a nap.  Typically, Jack will nap about two or three hours on the weekends.  I use this time to catch up on the television shows I missed from the past week.  Anyways, about forty-five minutes after Jack went to sleep, I heard him get up.  He likes to come downstairs when he first wakes up and we snuggle and watch a show together.  Anyways, he came down the stairs and into the living room.  All of a sudden, it looked like someone had grabbed him by his hair and pulled straight up.  He went totally stiff and sort of face-planted on the floor of the living room.  I ran over and when I picked him up, he was shaking - quite dramatically - and he was stiff as a board.  I held him as best as I could, tried to calm him down, but I was internally screaming and trying to figure out if I needed to call an ambulance.  The whole "spell" lasted about two minutes or so and afterwards, Jack was really upset, sobbing, and he kept telling me that his leg hurt.  And I could tell he was in pain.  So, I threw him in the car and drove like a mad woman to the nearest emergency department.  

They didn't really do much for him there.  And, by the time we got there, he was back to his normal self, sort of.  He was pretty clingy, emotional and wiped, but I think that can all be explained.  Me, I was an emotional wreck.  I think the doctor spent most of his time trying to calm me down as opposed to trying to asses my kid.  Regardless, the doctor looked him over, told me he was well enough to go home and then tried to explain what happened.  In short, Jack had a seizure of some sort but the doctor couldn't tell me what caused it.  There's something called a "breath-holding spell" where a child will hold his breath until he passes out and in some extreme cases, this can cause a seizure.  This isn't a medical cause for concern, but the doctor said that they can be scary as hell for anyone who witnesses it.  There are other causes for seizures, obviously, such as a tumor or epilepsy, and this needs further investigation.  The doctor also told me that kids can have a seizure and it will never happen again in their lives - and the cause is totally unexplained.  

Truthfully, I am more affected by this than he is.  By the time he woke up yesterday morning, he was back to his usual antics, although he did stick a bit closer to me yesterday.  He's probably just picking up on my altered emotional state because I've been a total wreck.  So now I've got my claws out and it's time to fight.  I've done my research, written down Jack's symptoms, and we've got an appointment with his primary care doctor this afternoon.  I'm not going to let up until we have some answers - and if it turns out to be nothing, that's obviously the best news, but I'd like to see some medical proof that it isn't anything to be concerned about.  

Tuesday
Okay, so we went to the pediatrician last night.  I picked Nora up from daycare and she had pink eye.   The doctor looked her over and she ALSO had an ear infection.  Awesome.  So, I got two for the price of one last night at the doctor's office.  Regarding Jack, the seizure had both tonic and clonic properties - meaning the immediate stiffness (the tonic phase) and then the jerking (the clonic phase) and so further investigation is warranted.  I pretty much decided that I wasn't going to accept any other offer, obviously.  So, we have a referral for a sleep-deprived EEG and a brain MRI.  It all sounds super-scary, but I think everything will turn out just fine.  The doctor's office is supposed to call me with our appointment time today.  The thing that really terrifies me is that the EEG must be sleep-deprived.  I don't know how we're going to manage that one.  I'll ask, I guess.  He's also going to have to be sedated for both procedures since there's no way on earth that he'd ever sit still for that.

Wednesday
We've got Jack's tests set for tomorrow morning.  The good news is that he's not going to be sedated for the procedures, but how they're going to complete them, God only knows.  I told the scheduling assistant yesterday that Jack really wasn't one to sit still for anything, but they seemed to be confident in their abilities to keep him calm.  He also doesn't need to be sleep-deprived, which makes me thank my lucky stars.  We've got to be down at the clinic at 7:00 tomorrow morning and then we're meeting with the neurologist at 8:30, so hopefully we'll have some answers by this time tomorrow.

Thursday
So, we went to the neurologist this morning.  He had an EEG and a head CT scan.  The EEG was a pretty interesting test.  They hooked his little (ha!) head up to about thirty different color electrodes with something that looked like Vaseline and smelled awful.  Then, they wrapped his head up like he'd just had brain surgery.  He did get to sit in my lap for the whole procedure.  The doctor flashed strobe lights in front of him for the first five minutes and then for the rest of the test, we just sat together, talked, played with some toys and sang songs.  During the procedure, he said to me, "Mommy, I need to go poopy."  This, in and of itself, is a huge deal in terms of his potty training.  Regardless, I told him there was nothing I could do about it and so he went in his pants.  Then, he turns to me and said, "Mommy, I'm sorry I pooped on you."  I thought that was kind of cute, even if he was apologizing for dropping a load on me.

Anyways, we met with the neurologist afterwards and, unfortunately, the EEG did show some mild abnormalities.  The CT scan was inconclusive mostly because he didn't sit still enough for the examination.  Which I told them, but whatever.  In any case, he's now set for a sedated brain MRI, an EKG and some blood work.  I've also got a prescription for Valium in the event he has another seizure that lasts more than five minutes.  The prescription is a suppository, and I have no clue how I'm going to shove something up the butt of a seizing toddler if it comes to that.  Which, obviously, I hope it doesn't.  I did ask the doctor if they gave Mommy & Me prescriptions for that stuff.  I don't think the doctor thought it was as funny as I did.

The doctor didn't give any kind of prognosis or diagnosis.  He did tell me that 50% of people who have seizures never have another one.  However, individuals who have more than two have a 90% chance of having more, which makes sense.  The doctor also told me, again, that there can sometimes be no explanation for some seizures and hopefully, this was an isolated event.

I'm doing fine with it all - my sister said I'm handling this in a way very unlike me.  But, the way that I see it, if something's going on, there's nothing I can do about it and I'm doing everything I can to help him now.  I'm in full-on Mama Bear mode and advocating as best as I can for my child.  I will say that the support and encouragement we've received has been amazing.  Jack is covered in prayer.  My grandparents requested a prayer for him at church on Sunday and came to visit us last weekend too.  My parents call and talk to Jack every single day.  And my sister and girlfriends call me daily to check in to see how I'm doing and if I need any help with Nora.  I think it's a testament to the kind of child Jack is.  He is such a sweet, happy and loving little guy.  I just can't get over it.  And I am so humbled by everyone's concern for my favorite little boy.  He is one lucky kid and I am one lucky mom.  

After the doctor's appointment this morning, we went to my firm so I could pick up a few things before heading back home.  He was so funny at the office.  He hid behind my legs when any of the women I work with tried to talk to him, but he walked around and talked with all the guys.  He would walk into someone's office, and say, "Hey!  I'm Jack Storms.  What are you doing?" but didn't bother waiting for an answer and would make a beeline for anything that looked fun to play with.  One of the attorneys gave him some M&Ms and he walked around and shared them with all the men he chatted up.  Nora is growing up to be just like him too.  Her teachers at school call her a "gem" and she is just so stinking happy and laid back.  I love the fact that, if her basic needs are met, her default emotion is happiness.  Seriously, I have the best kids.  Horrible pregnancies, but great kids and I am so proud to be their mother.    

So, I suppose I should talk a little about Halloween while I have a minute.  Both kids had parties at school - Jack's was a bit more involved than Nora's was.  Nora got dressed up in her costume and learned what a pumpkin felt like.

Jack's party looked awesome - they played games, got treats, and Costume Kim came with her face paints.

I also got huge props from his teachers for my super-cool paper towel ghost necklaces.  Anyways, as far as Halloween goes, it was great - Jack had so much fun trick-or-treating.  I think Nora liked wearing her costume too and handing out candy with Daddy.  I did not get good pictures of the kids in their costumes - Jack inherited my ability to take horrible pictures, I guess.

 
Seriously - can you tell they're siblings?  Same blank and confused stare on their face and the shared general annoyance with their mother for her incessant need to take pictures.  I just took Jack around the cul-de-sac to trick-or-treat and he said "Thaaaaank-Yoooooou" after every house.  We didn't have a lot of kids come to our house this year, probably because it was cold and Halloween was on a Friday, which probably means most people were at parties.  So now I've got a ton of leftover candy that I've been using to bribe Jack into going to the bathroom on the toilet.  I also have to share this picture of my nephew in his Halloween costume:

Also, in addition to Halloween, Nora turned three months last Friday.  Like I said, she is the sweetest little girl and I couldn't have custom-ordered a better baby.

Currently, she's working on rolling over, although she hasn't accomplished this quite yet.  But, she's close.  She loves snuggling and finds everything that I do absolutely hysterical.  She's got lots of baby giggles and loves to watch her big brother.  She's still a great sleeper and eater and loves to have her head scratched.  She's also really into having her diaper changed.  Nora seems to be adjusting well to day care and has a smile for me every day when I pick her up.  I just can't get enough of her.

So anyways, before the events on Saturday, it was a day like any other.  Jeff and Jack went to the gym while I went to Target, cleaned the house, and did laundry.  Jeff went to work around nap time and then Jack, Nora and I spent the rest of the night in the emergency room.  When we were discharged, I pretty much let him do whatever he wanted.  He wanted to have a milkshake, so that's what we had for dinner.  The ER also had a little doctor's kit for kids to play with and he loved it - so we went to Target and got him one too.  He's really into Doc McStuffins right now, so he's been giving me my daily "check-ups" and I have to make sure he gets one too.  Nora gets checked out and so does Blue.

So, on Sunday, I broke my toe after I stubbed it on the Swiffer.  When it rains, right?

 
Gross, right?  But I'm too embarrassed to go back to the doctor to get it set.  But, it doesn't matter.  Dr. Storms has been treating me with lots of Band-Aids and kisses.  Last night, he dropped his guitar on my OTHER foot while I was holding him.  I cried out, which upset Jack to no end.  He got all teary and then ran to get his doctor kid and his Band-Aids to patch me up.  Then, he had a "talk" with his guitar and gave it a time-out for hurting Mommy.  The good news, as Jeff says, is that Jack was really upset that I was hurt, so we're not raising a sociopath.

On Sunday, we stuck close to home but Jack did ask to go to McDonalds and play.  He was a bit weird there.  Most of the time, I have to crawl in the play structure to pull him out, but he wanted to just sit on my lap and he kind of picked at his chicken nuggets.  I'd tell him to go play or go down the slide, and he'd do that once or twice and then come back and ask to sit with me or on my lap.  He's been asking me to snuggle a lot lately too, which I totally don't mind.  I love it - my two snuggle bugs in bed with me is my idea of heaven.

Finally, I'm posting a video of Jack singing "Twinkle Twinkle" which is the latest song in his repertoire.  I'm finally allowed to sing with him but only with some songs and I'm definitely not allowed to sing anything Elsa or Anna sings.

 
I don't think we've got much going on this weekend, which is nice.  We've got his EKG set for next week and the MRI scan scheduled on November 19th, so I hope everything stays quiet until then.  Both Jeff and I have marketing events scheduled for tonight, so we've got a new babysitter coming, which I'm excited about.  She's a friend of "Cowl Awec" or Uncle Alec, and I'm hoping it works out - we're in need of a reliable sitter and someone who can stay with the kids when my parents are out of town.  So, until next time, I'm sending out a plea for prayers, good thoughts and words of encouragement for us over the next few weeks.  Pray for good test results, that we have no more seizures, and that I can remain calm with all the uncertainty.  Jack (well, all of us) is so lucky to have such amazing friends and family in his life.  I can't tell you how much your support has meant to us.