William's Surgery

William had his Ear Tube surgery on March25th. He did really well and his recovery is going well too. We started the day early getting to the hospital at 6:00am. With no bottle or any food after midnight, William did really well. We thought he'd be pretty cranky with no food. They called us back, got him in a cute purple gown, and took his vitals. While we waited in the back for them to get us, Pastor Butch joined us and we had some down time. The nurse came and gave the baby some relaxing medicine about a half hour before the surgery, and if a baby could be drunk, that is what William was acting like. I'd have to say, he was relaxed! At 7:30am, they came to get us. I got on the bed with the baby, and they wheeled us down the hall for his induction (putting him to sleep for the surgery) while Benjamin and Pastor Butch walked with us. Benjamin and I got to go with him in the induction room, and got to hold his hand during the whole thing. There were about 8 medical people in there, and all of them were saying how cute William is. Even while they were putting the little mask on him, he was full of smiles. Once he was asleep, we left to let the dr do his thing. We waited in the room right outside the induction room, and about 15 minutes later the dr came out and said William did well. He told us William had infections in both ears, and that with the swelling from the infection, they might bleed a little. They took William to the recovery room, and we said good-bye to Pastor Butch and went back the the surgery waiting room. About 2 minutes after we got to the waiting room, the nurse called us and I was allowed to go back to see William. When I got there, the baby was crying and had just started to come out of his sleep. I held him and rocked him, but he continued to cry. I was getting a little nervous. After about 10 minutes, they took us from the recovery room to back to where we were before they took us to the surgery. Benjamin was able to come back too. William was still crying, and I was still pretty nervous that something was wrong. Benjamin said he was probably hungry (it was about 8:30am by then) and with the nurse's approval, we gave William a bottle. Well, that must have been it, because after the bottle, he calmed down - even to the point that he fell asleep. We let him sleep for about 15 minutes, and the nurse gave us our instructions and said we could leave. We put his jammies back on him (didn't even wake him up) and headed home. Once we got home, William woke up and even had a bite to eat. By the afternoon, he was going so great that if you didn't know he had surgery earlier in the morning, you'd never know. Now, 4 days later, he is doing great. We have a follow up appointment on the 8th. Thanks for all the well wishes and prayers! Hopefully, these tubes will be the best thing and he won't get anymore darn ear infections! Here are a couple pictures I took with my cell phone while at the hospital...

Cuddling with Mommy before the surgery.

Cuddling with Daddy after the surgery.

Asleep after his bottle after the surgery.

Asleep in the car on the way home.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter Everyone!

We had a very nice Easter even though it snowed! Not much Easter Egg hunting in the snow, but it made for a beautiful morning. We started off the day with an Easter Breakfast at church. The puppets did a little skit and boy did William enjoy it! Then we came back home for about an hour and went back to church for worship services. It was a very moving service with 5 baptisms! It reminded me of my own baptism on Easter when I was 19 years old and of William's. After church, we went back home for a quick lunch and then over the Grandma and Grandpa's for Easter dinner. It was a very nice day, and William was sure a good boy. When we went home for lunch, William was feeling a little warm, and he ended up having a 100.4 temperature. I suspect another ear infection. Good thing we have a dr's appointment tomorrow with the ENT and with Parkview to do admit paperwork for his ear tube surgery Tuesday. Even with his fever he was a very good boy (like he always is) and did a lot of showing off for the family. Here are a few pics from today (and from a year ago to see how much he has grown)!

Then (2007)

Now (2008)

Then (2007)

Now (2008)

Sitting in Great-Grandpa's Chair!!

Coloring Easter Eggs yesterday!

William and the Easter Bunny

We are selling our house - Well, maybe not!

Hi everyone! I hope you had a nice St. Patrick's Day. So, what's happening in our household? Well, we were selling our house, but we have now taken it off the market. I want to be a stay at home mom, and the only way that we could afford to do it was to sell our beautiful home and get a cheaper one. Well, after some number crunching, we will be able to refinance and get some equity out of the house to use as my income for the year. The only kicker is that since we had our house on the market (for a full 2 weeks is all) we have to wait 90 days to refinance. I'm not sure exactly why, but those are the rules. So, we will just be as is until June. If the refinance doesn't go through or we hit a snag, then we will put the house back on the market. I hope we won't have to sell as we just built this house and we both love it - but on the other hand, I want to stay home with the baby and if I have to sell the house to do it, then oh well. Speaking of the baby.

Our poor little man has had a rough couple weeks. As you know, he had another ear infection and then last week had croup. He is now off all his medication, but today when I looked in his mouth I saw 4 teeth just about to poke through. FOUR!! All at once! He will go from having 2 teeth to a whole mouthful! Also, he is scheduled to have surgery on March 25th. He will be getting the ear tubes, and hopefully that will take care of the ear infections. Our poor little guy has just had once sickness after another. Hopefully the tubes with help, and maybe some warmer weather will help too. Even with all this going on, he still is a pretty happy boy full of smiles.

How are Benjamin and I? Benjamin is doing well. He was in Atlanta last week for a training. He survived the big tornado there! He now has a great war story, but I was sure glad to get him home. I'm doing pretty well too. Next week is spring break and it can't come soon enough. I plan on taking care of the baby after his surgery and just relaxing. I am really excited about the prospects of being a "Stay at Home Mom". I have even submitted my request for parental leave to the school district. I can take up to 2 years off and still keep a position when I come back. I won't be able to get my current job, but I would at least be guaranteed a job when I return. I will probably sub a couple days a week, but I will really like the flexibility of subbing. I can work when I want to, and if the baby is sick I can stay home with him. So, that means William will only have 9 more times at daycare, and let me tell you, I am counting the days. (I'm not the happiest person with our daycare if you haven't figured out. But that is another post). So, overall we are doing well. Once all those teeth come in I'll post a picture!

Happy Birthday Sweet William!!

I am a few days late, but I have finally found a few minutes to update my blog (while the baby is napping). First and foremost, my darling little boy is now 1 year old. I can't believe how much the baby has grown, but even more so how my I, myself, have grown - as a mother, a wife, and a woman. Before William was first born, I had no experience with babies at all. Other than holding a few, I had very limited exposure, and in fact had never even changed a diaper EVER! So, when William was born, the first few weeks were very tough for me. (I think a bout of post pardum depression didn't help either.) I felt like I didn't know what I was doing, was afraid to be alone with the baby (as nuts as that sounds) and basically felt like I had no business being a mother. Thank goodness for my Mom. Those 9pm crying phone calls to have her come over and tell me what to do, helped me through the first few weeks - more than she may know! As the months have rolled on, my confidence as a mother has greatly increased. I have a new appreciation for my mother that I never would have known if I was not a mother myself now. Even just saying that I am a mother is a little weird since Benjamin and I has such problems getting pregnant in the first place. I also have a new love for Benjamin - deeper. When I see him playing with the baby or just being with him, my heart overflows with love. Life is surely sweeter now with the baby. I admit, that not all days are sunshine and roses, but I am more happy being a mother than I have been in my whole life.

William is fantastic! It has been truly amazing seeing him progress this past year. From rolling, to crawling, and now almost walking, I love every stage he has gone through and look forward to the next. It will be a whole new ball game when he can actually communicate with words! I have to say, the the past month or so has really brought out his personality. He gets very angry now when you take away something he shouldn't have to don't give him something he wants. I'd have to say we are seeing the beginnings of temper tantrums! Overall, he still is such a happy boy that sometimes I wonder how we got so lucky. He had lots of fun at his birthday party, even though the poor baby has another ear infection. We enjoyed opening his presents, and I've have to say his favorite presents were a pinwheel and balloons! Thanks for all of you who were able to come and got him a present. He's had a fun morning playing with all his new toys. Here are a few pictures of his party from yesterday.

Decorating the church!

Cute cake! (The little one I made myself!)

How old is William? ONE!

William having fun opening presents!

Yummy cake!

Too much party fun!

Here is a montage of his first year that I played at the party!

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