Busy, busy, busy

Well, July has FLOWN by!!! I think that's because we have been so busy! We've had so many playdates (daddy wrecked his car and it was in the shop for 3 weeks! yes, he's fine) since we didn't have a car for awhile. We had pool playdates (sorry no pics!) with my friend Kim and her son Jaden and my nieces/nephews. We also had a July 4th b-day party (Jaden turned 3) at Chuck E Cheese...SO fun:) We met Kaleb's friend from preschool, Zane, and his sister at the park and had a picnic lunch. We've seen a few free movies at the theater, too. One of my best friends, Amanda, and her kids Jarrett, Colton, and Sierra came over to play. The older kids were having such a good time playing that I only managed to grab a pic of the little ones, Karson and Sierra (with Amanda). Then we had their birthday party (they all have b-days within a month of eachother, turning 6, 3, and 1) which was a lot of fun:) On that same day we also had another b-day party for Gabe who turned 1 also.

Karson, Sierra, and Amanda
The kids have been obsessed with jumping off the couch onto the cushions lately. It's great exercise for them! You can see below that Kassidy especially got a great workout, her face is bright red and bangs sticking straight up from the sweat:) And, too hot for clothes.

Kassidy grabbed this pic of us. Now it was my turn for a workout! Of course Kaleb wanted me to run, not just walk around:)
One of Kassidy's friends, Jillian, from preschool came over to play one afternoon. The 3 had such a blast! They kept me busy...first the sprinkler, then the playset, then popsicles, then inside. It was so cute hearing the girls talk about Kindergarten and if they'd be in the same class, and if not then they'd see each other on the playground and maybe lunch, what kind of backpack they have, etc. Kaleb fit right in and the girls didn't mind! Karson slept almost the whole time we played which worked out great because it was so hot outside.
Mom and Dad (known as Mama and Papa to the grandkids) made a quick trip down from Ohio for the 1st Annual 5K Charity Run/Walk for Hope. My sisters and I put one on here and Ohio on 2 different Saturdays in honor of our dad who is fighting sarcoma (a rare cancer). The races both went really great! It was a lot of work but well worth it. We had so many friends and family and lots of people we didn't know come out and support us and our efforts to raise awareness and funds for sarcoma research. It was awesome to see how supportive both our communities are:) After a long day in the sun we enjoyed some time in the pool before they had to head back home.

Friday we have some family from Atlanta coming to visit. They were the ones we stayed with and who cooked for us and kept us company while in Atlanta last year with Kaleb (at the feeding clinic). It's hard to believe that was a whole year ago! I'm also trying to organize the baby clothes in our attic. Some go to one sister, some to another sister, lots to Goodwill. It will be nice when I get it done because we'll have lots more room in the attic. If anyone wants any just let me know! Hopefully these next few weeks will slow down a bit. We need some good relaxation at home before the school year begins. Hope everyone is having a fun summer:) C-ya!

Check out more new posts below!

Kaleb's 1st G-tube feeding

Kaleb came home last night around 5pm. We had to wait for the home health care people to come drop off the pump and supplies we need for his feedings. After they left we decided to give it a go!

At first Kaleb kept saying don't do it, don't do it, because he was scared we were going to touch the part of the tube right on his belly. But once he figured out we just needed to attach the feeding to the end of the tube he was fine. He stayed hooked up to the pump for about a half an hour and played with his trains. It went great, no problems!

So the plan is to let Kaleb eat and drink during the day, then whatever he doesn't drink (needs at least 3 boxes of his drink/day, usually only drinks 1-1 1/2) we will give to him thru the pump at night. We'll meet with the nutritionist again in about 2 weeks for a weight check and to reassess things.

Kaleb is doing pretty good today:) He's been playing so much, mostly sitting down on the floor. I think it pulls on his stomach a little bit when he's upright because he walks hunched over like an old man! It's cute. The only time he's complained about it hurting is when I have to clean it. I take some Q tips and clean all around the tube with soap and water to get the gunk off (it's normal for it to leak some yellowish stuff).

He's being such a big boy dealing with everything so far...we are SO proud of him!!! He knows that this will help him be big and strong:) It's a real hard thing for us to see him go through but we know it's what he really needs.

Please pray that Kaleb continues to be feel well, be pain free, gains weight, and the tube remains clean and doesn't get infected. It's means a lot that you all have been so supportive!!!

We'll keep you posted...literally:)

Kaleb Update

Just a quick update on Kaleb...he had his G-tube put in today. (He was just not able to eat/drink enough calories to maintain his weight anymore and started losing weight) The surgery was at 9am, only lasted about 15 minutes, and went great. We got up to a room at about 10:45, Kaleb was still pretty sleepy and out of it for the next few hours. When they checked his fever around 4 it was 101.something even though they gave him Tylenol every 4 hours. Around 7:30pm they checked it again and it was down to 100 and Kaleb was more like himself, talking and playing with his new Cars magnetic toys (from cousin Sara). He also was getting very thirsty and asking for some water, even getting upset at times because we wouldn't give him any! (Dr said nothing by mouth until morning) Keith will be staying with Kaleb overnight since I have to work tomorrow and he said Kaleb is fast asleep:) Hopefully they both will get some restful sleep and Kaleb will feel better in the morning!

The Dr will be in tomorrow morning sometime, probably not before 8. They'll go over all the feeding stuff with Keith then. We did have a friend of a friend (used to work with feeding tubes) come and talk to us and show us some 'dolls' with feeding tubes and that was very helpful! I'll keep you all posted as best I can from work tomorrow.

Thanks so much for your well wishes, love, and prayers:)

Karson is 4 months!

Wow! I just cannot believe another month has gone by...summer is definitely going too fast! Well, as you can see from the pic above Karson is growing like a weed! It seems like he was a tiny little baby for only a month. He is now 16 1/2 lbs and 26 in. That's almost 4 lbs and 2 1/2 inches in 2 months! I am not used to having such a big baby, but I love it:)

Karson is such a happy baby:) He smiles all the time now and is starting to laugh, too! Of course Kassidy always gets him to laugh by doing the silliest things. Aunt Kelly also can get him to laugh every time when she tickles him!

In the next few weeks we're to start rice cereal and once he does well with that move on to veggies and fruits. I'm SO excited to see how he likes different foods! I'm not looking forward to the mess that I'm sure he'll make but that goes with the territory.

Right now Karson wakes up around 7 and 'talks' in his crib until 7:30-7:45. He's a loud talker, too! I love listening to his many sounds...he likes to get his arm over his mouth and hear the different noises, too. He usually has an 8 oz bottle at 8, naps from 9:30-11:30, 6-7 oz bottle at 12, naps from 2-3:30, 6-7 oz bottle at 4-4:30, sometimes catnaps from 5:30-6:30 (and is MUCH happier if he does!), 7-8 oz bottle at 8:15-8:30, then to bed by 9. He loves to fall asleep during this last bottle which I love because I get to cuddle him on my chest:) But I think maybe he should get his bottle a little sooner and then go to sleep on his own in his crib. We'll see! He does a pretty good job falling asleep on his own during the day.

We all just love hugging and squeezing Karson, probably because there's so much to squeeze:) Big sis still likes to help out by feeding him, although she has figured out how to get him from laying on her lap to laying on her chest to burp him, much to my suprise. We have to watch her because sometimes she doesn't get his legs in a comfy position and he fusses. She definitely thinks she knows all there is to know about caring for a baby and what makes him happy...such a big helper!

Kaleb loves calling Karson his baby brother but is still working on being gentle. Karson has endured many limb-pullings and head butts!

Karson really has been a good baby. He is usually a very happy little guy, hardly fusses/cries. He is more consistent with his naps and falling asleep on his own. He is doing much better at tummy time...yea!

One of Karson's new toys is the bumbo. It has really helped with his head control and even some upper trunk control. He will sit in the bumbo while we eat our meals or to watch a movie (he loves Baby Einstein videos). Karson has become very good at grabbing and holding things in his hands and bringing them close to his mouth. He is very strong! A few times he's even managed to get a good hold on Kassidy's hair!

Karson's other new toy is the exersaucer. He does like it, but only lasts a little while. He's getting stronger sitting in it. When we first started putting him in it we had to put a blanket behind him and in front if him. Now we just use one in front of him. He's even started reaching and grabbing these toys, too!

Karson has figured out that if he pulls this on the bouncy it plays music!
Some misc pics...

Slipper time (even though its 90 outside!)
Some sleepy pics of Karson in his carseat,
Bjorn carrier,
and float at the pool:)

Tough times

My husband received some horrible news last week...one of his best friends had passed away!!! This was totally unexpected and a huge shock to us all. He was on a business trip in Oklahoma and died suddenly. Keith met Faiz in college in Toledo, Ohio and have been friends ever since. Even though they didn't see each other a whole lot after college (us living in SC and Faiz in FL), they were always able to just pick up where they left off when they got together. They did have a fun trip to Vegas about 2 years ago and Faiz came to visit us 2 months ago.

Faiz is actually the reason Keith and I met:) Faiz wanted to go out one night but Keith wasn't feeling well. Faiz convinced Keith to drag himself out to Club Sandwich (a cool dance bar in college) and we met and exchanged phone numbers that night! (something I never did before that) I've always liked Faiz, he's such a good, true friend, and would do ANYTHING for anyone. I don't think there was actually anyone who met him that didn't like him! He was also a very funny guy and we have lots of good memories:) Please say a prayer for all of his friends and family, including my husband. It's been a tough thing to go through and understand but I know we're all trying to trust God.


Here's a pic of the two of them from Faiz's trip here about 2 months ago...WE LOVE YOU AND WILL MISS YOU FAIZ!!!!!