TEN years

TEN years ago I married the best partner I could have - he keeps me laughing, calm, and grounded.  He also keeps me up to date with technology, b/c he fought with Verizon to get me a Smartphone.  We had a nice child-less dinner at Carabbas, where we had our first date 10 years and 5 months ago.

The girls really got into it this year.  They got up early and MADE us gifts... painted rocks and a photo shoot. Unfortunately they ran out of printer ink, so they wrapped up the memory card.  Here's a few of my favorites...

Here's to 50 more!!



Nature

Have I mentioned that I HATE nature?!? 

These, monkeys, however, LOVE it!!!



Mt Gretna Lake and Beach...

(That's Jaylee jumping into the water, and Jason still on the platform)

Hiking in Lititz...

Well, maybe I don't hate EVERYTHING in Nature!

Jax Surgery #4

Mon July 16th 0810
(pre-op pic)

Cystoscope and ureteralscope with possible valve ablation and possible urethral dilitation.  That's what's on the plans for today!!  According to the OR board here in the waiting room, the procedure has started and I am praying that Jackson can't feel anything.  I'm torn between praying that they find something they can fix and that everything looks perfect.  Guess I don't have much of a say in it anyway!!!  I spent the night totally stressed and got the house cleaned, so we can relax when we get the little guy home in a few hours.  He woke this morning before out 4am alarm went off... wide awake.  So weird - he did the last thing on the day of his last surgery!  He must understand what we are saying more than we think he does!!  He wore his superman PJs that we bought him while in the ICU last year, and he was playful and pleasant as can be. UNTIL the nurse took him from us to go... we opted out of oral Versed so that his recovery would be easier.  We might try the Versed next time.  I am nervous about what the good Dr is going to decide to do... he again mentioned ureterosomies - no thank you!!!!

@ 1440
We are home and doing well.  He was in the OR for 1 hr and 15 minutes then in the PACU for about an hour.  He was very flushed and hot in the PACU... it was a side effect of a med and went away within a few hours.  The anesthesiologist suggests that we DO do the pre-op Versed next time. Per Dr Sumfest, they really didn't find anything!!!  No redisual valves, no urethral narrowing, no real stricture (they made a tiny slice in his old stricture scar tissue, but he said it was of no clinical significance), no reflux, no grotesque looking wounds, and no catheter.  So... that is that.  It was good... but it is also bad... we just "ride out the UTIs" and we'll possibly start another prophylactic antibiotic if they cont.   So... it is OVER!!! 
AMEN!!!
(post-op pic)

We're home and he seems comfortable, just more mellow then usual.  He seems a little uncomfortable when he pees, but his urine looks normal and dips for a small amount leuks, trace nonhemolyzed blood, and a trace protein.
(ready to go home... MY SUPERMAN!!)

@ 1900

Jackson got Tylenol at 1730 b/c it seemed to hurt him to pee, but he was in such good spirits that we ventured out to dinner. He seemed to spike a fever there and got a little whiny. By the time we got home, he was no longer feverish (98.8 rectal), had a large dry BM, and his urine dipped barely + for leuks and blood - this is 180' from what I was expecting - such good news!! So far, he's eatten 12 ozs Pediasure, 2 ozs Gatorade, 8 oz H20, 1 1/2 pieces of cheese and 2 Tbs Jimbalaya rice.  So, he's out for a night-night tractor ride then off to bed!  It really has been a pretty good day all in all - Poppop even brought the girls by to say a 5 minute hello, which Jackson lived, and I am sure it made Jaylee feel confidant that things went well!

Tues July 17th @ 0841

Well... he woke up at 0730 (2 hrs earlier than usual) but he is H-A-P-P-Y. Urine dips barely + for blood. No obvious pain with peeing. He ate 14 ozs Pediasure + 2ozs H20 through the night. He even ate an egg for breakfast.  Today is gonna be a good day...

Weds July 18th @ 2300

Hmmm... yest WAS a good day!!!  But then, Jackson started a fever through the night and was 102' by late morning.  Urine dips WNL except spec grave is 1.03 and he's backed down on his intake... probably dehydrating!  Darn!  Pediatrician diagnosed him with Hand-Foot-Mouth Disease.  Perhaps the staff at Geisinger does not know how to wash hands?  Or maybe Jackson is just completely unlucky!!  He got Tylenol #3 tonight b/c he was sort of miserable.  Hoping he can get some good sleep!

Thurs July 19th @1309

Jackson slept pretty well and is not over 101' today.  Tylenol seems to keep him "happy" but he's barely eatting/drinking.   Urine still dips WNL ecept for spec grav 1.03.  He always ends up with a UTI when he gets dehydrated so I am relly on top of him to take a few sips every once in a while. We're hoping he be good enough tonight to go to Nan's so Jason and I can go out for our 10 year anniversary!

The Porch

"What Happens on the Porch,

Stays on the Porch."

Fancy words

Here are my fancy words for the night, as I sit searching the web for anything having to do with Jackson's health...

1. Pseudo Prune Belly Syndrome:

http://www.ajronline.org/content/167/6/1389.full.pdf

2.  Pextus Excavatum: "funnel chest"

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1004953-clinical

3. Genum Varnum: "bow legged"

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1355974-overview

4. Diastasis Recti:

http://newborns.stanford.edu/PhotoGallery/DiastasisRecti1.html

I think that I have decided that we will pay to have a second opinion done back at CHOPS, where we were forewarned about all of these symptoms and given the Pseudo Prune Belly Syndrome diagnosis.

Petting Zoo 2012

OH. BOY.

Again, I must have said 20 times yesterday "Tomorrow we are doing NOTHING!!"  Well...

I stink!

We were having a lovely time at Long's Park Petting Zoo until...

Jenni asked to take Jackson over to a goat...

And then there was the

Shrill

the Scream

the crying

and

the

tears.

Oh,

the

tears!!!

And then there was Jackson on the ground.

Hmmm...

Not good, I think.

When Jenni finally came around to being able to talk, I learned that Jackson tried to pet the goat while he was eatting and apparentl, the goat did not like that.  So, the goat took out Jackson with his head and horns, and kept head butting him while he was on the ground trying to get away.

And Jenni was afraid she'd get hurt, so she just... stood there, screaming.

Who knows what I would have done in the same situation... I know if it was a dog...

Nice knowing you Jackson.

Just kidding... but I would have to literally force myself to intervene at that point!

And she's only 7, so I find no fault in her!

But in the end, Jackson is fine, but for a few abdominal bruises, and Jenni (I think) has recovered.

BEFORE the fiasco, I got some great pix though!  And we were having a great time!!

Ocean City Trip Numero Dos

Our holiday plans went down the toilet when storms ripped through the south and did a number on Christy's van.  So... we crashed Poppop and Nan's beach week.  I am sooo grateful that the kids get to spend a few days every summer at the beach with Poppop, Nan, Mandy and the kids.  Great memories they are making!  I have such vivid memories from when I was their age, sometimes I hope that we are doing a good enough job so that they'l love their memories 30 years from now too!!  I took a hundred or so pictures ... I always get so frustrated when I get them onto the computer and only a few turned out real well.  But it's better than none!!

We had a few adventures during our 3 days there... Tues the kids and I drove down stopping at Mommom and Poppop Moores for a visit. We had a real nice visit with Mommom - Poppop stayed in the basement the whole hour we were there - he kept saying that it was filthy down there and needed cleaning?!?!?  We spent the afternoon at the beach where the girls were pros at riding in waves and enjoying every inch of the water.   There was a sand bar, which they thought was real cool. Jackson was timid, yet tolerable, of the water.  He enjoyed the sand and loved kicking it all over the place!  Jason got down around 7 and we had pizza delivered. (MANCO'S and Manco's)  Then we headed out at 8:30 (Jackson's bedtime) to the boardwalk for rides.  Jason took Jackson on their first ride together... the "Neigh Neighs" (Carousel) - Jackson enjoyed it but was very tired - no big smiles, but a lot of "more! More! MORE!"  Jennibelle manned up this year and tried the Gravitron with Jaylee and I... she loved it!  And I decided that I no longer enjoy that ride (blah...)  Minutes after we got off, there was a 10 minute black out!!  I still have no idea why, but we were able to get a picture of us before the power was restored.  The whole city was pitch black, other than smart phone flash lights!!  It was fun!!

July 4th was spent bike riding surreys on the boards, hours on the beach (in the 95' weather), a filet mignon dinner at the house, boardwalk rides, fireworks on the beach, and a little scuffle between Nan and a punk teenager.  Fun filled day!!!  Jackson seemed to enjoy the bike ride and Jenni loved getting to pick out a souvenir.  Jaylee seemed to enjoy herself, but she is definately getting older... I kept finding her alone watching TV during this trip - makes me sad!!!  The kids loved having Jason at the beach with us, it's more exciting when they can go out way deep without the baby and I tagging along.  Thankfully, Nan can sew, so Jackson's bathing suit did not keep falling off of him the second day.  He's 16 months old and his 12 month old bathing suit shorts were sliding right off of him - he does NOT have the Stringham/Liounis butt!    The boards were not nearly as crowded as I had expected, so I am glad that we trekked down there.  Both girls were very brave with their ride choices... Jenni went with me on the swings... I know it sounds innocent enough, but it is high and I understand her fear b/c I was afraid of them until I was 30 years old!!  Jaylee went with Brian on a high-twisty-turny-inside-outy type ride.  She acutally looked like she was about to pass out at one point and I was telling the guy to turn it off, but there was no emergency stop- which is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever heard, but... ok. Here's a link to that ride... http://boardwalkfun.com/ridevideos/wipeout.html   By the time it was over and she was unlocked, she said she loved it. 
Hhhhhmmmmm.....  
 The firework show wass really good, and the finale is always my favorite part (obviously).  Jackson was pretty interested at first, and then just wanted to kick sand.  I'm just glad he wasn't scared.  Poor Cole was terrified and just hid his head in Brian's lap the entire 20 minute show.  We actually thought he was asleep, but as soon as it was over, he jumped up - that broke my heart!!!  As we were leaving the beach, a punk kid was yelling the F word which started a spectale between him and Nan, which left Jenni terrified and in tears!!  So, she and I (and Jackson) drove Jason back to his car and waved him goodbye!!!  (It took him over 5 hours to get home!!!!!!!!)

We were supposed  to leave Thursday morning, but of course the girls talked me into staying all day!!  We headed to the Sea Shell museum in the morning to pick out their shells.  This year they both picked out shell-people... Jenni a fishing person (since she and Daddy have been fishing a lot lately) and Jaylee picked out an Owl-shaped toothbrush holder.  Then we hit the beach for "just one hour" which turned into almost 3 hours. After a quick shower, we headed to Mac and Manco's and shopped the boards for 2 hours.  Unfortunately, it was 95' again, so it wasn't completely enjoyable.  The ride home was uneventful, surprisingly for us driving through Philly at 5:30!.  And I just have to put it on the record...
 I have the BEST car trip kids EVER.  We have so much fun, that trips are never an issue... even Jackson.  LOVE them!!!

Here's some pix...

Jackson loved the sand...

Jennibelle and Morgan dancing around on our porch.

Jackson and his potato chips... makes him smile!

Jason and Jackson's first ride together with Jennibelle on the "Neigh Neighs"

Jackson giving Mama a Thankyou kiss!

Notice the blackness!!

Everyone LOVES Uncle Jason. Cole, however, does not like pictures.

July 4th bike ride...

Poppop... always digging in the sand for the kids.

Jackson loved the big ditches in the sand.

Cole and Morgan.

Go Jackson Go!

LOVES throwing sand... notice his suit is folded over so it doesn't keep falling.

Jaylee chilling, reading her American Girl magazine.

Morgan trying to burry Jackson's feet.
 Morgan, Cole & Jackson hugged and kissed each other the entire vacation!

Cole loved the ditches too.

With the sand bar, there were times that the girls could just swim in calm 3-feet-deep water.

Jenni enjoying herself.

Jaylee digging... "for the kids"

This picture is one of my favs b/c Jackson was literally DANCING everywhere we went in the amusement park... he LOVED the music and didn't mind when he was in people's way... he just danced and danced and danced.

Jenni was very nervous on the swings!!!

Jackson's rat tail... he was bald last summer, except for the same patch in the back of his head.

The play area from the beach on July 4th.

Fireworks on the beach!!

Trying to wear Jackson out before our drive home... we lucked out and this game had credits in it, so we played for free!

Time to go... sorry Jackson!!!

Can't wait for vacation to Seattle now!!!