Tubes Take 2 (5 weeks later)

Daxy Bear got his left tube replaced yesterday (remember it fell out 2 weeks after getting it)- he was such a trooper with the fasting, waiting (Dr. Duncan was over an hour late, per usual), and anesthesia. 

The combination of being suctioned out, the fresh tubes (they ended up just re-doing both, to be safe.), and taking an antibiotic that *finally* seems to be working is making him feel SO MUCH better.  He was a different kid as soon as we were home and the anesthesia wore off!

7:20am- Waiting!

Entertaining himself wandering around the waiting room.

Entertaining himself with his surgery paperwork.

Entertaining himself by abusing MiMi.  Thank you SO MUCH for coming, Mom!! Definitely couldn't have done it alone.

Entertaining himself by eating the hammer.

Entertaining himself by climbing up and jumping on tables in the waiting rooom.

Entertaining himself by begging other children in the waiting room for food.  He followed this kid around for a good 15 mintues giving him the puppy dog eyes, trying to get him to offer him some goldfish.  Poor baby.

Entertaining himself in pre-op by trying to completely shut himself inside of the wagon.

 Cute story- while we were waiting in the pre-op area where a nurse was taking his vitals and discussing his current medications, she let him hold her thermometer.  He successfully turned it on and swiped it across her forehead, taking a nearly accurate temperature! 

He is destined to be a male nurse.  :)

Another cute pre-op story. 

Dr. Duncan came over to explain the procedure (again), and Dax stared at him intently, nodding very seriously the entire conversation.  As if he were comprehending every word Duncan was saying.  It was so darn cute!

Not quite as fooled by the fun red wagon this time - getting a little apprehensive.

Since tubes alone is such a quick surgery, he didn't have nearly as much anesthesia this time (not even an IV!  Yay!)-
he was MUCH more peaceful and agreeable while waking up this time.  He was being such a snuggle bug!! 
I loved it- can I get some over the counter anesthesia to occasionally use at home!?!?

So, here we are again.  2 fresh tubes. A successful antibiotic (fingers crossed).  Almost summer.  I think this boy has a shot at a good, healthy few months ahead!  He deserves it. 

He is such a precious (sometimes stinker) trooper!

We go for his check up and hearing test in 2 weeks- praying for no hearing loss!!?? 

Is that even possible after 5 burst ear drums in one ear?

Naked Posing on Pottery Barn Chairs

We ordered the kids some Pottery Barn chairs (PB Teen actually- they're a little larger, and I thought they might last longer!)- so Dax and Ada no longer need to fight over the single tiny little "kid" chair we currently have.

Dax LOVES them.  His is a bright blue- and this is him trying out Ada's while she was playing outside.  MiMi caught him posing.  Nude.  And I just could not resist posting it.

Dax's ER Visit and Immune Deficiency

Last Monday night started out innocent enough.  I fed and bathed the kids, and put everyone down.  Dax had his typical runny nose, sporadic cough, and ear tugging- but he was happy as a lark. 

This was him in the bathtub.  He kept pointing to the faucet and saying "More. More. More." so I would turn the water back on.  Look how high the water level got before he let me keep it off!  

I began working on Sweetish Baby, and 2 hours later checked on him to find him breathing VERY rapidly and BURNING UP.  I took his temperature- 104.4, and counted his breaths per minute (normal for his age is 40/min, he was at 70/min).  I gave him a hefty dose of Tylenol, and contacted the on-call nurse. 30 minutes later his breathing was still in the 60s, and his fever was 104.6.  

Nurse said get to the hospital. So at 11pm we were on our way.

My miserable boy.

He was so hot and having trouble getting his fever down, they gave him this nifty little hospital gown with clowns all over it to wear instead of his jammies.  I thought it was SO cute!  

Obsessed with this stackable toy in the room.  It played music each time a ring was placed on the pole- I think we played with it for 45 minutes.  (This is after his 2nd dose of Tylenol kicked in!  We're down to 102.1 here)

Not crazy about the toe oxygen monitor.

Feeling better and wrestling with Mom!  We made a total scene in the waiting room laughing and screeching.  You have a nice view of the chipped teeth in this picture, too.  

I took this picture because my hair was in a slicked back bun when we got to the hospital- this is what he did to me, ha!  There's shark tooth again....

Playing with the phone.

 He ended up with a pretty nasty sinus infection and ear infection (surprise!), that was spreading to his chest. The ER doctor put him on Amoxicillan- which is a total amateur antibiotic that didn't even work for Dax at 4 months old.  I begged her to do something different, but she begged to differ.  

They also suctioned his sinuses out.  That was not fun.  

Machines, high pressure, tubes, screaming baby boy.

Pretty much pulled an all nighter on Monday, and on Tuesday we headed up to my classroom to get my room ready for a sub at 7am, then to Target pharmacy.
Only to find we were an hour early to get any prescriptions filled!
Oh well, we shopped.

We went home planning on resting all day-but I wasn't able to nap.  Too much on my mind, I guess!
I'm still exhausted and not recovered yet...

 We had a follow up consultation with the allergist that I love 2 days later.  Dax was no better (she also thought the ER doctor was an idiot for prescribing the Amoxicillan), his ear drum was on the verge of bursting (which it eventually did 2 days later- 5th perforated ear drum for this poor guy.  We are getting his tube replaced this Thursday, thank God), and she said he "sounded like he was drowning" with each breath.  So he's on a better antibiotic and breathing treatments and steroids and the list never ends.

His bloodwork also came back.  He shows no allergies (neither does Ada- yay!)- but his Vitamin D is low.  So that's an easy thing to focus on.

He also has REALLY low IgG antibodies.  That's an immune system thingamajig.  He has some other low things that showed up, so Dr. Dickens officially diagnosed him with an immune deficiency.  Transient Hypogammaglobulinemia in Infancy.  

She said he will almost 100% grow out of - usually between the ages of 2-6.  She also took a culture of his sinus to see if we can get a hold on what type of bacteria is invading this poor baby's respiratory system.  

She thinks it's resistant to common antibiotics. 

So now we have some more thinking to do about me working next year.  Casey caved a few months ago and said the decision was mine.  I decided to continue working- and have been excited about saving money, possibly buying a larger SUV, and enjoying the lifestyle that we currently have.  

But now I'm not sure how responsible it would be to send Dax to daycare with an immune deficiency.  I need to make a decision soon, so I will keep you all updated!  

I'll be nervous about being a stay-at-home-Mom if that's what happens...

A little illness and immune deficiency can't keep this boy down, though!  He's still running-and-gunning like usual.  I thought these pictures were cute after bath time tonight-

The Cat Practical

We've been dissecting a cat for the last 1.5 weeks in Anatomy.  It's a difficult, exhausting, stinky time- and I was dreading the practical (the lab test- you leave 30+ cats out all day, with different organs, muscles, glands, etc pinned for them to name as they rotate about the room on a timer).  So I got lazy and just gave a paper-based Cat Practical (much easier to set up and grade). 

I haven't fully recovered from my all-nighter in the ER with Dax Monday night (will blog about soon)- so I was feeling a little loopy.  And I decided to give them a few "fluffy" questions to help their grade a bit.  These are a few pages from their practicals- I can still hear the intermittent giggles as they discovered these during the test!

Mother's Day

Ohhh my goodness, what a glorious weekend.  I just adore spring- we *live* outside, playing as a family.  I thought last Spring could not be topped (maternity leave, new baby, adorable 2 year old)- but this Spring is definitely just as perfect.

We spent Saturday shopping, running errands, and trying out a burger joint a few miles from the house called "Clay's"- why have we waited so long to go!?  It will definitely become a permanent fixture in our weekends out and about now.  Sandbox.  Huge yard.  Pony rides.  Outdoor patio.  Perfect.

 Then Sunday was Mother's Day.  Moms get 2 days a year- Mother's Day and their birthday.  Mother's Day is 100x more special to me than my birthday.  Birthdays are about the old me.  A kid with toys, a teenager and clothes, a drunk college student, etc.  But I cherish being a mom waaaayyy more than anything else.  So bring on the special treatment, Mother's Day!  

I just wanted to have a normal 'ole Sunday- but soak it up more than usual.  Let Casey worry about everything.  Manage it all.  Do all of the work.  (Not that he doesn't do a TON already- but I didn't want to lift a finger.  Not one!)

After breakfast we threw our bathing suits on and headed to the backyard!

Eeeeeee!  Now that the water isn't so cold each weekend- Dax is really embracing this outdoor bathtub thing!

My loves.

Cutie!

Casey grilled hamburgers and hot dogs!

Ada only ate chips...

Dax testing out his dare-devil tendencies... he crawled out of the pool onto that chair.  That's where I put a stop to things.

Casey put a few more screws in the playhouse so it'd be easier to move around the yard (without it coming apart)- Ada helped. :)

Turning into a fish in front of my eyes.  Or, more like a salamander.  That slithers backwards.

Petting Murphy.  Poor dog- it consisted more of slapping and fur pulling...

Pushing Ada's pink stroller around.

Wearing his Sweetish Baby Mother's Day shirt!!!!  Eating at Fajita Willie's for dinner- another weekend must!

One of my favorite parts of the day were the cards I got.  Casey's card was so sweet- and had Coldplay tickets in it!!!!
And Dax and Ada's card was perfect- and perfectly signed by Ada.  She wrote all of that- including "LOVE" (well, except for the "&"- that was Daddy)-  LOVE her!

And, Happy Mother's Day to all of our mothers and grandmothers, too!  MiMi, Grams, Honey, MorMor!

Drew Purdy: Texas A&M Former Student!

My "baby" brother is now a Texas A&M graduate!!!  Drew graduated on Friday May 11 with a BS in Urban Planning.  I love that he is Class of '12!  Whoop!  

So proud of you Drewby!

Boring picture of his gift- but I am kind of proud of the idea!!  

Failing to get a picture of me with the kids outside of the newly renovated MSC- it is AMAZING!  Gorgeous architecture, and maintains that 60s vibe of the A&M campus.  I love it!

There's a decent one!  Although you still can't see the MSC very well...

Attempting to walk Dax to sleep during the 3 hour graduation ceremony- not happening.  He was way too interested in waving at people and watching security guards lock families out that arrived too late to get a seat.  It was PACKED!

The man of the hour!

Kids' first trip to Northgate!  :)

High five good job love you!

THen we went out to eat at La Bodega with my Mom, Steve, Audrey, Eric, Drew, + me and the kids- it was an awesome time, awesome food, awesome day!!  So proud of my little brother!

Teacher Appreciation :)

Printing and framing this for the kiddie's teachers tomorrow- $3.99 frame and $1.99 gift bag.  

The gift wrap was 50% of the total cost- what's wrong with that picture!?  :)

The Snaggletooth Stays

Took Dax to the pediatric dentist today to discuss his chipped front teeth.  He did great!

He took a tumble- yet again- in the waiting room of the dentist's office (see the massive red bump?).
I now have a phobia of him knocking his teeth out.  But I suppose that'd be the place to do it!

 Dr. Po decided it's not worth it to fix his chips.  One procedure he could do will pop off too easily, and the other procedure (requiring general anesthesia- not good)- is just "overkill" to do for baby teeth.  

So we are leaving my little guy a snaggletooth.  I'm sad about it, but very relieved he won't be having to undergo anesthesia for something as silly as a tooth.  

Casey and I decided we will fix them if he is teased for them later on.  (Kids are cruel, you know! I had a bit of a snaggletooth of my own before I had braces and was totally made fun of for them!)

After the dentist, our mommy-bubby date was ON!

We ate lunch at Chick-Fil-A.

We decided to go to the Children's Museum! 

Sorry for the picture quality... that's not a rash on his chin, either.  It's a reflection from all of the window decor.  :)

My little man. Wish I could catch a non-blurry picture of him once in a while!

Beep-beep!

"vrrrooommmm!" (PS: he carried this blue spatula around with him the entire time!)

Peek-a-boo!

Dax had so much fun playing my pop-in-and-whistle-at-him-in-the-ball-pit game, a random patron asked to take this picture for me, because it was too cute to miss.  Thanks, Dayja's Dad!

Oh, his giggle when he discovered these little miniature house scenes was so cute.

So, all in all- a great day!  I've come to grips with the snaggles (thanks to the dentist, for pointing out that it just makes him look more manly to be covered in bruises with chipped teeth!)- and I had a great time on our date.  Love this baby!