Hi ho hi ho its off to the dr. we go...

I ended up taking Ethan in to see the dr. today since he threw up again this morning (missing his field trip to the fire station I might add)! The current verdict is he has little to no enzymes left to digest milk, so she said it could be 2-3 weeks before that happens. In the mean time we are to encourage lots of yogurt and only small amounts of milk. Poor kid! He lost a fair amount of weight as well, but she hopes when he feels better that he will make up for lost time. Please keep him in your prayers as he continues to heal in the next few weeks!

Bathroom Humor

Yesterday, I was using the bathroom when I heard a little knock on the door and a "hi da". I said "I'll be out in a minute Ethan". Ethan then proceeded to open the door and hand me a book...then promptly closed the door. I guess I needed some reading material!

Today, Jake did not flush after using the bathroom and Ethan promptly went behind him and flushed the toilet! Always flush daddy!

The Great Outdoors!

Ethan had one episode of vomiting yesterday, but we have now been vomit free for the last 21 hours which is by far the longest stretch in the last 7 days. I spoke with the pediatrician again this morning and looks as if this is a virus that lasts 7-10 days, so if he has any more episodes on Monday or we take a turn for the worst again we are to bring him in.

There have been a few days since we bought the house that I think we were totally crazy to purchase a house on 1.5 acres of land. ..the constant maintenance weeding, mowing, raking, etc. etc. Then there is a day like today and I thank God we are here and for all that he has brought to my life! Ethan and I spent our morning OUTSIDE! It has been so long since we've been able to do that a-because the month of August was miserable here and pregnant mommy couldn't stand the heat and humidity and b-because Ethan has been so sick for the last 7 days. It is 77 degrees and no humidity, not a cloud in the gorgeous blue sky. We spent a little over an hour picking up sticks that had fallen during Tropical Storm Fay a month ago. It is amazing to me to think last year at this time he was a speed crawler and this year he is helping me in the yard! You really wouldn't believe how much he understands and truly does "help". He was so sweet and innocent walking around the yard with his blue pail picking up sticks, leaves, rocks, and dirt and then bringing them over to me and dumping them in the bag. (Sorry, I tried really hard to get a picture, but he wouldn't let me!) Our yard, while don't get me wrong is a lot of work, it is my sanctuary! Our kids have such a great place to play and explore...and learn about responsibility, appreciating the environment, and working together as a family.

We took a little time out this morning as well to play. Ethan all by himself climbed in the tire swing and sat down for the longest time. I wonder what he was thinking?!

Thanks God for a beautiful day! The only thing that would've made it better is if daddy could have been here to appreciate it with us!

P.S. As a side note this was too funny not to share with you....yesterday I gave Ethan two teaspoons of plain vanilla yogurt. He was so excited to see something different come his way (bananas, rice, bread, and applesauce get old after awhile) that he took a huge bite. He then stuck out his tongue and began to wipe it off...then wanted the washcloth on the table to wipe his tongue off. :-)

Puke, puke go away...and don't even think about coming back another day!

First of all, thank you so much to everyone who called us, emailed, posted, thought of us, and prayed for us in the last few days. It has been a long, long few days in our house...exhausting, frustrating, scary, etc. etc.! After doing some journaling I really believe I have Ethan's latest vomiting episodes figured out...I think he is getting sick from the sugar content in the Pedialyte. So we are going to try a few things and see how he does in the next 24 hours. He did keep down some bananas, applesauce, crackers, and rice yesterday so I feel like we are making progress. We took Ethan outside last night for the first time since Friday morning when this began. He didn't want to stay out long, but was quite excited to go out. Yesterday was the first day he fought taking a nap...never thought I would be grateful for that, but that is truly "Ethan" so glimpses of my active boy are starting to show again. Today he has eaten a banana, applesauce, and yogurt and is doing well. Hopefully now things will be puke free!! Thanks again...times like these you really appreciate your friends and family! Love--Becky

Home Confinement...Day 5

Well another day of "home confinement" as Ethan and I would like to call it. Ethan threw up last night again after Jake got home from work. He did however sleep from 9pm until 5:30am. When he got up he had a few sips of pedialyte and then went back to sleep until 7:30am. At which time he said to me "ice cream, bowl" and took me to the freezer. After much "arguing" he settled for some more pedialyte and two teaspoons of Jell-o. Then got down from his chair and went to the freezer to knock on the door. (I have been trying to teach him that it is polite to knock before entering...aka the bathroom, not the freezer but hey it is worth a try!) I'm now sneeking around to eat since I can't eat anything in front of him without a fight...we literally have cereal in the laundry room! Maybe tomorrow we will be able to adventure from the house (I'm hoping for at least a trip to the mailbox).

P.S. Not a great picture, but he was "texting" on my phone while watching Curious George! O' how we are missing our friends and contact with the outside world.

Nurse Daddy!

Well things got worse after my last post. I began throwing up at 1:30am on Sunday, so for awhile poor Jake had both of us throwing up at the same time. If it wasn't for "daddy" I don't know what we would've done. Thankfully he was around this weekend to nurse the patients; he got to do many, many, many loads of laundry, run out for pedialyte, tea, and new movies, "clean-up isle Ethan", etc. etc.

The good news I am much, much better other than being exhausted so I am able to take care of Ethan by myself today. The bad news, Ethan is still throwing up and really sick now 74 hours into this crap! He still wants to eat, and I've had to hide all the boxes of cereal and grapes because that is what he wants but he can't even keep clear liquids down. I've placed a call into the pediatrician, now I'm just waiting for them to call back to see if we need to bring him in or continue to ride this out.

We've watched a lot of videos in the last few days. Ethan now sings along to the Veggie Tales theme song! You can't tell from the pic, but he is wearing his new favorite jammies "Lightning McQueen" that daddy bought him. Pray he is better soon...

Germs, germs go away! (Ethan's bad day....)

Ethan woke up yesterday morning and threw up in the middle of breakfast. He has done this before first thing in the morning, so I wasn't overly alarmed. After that he acted like his normal self so I figured it was a fluke and we went to take Visken to the vet for his rabies vaccination. Nope, not a fluke he threw up in the waiting room at the vet's office. Then when we got home he was sick all day....oddly enough though he was his usual self except for the vomiting. He turned himself so he could still see Curious George while getting sick! In the middle of the day he came into the bathroom with me (so I could shower puke off myself) and opened the shower door, he was trying to lean in to fill a cup up with water and of course fell. I was done so got out of the shower...he came over to me and in the middle of his tears said "help, please" and when I asked him what was wrong he held up his leg. He got a nasty bruise on his lower leg, but a kiss and some ice and it was long forgotten. He woke up twice during the night and was so sweet at 2:30am after he got sick he said "hi dad, hi da" happy as can be. He has made it 7 hours now without getting sick and has been STARVING and playful! I'm hopeful those nasty germs have moved on!

1-0 (Ethan One, Mommy Zero)

Jake and I are in an adult Sunday School class at church called "time out". The class is for parents with young children, currently we are reading a book called "Home Improvement" that talks about discipline. Sunday we talked about Chapter 1, getting your children to obey the first time. Well later that same day, I failed the first lesson! Ethan decided to not only stand on the couch, but run across the couch. I asked him to sit down, nope not happening. Then I said to him, "Ethan Jacob I am going to count to three and you need to sit down one, two, three". Of course he did not sit down. I then said "Ethan Jacob" and he followed it with a little attitude and twinkle in his eye "two, three". I must say it was really funny and cute so I couldn't help but laugh....yep, mommy failed that discipline lesson!

Rise and Shine!

Ethan woke up at 6:30am today. Jake got him and brought him into bed with us, he snuggled right in with me. Hooray, he's going to go back to sleep! Nice dream, mama! After about 10 minutes he sat up said "hi da", gave Jake a pat, and climbed out of bed. He then ran over to the light switch and ON it went! I guess it was time for us to get up.

Ethan wants cereal for breakfast these days, but it has to be a combination of Kix and Shredded Wheat. (He tried to eat his cereal with an oven mit on, but quickly found out it didn't work so well.) I poured myself a bowl of Kix and he got quite upset with me and promptly added 5 pieces of Shredded Wheat. Interesting combination, but I must admit it wasn't bad!

I wonder what the rest of the day will bring?!

Baby! Baby?!

Sara (my sister in law) has had premonitions that we are expecting twins. Last night I went to my first prenatal yoga class and two of the mommies in the class...expecting twins! Jake of course finds this hilarious (but he won't be laughing if he sees two babies on the day of the ultrasound)!

Today was my first OB appointment. Ann Marie said everything looks good. I am 8 weeks and 1 day and due 4/23/09. Ethan of course attempted to destroy the office while we were waiting, but they were quite behind so I can't blame him for getting impatient. I had some inital blood work done and will have an ultrasound at 20 weeks...any bets on whether or not its twins? My next appointment is Halloween and we should get to hear the heartbeat!

Cars and Trucks, Oh My!

Ethan is totally obsessed these days with any motor vehicle. He LOVES matchbox cars and believes all of them belong on the kitchen table. His babysitter put them away Tuesday night after he went to bed and within 5 minutes of being up on Wednesday morning they were all back on the table! "Vroom, vroom", "whoa" and "two, three" are common sounds coming from the kitchen (he for some reason always forgets that "one" comes before "two").

He is quick to point out every truck that we see when in the car and after every semi goes by he follows it with a "oosh".

Yesterday I put Ethan in the drivers seat to play while I re-installed his car seat. He reached up adjusted the rear view mirror, attempted to put his seat belt on, and then said to me "keys". Wow, he doesn't miss a thing!

Welcome!

Welcome to our blog! I was discussing the other day with a fellow mommy how difficult it is to raise your children far away from most of their family. She has the same situation and told me that she "blogs" about the adventures and cute stories of her kids. With so many great adventures going on in our family right now it is my hope that this will bring all of you closer to Ethan and sharing in my pregnancy. Here goes....

Much Love--Becky

P.S. Have no fear we will still update webshots with pics!