Easter Fun

On the Saturday before we went up to my sister's house to spend the day with her and Brycen.  We went and seen the Easter Bunny and colored eggs.  I was a little shocked the Jalinn didn't freak out about the huge bunny.  She did great.  We had a great time as always hanging out with my sister.  She is my best friend!!!  Love ya sis!!!

On Easter morning Kaylie thought that being up at 6:45am was awesome to go through her Easter basket.  She was the only one awake.  So we let her go through it and I went back to bed after that.  Around 7:30am everyone else started to wake up.  Of course the kids all had candy for breakfast and Jalinn loved the Peeps.  She was crawling after everyones and taking them from each of their baskets. 

This year for Easter was our first time at our new church for Easter and I loved it.  Everyone their makes you feel so welcome.  It was a great service!! After church we left to head over to Grandma Rough's house.  We are so lucky that she is still with us and my kids get to spend time and have memories with their Great Grandma Rough.  They love going over there.  Each year after lunch my cousin Bill and Joe hide the eggs for the kids to find.  They have so much fun finding the eggs.  Also each year since we were little my grandparents would hide a silver egg and there would be money in it.  You never knew how much it just came down to how much money Grandpa had at the time.  When Grandpa passed away in 2006, we always make sure Grandma still hides the egg.  It is our way of knowing that Grandpa is still with us.  My girls have really got into looking for the egg but it seems that every year I find the egg and this year was so different.  I found the egg!!!  I believe it is Grandpa's way of saying "love you bunches".  I miss that man so much!!!  He was a wonderful Grandpa...I only wish he could have meet Hunter, Brycen and Jalinn.  He would be so proud of them.  But I know he is watching over us.  Love you Bunches Grandpa!!! 

Here are a some pictures from Easter.  Hope you enjoy!!

Brycen....the cutest nephew EVER!!

She does love the Peeps!!!

Me and the Silver Egg

My wonderful family!!!

Dad, Me, Monica and Mom...love you all!!!

Easter - Egg Coloring

This year the kids got to color eggs but this year they colored "Monster Eggs".  Hunter that it was so cool, he didn't understand why he could not play with them after we colored them.  This was also Jalinn's first year coloring eggs and she wanted to eat them.   

Making Dinner for the Families at the Ronald McDonald House

On Sunday, April 9th our families made a taco/burrito dinner for the families that are staying at the Ronald McDonald House while their little ones are being cared for at Children's Mercy Hospital.  Here in Kansas City there are 3 houses for the families to stay at.  I will tell you from experience that it is a wonderful place to stay.  We decided to give back when we stayed at the Ronald McDonald house in Wisconsin for Jalinn's surgery.  They did so much for us and we thought we needed to give back. My family that helped out with this was my girls, Teresa, Hannah, Monica, Aunt Connie, Grandma, Mom and Dad.  I can't thank them all enough for helping out.  It was such a rewarding experience. We had so much fun too.  The girls loved it too!!!  The families keep saying thank you to us and I feel that we didn't do much but I do know that it means alot not to have to worry about feeding our family when you have a child going through such a difficult time.  I would ask everyone if you ever want to give back in your community please consider the Ronald McDonald House.  Also, please keep these families in your prayers they need all that we can give them. 

Here are a few pics:

Taylor, Teresa and Hannah making the bean dip

Dad washing dishes as always

Kaylie and Monica making cookies

Mom

The girls with the therapy dog that comes once a week

WHY????

Today is one of those days I ask WHY????  Why my baby girl??  Why us and my family??  What did we do??  I am having a hard today and I am not sure why.  It just hurts so much to see Jalinn go through all she has already under the age of 2.  I know she is strong but why does my baby have to be so strong.  I know that we are luckly to have her and what she has brought to our lives but still it hurts.  I look at her all the time and wonder why us, why were we chose to be her parents.  Don't get me wrong I would not change a thing but I do wonder "WHY".  I am so grateful to everyone in the POLP and LP community that I have meet in person and over Facebook.  If it was not or you all and my family I don't know how I would have gotten through the last year and half.  It has been hard but also a enjoy to see Jalinn grow stronger and do as well is she has done. 

 

The not so fun sleep study

Luckly I was told before Jalinn's sleep study that they are not fun and to make sure you get sleep before the study so I took my POLP advance and I did get a small nap in before the study.  We had to arrive at Children's Mercy Hospital and hour and 15 minutes before her bedtime just to get checked in and to get her hooked up to everything.  When we got there Maddox and Katy where there to for his sleep study so the kids got to see each other and we were able to talk for a few minutes.  I will have to say if it was not for Katy this past year and all my POLP I would be lost.  I love you all so much, you all have a special place in my heart!!! 

Jalinn was able to play for a little while before they started hooking her up.  She was so happy at this point.

The nurse we had was wonderful and they even had a child life specialist come in to help with Jalinn as well.  It helped a little bit.  The nurse started by putting the wires on each of her legs there was 4 total and they started on her chest and tummy.  There was for 4 or 5 on her chest and tummy plus 2 belts on her tummy. She did fine for these but was more upset once she got to her chest.  Then it was onto the head.  She was pissed and I don't blame her.  I hated it for her.  I just hate that our kiddo's have to go through all this.  It is not fair.  It since like there were a million on her head but I think it was around 10 or so.  Once she got all the wires on her head she wrapped it so she would not be able to pull them off durning the night.  Oh, I forgot they do put a nasel cannon on them as well.  Jalinn hated it!!!

Once that is all done it is time to start.  Jalinn was so pissed off at this point that even holding her didnt help.  Light off which means that you lay there with nothing to do but try to sleep.  Jalinn is a very light sleeper and the slighest noise will wake her up.  If the nose cannon or a wire would come lose the nurse would come in and fix it and it up her up.  I think she finally sleep for about 2 hours solid and then after that she was up off and on. 

 

 

Finally when morning came which felt like FOREVER we were able to take all the wires off.  They use this red marker and white sticking stuff to keep the wires down it was gross looking.  It does come off pretty easy with warm soap water so I was happy about that.  It will take 2 to 3 weeks for the results to come back in.  Also, since her legs moved more than 5 times during the study they had her blood drawn to check her iron.  Hopefully all looks good and we don't have to go through this again!!!  It was NOT FUN!!!!

Snow Days

Here are a few pictures from the kids playing in the snow....

Per Taylor she is the Queen of the snow world!!

Jalinn's first time in the snow. 

Ear Tube Time

The time has come that Jalinn needed to get ear tubes.  She had it done on 12-30-10 just before the New Year.  The reason she mainly needed to get the tubes was due to the fact that she has fluid in her left ear all the time and with the fluid always there, there is a cause it could have caused damage to her ear.  When we were waiting for Jalinn to go back to surgery she was so happy she even found the oxygen tube to chew on and have fun with.  The surgery was to take about 20 minutes but of course Jalinn has to be different...it took 40 minutes.  There was alot of infection and fluid in her left ear that they has to get out before they could place the tube.  She did great through the whole thing.  She is our little trooper. 

We noticed a difference with her with in 24 hours, her eyes stopped draining green coup and she seemed more happy.  It always helps to know you did the right thing when there is a good change after surgery.  Now we just hope these tubes stay in and there will be no more surgeries.