Happy Easter!

My mom joined us for Easter Sunday services at church.  When we got back to our house after, we asked her to take a photo of the 4 of us together as a family. 

I handed her my phone, because let's be honest, my point and shoot rarely comes out anymore.  

She started with the camera pointing to her ready to take the picture; I wish we'd been able to hold our laughter long enough that she'd actually gotten one taken of herself, but we weren't successful there.  That would have been funny.

Once we got the camera pointing the right direction, our troubles weren't over. 

For starters, ignore how awful we look, it was completely the photographers fault. 

Attempt #1

Attempt #2

Attempt #3 - Sadly this is probably our best one.  Everyone looks great, except for me and my face.

Attempt #4 - By this point, I'm laughing so hard, the kids are getting the giggles, causing my mom to wiggle and well, fuzziness.

Attempt #5 - We should have stopped by now, because by now I'm laughing so hard I've got tears streaming down my face and there is no recovery.

I decided I'd at least try to get a few nice ones of the boys together in their Sunday best.  It was a bit more of a success.

After we got the sillies out of the way that is!

Attempt #2

Attempt #3

Attempt #4 - Success considering out morning!  Sometimes we just adjust our expectations!

Nursery Update

It is painted, and we're happy with the color!

The crib is assembled!

It's not sleepable yet, but once we get a mattress and bedding it will be!

Week 27 Day 2

Weight: 154.5

It's hard to believe we're this far along already.  The third trimester is in sight.  And we have so much left to do!

Although, we did assemble the crib over the weekend!

We have started the registry; it is still a work in progress though. 

We're still very undecided about how to decorate the nursery, but we need to make some choices soon!  I'd like to get curtains up in the near future.  Keith needs to start working on refinishing the dresser too so we have someone to put baby's clothes.  Although, as of now, baby doesn't really have any clothes other than some hand-me down from Caden and Caleb.  

I love days when I don't have to go into the office for work as that is an increasingly difficult challenge to dress for. 

According to the pregnancy app on my phone, we have 89 days until baby is due to arrive, which doesn't seem like near enough!

"Step"

I hate the term "step-parent" or anything similar. 

I feel like there are so many stereotypes with it and that the word in itself makes those individuals less qualified or somehow discounted. 

I feel like once that term is applied, suddenly perceptions and expectations change.

It makes me self-conscious about my right to parent my boys.

And quite honestly, it shouldn't be that way.  I know that, but that never changes the way I feel when it arises.

Generally, it doesn't come up.  People ask if I'm their mom, and I say yes, no further explanation needed.   Sometimes, people realize that the math doesn't add up, get a quizzical look on their face, and start asking questions.  (If you know I'm a college grad, my approximate age, 26, and their age, nearly 6, people generally ask questions.)

Then further explanation is required.  Sometimes it bothers me, sometimes it doesn't. 

My boys have two mothers.  I am one of them.  They know that, we know that, and we accept it.

But it still bothers me. 

This weekend with Caleb's hospital visit really stirred up those feeling of insecurity in me again.  Medical situations are tough for me, because I have no rights to make medical decisions, sign medical papers, even sign school permission slips.  And don't even get me started on medical histories when we have to go through their past every time, especially when they're are right there with us.  They know the story, but that doesn't mean we're alright discussing it with you in front of them.  (I have to say, the staff at Akron Children's was very courteous about it and asked my husband if he'd like to step into the hallway to discuss anything while I stayed with Caleb. Thank you!)

I recently heard a country music artist, I can't remember which one, state on the radio he was a step-father, and he hated the term step-parent.  I couldn't agree more. 

In a society where this is becoming more and more normal, I hope we all work to change those stereotypes and allow step-parents to feel equally important and valid in their roles. 

A Hospital Stay

We spent a night in Akron Children's Hospital this weekend with Caleb.  He came down with a nasty cough a week ago one evening, but the next day he seemed fine with just a touch of a cold. 

However, that touch of a cold turned worse again Friday night.  He and Keith were staying at my mother-in-law's house Friday night when Keith called that evening to tell me Caleb was coughing terribly and having trouble falling asleep.

Caden and I joined them at my mother-in-law's on Saturday and his cough was continuing.  He was still playing around, but the cough was nearly incessant.  Then he started complaining his eye itched; Keith looked and fearing pink eye along with the cough, I found a local urgent care to take him to.  I wasn't concerned going in, just hoping to stop in, get some meds, and take him home to rest for the rest of the afternoon.

However, that sure isn't what happened.  The nurse checked his pulse ox levels when we got there to find they were low and his breathing was more labored than what it should be.  A breathing treatment and chest x-ray later, the doctor thought he may have the start of pneumonia.  They gave us an inhaler prescription to start right away before we drove the hour home to take him the emergency room as they recommended. 

We leave, call Keith, get to the pharmacy, take the meds, and head on the drive back home to the emergency room. 

When we get back home to ER, his pulse ox was normal and they wondered why they'd sent us here, but proceeded to check him out anyway.  After an initial review, they thought everything looked fine and were getting ready to send us home. 

Then they checked his pulse ox one more time, and it was too low.  So we started another breathing treatment and then walked around for awhile to see how his pulse ox level held, and it wasn't enough.  So another few rounds of breathing treatments and another walk around the ER checking his levels, with them dropping as low as 85 led them to decide to admit him overnight for more treatments and observation. 

We learned they don't like to admit pediatric patients at our local hospital and commonly send them to Akron Children's, so we waited for them to arrange a transport.  We arranged for my parents to take care of Caden the dog, and our other car, while Keith rode with Caleb, at his request.  I ran home to pick up a few things and met them at the hospital.  

We spent the night there, they weren't too concerned about keeping us for long, but continued regular breathing treatments and monitoring over night and through the next morning.  We were released around lunch time Sunday with directions to follow up with our regular pediatrician Tuesday. 

Through the whole process Caleb repeatedly told us he wasn't sick, he didn't feel bad, he just had the coughs. 

I've stayed home with him today and he's been playing just fine and is well on the way to healthy again. 

They say it could be the first sign of asthma or just a virus of some kind that needed to work itself out.  We're home with an inhaler and steroids for a few days and hopes that everything will be just fine. 

Sesame Place Day 2

Nearly two years ago we went on our first ever family vacation.  

Nearly a year ago, I wrote my last post about it here. 

And I've been wanting to share the rest of it for awhile now.  

So today, I'm sharing memories of our first real family vacation.  

On our second day, we attended a character luncheon to see our favorite Sesame Street characters.  

Bert

Big Bird

Elmo

Cookie Monster

Ernie

We watched a show in the afternoon.

 

 

We even got Daddy to participate in the show and dance!

Most importantly we had a great time as a family.  I would absolutely recommend Sesame Place for families with young children!

Vocalizing Needs

In the cleaning out we've been doing for baby, I've found several pieces of paper my mom saved from my childhood.

In those papers, I found my preschool evaluation from when I was in a three-year old preschool class.

As Keith and I were reading through it, this comment stuck out to us:  I needed to learn to better vocalize my wants and needs.

It's funny, 23 years later, I'm still not good at that.

I've learned along the way that there are some things you can change about yourself, and other to just be aware of.  Sometimes you are who you are, and I am happy with that.