The attack of the appendix

Let's rewind a bit to the weekend of June 29th.  We made the move from the Valentine's house into our own little nest up north of the city. It was an all day Saturday event, a bit of relaxing/recovering on Sunday morning before Robby & I headed up to the new house sans kids so we could do some super speedy unpacking. The move itself went very well as did the unpacking thanks to generous friends & family that came to the rescue to help with the Fab Four or the actual physical work of moving.  We enjoyed dinner out both Saturday & Sunday evening at a nearby mexican restaurant leaving with ample amount of leftovers. I took off for work early Monday morning & enjoyed my quick 15 minute commute with no traffic.

Here is a little timeline summary of the "attack of the appendix"...

Monday morning- Robby installed our washer & dryer & while in the process got a nice zap of electricity. He also cut his head on a nail. Neither of which are related to the appendix but just contributed to a painful day for my hardworking hubby.

Monday lunchtime- Robby ate leftover Tex-Mex at our house in Richardson before heading back down south to the Valentine's.

Monday afternoon- upon arrival at his parents house he felt nauseated & began vomiting. Later that afternoon I texted him three questions in a row to which he replied "Stop throwing up" which I took to mean I was verbally vomiting too many annoying questions.  After I replied, a few minutes he wrote back "no, really, I'm throwing up." He told me about those leftovers & said to trash them because they made him sick so of course I did. I worried about him all evening but went to bed after some serious unpacking & got up to head to work again the following morning.

Monday all night long- he had horrible stomach cramps that kept him awake most of the night.

Tuesday morning- he continued with the cramping & had a fever.

Tuesday afternoon-fever broke & cramping stopped. His lower abdomen was sore on both sides which he thought was from all the vomiting.

Tuesday night- he felt the best he had felt in the previous 24 hours & ate a half a turkey sandwich & went to bed. He was at his parents & I was still in Richardson ready to work my last shift of three in a row. I felt much better after talking to him at 10pm & hearing that he was better.

Wednesday morning 4:50am- I woke up out of a dead sleep to a phone call from Jeannine saying that Robby woke up with a fever, uncontrollable shaking & horrible pain in his lower right abdomen. She said Bob was going to take him to the ER & which one should they go to. I think I was still half asleep, well I know I was half asleep because when I got to the hospital I realized I had put on the pair of jeans that had a huge hole next to the back pocket.....real nice. We met at Baylor downtown since it was kind of a halfway point between where we were both coming from.

5:30am- He was already in a bed in the ER when I got there. He got some lovely pain & nausea medication which really improved the way he felt.  They ordered labs & a CT scan but when his liver enzymes came back elevated they cancelled the CT & ordered a sono instead to check for gall stones. They found gall stones but they were so small they should not be causing any trouble so a CT was re-ordered.

9am- CT scan performed & nurse said the results could take up to three hours to receive so we got cozy & were drifting off to dreamland.

9:35am- a resident walked into the room & said, "well, we took a look at your scan, your appendix has ruptured & we need to operate." He was quickly consented & in no time at all we were being wheeled up to pre-op.

11-12:30- he was in surgery & I was in the waiting room looking around & listening to all the hoards of people waiting to hear news about their loved ones. What a reminder of the broken state we live in! Our bodies are failing & people are hurting. I visited with a woman who received some difficult news about her mother & I just sat & processed & prayed for Robby & for the others I could see looked troubled.

12:15- the attending physician came out to fill me in on details.  His appendix had definitely ruptured & was quite infected. He said the surgery went well & they were able to do it all laparoscopically which is what the hope was.  He mentioned he would be very sore since there was a lot of manipulation to clean out the abdominal cavity. Ouch!

12:45- I got to peek at him really quick & give him a kiss just as he rolled into the PACU then gave him about an hour before returning. During this time my sweet & thoughtful Aunt Sheila stopped by the waiting room with a soda. It was nice to see someone familiar & to get a big hug & reminder that everything would be alright.

4:00- We finally made it up to our room & settled in. I ran home (to the Valentine's) to see the kiddos since I had not seen them since Sunday. I ate a quick dinner, bathed all four, got the boys to bed & kissed the girlies before heading back with an overnight bag. We were sooooo thankful that the kids were well cared for & comfortable at Grammy & Papa's house!

Evening: We had a surprise visitor in a lab coat, my Uncle Mike who was on staff at Baylor for a number of years but is now over at my old stompin' grounds, Parkland.  He was on his way home but decided to take a detour to The Stack House to pick up a milkshake for Robby. Thankfully he was still on a clear liquid diet & I was forced to consume every ounce ; ) It was fun to visit with Uncle Mike & experience a little laughter after such an intense day.

Nighttime & Day 1- these were the most difficult hours for Robby as he dealt with post op pain & his intestines attempting to work again. He was so tough & was quick to attempt standing that evening followed by laps around the unit the next morning even though he was hurting.  He made it to the shower for the first time that afternoon & felt quite refreshed. He was not hungry at all but managed to choke down some crackers & eventually some fruit. My mom drove up from Houston & arrived at the Valentine's around lunch. Her plan was to stay with us as long as we needed to get Robby back to feeling better. That afternoon, I talked to my friend & new neighbor Kate who was just the kindest friend ever & met the owners of our new home to get a key so she could come into the wild master bedroom with boxes & suitcases everywhere. She packed some fresh clothes & toiletries, grabbed my laptop & even picked up dinner for me & she delivered them right to our floor!  Long story short, Kate is the older sister of one of my closest friends from college, Jocelyn. Kate was the person who got us connected with the family who was moving out of the house we are now renting. Her husband was actually a resident (patient) for two weeks on the same floor we were staying on back in March when he had some major surgery. She was so thoughtful & packed an extra days worth of clothing even though I said we would be discharged the following day. After all their hospital stays she, better than me knew how exhausting it could be & that it could be extended on short notice ; )

Day 2- July 4th- We thought we might be going home but after visiting with a surgeon in the afternoon, we were informed that they wanted his WBC count to be a tad lower before discharge so we settled back in for another 24 hours. Throughout our time there, specifically on the 4th, we dealt with some nursing care issues & requested to be transferred to another unit. It is wonderful & challenging to be the wife of a patient AND a nurse. My expectations are realistic as I understand the busyness of caring for multiple patients but on more than a few occasions, I was truly disappointed with the care we were receiving & did not feel bad at all about requesting a transfer. Late that afternoon, Bob & Jeannine stopped by on their way home from (with my mom) moving all the kids plus some cribs, a bed for Eloise & various other odds & ends to the house without us there. Once they arrived, I ran home (to the new house) to say hi to those babies I was desperately missing. I felt at ease going back to the hospital that evening knowing my mom had things more than under control. While I was away, the transporter came to move Robby to a new unit. While in the process of moving, he & his parents ended up being stuck on an elevator for 10 minutes! The story goes that the Valentine's (all three) stayed cool, calm & collected while the transporters completely panicked saying "Oh no! Have you ever been stuck on an elevator before?" & "Oh no! We are on the 13th floor!" When they were "rescued" they had to push the bed off about an 8 inch drop to the next floor...youch for Rob! Apparently it got pretty toasty & all were excited to be rescued. I think I picked a great moment to run home ; )

Day 2- afternoon/evening- To put it plainly, the new unit felt like the Ritz compared to where we were before & the staff was on top of things. He was feeling much better too, trying more foods & walking around the unit often.  I was thankful that Kate had brought that second set of clothes for me & I put on some fresh comfy clothes & settled into my chair while we watched the Fair Park fireworks from our 6th floor window. They drew his blood before we fell asleep for a longer than usual stretch of sleep & we were hopeful that his WBC count would come back normal.

Day 3- We had the sweetest nurse Saturday morning that came in proclaiming the fabulous news that his WBC count was normal & we would be discharged home around lunch time! That was exciting news! We ate some breakfast, enjoyed a couple hours of peace & quiet before entering back into the crazy house. Around 11:45, we were headed home in the big red truck whose suspension is not fit for a post op patient. He was a good sport though & we dropped off prescriptions while we were en route to the new casa.

We arrived home to peace & quiet since my mom had taken the kids over to Grandma Shirley's house. It was actually perfect to get Rob settled into a chair where he could be a bit more protected versus being bombarded at the front door.  The girls were PRECIOUS when they came into see him. They were very cautious & soft spoken as they came into give him a hug.  Charlotte was given the task of cutting off his hospital band since she is most accurate with her cutting skills. She quickly ran to her table to make him a new bracelet out of paper to replace the one she removed. Eloise was interested in helping take Daddy anything & everything that he might need. The boys were excited to see both of us & didn't know anything was going on.  I think I went to the store this afternoon to stock up on some comfy pillows so the recovering patient could be a bit more propped up in bed. It was kinda funny but a bit annoying that we didn't have ANY living room furniture since we got rid of it in Orlando before moving. We had looked at & decided upon a couch prior to the attack of the appendix & had planned to order it early in the week so it would be in the living room by the time the whole family was staying there. Plans change though & I made a quick trip to the furniture store Saturday evening, ordered the couch, ottoman & mattress for the guest room & was jumping for joy when it arrived the following Monday. Robby was excited to relocate to a new resting spot in the house & the kids were excited to see him more often throughout the day.

The first 4-5 days at home Robby was moving at a fairly slow pace not only when walking but also in the food consumption category. We were laughing as he shared with us that he felt that his brain had been rebooted in the process of being put under general anesthesia & he thought the blandest of foods tasted & smelled like something he had never experienced. He slowly began to eat more & get up out of the bed or chair more quickly. His GI system began to feel a little more normal over the course of those first days at home. He is limited though & is not supposed to be lifting anything over 10-15 pounds for four weeks. That is a challenging recommendation for a man with four small children!

Fast forward to present day, a week + five days post surgery, he is still fairly sore & did not enjoy a kick in the gut last night from a child who snuck into our bed. He is eating a normal amount, has completed his antibiotics, has remained fever free & is now setting up his office. My mom stayed until this afternoon & offered SO much help as we took care of our recovering hubby & father, made it through the rest of the boxes, got things put away & hung up on walls then hosted a birthday party for Charlotte over the weekend. We are beat & no longer running off adrenaline but are so very thankful to be in our own space feeling more settled with each passing day.

A few things in conclusion:

• We have felt so well cared for by friends & family with all sorts of texts, visitors & helpers. 
• All of those who had said "Let us know how we can help!" I bit the bullet & said that it would be wonderful to have some meals provided. Within 30 minutes, there were 10 dinners covered over the course of two weeks! The first one was brought by a family in the neighborhood who had heard from Kate about our wild week & offered to bless us with her skills in the kitchen. Having dinners covered is AMAZINGLY helpful when we have four people that weigh over 10-15 pounds yet like to be most needy during the late afternoon/early evening hours ; ) 
• Charlotte & Eloise were most concerned that Daddy would never have any hair grow on his belly again after it had to be clipped for surgery. Haha!
• Bob & Jeannine have served & served & SERVED for the past two months but especially those days we were in the hospital. They basically packed up the rest of our junk at their house over the course of a week & brought it ALL to us. That was a big task. They made sure I could be with Robby as much as possible which meant the world to him while he felt so awful. They have never uttered one complaint about the struggle of taking care of our four while still keeping up with daily life. They are kinder than any in laws I could have hoped for & have helped to make this transition as smooth as possible. 
• I was reminded of the importance of my role as nurse. I am SO comfortable in a hospital setting, in fact, I am really energized by the busyness but when my husband is the patient & I am unsure of what all to expect, I am not so comfortable.  I was reminded of how important it is to take the time to emotionally connect with a patient & provide clear expectations of what will happen in their time with me. I was reminded of the importance of following through on a promise of returning to the room at a specific time & completing a certain task as previously stated. I was reminded of how much I love caring for people, especially my husband who I have never had the opportunity to really provide that much assistance in an illness. He lavished encouragement on me & thanked me often. He was so subdued & so sweet even when he was experiencing intense pain. 
• We were reminded of God's goodness to us in the timing of this seemingly untimely event. There has been a bit of uncertainty about what is next job-wise for Robby but at this time we still have excellent healthcare coverage & ample amount of hospitals to choose from in the DFW Metroplex. We were reminded of God's sovereignty in allowing this to happen once we were moved back to Texas instead of Florida which allowed twenty four hour a day care for our children so I could be by my husbands' side.  We were reminded of what it means to suffer with hope.                                                                                  

  "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day."  

2 Corinthians 4:16 

What a way to kick off living back in the great state of Texas not to mention in our new house for less than 24 hours when the appendix first started acting up.  Also, here's to Tex Mex now we know it didn't actually cause food poisoning! Notice, this post is without photos. Does anyone who lives in the hospital for four days post any surgery other than having a baby want their picture taken? I'm guessing no. I was not even sick &  did not want to look in the mirror ; ) Thank you to those of you who have encouraged us along the way or joined us in prayer.  We appreciate your kindness towards us. 

Up coming posts: Celebrating a sweet girl on her 5th birthday & possibly a "New Nest" one too! 

Chirps from the tree- May, June & a bit of July

Warning...it's a long one but really, what do you expect when you combine two & a half months into one Chirps from the Tree post?

Outside the Nest...

Nests are transient things I guess. I'm not sure how many nests a bird builds in it's lifetime but we are on a roll with rebuilding these past two months & especially this week! We arrived at the Valentine's in early May & stayed put till last weekend when we made the move (of all our stuff) into our rental home in Richardson. Robby & I spent Sunday night there together followed by two nights alone between day shifts at the nearby hospital. I was woken up by an early morning phone call from Jeannine around 4:50am saying that Bob was taking Robby to the ER. Since then, our nest has been here at Baylor University Medical Center & the kids + my mom relocated to the new nest up in Richardson this afternoon. WHIRLWIND! Outside this "nest" it is beautiful, warm & perfect for a firework show for those out enjoying the festivities. As the sun has gone down while I blog away, we are surprised by the Fair Park Firework show we can see from our hospital window!  While we have been living in the Lone Star State we have experienced some beautiful 75 degree days in May that have warmed up to the low 90's in the recent weeks along with some massive downpours with dark skies....love those. 

I am thankful for...

so very much as we are pressing on through a challenging week. Just to name a few: medical care & health coverage, parents that have assumed full custody of our kids this week while I have been by Robby's side day & night, friends & family that are relentless in texting encouraging & laughable things to help us through the day, a new home that we can settle into, a job I am truly enjoying, a continued income for Robby with co-workers who love our family, Bob & Jeannine who have cared so well for our family in the past two months, friends from Florida who have kept up with us making our transition easier, friends here that have jumped right back into spending time with us like nothing has changed, kids that just go with the flow, the way God takes care of every need that we don't even know to ask of him, the peace He gives us when much feels out of control. 

I am thinking about...

all the events that occurred this week, how good God is & how tired we feel. Also thinking about how I can't wait to have some "normal" life ; ) I am in process creating a timeline summary of the "attack of the appendix" which will be posted in the near future.

In the schoolroom...

The schoolroom is in the process of being set up at the new casa. I love our front room which has lots of windows & a perfect little nook for our table & chairs with plenty of space for a new canvas print of an adorable world map complete with animals that reside on certain continents. I could not pass it up when out & about in June.  I finally selected & purchased a math, reading & handwriting curriculum for kindergarten. It was an arduous task but I am excited about what I settled on. I will elaborate more later but I landed on Saxon 1 for Math, All About Reading for you guessed it, reading & Handwriting Without Tears.  My friend & fellow homeschooling mama in Orlando pointed me towards the MOST amazing planner that happens to have a YouTube video featuring it. I watched it & went asap to get one for myself. I found the last one at the bookstore & took approximately four weeks & two sets of new pencils/erasers to finally get the courage to write in it. Once I got started there was no turning back. I made our skeleton schedule for the entire year & finished a good amount of lesson plans for the fall semester. It was SO fun & I look forward to my next planning block.  We will start the week of August 18th at home & then our first Classical Conversations day is the following Thursday. We decided to sign up for a CC location that is in Plano, just 10 minutes from our house which will be a nice change from the 35 minutes we drove in Orlando. Our hope is in being so close that we can actually get to know the families better & spend a bit of time together outside of our regular Thursday meetings. Charlotte is getting excited & asks often if she gets to go to school tomorrow but then immediately says "I don't want to go to a new school & make new friends." It was fun to remind her that this school is new to mommy too so we get to be brave together & make new friends together. Kindergarten here we come! 

From the kitchen...
Big Bob once again wowed us on a nightly basis with home cooked meals as I started back to work during the daylight hours.  We have eaten more home cooked meals in two months than we have eaten in the past year ; ) As mentioned in the Father's Day post, we have enjoyed Goulash many a night, Steak on a weekly basis much to the delight of our carnivorous children, homemade pizzas on pita bread, Aussie Chicken, Fajitas, you name it, he has cooked it! Jeannine got me hooked on one of her staple lunches with chunks of cucumber & mozzarella cheese, cherub tomatoes, blanched & baked slivered almonds topped with a homemade dressing. I am a PB&J kind of girl due to the usual lunch crew so adding something a bit more exciting & healthy makes me excited! I will say that it will be a rude awakening to be 100% in charge of meal planning & preparation as we settle into the new nest ; ) It will be yet another transition but I will be glad to get back in the swing of things.... that is once I'm in the swing of things. 

Mommy by day, nurse by night...
yet another section with lots of updates!

"Nurse by night" can be switched to "Nurse by day" since that is the shift I have been working since mid-May & I am bursting with excitement that I get to switch to night shift next week! A little back tracking here- We made the decision for me to apply for a full time position but instead of six twelve hour shifts every two weeks I get to do five, three one week & two the next however I would like to arrange them. Since it is considered full time, I am able to enjoy the full time benefits including healthcare, PTO (something I haven't seen in 5 years) & being on the "nursing ladder." I ended up interviewing only at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas for a job in Labor & Delivery, was offered a position on the spot & gladly accepted.  I started in mid May & enjoyed two weeks of hospital orientation & computer training. I use the word "enjoy" loosely ; ) Some of it was fun, some of it was necessary & I was glad when it was over & I could avoid going to work every day from 8-5. One really fun thing about these two weeks is that Robby & I carpooled since his office is only a few exits away from the hospital. It was about a one hour trip each way & we would laugh saying it was our "date." We loved having uninterrupted conversation while sitting in traffic & occasionally made a stop for some Chicken Biscuits from Chick-a-Lay as the girls say.

Once that two week orientation ended I started 12 hour day shifts on the unit paired with a combination of nurses to ease me into the way they do their jobs. It has been wonderful.  I have been super impressed with the nursing practice & interaction with patients I have observed. The women who have come alongside me over the course of five weeks have been so welcoming & encouraging as I struggle to figure out the computer charting system they use.....thorn in my side ; ) These women have been texting me the past three days while we are in the hospital to check on us & offer help in any way. I feel very cared for already by the staff. The patients have been a lovely mix of insured & uninsured, educated & not educated, multiple nationalities, high risk & low risk but all with a baby or two that needed to exit the premises.  It is frustrating to know I can take care of a patient well & so easily but then I struggle with the charting & knowing who is who & who prefers what in the physician category. I am definitely feeling more comfortable though & know I can ask questions any time I need to.  Both prior places of employment have been large enough that L&D Triage is a separate unit but here it is staffed by L&D. I have really enjoyed my days in there & look forward to having something to break up the monotony of laboring patients. I will also be circulating & recovering cesarean sections which is something I have been out of for the past 2-3 years.  It should be fun to break out all those cute scrub caps I sewed back in the day! All that to say, I am settling in well & will feel even better once I am back to the vampire shift ; )

As far as being Mommy by day, I am really missing the kids & looking forward to being away while they are asleep.  Working full time is not a long term solution for our family but for now it is offering the financial coverage we need plus benefits as Robby goes through some transition with his job. We are grateful that God has allowed for me to continue working once a week for the past five years so I was able to easily jump back into full time when the recent circumstances arose. It's not only a "job" for me, it is something I truly enjoy doing.

Thankfully Bob & Jeannine have been loving on our four while I have been away for day shifts. They are AMAZING & the kids have done well. Once settled into our new house & night shift routine, they plan to watch the kids for about two days per month & we will have someone else cover two full days a month & morning or afternoon naps here & there if Robby is unable to fill in as needed. 

I am creating...

my brain is on overdrive creating some new decor for the house including a magnetic chalkboard framed & on the wall in the school room, headboards for the girls twin beds & various other things. The first creative project that must be completed this week is a lemonade stand for a sweet girl's 5th birthday party next weekend.  We will see how the week goes but it is a MUST to knock that out! I have a couple pallets I am planning to rip apart & need to pick up some paint but I have a simple design in mind & a Gaga in town to help so I should be able to get it done. 

Clicking around...

I've been on Pinterest a bit this week while the hubby is recovering. Lots of pins for school planning : )

I caught up on the blog of Kevin & Lindsey Dennis & their journey through the loss of a daughter with anencephaly last year followed by baby girl number two who has been diagnosed with acrania & is due to be born later this year. I am heartbroken by their loss yet greatly encouraged by their hope in the Lord. Please take time to read & watch the video clips they have posted. They will leave you with much to ponder in light of a good & loving God.

I am reading...

not alotta although I did manage to make it through one entire book in the span of a week.  The Core, by Leigh A. Bortins who founded Classical Conversations was such a helpful book to read as we embark on our own road of classical education at home. Robby has read portions of it too & plans to finish it at some point.  It gave not only a broad overview of why educate in this way but went through each individual subject & explained how to facilitate learning in this manner. It left me feeling really excited & using my eraser a bit to change our lesson plans for the fall ; )

I am praying for...

My recovering husband & our kiddos as they adjust to a Daddy who is a little out of commission in the playing department for the next week or two.

That God would lead us to a body of believers near our home that we can partner in ministry with.

That we would develop friendships easily & quickly as we settle into a new neighborhood.

I am hearing...

Ellie Holcomb is my new found favorite artist with a few songs that settle my heart including: As Sure as the Sun Will Rise, Love Never Fails & Anchor of Hope. Her voice is just beautiful!

        

Around the house...

Oh my goodness, what a week to have an emergency appendectomy?! We were partway moved into our new home in Richardson when we made a beeline for the ER so the house is partway put together, missing all living room furniture & a bed for poor little Eloise. All in due time we will be settled. I will say, even in disarray, I prefer to be there with the Valentine Six than in the hospital! I will have to do another post on the house God provided for us to rent at just the right time. It is a great story & we are looking forward to life there!

Plans for the rest of the week...

Get Robby feeling good again, unpack some boxes & build a lemonade stand!

Life in Instagram:

Owen at 15 months

Mighty O is 15 months old & melts our hearts everyday with his little grins. He is an on the go kinda guy, very playful & doesn't mind a snuggle from mama or daddy but only for a minute before he remembers that he's got things to do & people to see ; )

 STATS:

20 pounds 4 ounces

29 3/4 inches

12-18 month clothing

Size 5 shoes

What the O-meister is up to at 15 months:

• our "light as a feather, stiff as a board" child is much easier to lug around since he supports his weight well while on a hip. He is one little muscle that is in great shape!
• has four teeth on bottom & two on top (exactly opposite from his brother) plus a molar or two that are coming in quick
• O took his first step on June 7th. We were at the Valentine's watching the horse races & while Frank Sinatra Jr. was singing "New York, New York" we glanced down & Owen had popped up on his feet & was walking all over the place synchronized with his partner in crime. He was so proud of himself....we were proud too!
• since he is now almost 16 months due to my slow posting style, the walking update is: he now prefers walking over crawling anytime & is quite steady even when changing direction. 
• follows simple directions like "Bring mommy your car or book" but decides to keep on keepin' on when you say "Owen, come here buddy!" 
• this guys LOVES to read books, carries them to you, crawls into your lap or onto another child already in said lap & will point at things on the pages making all sorts of sounds
• favorite book as of lately "Row, Row, Row your Boat" & "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" mainly because he can stick his finger in all the food the caterpillar nibbled a hole through
• he is a little more serious than Anson & sometimes gives us this look....

• can stack blocks & stick legos together
• keeps himself entertained often by pushing cars/trucks around on the tile
• does the hand motions for Twinkle Twinkle Little Star & The Itsy Bitsy Spider
• knows where his head, ears, nose & belly are
• can say- Mama, Dada, Cuh for cup, bah for bath, cah for car, duh for dog, baba for Bella (a time or two) & attempts to repeat sounds
• does the cutest "ruh ruh ruh" sound when you ask him what a dog says
• was the pickiest eater we have ever had until a switch flipped about a month ago & now he keeps up with brother but manages to stay slim & trim
• favorites at the table: red meat, black beans, cheese chunks, blueberries, potato chips, muffins, broccoli, lima beans, macaroni & cheese, pizza....oooooo we are eating so healthy these days ; ) 
• has caught onto the Jack Benny trick that Anson does & will copy making us all laugh
• daily this child climbs onto the back deck & lifts the lid of the bin just enough to slide his finger in. He then screams until you lift the lid so he can get it out & repeat. 

• loves to play outside in the sandbox & loves to pick flowers even more
• killed a snake in the backyard (on accident) by kneeling on it as it crawled across a stone near the deck...that was impressive Mighty O!
• is a great sleeper napping from about 9-10:30am, 1-3:30pm & overnight from about 6:30pm-7am
• has enjoyed watching the World Cup games with Daddy & frequently points at the TV & says "bah!bah!" when he sees the ball
• is a pro at climbing onto the girls craft table
• sweet boy is still sucking that middle finger backwards....disclaimer: all self soothing techniques were self taught at the Valentine Nest ; )

We like to say that Owen is wound up a bit tighter than his look alike baby boa.  He moves faster, he screams louder & fights to the end to get what he thinks belongs to him. As I previously mentioned in Anson's post, Owen gets chased down by the chubster but puts up a good fight. He too is capable of knocking down his brother & occasionally nibbling on a finger to show who's in charge  ; ) Jeannine put the boys down for a nap earlier this week but walked by & heard some giggling about 20 minutes later. She peeked in to find Owen laying on his back with his legs sticking through the bars while Anson was on his side reaching his arms through tickling Owen's feet! Haha! What a funny little pair they are.... 

The new kicks are holding up well since they rarely ever wear them. Barefoot in the summer time is the way to be....shoes are just slowin' these walkin' feet down! Wish I could find some like that for a certain 3 year old ; )

We love love love Owee-O & seeming him grow is such a delight. Remember that little grin I said is melting our hearts?  It looks a little something like this....

Anson at 15 months

Handsome Anson is 15 months old & bringing much laughter to our home each day. He is a mini comedian, super snuggler & a sneaky little swiper when it comes to food or toys that belong to someone else.  It seems like learning has just exploded with the twins in the past few weeks which has resulted in lots of cheering in the house. 

STATS:

23 lbs 6 ounces

30 1/2 inches 

12-18 month clothing

Size 5 shoes -chubby width : ) 

What Jack Benny is up to at 15 months:

• although he is only 23 pounds, he feels more like 40 pounds when lugged around the house on a hip. He LOVES to be held & requests by standing at your feet saying "uh uh uh uh uh uh"
• has four teeth on top, two on bottom & one other that is just cutting through...can't remember where 
• took his first step on May 26th while we were in the kitchen at Grammy's house & was quite proud of himself. I was excited to catch it since it was my first week of full time work & he was SO on the verge of taking off on foot!
• On June 7th while watching the Horse Races on TV, both boys popped up & started taking lots of synchronized continuous steps. They were hilarious & adorable.
• This past week Anson has figured out that he can walk long distances & will go a good 20 steps before tumbling.
• is pretty good at balancing things on his head including but not limited to: cups, cars, broccoli & chunks of meat
• likes to stack blocks or stick Legos together & pull them apart
• has some beautifully long eyelashes that he got from his Daddy
• puts just about any non edible item in his mouth

• does not refuse ANY food & is a bottomless pit. Favorites: steak, black beans, cheese, grapes, PB&J, chocolate chip cookies at the grocery store, broccoli, eggs, toast, muffins & about a million other things
• attempted to self feed with some oatmeal the other day....was quite messy
• Says- Mama, Dada, "Cuh" for car, "Duh" for duck, "Bah" for ball, "Dah" for dog, Bye & attempts to repeat any sound you ask him to. I swear he said "I love you" one time : ) 
• absolutely loves to be read to with his favorite book being "Row, Row, Row your boat" in which he throws at you while saying "whoa whoa whoa whoa" 
• does the hand motions for Twinkle Twinkle & Itsy Bitsy Spider
• knows where his head, ears, eyes, nose & belly are
• "sings" along with me when I sing to him before bed or just "sings" to himself at random times
• loves for his Daddy or sissies to lay on the floor & climb all over them
• always has a more snug fitting shirt than his leaner bro ; ) This picture makes us laugh...

• follows simple directions like "Bring mommy your car" or "Get your book."
• struggles to follow simple directions like "Don't pull the nightlight out again" or "Don't throw your cup on the ground" or "Don't feed Bella" not sure why those aren't sinking in ; ) 
• is very sensitive when told "no" & cries until snuggled 
• when we say "Let's go take a bath buddy" he races to the tub & last night actually walked all the way there!
• attempts to kick ball while standing. Has been watching lots of the World Cup with Daddy & throws his hands up in the air & yells "Goal!" on command.  

• is very sweet with a stuffed animal or baby snuggling & patting
• could not be any happier then when he is outside getting dirty in the sandbox or flower pots
• would swing all day long if you kept pushing
• loves to growl & sounds a little intimidating
• growls when asked what sound pretty much any animal makes....hilarious 
• is a great sleeper napping from about 9-10:30am, 1-3:30pm & overnight from about 6:30pm-7am
• Anson is still a die hard thumb sucker!

Anson is fairly laid back in comparison to his look alike older bro. He being the heavy weight champ in utero & beyond still steals food off Owen's tray by grabbing the high chair tray, pulling him close & swiping. No wonder Owee-O stays so trim! His extra few pounds gives him the ability to chase Owen down, crawl onto his back & flatten him out like a pancake. Mighty-O doesn't go down without a fight (more about him in his own post) & can usually escape.  Their interactions are humorous & absolutely precious. How fun to have someone the same age to play with! They aren't very good at sharing toys but when it comes to popsicles, they will hold it out for the other to take a lick.  They talk to each other when put in their cribs which are currently touching. They play peek a boo & make each other laugh. They hold hands in their car seats but play a mean game of holding each others heads down between their knees until someone cries "uncle" when in the wagon. 

Here he is with his best buddy & number one fan.... 

They hate to be separated & when one is in a chair, the other requests to join him.  This presented the perfect opportunity to snap a pic of the first walking shoes for the little guys.  They like them but much prefer the barefoot look.

Time is a flying that's for sure! The combo of two walking & climbing is a bit exhausting but couple that with the ability to learn all sorts of new tricks & words, we are fast approaching one of my favorite stages. 

One last one of Anson looking like a nap might be calling his name....

Father's Day 2014

Talk about packing in the celebrating while living with the Valentines! In our short stay which may feel long for two other people ; ) we have celebrated three birthdays, two anniversaries, Mother's Day & Father's Day. Sweet Charlotte asked me (again) recently "how many more sleeps till my birthday?" & "when is kid's day?" I told her everyday is kid's day with a smile on my face I could just not hide....she is so cute & that is SUCH a valid question for an almost five year old.  We are feeling the stress of living in transition so it did seem that Father's Day snuck up on me but we put together a mini makeshift banner with the supplies on hand & took a few pictures for the favorite Daddy around here....

My original plan was to have them ready in enough time to print from my favorite photo printing website but like I said, Father's Day was sneaky this year so I settled for uploading to Walmart on Saturday morning & going with family in tow to pick them up. Total BAD idea.....mostly Walmart, partly family in tow. I try to give Walmart a fair shot but I have not encountered too many employees that happen to have excellent customer service skills to put it nicely. I was a little ticked off....or maybe a lot ticked off because Robby was like "Whoa, calm down, what is going on?" So I had to ruin the surprise & tell him that I was getting pictures printed for him. After hearing me out he refused to let me pay them a penny for photos & said he wouldn't want them if they came from there. Ha! So, we finished up our shopping, headed home & planned to show him the pictures via laptop screen the following morning.

Sunday we hoped would be relaxing & it was partially. We fired up the smoker, filled up the mini swimming pool & played outside all day long.  By the end of the day we realized once again that there is just not a whole lot of relaxing with really young children near a hot smoker, a pool or a sandbox with tasty sand. We made the best of it though & look forward to a re-do next year ; )

In our time outside, Char watered the garden for Papa. We have been amazed at how quickly it has grown & all that we have harvested thus far considering it was all planted Mother's Day weekend. After our rain in the past 24 hours the far right is all taller than Charlotte. Crazy!

The pool was a blast for those who liked to act ridiculously crazy ...

Others (like Owee-O) were more comfortable watching from the side.

and Chubsters, he was happiest in guess what? His high chair, with food in his mouth. Here he is doing his best Jack Benny impersonation. I was unaware of this funny man from years ago but Bob noticed Anson doing this move often & said he looked just like Jack Benny so after a week of saying "Anson! Jack Benny!" He does this...

When not standing poolside or strapped in a high chair, these two stayed happy in their "pretty in pink" chairs.


Jack Benny got some sugars from that Daddy we were celebrating as he passed by to check on the smoker once again. He was hard to catch on camera that day do to his "smokin'" but we did get a few.

We saw a lot of this....

That was a DELICIOUS rack of ribs wrapped on the left. No matter how rough a go it is on the smoker for him, it is always amazing when we we sit down at the table. I am glad he keeps going back for another round!

Daddy & his girls...

Those two girlies were excited to show Daddy all the questions & answers from our Father's Day interview. 

All about my Daddy

By Charlotte

-Father’s Day 2014-

What is Daddy’s name? um Rob

How old is Daddy? 49

What is Daddy's favorite color? Gray
What does Daddy do for fun? Plays hide & seek tag with us
What does Daddy like to watch on TV? The horse race & race cars 
What's your favorite thing to do with Daddy? I love to color with Daddy 
What does Daddy say a lot? He says a lot of words to us like “we be disciplined”

Why does Mommy love Daddy? because He married you
What does Daddy do at work? He works with his friends & looks up stuff on his computer

Who does Daddy love? Mommy & he loves us too

Where is Daddy’s favorite place to go? Chuy’s

What does Daddy call you? He says “Charlotte” like “Moses” in that movie we like

What's Daddy's favorite thing to eat? Goulash that Papa makes
What makes Daddy laugh? Silly faces

What makes Daddy sad? When we disobey him
What makes Daddy smile? When we obey him 
How does Daddy help you? Daddy helps me learn how to obey

How do you show Daddy you love him? I obey him
What's your very favorite thing about Daddy? He has short hair

We were laughing so hard later about how much obedience/disobedience talk there was. I guess that reveals a bit of what has been going on lately ; ) He is sweet on his big girl though...

It was Eloise's first time with the questions & she didn't miss a beat....and she was hilarious.

All about my Daddy

By Eloise

-Father’s Day 2014-

What is Daddy’s name? Rob

How old is Daddy? 3

What is Daddy's favorite color? Black, like this (pointing at Daddy’s work bag)
What does Daddy do for fun? Plays wif me & he chase
What does Daddy like to watch on TV? The News 
What's your favorite thing to do with Daddy? I like when Daddy does that “sh sh” song so I can dance 
What does Daddy say a lot? He say that “sh sh” song

Why does Mommy love Daddy? Because he really cute
What does Daddy do at work? Plays with his friends

Who does Daddy love? Mommy

What is Daddy’s favorite thing to do with you? He yike to play chase & fight & tickle

Where is Daddy’s favorite place to go? He yike to go to work

What does Daddy call you? He calls me sneezy

What's Daddy's favorite thing to eat? He yike when I make him some goulash like Papa
What makes Daddy laugh? When I do this face (eyes to the side)

What makes Daddy sad? When I do this (makes a mean face)
What makes Daddy smile? When I make goulash 
How does Daddy help you? He help me obey

How do you show Daddy you love him? I make him goulash, I makin' him goulash right now!
What's your very favorite thing about Daddy? He play with me

It is pretty apparent that Eloise was hung up on goulash which was soooo funny to us. One night Bob threw some random things in with pasta/sauce & called it Goulash. It was pretty tasty, the girls are hooked on it & think that Daddy is too! 

He's pretty sweet on that littlest girlie pie too....

I did fail to mention that the night leading up to Father's Day was nothing less than exciting but looking at Charlotte's lip in the photo above is a good reminder of what should be included.  We put the girls to bed & expected them to stay there, like we do every night.... yet they came out, like they do every night. Although a common occurrence, this time ended with a lot of blood.  Somehow they crashed into each other in the hallway & we heard awful screams.  By the time we got to them, they had run all the way back to their room. Robby said he had it under control & closed the door but within seconds was yelling for me to get back in there. Char had her hands over her mouth until we could convince her to relax enough for us to take a look. There was blood all over her hands & mouth but once we figured out where it was coming from we stopped it fairly quickly.  Her top teeth on the left side had cut into the inside of her lip leaving some fleshy pieces dangling for lack of a better phrase. Sorry if that is too much detail. We were debating on heading to the ER. We called Grammy in for a consult since she took Uncle Steve to the ER for stitches quite frequently in his early years. I also gave my Uncle a call who happens to be an Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon, how perfect?! I described what I saw & he said we were probably good to stay at home. THANKFUL we took his advice because she has healed up quite nicely. 

If you remember, Char has most recently healed from her literal "run-in" with the big red truck which I missed while I was in Dallas for my interview. I had only heard stories of that husband of mine & his father of the year worthy interaction with a panic stricken child until the eve of Father's Day when I got to experience it first hand. I was utterly impressed by his ability to remain completely calm & in turn calm his sweet baby girl down. Even though I am a nurse, with my own kids, I can be a little extreme with the first reaction usually sending them into a new state of hysteria upon minor injuries. That being said, God knew that one of us needed to be cool, calm & collected so He gifted Rob in that way. I have a feeling with two boys bringing up the caboose, we may be just getting started on debating whether to go to the ER or not ; ) 

Last year in June, Owen & Anson were just barely four months old. MUCH has changed & I have loved seeing Rob be a father to four little ones including twins that are busier every day!  I love that the look like his baby pictures, especially Anson & their eyes are more brown than the lighter color they started. 

So, following our wild evening of contemplating a trip to the ER we decided to take it easy & relax on the couch once the kids were in bed. I had just filled up my nightly bowl of Blue Bell, collapsed in the chair & hit play on a show we were watching when I looked over & noticed some flashing lights. I asked Rob what it was from & he peeked out the front window & noticed an officer who had someone pulled over in front of the house across the street, cuffed & sitting on the sidewalk with one or two others. In the very moment he looked he yelled "No way! He's running!" & the guy took off to the back of the house with officers running behind. The other two walked back in the front door & then the "excitement" began.

Within minutes the street was flooded with flashing lights & officers everywhere. I was staying put eating my ice cream while Robby updated me from the window. All of the sudden he said in a very serious tone "get the kids out of the front rooms now!" I grabbed Elo who had been in our bed & threw her into Bob & Jeannine's bed then Jeannine & I scooped up sleeping babes & got comfy in their room with Eloise. The newest update was that their were officers with guns drawn at the house including one with a rifle hiding out behind the air conditioning unit about 8 feet outside the kitchen window. They were taking cover behind our vehicles parked out front! What??? It was crazy. They were on a loud speaker saying "We know you are in there, come out with your hands up!" One guy came out on his own & long story short, it went on for quite sometime so we put the pack in plays in the bathroom & put the boys back to sleep & moved Lolo back in with Char. I had already taken my melatonin pill to help my drift off sleep more easily & by the time we were an hour & a half in, I was nearly in Lala land so I had to lay down & be updated later. They never found anyone in the house & the street cleared up by the time we fell asleep but man oh man, two nights in a row of absurdity, one inside the house & one out!

All that to say, every Father's Day looks a little different & to reiterate, we are looking forward to a re-do in 2015 ; ) As I consider how thankful I am for my husband, I think of how he is steady day in & day out. He trusts the Lord, he gives & gives of himself to best care for our family, he recognizes my struggles & walks with me through them, he lovingly disciplines our children & helps me do the same. He is honest with me about his own failures. He is hilarious & finds humor in situations that are stressful. He is present with me in the craziness of life right now with the Fab Four & their unending needs. I love being his wife.

To help encourage him to find humor in potentially stressful situations ie parenting, I got him a copy of Jim Gaffigan's new book called "Dad is Fat". This guy is a stand up comedian with five very young children which provide for ample amount of "material." We have read a few chapters to each other once the kids are in bed & have shared some good laughs so far. I highly recommend laughing and this book : )

Wild about Elo- celebrating turning three

We do love celebrating around here & Eloise's third birthday was no exception! We love surprising them with decorations when they wake up on their birthday but two sneaky girls ruined the surprise this year by poking their heads out to see after they were put in bed for the night. Grrrr! They were SO excited & were wired until quite late with lots of peeking going on.  Even though I was sad it wasn't a surprise they seemed to be just as excited the next morning as we woke up & began the celebration with a birthday breakfast complete with party hats....and lion masks...

The baby boas liked their hats although the picture below may show a different emotion ; ) I do love how Anson's belly always seems to be hanging out of his shirt!

We enjoyed an easy peasy & favorite breakfast of Special K Protein which "tastes like it has cookies in it" according to the chickadees at the Valentine Nest.  After all tummies were full we let Eloise open a few birthday gifts. She is pretty easily excited when it comes to receiving gifts but one in particular stood out to that sweet girl. It was a pony that walks along when you press her back.  Guess who picked that out? Her big sis that loves her baby sis dearly & spent a good 45 minutes strolling around the toy store looking for just the right gift. She had originally chosen a Hello Kitty purse followed by waiting in line for five minutes before having a change of heart & saying "I really think she would LOVE that pony instead!" So we ran back to that aisle, made the swap & purchased the big hit pony. Her smile says it all...

It was a treat for us all to be celebrating another birthday while calling the Valentine's house "our home." They take great care of all of us & are especially loving on our little ones day in & day out. 

After breakfast, gifts, getting ready & packing up which takes a half a day in itself, we were headed out for our wild adventure at the Dallas Zoo.  I had not been there since Robby & I were dating so it was special to bring the whole crew & have Grammy & Papa join us.

As we walked in from the parking lot we were alongside multiple school groups of kids that could be no older than four with 25+ per group plus a few chaperons. Clearly we had it easy with four on four in comparison : ) At the gate we were approached by a representative claiming that an annual family pass was the way to go & as we did some number crunching we quickly realized he was right. Either $60 each time we go or $99 for the year...for the whole family? Made Disney seem like a rip off ; ) So within minutes, we had our passes & were headed through the gate with triple wagon, double stroller, bags & the Fab Four. First stop was the carousel which I rode with the little ladies, Charlotte on a cheetah & Eloise on a bear then we made our way to the plains of Africa where we were greeted by these elephants or as Charlee used to say "Elo-phants."

For how obsessed Eloise is with her Gaga, she has gotten pretty attached to Grammy as well. Grammy makes Elo feel so special & dishes out lots of cuddles, pats & lifts up to see an animal or two.

Rob was on double duty except for when his crew had a double duty blow out if you know what I'm sayin'. Seriously though, I don't mind if they are in unison with screaming, walking, pulling books of shelves and many other things but double blow outs? C'mon boys! All three of them looked pretty cute in their khaki shorts & black shirts. Rob wouldn't wear the T-rex skeleton shirt I had picked out for him ; )

One thing the girls LOVE every trip to the zoo is feeding the giraffes million dollar lettuce & since it was Eloise's birthday I didn't flinch when I handed over my credit card for something that costs one hundred times what it would cost me if I bought it at the grocery store, snuck it in & fed them out of my bag. I guess it might cost me more in legal fees if I got caught. So, the giraffes (in our previous experiences) have been hungry & quickly ate whatever we offered. This time, oh my goodness, they were just staring at all the people waving their lettuce like "I'm going to throw up if I have to eat one more bite!" It took us at least 15 minutes to convince them to eat what we offered & in the process they were more interested in the guy with the camera (my husband) on the bridge next to the feeding area! Silly giraffes! Eloise's squeal when they finally ate her lettuce was worth the wait.

After the non feeding frenzy, we walked around the rest of Africa. My favorite question was from Charlotte who with wide eyes said, "Mommy, are we really in Africa?" Sometimes she seems so old & other times I quickly remember she is four. Love that sweet girl.  The cheetahs were pretty incredible right up against the glass, even O&A took notice & were bouncing up & down.  In the midst of huge elephants, lions & being face to face with giraffes all the girls could ask was "where are the goats, I want to go see the goats!" I was thinking "Goats? All you care about is goats? It would have been a LOT cheaper to find some goats in someones backyard which here in the Lone Star State is not a difficult task." Anyway, they probably asked about twenty times & were actually getting on my nerves so much that I told them if they asked again, we would skip seeing the goats. Mean? I don't know but I was done hearing about goats! 

The boys were happy in the wagon until they eventually moved to the stroller for a quick snooze. I had to include this picture of Owen with his crooked little grin....oh my, he is so darn cute!

We grabbed some beverages, changed the previously mentioned blow outs & made out way to the infamous monorail that goes around Africa at the tree top level. I could not have convinced Eloise to get in this picture to save her life....she is quite stubborn at three ; ) 

Lunch was next followed by a quick trip over to the bird show & children's zoo area where they FINALLY got to see the long awaited goats.  It was pretty anti-climactic in my opinion but the girls sure were happy to be walking around petting all goats equally. Grammy surprised the girls with a ticket to ride the pony which also brought smiles. We decided to head home before anyone got too grumpy & I think we made it just in time!

We made it home, got the babies down for a nap, I snoozed with the birthday girl & Robby got a little work done. We woke up at dinner time, made some pancakes for Elo-Pancakes & headed outside to finish off the gift giving! It is wonderful to have so many helpers to open!

Since Eloise has been completely intrigued with all things "Fida-Fida" since seeing the firetruck at Uncle Darrell & Aunt Sandy's house we decided to surprise her with her own "Fida-Fida" costume. She absolutely loved it & was beyond adorable all dressed up! She tells us we have to call her "Chief" & we do...happily.

The rest of us with the birthday girl & her sideways glance that just screams "ELOISE!"

Charlotte worked really hard to make this beautiful card for Eloise. I just about melted observing the sweet moment of giving & receiving.  Eloise opened it up & was completely silent as she studied each part for longer than she pays attention to anything.  She then looked up with a sweet smile on her face & opened her arms up to hug her favorite sissy. Just precious. 

You may also notice her snazzy new Crocs that light up. Big hit with the birthday girl! After gifts were opened & played with we went back inside for some cake. The cake was more of a Pinterest fail but I didn't care at all for one because I knew Lolo didn't care & two, I didn't have time to care about it. Eloise loved her Pinkalicious cake as she called it topped with a "lellow" three. It could not have been more perfect to have a "Fida-Fida Chief" to handle the flame appropriately.

And that was it, our two year old turned into a big three year old right before our very eyes! But when we look at her, we still see this little face & think, "oh, how we love her!"