We've come a long way in a year...

From dog size costumes...(yes, I bought these at Petsmart last year)

to big kid costumes!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Here's a preview - more to come!

Cole, Colter & JD - Monkey, Scarecrow & Dinosaur

They were great sports!

ZACHARY

This is Zachary Johnson, who is one of twin sons of a fellow moms of multiples friend of mine. Her boys were born about 6 weeks before my boys in summer of 2006. Sadly, Zachary has been very sick since birth and has struggled for life since he was born. He is now first on the list for a liver/small bowel transplant; they are praying for a donor any day now.

Born two months premature on July 2, 2006 (along with twin brother Aidan), and weighing only 2lbs, 10oz, Zachary was diagnosed with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). NEC is a very devastating disease which invades parts of the infant's intestines and effectively kills the bowel tissue. Without healthy tissue, food nutrients pass quickly through the intestinal tract. Within his first 5 months of life, tiny Zac underwent 4 surgeries which left his intestines disconnected, but doctors wanted to wait until his intestines starting absorbing nutrients before they would reattach them. Brother Aidan was able to go home after 3 weeks in the NICU, but after several months of false hopes for Zac, Brian and Deanna stopped trying to guess when Zac would be able to go home. Despite his rough beginning, little Zac remained in good spirits, flirting with all of the nurses and providing Mom and Dad with plenty of smiles.

Finally, after 8 months and weighing almost 11 pounds, Zac was able to go home in February of 2007. Armed with various equipment and more medical knowledge than they ever wanted, Brian and Deanna were finally able to have the whole family under one roof. And on a few rare but wonderful occasions, they could look at both boys sleeping in the nursery at the same time.
Unfortunately, since Zac’s intestines were not able to absorb food, he was on continuous IV fluids. Even though these fluids are life saving, they can also damage the liver if used over a long period of time. For a while, Zac’s liver made improvements. Doctors even thought he would not need a liver or small bowel transplant, and Brian and Deanna spent months hoping they would schedule the surgery to reconnect his intestines.

But Zac has given his parents a roller coaster ride from the beginning, and he wasn’t about to stop now. For many months, his health went up and down as he continued to fight off infections, and he had to go back to the hospital twice for short stays. He was finally able to undergo the reconnection surgery shortly after his first birthday in July of 2007. This amazingly strong and resilient boy has had six surgeries since birth and he has bounced back against all odds. Zac went home after 3 weeks.

On Wednesday, August 15th, Zac gave his family their biggest scare yet. Brian and Deanna raced Zac to the hospital as he was going into shock from liver failure. At that point, it was determined for certain that Zac needed a transplant, and as soon as he was stable enough for transport, he was flown to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, where his health continues to bounce up and down. Currently Zachary is in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) awaiting a double organ transplant (liver and small bowel). The good news is that he is at the top of the list and will be first in line when a suitable match is found. The bad news is that there is a reason that he is at the top of the list for he is very sick. Unable to even hold Zac, Brian and Deanna take turns sitting by his side every day, waiting for the opportunity to give him a second chance at life.

Our MOMs club is taking an active part in fundraising for Zachary's family. Although they have insurance, the out of pocket costs associated with being away from home to be with Zachary are much more than we can imagine (food, lodging, gas etc.). In Severna Park, MD, volunteers have begun a fund-raising campaign for Zac. These funds will be used for medical, living and travel expenses not covered by insurance. The organization COTA (Childrens Organ Transplant Association) is backing the fundraising efforts - the local volunteers are simply collecting donations and helping however we can.

I have some bracelets for sale for $2, and some magnetic car ribbons (like the ones for soldiers) for $4 each. If you are interested in purchasing one, please let me know. It's a great cause and one that hits really close to home. There will be a local bake sale coming up in Severna Park as well - if you are interested in baking something to donate or attending to buy some yummy baked goods for the holidays, I will be happy to forward you the details.

I cannot imagine all that Zachary and his family are going through. This vigil has been going on for well over a year - Zac still has a long way to go but with lots of prayers, hopefully he'll get that donor soon and be on the road to recovery!

To my fellow cat lovers...

Since I always get such a great response to my "cat" posts, here's one that is worth repeating. Anyone that has a "bad" cat like me, can relate...

Big cousins

Cole loves books - and what is better than being read to by your biggest cousin?

14 Months!

Today the boys turned 14 months old. I always wondered before I had kids why people measured babies age by months...I now know. You don't want to give any months away - I savor every month that goes by!




Anyway, it was a banner day today for us - Cole pulled up on his own, over and over again. He's finally got it mastered! I'm so proud of him - he's going to be chasing JD in no time.

Here are some fun pictures from today. It finally feels like fall!











Our first fall morning walk...brrrrr




































Playing in the leaves...

Working Together...

Here are a few clips from this morning where the boys were having fun together. JD is pushing Cole on his car - and I think Cole is complaining that he's not pushing fast enough? The lighting is terrible but you can get the idea. This is one of their new favorite past times...

More weekend photos...

The only disadvantage to having the GIRLS babysit the boys (their father is going to die when he sees these)...not sure that "dress up" was on the boys agenda but they didn't have much of a choice did they?

Flirting already with Savannah - they will be fighting over her someday....

One more cute one of the kids...

Fun Weekend!

We had a fun weekend - lots of activities and we're pooped. Chuck and I celebrated our 12th Anniversary yesterday - I can't believe it's been 12 years! We took the kids downtown for a quick breakfast and then headed home for our community Bull Roast. The two of us will go out and celebrate one night this week instead. It's amazing how time flies, isn't it?

The boys and I were down in Leesburg, VA this weekend visiting some friends. A few of my beloved college girl friends flew in from Alabama and Hermosa Beach, CA (L.A.), and one drove up from Rehoboth Beach, DE - all with their kids and we all had a mini reunion - it was a blast. My boys absolutely loved being doted on by the big kids and Mommy even got a few hours to kick back, have a few beers and catch up with the girls. The boys got dressed up like girls, carried around a lot and giggled their way through the day. It was lots of fun.

In selecting a few photos to show, check out this one of Cole - why is it that boys always find every orifice in their body and stick their fingers in? Not a flattering photo but it made me laugh.

And here are the adorable girls that cared for the boys ALL day - Lexi and Madeline...they called them "their babies". THANKS GIRLS!

And here's the whole gang (including Tucker, the dog):

And we had a fun wagon ride yesterday with big cousin Emily too -

More pictures to come!

Some updates....

Well, I have held off on updating on the boys in the last few days because I have been trying so hard to get a good video clip of JD's latest trick - he's almost walking! He's walking behind a stool, pushing it across the floor; I just can't seem to catch it on tape. Every time I start the tape rolling, he sits down. But, I can't hold off any longer...

Here's the latest:
JD is still laughing at almost everything - and smiling all of the time. He loves milk and drinking from a straw. He's cruising around on everything and walking several steps in a row while holding on to things. He also goes up the stairs in no time flat and comes back down pretty well backwards. The cats are his #1 priority most of the time and they get him into a good game of chase around the house. He will follow them anywhere, including under a bed, where he usually gets himself stuck. He has 4 teeth which makes for a very cute toothy smile!

Cole is moving around much better these days but it's still a crab crawl. He loves to pull to stand and hates being on his back. That used to be his favorite but now he loves to be upright. One of his favorite things is a ball - he loves to juggle it with his feet. He's such a thinker and checks everything out before he makes a move. When he wants something, he gets it. He's got two bottom teeth and the top two are on their way in. His smile still melts my heart - I can't get enough of it. Cole is not close to walking yet but we're mastering his core body movements which will help him get there. We still have physical therapy weekly and every week he seems to get stronger and stronger. His fine motor skills are excellent and he's very picky with which bites of his food he's going to take.

The two of them love to chatter with each other, especially in their high chairs. They crack up together which is so awesome to watch. Usually Cole is laughing at JD - a foreshadowing of things to come. I think JD is going to be the house clown...

Their favorite foods are fruit, waffles, grilled cheese, mac & cheese and pasta. We're not much on red sauce though - we're going to have to fix that so that they get used to Gramma's yummy spaghetti & meatballs! We're working on sharing but it seems that whatever one has, the other wants. Even if there are two, they always want the same one. And even if they are playing side by side, they will trade toys back and forth, thinking that the one that the other has is better. For the most part, they get along very nicely - and sharing is getting better. Most of the time, they give up their toys without much of a fight (unless it's Cole with his toothbrush).

Both boys love their Daddy so much - they light up when he comes home or enters the room. It's so awesome to see! Both boys have good word recognition now - they know words like light, duck, milk, doggie - although they can't say them, they seem to understand more than we think. They are saying a few sounds and chattering lots. We still have them in separate rooms to sleep - with all of the random noises they make during the night, we all get a much better nights sleep if they are in separate rooms, especially during nap time.

They are both looking more like toddlers now - they've lost that baby look. It's killing me how fast they are growing up...like all other Mom's, I wish I could bottle it up and make it last. Although I love to see them blossom into amazing little people, I'll miss the days of snuggling with them. I still get some good hugs - and every little while they both will come back to me while playing for a squeeze; but those days are almost gone I think. Once they are fully mobile, there will be much more interesting things to explore than Mommy. For now, I'll enjoy being a human jungle gym while it lasts - and I'll enjoy every last second of it!

A Day to Remember

Today is Pregnancy & Infant Loss Remembrance Day.

To all of you out there who have babies in heaven, do something special today for that little soul who was taken from you too soon. Through the years, I have known far too many people who have met the unfortunate fate of losing a pregnancy or infant. Whatever your circumstance was surrounding the loss, in the end, it's all the same. The pain is unbearable at times but seems to get a bit easier with time. I'm thinking of all of you today. Although their lives were short, each of them is worth celebrating.

To my lost babies: Not a day goes by that I don't think of you. Someday we will meet again but until then, please continue to be present in spirit so I know you are ok. My heart always holds a place for each of you; I love you.

What patience?

Apparently my son gets his patience (or lack thereof) from his Mommy. As you can see, he was extremely excited to get in the bath tub tonight - so much so that he dove right in with his clothes on when I turned around. I knew it was bad when I heard chuckling coming from the tub when I ran around the corner to get their jammies - he thought it was hilarious...and after the initial shock that he could have hit his head and drowned, we thought it was pretty funny too. I guess our bath routine will have to change a bit. Nothing like a big water logged diaper in soggy jeans. Here we go!

And Cole has found a new best friend...his toothbrush. At least he'll have pearly whites!

Way to go Cheryl! The article below is about one of our "friends" in NICU. I'm not sure that Cheryl ever had our boys on her assignment while we were there, but she took MANY of their first photos, as the article says. Not only is she a wonderful nurse, but her compassion shows in her photography - which is probably why she enjoys it so much.


The most precious photos that Cheryl took for us are the first ones when I was able to kangaroo them together and the one of them with their arms around each other - these photos will always be the most special ones;







Thanks Cheryl and congratulations on your award!!!! Here is the article if you're interested. It's also a great article about Cheryl as a nurse and our wonderful NICU at AAMC.


The Capital Newspaper - Article on Cheryl Biggs

Life's lessons...

He’s a lonely old guy now, with 90+ years behind him. He’s sort of lost at his old age, trying hard to remember things…anything in fact. He concentrates and searches for something to say, but rarely is it anything that relates to today’s world. It seems that he remembers memories from childhood and his early years better than anything recent. I guess that is normal for old age.

This man led a fun (for him), crazy, selfish life. He had many friends along the way, and lost many too. He pissed a lot of people off and didn’t really care. It was all about him. His family included. His wife of 40+ years left him at an old age due to his antics; and didn’t look back. She was better for it. Slowly, his friends and family started to dwindle away from him. And at first, he didn’t seem to care. He lived in his own world and played to the tune of his own drummer. But when old age began to settle in, he started to care. He’s never mended fences but he’s tried to be a different person to many than he ever was. Until recently (senility), he was able to see who he loved and appreciated them a bit more than he used to – because he needed them. A little too late? Perhaps.

He’s old, wheelchair bound and failing fast. It was very sad to see him recently as I have not seen him in over a year. He’s never met my children, and I’m not sure he even remembers I have children. I’m not even certain that he knew who I was when he saw me but he tried to act like he remembered. Just as well.

I’ve learned a lot from this elder of mine; lessons that will help to remind me how NOT to behave. Isn’t that sort of sad? He’s taught me how sad it can be to alienate your loved ones by being self consumed, selfish, boisterous, dishonest, opinionated and grumpy. I know this sounds somewhat harsh but reality is, he didn’t have much regard for others, including his immediate family. And low and behold, those are the ones now that are digging deep into their soul to find the kindness to care for him now. What a task. I have utmost respect for his children as they “do what they have to do” to make sure that he grows old and can still keep some of his dignity. My hat is off to you.

I have mixed feelings about this man. This man is my Grandfather.

I second guess myself over the fact that I don’t go visit him. And frankly, he doesn’t even cross my mind on any sort of regular basis. I’m normally not a callus person – and I try to be compassionate to anyone having difficulty. In this case, I’m finding it hard to dig deep and find my compassion. I rationalize it now by thinking, he probably doesn’t even remember me anyway. There was a time in my very young age when I looked up to him as my Grandfather – like all kids do. Until I grew old enough to understand what was important in life and saw how he treated others. I guess he probably has no regrets about how he lived his life. To each his own.

The point of my writing I guess is just to say that seeing someone be virtually alone at the end, is so very sad. It makes us all remember how important it is to be good to each other, love each other and take care of each other, all the way through. For you never know what your end will be like.

Pumpkins or BUST

Well, our trip to the fall festival was a bust today due to the 90+ temperatures. We'll go back another day when it's more fall-like. But we did get a couple of photos of the kids in their first pumpkin patch...I think they like the straw better than anything.

Pets B.K.

B.K. - Before Kids.

Yep, we're on of those families that has pets, who were with us long before the kids. And there was a day, many of you know, that my pets (two cats) were my pride and joy. Despite the fact that Gus used to pee all over the house and run around with poop attached to his butt, I loved him dearly. His funny antics (jumping on door jambs, fetching toys, sleeping under the covers, acting like a dog) far outweighed his bad habits and I was totally fine with that. His twin sister Maggie was always the angel cat. She was so sweet & loving, but never came around much. A bit skittish except with us.

Fast forward 12 years to now. There are days I want to WRING.THEIR.NECKS! There are days I understand pet abusers. Since the babies were born & came home, both cats are with us EVERYWHERE WE GO. They don't miss a beat. It's like they are keeping watch over me and the kids to be sure everyone is ok. When the kids cry, they cry (and boy is that fun, 2 crying kids and 2 meowing cats). I can't tell you how many times I've almost killed myself (and a kid) by tripping over them while one of them gets under foot following us around the house or down the stairs.

Every morning, the household starts stirring around 4:30 am. But it's not the humans that are stirring, it's the furry ones. They usually start trying to wake me up to eat by that time with their various tricks - sometimes it's jumping up on the dresser and knocking things to the floor, or walking on my head, or meowing so loud the neighbors can hear, or scratching (they are declawed so it's more like noise making) on the door and furniture. They also have figured out how to wrap on the armoire doors so that they rattle very loudly. Most recently, since they think they are "in charge" of the babies, they will scratch on THEIR doors, knowing it will wake them up and they will cry, hence waking ME up. Unfortunately for me, the light sleeper that I am, I hear these antics starting and immediately wake up to feed them so they will stop trying to wake the kids up.

My fault. Can't teach an old cat new tricks right? So, the last few days have been exceptionally trying - considering that we don't really need any more chaos added to our already chaotic household, Gus never ceases to amaze me. Let me preface this with the fact that Gus, the male cat, is crazy. Really. He's crazy and used to have to take prozac daily. I stopped his meds when I had two premature babies that required much more medical attention and he's been fine since. But I think he's digressed. He used to be afraid of his own poop. I think his fear has returned. It's like a kid when they are potty training. He turns around and looks at it and runs for his life. And sometimes he starts running before the poop is all the way out. Hence, it drops off along his path as he's running. Nice.

So a couple of days ago, he started this again. I knew by the way he was running that he had realized this fear again. I followed him around and picked up his little droppings along the way. This is a particular problem now since the kids are mobile and ANYTHING on the floor goes immediately to the mouth. I'm so paranoid about this it's making me lose sleep. So yesterday, the kids and I are eating dinner at the dining room table (Cole puked up his morning breakfast and it hit every crevice in the high chair so his high chair was out of commission being cleaned, hence a booster at the real table) and this lunatic cat gets up on the other end of the table. Within seconds, he's doing that cat throw up thing - where he lurches forward making a horrible choking sound (any of you with cats knows exactly what I'm talking about). I proceed to yell at him to get down from the table but he doesn't listen. And I wasn't sure I could pick up a puking cat? As I'm screaming, the kids are laughing and carrying on watching him because the cats are their latest fascination. Gus proceeds to lurch and convulse for the next 10-15 seconds before he LAUNCHES a huge hairball onto the floor. It must have flew 3 feet...DISGUSTING. Nevermind that I feed them "special" cat food that is supposed to take care of this hairball problem. I think their food is slightly more expensive than the formula I used to feed my kids. I guess I should reconsider that food because obviously they would be the same on the cheap stuff since hairballs haven't slowed down at all...

I do love my cats. And they love us. All they want is more attention, which sadly, I don't have the time to give them anymore. I will miss them someday when they aren't with us. But dear God, they are causing me more stress and sleep loss than my own children these days! Every single day it's a new thing. They are so high maintenance, it's killing me. Don't I deal with enough poop and puke with two babies, much less adding a cat to the daily clean up regimen? I had the mobile pet vet out a few weeks ago (because they are such maniac's I cannot take them to the vet any longer) and they are healthy as healthy gets. For 12 year old mut cats, they are doing great. That means they will be around for a while longer. I know, it's like anything else, savor the days, you'll miss them when they're gone. As long as we have a 3 ring circus going, might as well add two looney cats to the mix right? Sure keeps the days interesting...Thank God they love my kids, or we might have real trouble!

A day (evening) in the life....

Of JD & Cole. Here are some fun snaps from today.

Laughter is the best medicine!