My Favorite Librarian 2013 Edition

Way back in I Love to Read Month my favorite librarian came in to read and do a lesson with my first grade class.  As I say every single year: Man, she should be an elementary school teacher.

Her lesson, about codes, was spot on for the grade level.  

The students loved everything she did.

They were engaged and completely enthralled with her book choices. 

I kept her books for several weeks and had student after student after student ask to look at particular books she left.  

She patiently answered question after question making each student feel good for asking.

Thanks for making time to come into school each year Liv!

I know the students enjoy it, but it's totally one of the highlights of the year for me too!!

12 Years

12 years ago today I walked into a bar too late on a Sunday night and met my husband.  Sometimes it seems like a lifetime ago and sometimes I can remember that night like yesterday (I'll admit some parts of the night are a bit fuzzy;-).  It's amazing how much we've created together in the past dozen years, including three gorgeous and wonderful children.   

Happy "Anniversary" Honey

Finding the Eggs

Today is Brecken's first Easter.  He's pretty much been celebrating every three hours all night long, for an hour at a time.  Apparently holidays make him awfully hungry.  I am finally awake enough to pump and Christian just woke up so excited to see Easter Eggs among his LEGOS in his room.  His excitement is adorable, even at 5am.  I'm going to go and cuddle him while his little brother is sleeping only to wait for Victoria who I caught twice in the middle of the night roaming around "just looking" instead of sleeping.

It's going to be an egg-citing day!

Taking Time

Every time we take Brecken somewhere someone asks how old he is.  I immediately tell them how many days old he is.  They usually get a sweet look on their face as they coo and tilt their head, I suppose, hoping I'll lift the carseat cover, which I rarely do.

Today he is two weeks old.  Soon I won't count how old he is by days.  It will turn into weeks, which will turn into months.  It is so bittersweet.  He's such a little sack of flour right now that just melts into my body when I hold him.  He sleeps pretty much constantly which makes him the easiest baby I've ever seen.  He didn't cry a single time yesterday.  I suppose that is because I'm right there whenever he needs something, but still, not a peep?!

He's my little angel.  When someone visits I can't help but get close to the person holding him and also stroke his hair.  Yesterday we visited Laura and she and I were practically on top of each other on her couch both soaking in the baby love.  I started to say how much I love him and got choked up.  Because that's how much I love him.  My love for him is so deep it's difficult to put into words.

I've been trying to live in the moment with him.  Taking time each day to stare into his eyes and think about nothing but him.  Taking time to get comfortable before I start nursing him so he and I can stay there as long as needed.  Taking time holding his body close while he sleeps and watching his lips and eyes move ever so gently.  Taking time to grab my phone and photograph him sleeping over and over and over.

Slowly Getting Back to Normal

For a couple days now I've been keeping a close eye on Brecken's belly button.  It's gotten greenish with some discharge and it even started smelling yesterday.  I made an appointment for today last night at 8:50pm.  We couldn't get in with our own pediatrician but I just didn't want to wait another day in case it was infected.  Christian and I took him in at 11:20 today only to be surprised by our usual pediatrician.  He saw Brecken's name listed and switched things around so he could be the one who saw him.  That made my day.

It turned out there they left too much cord when they clipped it and it was beginning to rot.  How disgusting is that??!!  He cut most of it off and cauterized the rest of it.  Poor Christian had his hands over his eyes saying over and over, "Does that hurt him?"  He proceeded to do the two week check up so I don't have to go back on Tuesday.  Infants are supposed to gain an ounce a day.  In the six days it's been since we were there Brecken has gained 10 ounces which puts him at 8 pounds 14 ounces.  The doctor looked right at me and said, "Here's your proof he's a healthy growing baby."  It made me so happy.  Finally (knock on wood) things seem to be going our way.

After the appointment Victoria had a friend's birthday party at the Skating Rink.  I brought all three of them so Christian could get some energy out too at Open Skating and I kept Brecken concealed for 99.99% of it.  Mark met us there so I could take Christian and Brecken home so we wouldn't have to stay for the whole three hours.

Mark's brother Johnny stopped for a visit and got to feed Brecken a full four ounces from a bottle.

Then we had a quick dinner and headed off to swim lessons.  Mark and I divided and conquered again.  I took Christian and Brecken and Mark met us for Victoria's lesson and then we left and I had C in bed before they even got home.

Brecken slept through, pretty much, the entire day, except when I woke him every three hours to eat.  I have a feeling I'm going to pay for the tomorrow.

It feels good to have energy and be busy again.

V's BFF BDay

A couple weeks ago we celebrated Victoria's Best Friend's 7th Birthday.

Their birthdays are only five weeks apart.

It was a gymnastics birthday party and Victoria was so excited!

Jenna loved her scrapbook of the last year of her life.

I love that my girl has such good friends in her life.

It warms my heart to see them together.

What's the Cost?

A few weeks ago we received the EOB for Christian's tonsillectomy.  We paid $61 and insurance covered nearly $11,000 for his outpatient procedure at Children's.  I was surprised it was that expensive since we ended up not even staying the night.

So now I'm wondering:  How much will Brecken's stay cost?  We get calls daily regarding his ambulance ride, his stay in the NICU and questions about our insurance.  He was born at Regions, then transported by a special ambulance to Children's, then a surgery, then two days in the NICU.

What's your guess as to the cost of all of this?