Adrenaline Junkies?

So, this picture above shows how the day started out for our little Miss Lydia. She was so excited to be walking around in Connor's car's crocs while he was away at school! She went down peacefully for her morning nap a couple hours later. The day went seemingly without a hitch until I went to the store with Aiden. You see, a couple of days ago Crystal asked me about a little red dot (hemangioma) that had appeared next to Lydia's nose. I quickly blurted out, "just pop it". Well, she didn't take me up on that advice, so I thought. But now I am at the store with Aiden, and she decided to do just that while I was gone; pop it! I came home, arms full of grocery bags, to a little girl who looked like this picture below.
Her mouth is dirty from all of the blood and the chocolate we let her have to keep her happy while I was pressing on her face to try and get the bleeding to stop. Forty-five minutes had passed and still no luck. I had tried everything. I even tried making a "tamale" (like one used for pool plastering to stop water leaks) out of a sock and some flour, and held that on her face. Nothing worked. We started to wonder if our little angel had a bleeding disorder or a deficiency of some kind. With no success at home, I ripped open a diaper, tore out a piece of filler, and taped it too her face. Can you just imagine this scene? Anyway, by the time I got to the ER, which took me just 20 minutes, she had bled enough to saturate the diaper material and ooze down her face more. They got me back right away (working there has its privileges) and after 3 rounds of Epinephrine and Lidocaine soaked gauze and pressure, the bleeding had slowed. Still, it had not stopped. The nurse attempted to Derma Bond it with no success. The doctor came back in and decided to have the nurse fetch some old school bonding agent from the OR that is like ether and plastic. The fumes were horrible. I'm pretty sure that's what they used to put people out with (an ether soaked mask held over your face). Again, no luck! So I held pressure with dry gauze this time while they had the pharmacy send up some Afrin nose spray. You learn something new every day. Apparently that is a good vasoconstrictor for situations like this or nose bleeds. By the time that got there, the bleeding had finally stopped. This was 3.5 hours into the initial incident. The doctor came back in and with a few more dabs of "plastic", while everyone took some huffs of ether, we were in business and more than ready to go home. Lydia was spent, and thanks to the Epi, she head butted me and squirmed like crazy towards the end (she has never acted so hyper and never head butted me before). I drove home faster than I left it. Crystal was late for her shift tonight, and again our lives were filled with excitement! So are we adrenaline junkies, you may ask. We both work in departments that can insane at times. But, the first step to get better is acknowledging you have a problem. God, can you hear me? We have an adrenaline problem, and we are ready to quit! Please facilitate any lack of excitement possible. Perhaps, we could even have this next baby in the hospital for starters. No, seriously! So I guess this is all my fault. "Just pop it." Never, ever, ever pop anything on your or your child's face again, especially if it's red! Lesson learned!!!

A Name Can Say So Much!

So I found this silly picture because it's the best I can do at this point. Crystal is almost 28 weeks so this should be about the size of our next little girl. Anyway, baby number five has been a tough one for choosing a name. Perhaps the whole catching us off guard thing is the reason for that. At any rate, Crystal and I were talking yesterday again about this baby's name. We had been talking about names like Ava, Kayla, Evangeline, Ella, and Maya for several weeks. We both feel that a name says so much, and in spiritual terms, a name has so much significance. Some of our children have had significant middle names or first names. This little one, we decided will be named Maya Ruth. Maya is significant in its meaning of being a "mother", and "God's creative power". All daughters of God have this gift to be a mother, whether in this life or in the next. It is their greatest power and all daughters of God have the power to be an influence as a mother to someone, even if it is not their own child. Ruth is a name that I have always associated with my beautiful wife. I know that she will go wherever I go, even to the lowest lows if she would have to, to save me. She is a true friend and the love of my life. My God will always be her God. This is why we have felt inspired to choose this name as a middle name for Maya. It is our hope that she will be reminded of her heritage and that our God will be her God, and that someday she will be true and faithful to her eternal companion. Just thought I would share a quick update on the baby thing.

Sleepy Days!

That half grin and half frown is my little Miss Lydia enjoying her thin mints girl scout cookies, compliments of Grandma Fultz, and wanting to cuddle for a picture but fighting it all at once. Oh, how I adore this little princess! Little does she realize...but in 3 short months here she will have a little sister joining her! The belly is round, leg cramps are abundant, and baby #5 still does not have a name. This is very unusual for Steve and I...but so is our life right now!

Mr. Aiden is preparing for kindergarten next year. He amazes me with how fast he picks up some basic letter and number skills. Just a few months ago he started rhyming--everything he said was a rhyme--he claims, "My brain told me that it rhymed!" He even felt the need to tell me, after we moved our big family into a small 1000 square foot rental home, that "A small house does not rhyme with a lot of stuff, huh Mommy!" It still doesn't rhyme...I'm afraid! But, he is a ninja at heart! He will flip and kick, roll and jump all over the place. When I tell him that he is a brave boy, he says, "My brain told me how to do that!"

Connor thoroughly enjoyed bringing all these Mardi Gras beads home from school the day before their Mardi Gras holiday! That's right peeps--Mardi Gras holiday!!! Lydia has claimed most of the already!

Connor still watches out for Mommy, as he always has. I was driving the kids to church last Sunday. Steve and I had both worked a 12 hour night shift. He was 3pm-3am and I was 7pm-7am. He got home at 4am, and the kids were up and ready for a Daddy to take care of them just a short while later. I commanded him to go to bed, since he had to work again that night at 3pm, and I got me and the kids ready for church. The drive to church is 30 LONG minutes. Half way there, I pulled over and fell asleep with instant dreams. After 10 minutes I told the boys that it was necessary to go back home--we tried! Connor told me that when we get home, he wanted me to put Lydia down for a nap, he and Aiden would play in their room with the door closed, and he would let me take a nap on the couch. He has told me often that I don't sleep enough, and I need to take care of my body if I want to be healthy. He then began to plan out how we would make Sundays work from here on out--I have to sleep A LOT on Saturday, work Saturday night, and then go to church! What a good 6 year old boy! Tonight, he thanked Heavenly Father that we were able to go to church!

And the best always comes last! Steve is seen falling asleep all the time now. This is actually kinda how he looked at church today! Can't resist posting pictures of Daddy and his girl!

They Look Sweet and Innocent...

These pictures are from the happy days of take home pizza, all you can eat buffets that had steak, and lots of MacDonald's...or Burger King! Times are changing in this house!

Well, for the most part, I can say that my children are all sweet and innocent. Today, however, they took me by surprise! All, but Aiden, which is a shock in and of itself. Note, these pictures are from an earlier day in January--NOT TODAY! Do not be deceived!

I have been working a lot lately--Steve too! We love hot pockets, frozen burritos, cereal, chips, etc. Nursing school taught us survival, and now our nursing jobs are simply applying all the wonderful skills we established as typical tired nursing students. These skills are not limited to the IV's, injections, assessments, careplans, and critical thinking, but also the pizzas, burritos, hot pockets, chips, and M&M's!

So, in attempt to be a little more motherly, and wifey, I decided to make dinner for Steve and the kids tonight. We both worked 12 hour shifts last night, met each other in the cafeteria at midnight (snuck away from our units just to see each other...cute huh?!), and got home this morning. He was home 3 hours prior to me, but stayed up to tend to the kids until I got home. He was working again tonight, so he was sound asleep all day while I attempted to hold down the fort! Back to dinner...

As I was making dinner, I held Lydia and said, "Mommy's making dinner tonight, that's kinda weird huh?!" She looked at the dish, and without hesitation said, "Uh-oh." Hmmm....clue #1 was in place, this wasn't gonna be good! Connor saw the final masterpiece and told his Dad, "I knew I shouldn't have woke up this morning so I wouldn't have to eat dinner. It's like a nightmare!" Lydia tried it and cried, Daddy ate in delight, Connor and Aiden were astounded when they found out they were going to bed with nothing (then I broke and told them to stuff a gogurt in their mouths quickly before bed--bad parenting skills!), and I ate proudly! I like cereal and frozen foods....they don't like me though, sadly!

Happy Birthday Little Princess

Miss Lydia turned one on Wednesday. It was "perfect" timing--with a huge move, new jobs, the delivery of all our "stuff", and an awful ear infection. Hmmm...not so perfect after all! Lydia was miserable on her Birthday--she even got a late night trip to the ER with Grandma and Mommy for an ear infection. Yet, we did sing Happy Birthday before we left--she was focused on the red M&M's that Grandpa brought for her, but when she reached for them and ended up with messy chocolate frosting covering her hands, she got a little cranky.

Just a few days later, she wore her pretty Birthday dress, in true princess fashion, and charmed us with her dainty beauty! Once, again, we sang Happy Birthday to her, and once again, she reached for the same red M&M's!

We love you Miss Lydia--binky and all! You have brought us pure joy!

Another Rushed Birthday...

Happy Birthday Daddy Dear!!!

Birthdays have been chaotic this year...Daddy even expressed feeling like Knit Knox from Imagination Movers. We have lots of tan boxes around the house...it makes for a perfect boring birthday. We say that with humor intended!!! We still made time for cake and presents...not much, but it was nice. We also found out...on his Birthday (Friday the 8th) that Miss Lydia will be a big sister to a sister!!! YAHOO! We're having a girl! She is due June 2nd and weighing in at 10 ounces. I am half way there...I can't believe we'll be holding 2 babies...16 months apart, but still babes! Well, we are off to Louisiana in the morning.

Great Video to our Democrat Leaders Who Promised Hope!

A friend posted this video on my Facebook page today. I love the message. I think it should go for both parties, but I agree with the premise that the Democrats promised hope and change and all we have gotten from them is change. The change they have brought is taking us far from the principles and beliefs that we have as Americans (I believe most don't support this garbage anyway). It is time we show them the door. It seems a little odd that so many of the Democrats are jumping ship all of the sudden. I don't know that I am ready to trust the Republicans who may take their place. Whoever it is, they need to be with us, the American people, 100%. No more double talk! Anyway, here is the video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiyqvuTxaEs . I could go on all day with this stuff, but I will spare you. We will do another family post soon!