The Ross Review

A few favorite photos

2012-11-28T14:47:00.001-08:00

It's been hard lately to keep up on the blog as shown by the last date a post was added. :(. This is my attempt to start doing it again. So here are a few pictures from the last month that are in no particular order.

I ran the Ragnar race here in November here in Las Vegas.
It was a total of 200 miles and is a relay race with
12 people on each team.Maria & Lindsey live in my
ward and we often run together early in the morning.

I love these boys! Timber is Tyler's favorite stuffed animal.
Aaron named it & I later learned that his friend has a dog
named Timber and that's where he came up with the name.

One day as we walk there was a fire engine in the parking
lot. A fireman came up to our car and gave each of the boys a hat.
They loved it- especially Tyler.

I took the boys to St. George for the day on
Nov 24 to visit Grandpa & Grandma.
Steve had to stay home sick. :(

Sometimes we have to give Tyler something to look
at or play with to get him to eat better. He was enthralled
with this magazine of children's toys.

Tyler's favorite thing to do at the park is look down the drain.
He loves to find rocks that fit down the openings that he can
drop down there. I'm sure the maintenance guys don't like that.

Each of our boys chose a pumpkin to carve. This year we had
very small pumpkins. Unfortunately Tyler had to go to bed pretty
early and missed the fun.

Add caption

18 months

2012-07-17T22:21:00.001-07:00

It's hard for me to believe my baby is now 18 months old, walking all over, babbling (talking?), and is considered a toddler. But the good news is he is now officially in nursery at church. This means I might actually learn something when I go! Although I'm glad for this new step it's bittersweet because it's just another reminder that he is no longer a baby.

Tyler is doing so much better this last month. When he went in last week for his follow up with the GI doctor we learned he had gained a pound in the last month. Which brought his weight up to 19 lbs!! He's probably still not even on the growth chart- and if he is it's not by much- but at least he's making progress. First time he's gained any weight in a while. Since the medicine has started taking effect around Memorial Day he has shown dramatic improvement. There's still a ways to go and we take him in for occupational therapy to work on strengthening his jaw muscles. And he's not the greatest eater. But at least he's eating! Go Tyler!

Summer fun

2012-06-22T22:07:00.001-07:00

This was one of the first photos I took with my new toy- the iPhone I got for my birthday! I love these boys almost as much as I do my iPhone. haha!

We went to Utah for an extended Memorial Day weekend. My sister and a brother live at perfect locations along our route. We stopped at my sisters in Parowan, UT where we stopped for a couple of hours for Tyler to take a nap and the cousins to have a little fun at the pond in town. Then we stopped at Steven's in Santaquin and spent the night before going on to Salt Lake. There was a Rawlings Cousins reunion, we went to the zoo, and stayed with friends.

Tyler is now 17 months! He got caught standing on the dishwasher. As light as he is I won't let it happen again but he was pretty proud of himself. He can walk but he choosing to get around mostly by crawling. He's been able to walk for about a month and a half. But I'm in no rush to be constantly chasing him down! And it's one more thing to remind me my baby is getting older. :(

Happy, active, & a diagnosis

2012-04-12T22:34:00.002-07:00

I am sad to say that Tyler has not received nearly the amount of updated posts that his older brothers did when they were his age. Three kids can keep you busier than two, I guess. But that in no way means that he is any less of a joy! It has been so much fun the last few months to watch his personality start to development and the infectious smile he always has. Tyler is very sociable and admires his older brothers. Although he loves them both, Aaron is his best friend! This is an example:

Tyler wants to walk so bad and is on his feet as often as possible, holding on to anything to make that happen. It won't be long before he's walking on his own. And when that happens I better watch out! I will no longer need to run every day- I'll get plenty of exercise chasing him all over!

(I hate it when the writing turns blue and underlines. And I don't feel like retyping all of it so it won't be. So the rest of it'll be blue!) Tyler is very small and skinny for his age and this picture shows it. In fact, the last time he saw the pediatrician his weight showed him at the 0.5%ile on the growth chart. Starting in January his eating of solid foods started to decline to the point that he refused everything. For a couple of weeks he was barely drinking any liquids each day. I was beginning to get worried, especially when he lost 1 lb within 2 weeks. He didn't have any extra pounds to lose and at this age it's not a good thing to lose any weight regardless of skinny or not. When I talked to the pediatrician in February about this he referred me to a GI doctor, the same one that Andrew sees for his acid reflex.

After having a thorough blood test done nothing was found. A swallow test indicated no problem. By this time it's mid March and we had already visited the ER twice for dehydration. Last week he had an endoscopy done and a diagnosis has finally been found! Eosophophilic esophagitis. In English that means his esophagus is inflamed from top to bottom. Whenever Tyler eats solid foods he feels like he's choking and gagging, which he sometimes does. Right now the only solid foods he'll eat are small crackers, cookies or cereals (Cheerios, etc.) that dissolve quickly. The solution: a steroid (through the nebulizer) and a visit to an allergist. Most likely the cause of it is food allergies. My guess: dairy. Because right now milk is about the only things he eats/drinks. And I started noticed a decrease in solid foods in mid-January when he transitioned from formula to whole milk. An allergist has been referred to me and I hope to see him ASAP. This evening we started with the steroid, which can help to decrease the inflammation as well.

But Tyler is a trooper! He is happy, cheerful, and ALWAYS active and moving everywhere! We love you Tyler!

4 years, 2 boys, 1 happy Mom (&Dad)

2012-04-12T22:04:00.003-07:00

These sweet boys turned FOUR yesterday! Aaron and Andrew have blessed our lives so much and are little miracles. Having twins has been so much fun because they always have a best friend. They have a very close relationship that I hope will always be as tight as it is now. Their personalities are very different but yet they continue to work and play well together. Love it!

Andrew has a new twin brother! For Christmas this last year Santa brought Andrew a cowboy outfit- which included a hat, sheriff's badge and a holster with a gun in it along with a long rifle. That was the perfect gift! Since then a pair of boots has been added, we already had a Woody vest and he has to wear a 'cowboy' shirt (i.e. a plaid shirt). Oh, and he wears undies with Woody on it- always. But you'd never know it unless I told you! All he talks about is cowboys- all day, everyday. So it was very fitting that he get the Woody toy he has been dreaming of for a long time!

Aaron doesn't have anything that he loves- his 'favorites' change all the time and could be something as simple as business cards (yeah, that right...business cards!) that he carries around with him for a few days before finding something else. But the one thing that he has continued to bring up repeatedly is cars. He has loved the Hot Wheels tracks and cars we already have. So we hit the nail on the head with this gift. And the best thing about it- it has two tracks to set up a car on each that races to see who wins. Aaron and Andrew have been playing with this ALL day today.

Visit to the 'farm'

2012-02-21T21:06:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we went to visit our friends in Overton about 45 minutes from Las Vegas. Overton is a small family community that was a result of Hoover Dam being built and the community of St. Thomas being flooded over when the dam was built. Steve first met Garren Fulmer in high school and have been good friends ever since.

When we told the boys that we were going to go on Monday and visit our friends- and a little about what it would be like- they were more than excited! When we told them they had 3 horses, dogs, chickens, and cats Andrew exclaimed with excitement, "Oh, it's a farm!!?! He's a cowboys?!!!!" They had a lot of fun and so did we. Here are some pictures to prove it:

Aaron petting one of the cats. Even Tyler touched the cat and it was okay.

Had fun watching the chickens

Probably the highlight of the visit was a ride on their pony, Suzuki. Riley, their 13 yr old, rides horses and kindly held the reins while giving each of them (and me too!) a ride around the house. They loved it!!

Andrew and Aaron went riding on the back of one of their ATV's to the 'top of mountain', which was actually a small mesa right by the house.

Simple faith of a child

2012-01-26T21:29:00.000-08:00

Not long after Christmas Andrew's little doggie got lost. This is not just any doggie. His doggie has been him soulmate, companion, best friend since he was about a year old. It has been with him with him during his kidney surgery and all his medical tests, almost every night in bed, and through the thick and thin. The dog's name: Doggie. At first Andrew didn't seem too upset that we couldn't find him so we assumed we'd never see him again. The last we remember seeing him was when the boys were outside playing in the back and front yards while Steve was doing yard work. But I'd already searched the backyard and front yard and had luck.

Then yesterday morning Andrew woke up about 5:00 a.m. crying hysterically. He wanted Doggie, missed Doggie, had to have him. I'm pretty sure he had a dream about him. It broke my heart to see him so sad and I wished I could make him magically appear. Andrew was able to go back to sleep and when he woke up again about 6:45 he was still upset. He came and crawled in bed where I was reading. He snuggled up next week to me and we talked about Doggie. Then all of sudden Andrew said with enthusiasm, "I know!!! We could ask Jesus to help us find Doggie!!". Not what I would've come up with but Andrew has tremendous faith. So I suggested we say a pray at which we knelt down by the bed and prayed that we could find Doggie.

Then my doubts came. What if we don't find Doggie? What do I tell him then? Steve suggested we tell him Doggie went to heaven. But what if we tell him that and then we do find him? My idea: Doggie was resurrected.

Well, yesterday I did some serious searching again thinking that maybe I missed it on my quick search a while ago. No luck. Last night as Steve and I were talking, trying to think of any places in the house/garage it could be the idea came to my mind: what about that little basket on Aaron's tricycle? Sometimes Andrew would put Doggie in it. But I got distracted for forgot to check. Until this morning.

While I was on the phone and the boys were in the garage dorking around I went in their to make sure they weren't getting into anything harmful. Then I remembered the tricycle basket, lifted the lid, and I held my breath. Was it Aaron's "twin" doggie (Andrew knows the difference) or was it THE doggie. Sure enough- it was Andrew's!!!!! I quickly ended the phone call and put the basket lid down and yelled for Andrew. When I saw the look on his face when he saw that dog I started to cry. To put it lightly, he was ECSTATIC! He immediately began talking nonstop to that dog as if to catch him on the last 4 weeks.

I asked Andrew who helped us find the doggie and he said, "Jesus." So I told him that we should say a prayer to thank Jesus for helping us, which we did. The picture shown was one I took shortly when Andrew was reunited with Doggie. Tonight when Andrew went to bed he was sooo happy to have Doggie snuggled up against him. And so was I!

Tyler turns 1

2012-01-12T22:07:00.000-08:00

One year ago today Tyler was added to our family. I am so blessed to have a baby like Tyler. Since the time he could smile one of his nicknames is Smiler Tyler. He is happy all the time and rarely cries.

Just in the last 2 days Tyler has occasionally started to crawl on his knees. He can usually be found on the floor crawling all over on his stomach playing with toys and following his brothers around. One item that can usually be found in his hand are darts & there's plenty of them everywhere! Aaron and Andrew love to lay on the floor on their stomach and get Tyler to chase them around.
Tyler loves his big brothers, Aaron and Andrew. And the more interactive he gets the more they love him. I love having boys! Very busy but so much fun.
Tyler's first visit with Santa. He looked him with curiosity. But had he been on his lap much longer Tyler would've began screaming. Andrew and Aaron obviously were not afraid of Santa at all.

St. George 1/2 Marathon

2011-11-06T21:45:00.000-08:00

Although I've done a lot of running in the past it has never been consistent. As a student in high school I was on the cross country team but I put no extra effort into it and I'd almost always place last. ANYone could be on the team if they wanted so it was nothing special.

Other times I've ran: In college I ran off and on. In 2001 I trained for the St. George marathon, ran two 20 milers and a month before the race I injured my knee. Rather than injure my knee permanent I chose to not run the race. In the fall of 2006 I trained for a half marathon to run with my brother, Eric, and his wife, Lisa, in Boise. Three weeks before the race I learned I was pregnant. Probably could've ran the race but after thousands of dollars spent to get pregnant I didn't want to risk it. Since then I've either been pregnant, had a new baby, or not willing to bother trying to run. Until now.

Yesterday I ran my first half marathon! Some friends were planning to run this race and all of them have had a baby since I did last January. If they could do it so could I!! And I talked my sister, Marylynn, into doing it too.

The course was beautiful, mostly downhill, and well organized. It is a popular race with over 2000 participants. But the weather was horrible. Rain and snow throughout the night before the race and COLD and wind the day of. But thankfully the sky was clear during the race with no rain or snow. Just cold. Very cold.

I owe a big thank you to Steve for staying at home in Las Vegas to watch the boys while I took a short trip to St. George. We decided that would be easier than dragging them all there, staying in a hotel, and dealing with the bitter cold weather. And it felt great to have a little time to myself.

If you want to know what sore is, run a half marathon! It hurts to walk down stairs, sit down, stand up, walk, to move. But it's all worth it. And I'm now looking into running another half marathon this January in St. George.

Way way behind

2011-10-17T21:26:00.000-07:00

It will be impossible to catch up but the only thing I can do is start from here. The only excuse I have is being lazy. And tired. And busy.

So here are a few pictures and comments. My goal is to add a post once a week. We'll see how I do.

Hard to believe Tyler is 9 months! He is THE happiest, easiest baby! Perhaps I'm just saying that because he doesn't have a twin. He adores his brothers- all they have to do is walk in the room and he smiles and laughs and hysterically.

Andrew and Aaron started preschool in mid-September. They love it! And so do I. :) They love taking a backpack like big kids. When they return home they have a lot to tell me about but are worn out.

One day while Steve was weeding and doing yard work in the backyard Andrew decided to be a dragon and help out. He insisted on wearing the knee pads along with the accessories of a weeder.

This is a NEVER. For a couple of reasons. It is VERY rare that Aaron will fall asleep cuddled to a stuffed animal. Even more rare that he takes a nap. That particular day I was hoping they'd both fall asleep while Tyler was napping. Two out of three isn't so bad. Andrew, who needs sleep most, was the one awake.

I love this picture! This is a typical scene at our house. The twins love tearing up the cushions on the couches and making boats, mountains, submarines, forts, you name it. But they're pretty good about being gentle when Tyler is close by.

Fireman Training

2011-09-12T21:59:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago we took the boys to a nearby fire station to talk to some firemen a close up look at a fire truck. Aaron and Andrew still talk about that day.

The firemen took up to the garage where a fire truck was parked and began to show them some of the hoses, helmets, and packs. He was a nice guy but had a challenge dumbing it down to a 3 yrs old level. Aaron was just as interested in the drinking fountain a few steps away and Andrew took a look at everything except.

We weren't there very long before a call came into the station and the visit was cut short. Aaron and Andrew were excited to watch them hurry into the fire engine, drive away, and start the siren. It probably won't be our last visit.

Band-Aid of Honor

2011-08-27T22:03:00.001-07:00

We have a new missionary in the family! Today Andrew found my old name tag I wore when I used to be an ordinance worker at the temple and he decided it was his missionary name tag. He packed for his mission in a matter of minutes- his backpack with his lunch box inside, a Book of Mormon, and a CTR ring (on his thumb). He was off to preach the gospel and change the world!

I LOVE those cheeks!

Whenever we take pictures of Andrew he always has bumps, scratches, bruises, or Band-Aids SOMEwhere on himself. He be a clutz and is always running into something, falling, or tripping. He must get it from me because my legs are full of bruises and scratches- all the time! Of course I have a blind on 25% of my peripheral vision- for reals. Anyway, whenever there's even the SMALLest little scratch he is begging for a band-aid. But his one was a true cut! He's fallen on something that cut his forehead and caused it to bleed. You can see how upset he was afterwards!

Lake Tahoe-Day 5

2011-08-02T20:42:00.000-07:00

Each morning while we were at Lake Tahoe we spent with one of us at the condo while Tyler took a nap. We'd take turns going on bike rides, or running, or going for a walk with the boys. Of course, we also took our time getting moving in the morning. After all, we were on vacation! In the afternoon we went somewhere as a family. On Day 5 (Tuesday) I went running and upon returning to the condo took Aaron and Andrew for a bike ride. These boys have become much heavier since the last time I pulled them in the trailer on my bike!

The following two pictures were actually taken the previous day when I took the boys for a walk to the lake in the morning while Steve stayed at home with Tyler. Aaron and Andrew could've thrown rocks in the water ALL day!

In the afternoon we went to Tahoe City and had lunch at a pizza place with a great view of the lake. Following lunch we put Tyler in a carrier on my back while Steve pushed the boys in our sit and stand stroller. We then walked down main street and went in a couple of shops, crossed over Fanny Bridge and walked to an area on the other side of the dam. Tyler slept most of the time on my back. We made it dark for him and out of the sun. (Fanny Bridge is what I've always known it. It's a bridge that crosses over the Truckee River that flows from the lake with a view of the dam. All you see are behinds as people stand there and view the river/dam/lake.)

Throwing rocks from the shore with a view of Tahoe City

on the left background

Tyler peeking out from under the blanket.

Lake Tahoe- Day 4

2011-07-24T22:11:00.000-07:00

Just a part of Eagle Falls

On a bridge that crosses over the falls

Monday, July 18, 2011

Since Tyler's best naps are usually in the morning one of us would always stay at the condo so he could nap and in the afternoon we went as a family to do something. So on Monday morning I went with Aaron and Andrew on a walk to the lake where the mansion is. We walked around a little and then, of course, we had to find lots of rocks to throw. They could've done that all day, every day we were there!

Late in the afternoon we all went on a hike to Eagle Falls which flow into Emerald Bay. It is a short hike to the falls but can be made longer by going on the way to Eagle Lake, which is beautiful. We just went to Eagle Falls which was plenty long for Aaron and Andrew. We used our hiking backpack to put Tyler in. We snuggled him tight, shaded his head, made it dark for him, and he could still breathe, of course. Tyler slept on the hike almost the entire way!

Stopping for a quick snack

Walking sticks we found along the way.

They became very attached to them but lost them a day or two later.

Hiking down from the falls

Lake Tahoe- Day 3

2011-07-24T21:45:00.000-07:00

July 17, 2011

This day was pretty much a relaxing day as well. Aaron came down with a cold the day before and was nice enough to pass it on to Tyler today. For that reason we only stayed for the 1st hour of church. On our way back to the condo from church we stopped at the bike shop in Tahoe City to see if Steve's bike (that he took it to the day before to get fixed) was finished. All that was needed was a new wheel and some adjustments! Phew! We lucked out big time!

Lake Tahoe- Days 2

2011-07-24T21:13:00.000-07:00

"Smiler Tyler" and me

Saturday, July 16

We pretty much hung around the condo and relaxed. Later in the day we went for a walk to the lake ("the mansion" as we always call it because there's a State Park with an early 1900's big mansion at the top of a hill with a dock just below it at the lake). The walk down there is on a wooded trail about 1.5 miles from the condo. Steve had devised a fishing pole using materials around the condo and attaching pieces of bacon to the end. He used it to fish for crawdads while sitting on the dock with Aaron and Andrew. I stood on the shore with Tyler and fed him while watching them. It made me nervous as I watched the twins moving around on the edge of the dock because it looked like any minute one of them was going to fall in the water! Thank goodness they didn't but the fishing experiences didn't last long for that very reason. They seemed to be more interested in throwing rocks in the water so Steve brought them ashore and that's what they did for probably an hour!

Fishing for Crawdads- you can see Steve's legs

hanging off the higher part of the dock

Lake Tahoe- Days 1

2011-07-24T20:31:00.000-07:00

(Oops! Posted Day 2 first, then Day 1. Oh well!)

Monitor Pass- viewing Antelope Valley down below

Every year we hope to make a trip to Lake Tahoe. Since I was a young girl I have been visiting there about once a year or every other. It is a place I will never get tired of because there is an endless amount of activities there any time of the year, it is gorgeous and the weather is great (especially in July and August). Not to mention the family condo we can stay in that's in a great area.

Our trip there was from July 15-22. Even though both Aaron and Tyler-and Steve too- were sick we managed to do several fun things. And relax, of course! With 3-year old twins and a baby we are a bit limited on the activities we could do but we made it fun for them. And we had a great time too!

Friday, July 15

The trip from Las Vegas to Tahoma, CA (on the west side of the Lake) is NOT a short trip! According to mapquest the drive is about 9.5 hours. With a young family that requires more and longer stops the realistic drive is about 11-12 hrs. The trip there took us 12 hrs with arrival time being 9:30. Thank goodness for the DVD play in our car! The boys watched a lot of TV in the car. About 2 hrs after getting on the road I happened to be turned around helping the boys when I saw one of our bikes fly off, hit the road, and bounce off the side into the desert. I yelled, "We lost a bike!!" Thank goodness it was in the middle of nowhere and now other cars were around. We turned around and found the bike and were able to reattach it on the car w/o any further excitement. We assumed the bike was a goner but were fortunate enough to learn a couple of days later that it only cost $90 to repair. If I hadn't happened to be turned around we wouldn't lost the bike for good. Other than that we had a smooth ride. We arrived tired and worn out and same with the boys. They are not good car sleepers (all 3) so it was only the last hour or two that they got any rest.

There are several options for routes from Las Vegas to Tahoe- most of them mostly through the desert in the middle of nowhere! But there are some pretty areas, cute towns, and great views. This was one of my favorite views about 3 hrs before reaching Lake Tahoe. Walker, CA is the largest town in the valley below.

We Love Our Daddy

2011-06-22T21:12:00.000-07:00

Even though Father's Day was a few days ago I thought it would be fun to still do this survey. A friend of mine did this with her 3-year-old. I loved his answers so much that I was interested to know how Aaron and Andrew would respond to questions about their daddy.

Survey about Daddy

by Andrew (age 3)

1. What is something dad always says to you?

I love you

2. What makes dad happy?

(Said nothing, just made a happy face.)

3. What makes dad sad?

(Said nothing; just made a sad face.)

4. How does your dad make you laugh?

When I lay on his tummy.

5. How old is your daddy?

Uhhh...he's old.

6. How tall is your dad?

Big! (And he threw his arms straight up in this air.)

7. What is his favorite thing to do?

Climb up a ladder and fix.

8. What does your dad do when you are not home?

Go to work.

9. What is your dad really good at?

Pulling weeds.

10. What is your dad not good at?

No. Happy.

11. What does your dad do at work?

Grow hairs on his chin.

12. What is your dad's favorite food?

Sloppy joes.

13. What makes you proud of your dad?

Do Family Home Evening

14. What do you and daddy do together?

Umm....stay home.

15. What does daddy like to do in the backyard?

16. What is Daddy's favorite color?

Blue. No, red.

Survey about Daddy

by Aaron (age 3)

1. What is something dad always says to you?

Happy Father's Day

2. What makes dad happy?

When he comes home.

3. What makes dad sad?

That. (while making a sad face)

4. How does your dad do to make you laugh?

Happy. (My answer: tickle him)

5. How old is your daddy?

Three. (scrunched his forehead as if confused)

6. How tall is your dad?

Bigger. (while pointing to the top of his head)

7. What is his favorite thing to do?

Happy Father's Day

8. What does your dad do when you are not home?

Work

9. What is your dad really good at?

At the store

10. What is your dad not good at?

Tools (should've been the answer for the previous question)

11. What does your dad do at work?

Stuff. Buy something.

12. What is your dad's favorite food?

Ham

13. What makes you proud of your dad?

Hmmm ...Happy Father's Day!

14. What do you and daddy do together?

Do a game.

What is daddy's favorite color?

orange

15. What does daddy like to do in the backyard?

Pull weeds

I love these boys!

2011-05-27T21:50:00.000-07:00

From other moms and relative of twins (boys especially) Aaron and Andrew are typical 3-year-old twins. Best of friends yet worst of enemies at the same time. Fortunately they get along most times. It makes the rough time worth it. Especially moments like this-

Andrew thinks Aaron is hilarious- except the times

when he gets hit, pushed, and bit by Aaron

Smiler Tyler is the name we often call our sweet little guy. He is ALWAYS happy!! This morning when he awoke at 4:15a.m. all he wanted to do was smile and laugh in my arms rather than eat. All I wanted was to go back to bed! Even so, I am in love with this adorable, little man!! I love his smiles, his laughs, his coos, the joy he brings me every day. I can't believe he is over 4 months old. He is growing way too fast. Is there any way to slow things down??

Tyler sitting in his Bumbo seat for the first time. As usual he is all smiles. Notice the cute behind in the background. :) Most of the time the twins are shorts/pants-free around the house. It's much easier- for them and me- when they need to go to the bathroom to only have to drop their undies.

Smiler Tyler

Finally, Aaron and Andrew learn to ride tricycles!! Santa Claus bought the bikes for them when they were about 18 months. Ever since then they have not been interested or were unable to ride them. Recently, Andrew has been practicing and trying. About a week ago he finally got the hang of it! Yeah Andrew! When Aaron saw that Andrew could ride it he didn't want to be outdone. So he got on his and away he went!

Andrew

Aaron

3 out of 4

2011-04-21T21:54:00.000-07:00

Tyler's actually 4 out of 4. The title is about something else.

While we were excited to learn we were pregnant with Tyler it soon turned to nervousness for the first 16 weeks until we learned whether or not he had hydronephrosis. We were greatly relieved to learned he was clean! Phew! The first pregnancy we didn't lose, or think we were going to lose, a baby. Even though we had a bumpy spot or two Tyler was born healthy with no complications. Or so we thought.

Five weeks ago I took Andrew and Tyler to Red Rock Radiology so both could have an ultrasound on their kidneys- Andrew for a routine follow-up and Tyler so the urologist could take a look at his kidneys now that he was out of the womb. Of course I wasn't worried because if there was a problem it would have been detected in one of the numerous ultrasounds I had during pregnancy. The reason I had so many is because of being high risk; the first thing that was always checked was the kidneys and the amniotic fluid and it was always normal.

When I arrived at the doctor's office the following week I had no worries about learning the results of either test until the nurse made a comment about Tyler not receiving an "A+" on his test. "What? Tyler????" I said. She is a very happy, friendly, and fun nurse so I wasn't sure if she was just joking or being serious. When she realized what she'd said she quickly said, "Oh, you know" and moved on to other things. "Oh, well. Whatever. I'll find out soon enough," I thought.

After I learned that Andrew's right ureter is still constricted and will need further work (no surprise) she moved on to Tyler. She said his left kidney is normal but the right is interesting. Rather than just one 'drain' he has two. Each one has a ureter that begins toward the bladder but the top one joins the bottom ureter so it looks like a Y. The top drain is incomplete and has some backup into the kidney. Since then he has been on an antibiotic to ensure that no infection forms.

This morning I took Tyler to the hospital for a MAG3 test. I couldn't remember the directions but I was pretty sure from 3 years ago when Andrew had the same test that he couldn't eat for 8 hours before. We fed him only 4 hours before the test though since he is on a liquid diet anyway. Once I got there I learned I could've fed him right up until the test. Wish I'd known that- all that crying and me feeling guilty for nothing! First, they tried putting an IV in him but found no good veins so they called down a transport nurse who is highly trained on IV's in pediatrics. She put in the IV on Tyler while I held him. His next tough thing was the catheter. I never enjoy having one put in me but at least I understand what and why it's being done. He was miserable and very mad. He was not happy to be strapped down either. Once his arms and legs were constricted he screamed, cried, and tried kicking and moving his way out. Poor Tyler! He finally cried himself to sleep.

I was much braver this time around then three years ago when Andrew had the same test at about the same age. It's okay for the mom (or dad or both) to be there next to the bed the entire time. When Andrew had his I remember it was difficult for me to see him cry so hard from having an IV in that I was finally excused from the room and told to go to the waiting area down the hall. At first I was afraid a similar thing would happen this time but I managed to keep my emotions stable and was able to be there to comfort Tyler and make it easier. In fact, I even got a picture on my cell phone of him smiling- after having an IV and catheter put in and being strapped down!

Well, after learning that Tyler is not completely free from kidney problems I realized that 3 out of my 4 children have, or had, hydronephrosis. Rachel had it the worst and lived for only a short time. We thought we were going to lose Andrew too but he is a miracle and lives a normal life although he's had surgeries, tests, stints, ultrasounds and isn't done yet. And Tyler now has it but really minor. Aaron managed to skate by somehow and is the lucky one. We've become a little familiar with hydronephrosis and our pediatric urologist, Dr. Close (who is THE best!) has become very familiar with us!

Tyler's growth chart by picture

2011-04-18T22:58:00.000-07:00

When the twins were the same age as Tyler I gave my blog almost daily attention. Now it is so poorly neglected it's pathetic. Part of this was probably because I had a new camera that I loved trying out and some of it was because the babies I had were sleeping a lot. Now, well, it's very different. Still new into potty trained twins (that's a post all of it's own!), LOTS of doctor appointments, and twins that are transitioning out of naps. The list could go on and on but the blog is close to the bottom of the long list.

Tyler began smiling about a month ago but now he is smiling, cooing, and has even 'laughed' for me when I tickle him. About 2 weeks ago he began sleeping through the night! Yeah! He sleeps solid for about 10 hours, wakes up to be fed, and then goes back to sleep for about 3 more hours! It has been very nice not to have to wake up in the middle of the night. A lot of pictures have been taken but have yet to be added to the blog. Each month I have taken a picture of him in a onesie with a paper that tells how old he is now. Usually this picture has been (or will be) done on his bouncy chair or the floor. When seen on a hourly/daily basis his growth seems so gradual. By looking at these pictures it reminds me that he is slowly growing.

Newborn- 2 weeks

Two months- forgot the paper. Oops

The Evening of a Lifetime

2011-03-25T21:59:00.000-07:00

This last week my ward had a Relief Society activity that celebrated the anniversary of the Relief Society organization. Prior to the evening the book The Hundred Dresses was passed around for everyone to read. The activity entailed a light dinner and a fashion show of dresses from different time periods. Each dress had a story behind it that was shared while the dress was being modeled. It was an enjoyable evening (especially to get away from home and my very busy children!) and was well prepared and organized.

That night was feeding Tyler in the wee hours of the morning- 3:00 am.- I remembered from the middle of nowhere, a dress hanging in the closet downstairs. If only I'd remembered this dress before the evening's activity:

The history behind it:

In 1967 my mother had been dating my dad for about three years. They had a date to the 1967 New Year's Ball. She sewed a long green velvet dress with a matching coat. That night my dad proposed and my mom accepted.

Ever since my mother died I have had this dress and coat hanging in my closet. It wasn't until the middle of the night that I remembered the dressing in my closet and wish I'd remembered it in time to wear it at the activity. Since it's too late for that I'll "model" it here online.

One month old (4 days ago!)

2011-02-12T20:37:00.000-08:00

It was a month ago today (now 4 days ago) that Tyler joined our family. He is a good baby who does what all newborns do- eat, sleep, and poop! But I could spend the entire day holding and loving him and doing nothing else. He has been sick with a nasty cold for the last 10 days his brothers were generous enough to share with him. I am so grateful he is healthy in every other way though and so grateful he has joined our family.

We initially thought he would be another redhead but it doesn't appear to be the case. My guess is he'll be anywhere from blonde to light brown. Regardless of the color he is gorgeous! When he was weighed a week ago he was 8 lbs (born at 6 lbs 10 oz) and this week is now 8 lbs 5 oz. so he is gaining weight good.

During the first few baths Tyler let me know he did NOT like them! But now he seems to have learned this will be a regular part of his life. Eventually he will become like his older brothers and complain when it's time to get out of the tub!

Tyler's first bath

A common question I get is: How is Aaron and Andrew adjusting? Some days are better than others but I think as time goes on it'll become easier. During the first week Aaron seemed to show no interest in his new brother. Now he likes to help hold the bottle, come sit by me as I feed Tyler and is a great helper by getting me a diaper and the wipes.

This has been an eventful month to say the least! It is difficult enough to recover from delivery (especially a c-section), adjust to less sleep, caring for older siblings and all with the same amount of hours in a day. To add to that I was back in the hospital 3 weeks later for 2 days- and Tyler was at home. In the early morning hours of February 1, I had two grand mal seizures. Since Steve had to be here with the boys until help arrived I was transferred to the hospital by ambulance. We still don't know the cause of the seizures (and we may never know) but one thing is for sure- I don't feel comfortable driving yet. There could be many causes- my very high blood pressure, lack of sleep, stress, hormones out of whack, or low medication levels. This last week I saw a new neurologist who will be ordering an updated MRI, EEG, and blood work to test my medicine levels. I will be very anxious to know the results. In the meantime, friends and ward members have been wonderful to help pick up the boys, give me rides, bring dinner, or help in any way they can. The week following my return home from the hospital the twins and Steve all got a bad cold who gave it to Tyler. Now that they're all recovering I've now got the nasty bug.

It is fun to watch them change as they continue to grow and learn and I love (for the most part!) each phase so far. But I sure wish they didn't have to change so rapidly the first few months!

Brothers

2011-01-30T21:07:00.000-08:00

Everyone asks us, "How are the boys adjusting?" I don't have anything to compare it to but I'm think they doing great. Aaron and Andrew are getting used the idea that Tyler is going away and they love the idea of being big brothers.

Prior to Tyler's delivery Andrew was always more interested in feeling my tummy, 'listening' to the baby by putting his ear to my stomach, talking about Tyler. Aaron showed little interested in comparison. During their first visit to the hospital to see their new brother we asked them if they wanted to hold Tyler. Andrew quickly climbed up on a chair and smiled sincerely at his new brother in his lap. Aaron said, "No!" and walked the opposite directions to press all the buttons on my bed and anything else he could. I wasn't successful at getting picture of Aaron by himself holding the baby.

But now they've both warmed up to Tyler. Whenever I'm feeding him they like to come sit next to me and kiss his head, rub his feet, talk to him, show him their toys, or hold his hand.

Andrew and Aaron seem to have changed a lot in the last 2.5 weeks- mostly for the better. Aaron has been constantly sucking on his right wrist- all day- and soaking his sleeve (insecurities?). Both have been more defiant. But now they seem much more grown up. Both are more independent, willing to help with Tyler. They seem more attached to Daddy than every before. They both seem much bigger than before although I'm sure they've gained little weight in the last couple of weeks (except maybe Andrew-he really is bigger). And they play together very well since they don't always have my full attention when busy with Tyler.

I love all of my beautiful boys! It is my hope they will all be best friends.

2011-01-15T22:02:00.000-08:00

Day 4 - Tyler is doing great. He has been eating very well. We are also supplementing his nursing with formula. So he has been getting plenty to eat. However, it looks like Katie will have to stay in the hospital another day. Her blood pressure is still too high for my doctor to order her discharge. So we hope she will be discharged tomorrow. Aaron and Andrew also love their new baby brother. They helped Katie push Tyler in his cart for a walk around the hospital halls.