The Tubes

Today was the day...Brenna had her ear tubes put in early this morning.

This was our day:

Up early~had to be at the hospital by 6:00 this morning to get checked-in. Good thing we got up early...the snow piled so high that Sean wasn't able to get his company car out of the driveway. His original plan was to meet us at the hospital so that when surgery was over he could head on to work, things didn't quite work out that way. Luckily we were able to barrel thru with the Jeep.

After registration we were able to hang out in the waiting room for a while. It was nice because B was able to play and get a little exercise instead of being stuck in a room on a bed where she couldn't do much.

About 6:50 they came out and took us back to the prep area. B changed into these very stylish doggie/balloon jammies along with some very bright yellow socks and a super cool hat!


The nurses did all of their checks, the anesthesiologist came in, her Dr. came in. It was a very busy and a little bit of a scary time for her because she wasn't really sure what was happening.

At 7:25 Daddy got suited up for his role as the blue man complete with hat, a blue zip-up suit, footies and a mask. I wish I had thought to snap a photo! Then at 7:30 Sean walked B down to the operating room where he was able to stay with her until she was almost asleep.

By the time he got out of his blue man suit and met us (Grandma, Uncle George, Nonny, and cousin Kaitllyn, and me) about ten minutes had passed.

We had just enough time to go over to the Starbucks (right across from the waiting area in the hospital) to grab a quick cup of coffee and get back over to the waiting area, by the time we got back and were getting settled the Doctor was out to get us to take Sean and I back to see her. We asked how it went of course: she had lots of fluid in both ears but she did very well. We asked how long it would be before she started waking up and he said "she's already awake"!

We were taken right to the recovery room where a nurse was trying to calm B while trying to get the pulse ox back onto her hand (B was NOT having it). She was crying but only because she was in a strange place with new people and it was part of the effect that the anesthesia had on her, not because she was in any pain.

There was a little bit of drainage from her right ear but nothing major and barely anything from her left ear.
It took about ten minutes to calm her down and get her to start taking fluids (in the form of Orange Pierre's Popsicle). As soon as she was done with her double popsicle and some juice, we were able to get her dressed and take her home. She was in a great mood and by the time we got her out to the waiting room she was ready to visit with family and wanted to get down and start playing again. The sheet we got from the doctor said that normal activity typically resumes within 6-24 hours...with B it was about 60 minutes...if that!

We were home by about 9:15-9:30, Brenna chowed her breakfast, played for a while and went down for a nice long nap like she would any other day. Just a little tylenol to take the edge off. Grandma came with us to spend a little time and make sure the little girl was ok and that I was ok too. Sean was able to head out after we got Brenna settled in at home (by then the driveway had been plowed).

This whole process was a lot less traumatic than I thought it would be. Probably more so for Sean & I than for Brenna.

All afternoon she played and ate and was very much herself! We couldn't have asked for a better outcome!

Sometimes I think there is just no stopping this little girl!

It will be interesting to see how the tubes work for her. We are hopeful they will do the trick and she will be back to her healthy self relatively soon.

Snow Day!!

10. I woke up this morning, flicked on the TV...snow day? No luck, so I settle Brenna back to sleep, (she decided to try to get up at 5:30 ~ I don't think so little girl!), and hopped in the shower. Got ready as usual, slightly rushed, got B up and ready to go. Opened up the garage so I could warm up the car and then, as I was heading to the door...Ring Ring..." This is an announcement from...due to the current and expected accumulations of snow all classes and activities have been CANCELLED for today!" Just wish it would have been a little earlier, then I could have gone back to bed! Although a little girl I know probably would have prevented that one.

9. I decided to keep the little girl home with me today. She probably should have gone to get our money's worth out of day care for the week BUT

8. Ear Tube Surgery tomorrow...don't want to risk any other germs until the tubes are in. She can have a nice long nap and fun play time with mommy so she is well-rested and semi-healthy for tomorrow. I'll post details tomorrow.

7. You guessed it...she has yet another cold, hopefully the tubes will help with the saga of the little girl who catches everything from everyone everywhere we go! She hasn't had the chance to really be 100% healthy before she's on to the next thing. Will the tubes stop the colds? Probably not but at least it will greatly reduce the number of ear infections that could take place.

6. I'm trying, trying to get the laundry caught up, folded and put away so that I can try to stay caught up. I need a new laundry solution as trying to get it all done during the weekends is just not working for me. There is always something else (usually something much more fun) going on and the laundry always gets bumped to the bottom of the list until there just aren't any clean clothes. If the clothes are clean, they usually end up a wrinkled mess in the laundry baskets in the basement. Out of the dryer, into the basket, and there they sit until we need something, then it is back into the dryer with a damp cloth on the dewrinkle setting to hopefully allow the item to become semi-wearable without ironing! This and house cleaning would be at the top of my list when it comes to being able to wriggle my nose and have them both magically completed!

5. It's suppose to be 19 degrees tomorrow...thankful for a hardened front yard where the yellow lab can play without turning into a chocolate lab. Wishing for springtime so we can play outside and go for walks and air out the house.

4. Speaking of airing out the house. I woke up at 1:00 this morning to eau de skunk...it is February, we should not be smelling skunks. Apparently when Sean let Bailey out for the last time she frightened a skunk who managed NOT to spray Bailey (thank you thank you thank you) but did manage to spray near the basement walls...our house is a little airy to say the least and the odors manage to waft generously through the airyness, into the basement, into the vents which BLASTED the stink throughout. YUCK! Nothing better than waking up to eau de skunk in the middle of sleeping making it rather difficult to go back to sleep. Thank you thank you thank you again for not spraying our dog, Mr. Skunk!

3. In the spirit of keeping up with my students I am in the process of re-reading The Giver by Lois Lowry. I'll be heading to the library soon to find the other two books in the trilogy Gathering Blue and The Messenger. I haven't decided what the next books on my list will be. Maybe Hoot and Flush by Carl Hiaasen. These are easy read before bed kind of books that allow me to stay up on the books my students are reading.

2. Still trying to decide what to do with the chicken I cubed and seasoned this morning for a casserole that I am kind of getting tired of, may be time to check out www.foodnetwork.com and see what I can come up with.

1. Here's to my snow day...getting caught up on housework and blogging, and spending time with my Beautiful Girl and her daddy.

Big Brother Season 9

One of our favorite summer shows is Big Brother and I have to say that having Big Brother in the winter is a definite plus!! Can't wait to see what happens tonight since apparently there was major drama on Showtime's BB After-Dark the other night!! I am not afraid to admit that I have been sucked in by the BB drama and can't wait to watch!

Brenna's Ten

1. It's Tube Time
So the latest in the Brenna ear infection sickness saga is this. After many months of infections and/or constant fluid the decision to go ahead with tympanostomy tubes has been made. Hopefully it will make a difference for her. Ultimately we just want her to have some relief from the pressure and pain that she has been experiencing and avoid more antibiotics if at all possible. It's a little scary knowing that she has to go through this but looking back at the last 19 months, I guess this is our "piece of cake." What's a ten minute surgery to a little girl who was so early and managed to champion through a hemangioma the size of hmm...I'm not sure what to compare it with...but it was kinda big. She's a pro of course. Mommy and daddy on the other hand don't handle these things very well. I keep hearing from other parents what a difference it will make and how much better off she will be once they are in. The other bonus is that the doctor said that she won't have any restrictions when it come to water in her ears. Yea for baths and swimming without cotton balls or ear plugs...yeah, like she would keep those in...sure she would. Next Wednesday is the day so stay tuned for updates.
2. I just found out that my good friend Marie is in the beginning stages of pre-eclampsia. Thankfully, Taylor V 2.o is due April 4th and it seems "the boy" is being a little more cooperative than Brenna when it comes to staying cozy and warm for the duration. I'm sure this is rather difficult for her and for BJ because they are in the midst of selling a house, moving and raising an adorable, yet very busy 2 year old. I know how difficult it can be but I also know the joy that comes from the the challenges that pre-eclampsia sometimes presents. Here's to "the boy" staying exactly where he is suppose to for as long as he needs to! :P
3. It is very cold again...not as cold as last week when we had a "cold day" instead of a snow day, but cold just the same. Too cold to take the little girl outside for a walk. What do I think the weather should be like in Cleveland in February? 70 and sunny...nope, that is saved for my dear San Diegan brother. What's the weather today FPIII? Let me guess...70 and sunny as usual?
4. I had the best time watching Brenna play tonight. Watching a 19 month old play when she thinks no one is watching is great. She was washing her dishes in her little kitchen sink, opening and closing the door to her little kitchen's microwave, just exploring in general. Pretending to talk to Nonny on the phone. I'm amazed every day by how quickly she is changing and how much she learns.
5. She has learned to turn her plate over instead of giving it to us when she is done eating. While I appreciate that she is learning cause and effect, I'm not so sure how I feel about this:
B: aaa done (Her version of All Done)
Me: Give mommy your plate please (I grabbed it to keep her from turning it over).
B: (holding tightly with both hands) Et Go!
Me: I'm thinking to myself wait a minute, I'm the mommy, I get to tell you to let go, you don't get to tell me that!
6. Laa loo is the best thing that comes from our daughter's mouth! Especially when she says it and we don't have to say "Brenna, say love you" I'll take "laa loo's" any time any day!
7. Uncle Freddy now has a name... Brenna say Freddy: "Bweddy" She knows exactly who he is in pictures and sometimes kisses the picture or the phone if we are talking to him or leaving him a message.
8. My daughter is learning about taking care of babies. Unfortunately, while she loves and kisses her baby (mmwaaa), she often carries it by the foot, drops it on its head, smashes it into the play stroller and baby carrier that came with it, she hasn't learned that you have to be careful with babies and that it really isn't polite to drop your baby on her head. She does love to pick it up, give it hugs, rock it, pat its back (while saying "aaaa" and "beeby"), and puts one of her blankets on it...very cute.
9. B spent the day with grandma because fever=no day care. They played and snuggled and will do it all over again tomorrow. Grandma is teaching her to look thru something and say "I see you". She does her little girl version of "see you" annunciating the you very precisely, just as she does with yes. It's YYEESSS. Not es, s, or yeah, but Yyesss.
10. Yea for Nilla wafers.

Two Months, Ten Things

10. Christmas was so much fun. Brenna had a blast opening her gifts, playing with her toys, spending time with family. This year it was reading Jan Brett's Twas' the Night Before Christmas every night before bed, sometimes several times. Every page looking for Santa, the dog, the cat, the reindeer, and any other thing she was able to name on a page. Everything that was red or lights or snowman was 'tanta' and 'tanta' said "ho hooo." Not "ho ho ho," but "ho hoooo." Uncle Freddy came home to visit and spoiled the little girl rotten, what are uncles for anyway? Sean was home for almost 10 full days which was wonderful too, lots of time together as a family. I can only imagine what next Christmas season will bring for our family.

9. We've managed to vist the doctor more times since day care started than I really care to count. I've joked with the pediatrician that I see her more often than I see my close friends...sad, but very true! We've had the full run of colds, flu, and ear infections that just don't want to seem to go away. Brenna is on another round of antibiotics in the hopes that her ears will get better. She's a tough little girl and seems to be dealing with as best an almost 19 month old can.

8. Excellent news from B's dermatologist. No more visits...that's right I said it...NO MORE VISITS!!! Her hemangioma is getting better by the day and until it has flattened completely and is no longer vascular, we won't be going back. She will have a bald spot (it's about the size of a 50 cent piece) that we can take care of when she is older, until then it is creative hair styling. Compared to last year at Christmastime, the difference is absolutely amazing. You can definitely see the difference since last year at the same time. These are pics from her first two Christmas portaits.

7. Sean has been traveling quite a bit which has been a little challenging but we are settling into a routine with it and he is doing a great job. I am so proud that in such a short time he has accomplished a lot! NATIONAL Director of Catering for the company that he is with. He has certainly earned that title!

6. In the last week Sean & I have officially gone from Mama and Dada to Mommy and Daddy, which the little girl is saying quite well.

5. Brenna is no longer a binkie girl. With her latest cold came the lack of ability to suck and breathe so the binkie often ended up on the floor, behind the crib, or with her bear. Decided last night to remove it completely and bedtime came and went with no complaints. Apparently it wasn't needed as much as mommy thought she needed it.

4. We have officially made it 4 days in a row to day care and I am very, I repeat VERY, happy about that! A first since Christmas break. We are hoping tomorrow brings 5 days in a row.

3. Brenna: (standing and staring at me) "poopies"?

Me: do you need your diaper changed?

Brenna: Nooowoahwoah (her version of no no no)

Brenna: (still staring at me) "poop"

Me: let's go check (she can't really be telling me she has a dirty diaper can she?)

Brenna: poopoopoopies

yes, that's right, she is now announcing dirty diapers. Can we say potty training is in the near future? I know that it may take a while but we can at least give it a try right?

2. My adventure for the day was to return the original potty that we purchased yesterday because after looking at all of the reviews I discovered that the one we got was NOT the one for us. Apparently the baby bjorn is the potty of choice. Do I question the potty of choice's expense? Absolutely...at least I did...for a few minutes...until.....

1. PEE PEE IN THE POT-TY, PEE PEE IN THE POT-TY

Our daughter....our not quite 19 month old daughter...who loves, yes loves her bright pink baby bjorn potty (or pol-ly as she calls it), did exactly what she was suppose to do when I sat her on it just before her bath tonight. Can you see the smiles beaming from my face? She did give me the "mommy are you crazy" eyes when I did a little dance and made a HUGE deal out of it....we even said bye bye as we flushed it down the real toilet...all the while mommy is acting like an absolute idiot, clapping and saying yea!!! brenna!!!! What can I say...our little girl...who is not so little any more...has amazed us yet again.

I know it's sideways but I can't fix that right now...the visual is a must though!

Yes I know there are some amazing babies out there who have become potty trained at 5 months...I know I think that is crazy too, but I saw claims in the potty reviews so it must be true right? Yeah sure. But this is our little girl, the first little girl to do any of the million amazing things that no other child has managed to accomplish before, so we think it is the best.

We are amazed by her every day and hope you can share our joy or say to yourself, I've been there and know exactly what you are feeling.

We are lucky, so lucky and blessed that our little girl, who started out eight weeks earlier than she should have, is doing everything a healthy almost 19 month old should be doing. Putting wooden puzzles together, trying to take her shirts off at day care, running away from us while giggling hysterically, saying Baaiileey everytime she sees her dog, saying daddy in the middle of the night in her sleep, and melting our hearts with the first unsolicited "love you"s to Sean and I last weekend...we're so thankful.

New Posts Coming Soon

New posts are on their way...life has gotten a little unhealthy and a lot more hectic. Pics and updates on the little girl on their way as well. Check back soon.