Surgery Success

M's surgery went well this morning!

We had to get there at 7:00 am, but his surgery wasn't scheduled until 8:30 am. Have you ever tried to keep a tired, hungry, thirsty, bored, 25-pound 15 month-old entertained for an hour and a half with no toys, food, or drink?

No?

I don't recommend you try it anytime soon.

Gah!

Anyway, soon after we arrived, the anesthesiologist came in to explain what he going to do (gas first, then IV port once he was asleep). We had just assumed the gas was going to happen in the prep room with us there watching him fall asleep.

Um, no.

After waiting, and waiting, and waiting, a very nice male nurse came up, asked us if we were ready, and then held out his arms for M.

I know my heart skipped a beat. THAT I was not prepared for.

So, after prying M from my sweatshirt, I handed him over to this very nice male nurse who promptly walked away with my screaming little boy in his arms.

Fortunately, I was too shocked to be emotional.

Mr. Einstein and I then headed back out into the waiting room where we finally got to eat our breakfast and drink our now-lukewarm coffee. I had every intention of blogging from the waiting room, but due to a dead laptop battery and no outlets to be found, I didn't, obviously.

We were told that the surgery would only last about 20 minutes, and that M would need another 30-40 minutes in the recovery room to wake up before we could see him.

ONE HOUR LATER the surgeon finally comes out and tells us the surgery went well and that M was just now resting in the recovery room. So much for the 20 minutes we were expecting. (Okay. In all fairness, the surgery probably did last 20 minutes. Of course, anesthesia came first, then surgery prep, then surgery, blah, blah, blah. I just wasn't prepared for having to wait an hour after they took him to hear how everything went.) I had been trying really hard not to worry and not to let my mind wander to negative possibilities. It's probably a good thing I was so tired from lack of sleep and so wired from caffeine all at the same time.

Regardless, everything went just as it should. The hernia was taken care of and the little bit of M's hydrocele that was left was also closed up. He has interior stitches, but no exterior ones. The wound was left "open" but taped up with some super-duper waterproof tape. He was, of course, groggy when we finally got to see him, but he just cuddled in close and sucked down water and apple juice as fast as he could.

After another half hour or so, M was declared good to go. His IV port was removed, his incision inspected, his diaper and clothes changed, and we were off. Once we got home, he snuggled for a bit, then was off our laps and down on the floor playing with C and running around the house.

What a goofball!

Before you start questioning the wisdom of this, the surgeon said to let M do what he wanted. If it hurt, he wouldn't do it. It is completely amazing to me that this little boy who was in so much pain last night and had surgery this morning was his usual happy self within an hour of being home. Just amazing!

Right now, he's napping. In a little bit, he'll have a snack and a bath. And tonight there will be no more pain or worries.

God is good!

And I'm so glad this is over!

A Long Short Weekend

Friday evening, around dinnertime, M started having one of his "episodes." We didn't think too much of it, since he's been having them off and on for almost three weeks. However, around 9:30 pm, he started vomiting. Again, we didn't think too much of this. We just figured he had a stomach bug on top of his hernia.

I know, right? Poor guy.

He was vomiting every couple of hours or so throughout the night, until about 4:00 am; and he ended up sleeping in until almost 10:30 am, which is really unusual, even when sick. He wasn't hungry when he woke up, his hernia hadn't receded, and he he couldn't even keep water down. Turns out, when a hernia doesn't recede quickly enough, it can cause vomiting. So, we headed to the emergency room.

We have wonderful neighbors who took care of the girls for us and even fed them lunch.

The ER doctor put M on an IV of saline (for hydration) and even had the nurse give him some morphine. Once the morphine kicked in a bit, the doctor had to force M's hernia to recede. Poor little guy! He was screaming! It was painful to watch and listen to. A respiratory doctor happened to walk by during all of this. I was just standing in the doorway with my back turned away from M, and I smiled sheepishly and told the doctor I couldn't handle it, so he came in to help. Mr. Einstein was brave, though.

Once everything was back where it should be, M perked right up, as kids tend to do. He was his normal chatty, playful self within five minutes of the doctor finishing. They kept us just short of another hour for observation then released us with instructions to keep M on a clear liquid diet for six hours. I was trying to figure out how we were to keep a 25-pound 15 month-old from eating. The kid eats all day, when he's feeling well! So, he ended up eating popsicles for the rest of the day, which suited him just fine.

All in all, we were in the ER for about three to four hours. Hopefully this doesn't happen again.

We have a consultation with a surgeon here in town on Tuesday afternoon. We're hoping for a quick surgery scheduling. I can't handle much more of this!

The girls feel ignored, I'm stressed out, Mr. Einstein is stressed out. This needs to end soon for the health and sanity of my family.

Diagnosis: Not Good

Sorry for the absence lately. We've been dealing with something for the last few weeks that we finally got to the answers to today.

M has been in a lot of pain off and on during the last three weeks. We've thought it was anything from a peanut intolerance to constipation.

In the last week, though, our thoughts turned towards something intestinal, and this afternoon, our suspicions were confirmed.

Poor M has a hernia.

We knew this was a possibility, since he was born with a hydrocele; but, from what I've read, most babies who get hernias get them before their first birthday.

M is 15 months old.

Of course, we have no idea how long he's had this. It hasn't seemed to have bothered him (at least not that we've known) until recently.

So, now we're just waiting to hear back from the doctor. He's calling around trying to find us a pediatric surgeon who can get M in as quickly as possible.

My baby has to have surgery!!!

I haven't freaked out about this yet. I probably won't until everything is scheduled and in place and I'm actually in the hospital with him.

At least, I hope I won't until then.

Because, seriously? My baby has to have surgery, and it makes me want to cry.

Blueberry Trauma

Last Thursday, M was sick.

On Saturday, during nap time, C threw up. Blueberries. On her pretty butterfly sheets.

We weren't convinced she was actually sick, but we still watched her very closely, just in case.

She wasn't.

However, throwing up blueberries was obviously traumatic enough that this morning when I gave her blueberries for breakfast, she took one look at them, her eyes welled up, she looked at me and said in a quavering voice, "But I don't want to throw up blueberries!"

Such a sweetheart!

I quickly, and calmly, assured she that she wouldn't throw up blueberries again.

And she hasn't.

Yet.

The Joys of Parenthood

Last thursday night brought with it yet another bug of the vomit-inducing kind.

Poor baby M!

13 times in 12 hours.

Of those 13 times? 9 of them were on me.

I don't just mean I was holding him at the time. I mean it quite literally landed somewhere on my person. I had to change my shirt/pants/sweatshirt/undershirt 9 times, and even had to change my bra once.

*sigh*

Oh, the joys of parenthood.

The New Year

Honestly, I don't often think about January 1st being a time to start over, make resolutions, make changes. Being married to a teacher (and having worked in a school for seven years before staying home with my kids), I tend to think of years in school years, with September being the start of a "new year."

But this year, January definitely marks the start of something new for me. After losing Mr. Einstein's grandfather on Monday, this January, this New Year, has made me realize just how important memories are.

And how even more important documenting those memories is.

This is Mr. Einstein's grandfather with M. It was taken just this last Christmas, the Christmas we weren't originally planning on going home for.

Mr. Einstein's grandparents have lots of great-grandchildren, but only two great-grandsons. Of those two great-grandsons, only one carries on the family name.

M.

So this photo? This memory? Is one I know I will treasure for this new year and for always.

Entered in An Island Life's January photo contest on The New Year.

In Loving Memory

Mr. Einstein's grandfather passed away on Monday.

With E.

With C.

With M.

He was adored.

He was beloved.

He is greatly missed.

Dear Nasty Vomit-Inducing Bug

Dear nasty vomit-inducing bug running rampant through my house,

Stay away from me.

I'm serious! Stay away from me. I don't want you.

You brought down my sweet, cuddly 2 year-old C first. And while she was sleeping! Shame on you! If you care, she's mostly better now, thankyouverymuch.

Next, you struck my husband. Right before school started back up again. You kept him home, and underfoot, for two days. Two days! That was just mean of you.

And last night? Last night you showed how truly cruel you are. You got to both E and M within an hour. An hour! Two kids! What were you thinking? Are you really that devious of a bug? That was low, bug. That was low.

So, now that you've infected four helpless victims in my house, I'm asking you nicely, begging you on my knees, to leave me alone.

LEAVE ME ALONE!!!

Because it's no fun for anyone when momma gets sick.

So, bug, please be a doll and leave me alone. Please? Please?

Sincerely, Hillary (Mrs. Einstein)

Baby Jesus

C really started taking an interest in Christmas this year. She participated in the Advent calendar, and eagerly awaited opening the door housing baby Jesus.

Of course, she didn't quite understand it all. She is, after all, only 2 1/2.

In fact, she got a little mixed up.

Okay, a lot mixed up.

Over Christmas when we went home unexpectedly, we finally got to meet our sweet little niece for the first time.

(And, oh! What a cutie she is!)

The cousins.

Anyway, C knows her cousin's name. We talk about her quite often. Though, thinking back on it, I'm not so sure C ever actually said her name.

Until Christmas Eve.

When she called her cousin Baby Jesus.

Apparently, talking about baby Jesus at home, coupled with meeting her baby cousin for the first time at Christmas, confused poor C.

So, cousin Baby Jesus it is.

And I am now the sister-in-law to Mary and Joseph.

Twenty-Oh-Ten

Is it really a new year already? Wow.

I don't generally make New Year's resolutions. Mainly because I don't generally keep New Year's resolutions.

But this year? This year I'm still not making resolutions, but I am going to make changes.

I'm going to start running. I'm going to start biking.

I'm going to get in shape.

I'm not resolving to lose weight or inches (though, I'd like to do both). I'm hoping these will happen within the context of me running/biking. But, that's not my goal.

My goal is to get outside, get some exercise, and stay healthy.

What about you? Any resolutions/goals/changes for the new year?

On the Fourth Day of Christmas

Tonight we will celebrate our third (and final!) Christmas.

Whew!

It seems like the older I get, the longer the celebrations last.

And the older I get? The more it wears me out.

I'm exhausted!

So, what about you? How many times did you celebrate Christmas this year?

On the Second Day of Christmas

On the second day of Christmas, we're celebrating Christmas.

Yet again.

The End.

The Right Thing To Do

After decorating the house...

after finishing the shopping...

after wrapping all the presents...

after shopping for the Christmas dinner...

after coordinating the Christmas clothing...

after planning for a small, intimate, family-of-five Christmastime...

we headed home for Christmas.

It was the right thing to do.

We didn't want to go. We didn't want to drive four hours. We didn't want to see lots of people. We didn't want to hear lots of loud voices.

But we did. And, in a way, we wanted to.

Because it was the right thing to do.

Mr. Einstein's beloved grandfather has lung cancer.

The same kind of lung cancer his other grandfather died from years ago.

Treatments aren't going well. He's in constant, terrible pain.

So, we went home for Christmas.

It was the right thing to do.

We made peace with the decision. We postponed our small, intimate, family-of-five Christmastime until the 26th. We will still do things the way we originally wanted to, just a little later than planned.

But first, we saw family. We finally got to meet our four month-old niece for the first time.

We got to take the (hopefully, first of many) opportunities to say goodbye.

Because it was the right thing to do.

**********

Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope you have a blessed time with friends and loved ones.

"For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given...And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

In the Land of Runny Noses and Poopy Diapers

In the Land of Runny Noses and Poopy Diapers live three children.

E, the oldest, has a runny nose.

C, the middle child, has a runny nose.

M, the baby, has a runny nose.

Their mother is so proud.

Now, E, being the oldest, doesn't wear diapers anymore, but she spends her days fetching tissues for her mother and overseeing diaper changes.

C, the middle child, is 2 1/2. She still wears diapers, and, consequently, still poops in them. C shows no signs of potty training, wanting to potty train, or interest in potty training. Her mother would desperately like her potty trained.

M, the baby, wears diapers, of course. He is expected to poop in them; his mother wouldn't have it any other way. Although, she does wish that she didn't have to monitor his poopy diapers so closely, due to his wheat problems (not allergies, problems).

In this Land of Runny Noses and Poopy Diapers, the mother wipes noses at least eight times an hour. It's a wonder she herself isn't sick. No worries, though; she's confident she'll have her own runny nose to take of by Monday. She is so looking forward to this.

The mother also changes, on average, four poopy diapers by nap time. She thinks her children may have issues.

The father is, of course, at work during most of the day in the Land of Runny Noses and Poopy Diapers. He is blissfully unaware of the nose-wiping and bum-wiping that go on while he is away. The mother, though, makes sure he does his fair share when he returns home each evening. She is good at sharing like that.

Fortunately, in the Land of Runny Noses and Poopy Diapers there is nap time (which is a whole different Land to explore at another time) which begins soon. For this, the mother is grateful.

When Worlds Collide

Hi, Mrs. Einstein, meet Krista.

Yep. I actually got to meet another blogger! For the first. time. ever.

And you know what? It actually wasn't weird at all. (Okay, well, the part where I had to leave her five minutes after she arrived to go pick up E from school was a bit weird, but, whatever.)

Meeting Krista in person, a blogger whom I've "known" for almost 2 years, was like meeting up with a friend that I see all the time. There didn't seem to be any awkward moments, any embarrassed moments, any oh-my-goodness-I-can't-think-of-a-single-thing-to-say moments, any ack!-what-must-she-think-of-my-kid(s)? moments.

Instead, we were comfortable, companionable, relaxed.

We were friends.

I don't know about Krista, but my head was spinning for just a little bit, trying to figure out where this meeting fit in, since my worlds had just collided. But you know what? I'm so glad they did!

Thanks, Krista, for such a wonderful day! I can't wait to get together with you again!