Halloween!

Ruby's 2nd Halloween! So fun!

The week started off rough. Ruby was awake all night Monday night. And when I say that I'm not being a whiny over dramatic mom. I mean I was up from 12:30 a.m. until about 9:00 the next night.

It started about an hour after I put her down. She woke up hysterical. Let me back up---she had a bad diaper rash and a bad stopped up nose. I doctored her bottom up and gave her some Benadryl.

Ok so an hour after putting her down she wakes up all crazy acting. I mean screaming, wouldn't let me hold her, crazy. So I stripped her pants and diaper off and let her just be hysterical running back and forth through the living room until she calmed down. Back to bed about 30 minutes later. I went to bed. About 11:00 she wakes up hysterical again. I try a cold wash cloth on her bottom, calm her down, back to bed. Then about 12:30 up again. I put her in bed with us. I finally figured out she couldn't suck her thumb because she couldn't breathe through her nose. I think I slept more than she did which may have been about 2 hours. I'm 99.9% sure the Benadryl had a horrible effect on her which caused the hysteria. Never again.

So I call in at about 6:30. My day was a huge day so I could tell my doctor was stressed out. We decided I'd work and she'd go to school-no fever and clear snot. Let me just say, think of the worse day you've ever had in your life at work and times it by 1,000. HORRIBLE! Just the craziest day. I worked on the same case all day long and it wasn't a positive one. I tried to leave around 1:00 to go get her but again, my doctor needed me to help him make some very important notes.

Side note--I have an amazing job. My doctors are very laid back and lenient and it is VERY VERY RARE that I can't call in. There was just a serious issue I had to be present for.

Ok so anyway throughout the day I had called the nurse at Ruby's doctor to get some advice for cold/allergy remedies and a pharmacist about her bottom.

I finally get to pick her up at about 3:30. She looked awful but acted fine. We get home, snack and play. I get the humidifier out and get that going in her room. At bedtime she got baking soda in the bath (for the bottom), Vicks on chest and feet, anti-fungus and hydrocortisone cream on bottom, zyrtec, saline spray and some serious snot sucking by being held down with my entire body while Jared does the deed. She sleeps ALL NIGHT. I actually woke up to my alarm and panicked because I hadn't heard her all night.

She still has a bad runny nose and flushed cheeks but other than that she's good. So off to school she goes to have fun with her friends on Halloween. I seriously think its just allergies. Jared or I neither one have them so we don't know anything about them but she mowed all evening on Sunday with him so I'm wondering if that caused it. Bless her heart.

So fast forward to tonight, her 2nd Halloween! So fun! We played then had dinner then quickly got dressed. We went to 3 houses of people we know. Our neighbor's Pat and PawPaw (what all the kids call him) had her a bag of candy made up with her name on it, so sweet! We went to Jenn (but she was at work) and Tony C's, they are very fond of Ruby. Then we went to our friends across the street. She had fun. We came back home to hand out candy. She seriously sat in the floor all night playing with her candy bucket and candy. She got a couple bites of a tootsie roll. She kept taking her bucket to the door like she wanted to go back out. Every time the door bell rang she ran to the door with me.

It was definitely a success. I just wish she was 100%. When I was a kid I can't tell you how many halloween's I was sick. So sad.

Hope you all had a super Happy Halloween! We did considering the circumstances.

Grandpa Rick

Ruby and I had a visit with Grandpa yesterday. It was the best I've seen him look and act in weeks. He seems to finally be coming around. We're hoping he gets to leave the hospital very soon.

Ruby has always been a little weary of him for some reason. There are a few people she's like that with. The last time she visited him he was in the bed and she just kept running his bed and patting him. But yesterday he was up and at em' again... She warmed up to him though. ❤❤ She even gave him kisses!

Please continue to pray for him.

Cranky Pants

Oh man... If anyone knows me they know disciplining is the hardest thing for me. Tonight right before bedtime, Ruby became a monster. She's been screaming "no ma!" at me. I was putting her toys away and she was getting them right back out. Crying and throwing little tantrums. Was not happy the whole time Jared was bathing her then screamed at me again "no ma!" as I was laying her down to lotion up. Finally Jared stepped in and what happens?! She lays right down, yes she's screaming the whole time because he hurt her feelings so bad but she listened.

I know this is all normal but I don't think how hard it is for me to tell her how it's going to be is normal. But I have to get a handle on it now, I know.

There were some fun times tonight though....

16 Months!!

Well your dad thinks its the best night in TV which includes the presidential debate between O'Bama and Romney, Cardinals game, and football. So I'm blogging about you little girl.

16 months in the blink of an eye. Time has to slow down!

You are a busy little bee. Right when your feet hit the floor, off you go. And so happy doing it!

Things you love----riding in your car, riding in Tucker's F-150, going to Grammy's and Nana and Poppy's, mommy, daddy, koolaid jammers, peaches, well any fruit, spaghetti, climbing on things, books, bath time, playing "where's Ruby, possum, or daddy" under the covers, Miss Kathy, all of your cousins, your possum-we've had to leave him at home and tell you "he'll be watching over the house", and so much more. You are so happy. I rarely see or hear you cry unless something is really wrong.

Things you don't like---apparently dirty/wet diapers these days, I guess it's time to start some potty training. Getting cleaned off after meal time. Getting your nails clipped. There is not a lot.

You have said four new words just this week; light, pretty, bread and juice. I can't even tell you how much I was squealing today after you said "bread". I'm sure any regular Jo in public wouldn't understand your words because they aren't totally clear yet but they are to me and daddy. It amazes me. I'm so thankful.

You are still about 22 lbs, size 18 month clothes and 4 shoe.

We had to go to the doctor this month due to a nasty ingrown toenail. I honestly don't clip your nails that often so that could have been the problem or certain shoes. It kept you up for about 5 nights. Poor baby. It's all cleared up now though.

You stayed the weekend with Lindsey, Josh and Jake this month too. Your dad and I got to spend some much needed time away. We missed you more than you'll ever know but knew you were in great hands and I know you had a blast!! We can't thank Lindsey enough.

I love you Pookie Bears. You are the best thing in this whole wide world and my best little buddy. Happy 16 Months!!!!!

Grandpa Rick

I just wanted to post a quick update, easier here than on Facebook.

As everyone knows my Grandpa Rick had his heart surgery this morning. We've been waiting for about two months now for him to be healthy enough for this procedure.

So I got here (Sparks) at about 9 this morning. His surgery started at 7:50 a.m.. Mom, Wayne, sisters and I just hung out while we waited. I think all 5 of us were on our phones/hand held technology most of the time. Liz had to leave at around 10:30 to take a test. So anyway, at around 11ish they called us to the counseling room for Dr. Miller to talk to us. He basically told us it went as good as possible considering his heart was as bad as it gets without being dead. Scary!

He said they replaced the aortic valve and repaired 3 arteries (triple bypass) and what they call a "maze procedure". He said it would basically be a waiting game to see if it works. We will know in 3-6 months. He said it'd be an hour or so before we could see him and he was settled. Thanks doc..

So we walked across the street to Wendy's. I mean we were over there for 30 minutes.

We come back and settle in the waiting room. The Chaplain comes to mom and asks if she's ok and tells her she will be with us for the rest of the day and will be periodically going back to get updates from the doctor. When she walked away we all looked at each other confused. Then Wayne's cousin Sherri who has worked at the hospital forEVER comes in. She's just having small talk with us and mom asks her about why the chaplain did that. She says "well probably because he coded, that's normal". WHAT?!?!!!!! She quickly realizes this was news to us! She tells us not to quote her and quickly goes back to figure out what on earth is happening.

She comes back out and says the doctor wants to meet with you all again. My theory--she went back and told them we hadn't heard yet so they knew we needed to be filled in. He comes in and tells us has coded and had to be shocked. He told us this is completely normal and was still very positive. About 5-10 minutes later the "house manager" of ICU (I think he was a nurse) comes and gets us and tells us we can all 4 come back. Liz hadn't made it back yet.

When we get back the RN who stayed with him all day told us he had coded 3 times. They said his potassium was very low. They were trying to get that up. We were told two of us at a time could come back to visit from now on every hour. His RN would be staying in the room non-stop the rest of the day so it was up to us to come in every hour, she wouldn't have time to come get us or update us, she would be doing that as we came in.

So the first time I went back his eyes were open and he was answering my questions by nodding. He is intubated which they are working tonight on pulling him off of that. Then he mouthed "I love you" to me when I was telling him bye.

Then we find out he had to be shocked again. So 5 times all together. It's so confusing to me on how he can be awake and know who we are and answering our questions but having to be shocked back to life. They are telling us this is all normal his heart is just having to work very hard to work.

In a nut shell, he is stable. He hasn't had an episode since 3:40 this afternoon. Please keep him in your prayers. He has a long road of recovery ahead of him. Grandpa Rick, I will be thinking so much about you the next couple of days. I love you so much and I hope you get a lot of rest.

Please keep my mom and Wayne in your thoughts too. They are caring so well for him.

Love,

Sarah