The Waldock Family

Long Time, no Blog

2012-02-01T23:05:00.003-06:00

Hi Everyone,

Just a quick not to say hello. I have been thinking about blogging again. I have been radio silent for some time. With 3 little ones it can be hard to find the time. Anyway, I hope to update from time to time.

August 21, 2009

2009-08-21T14:16:00.005-05:00

At Hazeltine

Relay for Life Aug 09

At Como Zoo

Como Zoo

Johns Rafting Trip

Kate At Jacks Soccer Game

Jack at Soccer

Pregnant!

John and the kids

Hello Everyone!

It has been way too long since I have updated this blog! A lot has happened since October of last year! Where do I start?

I am 7 months pregnant. We are all very excited to welcome baby #3 to the family. It is a boy and we have no ideas for names. Any suggestions are welcome. I am due on Nov. 14th but because of my kidney situation he will be delivered on Oct. 20th via planned C section. Besides still getting sick on a regular basis (who thought morning sickness could last this long??!!) my health is good. We have had to put all cancer screening on hold during the pregnancy and the first scan will take place 3 months after I deliver. So we are keeping our fingers crossed that the cancer hasn't returned. August 15th was the one year anniversary of my cancer surgery. I am officially a one year cancer survivor. On Aug 7th, I was the keynote speaker at the Relay for Life. It is a cancer fundraiser. I was flattered to be asked to speak. Hopefully I did a good job. I am not the public speaker of the family. It was a great experience and I was proud to be a part of it. Other than that, things are about the same around here. I keep quite busy chasing the kids around from morning til night. I have been lucky to do some traveling since October. In November, John and I went to Paris. It was amazing and very romantic! I love it there, now I know what all the fuss is about. In January, my mom, sisters and I took a Caribbean Cruise. We girls had a really great time! In February, John surprised me with a secret trip to Las Vegas. It was a Valentines Day Trip. We had an incredible time.

John is great. He is still busy at work which is great considering the economy. He has been playing a lot of golf this summer. He also took an amazing trip to the Grand Canyon with his family. They went white water rafting down the Colorado River. They had an amazing time...a trip of a lifetime. I was supposed to go but cancelled because I was 6 months pregnant. Besides work and golf, John is very busy with the kids. He has been great about lightening my load during the pregnancy.

The kids are great, growing like weeds! Jack will be 4 next month. He starts preschool this fall. He is more active than ever! He loves to be outside riding his bike, going swimming, playing golf or soccer, or just running like a wild animal. He is a little boy and that is what they do. Kate will be 2 at the end of October. She does everything Jack does. She is the prefect combination of Princess and Tom Boy! She is more of a daredevil than Jack ever was. They are both really good kids. They are funny, smart, curious, kind, generous, active, crazy kids. Did I mention how cute they are? I think they are amazing...even though they test my patience on a very regular basis.

Monday October 20 2008

2008-10-20T20:39:00.008-05:00

Jack at Gym class.

Dad and the kids.

Off to the park.

Jack "flying" with Daddy.

Kate carrying a gourd.

Jack picking apples.

Dad and Kate in the backyard.

Jack and Mom playing out back.

Dad and Jack.

Mom and Jack.

How cute is this sweater. My mom made it for Kate.

Fall at our house.

The family at Emma Krumbees.

Jack kept putting pumpkins in the wagon. If he had it his way we would have brought home all of them. When he wasn't looking, I would take them out.

I can't tell you how many times she tripped over pumpkin vines that day!

Ride 'em cowboy! This was a big step for Jack.

Jack and Me on the tractor. Dad and Kate had to walk. No strollers allowed.

This past weekend we went to Emma Krumbees. It is a pumpkin patch and an apple orchard. Every year they have a scarecrow festival, pony rides, a petting zoo, camel rides, and all kinds of family fun. We had a great time. Jack was brave enough to go on the pony ride. Last year we had to get our money back due to a deep and painful fear of ponies. This year, he loved it.

Some Pictures!

2008-10-01T16:59:00.004-05:00

Kate enjoying an ice cream cone.

Jack was nice enough to give his baby sister a ride in his jeep.

Jack playing in the leaves.

Kate playing in the leaves.

Raking leaves in the backyard.

Jack at the driving range. John is so proud!

Kate walking.

Not having any fun at all!

Jack on the rides at Como Zoo.

On the swings. Wheee!

Jacks 3rd Birthday

2008-10-01T16:45:00.003-05:00

The mission to Mars Jumper.

Jacks Finding Nemo Cake

Mmmmmm...Birthday Cake!

The Family. The kids are thinking, "take the picture already."

September 21, 2008

2008-09-21T14:57:00.006-05:00

Hello Everyone,

I will start off with a health update. I am doing well. I am gaining strength and feeling good. Not great yet, but I am on my way. It has been a bumpy road. I have my great days, and my not so great days. I still get tired easily, but that is to be expected. This last week was my first week alone with the kids. Well, sort of. I had some help from my mom. But it is so nice to feel like a mom again. I was getting tired of sitting on the sidelines. I don't want Cancer Patient to become my primary title. So, I am jumping back in to motherhood...with caution.

We heard from Mayo Clinic about the cancer. It is stage 2 Chromophobe Renal Cell Carcinoma. At first I was diagnosed as a stage 3, after further investigation, I was changed to stage 2, which is great news. Chromophobe Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) is a very rare type of kidney cancer that accounts for about 5% of all RCC cases. The good news is that the statistics say that the recurrence rate for Chromophobe RCC is somewhere between 5-25%. So, we can keep our fingers crossed that this chapter in my life is over. The bad news about the Chromophobe RCC is that they don't know a lot about it because it rejects the dye used to study it. I had an MRI to check my tailbone for any cancer spread. The report on that is that, "It looks OK." However, I do have a large pool of blood (hematoma) at the surgery site. The doctors are hopeful that it will reabsorb into my system in time. They will keep an eye on everything. I will be scanned every few months for a very very long time to check for any new tumors.

I went to a genetic counselor to see if they had any answers as to why this happened. They think I may have something called Birt Hogg Dube Syndrome. It is an extremely rare syndrome that increases your chances for Chromobhobe RCC. The symptoms include flesh colored moles on your face (which I have, but so do many other people), lung problems, renal tumors, and some other things. I will be tested for it by removing and biopsying the moles on my face. If I test positive for this syndrome, my parents, sisters, and kids will have to be tested too. If they have the syndrome, they are at a greater risk for developing kidney cancer. Hopefully none of us have that and it is just a fluke that this happened to me. I go back to the oncologist on the 29th for a check up and a bunch of blood work. I go to the dermatologist on Oct 27 for the mole removal, so if you see me right after that, be kind. I am sure I will have a few stitches on my face and look scary! Just in time for Halloween. Who knew that cancer would be such a pain.

In happier news, Jack turned 3! We had a big party. It was a celebration for everyone in our family with a birthday in September. Jack turned 3, John turned 32. Will turned 2, Lauren turned 17, aunt Linda turned ?, and of course Grandma Adorable turned 29....again. It was a great party. We rented a big blow up jumper for the kids to play in. It should have been a huge hit, but it was a cold and rainy day. They still jumped and played, but I am sure they could have had a better time if mother nature would have cooperated. Jack had a great time. He had a Finding Nemo cake, tons of balloons, and way too many gifts. He got a Jeep that he can drive, a trampoline, a remote control Bobcat, a racetrack, games, books, a soccer ball, golf stuff...you name it, he got it. He is already making his Christmas list. Now that Jack is 3, he is wearing Pull Ups and starting to use the potty. He is very proud of himself.

Kate is growing like a weed. Finally her four front teeth are in! I think the worst of the teething is over. She is walking too. She just figured it out one day. She can even get up without pulling up on furniture. Walking at 10 months. She is a determined little bugger. We are very proud.

John turns 32 tomorrow. Happy Birthday to him!

Well, I would write more and add photos, but I hear Kate. She is awake and wants me to pick her up. I will add pictures soon.

Take care!

Becky

August 22, 2008

2008-08-22T22:16:00.002-05:00

Hi Everyone,

First of all, let me apologize for the ugly pictures of the tumor. I bet that was not what any of you were expecting to see when you visited my blog! I wrote the text of the blog and added the photos after. When I added the photos, I thought they would show up BELOW all of the text. My disclaimer that there were graphic photos attached didn't do much good. So, sorry about that. That is what I (and all of you) get when I sit down at the computer under the influence of pain killers. But now we all know what cancer looks like. I think the pictures are sort of like a car crash...you don't want to look at it, but you just can't help it.

Anyway, I am doing pretty well. I am still in a lot of pain and very weak, but it is getting better. I took the bandages off of my incision last night and it looks great! I was expecting a gruesome looking thing. I thought it would look like the scar on Frankenstien's head. But it isn't so bad. I think it makes me look tough.

I am really excited because my kids are coming home tomorrow! Jack and Kate have been at "Camp Grandma and Grandpa Waldock and Camp Gaga and Papa Winstead." Both my parents and Johns parents have been taking wonderful care of them. They have come for short visits but I think it is time they come back home. I am really looking forward to having my family under one roof again. I am by no means ready to jump back into my role as full time Mom, but it can only help to have my kids around me. John is going to get a crash course in being a stay at home mom. Kids, cooking, cleaning, laundry, yard work. I plan to take pictures. I am not worried, he is a wonderful father and he will do great. My mom is planning on moving in for a few days to help as well. And if it is too much, too soon, we can send the kids back to "camp."

Speaking of our parents, I have to take a minute to thank them. They have been so helpful, generous, and supportive. Thank you Mom, Dad, John Sr, and Arlene! We would be lost without you. We love you so much. If any of you see them, give them a pat on the back. They really deserve it.

So far, we have not heard any new news on the pathology of the tumor from Mayo Clinic yet. So far all we know is that it is Stage 3 Renal Cell Carcinoma. I have an oncology appointment on Thursday. We will learn more then. In the meantime, I plan on resting and healing. I promised Jack that we would watch Finding Nemo when I got home from the hospital, so I am looking forward to that.

Thanks to everyone for your thoughts and prayers! That is really helping to keep our spirits up. I really believe that whatever doesn't kill you, makes you stronger. So, I figure I will be ironclad by the time this is all over!

Love to all!

Becky

Home from the hospital

2008-08-21T00:22:00.003-05:00

Hello Everyone.

I am home from the hospital. The surgery went well. They ended up taking the tumor, my kidney, and my adrenal gland. I got to keep my spleen. I am very sore and very very weak. But hopefully it will get better every day.

The pathology report on the tumor is back. It is stage 3 Renal Cell Carcinoma. My oncologist is sending some samples down to Mayo Clinic for more testing. We will hear from Mayo in a few days to determine the best course of action.

Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers. I really appreciate it.

I have added the photos of my tumor. Be warned, they are graphic. The tumor is big, it is mean, and it is ugly. And it is no longer residing in my abdomen.

Ready for Surgery

2008-08-13T22:19:00.002-05:00

Today I had my pre surgery physical. My heart, lungs, blood, etc. all look good. I am strong, I am young, and I am as ready as I will ever be.

Yes I am scared. I am afraid of the surgery. I am afraid of what they are going to tell me after the surgery. I am scared for my kids and the rest of my family. Besides that I am trying to stay positive.

Ok, here is the morbid part. Just in case things go badly.....I feel I need to tell people that I love them. You all know who you are. I love you so much. Also, I want all of you to make sure my kids know how much their mom loves them. Alright, that is enough of that.

So, Friday morning..........here I come.

Summer Pictures

2008-08-10T17:22:00.002-05:00

4th of July at Prior Lake

Golfing at Dwan with Gene and Debbie

Summer Fete

Swimming with Auntie Jenny

Swimming at Grandma and Grandpa Waldocks

Mayo Clinic

2008-08-10T17:07:00.003-05:00

It turns out that I am not going to Mayo for a second opinion now. There is only one doctor that is qualified to see a patient who has a tumor as large as mine. That particular doctor is booked a great deal in advance, and I can't wait that long. So, the plan is to proceed with surgery on Friday at Methodist Hospital.

August 9, 2008

2008-08-09T09:51:00.002-05:00

August 8, 2008

2008-08-08T15:52:00.002-05:00

On July 31st I went to my back Dr. to discuss the results of my latest MRI. When he said, "I don't want to alarm you but..." I never thought I would be up against a kidney tumor.

It turns out that I have an 11 cm tumor on my left kidney. The tumor is one of two things. An oncocytoma (stage 0 cancer) or renal cell carcinoma (stage 3 cancer). I have been advised not to do a biopsy due to the size of the tumor and the risk of spreading the cells. I am scheduled for surgery at Methodist Hospital on Friday, August 15th. I will have the tumor, my left kidney, and possibly my spleen removed. It can take about 5 days to really examine the tumor and do all of the pathology. So we won't know which cancer it is until then. Either way I am in for a very tough recovery.

I have had numerous CT and MRI scans done. This type of cancer usually spreads to the lungs, bones, and brain. So far those areas look good. But they wanted me to know that they only are able to scan for masses 1 cm and smaller.

I am confident in the team of Urologists and Oncologists involved. They are good doctors and seem to have my best interests at heart.

Needless to say I am very scared. This is not something you expect when you are 32 years old. I am trying to stay strong for my kids and the rest of my family.

Now I am in scramble mode trying to get everything and everyone ready for surgery. Sadly our Nanny who we have grown to absolutely love is leaving us. She is a second grade teacher and has to get back to the classroom. So, I may be asking some of you to help out with the kiddos from time to time.

I will update this blog as I can. Wish me luck!

Becky

June 4, 2008

2008-06-04T12:26:00.002-05:00

Hi Everyone,

We haven't written anything in a while. Things have been crazy for us lately. Everyone is doing ok. The kids are great! Kate is starting to sit up on her own and is rolling around all over the place. She will be crawling anytime. She is able to sort of scoot backwards while on her tummy. It also won't be long before those first two bottom teeth pop through. And she is sleeping thru the night most of the time. (I hope I didn't just curse it!) Jack is very busy! He loves summer and is a big help in the yard. He loves going to the park and going for walks. He could spend all day outside looking at stuff. We are also getting ready for potty training. We have the books, the pull ups (Big boy pants), the charts and stickers, and just need Jack to get on board. Yesterday he did go on the potty a little bit. He was very excited and we are very proud. We will take baby steps.

Anyway, that is just a quick update. Kate is up from her nap, so I have to go. I will write again soon.

Thanks to everyone for all of your kind words and support over the last month. It has been and continues to be a difficult time for us, but we are doing ok.

Becky and John

June 3, 2008

2008-06-03T22:34:00.003-05:00

Kate in her Bumbo chair.

Jack at Chutes and Ladders having two treats.

We are back

2008-06-02T16:56:00.006-05:00

Kate in the front yard watching her brother play.

Jack at the park. He is so happy that summer is finally here!

April 30, 2008

2008-04-30T17:46:00.002-05:00

I haven't written in a while. That is because we have been busy. We haven't been doing anything overly exciting, but we have been busy. Spring is sort of here so we have been spending a lot of time outside. Jack couldn't be happier that it is warm enough to go out and play. We have been going to the park, walking around the lake, getting some yard work done, going to the dog park, and playing in the yard.

Kate is already 6 months old. Where does the time go? We started her on rice cereal and she loves it! We waited until she was 6 months old due to the allergies that run in the family. We had her 6 month well child check up today and she is happy and healthy. She is growing right on track and is right where she should be developmentally.

Other than that we are getting ready to landscape our back yard and paint the deck and gazebo that we built last fall. I am really ready to finish all projects around here and just live in the house. But as most homeowners know, there is always something to do, fix, etc.

April 3rd, 2008

2008-04-03T14:04:00.008-05:00

It has been a semi quiet week. Jack and Kate came down with colds...again. I think they got it from their father. So we have been staying at home a lot. We are keeping busy painting, coloring, playing with Play Dough, reading, and watching movies. Other than that, not a lot is new. We got some more snow, but it is all melting away now. We are really looking forward to spring. Jack is at the age where he hates being trapped inside all day. Soon enough we will be dragging him in for his naps and lunch. This summer should be a lot of fun. We are looking forward to walks, biking, swimming, going to the park, and just playing in the front yard. I am even looking forward to all of the yard work. I am not really sure how I plan on getting it done with the 2 kids, but I guess I get laundry done now, so I will figure it out.

Easter 2008

2008-03-24T11:39:00.005-05:00

Can I take these ears off now, Mom?

Kate's First Easter!

Mom, Dad, and the kids.

Papa Gene, Gaga, and the Grandkids.

We spent Easter morning at home opening the kids Easter baskets and hunting for Easter eggs around the house. After getting Jack all hopped up on candy we somehow managed to get him down for a nap. After nap time we headed over to my parents house for Easter dinner. Everyone took turns wearing the bunny ears that the Easter Bunny brought my kids...even the dog. A good time was had by all.

March 23, 2008

2008-03-23T13:12:00.007-05:00

Jacks New Room

Gaga, Jack, Becky, and Kate at Underwater Adventures.

It has been a big week. Kate finally rolled over on Friday! Now she is a pro. She rolls from her back to her front. Once she is on her belly, she doesn't really know what to do with herself. But she seems proud to be able to do it.

Last weekend we converted Jack's bedroom into a big boy room. He now has a full sized bed. He really likes it but we are still having trouble keeping him in it at bedtime. I guess that will come with time. He loves his big boy sheets with fire trucks on them and his sheets with trucks on them.

Monday night John and I took the kids to Chuck E Cheese. It was a lot of fun. Jack loved it. We had pizza for dinner and played a lot of games. It was like Las Vegas for kids. Jack loves seeing all of the other kids. It was a lot of fun watching him figure out the games and collecting his tickets. It took forever to cash in all of his tickets for prizes. It was a big decision but we ended up getting a Chuck E Cheese balloon and and a ton of tootsie rolls. He was happy. Kate just hung out in the Baby Bjorn and took in the sights. She was quite happy to watch her brother.

Wednesday my mom and I took the kids to Underwater Adventures at the Mall of America. Jack loved it there! One of his favorite things is sharks (right now, anyway). He really enjoyed seeing all of the fish and sharks swimming around. It is still amazing to me that he can identify so many different animals all by himself. He was pointing out Hammerhead sharks and stingray. I was shocked and surprised. His memory is like a steel trap! After walking thru the aquarium Jack played in a sand box with some other kids for a while. He had a great time. After Underwater Adventures we walked thru Nickelodeon Adventures Park (formerly Camp Snoopy). Jack loves to watch all of the rides and people watch. He isn't really big enough to do much there but he sure loves to look around. When it was time to go home he threw a world class tantrum. One of the worst ones I have ever seen. He was screaming and crying, his body went all limp, he was swinging his arms and legs. It was awful. It takes a lot as a parent not to loose it in those situations. Somehow I held it together and got him strapped in the car seat. He was way over tired and it was passed his nap time. He fell asleep on the way home but only slept for about 20 minutes. so, needless to say he was very pleasant that evening too! To make matters worse, John was out of town so I had to handle it all alone! Oh well, we got thru it. John got home Thursday night and Jack was very happy to see him. We got some snow so we all went out and played in it on Friday and Saturday. All things considered it was a very fun week.

Mexico Pictures

2008-03-14T14:24:00.008-05:00

At X Caret. This is a Tapir.

Dad and John Golfing at Mayakoba

Becky walking on the beach in Cancun

Sitting in the sun wondering what the kids are doing.

I love it here, I have the best seat in the house!

Mom and I having pineapple head drinks! Yum.

Dad and John emerging from the sea! Looks like they are holding hands, doesn't it?

So here we are in Mexico. Ole! Notice John with his Crackberry! I almost threw it in the ocean a few times. But I think his firm would frown upon that. At least he is sending emails while having a beer. We had a fantastic time. The weather was great even though they forecasted rain most of the time. It only rained once for about 10 minutes. Not bad if you ask me.

March 14th, 2008

2008-03-14T13:37:00.006-05:00

BOTH KIDS ARE SLEEPING AT THE SAME TIME!!! Those of you with more than one child know what a rare treat this is. So I thought I would sit down and write a bit. Let's see...whats new? Kate just had her 4 month check up. She is a whopping 14 pounds 11 ounces. She is our little piglet! She ranks in the 50-75% in weight among children her age, which is big considering that Jack has always been small (10-25%). Other than that she had some shots. They always seem to hurt me more than the kids, but Kate did cry this time. She is on the cusp of rolling over. There is a bit of controversy surrounding if she has actually rolled over yet. While John and I were in Mexico Grandma Arlene laid Kate on her back and when she came back Kate was on her stomach. She didn't actually see her roll over, so we don't know if Jack rolled her over or what. I am betting that my little genius did it all by herself. Even though I wasn't there to see it, I am very proud of my little peanut! Speaking of Grandma and Papa John Waldock, they are enjoying a 2 week cruise. No doubt they really needed it after watching my kids for 10 days! It goes without saying that we are very grateful for the babysitting services!

Last weekend we had a little incident with Jack. He was running wildly and happily around the kitchen and he wiped out...big! He was wearing pants that were too big in the waist and too long in the legs and he slipped on the hardwood floor and did a face plant. His front tooth went into his bottom lip. It landed us in the emergency room at Children's Hospital. Luckily the wound didn't need any stitches. John and I were so happy to get the heck out of that ER. There were way too many sick people there. Imagine that!!? A kid sitting across from us had a really bad stomach flu and was vomiting right there in the waiting room. Others were coughing and who knows what else was floating around in the air there! I wanted to get his lip checked out, but I really didn't want my kids to catch anything from anyone else! So, we held our breath and didn't let Jack touch anything there until we were called. They looked at him and told us to give him some ibuprofen and a Popsicle. That is what we did and he is doing well. All of his teeth are in tact and the lip is healing well. He is all too happy to show off his OWEE. He says, " My fell in the kitchen and bumped my lip and it bleeded."

Jack is now in his big boy bed full time now. But we are having a really hard time keeping him there at night. Nap time is fine. He actually tells me when he is tired and ready for his nap. Bed time is a whole other beast. At night he thinks it is funny to get out of bed over and over. He just doesn't want to stay in bed. So we wrestle with him until about 11 pm on a nightly basis. It is getting pretty old. So, if anyone has any suggestions on how to stop the madness, we are all ears! Jacks latest favorite thing is playing in the sink. He is now able to drag a chair around and climb up and turn on the water and make a mess! He loves it! He is also now getting into the fridge. He is very busy and I can't turn my back on him. Kates favorite thing is still eating and pooping.

Mexico!!!

2008-03-09T13:16:00.002-05:00

John and I had a great time in Mexico! We spent 9 days between Mayakoba (near Playa del Carmen) and Cancun. In Mayakoba we stayed at the Fairmont. It was beautiful. John and my dad golfed every day while mom and I sat in the sun and went to the spa. They guys were in seventh heaven because the course they played at held a PGA event days earlier, so the course was in PGA shape. It was the Mayakoba Classic played at El Camaleon Golf Club. The link to the website is www.mayakobagolfclassic.com. My mom and I pampered ourselves with 90 massages and facials daily...it was great! One day we went to X-Caret. It is an ecological park that is very hard to explain. We swam with dolphins, sat on the beach, snorkeled, and saw many animals in their zoo. It was a great day.

After 5 days in Mayakoba we packed up and headed to Cancun. There we stayed at a hotel called Me by Melia. It is a very modern and hip hotel smack dab in the middle of the hotel zone in Cancun. There we laid by the pool and walked on the beach. We took it pretty easy in Cancun. We met up with my sister Sara and her new husband Jason (they were honeymooning in Cancun) 2 nights for dinner and drinks. It was a great vacation. We rested, shopped, ate, drank, rested, golfed, drank, and then rested some more. It was a lot of fun to have a nine day date with my husband! It was a nice break from wiping baby butts and 4 am feedings. I must mention that I did wake up at 4 am out of habit every night. I will probably write more about the trip when I have time...but the kids are sleeping now, so I have to get some things done around here.

I am having trouble posting pictures right now, so I will add them later.

The Wedding

2008-03-07T13:23:00.003-06:00

Well, my sister Sara's wedding went off without a hitch! She was absolutely beautiful and I have never seen her happier! She married a great guy named Jason and they are a great match. The ceremony and reception were at Jax Cafe in Minneapolis. The ceremony was short, sweet, and very touching. I cried...I always cry at weddings. I couldn't be happier for them. We had a great time that night! There was dinner, dancing, a photo machine, and cocktails for everyone. It was a blast!

Jack and Kate looked so cute all dressed up! John's parents were great and they took the kids home after dinner so John and I could stay and enjoy the reception without chasing the kids. A good time was had by all!

Sara and Jason went to Cancun for a week long honeymoon. We took them to dinner while we were there and they looked happy and relaxed. Now they are enjoying another week off after the honeymoon to settle into married life. Good for them!

Midwest Home Magazine

2008-02-20T10:47:00.005-06:00

We have spent the better part of the last 3 years under construction. Our home was in Midwest Home magazine. Check it out! http://www.highpointremodeling.com/MidwestHome.html

2008-02-20T10:47:00.003-06:00

Feb. 15, 2008

2008-02-15T14:33:00.002-06:00

It has been a long and interesting week! Jack has been sick. It started last Wednesday when he ate a penny. The Dr. told me I should wait a few days to see if it passes on its own. Sunday night he began to vomit. So, Monday morning I called the Dr. and told them we had still not seen the penny. They told me to bring Jack in for and X-ray. While in the exam room waiting to be brought back to x-ray Jack started grunting and turned really red. He was working on the penny. He pooped it out right there at the doctors office. We did the x-ray anyway just to see if there were more than one in there. After a clear X-ray, the Dr. told us that there was a stomach bug going around and not to worry too much about the vomiting. So after cleaning up pile after pile of vomit ( he even puked on the dog!) it started coming out the other end! Hopefully things will clear up soon. I am so tired of having sick kids! It is a pretty helpless feeling! Kate is doing great. Her cough is gone and she seems happy again.

We are getting ready for a pretty big week. My sister Sara is getting married next weekend. We are all looking forward to it. John and Jack will be in tuxedos and Kate and I have fancy dresses. Jack has been practicing his dance moves for weeks. I will post some photos after the wedding. Two days after the wedding John and I leave for Mayakoba, Mexico! We are really excited! My "leave the babies anxiety" is building, but I am most looking forward to a full nights sleep! We will be gone for 8 days. It is a much needed break! We are really looking forward to having some time alone. I don't know the last time we got all dressed up and went to dinner without the kids.

Valentine's day was pretty quiet around here. Since Jack was sick John and I stayed home. We ordered dinner from Ciao Bella. Like I said, it was low key...but nice.

New things this week:

Kate is starting to babble a lot.

Jack has a baby doll named Kate.

Ok, I am figuring this out

2008-02-09T16:32:00.000-06:00

With some help, I am figuring this whole thing out. Sooner or later the training wheels will come off and I will be a pro blogger. No more sideways pictures of the kids, etc.

First Blog Ever!

2008-02-07T23:20:00.001-06:00

Welcome to the world of Blogs! I hear this is so much easier than shooting emails back and forth to friends and family. Now that I have two kids I don't have a lot of "me time." Jack is always wanting to go to Disney.com or Kate is hungry...then there is always a dirty diaper to change or a load of laundry to fold. So, here I am at 11:20 pm, everyone is sleeping so I am taking a minute to start my blog.

Let's see, where to start? We just got Kate out of the hospital a few days ago. She spent 3 nights and 4 days at Children's Hospital with a serious case of RSV. Both kids had it, but Jack is older and his body handled it better! It is a respiratory virus that causes a nasty cough, a runny nose, and all that comes with a really bad cold. During one of Kate's coughing jags she turned blue, so off we went to the hospital. After great care we are home and very thankful to have two healthy kids! Being in a Children's hospital really makes you count your blessings!

Other than that the kids are great! Jack is almost 2 and a half and Kate is 3 months. Jack is all little boy and very very busy! He loves anything on wheels, trucks, cars, motorcycles, and trains. He is talking up a storm these days. We laugh a lot. Tonight he ran around the house being a scary bear for 20 minutes. It was funny to us, I guess you had to be there. Kate is growing so fast. She is already 13 pounds. She is our little chunk. She smiles a ton and loves to eat eat eat!

John and I are good. We are getting ready to go to Mexico in a few weeks. We are going to Mayakoba, Mexico for 8 days. It is near Cancun. We are really looking forward to it. This will be my first time away from Kate, so I have some anxiety about it. John's parents are taking the kids while we are away. It is a lot to ask and we are very thankful! It will be nice to get away and have a full nights sleep. Those of you with kids know the newborn phase makes for some long nights!