Meeting with the Teacher and a Flashback

Monday, Jimmy and I attended our first parent/teacher conference. I'm happy to report that my former preemies are doing great in school! They are right where they are supposed to be. The teacher said they are a blast to have in class. Kolton is a jokester, which we knew, and Karter though quiet at times can already skip and snap his fingers.

She reported that they like to play with different kids, but always keep tabs on each other. They sit at separate tables in class and are encouraged to be their own person.Pre-school as been so good for them.

I went to their fall party last Friday and got to see them interact with their peers. They seemed to be well liked and unafraid to join in with the class.

These little guys who started out so tiny are running and jumping and making jokes and sticking wood chips in their pockets at school and bringing them home.

I've not shared these videos before. I don't even believe that our family has seen them. This was July 17 2006 , the day they were born. The video's where taken by Jimmy approximately 2 1/2 hours after their birth. I'd yet to see them and wouldn't for about 10 more hours.

The first video is of Karter and the second of Kolton both video's were taken with a cell phone.

They went from that to this.

 Kolton

 Karter

Words cannot express how proud I am of them. For that matter I'm proud of Jimmy and I for making it through it all with our sanity and marriage still in tact. We make a pretty good team if I do say so myself!

First Day Of School

 Taken with my iphone

August 17 was the boys first day of Pre-K. They did ok. Both cried when we dropped them off and had to be held by the teachers and both cried when be picked them up. I had to send daddy to the car during drop off because he was getting very sad about his boys having to go to school. I somehow managed to not cry. I'd been preparing for this day for a year or more.

Kolton has cried every morning not wanting to go, starting about 10:00. They are in the afternoon class and have to be there by 1:00p.

The first days were very hectic and included a lot of hugging and holding, explaining that they had to go and that they would have fun if they would just try and no I would not be staying with them, and no I can't pick them up in an hour it has to be two hours. Because of all of that, this is the only picture we have taken of them. I hate that, but at least we have this one.

Today, Kolton cried on his way to school, but when we got there he took his backpack to his cubbie and sat down to do a puzzle. He didn't even get his kiss he begged for in the car. Karter kind of look at him like what the heck and gave me two kisses and went to hang his backpack up. When I picked them up. Karter actually told me he had fun. Which was a change because last week Kolton said he had fun when I picked them up and Karter always said he did not. Today the roles were reversed. Kolton said it's not fun and does not want to go back. Karter said it was fun.

Hopefully, very soon they will both enjoy it. It's not easy when your kids are actually begging you to "please don't make me go."

So, that and trying to stay cool with the 104 degree weather we are having, is what we have been doing.

What have you been doing?

Happy 4th Birthday My Baby Boys

These will be the last pictures of my boys as three year olds. They are not real good pictures, but are the best I could get as they went out to play in the sweltering heat.

Today there will be a Toy Story birthday party, to celebrate their new age. In exactly a month there will be a new milestone. School. How did that happen so fast? I remember on many sleepless nights, while I was so tired, thinking that this stage would be over soon. At the time I was begging it to hurry up. I was dying from no sleep and worrying about having two preemie boys at home with me along with all the medical equipment and issues that accompanied that. Now I would like, just for a few hours, to snuggle those tiny little boys again.

Now days they are much too busy for cuddling, but every once in awhile one or the other will makes his way over to me, give me a kiss and say I love you momma.

I may have begged for the days to pass quicker when they were so tiny, but now would be a good time for it to slow down a bit. Four is a good age to stop time for awhile, don't you think?

Happy Birthday Kolton and Karter! You makes our days, happy and hectic and on the rare occasion down right awful, but your dad and I wouldn't change it at all.

Engineering

 Karter

This little boy is going to be a computer guy or some sort of engineer. He has always loved all things electronic. If it has cords and holes for things to plug in than that's even better! Jimmy has tons of electronic stuff around here. He even has a collection of "vintage" ,that's what he likes to call them, computers. Karter loves getting these out and pretending to hook them all together.

Daddy, I think is a bit proud of this and lets him drag all kinds of things out, much to my dislike. However, Jimmy claims how else will he learn. I mean what 3 year old has seen an Atari, much less played with one? Not to mention all the other "vintage" computers. He's talked Jimmy into plugging every single one of them in, they've all worked and he's played games on all of them. Tell me who else has had an old computer plugged into their 50 in TV? I imagine that's not a common occurrence, that is unless you live at our house!

He brought every single one of these into the living room himself and plugged them all in.

This is the Atari that the boys are allowed to play with. Jimmy has something called a "heavy sixer" hidden in a closet so that Karter cannot drag that out. 

Funny side story. When Karter found the Atari he asked what it was and Jimmy told him it was a computer game he has as a kid. Karter then began to call it "daddy's kid computer", which was then shorten to "kid computer" when he took it over. He tells everyone who will listen that this is his kid computer!

I am forever picking up random computer parts up off of the floor and digging them out of toy baskets. So tell me, do any of your children play with any "vintage" things in your house?

Karter's Room Redo

The boys have had their own room for more than a year now. When asked they have no desire to share a room, at all. Karter's room had two outside walls, each wall had a window. His room was drafty and had quite a bit of road noise which I think had been waking him up earlier than he would normally wake. So, we decided to move his room across the hall to what we called the computer room. It only had one outside wall with two window's and was much quieter.

It took a lot of work because there was a lot of crap in the computer room that needed to be packed and moved across the hall, not to mention I wanted to paint Karter's new room.

It took me a full week but I got it done and I'm really happy with the results.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Karter helped pick out the color which is called Olive Martini and it's part of the Lowes Creative Ideas line. Everyone is happy with the redo. Next on the list is to paint the new computer room and finish painting Kolton's room.

The Doctor is In

Paging Dr. Kolton.

 

While Kolton likes his bunny, Karter LOVES his bunny. His name is, you guessed it, Bunny! He takes Bunny everywhere and daily tells me that he loves his Bunny and Bunny is his best friend. He also adds that Bunny is so cute.

I think Bunny's owner is cuter, how about you?

Harmonica Debuts

The boys got harmonicas for Christmas from my dad. They've been having a blast with them and wanted to play a little ditty for you all.

Introducing Kolton and Karter the harmonica twins.

Karter getting EKG for 6 month PDA Ligation follow up.

Horn Head

We've not had a mosquito problem this year so far. However, we've had lots of rain in the past few weeks with the rain came the mosquito's. With the mosquitoes came mosquito's bites. With the bites came horns for Karter. This happened once before and I called the doctor, who told me to give him and antihistamine. I did that yesterday after the picture and today and they look A LOT better.

The sore near his eye was a gift from Kolton, during a fight they had yesterday morning.

When it rains it pours.

We've pretty much been up since 5:00 this morning. I used to LOVE the rain, thunder and lighting in the early morning, but not so much now. It used to be relaxing and enjoyable, now it means that one or two little boys are going to get up multiple times crying or scared and come to bed with us and kick us and keep us up and talk.

However this morning it was different. One little boy(Karter) decided that he was hungry at 5am and when I wouldn't fix him something that early he wanted juice. So I gave him juice, which leaked on our bed, I took it and put it on the night stand. A fit ensued and now we are all tried and cranky.

Also during my shower, Karter pooped his pants, still working on that part of potty training, he knows how but is afraid sometimes. Anyway he pooped, Kolton told on him and then Karter stood outside of the shower door smelling yucky and whining my whole shower about how I needed to "change my doo doo". Happy Monday!!!!!

Milk Truck

While driving down the interstate a week or so ago, we saw a big truck. I told the boys that it was a milk truck. They thought that was cool.

Flashforward to today : While Jimmy and I were playing on the floor with the boys, Karter climbed on my back and announces "I'm riding a milk truck." Yeah, I need to lose weight, but I had no clue I resembled a milk truck. Bummer for me.

Art By Karter

Karter created this in the family room a week or more ago. He was quite proud of it.

I Was Gonna

So, I was gonna post tonight, but Karter has been up out of bed 9,623 times since I put him in there an hour ago. That included 15 mins on the couch and twice for Jimmy and I to lay down with him. So this is what you get tonight maybe tomorrow.

So Thankful

In spite of what I'm going through right now with this pregnancy I'm so thankful.

Thankful that Karter made it through his procedure just fine. We arrived at 9:00 that morning and got all checked in and sat down in the waiting room. We were surprised when one of our pastors showed up. He stayed with us awhile prayed and then he had to leave. After checking to make sure the PDA was present this time with and echocardiogram, the took him back at about 11:30. Unfortunately I was not allowed to actually go in with him while they sedated him as I had intended because I'm pregnant and Jimmy just couldn't do it. I had to stand at the door and he did cry and didn't want the mask put on his face, but I knew the more he cried the faster the anesthesia would work, he was out in about 30 seconds.

We moved to the waiting room were my dad was. My dad and I went to the cafeteria while Jimmy waited for us to return with his food.

Somewhere in there the nurse called to tell us things were going fine and they would be done soon. At 1:30 or so the Doctor came out to tell us things had gone fine. The reason his PDA was there sometime and not at others was because there was a bend in the vessel sometimes making it closed and others open. It was a pretty good sized PDA and they placed an occluder.

We were then sent to recovery to be with Karter as he woke. I forgot to mention that my Pediatrician was there as well because his child had to have a surgical procedure that day as well as was in the recovery bed across from Karter. So Dr. C was able to see Karter as he woke.

After an hour in recovery and after me having to climb in his bed so he wouldn't climb out, we were moved to the step down area. There we had to stay for 4 hours. It was uncertain if he would have to stay overnight at that time, but he was such a good boy and stayed still for the whole time that he had no problems and we were able to leave at 7:00p that night.

He was such a good boy.

They were both good boys. Kolton did great here with my mom, asking to call daddy from time to time. He was happy to see Karter when he came home and asked Karter if he could sit next to him on the couch.

Kolton is a little worried now and wants to make sure if he's going somewhere that Karter and Daddy get to go too.

I'm so thankful that's behind us, it was a huge stressor looming over our heads. Thankful that it went well and Karter is back to his normal if not more busy self.

__________________________________________________________________

On to something else. I've been reading this blog for awhile. They are having a really rough time with their baby Stellen, who is having some heart issues. I'm sure your thoughts and prayer would be appreciated.

Karter Update #3

We are home. Karter and Kolton are both in bed and Jimmy and I are going to crash in front of the TV for awhile.

He seems to be completely back to his old self.

I'll write a more in depth post tomorrow.

I did want to say I met Gavin's Mom today while at the hospital she was surrounded by lots of supportive family and her husband. Gavin was having a procedure done today by the same doctor right after Karter. It's a small world. Send your thoughts and prayers Gavins way as his procedure was longer than Karter's and from what I gather will be staying overnight.

Karter Update #2

Karter is recovering nicely. He is asking for juice and food and talking and interacting a lot now.

Possibly going home tonight.

So glad this is over.

Karter Update #1

I'm sitting in the waiting room now. We've gotten a call from the nurse saying Karter is doing fine and they are expected to be done by 1:30 or so.

I wasn't allowed to go in while they sedated him as I am pregnant. I had to watch from the door, Karter didn't want to put the watermelon smelling mask on and cried, but didn't have any major meltdown.

We may or may not need to stay the night, but I'll update more as I know more.

Karter's Procedure Tomorrow.

Tomorrow we have to be at the hospital at 9:00 and his procedure is scheduled for 11:00. I'm getting a little nervous. I don't think anything is going to happen but the thoughts keep creeping in my mind. Thoughts like what if this is the last time we eat out together or what if this was the last time I tuck him into bed. I'm trying not to let these thoughts creep in but I suppose they are normal to some extent, especially for a parent who's kid is going under anesthesia tomorrow.

As I type this Jimmy is searching PDA ligation's and Occluders for the umpteenth time. Of course we research everything to death, thankfully Jimmy has not found a bad case yet.

I'm taking my laptop to the hospital tomorrow and if they have good internet there I'll try to do updates as I can.

Good thoughts and prayers are welcome.

PDA Update

Karter's procedure is scheduled for March 26th at 10:00 am. It's highly likely that he will stay overnight as his procedure is scheduled for the late morning. I think my mom is going to be able to come over and stay with Kolton as it was planned before on our first try.

Believe it or not Karter's PDA went MIA again. Last week at our pediatrician's office it was undetectable by stethoscope again. Dr. C listened several times and didn't hear it. When I got home and listened I didn't hear it either. Weird. Regardless whether it's heard on the the day of the procedure or not Karter will still have a heart cath and then depending on what they find it will be fixed.

This time around, while I still wish we didn't have to deal with this, I'm ok with having it done. It's a pretty safe procedure and I'll be glad when it's over.

Now for some pictures.

Last week the boys decided to feed each other. They didn't like what I fixed for dinner so they wanted one of their frozen kids meals. They pretty much did this the whole meal. It was so cute. Zeeo wanted in on it too.

The Many Faces of Karter

Thank you for your kind thoughts and words. Things are fine with Kart-Man as we call him sometimes. He has been a little sick for the past day or so, but seems to be getting better quickly.