I wish I had the energy to post on our daily activities, but the reality is I just don't! It has been a beautiful November here for the most part and just this week started to get cold enough to feel like winter is coming.
Henry is our resident bookworm and has decided that our public libarary is one of his favorite places in the world. He is amazed that it is free to check out the books and he has taken up residence in the animal section--particularly insects and marine life. He continues to astound us with his reading. He is a whole word learner (not so much phonics) and can breeze through most any book he picks up. It seems like words make sense to him and he LOVES all that he can learn by reading. He takes books with him everywhere--in the car and even to the park where he takes breaks from running and sliding to read a few pages. When he wakes up at 6 am he heads downstairs to greet us with his sunshiney morning disposition and then heads to the great room to read until we pull ourselves out of bed to make coffee. His behavior is improving a lot as he learns to control his emotions as he is such a passionate boy. We love him dearly and he is growing into a wonderful son and big brother.
Miss Ava continues to charm us all--even in the midst of her ongoing skin issues. They are better and worse but mostly better overall. We went back to the children's hospital yesterday and the doctor informed me that she just has a tough case of excema. We have scheduled to have her yearly allergy testing again and may glean some information there though her flare ups do not seem to be related in any logical way to what she eats. Regardless she is almost always happy, loves to dance and sing and be with her brother. She is amazingly obedient and very empathic for a two-year old. We love her and are grateful that she is feeling better overall.
Baby Elyse seems to be doing well too. I've had an ultrasound every 10 days or so to make sure that I do not continue to progress. So far so good. Really, my doctor just wants me to make it through this weekend (34 weeks) at which time I won't need steroid shots or any other intervention if I go into labor. After all this she probably will stay put until early January! I am so thankful that she has been able to grow and mature these past eight weeks. I feel very connected to her and she feels very 'present' to me (I'm not sure how else to describe it) though I feel like she is already part of our family (which she most certainly is) and all of us are really excited to meet her.
Carl continues to be an amazing husband and father and puts up with my 'hormonal moments' amazingly well (usually getting me to laugh somehow in the midst of my grumpiness) and we are hunkering down for a very quiet Thanksgiving weekend (that is as quiet as a house can be with two young children--sometimes the noise level amazes even me).
Happy Thanksgiving to you all. May it be a day of reflection for the many things we have to be truly thankful for.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Rashy, rashy girl...
It has been weeks upon weeks since Ava had her bout with the terrible virus and she still maintains these horrible rashes. Especially on her diaper area and face. We found out today that her ears are full of yellow fluid and we will have to go to the ENT to have them vacuumed out. Fungus has killed her pinky nail on her right hand (it completely fell off in a week) and it seems as though fungus has taken over her little body (this is what is in her ears too). I guess that explains why she wakes up crying and rubbing her ears night after night. We cannot figure out why her body is unable to heal itself as we apply all kinds of toxic steroids to her skin daily (which I HATE doing). We continue to pray for her improvement.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Family Fun Day: The Oregon Coast
We have been hoping to make it to the Oregon Coast Aquarium for several weeks but today we finally headed that way! It was a WONDERFUL day. I think it seemed even better because Ava was so happy (she sang and danced her way through the whole day), Henry was so cooperative (his behavior was outstanding), and it was a taste of 'normalcy' which we've been longing for. The weather was fairly warm and despite a rainy forecast we hardly had a drop of rain while we were out of the car.
The aquarium was fantastic. They were feeding the sea otters when we arrived, the octopus was putting on quite a show (when he usually is just sitting tucked in a hole), and they have a new Oddwater exhibit combining glass sculpture and interesting sea animals which was fascinating. Henry's favorite part was the sting ray part of that exhibit where he could touch the rays (as they had their barbs removed). Ava loved the animals too--especially the jellyfish (and, as you'll see, the mud puddles!).
After the aquarium we had a FABULOUS lunch at Tidal Raves and we are grateful to be able to have a pleasant meal out with our children (thank goodness for improved restaurant manners!).
After that, we headed north to Tillamook and went to the Tillamook Cheese Factory Visitor's center where you can watch them make cheese and butter as well as taste the different cheeses and have ice cream (yum!). Unfortunately there was not too much action in the process rooms but the ice cream was outstanding (as was the cheese) and we were graced on our way back by a HUGE herd of wild elk that had come down from the hills to graze. They were amazing to watch.
It was a fantastic day (and we filled up the car for $2.09/gallon--can you believe it???). Here are some photos from the day.
The octopus on parade
Watching the sea lions swim
The lion fish at the Oddwater exhibit
Henry's favorite...the sting rays
Ava and the giant jellyfish
The spider crabs...the world's largest. They were HUGE!
Touching sea stars, sea anemone, sea cucumbers, and abalone
Ava thoroughly enjoying a mud puddle. Thankfully I had included a change of clothes so I let her stomp to her heart's content!
Passages of the deep--an exhibit where you walk though tunnels that take you deeper and deeper into the ocean. The fish swim all around you--over, under, and on the side!
The amazing view at lunch
Everybody loves their ice cream at the Tillamook Cheese Factory
The bull
A grouping of lady elk
A bit blurry but it gives you an idea of how many there were...
The aquarium was fantastic. They were feeding the sea otters when we arrived, the octopus was putting on quite a show (when he usually is just sitting tucked in a hole), and they have a new Oddwater exhibit combining glass sculpture and interesting sea animals which was fascinating. Henry's favorite part was the sting ray part of that exhibit where he could touch the rays (as they had their barbs removed). Ava loved the animals too--especially the jellyfish (and, as you'll see, the mud puddles!).
After the aquarium we had a FABULOUS lunch at Tidal Raves and we are grateful to be able to have a pleasant meal out with our children (thank goodness for improved restaurant manners!).
After that, we headed north to Tillamook and went to the Tillamook Cheese Factory Visitor's center where you can watch them make cheese and butter as well as taste the different cheeses and have ice cream (yum!). Unfortunately there was not too much action in the process rooms but the ice cream was outstanding (as was the cheese) and we were graced on our way back by a HUGE herd of wild elk that had come down from the hills to graze. They were amazing to watch.
It was a fantastic day (and we filled up the car for $2.09/gallon--can you believe it???). Here are some photos from the day.
The octopus on parade
Watching the sea lions swim
The lion fish at the Oddwater exhibit
Henry's favorite...the sting rays
Ava and the giant jellyfish
The spider crabs...the world's largest. They were HUGE!
Touching sea stars, sea anemone, sea cucumbers, and abalone
Ava thoroughly enjoying a mud puddle. Thankfully I had included a change of clothes so I let her stomp to her heart's content!
Passages of the deep--an exhibit where you walk though tunnels that take you deeper and deeper into the ocean. The fish swim all around you--over, under, and on the side!
The amazing view at lunch
Everybody loves their ice cream at the Tillamook Cheese Factory
The bull
A grouping of lady elk
A bit blurry but it gives you an idea of how many there were...
Friday, November 7, 2008
Counting our blessings
Ava got a clean bill of heart health from the pediatric cardiologist on Wednesday. It seems her heart has not been affected at all and likely will not be. She'll have one more echo a year from now just to be sure and then she won't have to be seen again! Hooray! I am so relieved as I worried that all the inflammation I was seeing in her skin may somehow be related to inflammation elsewhere in her body.
The pediatric dermatologist appt. also went as well as can be expected. He gave us a 3 week topical treatment (at which time we'll see him again) as he believes she just has a horrible case of excema. His hypothesis is that the rash she has with the terrible virus this summer compromised the integrity of her skin and bathing and swimming (which we probably do once a week at my parents) have exacerbated the problem. His hope is that once we get it under control and give it some good time to heal and return to healthy skin that she will be fine. If she is still inflammed when we see him in 3 weeks then we will do a myriad of tests to rule out something more awful.
One of the sweetest moments was when the doctor left the room to do some analysis under the microscope and Henry looked at us and asked "Is Ava ok?". He was genuinely concerned and though a simple inquiry it shows the depth of his love for his sister.
So far she looks MUCH improved in only 2 days. I can hardly believe the difference. We'll see if she stays that way as we begin to taper off the treatment (each week we were instructed to halve the topical treatment). Thank you again to all her are keeping her (and us) in your thoughts and prayers.
The pediatric dermatologist appt. also went as well as can be expected. He gave us a 3 week topical treatment (at which time we'll see him again) as he believes she just has a horrible case of excema. His hypothesis is that the rash she has with the terrible virus this summer compromised the integrity of her skin and bathing and swimming (which we probably do once a week at my parents) have exacerbated the problem. His hope is that once we get it under control and give it some good time to heal and return to healthy skin that she will be fine. If she is still inflammed when we see him in 3 weeks then we will do a myriad of tests to rule out something more awful.
One of the sweetest moments was when the doctor left the room to do some analysis under the microscope and Henry looked at us and asked "Is Ava ok?". He was genuinely concerned and though a simple inquiry it shows the depth of his love for his sister.
So far she looks MUCH improved in only 2 days. I can hardly believe the difference. We'll see if she stays that way as we begin to taper off the treatment (each week we were instructed to halve the topical treatment). Thank you again to all her are keeping her (and us) in your thoughts and prayers.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Update on Ava
Ava's condition has worsened again and we will be seeing the head of Pediatric Dermatology at OHSU on Wednesday at 2:40 pm. It will be a full day as she also has her second echocardiogram at the hospital here in Salem at 10:30 am. We'll keep you posted. Please keep her in your prayers.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Sidenote
I have had a few inquiries as to HOW Henry incurred his head wound. It really is quite funny so I can hardly believe I left it out! He was, in fact, pretending to be a nocturnal animal (which they have been studying at school) and was flying around his room trying to find his bed with his eyes closed! He almost made it as there was a good amount of blood on his pillow, but not with out making contact with either the corner of his window sill or bed frame first...
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