goodbye 2013

We squeezed in our very last specialist appointment on Dec 31st.  That makes for a grand total of 8 surgeries/medical procedures and too many doctor visits to count.  Hit our max out of pocket months ago so our insurance company must hate us.  I often felt like running the kids to appointments consumed the hours equivalent to a part time job each week.  Good thing my other job is a part time job.  I've probably said it before, but I have a new found appreciation for families with kids who have serious and chronic medical conditions. What we are doing is just a walk in the park compared to that.  Ethan's last procedure of the year was a nasal endoscopy to check the functioning of his palate.  The doc wanted to wait on this one, but too bad for Ethan that he has a speech therapist mom.  I didn't want to wait 6 months to find out that he didn't even know what a functioning palate felt like.  And I knew the chances of getting any decent data was 50/50 so we might as well try it while it was still "free."  It was nice talking shop with the lovely SLP who performed the scope.  Ethan had to sit perfectly still while a tube the size of a spaghetti noodle was threaded up his nose and down the back of his throat.  And not cry. And say "buy baby a bib" about a million times.  It went as horribly as you'd expect but we did get the pictures we needed and he is getting "fair" closure of his palate.  Not great, but ok.  Which means no palate revision in the spring...yay!  In fact, God willing, there are no surgeries on tap at all for 2014.  Possibly not even any specialists visits.  Now that would be something!

funnies

The girls were playing hide and seek and NiNi was doing the seeking.  She came to the living room where I was sitting and asked if I knew where Meagan was hiding.  Refusing to divulge any information I said, "I plead the 5th!"  She said, "Darn it!  I don't even have five dollars!"

Chris' company party this year was cocktail attire.  I don't even own a regular dress (I am not kidding) let alone a cocktail dress, nor a single pair of heels.  So I grudgingly bought some jewelry and an acceptable outfit.  When I put it all on NiNi said, "Wow mom, you look like a rich lady!"

With all the stuff Ethan's had done, he has become very comfortable using proper names for all of his body parts.  I took him to Subway for lunch after his urology appointment.  As we were eating I saw an older lady eyeing him and smiling.  When she got up to leave she stopped by our table and tried to engage him in a little small talk....what's on your shirt, what are you eating, etc.  Next thing I know he tells her, "My penis feels better!"  I think she was hard of hearing because she replied, "Oh that's nice sweetie"

I had to give NiNi a "time-in" the other day.  By now she knows all the "therapy lingo" we try to use on her when she's having a meltdown.  As I was holding her and talking to her (quite against her will)  she yelled, "This is NOT highly recommended!"

Whenever I won't buy NiNi something or take her some place that costs money she says, "Aw mom you're so cheap on me"

It is adorable the way that Ethan still mixes up his words.  For example, he loves to yell at his sisters, "You not better say dat!"

Holiday stuff

Children's museum

Ninja fighting in his new TMNT pj's



How many kids can you fit in YOUR kitchen cabinet?  This is Ethan's "van."  He goes in there with his keys and then comes back out pretending that he went somewhere



That's a cookie under there

Didn't really have "holiday" sprinkles but had lots of these black and gray "robot" sprinkles leftover. 

 

Ok we staged this, but couldn't resist when I saw Chris had the book laying around.  Who reads this in December???  Definitely a January book

Rudolph Ethan on last day of preschool before winter break

 

Could not tear him away from the music room at the museum.  The kids got talent what can I say!



Ethan busting up the girls sleepover party (but then suddenly became very tired)

 

Meagan's new "teenager" room

 

Thanksgiving

 

This Thankgiving was at our house.  We thought that would be best considering Chris had his, ahem, "procedure" the day before and was still laying on the couch with bag of frozen peas strategically placed.  After dinner my sister and her girls slept over so that we could eat pie and watch Christmas movies into the wee hours.  

 

 

Chris photo-bombing the girls picture

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