I need a vacation...

Yep thats what I said to Darren literally 20 minutes after we walked in the door after being on vacation...

Christmas was great this year. We spent Christmas eve with the Groen side of the family. Brant got spoiled and was one TIRED boy. Christmas morning Brant opened his presents from Darren and I and then we opened our stockings. After we cleaned up and got ready we headed to my parents house for breakfast and to open presents with them. Later that afternoon the Lindquist side of the family came over to my mom and dad's. Brant did great. After that we headed to Darren's Grandma's to spend the rest of the evening with his mom's side of the family. By the time we got home Brant was passed out and barely moved when I moved him from the car  seat to his crib.

I spent the rest of Christmas night packing and loading the car. We headed out about 9:30 or so to go to Winthrop with my parents and Cody. But first we had to stop at True Value. Darren said all their Christmas lights were going to be 75% off. We didn't decorate the outside of the house this year. Too much going on and we would've had to buy a ton of lights so we just decided next year. Well Darren went into True Value while I stayed in the car with Brant and he came back with I don't know how many boxes of lights. Our house is going to be looking good next year!

 Brant did great on the ride over and while we were there. My mom and I took turns going snowmobiling and staying back with Brant. There wasn't much snow so we came back yesterday (Sunday). Darren got sick while we were over there. Bad congestion and his ears were plugged and ringing.

On the drive back Brant was really fussy, we were going to stop in Leavenworth quick so I could change his diaper and give him a bottle but we didn't make it that far. He was really crabby so we pulled over at a gas station and I changed him in the car and gave him to my mom and dad in the other truck so they could feed him while I went in and got some Dramamine. I was feeling pretty car sick. He was fussy for a little bit after we left then fell asleep. He woke up just after we got over the pass and from then on to home he cried, and screamed, and cried some more. That ride was AWFUL.

When we got home he was a little bit happier but anytime I touched him, picked him up or did anything with him he cried. He only wanted Darren. And of course Darren was feeling pretty awful so he was crabby too. I was trying to put everything away, keep a crabby child occupied and try to make Darren feel better at the same time. Not a fun night. Brant finally went to bed around 8 and Darren and I did the same not long after him. Then at 10 it all started........... Darren was miserable. Brant woke up so congested, coughing and screaming and the rest of the night was up pretty much every hour waking up and I had to suction out his nose and calm him back down. The only way I could get him to go back to sleep was to rock him. Let's just say I'm EXHAUSTED today and coffee is my best friend!

Today Brant is feeling MUCH better. Not near as congested as last night, still somewhat but not bad. He is going going going and scooting his way all over the house and into everything. I'm trying to get laundry done and keep my eyes open plus trying to keep up with him. Later tonight I'll try and post pictures from Christmas and our trip.

Tis the Season!

Merry Christmas!! 

Visiting dad & uncle Trevor at work 

loves his footsies 

 trying to escape!

My little snow bear 

I had to move all the wrapped presents up because he kept opening them! 

guess what I'm doing Saturday! 

exhausted

I'm a pooped! Brant is still sick with a cold. It's not too bad, just a runny nose at this point. Me on the other hand not so much. I'm completely congested, really bad sore throat, and pounding headache. All I want to do is sleep but I just can't let myself. Darren got up with Brant this morning at 5:45 so I could get some more sleep. Brant has been going to bed later and later and getting up earlier and earlier lately, though he isn't getting up at night near as often as he used to. Darren and Brant left a little while ago and went over to Darren's parents for the afternoon so I could try and get some sleep. But I can't fall asleep. The house is a DISASTER and that is all I see when I look around. Anyone want to come clean it tomorrow?? :)

Even though Brant is sick he is still so active and keeping us on our toes. He is army crawling, though not far but if he sees a toy he wants, he is going to get it! He has also discovered the dvd player and what buttons to hit to make it light up; I'm quite thankful that he hasn't found the open button... He is starting to get up on his knees more and more. I think around Christmas he will be crawling.

Seriously?!

Brant had another doctor appointment this morning. It was his 9 month check-up even though he's 10 months now; they couldn't get us in any earlier. She is super impressed with him! He's on the growth charts for both height and weight; weighing in at 16lbs 8oz and 28 inches long. She did say when she listened to his lungs that he sounded a little wheezy and told me to keep a careful eye on it. If it does turn into a cold he needs to be back on oxygen throughout the day until he's over it. I was afraid of that because I came down with a runny nose the other day.

After his doctor appointment we went and grabbed some lunch for Darren & I and headed to the shop to have lunch together. He loves his daddy. Each morning they make coffee and eat breakfast together (but only after a half hour of snuggle/play time in our bed). After lunch we headed home and played for a while then Brant went down for a nap. I cleaned the house and threw some stuff together in the crockpot for dinner. The Noreco Respiratory Therapist stopped by to bring us his new monitor. We were having issues with the old one holding the settings and the probes reading on his foot. He woke up while I was meeting with her and learning how to use the new monitor. When I went in and got him he was coughing and sounded really congested.... great..... I figured while she was here we would hook him up to the monitor to check his SATS. Yup they were low. So back on oxygen he is! BOOO :( not what I was wanting. I was wanting to try to take him off at night early next week but now we have to let this cold run its course and hope he gets over it FAST. 

It is so frustrating. I know he got this one from me so I feel really bad now. A little frustrated too. I've been trying SO hard not to get sick. I got a flu shot, been taking airborne everyday, washing/sanitizing my hands like CRAZY, bleaching/lysoling the house every night and I still get sick. But at least I can say I did everything I could and there is nothing I can do about it. If anyone has any tips to get a baby over a cold fast let me know! I'll be moving the humidifier from our room and into his room tonight and go get another one tomorrow to have in the house.

Maybe I should be put into isolation right along with him! 

Test results, odds & ends

Happy Thanksgiving a few days late to everyone! We got Brants ECHO test results back Wednesday night and I'm finally finding a moment to fill everyone in. They came back totally normal. The pulmonologist said they have zero concern for pulmonary hypertension. So awesome news with that!

We went to Darren's grandmas for thanksgiving. We had a good time; Brant would not go to sleep. He was SO tired by the time we got home. Last night Darren & I had our first Christmas party to kick the holiday season off which was a lot of fun. My mom and dad came over and watched Brant for us. He was SO crabby and upset when they got there but said he was super happy for them... of course.

Today we had thanksgiving with the Groen side of the family then Darren dropped me and Brant our house and headed to my mom & dad's to work on his snowmobile. Brant is trying SO hard to crawl tonight. He has army crawled half a foot and keeps rolling everywhere and wiggling to get himself where he wants to go. I think it'll be soon and he will be crawling. Then we are in BIG trouble!

I got our tree put up the other day and finished decorating this morning before church. Darren was showing Brant the tree and immediately reached to grab an ornament. Not only is he interested in everything. He is a persistent little stinker! If he wants it he is going to get it!

LONG day

Brant right after his ECHO

Today was long... I'm exhausted, Brant is exhausted but it was a good day. We started our day leaving the house at 5:45 this morning with my mom & dad and headed to Seattle Children's. We got stuck in traffic around Mountlake Terrace then I had to go to the bathroom SO bad. We were already running a little late but there was no way I was going to make it so we pulled off somewhere and stopped at the gas station. Somehow we still made it to Children's on time. We checked in at 8:50 on the Cardiology floor for his ECHO. We still don't have the results back yet and probably won't get them until Monday. The actual ECHO went really well. When she told us it could take an hour and a half we all got pretty nervous... yeah trying to keep Brant still for an and half, NOT going to happen. But she put a movie for him and she had me lay on the bed with him. I had to hold his hands because he kept grabbing the thing out of her hand. It didn't take too long though and he did really well.

After that we had some time to kill before his pulmonary appointment so we headed to one of the Starbucks that they have there. Once we got checked in at the pulmonary clinic and got called back he started to get really sleepy and was REALLY mad when I had to strip him naked to get his height & weight. He weighed 16.4 lbs and is 27 inches long AND is on the growth charts for his chronological age which is a pretty big deal! The appointment went really well. She wants to get him off oxygen asap rather than waiting until Spring. She thinks he doesn't need it and it won't be long until he's crawling and its going to be a big mess with the tubes. So we will start weaning him off during naps and then call when we are ready to retry the 2 night sleep test. If that goes well he will be off oxygen unless he gets sick! We then were sent down to their flu shot room so he could get his second dose and so I could get a flu shot. Poor guy, he was passed out when they gave him the shot and he was NOT happy when he woke up to that.

After his appointments we headed over to UW to visit some friends who are there on bedrest... it brought back some emotions thats for sure! Prayers for both families would be much appreciated! They both have a long road ahead of them but they are for sure in the best place possible.

It was really weird to walk past my old room and see the hall that I walked down bawling my eyes out headed to the OR. It was the first time for my dad to be back there since we brought Brant home and as we were walking in the front doors he said "Gosh its like we never left!". It was funny because I said the exact same thing the first time I came back. Everything you go through there is worth it though. I could not imagine life without Brant and I often think back and wonder what did I do with my time before I had him?? I'm seeing more and more too how much he has Darren wrapped around his finger. Every morning Brant comes and snuggles in bed for a little bit with us and the other night Darren actually kept asking me if he could sleep with us tonight. It's pretty cute to see them play together. If Darren is home, where ever he is, Brant is.

BUSY week!

We've got quite the busy week! I worked yesterday, worked a couple hours this morning, then took Brant to the Walgreens Infusion place in Bellingham and he got his first Synagis shots. Then Darren & I ran a few errands in Bellingham, each taking turns staying in the car with Brant. Tomorrow we have the Noreco guy coming and delivering more oxygen stuff plus we have to try to get the right pulse-ox probe that will fit on his foot (he has outgrew the ones we have). And that can be a process because they carry so many, we have to find one that will fit his foot AND have the right adapter to go to his monitor.

Thursday me, mom and dad are taking Brant to his Seattle Children's appointment with his pulmonolgist and he will be getting an ECHO just to check his heart and make sure everything is normal. We are doing it just for peace of mind because of the issues he had last month when we tried to wean him off oxygen during the night. We think that when we tried doing that he was coming down with a virus and that is why he was having de-sats; not because of pulmonary hypertension (which is what we will be looking for in the ECHO). After that we will be making a stop at UW to visit a couple mom to be's that are on bed rest there. Then back home and back to work on Friday! Hoping for a very quiet weekend!

Back to today and his appointment for his first round Synagis! Synagis is a prescription medication that is given via shots in the legs. It contains virus-fighting antibodies that will help Brant if he were to get RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus). His weight today was 16 pounds, based on that weight he gets 2 shots, 1 in each leg and will get them every 4 weeks through March or April depending on how long the season lasts. They are very stingy on who they give the Synagis to because it is a very expensive drug- a LOT of paperwork goes along with getting it. The lady who gave him the shots said he was the first in this area to get it so we are very thankful for that!

My little cow

Happy Halloween! And yes I had to get a pumpkin as big as Brant 

He was not too impressed with me

We visited Grams, Grandma Nicki, and Uncle Brent this morning to show off his cow costume. I may be biased but I think he made the cutest cow ever. Brant is officially in his own room. The first night was hard on me, he slept great, but it was weird not having him within arms length of me all night. But I did sleep WAY better without him there and he really likes his room. 

All time favorites

These are two of my favorite pictures! Both taken by Amber Weber 

Everyday pictures

oh you know just riding in the tractor with daddy 

he looooves his bath time or "spa night" as we call it 

So this was his "tummy time toy" the physical therapist at his UW development check-up said to encourage tummy time by giving him a special toy that he ONLY got when he was on his tummy- TOTALLY worked, now he's always on his tummy

crabbing out at Cherry Point one Sunday

he loves his footsies 

woke up to this the other morning... notice the oxygen off his face 

talking to his toys 

Sweet potatoes are by far his favorite 

playing xbox with dad 

such a cutie 

game day! 

trip to the pumpkin patch 

waiting for Darren to get back to the load stand so we could hop in and go for ride 

He looooved riding daddy 

teaching him early! 

watching veggie tales

playing in the Children's clinic waiting room 

At the Children's Clinic in Everett- he loved the paper on the table- he kept ripping pieces off and crunching it.