How big?!

Kinley learned a new trick while we were in the hospital.  She kept putting her arms up into the air so I started saying 'How big is Kinley?' and she would smile.  Tonight at dinner she started doing it again so we had to show daddy and Carter.  It is so cute.

Spiders

When we were at the hospital the first time Carter was with us and while he was waiting he found a spider in the waiting room.  Jaice got a video of it on his cell phone!  It is so cute!  Sorry it is sideways, just tilt your head :)

Home from the hospital

As many of you know Kinley has been in the hospital for the last 5 days.  She went to the ER last Wednesday because she was wheezing and coughing.  They gave her some ventalin and tested her for whooping cough and sent us home with a prescription for some antibiotics.  By Friday Kinley was still wheezing and coughing so I took her back in.  While we were there she had 4 different inhalers and nothing was clearing up her wheeze. So in came the pediatrician.  He sent us for an x-ray, had an IV put in and blood taken, and sent us to a room in pediatrics.  She had an infection in her right lung and bronchial pneumonia with respitory distress. She was put into isolation, so from now on no one (except for me) could come within 6 feet of her without being in a gown, mask and gloves!  I am glad I was allowed to keep my face clear so Kinley had at least one familiar face to look at.  When we first got to her room her oxygen levels dipped pretty low so she had to be put on oxygen.  She was then also put on IV antibiotics.  She got her oxygen levels back up but still had a wheeze.  She spent 2 days on IV antibiotics before being moved to oral ones.  She was also dehydrated when we got there so she was given IV fluids as well.  She was also on a nebulizor every 3 hours to help with her wheeze.  On Sunday her IV burst through her vein.  That was a little messy but we got her all cleaned up and they decided to try her without the IV for a day.  It was not my favourite day.  Her throat was raw from all the coughing she was doing and her nose was pretty plugged so she couldn't drink her bottle.  We essentially forced liquid into her.  We had to premeasure what went in with what came out.  Such a long day!  She lost 1.5 pounds that day!  Monday she started eating so much more but still very limited liquids.  We got to come home today! She is drinking so much more today and seems to be in happier spirits.  She is on 2 inhalers for at least another week and then hopefully we can taper off.  She has a follow up appointment on Friday with the pediatrician.
Things I learned while spending 4.5 days in the hospital and not ever really leaving the room:
*There are nurses you dislike, nurses you tolerate, and nurses you LOVE!  The nurses you love become your lifeline and they communicate all your fears and concerns to the doctor when you can't find the words.
*Doctors don't really spend a lot of time with you.
*Staff outside of pediatrics are 'scared' of babies.  Don't worry it is ok to touch them!
*When you are the only one in the ER, there is constant entertainment for Kinley.
*You as a Mother will get blamed for not bringing your child in sooner until you get mad at them and remind them you had brought her in before and got sent home!
*Kinley loves to play peek-a-boo.
*Kinley has become an expert sitter.
*Some nurses let your child sleep, some don't....you learn to dread the ones that don't.  (See above note about love and dislike of nurses)
*You will be amazed what you can handle.
*You will be amazed what you are expected to do.....I still don't know if it was my job to change Kinley's sheets and find new ones after her IV went through her vein.
*You start to dread words like "We need to wait and see" "Just be patient" "Give her a minute to catch her breath"
*Kinley loved the male nurses the most....we are not looking forward to the teen years :)
*X-Ray techs in (what looked like) hazmat suits, treating your child like she has the plague will not made the x-ray any easier.  Oh and getting mad because everything will need to be washed down because I won't leave the room for the x-ray will not make me even contemplate leaving my screaming baby by herself for an x-ray.
*You turn the monster crib into a play area, because lets be honest, she isn't going to be sleeping in it!
*When you keep calling my daughter HE I am not going to be nice to you......READ HER CHART!
*When someone tells you 'We will let you know when we are ready" be prepared to get yelled at for not being ready when no one came back to tell you to get ready.
*When you get home from being stuck in a little room for 4.5 days you wander from room to room just because you can!
*Suprisingly maternity nurses aren't that useful with babies older than just born.
*You wish you could take the nurses you love home with you so that if you have a question in the middle of the night you can just press the call button!
*Finally, You are so excited to be home with your whole family you can't stop giving hugs and kisses to everyone!
All the pictures were taken with my cell phone so they aren't the best quality.  She was quite the trooper and was praised constantly on how well she handled the mask.  She was a nurse favourite and we often had nurses just dropping in to see if they could get a smile!
We are glad to be home and hope to stay here!

Sitting like a big girl!

We have noticed Kinley sitting up much better in here booster seat at meal times.  I decided to plop her on the floor today and see if she could sit on her own.  She did it!  I got a video of it.  She is also starting to like tummy time.  It has only taken almost 6 months!  She will move around in circles but she isn't aware she is doing it yet.
I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Happy Valentine's Day

I know I know I am a day late!  We went to a fundraiser a couple of weekends ago and got these pictures of the kids done.  I absolutely LOVE the one of Kinley looking up at Carter!  That is pretty much how she looks at him all the time.  It melts my heart!
We had a nice Valentines Day.  Carter and Kinley are sick so we just did a few crafts, made a card for daddy, and enjoyed some chocolate dipped strawberries!  Jaice made us a steak dinner!  It was delicious and wonderful not having to cook.  Devyn (our amazing babysitter) came over and gave Carter a special cars valentine that had some chocolates in it.  He sure was excited.
We hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day.

Tutu

My sewing machine is put away right now because of the 'reno's' we are doing upstairs, but I was still feeling crafty and wanted to make something for Kinley.  I made her a tutu!  I love the way it turned out.  She immediately tried to eat it.  She was a pretty good model considering she is sick.  I bought some more colours of tulle and I can't wait to make her some more.  I am also going to make her some leggings as soon as the sewing machine is up and running.

Kinley also went in for her 6 month check up yesterday.  She weighs 17 lbs 7 oz now.  We couldn't get an accurate measurement for her, so hopefully we can get one when she goes for her shots at the end of the month!  The doctor estimated about 27 inches.  

Both kids have a really bad cough right now.  Both were up off and on all night coughing.  We feel so bad for them.  There isn't much we can do for them except extra cuddles!  I am hoping it is on its way out.

When the kids are feeling better I will get some more pictures of them!  

We hope all is well with everyone.  We are looking forward to seeing the sun a little more and maybe an early spring (fingers crossed) :) 

Here is the video of Carter at his finest.  What a little monkey.  He is pretty much non-stop entertainment:)

Nice day for a walk

Wow I haven't posted for a while, sorry! We all had a cold and now it has come back. We decided that because the sun was out we would go and get some fresh air. Maybe it will make us all feel better. We got this video of Carter playing in the stream. He wasn't supposed to be in there, but he had fun so we let him. While on our walk Kinley fell asleep in the backpack. Quite the position. It is amazing how much heavier she feels when she is leaning back :) She loves to be out, just like Carter. Usually when we are out for our walks she talks the whole time. She is still pretty sick so a nap was a good idea!

We are in the middle of updating our upstairs. So at the moment we are all in the basement together! We are looking forward to getting back to our own rooms! We are painting all the bedrooms upstairs and putting new carpet in. The carpet should be here by the end of the week and next Monday we are slated to have it installed. Jaice has been busy painting. I was in-charge of taping, so my job is done! :) I will post pictures when it is all done. I am looking forward to being able to park in the garage again. Currently all our beds are in there, which makes it hard to fit a car in there as well. I had the luxury for about 2 weeks.....it made life so much easier with the kids. One more week, one more week.....

*The video won't load.....I am giving up and I will try again tomorrow!