Trouble With A Capital "T"

This household is officially "healthy"! FINALLY! After getting discharged from the hospital last month, Caden was finally able to get his ear tubes placed. He is still talking up a storm and continues to yell to get our attention. The other three are keeping us on our toes as well. Mommy can hardly wait for our activities (like school) to start up again (next week!). Starting Monday, Riley will go back to school and the little boys will go back to their pre-hospitalization PT/OT schedule. Michaela? Well, lets just say that nothing stops Mitch . . . she is trouble with a capital "T"! We are SO in LOVE . . .

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Paddie's Day All! Happy Birthday, Papa! Just wanted to send you some pics from our holiday photo shoot . . . it's getting harder to keep them all seated at once . . . duct tape anyone?

My Beautiful Boy- Riley P.

Missy Michaela

Austy- our larger than average leprechaun

Caden- not diggin the hat .  .  .

Hail, Hail, The Gangs All Here . . .

FINALLY! Caden was discharged home from the hospital today! Yeah team! Of course what you didn't know, because I have had so much free time, is that Austin was admitted to the hospital 3 days after Caden was. We shared room 507 until this past Tuesday when Austin was well enough to go home! Then Caden got his own room after his mom threw a temper tantrum at the suggestion of another patient being admitted into Austin's vacated bed space. Sorry, but after 11 days in the hospital (not to mention 8 years of working in the same unit) I was not about to allow another kid to reinfect my child. So sorry. Anyways, Caden almost made it a full 2 weeks as an in-patient at the hospital. It took a lot of schedule shuffling, but with the help of family and friends we were able to pull it off and have at least one person per baby at the hospital to help manage the oxygen tubing, sat monitors, IV's, etc. Many, many thanks to MB, Miri, Audra, Mary, Trisha, and of course Grammie and Papa we would not have survived without your help! I'll let you know when we take up drinking (something aside from bottles) and we will have a splendiferous party! Pictures to follow . . .
Always,
Jenn

Caden Boy- he never got the memo that he was sick

Austy Bear- weaning O2 one nare at a time

 . . . Hiya Donald!

You're not going to believe this . . .

. . . but we are still sick in this household! (Whoever thought I was going to announce we were pregnant again- may you be "BLESSED" with quadruplets!- AS IF!!!).  

This past week the entire household, except for Mitch (she is as tough as nails) was cursed with a wicked case of gastro. aka. the barf aches. Caden led us off, starting Friday, followed by Austin and Riley on Sunday, Daddy on Monday and Mommy on Tuesday. Thursday was our 1st ER visit of the week (yes, there were more- thanks for asking). Austin was taken in for increased lethargy, poor PO (oral) intake, and decreased output (not peeing, barfing doesn't count!). He had an IV placed and received a fluid bolus. We were discharged home within 4 hours. Once home, he rallied for bit with his siblings and then promptly threw up what he had in his stomach (very little). Riley decided that this would be a good time to loose his 1st tooth (the top 2 were surgically removed after abcessing while I was on bedrest with the troublets- fun right?).

Friday night, 3 am, okay so technically very early Saturday morning. Riley came into Mommy and Daddy's bed with a 103.8 temp and speaking in foreign tongues :). ER trip #2 (and just in case you are wondering- NO it wasn't the last). The triage nurse almost got a smack down from a very tired mamma bear . . . "What brings you here today?" "My son has a temp of 103.8." "Did you give him anything? (with attitude)" "Uh, yes. I gave him Motrin as we were walking out the door (in the pouring rain)." "Well, it takes a while to kick in  . . (more attitude)." NO S**T! Anyways, the ER doc was pretty sure that it was influenza (the flu), but decided to do a chest x-ray first. Good save, doc. Riley has a right upper lobe pneumonia. Antibiotics given. Riley d/c'd home!

Saturday afternoon, Mommy, Austin, and Caden take a trip to the urgent care (why would any child choose to get sick on a day that the pediatrician's office is actually open?). They were exhibiting similar symptoms as my dear Riley boy, but not temping quite so high :). Austin was given a presciption for antibiotics as Caden was already taking meds for an ear infection (#4 since January but who's counting?). The doctor wrote a prescription for "Caden" / Mitch who was also coughing but not present on our field trip. And off we went back home.

Later that night, Caden was wheezing so loudly that I took him down to the urgent care once again to check his oxygen saturations. Not so great. Went straight to the ER (did not collect $200- though that would have been nice to cover all the co-pays). The ER staff wasn't too concerned, but humored the mother and grandmother. "We will give him a respiratory treatment and see if that improves things." BTW, I gave him a treatment before I left the house . . . Anyway the treatment loosened up all the junk in his lungs and why, Caden sounded much worse! So with sats dipping into the high 80s (normal 99-100), I gave Caden blow by O2 as there was no nurse or respiratory therapist to be found. We were admitted to the floor by 1 am. So, now today (Monday), Caden and I continue to camp at CHOC Mission in room 507-2. Instead of working tomorrow, we are in-pt  . . . and sadly, this is not a paid position :( As a result of our respiratory status, Caden's ear tube surgery scheduled for this Thursday, had to be canceled. The ENT's schedule is booked until April  . . . argh!

And to make life more entertaining, Riley lost a second tooth yesterday. Grammie pulled it out!

Pray for us . . .
Always, Jenn

* I'll post pictures later . . . when we get through camping :)

LOVE IS . . . SHARING BOOGERS

Happy Valentine's Everybody! It seems that we are still sick in this household- ya I know, it's been a month. And even though my house is "clean", messy, but "clean," I still feel as if I live in a petri dish/playpen. 2 out of 4 children with ear infections, Caden's second in less than a month and who of course has an ENT consult NEXT week for ear tubes. Oh, JOY! 3 of 4 children are teething, Riley on the other hand has two wiggly bottom teeth and has been warned to stay away from Grammie (rumor has it she has an "in" with the tooth fairy).  Other than that, just suffering from drippy noses, obnoxious & relentless coughs- and according to my dear husband- enough co-pays and prescriptions to set us back $1,000. But who's counting? Casey is, apparently. But since that is not new news, (he counts EVERYTHING) we will move on :).
LIFE ACCORDING TO:
RILEY- "School is BOOOORING! Do I have to go again today? How much longer do I have to go to school . . . ." He is so precocious. AKA "PETER"- a royal PIA of a patient that I once had. On Riley's not so great days he is lovingly referred to as "PETER". Some days though he borders right on the edge of being a 30 year old comedian- like today as he danced around a planter at Golden Spoon and put on his own show. I so wish I had a video camera to record his facial expressions and tone of voice- "Oh, TWINS?" (eye roll) "No. They are TRIPLETS!" I seriously almost peed in my pants. He was right on the money, as usual.
Thanks to my cousin Joey, who recently moved in with my parents, Riley is learning to "skateboard." Okay- so he only lays on his stomach and drags his feet, but come on. This is a huge improvement in learning to be graceful and sporty. He actually has a hole in his jeans and in his shoes. We are celebrating this milestone! Otherwise- it's just TRAINS, TRAINS, TRAINS. I bet you will never guess what he wants to be when he grows up? Let's just say he won't need a car :), and besides driving a train is better than a moped, right?
AUSTIN- my snuggle puppy is growing teeth and chatting up a storm. He begs for food, "ease, ease, bite". While he appears quite mellow in the day time, Austin is a monster at night. In fact, "Larry the Librarian" has taken over Grammie's room. He got kicked out of the nursery for being too loud! Benadryl only works so much . . .
MICHAELA- still crazy. I caught her climbing on the dining room table today. When she catches you watching her, she says "No-No". Like, "yeah, I know you said no, but I wasn't sure if you actually meant it." Hence, why for the most part, all of our chairs are now located in the garage. Her new words- got it, glasses, & cracker.
CADEN- 1 step taken in PT. I was at work and Grammie was out to lunch. We don't get to go back as often anymore to watch them in PT/OT as we are now a distraction to them both (Austin and Caden). Still, little "Forest," is making progress. He likes his little ankle braces and seems to do much better with them on. Caden wakes up every morning asking for music "mu" and "this" points to the TV. His new words- Austy, puppy, & cracker. His belly laugh is quite irresistible. We are so blessed!

Hope you all had a romantic Valentine's Day . . . I am off to sort clothes and go to bed. I have work tomorrow- yeah me! Which leaves Grammie and MB on kid duty tomorrow- suckers :)



. . . okay, so I will probably have to take this picture off when he starts dating



Don't Rain On Our Parade

Walking in the rain- Caden in the push car, Austin & Mick in the wagon, & Ry riding on the shopping cart. Oh, to be young . . .

Thanks for the "rain" suits, Great Grandma Farley

Sick and Tired of Being Sick

Well the troublettes are still sick. Daddy and "Aunt" MB had to take them to the doctor's office (again) on Friday while I was at work. Austy Bear got a nebulizer treatment, Michaela got put on antibiotics for a sinus infection, and Caden was put on antibiotics for a bilateral ear infection. They are all coughing up a lung so to speak and sleeping like  . . . well, lets just say they are not sleeping. Which means . . . we aren't either.
So to cheer myself up, I shall share some fun and silly things that are going on in the Shay home, compliments of the multitude of children so to speak-

Austin- This tiny tank of a boy has been walking around the house with a side to side step saying "dance dance". He has the most infectious little grin that accompanies this little booty shake that you can't help but to laugh and join in. He has also learned to say "Peeas" as in 'please', which is usually said in request for- food! Hey, you can't blame the dear boy, he certainly has a figure to maintain. There is now a lock on the food cabinet (though not all entirely his fault- his sister was using large cans of beans to climb to higher shelves housing cereal and cookies . . .). Austin has also learned to scream and can throw a mean temper tantrum. We'll blame the Shay fam for that trait!

Michaela- HATES DRESSES! For this girl, I have prayed and God sent me a TOM BOY! And, I love her! She is so funny, extremely opinionated, fearless, and pretty much rules the roost. God help anybody that picks on one of her brothers, including Riley, because Mick will take them down! She climbs- EVERYTHING! She tells you "no-no" and "don't-don't" (probably because she hears it often in reference to her own behavior). She loves to "woof", "hiss", "roar", "quack", etc. Austin constantly seeks her attention, Caden can't get away fast enough, and Riley is often doubled over by her antics. "Where did we get her from Riley?" "From, God. I always wanted a baby like this!"- Riley

Caden- Determined. Determined. Determined. He now is the proud owner of ankle braces that will help keep his feet in alignment. They will enable him to build up the muscles he will need to walk. He is getting more and more daring everyday as he tries to pull to a stand in the middle of the room. His favorite game is to stand up and have me count out loud until he falls down. Over and over again. He loves music and is constantly asking for "mu". We rock out to Alvin and the Chipmunks and Ralph's World. He can also throw a stellar tantrum.

Riley- I had to save the bestest one liners for last. He is so funny . . .
We have been watching re-runs of  "chunky brewster", aka Punky Brewster.
Leaving the petting zoo, a woman said to me, in reference to all the children, "God Bless You, Ma'am!" Riley- "Mom, did you sneeze?"
"I am having the worstest day in my whole life!"  . . . "and I don't know why!"
"This is the bestest dinner ever!"- in reference to re-heated chicken mcnuggets.
Upon opening his Valentine's mailbox complete with Valentine's for his friends and stickers- "I am exceptional disappointed, there are no hearts in here!"- candy hearts of course!
On my new hoop earrings- "Mom, what are those cute little things called?" "Earrings. You think that I look cute?" "No. They look silly. You look weird Mom. Can you take them out? Take them out Mom."
"I am tired and I am hungry. And I don't know which one I am first!"
Overall, Riley is a wonderful big brother. He tries hard to share, which doesn't come easy to most 4 year old little boys. He tells people who ask to take a baby home with them that the babies are all "his" and "he wants all of them". They "crack me up"- Riley.