Houston, we have a fracture.
That's right...she broke the very tippy top bone of her tiny little finger on her tiny little hand. Poor baby. She now will wear a splint for a month...
Can't wait to see our medical bills...
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Nebraska Happenings
This past weekend, we made a visit to my sister and her husband in McCook, NE.
They made a huge and life-altering decision to move to McCook (small town - such as that of Douglas, Wyoming - where we grew up) from the bustling outskirts of Washington, D.C. after my brother-in-law, Ty and his family decided to open a grocery store. The store is called Schmick's Market and their only direct competition is none other than the retail giant, Wal-Mart SuperCenter.
We decided to leave earlier on Thursday because, yet again, another storm was headed this way. With bags mostly packed the night before, we woke up on Thursday morning to Ava's 102 degree fever. First, off to the doctor, to rule out an ear infection since Caedmon had made a visit to the ER the week before for a croup attack and then an ear infection. Nothing was seriously wrong with her (no infection to speak of), so we set off to Nebraska. We were not daunted by the fact that MapQuest was telling us that we were to spend 168 miles on a two-lane road...no. But, man, that was a drive with a whole lot of nothin'.
McCook itself is a great little town. Everyone is really nice, it has a fair amount of stoplights, cute little shops including a kitchen store that had all sorts of neat stuff (I bought a few things) and a great little bakery that serves lunch with the best sandwich I've had in a while.
My sister and brother in law's house is another interesting feature of McCook. When they were first married and still lived in Virginia, they bought a house for a fair amount, completely renovated it themselves and sold it for an outstanding profit. They bought their house in McCook - a turn of the century-style home - for cash. Not very much cash. And you can tell. Wood paneling covers the living room...white wood paneling...with the most hideous teal blue "custom" curtains I've ever seen. The house had not been lived in two years. And, this could be because I watch too many supernatural shows, but I suggested they get the house blessed before they moved in. They've been there for a year or so and as you can imagine with the two of them running their own small businesses, there hasn't been a ton of time to renovate. 4 rooms have been done. The kitchen (awesomely beautiful), their bedroom, my sister's office and a really cool slate covered bathroom. They had added an addition to the back of their house and this is where their dog-children sleep. The addition has not been caulked at all. And the cold front/storm that was predicted hit on Friday. I think the high that day was 16 degrees. COOOOOOOOLLLLLD!! brrrrr....
Anyway, Ava's cold got progressively worse. Snot-factory-child that she was, she was obviously not a happy girl. Sleep was fleeting for everyone involved. Caedmon woke up screaming both nights about 3 times, Ava cried intermittently in the office (we keep them separate) and Jack slept in with Aunt Brandi and Uncle Ty. Doggies heard us in the living room and whined here and there, but the real issue was the crying babes. On Friday night somewhere between one of the multiple crying jags of Caedmon's and Ava's I told Brad, "I think we should go home." So on Saturday morning we told Brandi and Ty we were going to think about traveling home because of the babies. As we were sitting around the breakfast table, Ava was crawling into the newly redone kitchen and grabbed something around the corner that we couldn't see. It was a metal step ladder that promptly slipped on the beautiful hardwood floors and smashed down on her little hand. I jumped up, rushed over and saw that her hand was already gushing blood. SCARY!!! She was crying, of course, and I could see that her pinky finger was completely cut open from the nail bed down to the second knuckle. We jumped in the car to the hospital.
McCook Hospital. Very nice. We were the only people there, I think, with the exception of the two nurses, receptionist and the doctor we saw. I guess the new thinking is to not stitch finger wounds because of the greater risk of infection, so they just bandaged her finger, as they told us, "like Fort Knox." We were given instructions to go see our pediatrician once we returned home. This gave us the decision we were struggling with. Let's go home.
We got back to my sister's house and as Brad is trying to put a shirt on Ava's (her old one was covered with blood), her "fort knox" bandage came off. So, while I packed, Brad returned, yet again, to the hospital. 45 minutes later, he returned with this poor little girl and her new white boxing glove. At least that's what it looks like. Poor baby....I will post pictures later this week.
Even though she is snotty, having coughing fits and wears a boxing glove, she is in great spirits and it's interesting that she is already so adept with just one hand. Tomorrow we find out what the next step is, but we know for sure, she will lose her nail.
I'm really praying this is the end of our ER streak.
They made a huge and life-altering decision to move to McCook (small town - such as that of Douglas, Wyoming - where we grew up) from the bustling outskirts of Washington, D.C. after my brother-in-law, Ty and his family decided to open a grocery store. The store is called Schmick's Market and their only direct competition is none other than the retail giant, Wal-Mart SuperCenter.
We decided to leave earlier on Thursday because, yet again, another storm was headed this way. With bags mostly packed the night before, we woke up on Thursday morning to Ava's 102 degree fever. First, off to the doctor, to rule out an ear infection since Caedmon had made a visit to the ER the week before for a croup attack and then an ear infection. Nothing was seriously wrong with her (no infection to speak of), so we set off to Nebraska. We were not daunted by the fact that MapQuest was telling us that we were to spend 168 miles on a two-lane road...no. But, man, that was a drive with a whole lot of nothin'.
McCook itself is a great little town. Everyone is really nice, it has a fair amount of stoplights, cute little shops including a kitchen store that had all sorts of neat stuff (I bought a few things) and a great little bakery that serves lunch with the best sandwich I've had in a while.
My sister and brother in law's house is another interesting feature of McCook. When they were first married and still lived in Virginia, they bought a house for a fair amount, completely renovated it themselves and sold it for an outstanding profit. They bought their house in McCook - a turn of the century-style home - for cash. Not very much cash. And you can tell. Wood paneling covers the living room...white wood paneling...with the most hideous teal blue "custom" curtains I've ever seen. The house had not been lived in two years. And, this could be because I watch too many supernatural shows, but I suggested they get the house blessed before they moved in. They've been there for a year or so and as you can imagine with the two of them running their own small businesses, there hasn't been a ton of time to renovate. 4 rooms have been done. The kitchen (awesomely beautiful), their bedroom, my sister's office and a really cool slate covered bathroom. They had added an addition to the back of their house and this is where their dog-children sleep. The addition has not been caulked at all. And the cold front/storm that was predicted hit on Friday. I think the high that day was 16 degrees. COOOOOOOOLLLLLD!! brrrrr....
Anyway, Ava's cold got progressively worse. Snot-factory-child that she was, she was obviously not a happy girl. Sleep was fleeting for everyone involved. Caedmon woke up screaming both nights about 3 times, Ava cried intermittently in the office (we keep them separate) and Jack slept in with Aunt Brandi and Uncle Ty. Doggies heard us in the living room and whined here and there, but the real issue was the crying babes. On Friday night somewhere between one of the multiple crying jags of Caedmon's and Ava's I told Brad, "I think we should go home." So on Saturday morning we told Brandi and Ty we were going to think about traveling home because of the babies. As we were sitting around the breakfast table, Ava was crawling into the newly redone kitchen and grabbed something around the corner that we couldn't see. It was a metal step ladder that promptly slipped on the beautiful hardwood floors and smashed down on her little hand. I jumped up, rushed over and saw that her hand was already gushing blood. SCARY!!! She was crying, of course, and I could see that her pinky finger was completely cut open from the nail bed down to the second knuckle. We jumped in the car to the hospital.
McCook Hospital. Very nice. We were the only people there, I think, with the exception of the two nurses, receptionist and the doctor we saw. I guess the new thinking is to not stitch finger wounds because of the greater risk of infection, so they just bandaged her finger, as they told us, "like Fort Knox." We were given instructions to go see our pediatrician once we returned home. This gave us the decision we were struggling with. Let's go home.
We got back to my sister's house and as Brad is trying to put a shirt on Ava's (her old one was covered with blood), her "fort knox" bandage came off. So, while I packed, Brad returned, yet again, to the hospital. 45 minutes later, he returned with this poor little girl and her new white boxing glove. At least that's what it looks like. Poor baby....I will post pictures later this week.
Even though she is snotty, having coughing fits and wears a boxing glove, she is in great spirits and it's interesting that she is already so adept with just one hand. Tomorrow we find out what the next step is, but we know for sure, she will lose her nail.
I'm really praying this is the end of our ER streak.
Thursday, January 4, 2007
One small step for man...and womankind
The babies took their first steps today. Within minutes of each other. Need I say more??
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
God's Christmas Gift for Us
We had a great Christmas! Most of you who were either (a) watching the weather for the Rockies region or (b) LIVE in the Rockies region, know what a tumultuous white Christmas we had. It was GREAT! There is something about being snowed in that makes you feel like you could live in the backcountry as a twice-yearly emerging hermit.
We traveled so much as a family in November and December, that it was really a frantic chase to get all the Christmas shopping done, attend all of Jack's activities for school, decorate, unpack, and generally toe the line of insanity. When all the snow started, we ran to mall (mind you, INSTEAD of the grocery store) to finish up our list of people-to-buy-for. Kids in tow, we pushed our gigantic double-wide stroller through the muck to Park Meadows Mall. Apparently, several hundred other crazy people had to same idea. It was fun. The kids had a blast - we got things done. Win-win. Driving home was another story...just as Brad pulled up the curb so we wouldn't have to walk to the van, he slipped putting Ava into the car. Luckily, with little more than a bruised ego, he was uninjured. This, however, was an omen that the drive home would be a fun one. (note the sarcasm here) It took us twice as long to get home (a 20 minute drive turned into about 40 minutes) and there is a reason that people who are not used to driving in the snow, should not. Cars were sliding all over the place and the jerks who think they can conquer with an SUV and four wheel drive, were speeding too fast for everyone's comfort. However, we did make it home...in one piece...but then that was the last time we ventured out for 48 hours.
Our little town received 33 inches of snow thereafter.
Meanwhile, Jack played out in the front while Brad shoveled the driveway (about 5 times) - we walked to our friend's house in knee deep snow for grilled cheese and tomato soup where we theorized how we would get our friend Shaleane out if she were to go into labor (she is 7 months pregnant with twin baby girls) - I baked cookies...real ones....from scratch...with sprinkles - We watched movie after movie - I cooked with what I had in the freezer/pantry (tuna casserole a la Joia) .....we had a blast. All of this told us that what we needed was to slow down and enjoy each other...enjoy the season...enjoy the solitude and the beautiful gift of snow we were given. I plan on writing God a 'thank you' note...
Christmas itself was wonderful. We drove (once the snow cleared up and roads were finally opened) to Wyoming for Ava and Caedmon's first Christmas...They were cute...we got to see a couple of movies (a Christmas miracle)...and we got some great time in with family.
Highlight presents:
Jack - Toss-up. either his Nintendo DS or his Playmobil Pirate Ship
Ava - Any piece of wrapping paper she could get her hands on
Caed - Any piece of wrapping paper he could put in his mouth
Mom & Dad - NEW TV!!! (our first since we've been married)
Our greatest gift has been this year we have been given. Without getting too mushy and blogging too hard, it has been irreplaceable, memorable and life altering. We are more completely who we are supposed to be. Enjoy some pictures!
Love & New Year Blessings! J & Crew
This is only the beginning....the first night out of our backdoor
The kids enjoying the snow...okay okay...with the exception of Ava
Pretty Girl - pretty cute 
Our sweet babes in their Christmas morning finery
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