Giddy up daddy!

Zoe & aunt Nae

This girl loves her auntie! 

Look who has grass!

Before

After

You must have needed this everyday.

There is a clip from a the movie “Family Man” with Nicholas Cage that sums up my life right now. Nicholas Cage finds himself transported from a glamorous and jet-setting lifestyle to being just a “family man.” He looks in his office draw and finds a bottle of whiskey and says to himself. “You must have needed this everyday.”

And pretty much substitute the whiskey with Oreos or a Slurpee and there you have it.

I go back and forth between feeling like I am living the dream of my life. I love my kids and they amaze and inspire me . . . to feeling so mowed over by the hectic life of being the mom to five kids 7 and under. I’m driving kids all over the planet. I make at least 4 trips each day for school/preschool. Then you add karate and doctors appointments and trips to the store. . . sheesh.

A friend wrote on her FB page,”To all you mamas out there that have to get more than 2 kids ready for school every morning, in my mind I give each of you a Medal of Bravery/Honor/Heroism. Not sure how you stay sane and don't crack open a wine bottle by 8:30am.”

“You must have needed this everyday.”

This last month has been crazy with medical visits. In the month of September I have taken the kids to 8 doctor’s appointments. And on top of that Luke spent 3 days and 2 nights at the hospital with viral pneumonia and Enterovirus D68. Total nightmare. Luke’s respiratory situation just isn’t getting better. It looks like we will have another specialist added to our list of specialist doctors.

On the flip side we do have wonderful doctors. Our pediatrician is sent straight from Heaven. She does this amazing job of coordinating and also identifying needs our kids have. She also knows the Primary Children’s Hospital ins and outs and has been a valuable resource. I love both our neurologist, and Dr. Stotts (our orthopedic surgeon) is so amazing. Now we add our cranial/facial doc to mix along with Mr. Pulmonologist and that’s a nice looking bunch. I feel blessed to have such great resources. If only the lived 5 min. from my house.

I am so in love with my kids. They really are my joy and my song. And yet. . .

“You must have needed this everyday.”


Tomorrow we take Zoe in to see the cranial/facial doctor at primary children's. It looks like she will need a helmet to help reshape her head. Jacob wore a brace every night to bed to 4 years. . . I think I can handle a helmet for 3-4 months. I can do that in my sleep.

Ella started Sinemet (the medication to help with her tremble/balance issues.) So far so good. We will see her neurologist at the end of the month to see how well it is working. She has been on it for a week, I am not seeing any real improvements. But who knows how long it takes.

Ella is so being tested next month to see where she is with her communication skills. We did an at home assessment a couple of weeks ago and it looks like she needs intervention. More paper work, more trips to specialist.

“You must have needed this everyday.”

 I feel like being a mom is more then a full-time job. It is more rewarding and also less visible. No one gets awards for changing poopy diapers or organizing freezer meals. It’s not that I don’t feel appreciated. Dave is so wonderful to tell me how much he appreciates the sacrifice and hard work. But sometimes I don’t fell challenged. I mean, I do feel challenged in the sense that parenting is hard work, but it is mundane and the burst of love and goodness is followed by “No! I Won’t.” It’s a balance and I hope I don’t lose myself being a mom.  I need good friends and good books and creative times too.

There you have it. . .an official update. :) And a few cute photos from Sept. . . .

The Friend

Spencer is in The Friend! This is his second appearance :) The first was when he was 3, showing how he reads The Friend. Now he has made a comment about conference.

. . . Love it!

Day 3

Looks like our little peanut comes home today. After 3 days in the hospital we're all ready to have him home. Thanks grandma for covering the gaps in time and watching the other kids :) 

Luke is getting better

I just spent the last 24 hours with Luke at the hospital. Dave is there now and we hope he'll get the A-OK to come home in the morning. 

Dave said they just got a mat out for him to play with. 

Royal treatment

Luke is enjoying a snack and watching Cars. The only good thing about a hospital stay. 

Zoe laughing

VIDEO0095.mp4 from Karla S on Vimeo.

Love this little girl :)

Getting the backyard in

The kids are enthralled. 

First day was a success!

Ella and Ms. Tiffany

Let's hope she keeps that smile :) 

Ella's first day of preschool

So excited!