Stuff

Joel pulled his tube out (again!!) so we managed to get some pictures this morning of him with Emily. She has a UTI and is refusing to go to the bathroom which isn't great but hopefully the antibiotics will help her out. We are well, Jamie is on his way home from school for the Christmas Holidays; so great to have the 2 weeks together. We are excited too that we can go to Belfast to visit all the family for a few days - we are going in between Christmas and new year, Emily is so so, so excited about going on an airplane. We were shocked at how much air travel has gone up. You even have to pay to use a credit or debit card now!

Tomorrow we are off to the pantomime - on the train - which again is mega exiting for a little girl who obsesses about public transport.

But for now I am off to put the kettle on for some tea whilst all is calm in our home.

Catching up

We are having a busy day today(Whoop! Whoop!) We have finally got round to sorting Joel's carpet as his floor was ripped up when we got the house rewired. So it is coming this morning. We are also having the cavities in the walls filled (we don't have anything there, more issues with this house!) so it will be noisy for a while as they drill and fill but then, hopefully, our house will be warmer.

Last weekend we went to a birthday party. It was such a cool idea - it was a football party. We were asked to wear a football shirt/kit and come along to play football with the very enthusiastic Stockport County fan who was celebrating his 4th birthday. Emily had a great time and really like wearing her 'football t-shirt.

Emily has finished with Sarah, our childminder until after Christmas, and when she goes back she is going for Mondays only as Sarah is pregnant and needs some time off. This means we will have more time together. We are going to see the pantomime Cinderella with the families from Sarah's. We are travelling by train to Buxton - Emily is so excited as she has a fascination with public transport. We have 2 Christmas parties tomorrow, one with Toddler group and one with Church. Emily is slightly confused that Santa can be in so many places as she has met him at the garden centre 2 school fairs, the farm on family day and now twice in one day! It's the church nativity play on Sunday; Emily and Jamie are the host of angels visiting the shepherds. 'Do not be afraid' etc. It was interesting on Sunday at church. Josh, who was one of our speakers made the point that each time an angel appears in the bible, the first thing that is said is,"do not be afraid". Does that mean that they were ugly and scary by nature or just it was weird that an angle would visit you? Not sure but Emily and Jamie don't look scary - cute and funny maybe.

Emily's tree in her bedroom ( it has a few more baubles and decorations on it now - many have been scavenged from our tree downstairs!)

On Monday we have a play date with our friends and their kids. We are doing Christmas baking and a few games. It is a nice way to start the Christmas holidays. It should be fun with 10 - 12 children under 4 baking at once!
Jamie has 3 more days left at school, he is mega busy at the mo as the whole school has done exams and mocks and there is tonnes of marking to be done plus all the normal stuff, he is longing for a break but then again there is not much rest to be had at home!

Joel has not been sleeping very well for about a month. He was up feeding 4 - 9 times a night depending. Last night he was only up once and then at 5am, 6.45am and up and awake at 7.30! Wow hoo! Long may it last as both Jamie and I are starting to feel tortured! We had our weekly weigh in, he put on 2 ounces this past week - sadly this is not very good as the trend for such small weight gain is growing. We have 2 choices at the minute. Keep trying with his current milk and up the dosage but already he is semi intolerant to it and cries in constipation pain for 1 - 3 hours per evening, change his milk and make it from powder, fresh, every time he needs it but he needs more than 5 feeds a day as it is 20 calories per 100ml less than his current milk! Also with the new milk his weight may become more of an issue as there is less calories. So we have decided to keep a eating, sleeping, crying and pooping diary until we see our dietitian on Jan 9th. We are also waiting to hear from our cardiologist if we can fly to Belfast over the holidays to see my family. I have left countless messages on answer phones and with people but still no answers. In the meantime Joel has developed a cough, runny nose and sticky eyes. Sound familiar anyone?

Mum and Dad get home from Romania today. We are looking forward to seeing them, hopefully in Belfast, but if not they will try to visit us here. It is great to have parents as missionaries but even though they are at the end of email, phone or a moderately cheap flight away, they feel far away.

Well that's enough procrastinating - off to make tea for tonight and tidy the house.

Joel was at the consultant today. I was not looking forward to this visit as he had only put on one once this past week. But.... she is so so so so so great. Yes his weight is important to her but not so important that it is the only thing we talk about. The dietitian was of sick today so many of the questions cannot be answered until we see her, but the consultant is pleased with his general progress. We now are waiting for our cardiologist appointment and the dietitian. So Joel is 11lb 8 oz, smiling, laughing, grabbing toys, sitting up a little, considering rolling and lovely. Emily is great too. We have just heard that she, Joel and I can go to a play session at an integrated Nursery on Friday afternoons. It will be great to be with other children who are 'special' and to have a new community of mums who juggle dr and hospital appointments. It starts on Jan 9th and I am excited about that.
Tomorrow night we are out at COLDPLAY.... yes I have just said COLDPLAY! I am excited about that too but am anxious about leaving Joel, but he is in good hands with great friends.

Well, Joel is crying so I am off to see what's up. I hope his tube is still in!!

Christmas Preparation

Just a few pictures from our visit to Father Christmas at Tatton Park Farm and our tree and house decorating. Our house is much bigger so we may pick a few new things up after Christmas.

Thought we would have another pink one of these, it's so great to have a son!

Not sure why Snowman is in on the Nativity scene!
Emily has made lots of decorations top hang and stick around the house.

"Wow, it's beautiful Mummy."
Putting the star on top!

Joel gets in on the action!

"Can I have another one please?"

Such concentration

A little helping hand

Mary had a very stiff hand!

"I'd like a pink bike please!"

Chaos and life

Emily has been busy choosing things to put in a shoebox to send to a child in another country. It was mega hard trying to explain to her that she couldn't keep the Jelly Men (Jelly Babies - we don't call them babies because Joel is a baby and we don't eat him. She hasn't made the connection that we don't eat men either!)

Joel has had his second lot of vaccinations this week and is now ......drum roll please......11lb 7oz! Wow, we are now over the 5 kilo mark and are getting closer to the target of 6 kilos. We might even get there before our cardiologist appointment in January. :) He is getting stronger every day and is almost holding his head up unaided. (It is leaning against the chair in this pic)We can see a real difference in him, but his tube just makes him look different.

I was in the Dr's waiting room and overheard two ladies chatting about him. I was astonished and speechless and too worn down to reply but they were debating why he had his tube.

"Do you think she smoked during her pregnancy so he was small?"

"She probably worked too hard during it, these modern women work so hard and don't think about the consequences. He probably came to early due to stress!"

I should have told them that I have only ever took one puff of a cigarette when I was 12 years old, that he wasn't small but 7lbs 12 oz at birth, that he wasn't early, but 14 days overdue and that I stopped work on the 24th July and he didn't arrive until 17th August and that I work part time whilst looking after my healthy non tubed daughter. AND furthermore, he has a congential heart condition that is not related to anything I have or have not done. Thank you very much for your concern for the well being of my beautiful son! Oh the things you hear and don't hear!

Life is chaos at the moment. Our boiler is broken; the gas man is coming this afternoon to fit the new part, the surveyor is coming to check if we have cavity wall insulation and loft insulation and the car is going to the Peugeot garage this afternoon to see if they can fix the power steering. It costs £75 just for them to out it on their computer! Scandalous! But our nice fruit and vegetables have arrived from Abel and Cole and we are going to have a curry tonight if the electricity and water is back on - then I can make it.

Meanwhile on the vaseline front - - - - - it is still in her hair. I washed it 3 times last night with a variety of shampoos; still slimey. At least it wasn't scissors.

Vaseline

Emily found a brand new pot and smeared it all over her, her bed, her teddies, her bedding and the wall! It was one big greasy mess but very funny. The problem was it was 8pm and she needed it all washing out of her hair! Not very funny.

The throat infection has gone, just a runny nose. For Joel, hopefully he will be jabbed tomorrow and be back on track with his vaccinations.

The gas man is coming to fix the boiler tomorrow, the car is going to the Peugeot garage to see if they can fix the power steering and the cavity wall insulation man is coming to see if we have any! Not much happening over the next 2 days.

Emily and I are busy making Christmas cards, she had fun opening her drawer on the advent box, it is the first year she will be able to begin to understand Christmas traditions. Jamie is busy at work with Parents Evening and catching up after exam marking and 2 sick children to cope with. This weekend we have our McCulloch Family get together and J is at Old Trafford for his first game of the season. Life is good, it will be better when a few things get sorted - money allowing as well as time and energy.

Sleep

We still have two sick children...
We both long for more than 2 hours of uninterrupted sleep. It might come tonight!

Winter illnesses...

...are rife in our home!
Joel has an eye infection and a chest infection and Emily has a throat infection.
Our car's power steering is broke - is that the equivalent of a throat infection?

So don't come to close - too many nasties to catch and Jamie and I are severely sleep deprived as both kids have been up throughout the nights since Saturday.

Look who's talking?!

Whilst 'picnicking' with his mummy and sister!

I no longer need to go to the hospital to have Joel weighed weekly! I can go to the Health Centre weekly unless his weight falls. Joel is now just under the 2nd centile but has not fallen. That will save me so much time and energy and I might get to meet some other mums at baby clinic too. Jamie starts exam marking tomorrow so he has priority on the laptop. There may not be much time for blogging.

(Ignore the mess in the video, we have been playing dens as it has been so miserable outside!)

Tears and Tantrums

When Emily is throwing her body around, screaming, nose running, arms flailing or feet stamping I remind myself of these moments. One, two, three, four, five, once I caught a fish alive!

Just some photos

Not a lot to say, manic week with medical appointments. Joel is 10lb and 8oz - not heavy enough. Emily is great, smiley and fun. Today she told me that I am beautiful and cute just like her! What a great kid! (for trying to make her mummy feel nice!)

No Tube

Don't get excited.... it is going back in as soon as the community nurse arrives. Joel pulled it out overnight. For now we get to see his cute round face! He is now 10lb 3 oz. we see the paediatrician and dietitian on Thursday. Yesterday he had blood taken and his RSV jab.

As promised the marshmallow tasting from Bonfire Night.

Eating apple crumble and drinking hot chocolate. (that's the life!)

Chubby Face

We were back at the hospital this week as Joel was in a lot of pain because he couldn't go to the loo! Four hours later and with a little help and the problem was solved. He was weighed when we were there and had out on 11oz. We (as parents) we so pleased with this, but sadly it is not good enough as the dietitian is not sure how much of that is his actual weight and how much of it he lost after going to the loo! (Such a great topic to blog about :) ) so, we are back again on Monday for blood tests and a jabs and then on Thursday for dietitian and paediatrician appointment. All will become clear then , we hope.

In other news, Joel is making lots of great sounds and moving his legs and arms a lot. He is living up to the amount of kicking he did whilst inside me and hopefully will enjoy sport (Not like his Mummy - more of an arm chair sportsperson).

Emily has been tot he dentist and her tooth will be left for now and monitored, she had fun last night with her little friend Katie who came for a 'Sparkly Party'. We had hotdogs and apple crumble with low banging fireworks to celebrate Guy Fawkes Day. Lots of 'oo's and aah's ' as well as the joy of toasting marshmallows on the firepit. (Photos will follow).

Half term trip to Belfast

We have been to Northern Ireland and now we are back. Our house is nearly finished being rewired and we are well. Joel kept his tube in (well it came out 3/4 of way and Jamie bravely pushed it back into place and retaped it.) It was great to spend time with my sisters, brother and brothers in laws as well as our nieces and nephew. we had lots of fun - it is very noisy when you put five children under 2 and a half (and 3 of them under 20 weeks!)

Ellie May (5/7/06,) Lilah (17.6.08) Sam (12.6.08) Joel (17.8.08) Emily (4/7/06)

It was so much fun spending time with my siblings; Judith, Emma and Delwyn.

Joel got to meet his cousins for the first time. They are a little bigger than him.We went by slow boat from Birkinhead. It took 9 hours and it was so painful. Emily was knocked over as she was standing still watching a man win money on a fruit machine. She has chipped her front tooth and cut her lip as well as torn her gums. We are at the dentist on Thursday to find out about that. Thankfully we had calpol in our nappy bag - it would have made the crossing even longer! I think we will do the longer drive to Scotland and shorter boat instead of short drive mega long boat.

Daddy daycare! ( I had Joel)

Emily had so much fun with her cousin Ellie-May who is one day younger than her.

Our pumpkin won (the one on the left), Judith and Emma tried hard but just lacked the scary factor.

Joel looks like he is filling out a bit, we are back at the hospital this week for weighing and dietitian on Thursday, then his RSV antibody jab a week on Monday as well a

s blood tests, then paediatrician and dietitian as well as weighing a week on Thursday. Jamie is back to school on Monday for the 7 week run up to the Christmas break. Hopefully our house will be finished on Tuesday and then we can see if there is any money left in the budget for redecorating. (Joel needs a new floor!)

Well off to bed -

:)

Car went through the MOT only needing 3 new bulbs!

We can go to Belfast for half term; Consultant is happy that we can get help there if Joel needs it, going back to hospital on 6th, 10th and 13th of November for jabs, blood tests, weigh ins and appointments with dietitian and consultant. So the boat is booked and off we will go!

Today on television there was a snippet with a large waterfall. Emily ran into the kitchen to get me only to bring me into the lounge to say, "the mountain is sad and it's crying, Mummy! Oh dear - can we make it happy?" Sooo sweet!

:(

Only 3 oz this week. Joel is maintaining on the 2nd centile and just not making the progress he needs to. We are waiting for the dietitian to call so that a new 'plan' can be put into place. He is back to the consultant paediatrician on 2 weeks.

Our car is currently going through it's MOT (well lets hope it goes through) and our house is being rewired from next Monday.

Half term starts on Friday and all is well.

Weekends away and family times

We have been away this weekend to Ashbourne in Derbyshire. We had a great time, the sun was shining despite wind and a chill. We visited Chatsworth House, Ilam Hall and the river with stepping stones at Dove Dale.It was lovely spending time with our little nephew Lucas, and for us learning about what it is like to travel with 2 children. (The car was so packed full; I think we take just as much for a weekend as we do for a week!)

In the Bjorn for the first time and very cosy!

Never too cold for ice-cream

Chilling out with the crossword

Nice red leaves, but I am not eating them!

Emily really liked the apple sculpture.

Cousins chilling out before bathtimeTwo boys who will be up to mischief in no time at all!

Joel is doing a little better, he put on 5 oz last week, he needs to put on much more to prove that he is growing and not just staying or maintaining. He had a jab of antibodies to protect him from Bronchilitis ( each jab costs £500 and he needs one every 28 days until March or April) and he has kept his tube in for over a week!

My parents came to visit before they go back to Romania tomorrow. We had lots of fun out and about.

Playing hospitals with Granny

Emily is being potty trained, she was doing well until this weekend. Today just one accident at our childminders so hopefully she is back to dry days. We need to crack that before we attempt nights.

Our house is being rewired next week, we have a great electrician who hopes to do it quickly and without making to much mess. Our floors need to come up in at least 2 rooms and we will need to redecorate at least 2 walls per room, it will be messy but it needs to be done!

We are waiting to find out on Wednesday if we can go to Northern Ireland at half term, we need to be out of the house as we will have no electricity. It will be nice to see my siblings and brother in laws as well as our 2 nieces and nephew. Hopefully the paediatrician will give us the ok!

I had a miracle today. The hospital where I have to take Joel is building a new carpark so it has closed one of the current ones leaving a mass shortage of spaces. Last week I tried for 35 mins to find one and was slightly late to our appointment. I was talking to our electrician who lives in the area who has a friend who has a double driveway 5 mins walk from the hospital. She phoned tonight to offer us the driveway at any time. Not only will it save me a lot of stress but money too. How cool is that? The lady has never met me but is willing to share her drive with me.

Also, when we arrived home yesterday our neighbour arrive with a pumpkin from her allotment for us to cook or carve. What a great neighbour. I am not sure if I have ever seen a dirty pumpkin before, only the shiny, clean ones from Tesco!

At last a family photo with all four of us standing up and with clothes on!