A few videos

The first one is Noah playing in some waves. The second is the feeding of the seagulls. Enjoy!

A long overdue beach review

It's been almost a month since we've returned from our trip to the beach...and I'm just now getting around to posting about it. My excuse is that this is our busiest time of year at work -- we have a class finish and a class start in the same week. I worked over 50 hours last week, which is no fun for a woman who is almost 8 months pregnant. I am still recovering, I think!

Anyway, enough about me and my complaining, right? You want to hear about Noah at the beach. He had the time of his life. I think that first picture says it all -- it was pure bliss from the moment he stepped foot in the sand. This picture was shortly after we arrived and had unpacked the Jeep. We walked down (Walt & I still in our clothes) just to take a walk. I did put Noah in a swimsuit - just in case. I will chalk one up to a good parenting decision there. Of course, a 4 year old isn't going to want to just take a walk. He's going to want to dive right in. He was soaked within seconds, and Walt finally gave up, unloaded his pockets, left me on the sand and dove right in with Noah.

We were busy every day and luckily the weather was perfect beach weather. We managed to fit in some mini golf, nights on the boardwalk and lots of good food. The highlight for Noah though was feeding the seagulls. The gulls ate really good the week we were there - we saved food from dinner for them (fries, shrimp tails, rolls), fed them a half a box of Cheerios, and even bought several bags of popcorn to feed them. I'm surprised they didn't follow us home. Noah would actually cry when he ran out of food, and make all of us tell the gulls goodbye and we'll see them later.

The weird thing about seagulls is that they can hover over you while catching food in mid-air. There were a few times that we were surrounded by our feet and over our heads. And miraculously somehow none of us were pooped on. If you're ever looking for the best thing to feed a seagull (the most fun that is, I don't think they care what they eat) - Ritz Crackers. You can throw them like a frisbee and the seagulls catch them out of mid-air. :)

I will end with our funniest beach story - the one night at dinner, we start saving up things to take with us to feed the gulls. We then noticed that on the table next to us there was a package of Ritz crackers left there. So we asked the bus boy if we could have them. At the end of the meal, the waitress brings us a box and we pack up all kinds of leftovers in it (even a roll that fell on the floor). As we're walking out of the restaurant, Walt drops the box all over the floor. Of course, seagulls don't care if their food has been on a dirty floor, right? So we scooped it all up and leave. Walt was laughing hysterically, thinking about everyone in the restaurant watching us steal food from other tables and the floor - then dropping ALL of it on the floor and packing it back up. Perhaps there's a blog somewhere out there telling the tale of the "poor" family who had to take so much food and even ate it after it was on the floor. ;)

One Liners

Here are a few of the short funny things Noah's said lately:

1) He asked Walt if they're going to dig the baby out of my belly with a shovel. (Dear Lord I hope not!)

2) I was drinking a Diet Coke the other day and he asked for a drink. He was also talking like a baby. I said "No, especially because you're talking like a baby and babies can't drink Coke". He looked at me and said "Well, YOUR baby is drinking Coke when you drink it". Touche. I guess he had me there. :P

3) My aunt is watching him while his daycare is closed for vacation. He was helping her and he put some Kleenex on my cousin's dresser for her. He swiped his fingers across her dresser and said to my aunt "Boy, she sure does need to dust in here!"

The surgery

It's been almost 2 weeks since the surgery and I'm happy to say that I think Noah is back to his old self again! And he's eating like a horse. Walt even joked yesterday that he's going to tell any other parents of "non-eaters" that the solution is to have their tonsils removed. (For example on Friday for dinner he ate: pasta, blackberries, applesauce, 1/2 jelly sandwich, fruit cup and a popsicle! This is almost a week's worth of dinner for the "old" Noah!)

Anyway, everyone at Children's Hospital was so awesome! We arrived at 10:30 on the day of his surgery - and were quickly called to the pre-op room. We met with some nurses and then the anesthesiologist came in. He was so wonderful and even did some magic tricks with Noah. Noah was totally at ease with him. They also allowed one of us to accompany him to the OR, where we could stay with him while they put the sleepy gas on him, so he wouldn't have to see us leave. I didn't think I'd be able to hold it together, so Walt went with him. The doctor let Noah have a choice of walking down or being wheeled in his bed -- and he walked. So it was like a parade through the halls - a couple of doctors, Walt, Noah and me. We got to a set of double doors and one of the doctors held back and told me that this is where I exit the parade to head to the waiting room. It was so hard to leave him...but it helped that he wasn't scared or upset. It was also hard not to cry my eyes out as I checked in with the people in the waiting room. But, I must say I did pretty well! Walt arrived about 10 minutes after me and said that Noah was sound asleep when he left.

Then we waited. And while it was only about 30 minutes, it seemed to last forever. In walks his doctor (a shout out to Dr. Chi -- he was really awesome!), he comes over to us in the waiting room and asks us to follow him to a little private room. Now, when you watch as much tv as I do, you know that on medical dramas, they only take the people to a private room for BAD news. This was probably the longest (20 foot) walk of my entire life. But, my nervousness was quickly washed away when the doctor informed us that everything went perfectly -- in fact, so perfectly that he was breathing without any problems and we would NOT be admitted to the ICU. I could have hugged him, seriously! He said as soon as he woke up we could go back to recovery. And in this few minute conversation, he must have said 3 or 4 times just how LARGE his tonsils really were.

We waited again, but this time, the waiting wasn't as bad. In fact, Walt & I downed zebra cakes and pretzels (it's the lunch of champions, don't you know) - because we hadn't eaten since early that day and it was now after 1pm. We ate breakfast early before Noah got up since he wasn't allowed to eat -- I would have felt awful eating in front of him. When we walked in to recovery, he was sitting up, eating a popsicle. The poor little girl in the bed next to him had the same surgery and was crying to the point of making herself sick -- it was awful to hear that.

They came to take us to his room, which was very nice. He ended up eating 2 packages of Jello and since he did well with that, they approved him having a soft dinner. He had a rough night that night - and fought us like crazy to take the tylenol with codeine. But all in all - I think he did great. We're slowly introducing more food within the past few days and he's doing great. He has a follow up on July 22.

And while I hope to NEVER have to return to Children's Hospital again, I will say that the commercials are definitely true. If you have children, be glad you have Children's. It was a wonderful experience, I honestly can't say enough good things about it.

Sleep Studies, Tonsils and Adenoids...Oh My!

I mentioned a few weeks ago that Noah needed to see an ENT about his tonsils. At the first appointment, it was determined that he does have extra large adenoids that block his nose and that those would definitely have to come out -- he wanted us to go for a sleep study to determine if his tonsils would come out as well.

Last Thursday, we headed out to Wexford for the study. The Tech had us put in a movie that we brought and then she came in with her cart full of wires. She glued 8 electrodes to his head, several on his face, a few on his chest/belly, two on each leg - plus he had to wear this thing that went between his lip and under his nose and one of those oxygen tubes (like where the two prongs go up your nose). My poor baby looked like a robot! I have no idea how he even slept - but he fell alseep right away. And he really took it all in stride -- I think I'd have cried if they wanted to hook me all up like that. They told us it would take 2-3 weeks for results.

On Monday morning, the ENT's office called us and informed us that he does have sleep apnea and they wanted us to come in for our follow up appointment on Tuesday morning. Wow! Already, they were fast! As it turns out, the doctor that reviewed the study was so concerned about Noah, that she emailed his doctor over the weekend. He stops breathing 19 times per hour.

At the appointment, he advised us that of course because his tonsils are obstructing his breathing and causing the apnea, he wants them out ASAP. Like within a week. He also ordered an EKG because the stopping breathing can cause heart problems - which was probably one of the scariest things that has ever been said to me. So we schedule the surgery (for Tues, June 30), head for pre-op bloodwork and an EKG. And here I thought we'd be in and out just like the last appointment! (I am happy to report that his EKG did come back normal, thank God!)

Typically, they do the tonsils/adenoids surgery as outpatient. But, because of him having the apnea, they want him to stay overnight, in the ICU. Again, I know it's just precautionary and because there will be a doctor there at all times...but hearing that my child has to be in the ICU scared me so much. And of course, they have to tell you the worst case scenario, which most likely won't happen (he could get fluid in his lungs as his body learns to breathe without obstruction), but it's still a lot to take in.

So if you have some prayers or good thoughts to offer to Noah on Tuesday, we would appreciate them. I will be happy when all of this is over - I haven't slept well since we found out, I must check on him (to make sure he's breathing) a hundred times a night.

The 4 year old animal activist

I think if you're one of the readers of our blog, you know by now that Noah likes animals. A lot. In fact, I have learned more about some wild animals in the past 2 years than the rest of my life. I've also learned all kinds of new and obscure animals. (Can you pick out an Okapi or a Tapir?) This is a story about how no matter how big or small (or even if it has vertebrae), Noah loves them all. It's a story about worms.

Walt is a big fisherman. And of course, he wants to share his hobby with Noah. He got him his own pole last year and they've been practicing casting. (Noah is actually really good - much better than me....but I only ever went with Walt when we were dating...you know, because that's the kind of thing girlfriends do. And wives say "eh, I'll stay home and read!") A few weeks ago, Walt planned to take Noah fishing one sunny afternoon. A few days before he had gone out on his own to the river, and had bought worms. He took the leftover worms with them fishing.

They get to the pond and Walt proceeds to get out a worm, cut it in half, and put it on the hook. Much to Noah's horror! He said to Walt "SHAME on you, Daddy!!!" He was appalled that not only did Walt kill the worm, make him bloody, but he was also going to feed him to the trout. He made Walt promise that this would be the last worm that went to a watery grave, and instead they brought them home and set them free in our garden. It was the first thing he told me when they got home! (All about Walt, the worm killer!)

I figure at this rate, he'll be vegetarian by the time he's 5...and he'll be throwing cans of red paint on fur coats at the ripe old age of 7.

The Par-Tay

A few days after his real birthday, Noah had what he likes to call his "fake" birthday. (AKA a party that is NOT on your actual birthday). We had a party at the park near our house. It's the perfect spot because 1) there is plenty of room for everyone 2) there is a playground for all of the kids to keep busy on 3) I have no mess at my house. (And guess which one is my #1 motivator to have the party at the park??) The playground. What were you thinking? ;)

The theme for this year's party was Scooby Doo. He has a major crush on Daphne from the show. He's always telling us how he buys her makeup. And he also told us the reason he likes Daphne and not Velma is that he only likes girls who wear make-up. Yes, he is 4. (He must have a thing for red heads because "Jane the wife" from The Jetsons is also one of his "girls". ) Anyway, here is the cake that my cousin Holly made for him. She always does such a fantastic job...and the cakes taste good too!

He had a few friends at the party and one of the big hits was the pinata. They all took turns taking a whack at poor Scooby. He held together pretty well, until finally we let my 14 year old cousin take a turn, and he knocked his head clean off. Then it was a kid swarm on the candy and treats we stuffed him with!

He got a lot of nice presents - and had fun running around with his pals. So I'd say his "fake" birthday was a success!