Lizzy's video

Larger screen on my blog.
http://blessedtobebrothers.blogspot.com/

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

This is why you check for h. pylori when your child comes home!

I'm thinking I'm even missing a couple! Color coding is a must. This is just h. pylori treatment...not our other meds. To clarify...Stas came home with it. I treated it improperly. (...didn't know the Prilosec is a MUST--he threw it up every time I gave it to him---everything in his stomach---I though it was only for symptoms, not treatment, so I stopped it--only 50-60% effective plan to kill h. pylori without Prilosec!) In the meantime, thought we were okay and we kiss and blow raspberries in his mouth, Ricky and Stas and I share food, etc....and we ended up with 6 of us total with it. Doesn't help that I tax my kids food and take a bite of everyone's food---BIG Goverment! Maybe I will lose a few pounds by not stealing my kids food!!

HAVE YOUR CHILD CHECKED RIGHT WHEN THEY GET HOME FROM EE!! You can eliminate the whole family needing to treat. And don't share your saliva until then :-)

One more thing....gross....but, do stool checks not blood tests. My recommendations. They aren't as effective. I had a negative blood work. Not convinced. Stool was positive. (You didn't know stool could be positive, did you?)

Let there be sound!

And there was sound!

Stas had surgery today to have PE tubes put in. We had an early trip to the hospital and he was so pleasant about it.

He had tubes and circ and it all went well. Great doctors. We were unable to get the ABR test done for the hearing but we will wait and see if he needs anything else to be sedated for and do it at that time. The circ isn't bothering him a bit....yay!

Here he is at almost 6pm and we are doing all sorts of "tests" (very official of course!) and he sure hears better. Unfortunately we won't know for a while just how he hears until he starts copying sounds or saying something other than "mama" and "baba." When I rub my fingers together behind his head he turns to see what it is. And, that is with all sorts of dried blood filling his canal. Sounds good huh?? Time will tell but I am somewhat optimistic. Unfortunately, when fluid is there for so long it causes anatomical problems from the prolonged pressure...we will see if that is the case with Stas.

Oh, did I mention that I love him...and I would like 100 more of him? Please pray for hearing...it's an extra challenge to learn without it.

Funny Stas

My cute little monkey. When I put him in here, he normally just hangs here. Not today. He's trying to put shoes on and scaling the door frame. Maybe he will be a window washer....

Sweet Anne Marie again! Look at those eyes.

Now if only I could get my voice off of that video...blasting on the cam. Turn your volume down so you don't have to hear me ordering Lizzy around to get in position. Poor Stas was a prop and it was lunch time. I was determined to get that sweetie on video.

This is sweet AnneMarie. I wanted you all to see her in action and see just how beautiful she is. She always had her eyes locked on us. She is very observant. Did I mention I love her?

Guess who is 4? Look at the cute things I find around my house.

My sweet Ricky turned 4 today! Yay! Lizzy and Maggie made Cookie Monster and Hopkins (from Signing Time--his sign language video---OBSESSED!) Aren't they cute?? He thought so. I remember waiting in the labor and deliver waiting room for him to be born. I was so excited and so nervous. What would he look like? Would he be sick? How was his heart? How will my life change?

He has enriched our lives (all of us!) in ways that I can't even express. And now Stas...oh wow. Did I mention that I would like 10 of these sweet kids?

Happy Birthday Ricky!!!

And then Stas....he is so cute and he has the hugest mouth!! Check this out. If you zoom in to this picture, you can see his tonsils perfectly. Yes, the ENT would be happy and I see what she means about keeping and eye on those buggers. Please don't be bothered with the playpen. After living in a crib and playpen for 3 years I feel bad putting him in it....but when it's bedtime, and we are all eating cake and ice cream and he has a little mind of his own and can disappear in an instant...we use the playpen. Then again, maybe that is why they did it in the orphanage...minus the cake and ice cream.
Look what cute little things I find around my house..aren't they the cutest things ever?

Stas

Ricky
So...Dan's brother had Down syndrome. He was born in the late 1950's. He died at the age of 18 when Dan was 12. He had a heart condition that these days would be corrected. They didn't do heart surgery on people with Down syndrome back then. Anyway, funny that Molly (my mother-in-law) had 2 very good friends have children with Down syndrome also. Isn't that neat? This is Bill (formerly Billy) who stopped by to meet our newest little guy. His mom was so excited and couldn't get enough of the boys. Bill is so very sweet. He is 40.

I am so proud of STAS!!!!!!!!

This is so exciting. Stas was not able to chew anything when he first came. Everything had to be soft of liquidy enough to swallow without chewing. We have pureed every meal...adding water, applesauce or summer bunnernut squash soup. We have been practicing chewing (via learning from Speech Therapy) to teach him to strengthen his jaw and to chew. Look what happened this afternoon!!!! My superhero! He is so cute....now if we can get rid of the h. pylori we can kiss him again....I have it too. It stinks (no pun intended!). I have to get EVERYONE'S poop today. Wish me well. Jealous?? If you are coming home with a little one from EE, PLEASE have them checked right away for it and don't let it go without aggressive treatment....Enjoy the video! I am.