Easter Update

This will be a quick update, but we ended up back in the ER Sunday night.  Caelen's g-tube came out again and this time I couldn't get it back in, so off to the new local children's ER we went.  I was surprised at how many children were in the ER Easter Sunday.  The staff said they had been busy all day, while the adult ER was pretty much empty.  What was going on - too much chocolate?  Egg hunts gone awry?  Skateboarding in the church parking lot?  It was weird.  Anyway...

My real reason for wanting to update is Caelen's newest "trick."  I mentioned that he can roll onto his tummy and prop himself up into a sitting position.  Well, he's mastered that one.  I put him down yesterday for a nap on the floor in his room (weird I know, but that's what he likes), go downstairs to start cleaning and I see him on the monitor playing with toys across the room.  I go back up there, lay him back down and proceed to clean upstairs.  All seems quiet, he's in the same position, then I hear his door close.  I try to get in and he has gotten back up and is on the other side pushing against me so I can't get in.  As soon as I do get in, Caelen goes into his crib and then went to sleep.  It was weird watching him nap in his crib which he hasn't done since August, but hey, desperate times.  It also took me 3 trips back upstairs at bedtime last night because he rolled over and got stuck.  Ahhh, the start of something new, lol.

Well, he's waking up, so I should beat him to the punch.  Have a great day!


Love, Katye, Martin & Caelen

L-A-Z-Y!!!

That would be me right now, Lazy!  We have been having so much fun with Caelen lately that I have neglected the blog and those of you who would like updates.  Sorry bout that.  I can say that I'll try harder and become more conscientious about getting on here, but heck, I already said in the first sentence that I am LAZY.  Well, now I have a lot to update so grab a cup of coffee and find a comfy chair, cause this one may take a while.

Before we start, I would like to quote Martin as I just heard him say to Caelen.  "Ouch buddy, that hurts, don't do that!"  This has become our mantra as of late.  Caelen is in full on toddler mode.  He slaps, bites, scratches and hits us with hard plastic toys.  I am assuming that Caelen must have hit Martin in the eye for the 2nd time this morning.  That is actually how Martin woke up too.  I brought Caelen in to say hello, and he immediately went for his eye.  It makes me laugh because I am that awful person that laughs hysterically when people get hurt, and today was no different.  This is probably why Caelen attacks, because as hard as we try not to laugh at the one that got ambushed, it's too hard not to.  Caelen gets his reaction and the cycle continues.

So apart from the single baby militia, Caelen is doing really well.  He is recovering from double ear infections that the local ER incorrectly diagnosed as pneumonia.  They never checked his ears and were about to admit us before I asked them to call our cardiologist.  Thank God they got through, because she told them to send us home on antibiotics.  Our rock star pediatrician saw us a few days later and gave us the wonderful news that it was just the ear infections along with a cold, or something resembling that.

Here's Caelen in the ER, happy little dude that he is

It did set us back about a week and he was back on oxygen during the day, but he is on the mend and his nose is no longer leaking like a faucet.  Let me tell you how hard it was being back on the darn oxygen.  Having been off of it during the day for a month, we got so used to freedom and total mobility.  Being tethered to those darn tanks stinks.  I am using kid friendly words here because I think the blog police frown on damn and words of that sort.

The monkey man visited the zoo last weekend for a friend's birthday party and he did really well.  He wanted out of the stroller but I really couldn't hold him and push the stroller with the oxygen and gear.  I chose the wrong place to wear flip flops.  Pushing stroller and Caelen and crap = 75+ pounds, then stupidly wearing flip flops to the MD zoo which is very hilly was pretty dumb.  My feet still hurt.  There's always a pedicure...

Here's Rylie and Caelen in the monkey house

Caelen is learning to sit up when he is laying on the floor.  It takes a little prodding, ok, well, it takes merolling him onto his stomach, but he can now get upon all fours and sit up.  He is getting very good at this in his crib and we typically have to rescue him because he gets stuck.  But it's progress.  He is also finally bearing weight on his feet and even standing with assistance.  He is starting to understand that the best stuff is above his head.  Which leads me to my next topic, his head. 

Let's face it, Caelen has a big head, made even larger by the last surgery.  So he is a bit off balance and falls backwards on his head about every 2 days.  I am struggling with teaching him to reach above his head and pull up on things, and on the other hand putting a crash helmet on him to keep child protective services away.  Do all kids fall this much when they are learning to stand/walk?  I feel like a bad mom sometimes.  Here's a pic of Caelen and my mom practicing on the freezer.

Caelen has also chosen his favorite toy, bronto.  Bronto appears in most photos because Caelen prefers bronto in his hand or mouth at all times.  So from now on, I am going to stop trying to get the perfect picture of Caelen's face because bronto is always there.  I fear the day we lose bronto...

Last but not least, we've had a wonderful preview of spring, and lots of play time outside.  Caelen loves Brid's water bowl and playing in it.  This has presented a problem because he plays with her bowls inside and outside, and aside from the mess, I fear Brid's patience may be wearing thin.  Luckily, she has been very kind to Caelen through all of the baby militia attacks and food/water sabotage.

We hope everyone has a wonderful Easter weekend and a great week.

Love, Katye, Martin & Caelen