Scoping out Josh

This past year, Josh has had several cases of severe croup requiring a dose of steroids each time. This recurrent croup even warranted a couple of 911 calls in the middle of the night (see video below)... scary! Josh's ENT recommended, based on his history and current state, a laryngoscopy and a bronchoscopy, which was done a few days ago. His doctor showed me the pictures and even gave me a copy:

 

Just after the procedure. 
They let kiddos sleep as long as they want after these things...
unlike when we adults go through this and are forced to wake up as soon as possible.

Josh's doc told me that he found a shelf of scar tissue just beyond his vocal chords (as seen in image 003) giving him a grade 1 opening (meaning it is open only 50% of what it is supposed to be). Josh's doctor is now going to refer us to another ENT that specializes in this exact condition and will be able to give us better/more experienced advice for any future actions. I really have no idea how to proceed at this point. Josh doesn't seem to be affected by this when he is healthy, so I don't know if there is a need for correction at this point... but we'll see. His appointment with his new doctor is not until April.


Here is a video of one of his scary episodes that occured in September last year - it was the first time we called 911. His croup gets so bad that his breathing becomes severely labored, and his lips turn pale. He's had three more really scary episodes like this one since then, which is why we decided to see what the heck was going on:



Valentines Day

My two little Valentines this year!

I made them heart-shaped pancakes for breakfast. Brooklyn had a fun Valentines Day party at preschool. Unfortunately, Matt (my big Valentine) ended up working later than planned, so our original dinner plans failed and we ended up ordering from the restaurant to go. At least I still didn't have to cook that night, or do the dishes, etc., which is a good night for me. :)

Valentine breakfast - strawberries and heart-shaped pancakes.

Brooklyn's Valentines box.

Josh Turned 2!!!

Just two years ago, this adorable little man blessed our lives with his way-ahead-of-schedule birth:


 I can't believe that tiny 3 1/2 lb preemie has grown into this:


He is now weighing in at 25 1/2 lbs and is in the 21% in weight and height for a normal 2 year old.  Way to go Joshy boy! His head is even bigger than normal measuring in the 58%. Again... way to go Joshy boy! He is talking lots and has a pretty large vocabulary now with his favorite phrases being, "big truck", "watch Cars", "I love you" and "silly Josh/Brooklyn" and he can even count to 10 (okay... he tries to count to 10).  He loves his family and loves playing with his sister. He's a little antisocial with other kiddos and suffers from separation anxiety, but we're working on that. :)

For his 2nd birthday, we went out to eat the night before to his favorite restuarant: Chick Fil A! He got to play on the playground with his sister and even went down the slide for the first time, and second time, and third time, etc., etc., etc., and we had to pry him away from the slide to eat. :) He also got his first ice cream cone - his very own. 

Josh's first ice cream cone - he experimented with different
ways to eat it... this one being his favorite way.

Can you guess where he learned that from??? :)

For his birthday, which was a Sunday, we took cupcakes to church to share in nursery with Josh's other nursery buddies. That night we made home-made pizza (Josh's favorite food) and had cake in the shape of a "big truck". We invited our close friends/neighbors (the Reeds) to join us in the little party we had for Josh.

Opening his presents.

Josh's "big truck" cake.

Our little party for Josh with our friends, the Reeds.

He destroyed his piece of cake. :)

Then he tried to smear it on me.

My sweet little birthday boy.

Happy Birthday to our little Joshy boy!

New Years 2011

The day after Christmas we packed up our bags and drove up to Topsail, NC to enjoy a week at a lovely beachhouse (rentabeach.com/1082614) with my brother, Dan (thanks Dan and Dan's inlaws!), and his family and my sister, Shantel, and her family. It was a BLAST. Granted, it was too cold to enjoy the beach in its most traditional manner (with the exception of a couple of crazies who dared the freezing cold water one afternoon), but playing in the sand is just as fun when its cool outside as when it is hot. We also enjoyed long strolls along the shell and sea-glass filled shores. We brought back memories and lots of beautiful beach rocks and shells.

She seems so comfortable up there on the stage.

Josh and Nathan - Friends forever.

My AWESOME siblings.

Well of course we played Settlers!

Averi and Nathan figured out the best way to enjoy the beach.

A two-headed mermaid in the sand.

Kaili and Brooklyn warming up in the jacuzzi tub, bubble bath style.

Christmas 2011 - Better late than never, right?

The Christmas holidays 2011 were a blast (minus the colds we had to get through). First of all, I got most of the Christmas shopping done within the first week of December... way to go me! This year, Brooklyn really wanted to get Mom, Dad and even Josh a present, too. She truly enjoyed the spirit of giving there. We decorated a gingerbread house and ate it. Brooklyn's preschool had a wonderful Christmas party with a cute little program for the parents, too. Brooklyn got to try out ice skating for the first time. We had a church Christmas party. We went carolling to our neighbors. We made and decorated Christmas cookies for Santa. Made and ate our traditional, Christmas morning, made-from-scratch, cinnamon rolls (yum!). Enjoyed a wonderful Christmas church service, wherein I was priviledged to sing a solo. We then enjoyed our intimate Christmas at home with our little family. :) Hope everyone else had as lovely a Christmas as we did.

Our little gingerbread house.

Brooklyn's preschool Christmas program -
she's playing the triangle... and very well, too.

The Christmas party after the program.

Brooklyn ice skating for the first time. She really is a natural, too.
After just an hour, she was skating on her own.

Josh's cookie for Santa.
He couldn't help himself - he had to taste it.

Brooklyn's cookie for Santa.

Just after Santa left.

Brooklyn excited about putting the star on the top of her Christmas countdown tree.

Brooklyn was a VERY good girl this year. :)

Joshy was a VERY good boy this year, too.

My cinnamon rolls - they are getting better every year, too.  Can't wait till next year!