Christmas card

I tried and tried to find a website to upload individual pics of the kids to make a Christmas card, but could not find one for 5 kids, all were up to 4................

Oscar's pic is not very Christmas(y), it's his latest band pic..............they came in seond at "the battle of the bands" in Tampa last week, so even though I really do NOT like the music.......I am proud of his dedication and I guess the kid has talent !! Did I mention he made All State in concert choir !!!


So, merry Christmas everyone and a Happy, healthy 2010 !!!! ( better late than never)

Nice surprise !!!!!!!!!!!

The day before Christmas, in the midst of all the mayhem, we actually had a delivery of an "edible ornament" I was so excited ! It was from Oscar's girlfiend's mom and grandma, so very nice and thoughtful ! It was part of our Christmas breakfast, delicious !

200 cookies

These posts are going to be as topsy turvy ( watched too much Hunchback of Notre Dame) dis-combobulated ( is that actually a word to spell..or just to say LOL)as these Christmas days have been !!

Anyhoo, because I do so try to be the mom that does all these fun things with her kids...........( T...R...Y) I had decided it would be wonderful to all bake cookies together, put them in decorative tins and deliver them to our neighbors and friends.
And not the store bought dough that you cut slices.................NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Fancy ones, peanutbutter and regular with a Hershey's kiss in the middle........

The kids actually did pretty good...............it was fun..........for a while........and then one after the other got bored and I was left to finish with a pile of dough....................oh well......................................

Time for the next tray in the oven..........................wait a minute..........
all the hershey kisses were missing their little tips..........mmmmmmmmm.........

SEBASTIAN..................................................@$##^%$%@&^%&^*&^!!!!

LOL LOL LOL I had to laugh, little sneak !!!!

So Christmas crept up !

I will HAVE to make some changes next year !! Too hectic and crazy ! The day before Christmas Eve L still had an appointment, all went well, but it takes a chunk out of your day ! Christmas Eve I did the food grocery shoppong in the morning, the afternoon was spend in relative calm until it was time to get dressed for church, the family service was at 4 pm and all the kids were in the Christmas play !

They all did good, Sofia said her lines loud and clear ( she was the inn-keeper's wife) Lili smiled looking at baby Jesus in the manger, she was Mary (I only had to wave a couple of times to remind her to keep her fingers out of her mouth ! LOL )
Sebastian was one of the 3 kings, LOL, he was a clown, and then laid down and fell asleep typical ! Max decided he did not want to do it, he was super hyped up, so he stayed with L in the nursery. L chose this day as the first time he would have a major separation crying fit...............poor baby. Good sign though !!

On the way home we picked up pizza and the kids went to bed early. I went to bed at 1 am after wrapping all the presents, putting them under the tree, etc

Christmas morning I was up with the boys at 6.30 am, rise and shine ! I started breakfast prep (biscuits & cheese, bacon ) and I think those smells helped waking up the rest of the crew.

I told the kids we would not open any presents until after I ahd taken L to his visit ( started at 9 am ) So after I dropped him off I ran back home, and we started opening presents. I think the kids were all happy with what they got ! The whole thingw as interupted twice by L's mom, first she needed to know what time he last ate, then she called again to tell me she forgot she was out of formula, if I could meet her mom at the CVS ( our meeting place for visits).......................sigh

That afternoon, I cooked up a storm, arroz tapado (peruvian rice with olives and raisins) sweet potatoes with marshmellows, green beans&bacon, mashed potatoes, corn, white rice, pork roast and some more stuff I forgot.............................

I love to cook...........................it's not worth it though..................at dinner time, all was ready and hot, all timed perfect, except for my oldest was still at the movies.............and my husband was having a drink, so he wanted to wait................he actually asked me why I was setting the table.................what's the rush..............I swear I could have strangled someone.............................................................

Christmas is creeping up.....

I had one of those "oh my God" moments this afternoon, 2 more days until Christmas. Two more presents to get, for Sofie, still need to wrap. Christmas play is Thursday and all the kids are in it.......

pfffffffffffffffff, no wonder I have a headache ! Oh and tomorrow L has a neuro appointment, today he was supposed to have a 2 hr visit with dad, who showed up late and so the visit was cancelled........

This morning I did a team building exercise with the kids, they emptied the pantry together, LOL, and we put everything back in it nice and neat.

The weather is still cold, I am making some fried rice (nasi)now, waiting for the rice, so I can mix it in, so I had 2 minutes.

Sofia made a really sweet card for her sister, and she wanted her to have one of the presents that she received last Saturday, and she made an ornament with he rpicture on it. On the card she wrote;

"dear best sister, I love you, I hope you have really great Christmas with your new family"

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

B is going for a week's visit with her pre-adoptive family, we could use some extra prayers that all will work out !!! She can not live with us, if she could we would have adopted her years ago.

She has always stayed in our hearts and she deserves her own forever family !! (has been in fostercare for 9 years, UGH)

It is freezing !!!

Well, actually not really freezing, as in below zero ( stil going in Celcius) but pretty close to it !!!

L and Sebastian woke up at their regular time, so we have been up for a little while, it's 7.30 am now. I made myself a slice of "weihnachtstolle" that I found in a locl store. Oma had left some real butter in the fridge (something I never, ever buy) Yummy !!!

L really, really seems to be chunking up a little, his legs are getting fatter and all of a sudden he doesn't fit clothes anymore. I have been adding some cereal to his overnight feeds, to help with his reflux and for some extra calories, seems to be working !! His mom is doing better and better, communicating more and more, calling me during her visits to ask questions and in general seeing me more as part of her team instead of the enemy..................that always helps !! L seems much more comfortable as well. There's still things to work on, but it's all been positive lately ! Last visit grandma came with a huge tin of homemade cookies for us, very thoughtful and nice. It can not be easy being "one the other side" of the whole thing and I always try to be aware and sensitive to that. L will have a visit on Christmas Day, they will pick him up at 9 am.

Oscar just woke up, he had a "battle of he bands" last night in Tampa and his band actually came in 2nd...............not too shabby.................

I better splash some make up on my face....................gotta head out soon to OT/PT and feeding therapy.

oh happy days....................

NOT, geez................................where to start, where to start.............

Had some real bad, weird days.........you know, the ones where every flipping thing that can go wrong, goes wrong..............................and Christmas creeping up............and not even having bought one present yet...................the lights are in the tree, but no ornaments yet.................................

All in all, enough to make me feel like a bad mom....................not enough hours in the day to do everything, lack of energy and still recuperating.

Today................so far, so good. Did some major shopping this morning........
Bought gifts for the kids, a big item each, and 2 smaller things, that will be it, really, they do not need any more stuff !

And for myself, just because it's something to make my life easier, and if I don't buy it for myself, no one will.......................a Dyson vacuum cleaner, the Mercedes, the Jaguar of vacuum cleaners..................it was on sale, I have been drooling over it for a while and finally thought..............WHY NOT (kinda feels good to have more of a why not attitude !) Almost $300, without blinking an eye (okay almost without blinking !) it's a lot lighter and has a lot of power, it actually lifts up the rug, that's how strong it is..........I'm psyched !!!!!!!!!!

Oh and in Big Lots I actually found a Kerstmis stol MET spijs, it's aspecial "bread" we eat for Christmas, mjammie, (er is geloof ik nog roomboter hi hi)

Good to be back, sorry I didn't post for a while.........................

waiting......................

Waiting on the second part of the blood test today, the first part was not so good, the white blood count is up..............can you believe it.............we're hoping it's not because he's sliding without the second antibiotic.................

Praying the protein test is more promising..............

Now he is loose and walking around. When he first got out of bed he was very, very wobbly, but it's getting better. We put on regular comfy clothes as well, brushed our hair, put on some "colonia"

He ate a cheese stick and 4 M&M's, is drinking water and papa is bringing him some french fries.

I just had a half tuna sandwich, the nurses were ordering out and included me, we love these girls, they always take such good care of all of us. Beanie babies for the kids at home, Sebastian has gotten several "prizes" ( Connect 4, Mr potato Head set, block puzzle, playdoh, etc, etc)

brotherly/sisterly love

some pics

These were all taken at the adoption picnic a couple of weeks ago. The kids had so much fun, we all released balloons for all the kids that are still waiting for their forever family.

maybe tomorrow...............?

Hopefully, we're praying............he's off O2, IV fluids at minimum (just to keep IV going for meds) stopped one antibiotic and the other one is one that we can do at home................

Food intake is not a huge concern, that's where the feeding tube comes in handy ;)

He is drinking water, especially after a couple of doses of nyastatin for his mouth...............

He wants to go home, he is dying to see his new bike that oma bought him this morning, she found it at a garage sale in our neighborhood, it's looks brand new, Hot Wheels bike.

Oma sat with Sebastian this afternoon, I went home and had L for a couple of hours. He is such a good, good baby. I cooked while he was playing, but he would crawl and hang against my legs, wanting a cuddle/hug, and then he would go play again, such a little lovebug !! when the girls came home, they were tickled pink to see him ! Papa took the kids to see G force and then dropped off max at a birthday at Bounce U. busy day for everyone !

I can't wait for everyone to be home again, regular life......oh and papa put up the Christmas tree while I was picking up Max and dropping off L. I think that's the first time LOL

off oxygen

Sebastian has been off O2 since late this morning, YEAH !!
He has slept a lot today............when the doc needed him to sit up for a minute, he could literally not keep himself upright. He's very, very weak.

Papa came up late afternoon so i could go home and take the kids to the annual tri county Christmas party. When it was their turn to talk to Santa, Max told him right away that his baby brother was in the hospital and he needed a present ! LOL

When I came back to the hospital, Sebas was just waking up, he had been sleeping since 6.30, until 8.30, when I came in. He was awake for a while, looked at his present ( a Tonka firetruck) had to have blood drawn, I checked his MicKey button, since for some strange reason he is leaking milk from around his button ???
When it was time for his breathing treatment, he was crying that his mouth was hurting and i found out he has massive white spots on his tongue and gums, thrush.....................ouch !! (spruw)

Poor thing....................

So, even though he's doing better, he's still very, very sick and his pneumonia is still pretty bad, lots of crackling in his lungs. He cries throughout his CPT (where they pound his back and sides to loosen the crap in his lungs) I know that hurts, but it's the only way, unfortunately................

Tomorrow afternoon, L will be home for a couple of hours, so the kids can play with him, Oma will be keeping Sebas company, peace and quiet for her !! sebastian is such a good patient, he just wants to watch scooby Doo over and over (ad nauseum) LOL

what a difference !

Sebastian had a good night, slept good, did not need extra O2 when sleeping, he actually went down to 3 L overnight and now is on 2 L !

He woke up and wanted to go to wal-mart...............LOL, definitely a good sign ! he has asked for food, but not taken more than a couple of small bites, that's okay though, we'll bolus some pediasure later.

Nebs are still Q2 (every 2 hrs) and we are now doing CPT (chest "pounding" therapy as we call it LOL) to loosen the junk and get him to cough.

Papa is coming in a while, so I can go home and have a shower. Oma is holding down the fort. Sofia stayed home with her today, her guinea pig Spikey died overnight, so Sofie was pretty upset :(

I guess we'll have a little "service" in the backyard later this afternoon for Spikey........................

guess where we are........

Yup, inpatient at the local hospital...................UNBELIEVABLE !

Yesterday monring sebastian woke up at 5 am coughing like crazy, finally did fall asleep again. When we all got up, he had a fever, cough, nothing too, too bad. Took him to the doctor, left with a couple of RX's, nebs Q4, steroids, pretty "normal"

fast forward to this morning...........nebulizer.....not doing a whole lot of good, fever...........up to 39.7 under arm, belly breathing, retracting, nostrils flaring and on and off grunting.
RT came 45 minutes after a neb treatment, pulse oxygen.....89 %, which means a one way ticket to the ER. Once we were up in the room on peds, he really started crashing, in the ER he was on 2 L oxygen, upstairs he went to 3 then 4 liters and was barely hanging between 91-93. Grunting constantly, looking gray, so doc started talking about transfer to All children's intensive care, intubation, etc...........................he had us all worried sick !!

Around 4 pm he started coming around a little, fever going down a bit, actually opening his eyes, etc. Still very sick, but holding his own for right now. IV fluids, 2 antibiotics going, tylenol/motrin round the clock, nebs Q2.

Poor baby, he's such a trooper, he's sleeping, which is what i should be doing.................papa went to work tonight (after taking the day off, Oma went with me to carry/lift Basje) Oma went home ( driving all by herself) Oscar brought me the laptop, and some stuff I forgot (phone charger, clean underwear LOL)

Hopefully he'll continue to do good tomorrow, it would be nice if we can be home before the weekend !!