Raspberries

This kid's appetite is suddenly amazing. All he wants to do is eat. We are struggling to accomplish much because we are always feeding him. This is after his bath a few days ago- he refused to go to bed,  he needed more Raspberries! 

Noah doesn't know it, but Elijah tried out his sword.  He said no pictures negate it isn't shaped yet. So keep in mind it's a work in progress. I'm so happy for a non- electronic activity. 

Sweet child.  He was looking at EJ, I can't remember why,  but he's so cute.  

This is the look you give when your toast is taking too long to cook!

As Jude would say,  " All better!"

Elijah helped me run errands today. This was his highlight,  making peanut butter at whole foods.  The machine had been broken the last couple of trips,  and we rarely make it out there, so we haven't had freshly ground peanut butter since CO!

Actually,  his highlight was probably eating a whole bag of "chocolate candy coated chocolate bites ' aka MnMs without dye. 

And this is what happens when you've already spent 500 before you get to Costco. Thankfully,  we were quick at Costco and we manged to squeeze it all in there!

Daddy's Baby

Judah refused to be "Mommy's baby" yesterday, insisting in being "Daddy's baby" despite Dad trying to make food. He was so happy to help Dad add lettuce to his wrap.  

Bryan took Judah with him to take the kids to taekwondo so I could clean up for book club last night and they stopped by a park. He sent me these pictures and I don't understand where my baby went. He also likes SO much like Jonah as a wee one. 

We were driving home a meeting at church tonight,  just the two of us (because Noah is learning to serve the Latin Mass so Bryan stayed behind with him), and it's all quiet in the car. I rarely have the radio on, I need that quiet!

Judah pipes up,  "Mommy,   you okay?"

Yes,  I'm okay,  are you? 

Yeah.  

5 seconds later he starts crying. 

Judah! What's wrong? 

CROCODILES!

CROCODILES?!? Where are the crocodiles?

Out there! 

Oh no! Did they get you? 

No.  

Oh good.  Well you should be safe now in the car.  

5 seconds later. 

"Bacon! Hot!"

Daddy told him to go home with Mommy and make bacon for dinner. But the crocodile thing...I didn't even know he knew that word!  And he said it so clearly. It must be in one of his books. Happy to report,  I saw no crocodiles and we made it home safely to make bacon. It's always an adventure!

Speaking of adventures, this kid (Noah) spent hours today making a wooden sword.  He ran away when I tried to take a picture-saying it was a prototype because the handguard cracked so I can't take a picture until it's final.  Hopefully, I will come back soon. 

I Need You!

Judah is starting to really rack up the phrases. Let's go!

Micah (et all) did it!

Kiss it!

Fix it!

Where guys go? 

Go away!

Go outside!

Boots on!

And my current personal fave...

I need you. 

Today it was,  "Daddy, I need you. Let's go.  Choo-choo." How do you say no to that? 

Somehow he did.  And Judah helped make sausage instead. Which he loved. And then had reflux. Poor kid. 

On the way to Mass, he needed everyone.  And no one complained much, except his dad who was trying to drive. He literally said I need you to every single person in the car. You can see they just adore him and dry exactly what he says. 

Others from the week.  

Tuesday, 88 degrees.  Wednesday, 58. He didn't love the fact he couldn't go out in his onesie, but the other children just thought he was so cute in this outfit. And shoes!

The Browns were on Thursday night.  Elijah didn't make it to half time.  

And wasn't happy when Mom woke him up for school Friday morning. This was him during the rosary.  

I was bound and determined to finish this sky be up this weekend, despite the trashed house and everything else.  Judah was very helpful.  And it was the only real accomplished of Saturday and Sunday, but it's finally done! (Now on to Selah's,  which you see is still back there waiting for wood filler and paint.]

Judah was helping with laundry.  And got this shirt on not couldn't get it off. Hilarious.  Photo cred, Micah.  

Got it!

Practicing after Mass Wednesday night,  almost looks rather professional.  

Elijah wanted to surprise the others with breakfast.  Judah helped.  They made scones. 

We had a potluck at our parish today. We were supposed to bring pulled pork. Bryan smoked about 25 pounds of pork during the Buckeyes game last night and then put it in the oven to keep cooking low and slow. I had gone to bed early with a headache, but we do this all the time so I wasn't worried.

I woke up during the night and thought it was weird I couldn't smell the meat. This is actually what I hate about the overnight- in- the- oven method. I have a hard time sleeping because the smell of the meat annoys me. 

However, I still don't have normal smell a year post-covid, so I chalked it up to that.

And got up this morning to 117 degree meat that was in an oven that was off. 

While some sources suggest it'll be fine, others did not and we weren't into giving our parish food poisoning. It was sad to throw this all away! 

Then I made 2 pans of GF brownies. That came out like this. 

So I went to Meijer at 8 am and paid way too much money for more meat and GF brownie mix. I pressure cooked 8 pounds of pork, because that was ask there was time for. Not nearly the same,  but it was edible. And the other brownies came out just fine. What a morning. 

The potluck itself went very well and had more people than expected!

The his played cornhole after they ate and the kids chalked the sidewalk. (It was 86 degrees today! )

This was a pants-less Judah refusing to go home.  (He's lost some weight again and his pants kept falling off so Selah just took them off.)

And this. Seriously. He had surgery barely a week ago. They cut him to his belly button. His abdominal muscles are so thin thanks to the Prune Belly that you can see his intestines.  And he's over here like every other kid with no issues. It's a little mind boggling, I don't even know what to think!

There were car show signs by the church and Elijah convinced me to drive past even though it was 530. There wasn't much left but we saw this beauty!!

And then I realized there were TWO C-1s. He couldn't believe they were left unattended. 

This mustang followed us almost the whole way home. Elijah kept asking me to show down so that guy could catch up... you know, in case he wanted to come up at a stop light and just give us his car. As if that happens?! And, I mean, it's not a Corvette so...I guess I'd take it but still. The Minivan is rather practical and the insurance is less. 

EJ writing prayer requests to put under his sleeping St Joseph. He didn't want me to see them so I hope they didn't have anything to do with electronics! We're on a screen break right now and they aren't the happiest about it. 

St Jude

This kid took a shower and towel-dried his hair...and clearly needs a haircut because it dried like this! He thought it was hilarious but then ultimately decided he didn't want to be seen like this and wet it and combed it. 

Also, he looks so big! Maybe it's just the goofy face, but he certainly doesn't look a baby anymore! 

We made clay tablets with some friends while learning about ancient history this week. I forgot to take a picture of the finished product, but it broke ont he way home so he wants to try again, anyway. Maybe I'll take a picture then. 

Our church had the traveling relics of the Saints last night. It was very cool. (You can learn more here.) The priest gave a great presentation,  and then we were able to touch all the relequries holding the relics. Jude wasn't as excited as his mama. 

But at perhaps the 8th table he started screaming "that one! That one!." I assured him we would get there soon, there were others in line. As we got to the one he pointed to and was trying to grab, I saw it was the 11 apostles, including St Jude. 

Y'all,  he never tried to hold any other and often pushed them away as I tried to touch them to his abdomen. This one he grabbed and hugged! He did not want to put it down. A lady there took this picture and sent it to Father who was kind enough to forward it to me. Notice his bear hug (and my fear he would drop it!)

It was a sweet moment, and we can only continue to pray for any and all miracles that God has planned for this guy. 

St Jude, pray for our Jude! 

Wednesday...

Look who's acting like his old self already! Thanks for all of the prayers! He's doing great.  Only a little bit of fussing while voiding today,  so we seem to be doing just fine with no other worry of infection. 

These aren't the best pictures, but he looks SO much like Jonah did. I think it's probably mostly the curls, which aren't at their best here.  

He ate a great dinner. We had chili lime chicken and Mexican rice, but for some reason he thought there was going to be broccoli and was disappointed when he saw no broccoli on his plate. Thankfully, there was some left over in the fridge so it was an easy fix and he loved it all. 

Yay! Broccoli!

I mean,  how can you beat that kind of thanks? For broccoli! 

Broccoli wasn't enough excitement, we also went for ice cream after Mass tonight. Judah enjoyed some raspberry Dole whip. 

which was cold!

Elijah just looked so cute in his shirt that matched his glasses. It's a good thing he needs a haircut and couldn't find a belt so he isn't quite so unbearably adorable. 

Food!

Well, today wasn't all that bad of a day. 

A nurse wrote back first thing this am,  and asked if Judah was taking his ditropan for bladder spasms. The thought was that perhaps spasms were causing the pain.  

As it turns out, no, he wasn't. It's been as needed even in the hospital, and we never ended up giving him any because we didn't see any evidence of any spasms. (Of course, hard to say as he is one.) 

So the suggestion was to give that 3x a day and continue pain meds. I'll spare you the work that it was to find a pharmacy with ditropan in a syrup for a child, and tell you after 2 hours of calling, I did find it. I thought we'd have it by lunch but I got a notification that it was delayed for insurance reasons at 1130. The message said I needn't do anything other than wait, so I waited until 3 when I started to worry we wouldn't be able to get it today. I called and we eventually determined that they had marked him as female and that's why it was denying it. 

Bryan picked it up on his way home,  but then I told him I hadn't heard him cry at all about it all day.  One of the side effects is urine retention and that made us nervous (seeing as how that's already an issue.) Plus, he seemed to be doing much better!

Long story short, he fussed just for a second in the bath but then went back to playing.  He definitely seemed pretty much normal today, so we have him Tylenol and his Bactrim and skipped the ditropan for now.

I do hate looking like a crazy person, but I guess if I can look crazy but Judah's actually doing just fine without intervention, I'll take it. 

He ate a bit better today, too!

Please pray we are wise in doing what is best to keep him healthy and out of the hospital!

Eating a "hunk," one of his favorite things. Mine,  too.

Getting make muffins. Dad is to thank for this disaster. (Note Elijah's concern here.)

He was such a good helper and so proud.  I suppose that makes up for some of the mess!

Home with Judah

Before I get into playing catch up, it seems like Judah has a UTI. I have messaged his doctor and expect he'll bring him in for a culture tomorrow.

 Please pray for Judah's comfort into then,  as well as accurate results and accurate antibiotic sensitivity, should we need to switch then up. He is in Bactrim right now to, in theory, prevent this type of thing, but I think it either just isn't a strong enough dose or it is the wrong antibiotic for the job.

You may recall that this happened last time,  but else didn't catch it until much later and his fever was 105 by the time we got to the hospital... leading us into another 4 day stay.

I actually told Bryan the second thing I was going to do when in came home Saturday was pack a return bag. I felt like that was good insurance. (The first, of course,  was take a shower!)

Well, I didn't pack that bag. So I'll be doing that in the am!