Lots of stuff

It's been a while since I've been able to sit down and write a thorough blog post. Be warned this post will contain a lot of stuff and some photos are not for the faint of heart (Napp's back scar)...so if it is easy to make you queasy, I'll give you a warning before you get to the icky photos so you can scroll quickly past them.

Where to start...

Napp - He is feeling better each day. He walks around with a walker, is eating and drinking well, and getting plenty of rest. The nights are rough. His first night home found him awake every two hours. Luckily I was close by to help him and administer his medication. A highlight yesterday was that he was able to shower. Although getting into the tub was not pleasant for him, he liked the end result. And selfishly, I did too, after surgery on Tuesday and three days in the hospital, he was smelling ripe. Last night he read two bed time stories to Xylie. She had to stand behind his recliner. Napp is appreciating all the cards and well wishes he's receiving. I know that encouragement and prayers from others lift his spirits.

Mustering a smile



WARNING -- THE NEXT PHOTO IS NOT FOR THOSE WHO GROSS OUT EASILY (Actually, even though this is his own back, this is not a good picture for Napp to look at. Recently, our friend, Ted, put a picture of his swollen ankle on his blog. The ankle looked terribly sore and I felt bad for Ted. Napp, in addition to feel bad for Ted's pain was grossed out by the photo. So, if you gag while watching ER or CSI and if bruises make you want to hurl advert your eyes and scroll quickly. For those of you in the medical and science fields or those who just think stuff like this is cool then take a look. The photo below was taken last night of Napp's wound. It's long, nasty and sealed with more than a dozen staples.

Xylie - Her weak stomach may disqualify her from the medical field, but Xylie's kind heart and empathetic spirit are much needed in any role. She has been very helpful to and concerned about her daddy. She is helping him and me in every way that she can. Another cool update on Xylie is that she recognizes the 26 letters and the numbers 1 through 10. Additionally she knows the sound that almost every letter makes and can name many words that start with each sound. Very fun. Below are some pictures of her just being silly and having fun. You may notice that she has some bruises on her head and eye. On Wednesday, she tripped over some bags and flew head first into the door post. She's healing, but it was quite the nasty fall.

Zayden - Little Z-man is 10 months old and has cute two more teeth. He now has two teeth on bottom and two on top. He soaks about five bibs a day with drool. He's loving the extra chewing power. He's also getting ready to walk. He pulls himself up on everything (He LOVES Napp's walker). He especially enjoys looking out the windows. He says Mama, Dada, and Duck. The boy would live in the bathtub if he could and adores his massive collection of rubber duckies. Actually it's Xylie's collection, but he has a few of his own and she does share.

Carleigh - Poor little Carleigh-Mae just had a seizure today. She's been seizure free for four months. Right now she's recovered and resting comfortably on her doggy bed. She really had me worried earlier. It was like she was gasping for air. Fortunately she stopped seizing and is breathing fine. If she has another one today I'll have to take her to the vet. She's been eating more than usually now that Zayden is eating solids, so perhaps she just overfilled her tummy? Or perhaps it is the walker making her nervous (she doesn't like anything that rolls) and that is causing the seizures. Poor doggy.

Furniture changes - Napp's mom, SuZan was here since last Saturday. She just left to go back to Georgia last night. She was a tremendous help and also provided emotional encouragement. We were all sad to see her leave, especially Xylie. One surprise from her visit is that we got new furniture. Napp's doctor suggested that he get a real recliner so Suzan bought him one. While she was at the furniture store she saw a stylish new sleeper sofa...having been tired of sleeping on our uncomfortable futon she bought the couch for us on a whim. It matches the chair perfectly and is easily converted to a bed and lounger. It is a sangria color which does not match my former decor (chocolate brown and red) but that's ok. I have some sage things that nicely compliment the sangria and I plan to someday decorate our bedroom in red and chocolate. What romantic colors for a master bedroom. I'm so excited to start that project. It will be a few months before I can do so, but I'm thankful for the game plan. We gave away our futon and old chair/recliner thingy and we sold the glider I had. It was a bit painful for me to part with the glider as I spent many hours nursing both my babes in that blue rocking chair, but it was time. We just don't have the space for furniture we do not need.

Another change in our decor is that I brought toys into our living room. I have resisted this for some time, but the kids room was getting crowded and long story short, it just fits our lifestyle to allow toys in our living room. Plus, it is not like I can use any low shelves for showy pieces when I've got a mobile baby in the house. So I neatly organized some toys in the living room. We are all happy with the results.

Me - I'll be honest, I'm very tired and a bit irritable, but all in all I'm doing well. I'm very thankful that Napp pulled through the surgery, the lung scares and is now at home recovering well. My other blog "Becoming Me" has gathered a little bit of attention and I've actually been asked to be a professional book reviewer...hmmm I'm thinking about it. I've also finished a draft of the children's book I wrote for PapPap and am trying to find an illustrator right now. I hope to have more time to write after Napp heals. Xylie's watching the Fox and The Hound 2 and I am going to curl up beside her and possibly catch a few winks while Napp is resting and Zayden is asleep.