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Thursday, April 22, 2010

Merlin Luckycharm

I had wanted a pet for the boys forever but it is impossible in our current situation to get a dog and George did not want another cat or a gebril or anything for that matter...

Last Thursday we were visiting my friend and as we were getting out the car, we were "greeted" by two huge stray dogs. My pet lover Cody wanted to pet them but they were acting a little strange... I then noticed, the white dog had something in his mouth which the brown dog was trying very hard to extract (they even grabbed an end each and pulled!!!). I was shocked to see a tiny red kitten between the jaws of the dog!!!
Somehow I managed to extract the kitten who was very slobbered but seemed ok...
A visit to the vet confirmed he was miraculously unharmed!!!
George originally freaked out but warmed to the idea and that's how Merlin Luckycharm came to live with us.

He is a Classic Red Tabby with the @ sign on his flanks and his eyes are turning green.
Today he is 7 weeks old and has adjusted wonderfully in our house. He loves the boys and tolerates handling nicely... Even our grumpy Beau has warmed up to him and they are becoming friends slowly but steadily...yesterday they were chasing each other around the house and last night Beau got worried and cried for Merlin when the latter crawled under the couch!!

He is a little spitfire, a ball of energy and fur (and claws and tiny baby teeth). He's really got guts! In the first few days he would hiss at us but with gentle handling he is now a cuddlebug!! He follows us everywhere and cries for our attention (and eats like a horse!).
I am so happy because the boys have really taken to him and I can now teach them responsibility and respect for animals in a real, hands on way.
I am looking forward to seeing the little fuzzball growing up with the boys...
Here is little Merlin on the day we brought him home (his eyes are already changing color, today they seem blue-green)

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

John & Cody Monthly

(I am a few days behind my posts but I've had a super busy week with lots of unexpected things happen so forgive this late posting :))

John and Cody are now 4 years and 5 months old... What are they up to these days?

Cody is on the 99.4% for height for his age and on the 99.8% for weight. His combined average for height and weight is 97.2%
He grew an inch since last month and the 6 year old pants and shirts no longer fit him... by far!! 7 years are on the cusp but ok for now.
He is a size 13-14 youth shoe wise... Yup, I've got a BIG boy here :)

Cody is extremely active and he LOVES his swim class so much. He swims 3 hours a week and he is getting so good at it!! :)
He is loving school and he is learning like a sponge, sucking it all in. He has started speaking English :)

John is on the 87.7% for height but only on the 36% for weight. Combined he is at 3% on the normal (not preemie or CP) growth charts.
This month he weighed in at 32 pounds which the heaviest he has ever been! Go John!!
Otherwise we've had some rough days with him... I think we've gotten to the point that CP isn't his major issue anymore and neurological and behavioral problems are now taking the cake.
He's been very difficult to handle and he has often meltdowns and screaming. He also becomes violent towards us. I can't reason with him and discipline is also an issue.
His SID has sky-rocketed and he can't tolerate i.e. siren noise even if it comes from afar.
He reacts the same way to stimuli and situations as my friend's two year old... except I've had him for 4 1/2 years and it's really draining me.
He gets into fist fights with his brother and becomes obsessed over objects. Things have to be a certain way or done a certain way otherwise we have a meltdown. I know they got the PDD-Nos diagnosis dropped last year and this is most likely a SID diagnosis (some things are common for both) and he has become a MASTER manipulator... I am so drained by him... I think I might have spoiled him a little too which would be ok and manageable (and reverseable) in a normal child but John gives me pause.
I am terrified he won't be ready for kindergarten next September. He just won't sit down to do school work... I am NOT looking forward to him being a teen!!

***

In other news, my dad had a rough time with chemo side-effects, I am behind with work because by 9pm I am DRAGGING, I am too exhausted and we added a kitten to our brood which deserves a post of his own...
and I have 3 OOAKs to sell.. more on that later.

I am off to cook and pick the boys from school. Cody's teeth are falling apart, I've already paid more than $1000 out of pocket for his teeth and there is no end in sight :( He's got enamel hypoplasia... great!

Hugs to all

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

32 lbs!!

THIRTY TWO POUNDS 12 OUNCES!!!!!
Take THAT Failure to Thrive!! HA!!! 36.5% on the normal (not preemie or CP) growth chart!!
HA!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Go John GOOOOOO!!!

Wednesday, April 07, 2010

Prayers needed...

My darling Dad started chemotherapy today... will you please say a prayer for him?
Thank you!!

Tuesday, April 06, 2010

Peacefully sleeping

I promised you cute baby photos, didn't I?



With her brothers...


Sweet dreams little one...

Monday, April 05, 2010

Happy Easter!!

Easter came and went, under the heavy shadow of our grandfather's death and my father's bladder cancer diagnosis and impending chemotherapy this coming Wednesday.

It was quiet around here, I worked some, George was sick the entire time with gastroenteritis, which he passed to me (but I am a quick healer and I feel ok now) and the boys of course... So it was uhm... interesting around here for a while.

Then yesterday we celebrated Easter at my dad's with family and friends, we ate, we laughed, my youngest brother was attacked by my brother's totally insane cat (have you seen Catzilla? No joke, this cat is MANIC she needs to be put down)... and Cody suddenly got a 104 fever!!!
A dose of Ponstan later, he felt better... then I noticed the blisters in his hands (and a few on the feet). And he complained his tooth hurt but a bit of searching later and we realized it was his tongue, or rather his entire mouth that has ulcers... you guessed it... Hand-Foot-Mouth AGAIN (this time from a different enterovirus)... Of course he has stopped eating, he can really talk well because he can't move his tongue well in his mouth... and there is NOTHING I can do to help him other than keep up with mouth numbing/pain medication.

Sigh...
Tomorrow they were supposed to go back to school but I don't see how I can send Cody in when I know he is infectious. The fever is gone though and other than the pain, he seems to be feeling a little better.
We let him play Wii (sports resort) to take him mind off the pain and later I might take him to the park as it's a loverly warm day..

Other than all of that, I did put some work in these days and I have some beautiful babes to show you...
Next post will have cute babies in it :)

HAPPY EASTER everyone, hope you had a good one!
Hugs
Tina



Thursday, April 01, 2010

My baby girl has arrived...

... and she reminds me so much of Cody as a newborn, it's amazing...
World meet Ellie... Ellie welcome to the world...







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