Halloween and H1N1

The Gang
Hank as Darth Vadar
Will as Batman
Lily as Princess Kitty
Jack as Anakin Skywalker
Lily trying to show off her feather boa tail.
Cute Kitty face
Anakin fighting his future self?
What happens to Batman when he has H1N1 and pneumonia.



Well the boys and Lily are off with Darin at the church for the Fall Festival and I am home here with Will. We have been battling the infamous H1N1 virus at our house now for just over a week. Hank had it first and he seems to be recovering after missing 5 days of school and topping out his fever at 105.2. He still has a lingering cough, but hopefully he will completely recover. I have had a cough, congestion and body aches for about a week also, although I never had a fever that I noticed. Will was already sick when this all started. He seemed to get better and then get a fever and a cough on Sunday. I took him in on Monday, but there was nothing to be done for him but just treat symptoms. I felt like things were going ok until last night he woke up with a fever. This morning he still had a fever, so being the ever paranoid, overly worried mother that I am, I took him and myself down to Urgent Care. After a 2 hour wait in the scary waiting room (I saw flesh wounds, swollen eyes, and very near death people) we got to see the doctor. He said that he wasn't sure that I had the flu, but that I was ok. He said that will definetly had the flu and ordered chest x-rays. He concluded that Will has a mild pneumonia and prescribed antibiotics. He proceeded to give very stern warnings about getting Darin to the doctor immediately if he presents with any symptoms. I am terrified that one of us will end up dying from this. I know that it is probably irrational, but I just feel like it is so out of my control, just as everything feels like in my life right now. I feel like I was doing my best with Will and he ended up with pneumonia. How in the world am I going to prevent Darin from getting this? Also, Lily and Jack have been coughing on and off and Darin is congested. Are these symptoms or not? Ahhh!!!! This is by far the scariest Halloween I have ever had. I know I just need to trust that God is in control. It is not up to me to keep them safe.

Pumpkin Carving!

We decided to get pumpkins to carve tonight, so we headed over to Fresh and Easy and got pumpkins for $2.49! We then came home and carved the pumpkins. Each of the kids helped clear out the insides and then they told Mom or Dad what they wanted their Jack o Lantern to look like! I think they turned out very cute! It was so fun to have everyone old enough to participate this year!

Swine Flu Drama

Well, Hank seems to be recovering quite well from his battle against the stubborn H1N1 virus. He had some scary moments of high fevers (105.2) at one point, but all in all it was a pretty typical, albeit long-lasting, flu. He was completely fever free yesterday, but as an added precaution we decided to keep him home one more day so that he would not infect his very pregnant teacher. Today at noon he was doing his homework and looked tired so I took his temp and it was 100.4 again! Coupled with his now hacking cough, I was frightened into thinking he had developed pneumonia. So I called the doctor's office and they told me to bring him in (again.) Well so far now in the last 2 weeks she has seen Will 2 times (he now has a fever and a cough) and Hank 2 times. I feel so stupid bringing them in like this, but to be honest, this Swine flu thing has really put me on edge. How many times am I going to hear "a perfectly healthy child" die of this flu, before I really freak out. It is hard not to be overly sensitive. So I had a nice talk with the doctor and she set some of my fears at ease and I will now try and weather through Will's next couple days of fever that is expected with this flu without visiting our pediatrician;s office and cross my fingers that Lily, Jack, or Darin don't present with symptoms. If so, we could be house bound until Christmas :)

p.s.

I talked with the doctor this morning and she told me the fever could last 3-5 days. Joy.

Swine Flu day 3

It was a rough night by myself tending to Lily's cough and Hank's flu symptoms and fever. He has always been my one with a raging fever for things like strep and the flu. He stayed at about 101 with both tylenol and motrin. He went up to as high as 105.2 this afternoon. He has gone as low as 100.4. It has been a challenge. I tried to get some tamiflu for the rest, but they are only giving it to people at risk: under 2, pregnant or asthma. So we are out of luck. We are hoping Will and Lily may have had a milder version this past week, but I am not holding out much hope. I have a cough, aches and runny nose, but no fever. Hopefully that's the worst I will get. Jack woke up with a low grade fever he had off and on all day. So it looks like we will be missing school tomorrow for the boys and maybe Lily. Darin was gone yesterday and today in Bakersfield, but we are trying extra hard not to contaminate him because of his asthma. He can get tamiflu though if he gets a fever. Man...I am exhausted.

Halloween crafts and Swine Flu day 1 and 2

So early Friday morning Hank woke up with a fever, a stomachache and a cough. Not a great combo. I kept him home from school and took him to the doctor. (2nd time this week...earlier for Will). She said that it was probably the flu and to treat the symptoms. I wanted her to test him for H1N1 but the receptionist told me they only tested kids in need of hospitalization. Great...lot a help that is. Anyway, I took him home. All night he struggled with a fever so on Saturday, he missed his football game and we just stayed home and tried to relax. We were supposed to go to a pumpkin carving party in which I was in charge of crafts. We of course, couldn't go so the other couple picked up the craft stuff and left cookies for them to decorate. Will was in bed so he just ate the leftover cookies the kids didn't want.

Dancing her dreams.

Jana Alayra!

Jana came to our church this last Wednesday. All of the kids were stoked...especially Lily. My kids all LOVE her. One of Hank's first "words" were "fight this fight" with the punching motions. He was under a year when he would do that! We are so thankful for Jana and her ministry to young children! If you are interested in learning more about her or ordering some of her music just go to her website.
Waiting for the show to begin
Will and his special friend Katie. They love each other so much. It is so cute how much they look out for each other and look forward to seeing one another at church.


Darin got to dance on stage with some of the other dad's
Jack, Hank and Lily got to stay after and meet Jana. Will and I went to the car because it was 9:00 pm and he was melting down.
Darin and Jana had met way back in 2002 or so at Hume. She and her family really enjoyed his speaking and remembered him from that time. We of course love her so it was fun to meet her!

Happy Birthday Bompa!!!

Big boy underwear!!! Is the end in sight?

We are trying to urge Will to go to the bathroom in the big boy potty so I went and bought him Super Hero underpants to wear...hoping that he would get more into the idea. Well he is super into wearing the underpants but not so much into using the potty. Oh well...he'll get it someday...I hope. He did pee in the potty today so that is something. :)

Will and Francisco

I started watching a friends little boy on Wednesday mornings while she helps in her daughters' class at school. Will gets to interact with a little baby which he isn't used to. It is funny to watch him try to entertain Fransisco. He's a good little baby and we enjoy having him here for a few hours. We are also thankful that he goes home :)

Guilty!

Last Wednesday I bought Lily and Will a candy bar to share after they ate their lunch. Will was "holding" it while I made lunch. When I went to tell them lunch was ready I found that Will had eaten a hole in the wrapper and taken a few bites...silly kid.

Disneyland!

Jack with Lily and Ava
Jack and Hank in the A of California at California Adventures.

Our friend Liz with Lily and Ava.Ariel signs Lily and Ava's books
Jack, Lily, Ava, Hank and Will with Ariel
Lily and Ava with Sleeping Beauty
Lily and Ava met Pocahontas
Lily and Ava met Aladdin and Jasmine
On Jungle Cruise
Cousin Oliver with Grandpa on Disneyland Railroad
Lily and Will
A dancing Lily on the riverboat
Ava on the boat
This was the one request Will made. He wanted to ride on the big
Grandpa and Lily on the Mark Twain