I know that I have been so bad about updating the blog lately. We haven't been doing anything too exciting. It has helped that Nathan has been sick so much. Last Saturday we did take advantage of some nice weather and drove to Annapolis just for a quick ride. It was 60+ degrees in Springfield, but by the Chesapeake it was about 40 and very windy. We drove through the Naval Academy and got some lunch so that we cold have a picnic at Sandy Point State Park. We were lucky we had some old sweatshirts in the back of the van - it was freezing. Our picnic was over and done with in about 10 minutes. It was a nice drive though.

Nathan was taken back to the hospital on Thursday by EMS. He just started acting kind of out of it and was breathing really shallow. We thought he might be having a seizure (unlike any he had before). Once we got to the ER he started to get a little better only to have a seizure a few minutes later. We aren't sure what is causing these seizures be we suspect it has something to do with Nathan's sodium levels. If your sodium levels are too low you can have a seizure and if they are WAY TOO low you could die. We aren't sure if Nathan just needs more salt in his feeds or if his body is leaking it out. Since we are so good at begging - they let us come home last night. He is doing much better - he just has a few follow ups in the next few weeks. He is such a trooper.

Addie is doing good. She had a follow up with the plastic surgeon and he is going to do a quick touch up to her lip and nose in the next month.

obamaconme

There is this great site where you can upload pics and "obamacon" them. You can then choose a word that is important to you. I have done two of Nathan. The great thing is that you can buy stuff from their website with your creations or you can save them to your computer to do what you want with them. The website is http://obamiconme.pastemagazine.com/

MIA

I have been MIA (Missing in Action) from the blog for a while. Things have been pretty hectic the past couple of weeks. Bob left for a trip to Las Vegas for two weeks right after the first of the year. He kept telling me it was a "work" trip, but the Lord knows how much I would love to have a "work" trip to Las Vegas OR anywhere by myself for two weeks.

Nathan, like every time his Papa leaves, got sick. He has been sick off and on since the beginning of November and each time he has gotten pretty sick. We have managed to keep him out of the hospital most of the time, but that is only because I beg and plead with the Drs. to let us stay at home. His Pulmonologist knows how much better we can take care of Nathan at home, so unless he needs IV drugs or help with breathing he pretty much gets to stay at home. We are blessed to have home health nursing 12 hours a day, which makes staying at home so much easier. However, we haven't really been anywhere the past few weeks since Nathan has been tethered to the oxygen concentrator. Bob came home early and the good news is Nathan is doing much better. He has been off the O2 since Friday and is pretty much back to his old self.

Nathan went to school for two days after the first of the year and has been home since. We are hoping he will be ready to go back on Wed. when everyone goes back after the long weekend.

Addie is doing well - I think her months in the SWI helped strengthen her immune system. We had really been struggling with potting training for the past few weeks. I finally decided that the struggle wasn't worth it and that she would go when she was ready. Well for the past few days she has been going in the potty by herself. For the first day or so, she would make us go with her, now she runs in and goes by herself and then yells "I went pee pee in the potty." The great news is that she goes #2 as well. We still put a diaper on at night and when she naps, but during the day at home she does great! We have yet to try outside of the house, but I think she may be ready for it. I just hate the thought of her using a nasty, public bathroom;-(

She is doing great in school and her speech continues to improve. She has private ST once a week and then twice a month through the school system. Last Friday she started a class at the rec center called "Wiggles and Giggles." She had a great time dancing, singing and playing with the other kiddos.

I hope everyone has a Happy New Year and that you all are doing well.

Addie & Santa

I took Addie to see Santa for the first time on Friday. She actually did pretty well. There were only a couple of families in line ahead of us, but she got to see them interact with the big guy. As we got closer she sort of clinged to me, but when we got to Santa she was willing to sit in his lap. She told him that she wanted a doll for Christmas. I don't think she understands Christmas and present quite yet, but she loves the Christmas lights and decorations. Addison also told Santa what Nathan wanted for Christmas. Nathan stopped being able to sit on Santa's lap after he came down with RSV a few years ago. However, we have no doubt that Santa knows what a good little boy Nathan has been.

I finally have a few minutes to post an update. Nathan has been sick...AGAIN! He had finally gone back to school on the 1st (after missing three weeks) only to get sick on the 4th and the poor guy has been out since. He is finally getting better - we think this last round may have been RSV. Nathan has had it several times over the past eight years and each time it hits him pretty hard because of all of his respiratory issues. Thankfully, (barely) we were able to keep him out of the hospital. I am hoping he will be back in school Wed. and that he won't pick something else up:-)

So we have pretty much been shut in doors the past few weeks. Nathan was nice enough to share his "cold" with Addie and she was sick last week as well. She too is on the mend. We have finally got our lights up, but now we are scrambling with Christmas presents.

Here are a few random pics from the past few weeks.