Giggles & Frowns...

Today was the big day. Cami had her old ear tubes removed and new ones put in. This has been the most important topic around our house for much of the past week. She was getting all prepared!

We got to the hospital and waited and waited. Cami didn't get too nervous right away, she actually seemed to be very interested in what was going on. Thankfully. Becuase, I was dreading the separation that was to come. While we waited in pre-op, Cami took some pics to remember her little visit to the hospital...







They checked her out, again...and she was a trooper! Then we went to the "playroom" again. Cami & I played a Mario Wii game...we lost, miserably!



We were called back to the prep room, where Cami was to get "giggle juice". Cami took the *juice* without a problem. It didn't kick in for a little while, but once it did...IT DID! She was so funny. I asked her if she was feeling silly yet. She said, "Mommy, I don't feel silly...but my head feels spin-ny". Then she would lift her head up and giggle, I guess she felt as though she had accomplished something big! It was hilarious. Everyone should see their child on *giggle juice* at some point in their young lives...it's quite the experience!







She smiled as they took her away on her *wheel-y bed*!

Surgery lasted only a few minutes...literally, the doctor was out and talking to us about 7 minutes later. It is such a quick, simple procedure. It took her quite a while to come-to afterwards. Anesthesia kicks her butt! We sat in recovery with her for over an hour before she started to wake up...all of the other kids that went in around the same time as she did had left before she even opened her eyes!



When she finally started coming out of it, she was very disoriented...as expected. But, she would ask "are we done yet?". John & I would tell her "yes, you're all done". Then she would tear up and say "NO, it can't be done yet". It was so strange. She did this for a while before she really woke up good. Finally, she was a little more alert. At that point, she didn't want a drink, she didn't want a popsicle, she didn't want jello...nothing. We had to have the anesthesiologist come by to make an exception for her to go home without eating or drinking before leaving, since she would not do it! She said she wanted to stay at the *hos-ipal*! I don't know what was going through her mind.

We had to dress her and get her all ready, all while she was crying because she wanted to stay. All I can figure out is that she had gotten all prepared for this day and thought that she knew what to expect, but then after she came out she couldn't remember anything! That just didn't sit well with her. She couldn't remember anything, so we *must* not be finished, so "I'm staying"!





We finally got her to the car, and she covered her head with her blanket and didn't talk to us until we got half-way home! When we stopped to get lunch, she perked up and told us she was starving. She ate lunch and seemed fine.

She has been fine all afternoon and evening. Thank goodness it is over...I do not want to deal with that cranky thing ever again!

Thanks to everyone for their thoughts and prayers today...and to my awesome, good friend Emily...for a wonderful dinner. You are amazing, my friend!

Teeth & Ears...

We started the day off rushing to leave the house on time! We made it to the dentist right on time. Cami talked (nervously) *all* the way there. She talked about how much she loves the dentist, that she can't wait to get this filling filled and see if she will be able to get a little baggie with a new toothbrush and dental floss in it. Because, we all know...bribing children WORKS.

She hopped right up in my lap as soon as we finished checking in! She finally admitted that she was nervous. She was called back and Dr.P *tickled* her teeth a little bit, took some *pictures* of her teeth and we were finished. Dr.P says that her big girl teeth are just behind her baby teeth and that she should begin to lose those baby teeth soon! This led to lots of conversation in the car later.



We talked all the way to the next appointment about thumb-sucking. I told Cami that she really needs to start trying not to suck her thumb anymore. She is very attached to her thumb, especially when she's sick or sleepy. So, she said that since her big girl teeth will be coming in soon that she wants to try to stop sucking her thumb so that it won't mess up her big girl teeth! I was super excited to hear this. Because just the other day, I was talking to her about it and she simply told me "Mom, I'm just not ready yet". And that was that...conversation over! Maybe we'll be moving forward soon...

On to the hospital for Pre-Op. Cami's tubes will be redone (for the 4th time) on Friday. The last time she had them done, she was only 2 1/2 so she really doesn't remember that experience. This time, she was able to actually talk to the doctor, anethesiologist and nurses. The nurse explained that they will give her some *giggle juice* to drink, that will make her feel silly. Then she will get to take a ride on the rolling bed, wearing a special hospital princess gown. After that, she was asked to choose a scent for the *sleepy mask*. Cami chose cotton candy! And the best part...when she wakes up, Mommy gets to be right there and she gets POPSICLES. She was very excited about that part!





Cami was a trooper when they took her Oxygen level, Blood Pressure and heart check. The nurse checked her height and weight too. She weighed 17.2 kilos, which is 37.9 pounds (why they log it in kilos when we use pounds is beyond me) and she is 41 inches tall! We were finished.

Oh, wait, one of the most important parts...how could I forget. The nice nurse told Cami that she could bring 2 things into surgery with her on Friday! So, we went to the Disney Store and got 2 very special *friends* to accompany her on this important day!



Once we got home, had dinner and were just hanging out, Cami began playing *office*. She sat up this little makeshift office and started out asking us all sorts of questions.
"Mommy, what kind of medical problems do your children have?"
"Daddy, Do you have any *medical allergies*?"

Slacker...

Apparently, I'm not such a great blogger! I slack.

What's going on with us right now? Let's see...Josh has stirred things up for us lately. He was really acting up at school. There have been a couple of new kids introduced to the mix of the 7th grade boys class...it's amazing how a couple kids can just change the dynamics of a class. Josh is a class clown. He always *has* to have the last word. I guess, to sum it all up...Josh is experiencing a serious sickness...TEEN-ITIS! I get glimpses of my sweet, caring, thoughtful, tender-hearted boy every now and then. Other times, he is a hormone-raging, girl-crazy, mouthy TEENAGER. I hear, (from other parent who have successfully survived the teen years) that this part of the teen phase tends to drag on until about the end of 9th grade! ~WOW~ Hopefully this isn't entirely true.



Thankfully, he has pulled his head out of his rear and returned to his *normal* self recently. After having everything he knows and loves taken away (material posessions, that is) he is coming around. Now, hopefully, we'll begin to see that human side of my sweet boy again.



This, my friends, is a work-in-progress...but I love my boy, and I have to tell you that I still sneak in his room either at night after he's gone to sleep or in the morning before he wakes up and I watch him sleep! No matter how old he gets, he'll always be my little boy...I love him so much :)

On to the Princess of the family...Cami! She is doing great in school. She is a dainty little girl, she is rather sassy and for the most part (I guess it runs in the family) she is *always* right. Math is definatly her favorite part of school. She is always counting...by 1's, by 2's, by 5's and by 10's...all the way to 100, many times every day! Reading/Spelling/Grammar, however, not a favorite.



We have determined that she is not hearing properly. She's always had ear problems, chronic ear infections from birth until age 3 and having 3 sets of tubes by age 2 1/2. So, we figured we'd continue to deal with *ear issues* for some time. Right again! We took her to her ENT and one tube is still in place but beginning to *clog up* and the other is dislodged and not working at all. This ear has lots of fluid built up in the inner ear, which means she's probably hearing as if that ear were under water. Gee, I wonder why she's having trouble with Reading/Spelling?



Tomorrow will be an eventful day. First thing in the morning, we go to the dentist. Cami has a tiny cavity and is having it filled. Then, we are going to Cook's for her Pre-Op appointment. She is having her tubes removed and replaced on Friday. Tomorrow, they will give her a tour and explain everything to her. This is pretty neat, since every other time she's had this surgery she's been too young to understand it. She's been a little nervous, but not too bad...hopefully it will all go without any problems (or too much clingy-ness to Mommy, since Daddy doesn't do the scared-child-in-hospital-thing!)



I'll try to get pics and post them tomorrow and Friday. But, these are the most recent pics I have. (Taken by a friend and co-worker, Christy Dodson...check out Dodson Photograpy on Facebook)



I guess that's all I have for now. On to finish watching "House" with the husband...