Jay Can Tie Her Shoes

It's no secret that Jay doesn't get the concept that she is three. She's been trying for months to tie her shoes on her own. Last night, Jay came running up with Jenna to show me her new trick. She can tie her shoes all by herself!!! Such a big girl.

Jay's the boss

I got home from work and Bear started barking to go out.

Me to Bear: "I guess that means you needs me to walk you."
Jaylynn to me: "I guess that means you want to take me with you."

Oh my! This girl is too funny. And too smart.

CHD Walk

Jacob's follow-up to surgery

Jacob had his follow-up today to his surgery. Everything looks great. The pathology report showed some infection in his tonsils. :-/ So glad those things are out. Dr. Shah was so pleased with everything, as we are. Before surgery, Jacob had a constant runny nose. It was just apart of Jacob. Not one runny nose since. :)

Now we can move onto stress tests with the cardiologist. That will be May 7th.

And the pin and cast is gone!

Finally! The pin and cast are goners! The pin coming out wasn't as bad as she thought. Jenna said it felt weird but didn't hurt. She was crying though just thinking about it. She's in a splint for the next two weeks when needed (playing outside, at school, etc). Finally!! All that milk she had this week really paid off. :)

Yes :)

Jaylynn: Is this my bag? (baggie full of candy from Easter)
Me: I don't know Monkey.
Jaylynn: Say yes Mommy.

MS Walk 2012

The kids and I, along with Oma, Becky and fam and Tessa, we walked in the MS Walk 2012. Our team raised over $1,000!!! I'm so proud of everyone's efforts in fighting against MS and it's horrible effects. 

Sandy ~ every step we took was in your memory so that other families don't miss out on their wife, mom, sister, friend and most important, grandmother. We miss you every single day.

The National Anthem

Jasmine's 5th grade chorus class sang the National Anthem at the Wizards Game at the Verizon Center!!! How cool is that? They did amazing. How many people can say they sang in front of a crowd at the Verizon Center?!

Candy pains

Jay: Mommy, my leg hurts.


Me: Why? What happened?



Jay: I ate too much candy.

Egg Coloring 2012

All ready to color!


Jasmine's eggs

Working hard


My pretty pink egg


Bubba's eggs


Jenna's eggs


Jay's eggs and hand
  

James' eggs

Bath time Jay

A few cute Instagram photos of Jay after her bath

 

The purple cast

We went in on March 30th to get her arm checked, hoping the pin would be pulled and back to a short arm cast. A quick x-ray showed that it wasn't ready yet. Darn.

We went back today and Dr. Raffo cut the cast off and x-ray'd it. He said even if the pin wasn't ready to come out, she could at least go to a short arm cast. Unfortunately, her arm just hasn't healed enough and the pin is still in there. She got a purple cast this time and has been downing milk ever since. She's never been a big milk drinker but Dr. Raffo she needed it and she listened. Hopefully when we go back on the 16th, the pin can come out and maybe, just maybe, a soft splint type thing.



Just a funny pic of her cast collection (and Jay's arm) thus far.


Oh and if your child has a pin sticking out of their arm, do not, I repeat, DO NOT, let them see it. Jenna almost passed out when she saw it. I almost did too but didn't let her see me squirm. 

Quote of the Day 4/5/12

Best quote of the day: 

Jay: Can you turn me back to normal?
Jamie: sorry honey, thats not going to happen. You're a Combs baby.

Shoes & Texting

Jamie: Jay, why are you wearing yours shoes on the couch?
Jay: They're my texting shoes.

Tenniser

Me: Hi Daughter.
Jaylynn: I'm not a daughter. I'm a tenniser.
Me: What? A teenager?
Jaylynn: Noooo, not a teenager. *giggling*
Me: What's a tenniser?
Jaylynn: A kid who plays tennis.

Duh.

Quote of the Day 3/23/12

Jacob: I'm going to be running for my life. (in reference to going to a birthday party today where a few ladies like to hunt my boy down. Eat your Wheaties Fowler girls. Jacob is ready for you.)

Bwahahaha

Just heard from the 2 year old pouting on the stairs "Oh for crying out loud!"


Jaylynn, where do you come up with this stuff?

Those two

Jamie and Jaylynn are being silly and trying to tell on each other. I said "You guys get what you deserve.
Jaylynn to Jamie: "A trophy?"

Jenna's broken arm surgery

We had to be at Shady Grove at 6 am for Jenna's surgery. Thankfully it was nice and early since after midnight, she couldn't have anything. We are becoming pros at surgery. Here she is smiling for the camera, scared inside, holding tight onto her pillow pet from Favorite Aunt Janice and Uncle Tom.



We got all checked in and waited just a bit before they called back about 5 kids for surgery. We went back, got her changed while they did all the normal questions. A tech came and cut her cast off. Dr. Raffo came in and wrote YES on the correct arm, assured me that everything would go quickly.




 I went with Jenna to the OR, where I stayed until she went to sleep. So not fun for the mama. It was actually easier watching Jacob walk off with the nurse when it was his surgery day than watching Jenna's eyes roll back like that. But I wouldn't have been anywhere else. After a quick prayer and telling her I love her and a kiss, I was taken out.

Dr. Raffo came out what seemed like 30 minutes later. He said it went great and we should be going home once she wakes up and is ready to go. Gave me pictures of the pin in her arm, which made my stomach turn and said for Jenna to come back in two weeks to get the pin pulled and shorter cast.


After surgery, in a yucky white full arm cast. The hospital only does white casts. :-/



Waking up. And puking. And puking. And puking. Poor kid didn't do well with the meds and had a very rough time. The nurse said just let her sleep until she wakes up and she'll probably feel better. She slept for about 3 hours and then woke up and was finally able to keep stuff down.



Smiling on the way home, even though she still wasn't feeling great. With her puke bucket and all.



Resting at home with her zoo of pillow pets.



A picture of the picture of the pin in her arm. :-S And her decorated cast, courtesy of Mommy and a bunch of nail polish. I mean really, do they expect a girl to go from a pink cast to plain, white cast??

 

The pink cast

So we had the visit with the orthopedic specialist today to get Jenna's arm in a cast. Can you see the break in her radius bone there?? Not bad, eh? Dr. Raffo said if she fell on a bigger stick, the bone would have been coming through her skin. Yeesh!

So not only does she have a broken arm, she needs surgery. Yup, surgery. Because when a Combs does something, we do it right! Surgery will be Monday morning to set the bone straight and put a pin in. The pin will help it heal better so that she has less of a chance of having joint issues in her wrist later on. :-/ And the poor kid had to be x-ray'd again because the hospital didn't put the pictures on the disk.

 

She picked out a pink cast, which will only be staying until Monday. Monday, she'll get a pin in her arm and then a full arm cast. All the neighborhood kids signed her cast and made her feel like a total rockstar.

  

Does anyone sell bubbles to put kids in?

Dumb Slide

It was such a gorgeous day for weather. Unusually warm for mid March so we were out front. James, Jacob and Jenna were over at the park. Me, Jazzi and Jay were in front of the house. Then I heard this scream. It was Jenna. Let me preface this by saying that Jenna tends to be a little dramatic when she has spills and falls. Like about to pass out when she skins a knee so I wasn't too worried but went over anyway.

I was carrying her home, figuring by the time we got home, she would be fine. But she was dazed and just not right. I took her in and showed Jamie who said she was fine. He tends to think they are OK and I tend to think they are about to die when they get a paper cut. So he told me to ice it. I grabbed our very heavily used ice pad and took her out on the porch, figuring that seeing the other kids playing would get her moving. Some of the neighborhood boys that were at the park told me she fell on a stick and I leaned over to see her arm in this shape....


Well something isn't quite right, huh? I took her back into Jamie and he said, yeah, took her if you want. He still didn't believe it was broken. Off we went to the emergency room around the corner....where they know us by name. OK, not really, but soon, I'm telling ya!

After waiting a bit, they x-ray'd her. That part was bad, especially when they had to turn her arm on the side.  But she was awesome through it all. The doctor came in shortly after that to let us know it was broken.



She said a nurse would be in soon to splint her up until she could get to the orthopedic specialist the next day. They brought her a popsicle too which helped her.



This was about an hour after we got home. Poor thing was tuckered out.

Jaylynn converstaion #1,523& #1,524

Jay: Daddy, hide me from her!
Jamie: I'll save you!
Jay: Hide me from the Mean Old Grumpy!

*sigh*


~~~~


Jaylynn: Can Jacob have chocolate pudding too?
Me: Yes Jay, in a minute, I'll make a box.
Jaylynn: Well, when I ask nicely, you don't need to yell, ok?

Um, I wasn't yelling and uh, are you really two?

Quote of the Day 3/3/12

Jaylynn: I can ride my bike without stabilizers!

Sheesh

Jaylynn: Can Jacob have chocolate pudding too?
Me: Yes Jay, in a minute, I'll make a box.
Jaylynn: Well, when I ask nicely, you don't need to yell, ok?

Um, I wasn't yelling and uh, are you really two?

Jacob's Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy

Today was the big day for Jacob. The day that changes how he breathes forever. The day that changes his heart from being stressed out while he breathes and sleeps. We were so scared and nervous but Jacob was a rockstar. He's such a tough guy. He was scared about the being asleep part but other than that, he was ready for it.

This was before, listening to music. Poor kiddo didn't have surgery until after 3 pm and couldn't eat or drink after midnight. How is he smiling?? He's so awesome.


When we went back to get him gowned up, the nurses, techs and everyone else loved him. He's such a little charmer and doesn't even know it. He even walked back with the anesthesiologist to the operating room!! The surgery was quick and everything went great. He was however in a great deal of pain afterward. He tried to act tough and say he was ok and then the nurse left for a second. He lost it and cried and cried. Some morphine took the edge off and he was able to sleep. Some more morphine and popsicles and he was doing much better. Still very sore but better. We stayed until 5 the next morning (because of his heart, he has to stay a bit longer).

Sleeping soundly afterward with his pillow pet from Favorite Aunt Janice and Uncle Tom. It was AMAZING listening to him sleep. Just a quiet, gentle snore. I commented about him snoring to the nurse and she assured me that would go away. I giggled and told her, no, you don't understand; I'm used to listening to him choke and cough and stop breathing. Listening to him was amazing!!


Two hours after surgery, eating a banana!!!


About an hour after we got home, knocked out. You can tell by his face that he's still in pain but he was happy to be home.


He is doing great and sleeps absolutely silently. We watch him like a newborn baby.

Happy 8th Birthday Jacob!

Jacob's ENT appointment

At Jacob's (almost) 8 year old check-up, I expressed my concern that Jacob was a very noisy and disrupted sleeper. It's horrible listening to Jacob attempt to sleep. Snoring very loudly, choking, not breathing. 

She noticed that his adenoids and tonsils are extremely large. She ventured to guess that he has sleep apnea. Obviously he is not getting proper sleep but the bigger issue is the stress it puts on his heart. His body is working so hard to get in the oxygen it needs that it is overworking his heart.  

She suggested Jacob be seen by an ENT. We scheduled an appointment with one a few days later. 

The ENT asked us some questions and based on those answers and seeing his adenoids and tonsils, he was quite confident that Jacob has sleep apnea. He didn't want to subject Jacob to the sleep study test since his recommendation is to get his tonsils and adenoids removed. Jacob's cardiologist will have to approve the surgery before we can proceed. 

Jacob has an appointment with top doctors at Children's, because a very wonderful friend, helped get us appointments with them. Jacob will see another ENT for a second opinion and another cardiologist to make sure what his current cardiologist sees is indeed how severe Jacob's heart is. 

Update on Jacob's heart

Back in 2009, Jacob went in for his regular 5 year check-up. The pediatrician noticed a heart murmur. She also noticed that the left side of his chest was growing abnormally. Not too noticeable but still there. Because of those two factors, she felt it would be best that Jacob see a pediatric cardiologist. 

We scheduled an appointment with the cardiologist a few weeks later. Jacob was given a couple of different tests and was diagnosed with aortic stenosis. Jacob's heart condition was a bit more advanced for a 5 year old than the cardiologist thought it should be. At that time, the doctor wanted to see Jacob back in 6 months and his only limitations at that time were contact sports, like football.

At his 6 month check-up, his heart had worsened some which concerned the doctor because Jacob is so young still. He was hoping to go to yearly appointments (which Jacob will have the rest of his life) but thought it would be best to stay at 6 month check-ups. 

Jacob's heart will never get better. It will get worse. It's just a matter of when. For now, we pray and monitor him.

Jenna's car

Jenna loves to draw. Loves! And we love her pictures as much as she loves to draw. Here's another one of her adorable pictures.

Quote of the Day 1/23/12

Jaylynn (demanding voice): Get me a drink.
Me: What do you say?
Jaylynn: You're pretty. You're smart. 

I ♥ her.

The Pouting Tween

Jasmine hiding behind the couch, listening to her iPod and texting her friends.

She knows what to say!

Jaylynn (demanding voice): Get me a drink.
Me: What do you say?
Jaylynn: You're pretty. You're smart.

 I ♥ her.

Getting pushed around...

Jaylynn dear, you really are only 2 years old. Wouldn't know it with the way you talk though!

Jaylynn showing off our meal prayer that Nana taught us. Good job JayJay!

Conversations with Jaylynn

Me: Come on, Jay, let's go change your diaper.
Jay to me: Hold on a minute. I'm talking on the phone.
Jay to her phone: Hi. Mommy bothering me. So what are you doing?
Jay to Jasmine: Be quiet Jazzi.
Jay to Jacob: BE QUIET JACOB! I'm talking on my phone!!
Jay to her phone: Hi Fofado (her baby doll). What'cha doing?
Jay to me: Hey lady, get me my purse.

What am I going to do with this girl?

Straight A's

Jasmine got straight A's again. Way to go girl! We are so proud of you.

Happy New Year 2012

Happy New Year from our family to yours!

I don't really do resolutions. But I am going to make some promises for this year so that I can become a better Christian, better wife and better mother.

I will read my bible daily and stay on top of my reading plan each day.
I will spend more time with my husband and children.
I will take more pictures of the kids.
I will blog more so that my children will be able to look back some day on their memories.
I won't sweat the small stuff (or at least try to).


Do you do New Year's Resolutions?

Happy New Year! I pray that each and every one of you have a blessed and wonderful year.