Perfect moments

Have you ever had one of those moments with your kids where everything is perfect, just as it should be. Not only do you not want it to end but you wouldn't change anything in the world at that moment...perfect...overwhelming love.

One night when I put Miles to bed (in my bed) we lay there on the pillows looking at each other. I said, "I love you." Miles says, "No" with a smile. I say, "Can you say love?" "No," he says. Then looks up at me and says, "lub mama," and smiles. He pointed to my nose and said, "mama noh". Then to my eye, "mama eye". Then my hair, "mama..." (he can't really say hair yet). We giggled, cuddled, hugged...perfect. He reached up and made a kiss sound with his mouth, which means thank you for him (his *very* short version of sign language - it went from the real sign of thank you to blowing kisses and now just kiss noises). I said, "you're welcome baby, thank YOU. Mama loves you". Then he gave me a kiss on my cheek.

It is moments like that when I am thankful for every single doctor that is in our lives (especially those that have saved his life), for every nurse that has ever helped him, every PT, OT and ST, everyone that has helped bring our precious boy to where he is today...here...in my bed...being silly.

This song (below) reminds me of every time I have had to turn him over to an anesthesiologist for surgery, or watch him in that bed as he recovered. Everytime he has had some test done that he hates or gotten blood drawn or a shot, every time he has looked at me and said, "ow mama"...all of those necessary things that he (we) hates. All of the parents that want to run with their child instead of hand them over, that is what I think of. After that perfect moment with Miles at bedtime, those are the things that I think of when I hear this song.

Chasing Cars

We'll do it all
Everything
On our own

We don't need
Anything
Or anyone
If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

I don't quite know
How to say
How I feel

Those three words
Are said too much
they're not enough

If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

Forget what we're told
Before we get too old
Show me a garden that's bursting into life

Let's waste time
Chasing cars
Around our heads

I need your grace
To remind me
To find my own

If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

Forget what we're told
Before we get too old
Show me a garden that's bursting into life

All that I am
All that I ever was
Is here in your perfect eyes, they're all I can see

I don't know where
Confused about how as well
Just know that these things will never change for us at all

If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

Happy Birthday Riley!!!

5 years old!!!!
















http://picasaweb.google.com/becky.suggs/RileyS5thBirthday


Riley is 5 yrs old today and we are so proud! He really grew over the weekend as you can plainly see in his picture. There must be a BIG difference between 4 and 5! He had a great Superman party on Saturday with lots of friends and got a ton of superhero stuff! It has (of course) been non stop play time since! Thanks to everyone who came, we had a blast :)

On the Miles front...his BP on thursday, that I didn't think we could count, was 150/110. He was screaming but the ped said that it is high even though. His BP friday was 102/78, still high. We got a referal to a renal specialist or nephrology (if we must add another ology) and we were told to see the pc. The other things he is doing are: quick to sweat while playing or just sitting watching TV. He sweats all the time, just faster now. While sweaty, he gets clammy hands and face. And while playing sometimes he closes his eyes real tight and shakes his head a little, then opens his eyes and looks at you strange (like he is dizzy). Then today...He woke up really puffy. He didn't look like himself but was close to back to normal by lunch time.

I played phone tag with the pc today because I had to leave for an appointment - ovary is fine - no change - take b/c pills for 3 months to shrink the cyst - no biggie. When the ped heard that he was puffy she said take him to ER only if it is truly edema. Because he went back to normal, we decided that it wasn't really edema so we didn't go. I will start the game of tag over tomorrow. I am nervous with us leaving town on Wednesday with his latests 'developments' but I am sure we will be okay. There are lots of hospitals in between here and KY. Maybe we should avoid certain states (Arkansas for example) but we will be fine :)

And we are off...

our rockers!

Not that that isn't true but it isn't really what you are here for now is it? :)

We are off ... of the steroid and the antibiotics and only using the Xopenex when needed. The last few nights Miles has not been himself...or has he been himself and he is much more rotten than I remember. We follow up on Friday. The only remaining concern (beside the ones I have every day - all day) is his blood pressure. At the MRI, his BP was 132/63. She checked it again and either got the very same numbers or something very close to it. It was passed off as nerves. His BP has always been strange but is always passed off as nerves. So I will have it checked a few times in different situations to see what we get. I don't want to have yet another 'thing' for him.

We have our 2nd opinion for the gastro issues on the 4th and try number 3 for the MRI on the 12th.

But in the mean time...

We are off ... to Kentucky! I am so excited! I get to meet my niece Sydney and meet my brother-in-law Dustin. I am super excited about seeing my family and being cold! I have already figured out that at my sisters house Vanderbilt is the closest/best hospital for Miles and in Radcliff/E-town without question it is Kosairs. But hopefully we won't need them :)

I hope everyone has a safe and happy (and filling) Thanksgiving!

Update...

Today started at 4 am when Miles needed the breathing treatment. Next I had to be at the Woman's Hospital for a (yucky) ultrasound of my stupid enlarged ovary. That went well too. The radiologist didn't come and talk to me this time. The tech said, "They'll come and talk to you if you have something life threatening or something like that." Me - "She came and talked to me last time." Tech - "Oh, well, it looks better this time." (Does this mean that it was life threatening last time?) Then my docs office called and said that my results won't be back this week! Must be okay, that is not a bad thing. Maybe all of my pain was my lovely little cyst bursting.

On to Mr. Miles...When he had his breathing treatment this morning it sounded like he was trying to breathe through something like fiberglass - if that makes sense. And my mother-in-law said that before his Noon treatment he was breathing rather quick and shallow. BUT...Daddy took him to his appointment today and we did not get admitted. Dr. Tiwari said he sounded better to her and his pulse ox was 95. Continue with the Xopenex and start to wean him off this weekend. Finish the steroid - putrid stuff! Follow up the week of Thanksgiving. We are SO glad to hear this!!! He is such a trooper! He took his prednisolone tonight so well! He puked after the first drop - I am not kidding, it was only a drop. But I got him some water and we did it in 3 shots! I am so proud of my little man and how well he does with his meds! He has had such a rough week. Hopefully we will get some sleep tonight. One thing the doc said is that the cough will last at least another month (that stinks!). Today I had a familiar feeling...well a few of them. You other heart parents can probably identify with this. The build up - stress, stress, stress...worry, worry...what if...why...argh!...apprehension...on edge...exhaustion...(enter good report from doctor)...elation...then a bit of unexplainable something...probably a buildup of the adrenaline and stress...extreme exhaustion...then guilt for wanting to have him admitted...adoration for my strong boy...disbelief at how much crap he has been through and can still look at me and smile and say "Mama ome now!" and give be big hugs. I am so proud to be Riley and Miles mom!

btw...Riley will be 5 on the 20th!!! We are so super excited! Bring on the Superman party!

Yup, it's pneumonia...

So Friday after I posted Miles spiked a fever of 102.9. We went for our follow up for the ear infection at 4pm. The ear was worse! So we got some augmenten. She heard a little something in his lungs and sent us for a chest x-ray. The radiologist said he has a 'bit' of pneumonia. So we got some zithromax. We watch all weekend, waiting for something to get better. Well, he never had a fever again, that is good. Sunday night he is making me crazy with his breathing. He was retracting a bit and his breathing was a little labored. But then it would get better and he would be fine for a while - even sleep a little. I wanted to call the on call service, Sean didn't want to because they would just send us to the ER and the risk of exposure to disease there is much greater than our living room. So when we got up in the morning I got him dressed and had him at the pediatricians when they opened. (the last time I did that, he stopped breathing right in her office) They saw us, no problem. His pulse ox was 92. She (Dr. Miller) heard some weezing in his lungs so we did a breathing treatment. There was only a one point change in his pulse ox but she said he sounded better. She sent us home with Zopenex. (Boy does he hate that!) She said that he also has bronciolitis along with the pneumonia. She said we are on 'max out patient support' and that Miles was at her 'max level of comfortable' Anything else and we take him to the ER to be admitted. I wish they hasd just admitted us. Today we follow up again this time with Dr. Tiwari (that is three days in a row for anyone who is counting). We do 2 breathing treatments and she can hear some improvements in the lungs and then gives a steroid shot. And we have to follow up again tomorrow! It just makes me nuts! It makes me nervous as hell when docs say things like 'max level of out patient support.' So if you could, keep my little man in your prayers. His lungs need to clear of infection and his sats need to get better! (the lowest was 89. His norm is 97) I know that 89 to some is fantastic and there was a time that 89 was great for him too. Hell, there was a time that 70 was great for him. But, he is supposed to hold a pretty steady 97, something he has not really done this whole year. We are seeing a trend of lower sats for this year, which could mean that there is intervention in our future. That is something that I don't want to think about, we still have 2 1/2 years until we need to think of that!

Second Try...

Today was the 2nd try for Miles to have the MRI that was recommended by the Meyer Center. It too was a no-go! His pulse ox was 93% and his temp was 100.1. They were not happy with either of these things. Also, is BP was 132/62 or something like that. Pretty wacky for him. So here we are at home. His temp is going up...101.8 last check. And we have an appointment with the doc to follow-up for an ear infection today at 4pm. The MRI was rescheduled for 12/12...we will see. I am sceptacle to say the least. Maybe 3rd time is the charm.

We are off to naptime...

Just where in the world have you been Missy!?

Let's see, where to start. There were 2 tax deadlines and that says alot about why I have not been online. (the 112 unread emails in my inbox does too - down from 146, btw). Sean spent a week in San Diego, a week 'going it' on my own. All in all, I would call it a success (everyone lived, including me).

Miles has been a bit of a puzzle lately. He has had a cough now for 5 weeks, well approaching 5 weeks (it started Sept 22). We went to the docs to check it out. It was fine, just a cough, no biggie. Then, on Oct 3rd, his MRI was rescheduled because a 'team' of anesthesiologists were nervous about the cough. We decided that if they were nervous, maybe we should be too. Went back to the docs. This time we left with an antibiotic, just in case. After 10 days of the meds, no change. I called last week to give the 'State of Miles' to the nurse. She says come in and get it checked. So we go have a chest x-ray on Thursday and see her on Friday of last week. X-ray is super! The decision is reflux (again) is causing the cough. So, through the weekend we experience more coughing and puking even after being on prevacid and sucralfate. Then on Monday night, more puking. This morning more still. This time it is a lovely shade of yellow and he has a fever. And he has had some loose stools. So...off to the peds. Ear infection is the verdict today - along with what ever is causing this cough. More antibiotics. Hopefully this one won't turn into pneumonia like the last ear infection he had.

New Diet...

Another piece of this puzzle is the new diet Mr. Miles is on. Low fat, low to no sugar, only whole grains, no butter or margarine for that matter, only skim milk, way more vegetables and something else I am forgetting. Anyway...my pop tart, waffle and bread loving son is not a fan. It has not been that bumpy but he would still prefer to just eat bread covered in syrup. "Mo Wa-Wa now" (that is - more waffles now). What prompted the diet was me. I asked why nothing works. What I mean is this...without his erythromiacin and miralax there is only puking. There is no digesting and no pooping without these meds. That is all well and good that the meds work but what is wrong that it just doesn't work?? Plus, the miralax only works part of the time. They say you cannot build up a tolerance to it but he has it everyday but it only works maybe 4 out of the 7 days in the week (this week excluded of course). And he still pukes even with the erythromiacin. And what he pukes usually isn't digested or even broken down...sometimes like he swallowed it whole. *TMI, sorry* So we are seeking a 2nd opinion. Just because these issues don't seem to be getting better, in fact they seem to be getting worse. I don't think just giving him meds is the way to go. How about we figure out what is causing this and try to fix it?? (pardon my sarcasm).

*All kidding aside* I have lost 20 pounds!!! Yes, that is what I said - 20!!!! Okay, so I have done it with the aid of drugs (phentermine) but so - I look good :) Plus, a little amphetamine never hurt anybody. Okay, well anybody I know...except all those drug addicts that I would see when I worked for the probation department. Okay, well anybody I know personally, that is better :)

On the Horizon for Mr. Miles....

Oct 30 ENT....Nov 3 MRI (2nd try) and follow up with pediatrician...Dec 4 GI (2nd opinion). There is an almost whole month without any scheduled appointments!!!

Hope you all have an uneventful week! :) Oh yeah, say extra prayers for my sister (Hi Kat!) her husband just left for Iraq and she is in Alaska with her three (wonderful) kiddos. So very far from home and family (both her and her husband).

"Please sign and mail your return on or before October 16, 2006"

I have heard the cries and so I am here. Things have been well here at the Suggs' house.

I have worked my tail off lately!! Anybody file an extension on their taxes in April? Well, you are the reason I have had to work so hard this past week!! I worked at least 10 - 12 hours a day! Holy crap, were we busy and we still have tomorrow to go. But I like the time and a half for overtime so no real complaining here :)

While I was super busy, Sean was in San Diego on business (lucky!). He went to become certified in some computer program or two. He could walk to the beach on his lunch break!!
Plus, my parents spent the last week in the Bahamas!! I think it might be my turn for a vacation :) Anybody got any ideas???

I am watching a movie and trying to type this...better pick one...gotta go...

Watching "The Station Agent" btw...

"Doh Hop!"

This is a very special post just for Aunt Christy!!!

Sean's whole family went to TCU (Go Frogs!). His mom, his dad, his sister (Christy), his uncles Bobby and Collins, his cousins....and so on. Very purple family! Although Sean went to the Art Institute, we root for the Horned Frogs too. I think we would be exiled from the family if we didn't!

One of the first things that both of my children have now learned to say is "Go Frogs!" Riley would say it and even do the hand 'frog' thing, and now Miles just said it on Sunday. TCU was playing football and Sean said "Go Frogs!" so in turn on his own Miles said, "Doh Hop!" We had to call Aunt Christy and tell her right away! Now he says it everyday.

We love you Aunt Christy! :)

Uneventful Weekend

Sometimes you just have to say...nothing is going on here. We have had a great weekend! Saturday we laid around the house until lunch time, then we packed up our swimming gear and went to a friends house to swim and eat dinner. Ms. Thuy made mac & cheese with tater tots for the kiddos, jello for dessert & she made pasta with Shrimp and pesto sauce for the grown ups. We had a great time and we just fell in love with their beautiful new home and community. Thanks Phi & Thuy for having us over :)


Sunday, we were a little late for church. Well, not late for the service but late for the congregational meeting before the service. See, Sean and I are deacons at out church, First Colony Christian Church in Sugar Land, TX. Since the congregation was to vote on our new budget, we should have been there on time (oops!). Anyway, budget didn't pass so there will be another meeting on Monday. On to the rest of the day...My friend Jan (Hi Jan!) called and said she was babysitting a beautiful little girl named Emma and wanted to come play. So we went to Memorial park and threw a football (Emma wasn't very good at throwing the football, she is 1 yr old...but she helped me see how big Miles is) and put the kids in the swings. I just love to get outside and get some exercise!!! That was fun. Every time Miles got the ball he would just chunk it behind him. You'd say, Miles throw me the ball! He'd say, No and throw it the other way! Silly kid!!!


Monday started off with us laying around in our jammies!!! (awesome) Then while Sean fired up the grill for his famous hamburgers, me and the kids went in the backyard to kick the soccer ball around. Miles did the same thing this day. "Miles, kick the ball to Mommy." "No." Then he would pick the ball up, run half way across the yard and throw the ball into the bouginvia, which is very thorny. Silly kid, but it was fun to chase the kids everywhere. So we had a good lazy lunch. In the evening we went to the park again, this time to wear the kids out :) We threw the frisbee and football. Then climbed on the playground until everyone was exhausted. We had loads of fun and I couldn't have asked for a better weekend with my boys! I am feeling very blessed these days!

btw...Riley had a fever tonight, 101.4, plus his tummy hurt and he had a headache. I hope he feels better tomorrow! We have got to get the sickness out of our house!!! It feels like these boys are just sick all the time! Miles woke up this morning with a barky cough! Tonight it sounds better but each cough has been followed up by a sneeze. And would you believe that the Cardiologist STILL has not called me back from the blue legs!!!! (I am a little ticked, he is really cute and all but not so cute that I won't find a new one! Well, he is really cute...I could let this one thing slide...)

Cool kid...

I had to add a picture. 

The Meyer Center for Developmental Pediatrics

Today Miles had his evaluation from the Meyer Center for Developmental Pediatrics at Texas Children's Hospital. We were late, about 20 minutes, but we got right in. We were on the waiting list for about 1 yr for the evaluation. I was so terrified that we would get there and they would say they couldn't see us because we were late. We saw Dr. Madduri (she isn't on the TCH website). We liked her, Miles liked her too. She said that Miles is at an 18 month level for his speech. She suggested that we get him tested by the public schools closer to his 3rd birthday to start services there. He is on level for just about everything else. She said absolutely no to Autism (we knew that) and that he may have issues later on with reading, reading comprehension, and essay writing. She also recommended that Miles have an MRI to make sure he doesn't have any damage from low/lack of oxygen from birth, or from when his shunt narrowed, or when he had his...whatever it was, when he stopped breathing and turned blue and needed rescue breaths but they swear it wasn't a tet spell...from that. I would like to see what the spot on the back of his head looks like where he had the pressure sore after his 2nd surgery.

Anyway...He did go to the ER on friday of last week. He is okay. That night he had a low fever, 99.5...then in no time it was 102.5. Dr. T says that 102.2 is the magic number. Plus, his heart rate went up, he was increasingly lethargic and not responding well. This happened in a matter of minutes. It really freaked us out, hence the ER. We got there at 9pm. He puked all over the lobby. We were seen in triage at 9:30 and then waited until 12:39 for a room, yes 12:39. When we got in the room, his temp was 102 still, they gave him more tylenol. His pulse ox goes down when he has a fever...does anyone elses kid do this? He is normally 97%-ish but when he had a fever it was 93-94%?? Anyway, his pulse ox stayed pretty steady, his heart rate was up a little bit. Normal for him is about 130-135 but when we got there it was 157. Still, the docs didn't seem concerned, hence the 4 hour wait. Although, I should say that we got in before a kid that came in on an ambulance. He had a seizure and was not breathing when EMS got there, but by the time he got to the ER he was fine...well not FINE, but you know what I mean. When we were #1 on the list, they were #12. I felt a little bad. Anyway, they checked his urine (because of the recent not going for 17 hrs and saying 'ow' when he pees), it was fine. They did a blood count and his white count was low--virus. I cannot tell you how much I hate to hear, "We think it is a virus." Because the next thing is, "Just watch him, if he gets worse, come back." No treatment, no nothing to make him feel better. But, he is over it now, I think. He has had no fever since Saturday. His sleeping is a little off. He has been waking up at 4:30 screaming and pointing to his chest (like he is pointing at himself, not his heart) and saying 'no mama.' He was doing this before the ER so it isn't just me, I think he says 'no dada' to Sean. If not, maybe it is just me :). btw...we were in the ER until 7:30am Saturday. Sean let me sleep in until noon (he is a good man!).

I have enjoyed my days off although three of them were spent at Texas Children's Hospital. Thursday, speech therapy, Friday/Saturday, ER, and today Tuesday, Meyer Center.

So next is Sept.7, Gastric Emptying Scan and on Oct 3, MRI (he has to be sedated for that one--regular sedation no CV anesthesia--woohoo). I plan to update before then, but we may not be that exciting for a while (thank God!)

btw...Riley's open house at school is tonight. He is doing a great job in Preschool! He is sad when we pick him up because he likes to stay and play :) He goes to Our Saviour Lutheran School

I hope everyone is having a very uneventful week :) ~Becky

My conundrum of a boy...

This is an old picture, but cute.

Miles and Riley were making Labor Day cards for their grandparents. Ya know, cause Hallmark hasn't come up with cards for this holiday, so we had to make own! They were finger painting and making a royal mess! Miles had his hand covered with red, yellow, blue, purple, green and brown, he looks at me with this oh so cute face and says "Boop!" I was very cute!

So in speech therapy today, Miles was to work on finishing words. He will say 'out' but it is 'ou' and he will say ball but it is 'ba.' Man, he did not like actually working instead of playing (and learning at the same time). He threw himself down on the floor and had a little fit. He eventually came around, after she put the matching (finishing the word) game away. He did try to say bounce, roll...a few others that are escaping me right now.

Anyway...more testing on the horizon for Mr. Miles. He up-chucks all the time. Well, he is a fine balance of erythromiacin and miralax so that he a. won't puke when he poops and b. will digest his food. The other day he had a snack at 3, took his erythromiacin at 5 and 'gave me' his 3 o'clock snack at 7:30 and again at 8:15. So...either the medicine isn't working or he isn't digesting his food. What he 'gave me' looked just like he had taken it off of his plate. It certainly didn't look like it had been sitting in acid in his stomach for the last 4 1/2 hours. His gastro, Dr. Krishna, suggested that Miles have a gastric empyting scan. So this has been scheduled for Sept 7 @ 9am. This will be lots of fun (I can't get it to stop underlining!) the test is in the nuclear medicine department at TX children's. It will take an hour and a half. He has to be strapped to a table for the whole deal while they take pictures of his food digesting. This is after he eats eggs, oatmeal or milk with the nuclear meds in it. I cannot imagine that this will be fun. We did this before when he was about 6 wks old. We found that he had pyloric stenosis and spasms of his pyloris. The next thing, if we aren't happy with the results of this GE scan, is an endoscopy. That is more sedation, more intubation, more tubes, more low pulse ox and more convincing nurses that his pulse ox really is okay - for him. I also may have to call his urologist...he held it the other day for 17 hours! Checked with the doc (not the normal doc, she is out on maternity leave---congrats Dr. T), she didn't seem concerned because he still had tears and sweat. Today, he keeps pointing to his pants and saying "ow." Then peed...alot...like through his pants, he hasn't done that in a while. Could we be having our first UTI? He has 'outgrown' his urinary reflux.

But as I sit here in my chair while he is trying to spin me in circles, saying "doh ma, doh woun" I am filled with such happiness just being his mommy :)

Sorry for all the technical words this time :) Oh, the other thing he did while he didn't pee for 17 hours, besides vomit 6 times and the last time was green, his legs turned a purpleish/blueish color while I was holding him. His head was on my shoulder, my hand on his back and bottom. The cardiologist hasn't called back yet, the pediatrician thought I should check with him. While the legs were colorful, his pulse ox was normal. It happened twice. When I set him down in the sitting position, they went back to pink. He must be wired funny because I would have thought it would have been the other way around. Again, the doc (not the normal doc) wasn't concerned...well, I can't go that far. She said she has no idea what could be wrong. She said check with his cardiologist, Dr. Justino and his gastro, Dr. Krishna. So, that is what I did.

btw...I am on a mini vacation! Until the 30th I am off work! Just me and Miles during the day and I get extra special time with both of my boys!

2 yr Reflection...

I am a few days late, but Sunday was the 2 year anniversary of Miles heart repair surgery. Here is a picture of Miles after all his chest tubes were out and he was extubated, he was 15 weeks old, two weeks after the surgery. The yellow blanket is his SAAM blanket. That stands for Security Against All Monsters :) A little boy named Brian made this. He saw his friend Sam in the hospital for something (I can't remember what for) and he was scared for him so he made him a SAAM blanket. Then he decided to make them for all kids so that they won't be scared. My friend from home, Louisville KY, got it for Miles. (Thanks James :) The other blanket was made by the volunteers at the hospital, it actual has fortune cookies on it, the nurse said it was the only thing that was not girly. If it is not flowers, we will take it. Anyway...on to reflecting over the last two years...

Of course, you can't come upon a date like this and not think about all that got you here. July 26th '04, I took Miles to the pediatrician and said, "I don't know what it is, but there is something wrong with my son, I can feel it. He isn't himself, he is crying alot and I think he looks more blue." He (who by the way, is no longer our pediatrician) says, "He is fine, he just has colic." And sends us home, he never even checked his pulse ox and I must have had my head in the clouds because I went without asking for one. But, when I got home I called the cardiac center and left a msg for our cardiologist and he told us to come in. He looked at Miles and told us we weren't going anywhere. He, Miles, had a cath and we found out that his BT shunt had narrowed. It lasted 10 weeks. We were really looking forward to getting the year out of it that they said we would. Anyway...most of this is on Miles page on Tchin. After his surgery is when the real fun started!!! We got a new pediatrician, do you blame me? Dr. Tiwari is awesome, she takes good care of us.

Shortly after Miles recovery he started PT. He didn't want to move, let alone walk :) He walked at 17 months, while we were stranded during the 'evacuation' for Hurricane Rita at the Woodlands Christian Church. They were really good to us. He started talking...well...after a year of speech therapy...The words are coming out now like water or Wa as Miles would say. Today he said 'Done' and 'Ta-Da!' He actually said 'Hi' to our Jenna on the phone today. Today is her 10th birthday (that is another post coming soon). My littlest man is the coolest 2yr old ever, I'm pretty sure.

Anyway, I am so happy to have him here with us today. I just love my guys so much. I tell them everyday (well almost everyday), "I am really glad to be your mommy, I am glad God gave you to me to take care of and to love." Riley says, "I know mom, you say that everyday."
And I will keep saying it, and saying it....

~a very happy mommy~Becky

Keeping it Interesting....

He looks like that guy from Star Wars...
Can't remember what character...

[dad edit: they are called tusken raiders
thank you very much]




This is shrimp finger boy...gross but funny!

It's just fillings...

Miles had his day surgery today to get his fillings. He got 5 fillings in 4 teeth. He did well. We had CV anesthesia, Dr. Campos, he was great. We got there at about 7 am. They took him back to get his vitals and talk to the NP and we played for a while then took him to surgery at right about 9 am. The whole thing took about 45 minutes but we left to go home at about Noon. He took a while to wake up and then to convince us that his pulse ox was okay. It wanted to stay around 93% but when we got there intially it was at 97-98%. When we left it had been 95% for a few seconds. Anyway, he is asleep, where I will be momentarily. We will just watch him closely today and he should be back to normal by tomorrow.

When we walked down that hallway in day surgery where you hand them over, like we have done so many times now, I cried a little. Miles gripped Dr. Campos, started to cry and covered his eyes. My husband and I both got a little choked up. Then said, Why does everything have to be so tramatic? It's just fillings! But such is life with a CHD kid :) I wouldn't trade him for anything!

Off to nap time! ~Becky

Dishwashers Rock!!!

I want to tell the short version of the back story without confusing anyone...So, here goes. I used to work as an investigator for the local Probation Department. It was a very cool job, but didn't pay well. I left there and went to work for Administaff. (I will put their name so that you know the company that doesn't value people!!!) Shortly after I started there I found out I was pregnant with Miles. I say shortly, but it was really after the first interview and before the second. I tried to hide it for a while but this being my 5th pregnancy, I showed pretty quickly. I told my boss after I had been there for about a month. About 1 week after this, I was put on probation (ironic huh, leave probation only to be put on probation) for my sales being low (I was a telemarketer...hey it paid well). I tried everything to get my sales up...everything! The quota was 3/day and I was at something like 2.5/day. They kept me on probation alot longer than they should and then fired me when I was about 5.5 months along (bastards!), just after Christmas. The guy who did it (it was his first time) gave a $100 American Express gift check because he felt so bad.

Anyway, so here I am unemployed and pregnant with a mortgage. Of course my husband was working his butt off and I was getting unemployment. But it wasn't enough. We put our house on the market. It sat there FOREVER and didn't sell. The only offer we got was for us to finance 50% for well under our asking price. We lost our house in December 2004 after Miles was born. (as I am sure you can understand, our focus totally changed once he arrived) We moved out of it just before he was born though. I couldn't see moving after we had the baby so we found an apartment that looked like it was the "perfect" size (when it was empty). Once we got all of our stuff in there...MAN was that place small! Plus, half of our stuff was in storage. BUT, it was really cheap and allowed us to recover and allowed me to stay home with Miles and Riley so no daycare costs. It also allowed me to be free to take Miles to a million doctor visits and to stay with him while in the hospital for the 10 weeks he was in the first year.

Moving right along...We were so sick of that tiny place by the end of our lease. Plus, I had gone back to work so we had more money (back at the probation department...this time as a secretary). So, we found a house to rent. COOL! A yard, a garage...all the good stuff. BUT NO DISHWASHER!!! That is cool, I can handle it, I will just wash them myself! Well I was the youngest of three...I was the "put away" girl! Chris was wash, Katie was dry, and I was put away. I never had to wash dishes! Plus, by the time that I was the one who would be washing, my parents bought a dishwasher. I hate to wash dishes and usually look at the sink full and say, "I will get it tomorrow." But you can't do that because tomorrow, there will be more! and tomorrow and tomorrow....

Well, while my parents were in town my mom and I made a run to the grocery store. We passed a yard sale and I thought I saw a dishwasher for sale. It is not my house, I can't install appliances so why stop right? My mom says, just stop and ask about it. I say, nah, I don't feel like negotiating a price. She says, I'll do it, what is your limit? (I am really cheap) I say, "$15" She says, okay. We stop, I only have a $20 so my limit changes to $20. Would you believe it is a portable dishwasher! You roll it up to your sink and hook it to the spicket!!!! My mom the negotiator says, will you take $15. The lady says, I will take $20!!! (kismet!) So after a year of washing my dishes myself, I am now the proud owner a fine used portable dishwasher!!! Best 20 bucks I ever spent! Now all I have to find is a removable garbage disposal!

The Family was in Town

So, here is me and my folks. They were in town this week for a visit. We had lots of fun and the kids love their granny and papa. It was a little hot to do things outside but I think everyone had a good time anyway. This was outside of Denny's this morning.

Miles bears a striking resemblance to my dad. We have been calling him (Miles) his mini-clone.


 

The story of miles - part 1

becky has placed a great article on the tChin website with a brief history of miles to date
http://tchin.org/portraits/miles-2.htm

i promise we buy them paper!

Cheeto Fingers

Just a warning...this is going to be a little gross...

I went to the ENT today. They said that they needed to do a little procedure to drain my sinuses. I asked the nurse ahead of time if it would hurt, do I need someone to drive me, can I go back to work??? She assured me that it was "No Big Deal, they just spray some stuff in your nose, that's all." Well let me tell you that it was a big deal, and they don't just spray stuff in your nose! First he sprayed what smelled like Nickelodeon Gak in my nose. Then he put a needle into each nostril and gave me a shot of some numbing meds, that stung! Then the took a pokey thing, um...a drill maybe...or a screwdriver...and stuck that in my nose. He then started to twist it into my sinus!! I said, "Wow, this is more than I expected!" (ya think!) When he broke through into my sinus cavity it was like when you just break through the drywall in the living room, the poking thing slid through into a hollow area (my brain, I can only assume). Then, yes there is more, he attached a syringe to it and pushed fluid into my sinus and it drained out into a bowl I was holding. Aren't I painting a lovely picture? He did the same to the other side. However, when he started that side, the numbing meds had worn off so I had to get another shot. THEN I had to get a shot of steroids in each hip. Got a new prescription for a nose spray (like I want anything else in there) and have to continue on my antibiotic and sinus flush at home.

Not only was that a big deal to me, but my face hurts! It feels like I had major dental work done...my jaw feels tight and my teeth hurt. Plus I have a headache. I have to follow up next week to make sure we don't have to do it again!!! Again! Are you kidding me? He did say that if it isn't gone then a CT scan would be next.

On to a lighter note...I hope everyone had a happy 4th. Ours was pretty simple. Sean BBQ'd some brisket that was fabulous and we spent a great day at home. Sean & Riley went to see fireworks while Miles and I stayed home to avoid the crowds and mosquitoes. Miles and I played Hullabaloo which was really fun since he doesn't know his shapes or colors. He just stood where ever he wanted. He did do the silly walks like when it says "Fly to...a yellow" He would flap his little arms. OR "Spin to...a square" He would spin around right where he was. I have to say that was much better than any fireworks show. I just love the special time with my boys! They love their Daddy so much (and why wouldn't they) and want to play with him more than they want to play with me. But when I finally talk them into playing with me we have so much fun!

Talk to you next time!

Becky

Hello Family! We created this blog as a fun way to keep you informed about our kids and family. So the latest update is this...

Riley is great, has a Pre-K field trip tomorrow to pump it up. Miles is doing very well. He has a speech re-evaluation on Thursday. Sean...great. He is an awesome dad :) And a level 32... Me...just fine. I am still getting over sinusitis...my sinuses are swollen shut (yuck). The 5 medicines that I am on are sort of working. I go on thursday to see if they need to surgically drain them. We are going on 5 weeks of this. Jake (the cat), as crazy as ever. He hasn't bitten me lately, in fact he has been the exact oposite. Very loving...he is plotting something I know it!

My Dad is doing well, (right Dad!?). He follows up at the doc tomorrow.

I am glad that our lives are not that eventful right now. As you all know, it can get pretty hectic here at the Suggs house!! Hopefully not for a long time.

Love to all,

Becky

hungry hungry hippo! 

Coolest cowboy ever. Storytime in the suggs house!