Happy Holidays!!

So we haven't been updating as much because nursing classes are keeping me pretty busy. Finals are next week and we will finally get a break!!! Madelyn celebrated her 4th birthday with her cousins and had a Disney princess party. She had so much fun. She is very excited for Christmas and can't wait to come to Papa and Abuela's house. She thinks she is going to the beach. She doesn't want to hear me when I keep telling her that there will be snow on the ground and the beach will be frozen! Here are some pics we took of an attempt at Christmas card pics. Getting her and Cosmo to cooperate was a task!

Happy Fall!!

We haven't updated in a while because it has been really hectic around here the last couple of months. Madelyn's surgery went well. She has had one fever episode so we will have to see if they return regularly and if so we will revisit the pediatric rheumatologist at U of M. She is loving preschool and adjusting to not having Mommy at home all day. I am at school 5-6 days/week and when I am home I am studying alot so we don't have as much time as we used to :o( I have attached some pics from the day after Madelyn's surgery and the pumpkin patch and 1st day of preschool. And please say a prayer for Abuela as she heals from her heart procedures and feels better soon!!

Monday is surgery day!!

Tomorrow is Madelyn's last day having to take her medicine!! Monday @ 8:45am is the big day and we are praying this works for her!! She knows that she will be going to the hospital to see Dr. Rubin and that she will take a nap and he will take the "frog tooth" out of her throat. That is what she calls her throat when she is fevering. She doesn't seem afraid to go yet so hopefully she will remain that way. The admitting nurse assured me on the phone yesterday that they will be able to give her something to make her relaxed/sleepy before they take her from us if she seems too anxious. She also alarmed us that Madelyn will have to begin drinking fluids post-op before they will discharge her. Ugh, please pray that she drinks because she has refused to drink anything the last two times she was under anesthesia.
We will keep you all posted on how it goes.

Madelyn & Cosmo's new haircut

The end of summer is near for us...

so check out our last fun summer vacation pics in the next post. We have definitely had a fun and busy summer. Madelyn will be heading back to preschool next week when I start clinicals. She has had no episodes since last month and her surgery is scheduled for September 8th so we are hoping that the surgery is successful and no more fevers! We will update again soon!!

Summer vacation pics pt 2

Make a Smilebox photobook

Summer Vacation 2008

Make a Smilebox photobook

About Me

Name: Cosmo Jeter Fuzzy Yaklin
Age: 8.5 weeks
Physique: Short and stout, slight underbite
Favorite toy: stuffed dog
Favorite resting spot: Madelyn's blankie
Favorite food: Science Diet little kibbles
Loves: sleeping upside down, chewing rugs
Hates: grass,
Goals: to get on the porch by myself. To stay on my feet whilst running on wood floor

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Memorial Day Weekend

Make a Smilebox photobook

Beautiful Weather

We took a break from working on the house/landscaping and spent outside today enjoying the beautiful weather. Madelyn loves riding her bike and playing t-ball. We think she definitely has a natural talent for baseball. She has an awesome arm and can really hit the ball!! Please don't mind the horrible landscaping in the pics. We are in the process of working on the sides and backyard and then we are tearing out the front so it looks terrible right now!!

Big Girl Bed

We finally got the bed rails for Madelyn's big girl bed ordered. After putting it together we were shocked to see that it is at least 2 feet off of the ground. She literally needs a two step stool to get into it. I'm thinking we are going to have to remove the boxspring and just use a sheet of plywood. (Thanks for the idea Heather.) But she loves her new big girl bed!! It has plenty of room for her and all of her amigos. I can't believe how grown up she is becoming!! Don't mind the missing bedskirt. I had to order her matching bedskirt online and it hasn't come in yet.

Make a slideshow - it's easy!

chore time

We put Madelyn to work today!! Just kidding, I filled the sink and let her wash her play dishes. She was so excited. I had to leave the room because she wanted to be a big girl and do it herself. I could overhear her talking to herself saying "Now, I need to do these dishes every day for Mama"

Make a scrapbook - it's easy!

twinkle twinkle

Come out little caterpillars....

So most of you know how terribly afraid of insects that I am so you are probably also aware that I take every opportunity (refusal to be alone in the basement, checking in the bed, food, cupboards, floor, shower curtain, scanning the walls and ceiling) to find my multi-legged arch enemies where-ever i go. After a devastating encounter in the basement I have become more paranoid so last year I was making sphagetti and I opened a box of pasta and just as I was about to pour it into the boiling water on the stove I found a small surprise inside the box. It was a small caterpillar looking thing. Well I should've just thrown it away but no, I looked it up on google and discovered from message boards of other paranoid homeowners that I was infested with beetle larvae. Or so I thought even though there was evidence of one lone ranger. So I didn't even pause to look I just freaked and threw out every non-refrigerated/frozen food and spice in the house. The paranoid insect hater in me then spent a small fortune on fumigators and not penetrable plastic food storage. I still don't trust them so everything but canned goods is usually in our refrigerator and I always inspect pasta now!
Fast forward to now, and for the last few months all of my t-shirts are ending up with little holes right where the belly button is. Shayne's are fine. Madelyn's are fine. It is just my t-shirts and the holes are always right over the belly button. I no longer wear a belly button piercing so I know its not that. Well I decided to google it (big mistake) and guess what I found. Its the damn beetle larvae!! But why are they targeting only my shirts and why only in the same spot?? Are they pissed about being fumigated from the kitchen? And no, they're not living in my belly button! I inspected my closet and dresser but I couldn't find anything. I have to be honest and say that I am tempted to throw all of my shirts away holes or not but I fear that my husband may have me committed.
Enough of this blabbing I will get some pics of Madelyn up soon!!

Ms. Teacher Mama

That is what Madelyn calls me when we play school. She loves to put all of her amigos and babies in a circle and play circle time. She loves for me to pass out pages to her and the amigos from her workbook and she will raise her hand and answer all of my questions. Its so funny!! We even had snack time and rest time. Then we built a clubhouse in her bedroom and she is hiding in there now with her amigos listening to her Backyardigans CD.

P.S. For those of you searching, BunnyBear has been located. Madelyn thought Missy "tooked" him but we found him under the computer desk.

Fun Weekend!

We had a fun time at Papa and Abuela's house. They sure have alot of snow!! Madelyn's favorite time was making a snowman and sledding with Allie, Sammy and Uncle Chad. She also built a clubhouse and made Papa, Abuela and Uncle Chad come in and visit. We can't wait to see everyone for Easter and Sammy's 8th birthday party!!

Ugh

Madelyn is sick again. She was complaining yesterday that her legs and belly were hurting and she woke up at 4am with a 102 fever. She is pretty tired this morning but this is nothing like her previous episodes have been. We are praying this is just a virus and that the PFAPA is not returning.

3 going on 16

We had to run out to the store this morning because Madelyn pushed her toothbrush down into the bathroom sink drain and after rescuing it from the drain we had to obviously throw it away. I had a few other things to get and I was browsing the magazines near the checkout and she says to me Mommy can you hurry up and cross the finish line with the money already. I dread to see what will come out of her mouth as a teenager.

Snow Day

This week has been a tough week here as Madelyn and I have both had the flu so today we decided to head outside for awhile to get some fresh air and attempt to make a snowman!! Madelyn did a good job on her snowman even though the snow wasn't the greatest for packing.
I have a feeling she is going to be a little upset when he melts :o(

Good News!!

We got some good news at our appointment at U of M yesterday. Madelyn was diagnosed with PFAPA syndrome. PFAPA stands for Periodic Fever Adenitis Pharyngitis Apthous Ulcer. It is rare and as of right now there are no known causes or cures but it is not as serious or life threatening as what they previously thought she may have. Huge relief to us!!!! The specialist suggested we try a new medication that some children are having success with so we are starting her on the medication and hoping that it will work in keeping the fevers away. She will take it twice a day until she outgrows them. If it doesn't work then we will have to try the tonsillectomy but that means we will have to make her suffer thru an episode without ibuprofen to get the surgery so we want to try the medication first.
We are hugely relieved that she does not have the more serious disorder and thank you all for your thoughts and prayers!!!

Beautiful Weather

We have beautiful weather today so Madelyn and I took advantage and went outside to play. We discovered that she definitely needs a new bike helmet as you can see!! Most of you probably already know but we are still awaiting word from our pediatrician as to when Madelyn will be seen by the pediatric rheumatologist at U of M. We have been constantly researching the internet (against our doctors advice) and it seems that there are several medications available for children with systemic JRA so we are hopeful that if she is diagnosed with this disorder then we can get it controlled with medications. Skimming the internet can be frustrating though because she seems to have the symptoms of several different autoimmune disorders as they all have very similar symptoms so we know it will be best left up to the doctor to decide. We will keep you all updated when we get more information, in the meantime enjoy this few days of warmer weather!!