Lights, Camera, Action!!

First, let me preface the next couple of posts with a little information.  Right after Christmas our video camera (of 12 years) broke on us.  After much trying - poking, prodding, and a few love taps, we said our last goodbyes and tried to figure out a good way to get 12 years of video off of the tapes that we had accumulated.  Thanks to my sister and her hubby, we are using their camera to transfer all of our years of memories.

Then, the decision.  Well, really there was not a decision to make.  There is no way I could possibly live without being able to capture the moments that we get every day as parents of small children.  They are too priceless.  So, out came the wallet and into our home came the new HD video camera - that I love!!  It is amazing what 12 years of new technology will get you.  I am doing things with my camera now that I wouldn't have thought possible 12 years ago.  It is great!!

Anyway, needless to say, we will now be able to easily add (which is why I haven't done it to this point) video clips to the blog.

The first honorable clips are a little old (January), but nonetheless deserving.  

1 - Abby decided that she wanted to shovel the snow for us ... in roller skates (how else would you do it?).

2 - Abby and Bryant have both been involved with city basketball teams.  Nick has been coaching Bryant and so when I go to the games, I get the great honor of sitting with the other 4 kids.  Most of the time, Abby and Tyler are great.  However, it sometimes get to be a challenge having to entertain Grayce and Emma.  We got creative!!!

The ladder of ... success???

We were doing some painting in our livingroom and much to the happiness of our babies - we were using the ladder.  They thought that they needed to climb up anytime we were off of it or too high up to matter anymore.  But, as cute as they are, who could possibly mind one bit!!

Bryant's Basketball Picture

I just couldn't resist sharing. Anyone who knows Bry knows that ... this is Bry!! :)

Home Sweet Home

Doesn't she look better?
After 4 LONG days in the hospital, the doctor hesitantly sent us home. He said Grayce still had her pneumonia and didn't sound great, but she was keeping her oxygen levels up on her own and was starting to drink too. So, the official quote was, "We can't do anything for her here that you can't do for her at home." So, we grabbed our stuff, signed some papers, and ran out the door (actually Grayce got to ride out in a wagon). We (Grayce and everyone else) were all ready to go home.
Grayce has done amazingly well now that we are home. She has been eating well (she had lost 1 1/2 pounds - and for a 22 pounder, that is a lot!) and sleeping well, and is more and more back to her normal self again. It is such a great thing to watch (on this side of it anyway).
She has had two follow-up doctor visits in the last week and they both went really well. The doctor told us on Thursday that we are out of the woods with her now. However, his orders were to keep her away from other people for another 3 weeks. That means the kids' friends don't get to come over, no visiting teachers, no church, no taking her to the store, etc. It has made for long days of being completely stuck inside. I didn't realize how nice it was to get out of the house every once-in-a-while until I couldn't do it anymore. But, if it keeps her well...
Anyway, we just want to say thanks again to all of you that called, visited, helped us with our other kids, prayed for us, etc. You will never know how much help that was to us. We are truly blessed with great friends and family.

Grayce Update...

Well, I have to admit that I didn't think we would ever be staying in the hospital this long. But, we are seeing improvements. Grayce spent most of the evening yesterday playing on the floor and on room air - no extra oxygen. She had to have some oxygen during the night because everyone has lower oxygen levels when they sleep (we take shallower breaths). But, she only had 1/4 liter/hour. To put it in perspective, she had to have 2.5 liters/hour the first couple of days. So, we are looking better. They told us that she has to get better with her oxygen (than the 2.5) and drink more on her own before she could go home. She is still on IV, but they lowered that from 60 mL/hour to 40mL/hour. So, we are making improvements for sure. Nick and I are getting really good at reattaching the oxygen monitor, and have even had to reattach the IV connection. They have lovingly nicknamed Grayce "the tornado" because she is constantly getting her cords twisted and off. At least that means she is moving around. The first couple of days she was so lethargic and just laid on my lap. So, I don't care how many times we have to reattach or untwist cords/wires if it means she is moving and happy.
We finally have seen her smile come back last night and this morning. She is starting to seems more like her regular self again. :)
Thanks for all of the kindnesses - notes, messages, phone calls, visits, etc. It is so nice to have good friends and family that obviously care about us and Grayce.
The other kids are doing well. They are with Nick's parents at our house. They have been so good to take care of all of the other necessities of life for us at home. The kids are starting to feel a little anxious and I am sure they will benefit from Grayce being home and things getting back to normal too.
We are meeting with the doctor when he does his rounds sometime early this afternoon. Hopefully by then we will know if we can go home or not.
Thanks again for all of your concern and especially prayers on our behalf.

A Trip to the Hospital

Yesterday we had to admit Grayce to American Fork Hospital. She has RSV, pneumonia, and a sinus infection. She is on a lot of oxygen right now and that is the main thing they are trying to manage. She is on a good antibiotic for her bacterial infection. The doctor says she can go home when her breathing/lungs sound better and she doesn't need oxygen. They want her on no more than .25 liters/hour of oxygen - she was up to 2.5 liters/hour. So, we could be here for a while. Nick and I think that she is going recover quickly and will turn a corner soon.
It is absolutely no fun having a child in the hospital. It has to be the hardest/saddest thing ever. She can't leave her room, so that has been hard on her too. They had a really hard time getting her IV in because she was dehydrated and little. They finally got it in her foot. So, that has been interesting too. My heart breaks for her everytime I think about it.
Needless to say, our world has turned upside down these past couple of days. We went from a regular visit to the doctor to a long-term (at least for us) stay in the hospital. We just keep talking about how grateful we are that it is only RSV and not something more serious. We'll keep you posted as the days go on.