Sunday Sharing

Last night Scott and I decided to sit down and watch "The Last Lecture". For those of you reading I highly suggest doing the same. It's and hour and sixteen minutes in length and completely worth every minute. For those of you who don't know about Randy Pausch here are the basics: Randy was a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon University who found out he was dying of pancreatic cancer. "The Last Lecture" was exactly that although it technically wasn't the last time he spoke in front of people. It was the idea of, If you had one last lecture, what would it be. Randy Pausch died last night. This wasn't about religion, death or cancer.....you'll just have to watch it if you want to hear it. So there you have it. I had a lump in my throat an hour after watching this video. Humans are incredible creatures and I've always felt you can learn something from everyone, even if it's the characteristics you don't want to have yourself. I think I learned a lot from watching that lecture and I really haven't processed it all. That's the beauty of opening yourself up to what other people can teach. It evokes emotions, challenges thought and creates change. If you decide not to watch, I would just say this. Look at the people in your life and learn something.
Well, today my mom is coming to visit. I'm pretty excited as I think we are going to head to the Belle Meade Plantation for a tour of the mansion and grounds. My mom really enjoys this kind of thing and since the Plantation is very near my house, it's something I can take her to. Brooklyn is pretty pumped too but not for the same reason. Like any little girl does, she loves her Granny and there is a special bond there. Mom will be down until Friday but some of that time Brooklyn and her will be in Knoxville visiting some extended family. Hopefully we will get enough time to do some other things though. B wants to take her Granny to the pottery painting place so I'm sure we will go there.
Happy Sunday all!

A Look Back.

We've been doing some Summer cleaning around the house this weekend and the majority of the overhaul has been Brooklyn's room. I've went through clothes, toys and trash. I've taken 3 bags and a box of belongings and put them in the "To Go" bin. It's been two days now and we just finished. Brooklyn has had to have constant redirecting through the process because as all mom's know, cleaning old toy boxes just reminds the little ones of the toys long forgotten in the bottom of the box and suddenly they are now new. I think Brooklyn spent a good chunk playing but she was more help then the last time we did this. At the end of it she told Scott, "I cleaned my WHOLE room and mommy swept." The hours I put into that room, the deep down cleaning with bleach, the trash I took out and she only noticed the sweeping!?? Oh, well, as mothers do we ever feel like our children really notice our hard work until they become mothers of their own? I know I didn't.
This week I have stumbled upon two blogs from people that were a HUGE part of my life. Still are but time and distance has come and now I am catching up through blogspot! So a quick back story for those who don't know it. Shirley Miller was my second mother and still to this day has an influence on me, the person I am, the mother I am and crosses my mind at least daily. The two blogs I came across were Shirleys daughter's blog and Shirley's sisters. Now, this of course has caused me to think of Shirley even more lately. When cleaning Brooklyn's room I came across the doll that Shirley had last given me before her death. It's wrapped up in a scarf that went to a big sun hat Melissa and I bought for Shirley. I gave this doll to Brooklyn to sit on her bookshelf after I told her the significance and because she loved the doll so much. We have a family photo of Shirley sitting on our fireplace and Brooklyn knows about her but now, THANKS TO THE INTERNET, I can share a little bit about the people that were so close to me when I grew up and it can connect the dots for her a bit.
Anyway, I tell you all of that to say that Shirley had 4 children of her very own and my two brothers and I basically lived with her and her family during our childhood. That is 7 children! Not to mention the other children she would babysit at times. I don't know how she did it. Shirley continued to be that second mom to me until she couldn't any longer. We weren't bad children by any means but we did normal children things and somehow she kept her sanity. I remember my mother would come and ask us to come home and a lot of the time we would want to stay at Shirley's. I look back and wonder why Shirley wasn't pushing us out the door!!! My ONE child has a messy room and I'm exhausted!!!!!! Not that I didn't see the hard work that was put into raising me, but today is just a reminder of it all.
Well, that is my walk down memory lane for today! Now I must do laundy, clean my own room and the rest of the house!! :) Here are a few photos of B during her breaks! She's a bit confused by a bee in the second one.

July!!!

So this month seems to have been filled to the brim. I'm actually surprised we fit it all in and the month still isn't over. I wish I could have updated with a more organized blog today but I am just going to squeeze in all the things that July has brought to us. Brooklyn lost her first tooth. It was the very first tooth she ever got. It's amazing how fast she is growing up. To remember the feeling of excitement when that tooth came in and now the excitement of loosing it ..... how quick time flys. I need a pause button.
We spent the 4th at a friends house this year. While we wanted to take Brooklyn to see the BIG fireworks in Nashville, several factors helped us decide that it might be better to brave the crowds next year. I wasn't really bummed as we had a good time cooking out, playing cards, frisbee and setting off a few fireworks of our own. It's always nice to enjoy things when Brooklyn is comfortable and she was so mission accomplished.
Brooklyn's surgery came soon after and that, as I'm sure you've read previously, was a roller coaster. I'm so happy that we are over that hump. Brooklyn is doing soooooo much better. It's pretty much the same old Brooklyn minus the snore. I knew before the surgery that I would miss that sound and I do! It's better for her but more anxiety for me! I use to be able to tell that Brooklyn was sleeping even if I was on the porch playing music and a jet were flying over....now, I lean over her, put my hand in front of her nose and watch to see if her chest raises! After Brooklyn seemed to be doing better, I decided to get back into action with my babe. Monday we went to Brushfire, a paint your own pottery studio here in town. We had a lot of fun and I'm sure Brooklyn was excited to be back in the land of the living. Tuesday Scott, Brooklyn and I went to see Wall-E. Besides the Tookerton crying the entire time over her unending fear that Wall-E was about to blown up at any minute by his robot love, we had a great time! Scott and I really enjoyed the movie and Brooklyn probably did too...she's just soft hearted. So sweet!
This week is starting a new list of things to fit into July. My mom will be down on Sunday and staying through the week. She and B will be taking a trip over to Knoxville to visit other family while I work Mon-Thurs. They will head back here to visit and then Mom is taking Brooklyn back to Indiana Friday to drop her off with a visit to her other grandparents. I'm going to go to Indiana the next Thursday and then we'll head back to TN to prepare for Brooklyn's first day of 1st grade. I need more tissues.

This video is just some clips from the month in order...bringing us all up to speed!

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

So emotional

I miss Scott. At any moment I should be getting a text from him telling me he's on his was home. I haven't been this excited to see Scott since.......yesterday. :) This week has been one of the most emotional and exhausting weeks I have had as a mother and sadly Scott has had to work everyday since the surgery. I'm so glad he's working but I have to admit I was aching for him to have a day off. I need him. I'm also thankful to be able to say that. I think it's good to be able to make it and survive on your own but it's also amazing to be with someone who makes you feel not that you're surviving but truly living when you're with them. Scott's that for me. Brooklyn's that for me.
Brooklyn is doing better today. This week the pain my child has endured has sent me to tears on more than one occasion. To see your child in pain, the worst pain you've ever seen them in, it takes years off your mental stability. Age no longer matters, I'm sure you'll get a brain disorder at least 10 years earlier with each "episode". Brooklyn has spent a lot of time rolling around holding her throat and crying in pain. She's going through that pain where she wants me to touch her and then she doesn't. The narcotics she's on make her have night terrors that I can't seem to calm her down from and she wakes up in pain at least 3 times a night. She has two medications she has to take. One every 4 hours and one every 8 hours. Aside from the fact that this causes us both to get up 3 times during the night it also increases the chances that I will accidently overdose my aching daughter. I'm setting alarms, keeping charts and making lists....I still have to go over which medication I should give her every time I hear the bells ding. We're all alive here so I'm thankful for that!!! Brooklyn has truly been such an inspiration and sweetheart through this all though. She is such a perfect spirit. So like I said, today was our best day. Brooklyn was actually up and active. She painted pictures, colored and ate "healthy" food. She even played the guitar and sang three songs to me.
I'm pretty sure Brooklyn has lost at least 5 pounds in the last week. For a 40 pound 6 (on August 30th) year old, 5 pounds drops her into the heavy toddler range....or as I refer to her now....a teacup princess. I've always called her a princess and when she was in the hospital, being wheeled around with her tiara on, everyone saw she was a little princess too.....so now, it's my teacup princess.
Scott just got home and I have to see my babe! I will update more soon.

Who stole the morphine?

So evidently I must have been given something while here at the hospital because parts of my previous blog are a bit misleading. The monkey was not getting me a diet coke..... I actually regret having to say that. The other mistakes I am not too concerned about and really don't remember at this point. Just know you can't expect me to make much sense.

No elephants, but Frogs and Monkeys

I'm sitting in the 5th hospital room that Brooklyn's had since yesterday. I should go ahead and apologize for not letting you all know that what type of surgery she was having....I know a lot of you had asked me about that and it hadn't of even crossed my mind until you then. So I will start at the beginning with this blog and hopefully catch everyone up to speed.
Brooklyn suffers (hopefully that should now be suffered) from sleep apnea. This is usually "cured" in children by removing the tonsils and adenoids. Brooklyn came in yesterday and had a pretty good surgery but a pretty crappy recovery. She woke up in a lot of pain. A LOT. Her blood pressure got a little high and her oxygen stats were a little low sporadically. After about 3 1/2 hours she was moved out of recovery and into a room. Which, from what they told me, was quite a bit longer than they usually keep them in recovery. She did pretty well except when she had to taste the liquid loritab for the first time. It was actually a pretty funny moment. She was determined to take the medicine by herself and after she took a small drink she was very hesitant to take another. She still held onto the medicine however. Within 5 min she was so loopy and irritable from the meds that she was pushing us away and drifting off to la la land. Super cute. We were discharged a bit later and Brooklyn was seeming better every second. She was talking and eating things like ice cream, Popsicles, mashed potatoes and even noodles. She was drinking and by her urine output she was doing awesome. The sweetest thing was when she played doctor and I was the patient who was getting surgery. She replayed the entire day's events and continued to talk to me about how I would be okay and what I would experience. There were other moments that were truly amazing. Like the stuffed frog Mommy got her as a surprise friend to take home after surgery. She named him Froggy and said he just had the same surgery she did. It's been so sweet to see her act out her emotions this way. All in all we were all very happy with the outcome yesterday. Brooklyn went to bed about 9 and slept soundly until I woke her up for her 1:30am meds. She drank her medicine the best she had and even took in a good amount of Gatorade. She fell right back to sleep and so did I!! I was sleeping on her floor so I was a bit nervous that I wasn't going to be able to. Besides waking up with a stiff neck, I slept really well. We woke up at 5:30 to take another round of meds but this time didn't go as well. Brooklyn was in quite a bit of pain but she went back to sleep easily. At about 8:45 Brooklyn woke up with a lot of pain and no interest in food, drink or even talking for that matter. Pretty soon after she started puking and it was pretty easy to see it was blood. I called the Dr.'s office pretty sure they would say it was normal and to keep an eye on her ... or at least to come in to get checked out and go home. The nurse from the surgeons office said this wasn't normal and to come in. I still wasn't concerned at this point. Within 30 seconds of getting off the phone she called back and said, "Your surgeon said to call 911." .....seriously?? So I was super calm, telling B she was going to get to ride in the ambulance. All the FD and EMT guys who came were AWESOME! Such a great group of public servants. Truly! Brooklyn had low blood pressure and was tachycardic when she got into the ambulance. She had to have her sugar checked and wanted me to do it. So here I am in the back of the ambulance bouncing up and down, back and forth trying to poke my daughters teeny little finger with a spring loaded mini needle. Whew, props to all the EMT's for the million of things they can do in such conditions. Her sugar was fine. Once we were in the ER we were told she would be admitted for the night at least. They had to put an IV in after that and Brooklyn had to have 5 nurses and myself holding her down. She was screaming and kicking. At one point she said "People, People, if you would quit holding me down I will not kick you." It was crazy. Finally she calmed down after that and eventually we were taken to another room. Brooklyn's been resting comfortably since then. She hasn't been able to eat or drink in case they have to take her back to the OR so that has dried her lips out....other than that and of course the throat pain, she is doing wonderful. A lot better than earlier. I don't think I've seen anyone so cold and clammy but sweaty and out of it. Scott was working today so I was by myself with B for the majority of this morning. I held it together for most all of it. While she was getting the IV, I struggled but maintained. After that, I called Scott and requested a "break" to go shower and get Brooklyn some stuff from the house. I needed to get out a good cry! Scott was engineering and THANKFULLY, SELFISHLY left in order to be with us for a few hours and to let me get a shower. I also stopped to get Brooklyn a new hospital friend from this visit (it's tradition to adopt a stuffed animal to love every hospital visit. He is a super soft Monkey whose name Brooklyn decided was.....you guessed it, MONKEY! Very soon he will be coming back to the hospital and bringing me a diet coke and our family will have our first hospital slumber party! B already has the slumbering down!
Keep sending your positive energy our way..... Brooklyn definitely needs it.

Let there be elephants.

Tomorrow is surgery day and it seems to have approached at lightening speed. We have to be at the Children's Hospital at 8 am with a surgery start of about 10 am. Brooklyn is handling it all very well. The last week she's actually been excited about it because she knows she will get to eat ice cream and watch cartoons all day. These are two things that are limited in our house and the fact that those limits will get thrown out the window for awhile has been the "highlight" of this surgery for her. I decided this week I needed to let her know about some of the things that weren't so exciting. She has known that her throat will be sore and she won't have a voice for a couple of days but that's about the extent of it. So I talked with her about the fact that she will be in some pain, sleeping a lot and about the IV which is the biggest fear she has right now. I've heard the Children's Hospital is good with this sort of thing so I'm hoping the IV process will be joined with a mini circus of monkeys on tricycles and miniature elephants running through her room.....or at the very least, a puppet show to distract her.
Thankfully, I'm off until Monday and then I will be working from home until the 28th. I'm blessed to have such an accomadating job. After that my mom is coming down for the week. Brooklyn will go back to Indiana for a few days after that and when she gets back she will be starting first grade!! I can't believe my baby will be a first grader. She's still so little and I just realized that she will start her senior year when she is 16! So far she is doing great with school but sometimes I worry that's too young and she should stay back a year. As long as she is emotionally and mentally up for it I won't worry too much however.
Brooklyn lost her first tooth on Sunday. When she went to the doctor last week they said they would have to pull it before the surgery if it hadn't come out. Saturday night I pulled on it but only popped a root so we decided to try again on Sunday. Well, one pull the next day and it came right out. Brooklyn was so proud and excited. The tooth fairy left her money and a note which made her feel pretty special. She said the tooth fairy told her to keep taking good care of her teeth because she does such a good job and she's right! She's always been great with that. Brooklyn is great all around and that area is no different!
Well, today is prep day for mom. I have laundry and other chores to get done before tomorrow. I've always handled my nerves well until whatever makes me nervous approaches. So, I should be good today but tomorrow I will be a ball of jelly. I'm sure I will be fine until they take her off to surgery.....then I might need the miniature elephants.

Camp Lisa

So Lisa Loeb put out a children's album and thankfully put on a show for the kids at Barnes and Noble. Scott and I took The Tookerton and we all had fun. Brooklyn clapped and sang to some of the songs she knew while Scott and I had surreal moments of age. Stay came out 15 years ago (at least I think) and here we were taking Brooklyn to buy a Lisa Loeb record and get an autograph. I'm just happy my daughter is listening to the same artists I enjoy. Reason #3,000,001 of why I love my family and Nashville.

I love Scott and Brooklyn

Just a quick post. I will update more later but I wanted to share a great bit of family info. Brooklyn wasn't feeling well today and took her first nap since she was about 3 due to her pukey belly. I went to bed with a belly ache and woke up feeling off and on sickness and sadly we had to cancel some family plans that I was really looking forward to. To make my life better, Scott traded his cool kid clothes for a Mr. Mom apron today. Not only did he clean the house, go to the store to buy sprite and medicine but he fixed all the meals in the house today and our supper was awesome. I am so unbelievably blessed and we have a very happy family. I think that is obvious in our desires to be good to each other.