Cole Update 10.27.08

A few of you have asked about Cole, and it is so nice of you all to follow up with us.

Here is my version of what happened to him. I have no idea if the medical terms are correct. This is just my description...

Saturday we took the boys to Legoland to go Trick or Treating. It was so much fun, and Cole was healthy and happy... Crazy happy! See the picture above! He had the time of his life!

At 11:00 Saturday night I was sound asleep when I felt Bill shake me awake and tell me very urgently to go and get Cole Quick! I could sense such a strong urgency in his voice, and I was awake and running down the hall before I even opened my eyes. Cole was sobbing, choking and struggling to breath. His eyes were wide with terror. It was as if he couldn't get any air into his lungs. He couldn't calm down and get a breath of air in and he was in a state of panic. I grabbed him and tried to soothe him, telling him it was ok, and he just needed to relax. I held him tight and kept rocking him. This has happened often in the past, but this was by far the worst it has ever been.

I walked him back to my room to put him in bed with us. There is no way he can sleep in his own room when he is having one of these attacks. It is way too dangerous. Bill was awake and I mentioned to him (not complaining, just curious) why did he wake me up and tell me to go get Cole when it would have been faster just to go get Cole himself? He asked me what I meant. I explained, "Why did you take the time to wake me up and tell me to go get him, instead of just running yourself?" Again, I was not criticizing Bill, just asking him. He told me he had no idea what I was talking about. I said, "Bill, I was in a deep sleep, and you started shaking me and told me to get to Cole fast. It felt like you were yelling at me." Bill said, "Honey, I don't know what you are talking about. I was sound asleep and then the next thing I knew you were climbing into bed beside me with Cole.

Many times I have felt the spirit of our Father in Heaven pour out his love for this tiny little boy, but again two nights ago, I felt that love like no other. He is in Heavenly Father's watchful care every minute of every day, and night.

He was horrible choking, coughing and struggling to breath on and off from 11:00pm to 1:30 am. We did his breathing treatments and his medications, but nothing seemed to help. We would fall asleep and then wake up again every few minutes, until we finally felt like he needed to go into the hospital to make certain he was ok.

When his breathing is so labored, it is hard on every part of his little body. His heart starts pounding so hard... and his throat gets totally raw. He can't breath and he looks at you with these terrified eyes because he can't understand why he feels like he can't breath. It is so hard for him to get in a breath that he coughs, which makes him throw up... Have you ever thrown up so much that your throat was raw? This is what happens to him. He has thrown up well over 30 times in the past day and a half. I can't imagine how much his little throat must burn!

So now we are ok. He is much better today than yesterday. He just wants to be held all the time. He has really bad lungs, and it hit his respiratory system fast and hard. It is crazy that he can be totally fine one hour, and then miserable in and in extreme danger an hour later.
Thanks for caring about us,
We feel really blessed.
Charise

Apples, Rasberries, Pears and Homemade Cider!

After picking pumpkins, we moved on to raspberries. It was so fun! Everyone got involved! It was like a scavenger hunt. You really had to look deep into the bushes, but when you found them, you felt like you really accomplished something! They were soooo delicious! We gobbled up most of them before we even put them in the basket!

It was so funny to see how "into it" everyone got. Papa and Daddy had to go off on their own... because they were looking for the best harvest! They found tons!

Grammy was wonderful to help Bright and Cole learn how to find the good ones. Big, plump, juicy, red ones! Delicious!!!
After Raspberries, we moved on to Apples and Pears.

































And then we made homemade cider at the cider press. The boys loved working together with all of our family to make the cider.

First papa and the boys chose the apples for us to use.

Then Bright and Cole tossed the apples in while papa and daddy turned the press.


The results were amazing. The BEST APPLE CIDER EVER! Even papa said so!

Picking Pumpkins!

Oak Glen is a favorite annual tradition in our family.
We go pick apples and pumpkins, and it feels like fall is finally here!
This year we invited Grammy and Papa to go with us, and they were a wonderful addition to our day. Grammy told stories all the way there on the drive. It takes about 75 minutes to get there from our house. Grammy had everyone act out the parts to our favorite fairy tales. We did Goldilocks and the Three Bears and The Three Little Pigs. You would not believe the darling voices Papa did for his characters! So much fun.

The first thing we did was hunt for our pumpkins. They had a great selection. It is so fun because you actually have to cut it off the vine! Our rule is, you can choose any pumpkin you want, but you have to carry it yourself. The boys had an awesome time, and papa made it so much more fun! He taught them all about how to find the best pumpkins!

These pictures are from Saturday, September 27, 2008. I am a little late in my journaling, but better late than never!

Pumpkin T-Shirt Party!

Ok, so I have this darling friend Darcy who takes great pictures, and blogs every day... So I am just taking what she did and writing my thoughts to add to it. Darcy... is that ok???

I invited our playgroup to come to our house and make these cute tie-dye Halloween Pumpkin T-shirts. I saw them in the Family Fun magazine and I really wanted to make them... but I knew I would never do it unless I made it into a party and did it with a group.

While the moms were getting the shirts ready, the kids all got to decorate graham crackers, but lets face it all of it ended up on their faces and in their mouths, not on the crackers!

Gwenie is always a little princess. I have never seen her messy. Ever!

Hayden had a huge pile of candy on the plate, but we made her share. She is adorable!!



Darcy's camera and talent is amazing! She captures the kids so well!



Gavin didn't waste anytime eating his once he was done decorating it. I love how Spencer/Lincoln (Twins and I can tell who is who when I can see them together, any help? Katie?) is looking on.



Brody licking off the frosting, don't blame him it was yummy.



The shirts have to soak for along time, so we then gave the kids Popsicles. Sugar high anyone?


Brody, Gavin, Gwennie, Lincoln, Cole, Hayden, Avery, Grant, Spencer, Saywer, Noah...
Not pictured: Kaden, Taylor, Luke... and maybe a few I am forgetting! It was a crazy day, but lots of fun.

I am so lucky that Cole has this fantastic group of kids to be his friends!



I love that Noah's hair is always totally done perfectly... Abby needs a girl!



Sawyer, seriously such a cutie!



Darcy, thank you for taking such fun pictures. I am so glad you came to my house to play!

Amazing Friends

Exactly a year ago, I spent a week with my sisters Mitzi and Amy in Las Vegas. They both have best girlfriends from their wards, who they do lots of fun things with. I remember coming home and telling my mom how much I wished that I could have that. A dear friend from my church that I felt like I could really enjoy and do things with. I asked Heavenly Father in my prayers for weeks to please help me find someone who I could get along with more than just for 3 hours at church. Little did I know the great blessings Father in Heaven had in store for me. One year ago this week, a girl named Shaylyn Johnson stopped me in the hall at church and said that she was having some friends over for a playgroup at her house that week, and was I interested? She said that all the kids we 3 and under. Cole was almost 2 at the time. I told her we'd love to come...

Throughout many of my past blogs I have talked about these girls, but I want to tell them all how much I love them, and how thankful I am for their friendship. They are all so different from one another. They each have amazing talents and strengths and I am so lucky to have them in my life! Between us there is 24 children ages 5 and under and we have 4 more on the way in the next few months. Some are loud, some are quiet, some are brave, some are not. But everyone of them are kind, loving and fun. They are terrific wives, and fantastic mothers. There are so many things about each of them that I want to strive to be more like.

So Shaylyn, Abby, Lisa, Kelly, Wendy, Kathryn, Karen, Darcy, Lanay and now our two new cuties Katie and Kate... I love you all and I am so thankful for the sisterhood we share. I am thankful that we never say anything bad about anyone else. I love that I never hear any of you gossip or criticize. I love that we help each other at the last minute, and that we make each other stronger. You each make my testimony stronger. You encourage me to try harder and to be better. I am so thankful to be a part of this amazing group of women! And to anyone out there who wants to be a part of this great group of friends, from the beginning the motto has always been, "everyone is included, everyone is welcome." Please join us... we are having a great time raising our children together.

Shoes

My boys are both so wonderful, but so different.

I just finished getting Brighton ready for school. While he sat and ate toast with jam and watched Curious George, I picked his feet up one by one and put his socks on and then his shoes. They are the easy Velcro tennis shoes... but still... apparently too difficult for Bright to do on his own.

Cole, who always has to be like his brother, disappears and I hear screaming and angry noises. I holler back to Cole, "Are you ok?" "Yeah..." But more angry noises.

Now I know Bright isn't bugging him, because I am still putting Bright's shoes on him, while he is totally engrossed in Monkey George. But again, Cole is making his terrible noises. "Cole, What is wrong?" Silence, for a minute, then horrible growling noises. Then, "I did it!"

Cole comes in with his socks and tennis shoes on! (Side note... he does not have a shirt or pants on... he took those off. Because he knows that he can't go outside in his jammers and he has to have shoes on to go outside.)

He is just an amazing kid.

Time Out for Adults

As parents we all know about time outs. Charise uses our master shower. (We chose this spot because it is easy to get in and out of and if Cole refluxes then it is in the shower.) Now where would an adult go for time out you might ask. I have found the perfect spot!!! And last week, Charise was naughty, so she spent a few minutes in time out.