The Most Traumatizing Blood Drawing Experience.

My poor, poor daughter.

During our trip to the ER last Sunday, Storie had to have blood drawn. Let's just say she remembers what happens when she gets held down and they start poking and prodding her arms from our last 3-day stay in the Hospital.

It all starts when they tie that awful blue band around her arm. Oh boy. The nurse was poking and prodding looking for a good vein. I told him that the veins he will get the most blood out of are in her wrist, not on the inside of her elbow. He then informed me that they have to take so much blood, they can only get it from a vein higher in her arm. I told him that we have been in the hospital several times before, and the last time they drew her blood every 4 hours for 3 days straight. And that I know what i'm talking about.

After being very unsuccessful looking "higher in her arm", he took my advice and BINGO there was a winner right on top of her wrist.

Those dang nurses, don't they know that Mommy always knows best?

After that horrific 10 minutes of looking for a vein was finally over her started to get his needle ready. Let me tell yall that this guy was s-l-o-w! Seriously, I could have done it in half the time he did. And when you have a screaming 21 month old being held down it's best to just get it over with all ready! Our lovely nurse had other things planned first though.

Like showing us their new numbing solution. It's in the pressure thing that they had to press down on her hand so hard it probably hurt worse than the tiny little needle would have. oy.

After they finally got all they needed and the horrific experience was over, Storie clung to her honey and ate a fig newton (as pictured above). My poor girl, I would have gladly traded places with her and been poked 20 times if that meant she was spared.

Sick Toddler

This past weekend we stayed in Red Oak to house sit/babysit Heath's little brother while his parents stayed the weekend in Ft Worth at the Nascar races. Sunday Morning we had plans to go to Cowboy Church with his Grandmother, but Storie had other plans. She woke up that morning screaming and crying, and for the life of me I couldn't figure out what was wrong with her. She cried and cried for 30+ minutes before Heath got her to go back to sleep. I could tell her face was warm but I honestly didn't think anything of it Because she has never had a high fever before.



5 1/2 hours later we decided to wake her up out of her coma nap. She was acting super lethargic, not looking at us or talking, not interested in eating or drinking, and she didn't want to be put down. None of that is like her, at all. She has never been sick besides the normal teething runny nose and barely-fever. When we took her temp it was 102.7 and that just plain freaked me out. With her history I didn't even want to risk sitting at home waiting it out.



Before Storie left the NICU they drilled it into our heads that if she ever has a high fever before she turns 3, to take her to the hospital, because it is almost always more than just a fever in preemies. We took her to Children's Hospital in Dallas. It's by far my favorite out of Cooks and Arlington Memorial. They moved us through the whole process very quickly. We were there maybe 45 minutes before we saw the Dr. I would highly recommend that hospital to anyone with children.



After we went through the most traumatizing blood drawing experience out of them all, we got the results back very quickly that she just has a viral infection. And we were quickly released! You have no idea how wonderful it is to be told better-than-bad news and be released within 3 hours of getting there. After all of the hospital stays we have had, it's a scary place for us.



So 3 days later Storie is feeling much better. She still has no appetite but she ate more today than she has in the last 4 days. Tuesday morning Storie woke up covered in throw up, all over her and all over her bed. It was just everywhere, and I gagged. A lot. We haven't had anymore of that all week, thank the Lord almighty!



It seems though that Storie has passed some of her symptoms onto Heath and I, with the exception of the fever. I'm hoping we are all rid of this by Saturday!! Praise the Lord that nothing serious was wrong with Storie and that she is resting and healing at home :)

Car Seat Safety

I have been seeing this around a lot and I would like to share some knowledge. .


*Rear-facing and Forward-facing car seat Safety for infants and toddlers.*

Please watch the videos!


It is Texas law that it is ILLEGAL for a child under 1 year to be Forward-Facing in a car. A child that is 1 year AND 20 pounds is allowed to ride FF. It is also very dangerous for a 1 year old to be FF, The safest way for your child to be riding in a car is Rear-Facing. There is a huge risk if you get into a wreck while your child is FF that they will have neck, back and vertebrae injuries. People assume that RF children will have broken legs if in a crash while RF, but there are no reports of broken legs in a RF crash. --In my opinion I would rather my child legs be broken then her neck snapped, but that's just me.--

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/director_staff/public_information/carseat.htm


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2DVfqFhseo



child under 5 years old and less than 36 inches tall must be in a booster seat with restraints. A 5 point harness is recommended.

http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/saferiders/CPSlaw.shtm




Another thing I commonly see people doing is putting the top buckle way too low. The front buckle on a car seat should be nipple level for infants, and armpit level for toddlers. If the buckle sits too low it gives an extra risk for the child to slip out of the restraints in an accident.

(Watch the last 30 seconds of this one)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGv2E57_z2s





Well there is my two cents, I hope everyone is able to learn a little more from this. I personally will keep my daughter Rear-Facing for at least another year. After doing research and watching video's I can't knowingly put my child in danger like that. I have been in a crash going 40 MPH with Storie RF and she had no injuries. I feel that Rear-Facing is best for our family.

*Warning* The following is full of complaining*

I'M SO SICK!!!

I'm so sick of never having enough money.

I'm so sick of laying wide awake every night, exhausted, while my mind races.

I'm so sick of just barely scraping by every month.

I'm so sick of never getting any hours at work.

I'm so sick of eating chicken every night, I want a dang steak.

I'm so sick of having the unrealistic expectations of having everything around me perfect.

I'm so sick of the thought of leaving the one person that has always been there for me to move across the country. (AKA My mom)

I'm so sick that my Husband and I are going to be separated for 8 long months while he is in training.

I'm so sick that my dad isn't here to make it all better for me.

I'm just so sick of my life right now!

I need a freaking vacation!!!!!!

One year ago today.

One year ago today we all lost a very special man. He was the most generous, giving, loving, kind man I know. His heart was truly made out of gold, and he never turned down an opportunity to help someone.

This man was my friend, my confidant, and my Father.

I will always remember how he took care of my mom and I, I never had to think twice about something I needed done, I would just mention something and he would take care of it for me. After I had Storie and she was in the NICU he took care of me every day. I had to get up ever night to pump, and every night my dad would get up, get my stuff ready and wake me up. After I was finished he would clean and put everything away while I went back to sleep.

My dad and I were very close. We always had a great father-daughter relationship but these last few years when we were both home all day we really bonded. I don't think I could truly describe the awesome relationship we had.

He was my daddy and I was his princess. He couldn't say no to me either, to say that he was wrapped around my little finger would be an understatement :)

He was such an awesome man, and honestly, I am still dealing with anger that he was taken from us so soon. I don't know if the thought "why couldn't it have been someone else" will ever leave my head, because I still think about that every day.

I am so happy that my daughter got to spend 8 wonderful months with him, and I am so happy that I get to tell her how much he loved her. I can't wait to tell her about the nights after she came home from the NICU that she wouldn't sleep, and he would stay up with her all night rocking her and talking to her.

I am so sad that she won't ever remember him, it's not fair that she has to miss out on having such an awesome Pops.

I am so sad for my brother, who hadn't seen him in years, and for his two boys, Preston and Stephen, that never got to meet him.

I'm so sad for my sister Sabrina, who never really got to know him. They had such a short time together and my dad so adored her. I'm so sad for her husband Dustin and daughter Sydney, they never knew him, and he would have loved them both to pieces

I am so sad that my future children won't get to meet him, that I won't have any memories of them spending time with my dad.

I am so sad that my mom has had to spend the last year alone. I am so sad that she went from being truly in love with her husband and expecting to be with him for years and years to come, to one day being told that he isn't here anymore, and isn't coming back.

I am so sad that I can't give my dad a hug anymore. I am so sad that I can't tell him about my day. I am so sad that he can't tell me about his day. I am just so sad.

But I am happy that he is not in pain anymore, that he is in heaven with Jesus, having a blast!

I just want to say thank you to my mom who is always there when I need to cry or talk about him. I don't have to hide my feelings from her, and if I want to spend an hour just crying she is right there crying with me. I don't know the pain she has had to endure, losing a father and losing a husband are two very different things, but this has brought us closer together, as a mother and daughter, and as friends. I love you mom.

I also want to say thank you to my husband, who has been there for me every night when I can't stop crying. Who remembers him with me, and will talk about him with me all night long. Thank you babe, for Never telling me to suck it up, I love you.

And God, can you please tell my dad that I love him, with all my heart.

San Antonio

Last weekend My mom was going to take Gui to San Antonio to see the Alamo and Heath has never been so we decided to tag along. We left Grand Prairie about 8pm and started on the 5 hour drive. After only 1 pee stop we got to Seguin Tx at 11:30pm, my mom made great time! We stayed at my Aunt and Uncle's house for the weekend and my grand parents are right down the street so it was nice to spend time with Family!


Saturday morning we headed to San Antonio. We walked through the river City mall and down to the River Walk. We stopped at this beautiful Catholic church, it is the oldest church in the City (maybe even state but I can't remember..)






Then we walked down a few more streets to the Alamo!

This is the only tree that survived the battles, and the oldest well in the state

Heath, Uncle Chuck & Gui






Uncle Chuck and Storie keeping warm

Waiting to get inside for the Alamo movie

On the way back through the River Walk

We had a great time, I'm so glad we went!

Another trip to the hospital.

Well Sunday evening Storie was playing in her room, I was in the living room peeling potatoes for dinner, and Heath was cleaning the kitchen. After a few minutes of quiet we hear a crash and Storie screaming!

Storie had found a drinking glass and dropped it on the wood floor, then she fell on top of the broken glass and she had a very big slice in her hand. Heath was able to pick the chunk of glass out and stop the pouring blood.

By the time the ambulance got here she was calm and the bleeding had stopped, so we took her to the ER only to wait hours for them to put 3 little stitches in her left hand, OUCH! I think holding her down to to put the stitches in bothered her more than anything else that day.

Storie is gonna be one tough kid. Hopefully we won't see the inside of a hospital for a very long time!