Croup

So this little guy gave us quite the scare Tuesday  night..... He woke up at midnight crying and wheezing, unable to catch his breath. I freaked out a little as I had no idea what was happening, woke up Brad, went downstairs and woke up my parents who just happened to be visiting and tried I calm him down.  He wouldn't stop crying and was trying sooo hard to just calm down and catch his breath.  You could tell he was scared and this mama was too!!  I didn't know if I should call 911, the on call doctor or what to do?!

Thankfully our pediatrician lives across the street and is AWESOME!  Brad texted him the symptoms, asking him if he was awake (it was midnight remember) and then proceeded to call the on call doctor to find out what we should do.  In the meantime, our neighbor tried texting back a few times, telling us he suspected croup and that we should open the window or take him outside in the cold air (thankfully it was a cool summer night).   Since we weren't getting his texts since Brad was on the phone, he just came right over and calmed our fears.  After a quick eval on the front porch he decided it was best for him to get a steroid to reduce the swelling and some breathing treatment, if needed.  I was SOOO releived we had some answers right away and that it didn't seem like anything major.  Thank you Mike!!!!!  I need to get baking - pretty sure I owe you some cookies for the midnight house call!!

Thankfully my parents were there so they could stay with Makenna while we headed to Children's (with windows down driving down the freeway so the cold air could help his breathing too). 

I sat in the back with Alex and froze:). Lol. I think he thought it was pretty cool to be out for a drive at midnight.  The cool air seemed to help and he had calmed down by this point.  

They got us checked in quick and gave Alex the oral steroid right away. Then they started the breathing treatment. At first he didn't mind it but by the end he was screaming as I held him down with the little mask over his face.  It was horrible! They have you wait 3 hours for observation after the treatment so if it isn't working they can do it again. 

They hooked him up so they could monitor his oxygen levels. He thought this little red light on his thumb was pretty cool. After an hour or so he still sounded pretty bad so they gave him another treatment right away. This time he was sleeping when they started it but woke up shortly after to the same screaming again. Poor guy. 

He responded pretty well to the next treatment but by 6:30 he was snoring pretty bad and wasn't quite there so they did a 3rd treatment and decided to admit us to Children's Hospital.  

He was pretty worked up by this point and the more upset he got the worse his barky cough got. 

We waited for admission and were told we'd probably be headed home by the afternoon. 

Well by the time we were checked in upstairs the story changed a bit and we were told we'd likely stay another night. Thankfully, he seemed to get better as the day went on and there was less of this:

and more of this:

Doesn't he make the cutest little patient??!??

He was definitely a hit with all the doctors and nurses and I'm pretty sure he knew it too:)

I must admit Mama was more than willing to give PLENTY of baby snuggles, especially to a certain little boy that is NOT a snuggler.  

Daddy had to leave after the doctors did their rounds so he could go home, shower, rest up and get some work done.  Mama had a little too much fun just spending some good one on one time with this little cutie. I'm pretty sure I bombarded the instagram and facebook feeds the last 24 hours, but what else is a mama boarded up in isolation with a super cute baby supposed to do?!  LOL:)  He just looked so stinkin cute in that little hospital gown.  

He played...

Posed for pictures...

 Rolled around in his crib...

 Posed for more cute pictures in his hospital gown...

Snuggled with mama some more...

And then, 

Mama decided to give him a tubby and he was ALL smiles.... especially here when then nurses came in to flirt with him.

Then there was more cheeerios on the couch....

And THE highlight of his day..... a visit from Sissy!!!  AND Oma and Papa!!

His reaction was PRICELESS when they walked in the door!!  His whole face LIT up.  It was toooo sweet!!

Sissy missed her bubbers!!

and she brought books and toys!!

We were sad when they had to go and I was fearing the worst as I've heard croup can get much worse at night, but this was Alex at 7pm

And after only waking up once at midnight for some snuggles and a quick feed he made it all the way until morning!

He even has cute bedhead!

He was pretty excited when I told him we were going home!!

His facial expressions crack me up

I must admit I secretly loved spending an entire day with this little guy locked up in a little room with no where to go.  It was a free pass to spoil him and snuggle him and be silly with him and love on him. And I was thankful that he continued to feel better throughout the day and didn't need any more breathing treatments.   

He got to enjoy breakfast in bed this morning, with no where to rush off to...

And got his pick of the toys.... including sissy's barbie car which she so generously brought for him to play with... 

He got to go for a "walk" around the room with mama before...

Annika came to visit!! 

Aren't these 2 the sweetest?!

We also had visits from Elizabeth (yesterday AND today she brought Mama starbucks!) and our friends Katie, Shannon and Jason (they all work at Froedtert/Children's and stopped up to check on us).  It was a nice break to the day!!

Then while we waited for discharge, me and Alex had a DANCE PARTY in his crib:)

This boy has got some serious moves!

Then it was on to more snuggles while we watched Daniel the Tiger after my friend alerted me that there was a cute little snowflake theme on it today.  

"I am a snowflake as special as can be. There is nobody else exactly like me" 

Then we were STILL waiting for discharge so this little guy decided to check out the view and was pleasantly surprised the big crane was moving!

Such a boy!!

By 1:00 we were discharged and on our way home!!

I'm not sure if it was being confined to that small space for a whole day and a half or what, but this little guy decided to get in all sorts of trouble once we got home....

Looks like someone is feeling better!!!

Love you, Alex and am soooooo thankful that you are on the mend!!

Alex's baby dedication

This morning we had Alex's baby dedication.  At our church, we don't do infant baptisms but rather we do these "dedications" where we, as parents, promise to teach our child the truths of the Christian faith, to set an example before him, to bring him up in the instruction and discipline of the Lord and to encourage him to accept Christ as Savior and Lord under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  As we present our children to the congregation, they profess to join us in this pursuit.

We chose Proverbs 3: 5-6 for Alex's life verse: 

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  

Seek His will in all you do and He will direct your path."  

This verse has such special meaning to me as it was one of my go to verses when I was going through infertility.  It is probably one of the most picked apart and studied verses in my prayer journal.  I'm pretty sure I could do an entire blog post just on this verse....maybe someday;)   I thought it was only fitting that as our infertility journey comes to an end and our journey as a family of 4 begins that I would forever remember as I look at Alex and God's special plan for him to really and truly trust in God.  

Not only that, but God certainly proved trustworthy in Alex's life from the very start

.....when the power went out when his little embryo was being frozen, we trusted in God that he was still a viable embryo.

....when we had just one embryo left over and the chances were sooo slim that he would survive the thaw, we trusted in God that he would make it.

....when we transferred just one embryo and the chances again weren't so good that he would "take", we trusted in God.

....when we found out we were pregnant but that my thyroid levels were elevated and this could increase my chance of miscarriage, we trusted in God.

....when we thought we lost him in a scary ER visit on Good Friday at 14 weeks, we trusted in God.

So today, baby boy, you see God is trustworthy - He was before you were created, on the day you were formed, the day you were frozen and every second from then until now and forever.  

This week I have been reading over Proverbs 3 - it's funny, verse 5-6 have always been near and dear to my heart but I don't know that I've ever ventured through the entire chapter.  As I read it this morning, I found it to be a perfect prayer to pray over you today and always:

My son, do not forget my teaching,
    but keep my commands in your heart,
for they will prolong your life many years
    and bring you peace and prosperity.

Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
    bind them around your neck,
    write them on the tablet of your heart.
Then you will win favor and a good name
    in the sight of God and man.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.^[a]

Do not be wise in your own eyes;
    fear the Lord and shun evil.
This will bring health to your body
    and nourishment to your bones.

Honor the Lord with your wealth,
    with the firstfruits of all your crops;
then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
    and your vats will brim over with new wine.

My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline,
    and do not resent his rebuke,
because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
    as a father the son he delights in.^[b]

Blessed are those who find wisdom,
    those who gain understanding,
for she is more profitable than silver
    and yields better returns than gold.
She is more precious than rubies;
    nothing you desire can compare with her.
Long life is in her right hand;
    in her left hand are riches and honor.
Her ways are pleasant ways,
    and all her paths are peace.
She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her;
    those who hold her fast will be blessed.

By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations,
    by understanding he set the heavens in place;
by his knowledge the watery depths were divided,
    and the clouds let drop the dew.

My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight,
    preserve sound judgment and discretion;
they will be life for you,
    an ornament to grace your neck.
Then you will go on your way in safety,
    and your foot will not stumble.
When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
    when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
Have no fear of sudden disaster
    or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
for the Lord will be at your side
    and will keep your foot from being snared.

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
    when it is in your power to act.
Do not say to your neighbor,
    “Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”—
    when you already have it with you.
Do not plot harm against your neighbor,
    who lives trustfully near you.
Do not accuse anyone for no reason—
    when they have done you no harm.

Do not envy the violent
    or choose any of their ways.

For the Lord detests the perverse
    but takes the upright into his confidence.
The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked,
    but he blesses the home of the righteous.
He mocks proud mockers
    but shows favor to the humble and oppressed.
The wise inherit honor,
    but fools get only shame.

Isn't that perfect?  

So today, Alexander Brooks we committed you to the Lord before many of our friends and family and our entire congregation.

As the pastor prayed a prayer over you, you tried to steal the papers out of his hand.  

As for your sister, I'm not *quite* sure what she is doing here!

We love you, Bubbers!!!

As always, you had so much fun with Cookie Beek back at our house to celebrate.  You sure know how to put a smile on her face!!

You woke up from your nap sooooo sad to see that everyone was gone!!

But after a quick nap in your stroller, you were much better.  We sat on the porch and hung out while a quick rain shower passed by and even saw a rainbow!

Love the way you are holding on so tightly to daddy's hand in this one!!

Your silly sissy giving you "bunny ears, bunny ears hop hop hop!"

Love you!!!!

Mommy, Daddy and Makenna