Egg-cellent Afternoon!

...well, it started that way!! For the first time in this Harrison household we dyed Easter eggs! Joshua was SO excited yet he had no idea what he was going to do, he just saw the dye cups and assumed we were painting and even THAT thought is enough to get Joshua SUPER excited!!

So we busted out 18eggs and Joshua held on the entire time. Madelynn, however, threw a fit halfway through the egg dyeing process, dumping the blue dye all over her pink pants and white and pink striped shirt and onto the floor-LOVELY! So her egg dyeing days came to a quick end. But prior to the Moo Meltdown I got some pictures...and so lets have a look into the Egg-cellent afternoon!!

Joshua began coloring on his eggs with the 'magic crayon'

Then he put the egg into the dye of his choice, blue and pink were his constant choices!, and gave it a little stir :)

Joshua then was able to check on his egg and agreed that this one was ready to be taken out-with daddy standing by to help as needed

Madelynn coloring on her Easter Egg before its color bath

And into the dye it goes!!

Here Moo is dunking her egg into the green egg dye!!

Al in all the egg dyeing afternoon wasn't THAT bad. We survived the day and will do it again next year-but not before!!

They love each other!!

Madelynn loves her brother to death, and Joshua completely adores his sissy. HOWEVER it is rare to catch their love for each other on camera right now. Joshua usually puts on his CHEESE face or darts away proclaiming my camera is a monster trying to catch him (he LOVES monsters...usually!) And Madelynn...well she usually tries to follow her brother!!

Madelynn has recently discovered that she LOVES her brother's bed. Joshua is not too fond of the idea of Moo in his bed, but will tolerate it in small doses. This particular day Joshua had asked me to put the TV from my bedroom into his room so he could watch a movie in his bed. When I explained to him that I was not putting a TV in his room, that our TV was too big, an idea popped into his head and he ran into the living room and scooped out the portable DVD player, used for long car rides up north, and said "I know, I can watch THIS in my room, it's not too heavy!!" I thought it was the cutest, smartest, most annoying idea he's had in a long time, but because of the brilliance behind it I agreed.

So as soon as Signing Time went into the portable DVD player, both kids climbed into Joshua's bed, snuggled under and covers and watched their 30min Sing and Sign Signing Time DVD. It was so sweet! And as I was snapping picture, my battery died-so though I had the PERFECT moment for a good bunch of shoots, I only got 3!!! Oh well, they DO love each other...and there is always next time!!

Doesn't Do Justice

So I am FINALLY finding the time to blog Joshua's hospital stay but I should be in the shower or cleaning my house, as my mother in law will be here within 2 hours...but I want to get this out there.

These photos do not do justice or show enough of what really happened and what Joshua really looked like. I didn't take pictures of Joshua at his worst because honestly, I didn't what those to be the last photos on my camera...it was THAT bad. He looked horrible-couldn't see out of one of his eyes do to the swelling...he didn't look like my sweet boy and I was fearful of those images on my camera. Also, I needed to be there for Joshua (while taking care of Madelynn) and picture taking was one of the furthest things on my mind. I only have a few photos of Joshua looking bad, the next 2 photos, but these were taken AFTER 2 epi pens, Benedryl, and steroid shots. He was FINALLY looking better...

But after being sent to Children's hosital and all the meds and things they did there to make him feel better he really turned around and started looking normal. They did an amazing job helping Joshua to feel at home and be comfortable there. Actually they did SUCH a good job that Joshua has asked a few times to go back to the hospital.

So to relive the story, since I'm too lazy to go back and look at my last blog entry, but Joshua had a SEVERE allergic reaction on Thursday afternoon after visiting the dentist for the first time that morning. In an hour's time he went from nothing on his face, but complaining of facial pain, to so swollen he couldn't see. His oxygen levels were in the 80's and he was in a lot of pain. His face, chest and back were covered in hives and a rash went down to this knees. He didn't look like my sweet boy at all. After going into Urgent Care and receiving meds, epis and steroids and they still couldn't get him stabilize and under control we were sent by ambulance to Children's Hospital. They gave more meds, got his O2 stats into the low-mid 90's and then admitted us. He spent Thursday night and most of Friday in Children's before coming home. He was looking better, but still had a rash over his face.

So we went home and then Saturday night Joshua started reacting, though not as severe as before. He broke out with 3 hives and had some facial swelling so we rushed him into the ER where they gave us MORE meds and watched him for a while. The new meds worked AMAZING on his rash and got rid of the hives, however the side effects of the meds are not pleasant!

For Joshua, the side effects have taken our sweet little boy and turned him into something he is not. He is now struggling with violent outbursts of hitting, kicking, throwing things and just pure aggression (trying to stab the nurse and myself with a plastic spoon in the ER). They told me this is totally normal for this med, but it is NOT normal for Joshua. Also along with the aggression has come verbal outbursts of rage (screaming) and an intense amount of strength when being moved or held to protect him and others from his behavior. It has been both physically and mentally exhausting for both of us and I just pray that Friday comes quickly (he goes off of this particular med on Friday night)

But this is what Joshua looks like now, as we are still trying and waiting to get the rash, left from his hives, to go away. HE still complains of pain in his face, hands, eyes and legs but we are praying that we find out the source so we can stop the constant medication.

Joshua saw an allergist yesterday but we are still waiting for results. They did a blood draw, since he is still on medication, and tested him for allergies to: walnuts, peanuts, cashews and latex. I don't know why more allergens were not tested, but I pray that we get some answers.

MIA

Sorry I have been so MIA lately. As many of you know Joshua had a VERY severe allergic reaction on Thursday afternoon that had us rushed to Children's Hospital after Urgent Care couldn't stabilize him. his O2 levels were low, his face swollen-eyes nearly swollen shut, hives all over his face, chest and back, and a rash that went to his knees. We spend Thursday night and most of Friday in Children's Hospital and were send home with a bunch of meds, unaware of what he is allergic to. Friday night and Saturday morning were uneventful but we still struggled with a rash covering Joshua's face.

Saturday night ended us back in the ER after Joshua had another reaction, a mild one but we rushed in quickly. They changed a med he was on and it seemed to help him much better so we were sent home. The only thing wrong with this new med is the side effects. Joshua is moody and has had a few violent outbursts. They told us this is normal and he cannot control it. He will scream 'ahhhhh' and be ok, but he is also kicking, screaming, punching, and throwing. This is SO out of character for Joshua.

We go into the allergist today at 1pm to have him tested to find out what he is allergic to. Right now we have NO IDEA what it is, therefore we cannot protect him. They told us that this could be fatal so we need to be on top of this....NOW! We are equipped with an epi pen jr and covered in the Father's love so we know we are going to be ok...

HOWEVER any and all prayers would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks,
Autumn

A is for

Alex, Alligator, Apple, Animals Ants, and Asparagus!

This week we have started teaching Joshua letters (outside of just recognition) and he is loving it!! I have decided to do a letter a week and for right now I have decided to go in alphabetical order, A-Z.

We will be working tracing and writing the letter A.

Looking at the differences between a capital A and a lowercase a.

I have animals in the rice/sensory bucket. We are also working on animal signs (ASL) and learning how to sign the letter A in ASL.

Since Joshua LOVES the do a dot paints we are working on dotting out uppercase A and lowercase a. Joshua wanted to his uppercase As in red, his lowercase a's in green

And our final project for today is one that both of my kids enjoy! A bunch of my worksheets I laminated and I recently found some white board/dry erase crayons

So with my worksheets laminated, it allows these crayons to wipe off nicely so we can work again later/tomorrow/whenever! Also I LOVE crayons over makers because they don't mark on clothing/skin as easily :) Anyways, our final project today worked with coloring apples based on the colored word printed on them. For example Joshua needed to find the apple that had purple written on it. The word purple was also purple text. When he found it he was to color the apple in (we are working on coloring nicely and not just scribbling)

We did this until we used all of the dry erase crayons, leaving some apples uncolored

Well, I'm running out of time for this blog, so I'll just end with out book list for this week...I'll post more A activities/ideas that we are doing in tomorrows blog. Happy A Week!!

Books this week are: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, A is for Apples, Ten Apples on Top, Alex Alligator and His Fearful Jams, and Alligator Pie

Gone Fishing

Joshua has become a little boy after my own heart! He recently discovered his love of 'fishing' and it makes me so happy! I am an outdoor kind of girl (as long as it isn't too humid or too cold-lol) and one of my favorite things to do outside is fish! Dan doesn't like to fish unless he is deep sea fishing because he says fishing in lakes is boring. Though I had to agree that sitting in a boat or on shore with NO BITES is boring, I love the whole catch and release process of fishing!

When Joshua was little he was scared of the fish. I have some great pictures of him with a fearful face and they always make me smile :) But now that Joshua is old enough to play some of the preschool games I thought I would try out the game "Go Fish" and it was an instant hit-though we aren't playing it as you should...yet!

Our version of Go Fish consists of finding a boat! In our case, an empty plastic bin!!

Next you want to spread out all of our fish on the floor and climb into our boat

Then start fishing!! Put your pole over the side of the boat and press your worm onto a fish-

PRESTO you now have a fish!!
Now drop your fish into your boat and catch another one!!

Joshua has spent all morning playing this game! I love it! We played this the other morning with his magnetic fishing puzzle and we put a blue blanket under his boat to look like water, and then the fish on top! He thought that was funny but didn't want to wait for the 'water' today!!

Potty Girl

Madelynn is 17months old today, where has the time gone?! The last 2 days she has wanted NOTHING to do with diapers and has wanted to use the potty constantly! Wednesday I had her in diapers and she remained dry from 7:30am-3:30pm, waking up wet from a 2.5hr nap. From 7:30am-12:30pm she had peed on the potty twice, in her diaper none. THEN from 3:30-7:00pm she peed on the potty twice and pooped in her diaper once. I was in TOTAL SHOCK! How can my baby girl be wanting this already??

Wednesday night I went out and bought her some panties and as soon as she woke up on Thursday she wanted her wet diaper off! On Thursday we followed the pattern of Wednesday, peeing in the potty all morning, wet during nap. After nap on Thursday she peed in the potty, BUT forgot to take her new panties off and peed right through them. I thought it was so cute and funny, however Madelynn was VERY upset and cried and cried that her panties got wet. I think she's got this down! She wore a 2nd pair of panties for a bit after her 'accident' but then pooped in them (evening poop is starting to become a pattern) and then she didn't want any panties anymore.

So that brings us to today, Friday. She did great all morning, wearing a diaper though-she was with daddy since Mommy had to take Joshua in for his hearing test-but while I was gone she peed on the potty for daddy!! Dan kept telling me how proud she was!! Since we are traveling this weekend we decided to ditch the potty and panties and just use diapers and if she says she has to got potty let her use the big one. So far she has not asked about them, but we have not asked her either. Perhaps tomorrow, when we are not spending 3hrs in the car, she'll be interested.

I just can't believe it...my baby girl is becoming a big girl!!

Catch Up

Sorry I have been MIA these past few weeks!! My sister in law, Molly, delivered a beautiful little baby girl, Esther Hadassah VanHeel-Essie for short, last Sunday and all of last weekend was spent with Molly while she was in labor-it was a long weekend! BUT it will all be rewarded, hopefully this weekend, with a post about the delivery and I'll be able to share some photos of Miss Essie with you all.

In the meantime, you'll have to stick with a photoless post :(
We are up north, 2.5hrs from home, again this weekend so that I can do a newborn photo shoot for Molly and Adam. I am excited, as this is my first newborn photo shoot, but if the photos turn out at all like her delivery ones (that I took and LOVE!!) then they will be great!! I wanted to share the news of new baby Essie with you all, but unfortunately that is not why I am posting this now...

Madelynn fell asleep on the way up north, like normal, at 1:15pm today and right now it is 4:05pm as I write this and she is still out in the back seat, snoring away!! I wish I had my camera with me, but it is in the house, upstairs and I'm afraid if I get out of this car one more time it will awaken the beast!!! hehe There are few things a love more in this world that the sight (and sound) of a sleeping baby and right now this is totally priceless!!

Oh I wish I had my camera still right here! Her head is tilted back, mouth open, blankie tightly tucked around her-truly a priceless picture. I look at Madelynn and can't believe that my baby girl is 17months old today. It has been nearly 1.5 years since I held a baby within and I miss it so much! Especially when Madelynn is still and quiet. For those of you who don't know, Madelyn is an active little thing. She started rolling over at 2.5months and was crawling on her hands and knees at 4 months, first steps at 8months and running at 10months. I didn't have a baby for long, so in these quiet moments I reflect on Miss Moo. I have truly been blessed with this little girl, with Joshua too. Speaking of which....

Joshua had a hearing test today after failing the one they did in clinic at his 3 year check up. We have noticed over the last few months that he has been asking a lot "what did you say??" "say that again." and at times just bursting into tears because he just can't hear us. Sometimes it is a game, as he proclaims "what did you say?!?!?!!" through his laughter but other times it is just too much stress on him and the frustration of not hearing us clearly just breaks him down. With all of that said he passed his hearing test today!! There are tones that he has a delayed response to, took longer for him to acknowledge that he heard a lower toned sounds, but was still able to identify that he heard something. BUT they did find that his ear drums are not vibrating as they should. When the ear drum does not vibrate enough it means that there is fluid surrounding it therefore it can create a muffled sound. This seems to be the issue with Joshua right now. the audiologist has recommended that we talk to his ped about getting tubes put in his ears to help drain all the fluid from around his ear drum. We will be talking to the dr soon to see his thoughts. When Joshua was a baby he had a ton of ear infections, not typical of the breastfeed baby (Joshua nursed for 18months) and they told us if he had one more ear infection within 6months he would need tubes. Well Joshua did get another ear infection, however it was 7months after his last one and the dr said that it seemed as if he was starting to outgrow them so no tubes were put in. Thus brings us to now. I am hoping to meet with his dr soon and see what we should do next. I'll keep you all posted.

Well, I should probably wrap this up, my MIL just came out to the car and informed me that dinner will be ready in 10mins! Madelynn is still snoozing away in the back seat, mouth opened, head tilted back and snoring away. Oh I wish I had my camera....