Bailey Has Seen the Heart Specialist

Well I've had the appointment. He confirms that Bailey has a heart murmer, which he calls an 'innocent murmer' and is confident that's all it is. He should grow out of it by the time he is 6, but will need to be checked again then to make sure. But to double check there is nothing he's missed he is booked in for an Echocardiography on Wed 12th July. The Doc is confident it will be normal.

He has picked up something else on Bailey that we need to keep an eye on although he didn't put a great deal of importance on it, he said we need to clear up the heart first. Bailey's diagphram (spell??) works overtime and he asked if he snores. He said it could just be his asthma and we have to be diligent with his asthma medication or it could be Sleep Apnea (again spell??), because of the snoring as well. Bailey doesn't snore too badly though, it's not all the time and it's fairly quite and I really don't think he is suffering apnea because he wakes up so well in the morning. They say with sleep apnea you wake up feeling like you haven't even slept. I really think it's his asthma that makes his diaphragm (try this spelling) work overtime, and I think at this stage I won't go further into this, but will keep an eye on him to make sure the snoring doesn't become worse etc., if it does, I'll be onto it.

I Met My Forum Buddies

I've joined a swap on the Scrapbooking Memories Chat Forum to make a Paper Bag Album all about my Forum Friends. Angelic, Simmibear and I had never made one before so we got together at my house to join heads and make them together. We were very excited to be meeting each other and were counting down the sleeps. You wouldn't have thought we only met for the first time because we all felt so comfortable with each other, just like we'd been good friends for ages, even though we've been chatting online for ages.

Angelic didn't bring her kids, her youngest is 9. Simmi brought her nearly 3 year old Xanthe to play with Bailey but they didn't want to share anything. Baby Jacob was busy watching everything going on around him from his rocker. Micayla loved to play mother to him when she wasn't busy dressing up in all the costumes Angelic had brought over for her. To my surprise, Bailey wanted to cuddle Jacob.

We all had a great day together and look forward to the next get together being a shopping trip at one of Angelic's local scrap stores.

It was so great meeting some of my forum buddies and can't wait to meet lots more.

Micayla Met Barbie

During the school holidays Fountain Gate Shopping Centre had Barbie live on stage. I took Micayla and 2 of her school friends, Bellanna and Courtney. They were so excited to be going along to see Barbie together. When we got there, to our surprise Ashley and Britney were also there. Britney and Ashley both went to Kinda with Micayla but go to a different school, but they still see each other at swimming and I meet with their mothers every fortnight for coffee and so the little siblings can play. It was like a little girls party. At the end of the show they got to go up on stage and met Barbie, the prince and the cat from I can't remember which Barbie show. Micayla looks sad because she fell off the steps to the stage right before it was her turn to go up on stage, but she got extra cuddles from Barbie and the cat.

Cars

I took the kids to the cinema yesterday to see "CARS". It was Baileys first time at the cinema. I knew he would like it and not get distracted, even though he is only 2 because he loves his DVD's and if allowed will sit in front of them and not move. Micayla has been once before so she knew what to expect. She just wanted the popcorn and coke.

Micayla was the one who was chatty and figity as she does, she's always got ants in her pants. Her teacher says she can't sit still on the floor at school and her legs are always flying around showing all her knickers.

Bailey was in awe of the big screen. He just sat there with his eyes glued to it and when I gave him his little cup of lollies, he didn't even move to eat them. I was feeding them into his mouth and putting the straw in his mouth so he'd drink. I didn't hear a peep out of him for the whole show, except for his laughing at the funny bits.

Micayla on the other hand, due to her 'antz in her pants' spilled her coke on her seat and had to sit on my lap for the rest of the movie. Thankfully it was near the end. My leg was getting sore with her boney bum figiting around on it.

We all enjoyed the movie. A good message for the kids about helping others and not being selfish.

Baby Kaytie Anne

As you may already know David and Laura have a little girl named 'Kaytie Anne' in the Royal Childrens Hospital'. She is 4 months old and has been in there since birth. She is what the doctors call 'A TOFF Baby'. Her story can be seen by clicking on the link to 'Kayties Story' on the right hand side of this blog.

She is doing really well now and drank from a bottle via her mouth for the first time during the week. If all goes well she may be home next weekend, providing she is taking 4 hourly feeds from her bottle.

We went in to see them Sunday afternoon in at Ronald McDonald House where David and Laura have been living during this time. Laura is able to take Kaytie out of Neonatal whenever she wants to now and she had her at the house while we visited, which meant Micayla could finally meet her little baby cousin (2nd). Micayla has been itching to meet her and we were not allowed to give Kaytie's her Easter present until Micayla could give it to her herself, which she did yesterday. Micayla was also the first child that has actually held her and Kaytie liked Micayla and sat there contently on her lap. Micayla kept washing her hands with a special disinfectant just so she could touch and hold her. Bailey on the other hand was not interested one little bit. I think he actually got jealous of Kaytie's attention and did the sulking baby doll thing against the wall. He wasn't crying or carrying on, just did the pose. It was actually quite funny.

Gifts from Holland

Adrian picked his parents up from the airport around 5.00am on Sunday morning (18th June) and brought them home to where I was waiting. Micayla went with Adrian to the airport adorning flowers cut from our garden and hand made welcome home cards. She couldn't wait for them to come home and was counting down the sleeps. Had no trouble waking her up at 4.00am to get to the airport. Bailey stayed asleep and didn't wake up until around 8.00am. It was killing his parents cause they couldn't wait for a cuddle and was itching to give them their presents. Micayla got a dutch costume, but her clogs are too small and will need to be changed. The skirt still has to be made. Bailey got some clogs and a dutch boys hat, but he won't wear them. They were also given lots of other little toys etc. They bought themselves some clog slippers and a couple of funny hats, which you can see the kids wearing in the photo.

The new Pergola

While Adrian's parents were away in Holland for a month, Adrian had this 'brilliant' idea (hhmmm) to build them a pergola while they were gone and surprise them. It meant taking me away from my scrapbooking for awhile (grrrrr). I couldn't post the progress on here because they read the blog from Holland and they would've found out; no fun then. I'd decided, with some prompting from my forum friends after having a winge, that seeing I was taken away from my scrapping, I would scrap the post. We even joked about entereing 'the scrapped pergola' in the Scrapbooking Memories Masters competition. Here are the photos of the finished pergola and scrapped post. When Adrian drove them up the driveway it was dark and the coach lights were on, it looked very pretty. I saw Adrian's mother reach across and punch him affectionately in the arm. It looked to me like his father was fighting back tears. They said it was like coming home to Backyard Blitz and are going to go away again, leaving us with a list of things they'd like done. They're telling everyone about their surprise. I think they like it.

A Heart Specialist for Bailey

Went to see the doctor today for Bailey's follow up from his follow up xray. His infection has cleared up but the xray still indicates an enlarged heart and the doctor can hear a faint murmer. He has now referred me to a heart specialist for Bailey to have an ultrasound on his heart. The doctor told me not to panic but it's a bit hard not to. I was holding back tears in the doctors office.

The doctor gave me quite a few reasons why it could be, which are:

it could be as simple as Bailey not taking a deep breath during the xray, which can make the heart appear large according to the heart/lung ratio;
It is also very common for children his age to have a murmer;
It could just be fluid around the heart that makes it appear larger and that can clear up on its own;
He also said he could've been born with a large heart, but if so we need to know why, it could be the valve, but if this was the case he would have a very loud murmer and Bailey's is just faint.

It still doesn't make me feel any easier and I am crying as I am typing this. I'm worried now and will be until he sees the heart specialist on the 29th June. I hope it's just a case of Bailey not taking a deep breath during the xray.

Long Weekend at Loch Sport

Went with Scott and Tania Graham to their holiday house in Loch Sport along with Julie and Marty Peters over the Queens Birthday long weekend. We took the kids mini motorbikes and the new fishing rods. Micayla and Bailey had never fished before. Between us all there were 7 kids. We took the kids out on the bikes first after riding around the property. They kept falling off when they ran into a tree root. We had to rug up with beanies and gloves etc, but not because it was cold. The mossies were the size of bees and when you stood still they swarmed like flies. They only part of me exposed were my eyes and nose and I was hot. When my hands were still filming the mossies swarmed and bit my hands, but they didn't actually itch. None of us that were bitten itched. Couldn't stand it though and left to go fishing. As soon as we got there Brandon got a hook stuck in his finger. The kids were having fun for about ohhhh 10 minutes and then ran around as 7 kids do. So much for catching fish, they scared everyone else around us away too. They went and played on the beach, rolling down the sandhills.

At night we couldn't wait for peace and quite and sent the kids to bed ASAP. We just sat around chatting, eating and drinking in the nice warm cosy house. It was a very relaxing weekend. Sunday, us girls wanted some peace so we sent the boys out with the kids on the bikes again and we had coffee, chocolate and played UNO. Went out to dinner that evening, who could be bothered cooking again. Thanks to Scott and Tania for giving us the opportunity to stay in the Graham holiday house.

Bloody Excercise

I've hired a cross trainer for the next 4 months to help me shed some kilos I put on over Christmas and have not been able to move. Not motivated to go out walking in the cold. So now I have no excuse, especially seeing that I've paid money to torture myself in my own home. The first day I got on it I put the power level up way too high and got off after a couple of minutes huffing a puffing and all wobbly in the legs, vowing never to get back on that thing. I've braved it since though and lowered the level and managing 20 minutes at a time. Phew, it is such hard work and I've still got 4 months to go. It's growing on me now. I used to wake up in the morning with the thought of getting on that damn xtrainer and dreading it. But; my MP3 player, which I scored with my Fly Buys points arrives tomorrow so I will have motivating music pumping through my brain to help me through the torture. I've motivated a cyber buddy to join me in getting her own cross trainer. Go Ally Go, I'll see you at the bottom of the slope.

Bailey's visit to the Ear Specialist

Bailey had his follow up appointment today. It's been a month since his grommets were put in. After waiting 35-40 minutes in the waiting room, we were finally called in for a visit that literally lasted no longer than 2 minutes. Bailey didn't even sit on my lap for his check up, cause he's a big boy now. He sat on the chair opposite me and offered one ear to the doctor and then the second ear and then opened his mouth ready for his throat to be checked (even though he was not having his throat checked, just habbit for him). He is soooo used to having this done that he is an old hand at it now. Good news, the grommets are nicely in place and the ear drums have healed over nicely. He just has to have another hearing test, which he is booked in for next month and he will need to see the specialist again in December to check that the plugs are still in there.

Full Steam ahead for Micayla

No Dad, Micayla has not been riding steam engines.

She is doing really really well at school and is now one of the few kids in her class up to reading Level 4 readers. If she goes up to another level anytime soon, she will need to get her readers each morning from the grade 1 class room. We are so proud of her.

My Birthday

I had my birthday last Friday, 2nd June and I was pretty spoilt. From Adrian and the kids I got a subscription to my favourite scrapbooking magazine, Scrapbooking Memories, which also came with a bonus 30 different colour versa ink stamp pads - whoo hoo! I also got a voucher, which I went out that day and spent on clothes and last but not least a Sound Stripes Recorder. This digitally records voices onto tiny little strips of paper to be added to a scrapbooking layout that can be played over and over again - Live Journalling!

I had a pretty quite day, except for losing the stupid dog. Went to take Micayla to school only to discover Monty had got out when Micayla went into the garage to get her scooter to ride to school. Didn't have time to look for him and he generally wanders home when he's ready anyway. Not today. Micayla told the crossing lady that she has lost her dog and she said that she saw a little fluffy white Shitzu dog follow a couple of kids into school. GRRRRR!!!! So I dropped Micayla off to school and went up to the office after I had a little scan around the school grounds. Luckily they had him locked in one of their offices until the council came, but I'd got there first and carried him home in the little bag that hangs off the back of the stroller. He just had his head and paws poking out the top. I was wild though and luckily for Monty there was people around when I picked him up cause I felt like kicking him so hard up the bum it would end up in his head. Lucky for me, I found him so easily, cause the last thing I wanted to do on my birthday was hunt down a *%$#@ dog. I had major shopping to do.

Thank you to Mum and Dad Klaster for the phone call from Holland and the flowers. They'll be dead by the time you get home so you won't be able to see them.

Thank you to all my friends and family who sent cards and well wishes, particulary to Tara, it was so nice to receive a card from her after losing contact for a while but now found again. Will enjoy a cyber cuppa with you soon. And thank you to my cyber buddies for all their wishes too.

Mum and Dad came for lunch on Saturday and brought with them a very yummy pie and massive long pastie. Thank you to Mum and Dad for the gorgeous clothes and matching necklace. I am so lucky. The kids thank you too for the Easter presents. Bailey just LOOOVED those chocies.

Thank you to David and Laura, for popping in and giving me the voucher to "Relax". I'm not wasting anytime using that voucher and I am booked in for my massage tomorrow (Wed). Can't wait!!! Thank you again, I've always wished someone would give me a gift like that. Certainly not something I'd go and buy myself. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.

Adrian and I tucked away a few drinks together on the Saturday night while watching a DVD curled up on the couch. We both were a bit happy after a few.

Micayla's in The Link again.

On the 20th of May, Micayla, Bailey and I went to help out at the school working bee. Micayla had her photo taken and published in The Link, the school newsletter, to show how hard she worked. She's in the bottom left hand corner of the pic.