Oliver's trip to the ER

Today was a very eventful day.  But everyone is okay.

Stephanie wanted to take me out for a pedicure since my birthday was last Thursday.  We had some other errands to run, so Levi and Oliver and I headed down to visit with the White family today.  Steph and I did some shopping, and then we went to get our pedis.

About halfway through the pedicures, I called to check and see if Oliver went down for his nap okay.  Robert said that we needed to come home as soon as possible because we needed to take Oliver to the hospital.

Wait, what?

Needless to say, I was freaking out a little.  Mostly because Robert didn't tell me what was wrong.  I called back after we rushed out of the nail place, and Levi said that Oliver had thrown up a lot and was very lethargic.  I have a mild break down, and we rush the two miles back to Steph's house.  Meanwhile, I called the pediatrician's office.  On the weekends, the peds office has an answering service that has the folks at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta call you back and advise you on what to do.  I called and told them what was going on, and they said someone would call me back.

We made it back to Steph's and Levi was outside holding Oliver.  Oliver looked SO SO SO pitiful.  He was flopped on Levi's chest and his eyes were barely open.  He was breathing, but he just looked so bad.  I broke down because he looked so pitiful, and Levi kept telling me, "He's fine, sweetie...he's breathing...we just have to get to the hospital.  Do you want to drive?"  Of course I didn't want to drive, so Robert offered to drive our car and I rode in the front while Levi held Oliver in the back.  On the way to the hospital, Children's Hospital called and we talked about what was going on.  Robert and Stephanie only live a couple of miles from the hospital, so we were on our way when the nurse called.  After a few questions, she asked if Oliver could make eye contact, and when I said no, that he could barely keep his eyes open, she said that we needed to pull over and call 911.  So I hung up, called 911, and told the dispatcher where we were and asked if we should just keep going to the hospital.  He said it was up to me, so we decided to go on.

Once we got to the hospital, we went to the Pediatric ER and were seen right away.  After they checked his vitals, we noticed he had a fever of 101.2 (under his arm).  The nurse gave him some Motrin, and told us she thought he had had a febrile seizure.  I knew what that was (but of course didn't put two and two together when I was freaking out), so I calmed down.  In about an hour, Oliver was fine, moving around more, talking, and asking to eat.  The doctor came in right around that time and checked out our little boy.  He said that febrile seizures are not dangerous, that 4% of children have them, and then of that 4%, 75% never have another one.  He told us to keep an eye on the fever tonight (if he was to have another seizure in the next 24 hours, we'd need to take him back to the ER) and if he was okay to call the pediatrician on Monday.  His throat was a little red and scratchy, so he did a strep test, but it was negative.  Looks like our boy has a virus, and the fever spiking is what caused the lethargy.  The vomiting is not usually a symptom, so he was prescribed a drug for that if it happened again.  We are alternating Tylenol and Motrin tonight, and hopefully all will be well with Oliver.

He was very much himself after that first hour, so I'm not concerned.

If anything, I am thankful.  I know it's weird to say that after something like this happens, but really...this could not have unfolded in a more perfect way.

First of all, Levi almost stayed home with Oliver.  Which means I would have been half an hour away, with the carseat, and would have had to drive back home distraught at the news that my 19 month old son was in the ER.

Secondly, we were two miles from the hospital.  Where there was a Pediatric ER.  The hospital where we live doesn't have one of those.

Third, we had a friend RIGHT THERE who could drive us to the hospital.  I could not have driven, I don't think.

Fourth, it happened on a weekend, when Levi was home (yes, Levi works from home a lot, but still)...meaning the calm, level-headed, good-in-a-crisis parent was there to calm down the hormonal, pregnant parent.

It was so scary.  And the doctor said, "Aside from really bad croup in the middle of the night, a febrile seizure is the scariest thing for a parent to see."  It was scary.  But I am thankful.  God had us in the right place with the right folks at the right time.  I am praising Him tonight for His protection today!  And every day.  But especially today.

Keep us in your prayers, as the next 24 hours are going to leave me a bit worried.  He could have another seizure in the next 48 hours, but if not we should be good to go...however we will be checking on him frequently throughout the night.  Thank God for video monitors, while we're at it!  =)

Same old, same old.

The pregnancy is progressing well.  There are days I am pretty certain that I am carrying Chuck Norris' baby, because this kid is ROUGH!!  Levi and I speculate that he has more room to roll and kick and punch and such because my uterus has done this once before, and probably stretched more readily than it did with Oliver.  Still...ouch.

We are moving on the the negotiation stage of the relocating to Colorado process.  We'll see what happens.  For now, we aren't stressing about it (Levi and I barely talk about it anymore).  We're just going to see what happens...no reason to stress about it, right?

My birthday is quickly approaching...I'm going to be 29!  I can't believe how OOOOOLD I feel, lol.  And to think that I'm almost thirty!  I never could quite picture life after like, 22.  I have no idea how I ended up here.  I have to say, though...it's a sweet life.  I have so much to be thankful for!  My sweet husband, my adorable little boy.  I have some really great folks in my life that I can depend on for anything.  I have learned to prune my life to exclude the things that bring me down and the include the things that help me grow.  This has been a pruning time in my life...cutting back branches to let God cultivate growth in those areas.  I sense the time has just begun.  With a new baby on the way, I will have much less time for nonsense.  I am almost relieved!  Makes it a bit easier to cut out the stagnant parts of my life.

I have been reading the Sonoma Diet book, and am liking what I've read so far.  Some parts scare me (like no butter, sugar, or junk, basically, lol), but Lauren is right...it seems to be the most liberal diet around.  Very little is restricted, and the stuff that is restricted is restricted because it's just straight up crap.  It's bad for you! Sugar, processed foods...it's bad for you.  I haven't even seen Food, Inc. and I know that.  ;o)  Anyway, I have been living it up bad foods wise the past few days.  I'll think, "Oh man, I can't have bacon when I start the SD!  I'll have some now.  Oooh, cake!  Can't eat that after April, better have a slice now!"  Haha, it probably will throw off my pregnancy weight gain, but man.  I am loving it right now.  ;o)  I am excited to get one of the cookbooks when it is re-released.  Hooray!

Time flies!

We are now at 24 weeks! I'm in my seventh month, and boy am I feeling it. I have been so run down that I nap every day. Levi lets me sleep in every morning, and two hours later I am ready for a nap! I am pitiful.

We haven't done much with the nursery, as we aren't sure what is going on with the move situation. We should have more details in the next few weeks. Hopefully we will be able to make a decision on the move to Colorado situation before the baby gets here! If not, we'll make a decision after, no big deal. I just think it will be easier to handle everything pre-baby rather than after-baby.

We've decided on a name. Jonah Avery will be joining us at the end of April! After choosing the name, I decided we HAD to have whales for our nursery! This is the set I chose:

I couldn't help myself!!  Levi said, "Wouldn't someone named Jonah be terrified of whales?"  Shh, Levi.  It's too cute to say no!  I spent more than I wanted to, but it's our last baby...might as well go for it.  =)

Like I said, we haven't done much nursery wise, but we do have all the furniture and the bedding is on the way.  I want to paint, but we're still not sure what we are going to do with rooms...our third bedroom is off the foyer, near the living room, meaning that whichever child is in that room (we were going to put Oliver there) will be disturbed by us in the Living Room after bedtime.  We still have until the end of April (plus another three months, because Jonah will be in our room until he sleeps through the night, which happened at 11 weeks last time), to make a final decision.  We also may or may not move in that time, so the point is a bit moot.  We'll roll with the punches and see what happens.

Baby is great!  Very, very (very, very!) active.  I think he must be fattening up, because his movements are becoming less painful.  Must have less room to move!  Might be all the cupcakes and such from Levi's birthday party this weekend.  Whew.

In other news, my birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks.  I'll be the big 2-9!  I probably won't do anything this year, as I sort of went all out for Levi's 30th birthday this year.  I asked for a new vacuum for my birthday, but Levi said a vacuum wasn't an appropriate birthday gift.  So we'll see what he comes up with.  I'm curious!

Levi and I decided that this year, we would do a devotional every night.  So far so good, though we did hit a speed bump last night (after a small fight), but if this football game would ever be over, we could move on to tonight's.  =)  I love that we have put aside this time for each other and for our relationships with God.  I can tell it will bring only good things to our marriage!

I'm also excited about something I read on a family member's blog...my husband has several cousins, but she's my fave!...Strawberry Buttercream says that she and her husband are LOVING the Sonoma Diet!  From everything I've read sounds amazing...so Levi and I have decided after the baby gets here, we will check out what this diet can do for us.  I'm excited!  We don't drink wine, but we do love good food.  Who doesn't?  ;o)

Alrighty.  Time to tuck it in, finish up this football game, and get to our devotion time.  G'night!