Wife and A Life at 30 (+)!: Lucky Seventeen...

I think I will continue to start all my blogs the same. I have been trying for several weeks for a update. I am just thankful that I can find time to update this blog once a month. Maybe if I could do it more often they wouldn't be quite so long.

Trying to capture a photo of the two of them at 17 months.
This sums up our days perfectly.

So what's new? Zoe and Zayne turned 17 months (Yes, I still count months) on January 2. They are both doing great. They are busy, busy, busy. There is never a dull moment and they continue to learn more everyday. It is so fun watching their little minds grow and discover. Zoe loves to follow what her brother does. I always say "where he goes she will follow," meaning right to mischief or trouble. If it's just Zoe she will sit and play with her animals or her legos, whatever it may be. But, she keeps a close eye on Zayne and follows into whatever mischief or trouble he is getting into. She continues to be a Mama's helper. Bringing pacifiers to Zayne and Ziah, diapers, sweeping etc. Whatever it may be, she loves to help. She loves to point at pictures now and learn who is in the picture. Continues to love bath time. Loves to go for a walk. Dad says she is a great wrestler as when they are playing wrestling and he goes to pin her she just rolls over, So cute. She is not saying any words yet, but continues to learn signing and can now blow a kiss.

He is so proud of himself.

Zayne....Zayne, Zayne, Zayne.... Where do we start. This guy is surely making up for lost time. He is crazy. Full speed all.day.long. The other day Andy says, "Zayne, I know your name means 'God is Gracious, but I am pretty sure it should be changed to 'God is insane." LOL! Then just the other night as Andy is picking up their room and as fast as he is picking up Zayne is dumping things out. Andy looks at him and says "We should take an insurance policy out on you." So funny. His newest things. He loves to climb into Ziah's crib, unassisted. At first he needed something to step up on which he creatively moved over to the crib. Now he has figured out how to do it without a step.. Now, tonight I turned my head for 30 seconds to draw up a feeding to turn around and find him standing on the table. I am sure he will be sitting on the mantel one of these days. He to continues to love baths, although he gets kicked out first most days. They have a 3 strikes your out rule when in the bathtub, meaning 3 times of standing up and you are out. 9 times out of 10 Zayne is first out of the tub. He too can blow kisses. Continues to sign, no words yet. He is working on eating and I will say the same as I always do, it's on Zayne's time. These past couple weeks we have gone backwards and his effort and participation is about 1%. He also has decided sleeping is overrated but is quickly learning that it makes you quite tired at night. He does go to bed well but likes to wake up in the middle of the night anf thinks 6am is a good time to get up and be full speed. He is definitely making up for lost time. He did have a follow up in Billings for his ears, which look great. Since we were in Billings we also saw the NP who works for his pulmonologist. It was great to see her and she was (as everyone is) so impressed with Zayne. But, I just have to share one cool thing she said that brought tears to my eyes. She and I were talking about the NP Zayne sees here, and how impressed she is with him and how my she loves him. Medical professionals always tell us "kids like him, with his lungs don't do this well, it is simply amazing." As I told her this she said "well it's true, she is telling you the truth." She said "Zayne has proved us all wrong and surpassed all odds." She goes on to say "As medical professionals we always tell our patients to believe in miracles and we never give them anything to grasp on to for this to happen, but if there was ever a reason to believe in a Miracle Zayne is one of them."

She also found it astounding that we have not had (knock on wood) any respiratory illnesses with Zayne, she really couldn't believe it. He received his second dose of synergis. So our fingers are crossed and lots of prayers that we can make it through this season with out encountering RSV. Speaking of RSV please if you are reading this say a prayer for Zayne's buddy Ira as he has RSV right now and is in Primary Childrens Hospital in the ICU and is reintubated. Update as of today 1/30/16- Ira has taken a turn for the worse and is now on ECMO. He is fighting for his life. Please, please pray for this family and for little Ira. Also my friend Hollie's little boy was also in the ICU due to the same thing, he has been admitted for 6 days now, they both have. So, this is why I/We are overprotective and a Mama bear, or what ever you may call it about coming here sick, washing your hands, and taking Zayne out of the house etc. It's that simple.

Happy 4 Months

I think it's safe to say she looks a wee bit like her Mama.

Little Miss Ziah. Miss happy pants. She reminds me of the little penguin on the movie Happy Feet. She is full of smiles, loves to eat, sleep, and has recently found her fist which she thinks are pretty nifty. She is a fairly good sleeper, waking up once a night still. She has not had her 4 month appointment yet but we weighed her a couple weeks ago, it's inaccurate as she had all her clothes on and a diaper but she was about 12# 10oz. She is growing so fast. It seems like in the last month she just put on some chunk. So cute and so fun. She still fits into some 3 month clothes but is quickly growing out of them. We are so in love with her.

Zoe is approximately 20# 10oz
Zayne is approximately 19# 8oz.
Both are wearing 12month clothes just starting to move into 12-18 or 18 months.

Pow Days make us Smile.

So what else? Andy and I got sneak away on MLK day as he was off. We went to Bridger Bowl and actually got to have a snowboard day together. It was great, so much fun, and we even got a powder day. All the better. I was a nervous wreck leaving the kiddos but they did great. We also got to get out last night and go see our good friends Jon Wayne and the Pain play here in Bozeman. That too was great fun. Although late nights are tough when you gotta get up early. I have also got to sneak away for a few coffee dates and I think Andy has been out snowmobiling once or twice and Snowboarding.

I have been debating going back to work. Not necessarily going back, but getting everything up-to-date so that I am able to pick up hours here and there. Either that or I am trying to get Andy to buy me a Coffee shop, or I will just go work at a coffee shop. Andy does not want me to go back at all. But for me I feel that if I quit my job I am giving up all that I have worked for. I also feel that it could be healing for me to go back, that it would help with PTSD and that I have a lot to give back to the NICU families. I would only pick up little "princess shifts" meaning 4 or 6 hours, and they would have to be weekends and not so fun hours. But, I too think that my life is not feasible for me too go back to work. Until Zayne is off oxygen and eating on his own there is a part of me that feels this is my job and this is where I belong. Also, we are so paranoid of germs and I don't know that I could work in the hospital right now with out causing some major increase in anxiety.

So that is life for now. I feel like I had so much more to write when I originally sat down to write this. Well, It's taken me 3+ days to write it. And, I guess that I am so busy that come the end of the night my brain is ready to shut down. But, I must say, we are doing great and we have a great schedule going. I may have said this before but somehow we have managed to get everyone to nap at the same time and pretty much go to the bed at the same time so that is great. For now this is my small little update. Now time for a 18 Month update. Ahh.. Just went you think you are caught up.

"Always believe that something wonderful is about to Happen."

Pray for Ira. #Irastrong