Trenton - 2.75 Years - October

Trenton,

Of course a lot has happened over the past three months! The first thing I have to say that I am most excited about is I think your steroid is working!! Your last round of fevers was on September 12 but it only lasted two days with NO lingering side effects!! And even then I'm not completely sure that was a real fever episode or not because you got really car sick that day as well. You are due for another episode within the next week though so we shall see. Daddy and I are really hoping that either this steroid is working, or you are finally starting to outgrow the fevers. Or maybe both. Either way, we LOVE having our healthy, happy little boy more often!

We had your Rheumatology appointment today and it went so well! You now weigh 31 lbs 11oz so you have almost gained two pounds this year! Huge improvement since you didn't gain any weight for almost 15 months. You are also now 3ft 3/4in tall. Everyone says you are tall for your age but I don't know; all your 3T pants are still too long! Anyways, Since your fevers have been decreasing in length and severity, we decided to just keep up with the steroid whenever an episode strikes. We will see how you do through the winter and when you start preschool in January, but if we feel like the steroid isn't working anymore, then we can switch to a daily medication. The only thing is, this medication needs to be given twice a day and is only effective if given every single day. And Daddy and I are not very good at remembering to give you or Tucker medicines for long periods of time...! Hopefully you will outgrow PFS (Periodic Fever Syndrome) soon though. The shortest time people have it is two years but can last as long as 10 years. The doctor said that since you were so young when it started, it makes it more likely that you will outgrow it sooner rather than later. So that was fantastic news. She pretty much summed it up to your body overcorrecting itself when it recreates antibodies and such so that's why it comes back every six weeks since that is most likely when your body recycles. She explained it way better than I am doing though. She did give us one more option if the steroid and the daily medication doesn't work. There is about a 90% chance that a tonsillectomy will cure your PFS within six months of the surgery. If your fevers continue and/or get worse again and start effecting your schooling, then we may reconsider the surgery, but for now, since the steroid seems to be working, we will stick with that :)


Now for some highlights of your life:

STORIES:
- When Tucker first started crawling, life got a lot more crazy. This is a glimpse of what life was like with you two...... Put both kids in toddlers room to play while showering in connected bathroom. Toddler and baby try to crawl under the crib. Toddler gets stuck and cries. So take crib front off. About to get in shower when notice baby crawling toward space heater so move that to next room. Try showering again only to hear baby choking. Run to baby who found a random sliver of a wood chip. Get wood chip out of baby's throat then do a complete room search to make sure there are no more choking hazards. Like the popcorn kernels toddler hid under his bed....finally able to take the quickest shower of life only to get out and hear toddler yelling "no baby!!!!" Then baby crying. Baby was crawling toward a toy toddler wanted and toddler ripped it from his hands....shower accomplished. Stress level elevated.
-Because the guys call me Tiffany, you have started calling me and Daddy by our names. We understand, since that is what you hear all day long, but you are so ornery that you think it's funny when we try and correct you! You are such a little teenager though. This is a conversation I had with you a little while ago:
                      Trenton: I want to go to school
                      Me: you want to go to school?
                      T: ya! See you later Tiffany!
                      Me: no....my name is Mommy, Trenton
                      T: *sucks teeth* what are you talking about??
-There was a week or so in August/September where you were sticking things inside you that you shouldn't have. One day we caught you sticking pork chops up your nose and Daddy had to carefully pry them all out with his fork. Then the very next day we catch you sticking peaches up your nose! The next day after that you swallowed a penny! All the sudden I heard you coughing and I asked what happened and all you said was "I ate it". When I asked you where your penny was you told me, "all gone" and pointed inside your mouth. I ended up calling the nurse on this one just to be safe. Luckily we think you passed it....but six days after the penny incident we catch you sticking black beans in your ears! I am pretty sure we pulled out at least 8 beans from your ears....
-Since you have always had a "problem" with loving food too much and never taking small bites (i.e. inhaling your food), we have always told you to take small bites. Well, now when you see someone taking bigger bites than you prefer, you yell, "small bites! small bites [insert name here], small bites!!" with a very concerned and authoritative face.
-Every since you started crawling and getting into things, we have called you our little Rat. You are always eating cardboard boxes and paper. Well, none of that has changed. You will still chew a hole through boxes of food you are holding while helping me grocery shop. You eat paper and then take them out of your mouth all soaked in saliva and call them rocks. Then you sit and play with them like they really are rocks.
 

THE GUYS:
-You absolutely love the guys in our house, especially since half of them have been here from the beginning. You are so great at learning their names right away too. But now that you are getting bigger, your attitude has also gotten bigger. Most of the time you are good with the guys, but sometimes you are mean! Yelling and even occasionally hitting or spitting has been a new thing lately....
-But like I said, for the most part, you love them. Helping with chores is one of your favorite things to do (besides sweet snack time of course!). We want to get you your own miniature set of cleaning supplies like a broom, mop, and vacuum. Sweeping and mopping are your favorite chores to do. I love how you love to help with the "big" chores, but I would really love it even more if you actually did your own "chores" by picking up your toys! :)
-Before every meal, the guys take turns praying and you've started to repeat them as they pray. It's very, very cute :)


BROTHER:
-Just like the guys, for the most part you absolutely love your baby brother. But you have also started to be mean to him, especially now that he is big enough and mobile enough (with a big enough attitude himself) to take your toys. When Tucker is doing something you don't like or trying to take one of your toys, we have caught you hitting him. I know that's what brothers do, but we are trying hard to teach you to be nice!
-Wrestling. You watch WWE with Daddy and play with the guys, so I guess you think it's okay to wrestle with Tucker. He's too little still though! He definitely doesn't like being tackled and wrestled to the ground yet. Give it another year or less :)
-You are still very protective or Tucker though. When someone you aren't comfortable with (or if you are just being a stinker) comes close to your baby, you will push them away and yell at them. Good job protecting your brother. I hope you two will always watch each other's backs and stick up for each other. That's what brothers are for.


LEARNING/SPEECH:
-You are learning your ABCs and numbers! There are about 4-5 letters that you can say when I point to them. Other letters you just blurt out random letters :) Numbers you are slowly learning to count. Occasionally you have counted all the way up to 8! You always forget either 2 or 3 though :) I think you know more than you let on. You are just always too busy playing with cars to pay attention when Mommy is trying to teach you
-Colors are no big deal to you anymore. You've got that down perfectly. Especially if they are colors on cars
-The 'No!" phase has started.....
-Just the past couple weeks you have started asking "why?" "but why Mommy??"......let's just skip these two phases shall we?
-Singing has been a fun thing we've got to witness you do. Your favorite songs right now that you love to sing are Happy Birthday, Let It Go (from Frozen), and In Summer (Olaf's song from Frozen). You really only know one line from each of those songs, but you go around singing them all over and over again. I love it
-Trenton-ese has been spoken a lot recently as well. You will ramble off in your own language and talk to us like we know what you are saying. We have no clue what you are talking about....
-While we were in California, Bella had on a Frozen dress and you got really upset and said, "I want a Lightning McQueen dress!!" And started crying because you didn't have one :) Silly boy


LIFE/TRIPS:
-We got a puppy!! We bought a labradoodle puppy named Roosevelt, or as you call him: "Rose-a-belt". For my birthday this year Daddy surprised me by taking us all to Iowa to visit the breeder and meet our puppy when he was about 3 weeks old. You got to hold him and pet him and you fell in love right away! Even though Roosevelt bites and jumps on you, I think he loves you and Tucker the best. You enjoy playing with him as well. Except when he bites you or tries to take your toys. I guess he's like another little brother to you! :)
-Daddy surprised me with a trip to Mall of America after we saw our puppy as well. So we got to drive to Minneapolis as well! You had a lot of fun there too.
-I love laughing at non-sensical, crazy things with you. For no reason. I absolutely love this stage in life where everything is funny and. You have such a crazy fun personality and are so silly. You know how to make people laugh and you genuinely care about other people's feelings. You are going to grow up to a fine young man and I hope you never lose your silly personality.
-You've been doing this since you first learned to run, but you only run with one arm. It is so funny to watch you run because you get so into it. You hunch your shoulders up, pull up your left arm close to your chest and body, make a fist, then your right arm does the swinging while running while your left arm pretty much stays close to your body. You are so adorable.
-In September we went on a weekend trip to visit my great aunt, Sue Sue, in Colorado Springs. That was such a fun trip for us and Daddy and I love Colorado Springs. Maybe that will be our next move someday :) I haven't seen Aunt Sue Sue since I was a little girl so it was really nice to see her. Plus she swooned over the both of you! And Daddy actually. She really loved Daddy :) Aunt Sue Sue showed us around Colorado Springs, took us to an awesome arcade where you had a blast riding the little rides and playing games, and she also took us to the top of Pike's Peak! It is 14,110 feet elevation, so really high. The air was so thin that it was hard to breathe at the top of the mountain. Unfortunately you got sick coming back down the mountain :( While at the top you kept saying your head and belly were hurting but I didn't really think much of it. Until you vomited profusely all over the car....Luckily we were able to get it all cleaned up but you looked so pitiful after that. I hated seeing you sick again. That evening your temperature was a little elevated, around 99, but you started feeling a little better. You didn't eat anything for dinner though and barely ate anything the next day as well. The day after your temperature spiked up to 102 so I gave you your steroid just in case all this was related to a fever episode (you were due for one anyways). Luckily you started feeling better by the next day with no other side effects! Like I said earlier, I really hope we are at the other end of this thing.
-The last trip we went on was to California to visit Mommy's family! We spend 13 days in California since Aunt Stephanie was getting married to Uncle Sean. They had a beautiful wedding up in Lake Tahoe :) YOu loved playing with your uncles and aunt and though you were a big kid too. Bella became your BFF while there too. You followed her around and did everything just like her. Luckily she is only 6 so she couldn't manipulate the situation yet and order you around :) I do wish that you and Tucker were able to grow up with other family members close in age.....
-While in California, we also got to go to Disneyland!!! We spent most of our day in Cars Land but we got to go on a few rides in California Adventures. You would stay in Radiator Springs all day long though if we let you. Taking pictures with Red, Mater, and Lightning McQueen were your highlights though I think. You also got some new Cars bath toys that you drive around the house. The few rides we did go on, you actually really enjoyed them! I wasn't sure what you were going to think, but you liked them! Next time we go back to Disneyland though, we are going to make sure it's not so hot (it was 95 degrees), and you and Tucker are a little older so we can do more things so it can be more worth it.


Next time I write you will be a big THREE year old!!!

 You met a princess for the first time at the Children's Museum then you've been hooked ever since! You think princesses are pretty cool these days. Also, Frozen is one of your favorite movies. Olaf and Anna are your favorite characters :)

 

 Mommy and you at Mall of America!

 

 You wanted to sit in the shopping cart as well, so I stuffed you both in there :)

 

 We got our puppy! He has grown SO much already since this picture was taken

 

 We took you to a Touch a Truck event this summer. You always love an opportunity to sit in and see tractors

 

 I love you two :)

 

 In Colorado, Daddy finally fulfilled his southern craving of Waffle House! You both devoured it of course

 

 It was a windy day at the Air Force Academy in Colorado. But you loved it all!

 

 Aunt Sue Sue took us for a little hike through some beautiful mountains

 

 Aunt Sue Sue!!

 

 Daddy was being SUPER funny apparently. I love this picture

 

 At the top of Pike's Peak! On our way back down you got really sick and vomited all over the car....I've never seen you puke so much! We aren't sure if it was the change in altitude, the winding roads, or the beginning of a fever episode. Or even a mixture of all

 

 In California we went to the fair and you LOVED riding the pony!

 

 Your BFF Aunt Bella :)

 

 The butterfly exhibit was pretty neat and you enjoyed holding butterflies

 

 We stopped at a little gas station/country shop on our way to Tahoe for Stephanie's wedding and you were in heaven! Look at all those dump trucks!

 

 This is one of my favorite pictures. Look at that cheese face! Plus you with your brother at aunt and uncles :)

 

 Family picture at Lake Tahoe

 

 We went to Disneyland!! We spent most of the time in Cars Land of course :)

 

 Mater!

 

 My boys and the tractor

 

 Daddy says it looks like you were posing like Materdor

 

 You actually enjoyed riding the rides. We were surprised

 

 The classic Disneyland family photo

 

 

 

 Posing with your favorite!

 

 Pumpkin patch time!

 

 Your third haircut in your lifetime. I convinced Daddy to let you only trim your mullet and not a full cut :)

 

The guys were trying to rake up the leaves but you and Roosevelt wouldn't let them. Throwing leaves is WAY more fun!

Tucker - 11 Months

Tucker Dean,

You turned 11 months old! This past month Mommy slacked though. Even though I have taken notes like usual throughout the month, I did not take your 11 month picture...or type this up when you actually turned 11 months. To be honest, your birthday is next week....I know, I know, Mommy is a slacker this month. However, I can tell you of all the changes that DID happen over the motnh!

-You absolutely love Roosevelt now. You two are best friends. He even likes to sit on you :) We are still trying to teach him not to bite though. You also love dog toys more than baby toys. Roosevelt has this giant orange pacifier dog toy and that one is by far your favorite. Apparently we just needed to get you a puppy binky instead of a human binky :)

-Speaking of toys, to be honest, you really don't have many baby toys. You mostly play with Trenton's cars and toys more than you play with the little amount of baby toys we do have.

-Also, I have no idea what I'm going to get you for your birthday...! Second child problems....sorry kid. Look at this way, your (future) younger siblings will still have it worse than you.

-You learned how to crawl on your knees this month!! Trenton loves crawling with you and teaching you things while crawling

-You finally started to pull yourself up a lot more too! Not really cruising, but it's getting easier to pull up on furniture.

-You've been saying the syllables of "mama" and "dada" for awhile now, but you've stopped saying dada as often. You do however, say mam when you are mad.

-All you eat is toast. Seriously. Eating is horrible. You eat a lot, but your diet mostly consists of toast, veggie sticks, and grapes. At least you have the grapes going for you.

-You are going to be our little drama baby though! You are so over-the-top too. When you get mad you will throw yourself down starting with your head and letting the rest of your body fall. If we are holding you, you turn into a limp noodle at the same time. And don't get me started on food...

-Whenever we try and offer you food, you dramatically turn your head to the side out of disgust and close your eyes very slowly. We've (mostly me) have decided you are just like Daddy though. You won't do anything unless it is your idea. Take food for example. You have to inspect every piece of food and then you will decide when and how you will eat. Naturally, Daddy denies your stubborn connection :)

-We also took our first road trip as a family of four! We went to go visit my great aunt Sue Sue in Colorado! It was a very long drive but you have slowly been getting better in the car. We also borrowed a DVD system so I like to think that helped a little bit. It definitely did for your brother! Aunt Sue Sue just fell in love with you both  and Mommy and Daddy fell in love with Colorado Springs. Who knows, maybe our next move will be there!


Even though I didn't get your official 11 month photo, we still of course took tons of photos throughout the month!


I love you my sweet, sweet baby! I cannot believe you are going to be a big one year old toddler soon!

 On West family road trips we have picnic lunches in random fast food parking lot grass patches :)

 We went for a little minutes hike through some beautiful giant rock formations

 Aunt Sue Sue took you to an arcade and you both had lots of fun playing on the rides. Every city should have a cheap arcade like this

 Smile with Aunt Sue Sue!

 In Colorado Springs, they had Mommy's favorite coffee shop AND smoothie shop! Two more reasons why we loved it there

 We drove to the top of Pike's Peak! Here we are at a lake toward the bottom/middle of the mountain. (You had an explosion in the car while driving. So yes, you were naked in this picture)

 Me and my naked boy :)

 We made it! 14,110 feet elevation and we could barely breathe, the air was so thin. But it was absolutely gorgeous up there

 You and your puppy!

 One cool dude

 Sometmes Monday mornings are rough....That crazy hair is proof