A Very Tiring Couple of Weeks

Dallin is developing more and more of a personality. He makes us laugh so hard, it's great. What a fun little addition to our family he has been.

He and Nella (our puppy) have been becoming good friends. They have their "secret spot" under the table where only the two of them fit. They meet under there and find bits of food to share with eachother.

Dallin loves feeling like a big boy, and one of the things he loves to do is feed Nella. He'll give her a handful of food in her bowl, and put it in the most random place he can find, and she'll come running. She'll eat it, and then the process starts over again.

Cory is as funny as ever. He's growing so much, it is amazing. Here is him reminding us all of Aunt Reenie.

We have had a very intense couple of weeks in the Tilton household...LOTS of sickness.

Here is Nella babysitting our sick little Bryson. (You were right, Lisl, Boxers ARE wonderful babysitters!)

We started out with Cory getting sick. He missed four days of school because of the regular stuff: sore throat, fever, and just feeling lousy. On Thursday he developed a rash, and with the other symptoms, I figured that it was scarlet fever, so I scheduled an appointment with the doc the next day.

The next day rolls around and the other two boys start acting sick, so I get them all sqeezed in to Cory's appointment, and we find that sure enough, Cory has scarlet fever, and Bryson has strep throat, and Dallin was showing signs of strep, so antibiotics all around.

Cory's rash cleared up fairly fast, but he developed a bad cough, and we found out that he had bronchitus on top of scarlet fever. For added concern, Cory's asthma acted up a bit because of the irritation in his lungs. The same day the other two boys spiked a fever in about an hour, going all the way to 104.7 and 104.3. I didn't know it was safe having a fever that high, but the doc didn't seem to worried, he just told me to keep the tylonol going, etc. So for about four days they ran a high fever (it would only go down to about 103 with tylonol). Two boys started with diarrhea, and the other started puking.

By Monday, Cory was doing significantly better and was able to go back to school, and on Tuesday John got very sick and ended up having to take two and a half days off of work (I've only seen him do this once, and that was when he had the stomach flu so bad he actually tore a stomach muscle) The two younger boys broke out in a rash on Wednesday. I was concerned that the antibiotics weren't working, and they too were getting scarlet fever, or they were having an alergic reaction to the antibiotics. So, called the doc, but he was double booked for the day, and out for the next two days, so I took them both to urgent care that night.

(These pics really don't do it justice, but it'll give you an idea)

Dallin's rash wasn't too bad, but Bryson's was head to toe, and he was in obvious discomfort from it.

The Doc at the urgent care couldn't figure out what was going on, but agreed that it was probably a reaction to the antibiotics or scarlet fever, or maybe just a rash that breaks out after a fever breaks. So, he changed the antibiotics, and instructed me to do benadryl with him and Dallin. By this time, I of course was sick too. ughh.

The next day Dallin's rash was just about gone, but Bryson's got significantly worse, and he was still puking. He couldn't move off the couch, he just laid there (which for him is very very VERY unusual, even when he's sick).

I finally went into Walmart and talked to the pharmacist about doing hydrocortizone cream on his body, and she strongly recomended I get ahold of his doc ASAP because it was so inflamed. I thought about it, but wanted to give the new meds a little bit longer.

So, yesterday morning the rash started getting better in the morning, but had yet another flare up, the worst so far, so I called in to the doc, but of course he wasn't in the office, so I went to urgent care. They still don't know what it is, and instructed me to keep doing what I was doing with him. They gave him a shot of steroids (prednisone to help with inflamation) and another shot of benadryl (for the alergic reaction). He was extremely brave and barely cried, I'm very proud.

The shots had a significant effect on the rash, but this morning it is back up and going, but thankfully not as inflamed. WHO KNOWS!!! He seems to be in better spirits though, so maybe (HOPEFULLY!!) the worst has past. Unfortunately Cory has a fever today, must be viral because he's still on his antibiotics. He's also throwing up now.

So that is my very exhausting couple of weeks. Looks like it's not over yet, either. Wish us luck as we finish this round.

A Beaming Mom

This is one of those posts that is more for my benefit than anyone elses. I'm just a proud mama who wants to document how wonderful her child is.

I was going through some of Cory's school-work that I had piled up in his room, and I found this:

!!!!!!!

It's an entire folder made by his class about why they like Cory and why he ended up being student of the day. I HAD NO IDEA HE HAD BEEN STUDENT OF THE DAY! I was sure to speak to him to make sure he tells me when these special things happen. Anyways, these are a few of the things Cory's classmates had to say about him:

(translation: Cory is good in the bus)

And here is the Valentine's Day card he made me and John at school:

I am just so proud of my boy. He's come a long way in school, and I am glad to see the students are accepting him just they way he is. What a joy he is!!!

Can you see me beaming from way over here?

Here are some more of his school projects. Some of them have seen better days, and the copies aren't that great, but you'll get the general idea.

An eventful day at church

We had a very eventful day at church today. First, Bryson (4) gave a talk. He was very excited, and had the entire thing memorized. He got a little stage fright, and needed me to remind him of a couple lines, but he had the thing down solid at home. I was so proud.







Then after his talk I was able to take Dallin to nursery for the first time. I cannot believe it's been 18 months already, just doesn't seem right. He went in and sat down just fine next to his friends. They were doing a Valentines day craft, and he got into it. I was standing behind him supervising and the nursery leader sweetly said, "You can go now, you know." AHHHH This is my third time through this, you think I'd be more prepared, but AHHHHH 18 months couldn't get there fast enough with my other two, but with Dallin, it's come way too fast. I am so excited for this next stage of development and growth for him, and I know he will do very well, but I am going to miss my baby. Of course, in my eyes, I think he'll always be my little baby.

Here is his artwork he made in nursery.

25 Random Things

This is from facebook, but I figured I would post it here too.

1. I was named after my great grandma, Jessica Bird Goates. Later we found out that I was also born on her birthday.

2. I enjoy doing laundry, weird, huh?

3. This July I'll have been with my husband for 10 years.

4. When I was 16 I pierced my own belly button. How stupid was I? I totally almost fainted afterwards, too. Thanks for helping, Kristi! I took it out a couple weeks later because I realized how stupid the whole thing was.

5. When I was ten, I burned my eyeball with a curling iron. I know a lot of you know this story, but I still think it's cool! If it had burned one more layer, I would have been blind in that eye.

6. I want to live on the east coast someday.

7. It's kinda eerie how fast my oldest is growing up. All of a sudden he can read - I remember learning to read, and it doesn't seem THAT long ago. I'm totally weirded out by it.

8. I just caught my 18 month old red handed drawing on the wall with permanent marker. I guess I'll be breaking out the paint after I'm finished with my 25 things here.

9. I used to think I wanted all my kids to be girls, now I'm glad I only have boys. Girls seem way too dramatic for me. Although, I do hope to eventually be able to dress up a little girl.

10. I love blogging! It's way too easy to spend way too much time on there.

11. I graduated with honors with a business degree. I love school, and hope to go back when the kids are all in school.

12. I love gardening and working out in the yard. Growing up I didn't hate anything more, now it's one of my favorite things. Maybe it's from being around boys all the time.

13. I'm totally freaked about turning 26 this year. When did I get so old?

14. I LOVE being married. My husband rocks!

15. I'm a total nerd, and proud of it. I love math, working on computers, board games, etc.

16. I love the TV show Friends, and I own the complete series on DVD. It'is the best thing in the world to watch when you're sick and can't get off your bed.

17. My newest passion is kickboxing. I love it, and am so bummed that the kickboxing class I was taking was cancelled because the instructor moved. Grrr. But now I own DVD's and do it with my workout buddy, my mom.

18. I finally fit back into my size 6 jeans because of #17 - hallelujah! Life is grand

19. Before I owned the boxer we just got, the only pet I'd ever owned and loved was a rat named Sneaker.

20. The biggest reason I love being pregnant is all the cute clothes I get to wear.

21. My pet peeve is mean people. They just annoy me.

22. I have big babies, and I blame it all on John. (He was just shy of 11 1/2 lbs) Bryson was 9lbs 8oz, Dallin was 9lbs 10oz.

23. I got an A in Calculus, oh yeah!

24. I have had all my kids without pain meds, and Dallin was born at home in our bathroom.

25. I have one eye that is nearsighted and one eye that is farsighted. I refuse to wear glasses because I'm afraid it'll make my eyes look different sizes, and I've tried and tried to wear contacts, but I have funny shaped eyes, so I just go around with virtually no depth perception. I'd recommend not driving with me.

Cory

1. WAS YOUR FIRST PREGNANCY PLANNED? Gosh no.

2. WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS? I was very suprised.

3. HOW OLD WERE YOU? 18

4. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT? I threw up a few times, and John kept saying I was pregnant so I bought a test to prove him wrong.

5. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST? John!

6. DID YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE SEX? YES!

7. DUE DATE? December 14th according to the sono and Dec 18th according to the dates.

8. DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS? Yeah, but not TOO bad.

9. WHO/WHAT IRRITATED YOU THE MOST? I wasn't too irratable as long as I had enough sleep.

10. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CHILD'S SEX? Boy.

11. DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING? Oh yeah. We found out at about 4 months we were having a boy, and it took me to the rest of my pregnancy to get used to the idea of not having a girl.

14. HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN? 50lbs. It was awful! Miraculously I lost all but about 10 within the first two weeks. (That's never happened again for me)

15. DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER? Yeah, Liz Lane threw one for me and the wonderful ladies of 2nd ward gave me so much stuff, a real life saver.

16. WAS IT A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW? I knew.

17. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY? The pregnancy was fine, but Cory caught a viral infection just after birth. He ended up with a fever of 103.5 when he was just a few days old. They ambulanced him up to Tucson where he spent two and a half weeks there. At first they didn't know what was wrong, and he almost passed on, but on the day after Christmas they figured out what was wrong and how to treat him.

18. WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH? Sierra Vista Regional Health Center

19. HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR? two and a half days, no joke. Of course, not all of that was active labor.

20. WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL? My wonderful husband and talented doula, Stephanie Fritz

21. WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH? John, my mom, and Stephanie Fritz (doula)

22. WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION? natural

23. DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN? All natural, baby!

24. HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH? 7 lbs 3 oz.

25. WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN? December 21st, about 1:50p.m.

26. WHAT DID YOU NAME YOUR CHILD? Cory Joel Tilton.

27. HOW DID THE FATHER REACT TO THE NEW BABY? I think we were both pretty overwhelmed, especially with him being so sick at the beginning.

28. DID YOU EXPERIENCE ANY POST-PARTUM DEPRESSION OR BABY BLUES? I think I was just stressed with him being so sick, once we got home I did a lot better.

29. BREAST OR BOTTLE? Both. He was in the hospital, so I could only nurse during the day. It took several weeks to get the milk supply up to around the clock, then I started back to work when he was 6 weeks.

30. HOW OLD IS YOUR FIRST-BORN TODAY? SIX!!!

Black and blue....and pink??

So, my dear little Dallin has had a rough week.

First of all, he started off with pink eye. Cory brought it home from school with him and decided to share it with the family. Dallin kept squeezing his eyes so tight that the meds would squeeze out too, it took about a week to go away. During this time, he took a fall on our cement steps, giving him the big owie on his forehead. The next day he took a spill next to the car, giving him the black eye, in the same eye that had pink eye, I might add. Then, two days later, his brothers were trying to "help" get him away from our radio (Dallin was pushing buttons he shouldn't have been pushing), and in an attempt to get him away, pulled his legs out from under him. This resulted in bleeding gums and a big puffy lip that can barely be seen in the picture.

My poor baby!

BUT...the week wasn't all bad...he found some corn starch to cheer him up.

In this next picture you can see his lips pursing and saying "ewww".

He's so cute, he just cracks me up!!!

He has also made good friends with Nella, our little puppy. They play almost non-stop, even when the other one doesn't want to. (Isn't she DARLING??)