What a year!

Brody started walking     

Gracie started walking     

Madi started running      

We went to the Downtown Aquarium       

We got a swing set      

Mommy and Daddy went on a much need vacation to Key West and Miami      

We went on our first vacation to Austin, Texas and did a lot of sight seeing on Lake Travis      We got a new puppy and Hoss got a girlfriend      

We started school and have loved it      

Brody got really sick and rode in an ambulance but was released a couple days later      

We celebrated BIG for our second birthday      

We went to the Kemah Boardwalk      

We grew watermelons and pumpkins in the backyard      

We dressed as cows and went to Chick Fil A      

Daddy had to convert our beds from cribs to big kids beds because we learned how to climb out      

Mommy and Daddy went to Cirque Du Soleil and can’t wait to take us      

Gracie and Madi got diamond earrings       

We took swim lessons

We spent Labor Day weekend on Lake Conroe in an awesome condo that we were able to fish off the balcony       

Gracie had a really BIG surgery on her leg     

All 5 of us participated in MADD 5K

We hosted our first Pumpkin Decorating Party with a bunch of our friends and Uncle John’s family

We dressed as Mickey and Minnie Mouse for Halloween. Mommy and Daddy dressed as them self, a witch and oil field guy

We went to our first Homecoming game and Aunt Michelle made us mums and a garter 

We had a BIG Thanksgiving at home     

Daddy cut down a really BIG Christmas tree at a really cool farm      

We went to the Zoo at dark and saw all the pretty Christmas lights

We went on a really awesome train ride to the North Pole
Santa came and gave us cars and a motorcycle

It was such a wonderful year and we've learned so much. We've overcome many things and met a lot of goals and milestones. Mommy and Daddy are really proud of us and we always overhear them bragging to anyone that will listen about something new we are doing or saying. We still love Elmo, Cookie Monster, and Abby Cadabby but we really, really, really love Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse and hope Mommy and Daddy will take us to Disney soon. Going to school is the best! We've learned so many things. We are always so excited to walk into our class room. Sometimes we're so excited we forget to tell Mommy and Daddy goodbye but we are so excited to see them when they pick us up in the afternoon. And we have to have our daily routine when Daddy leaves for work and if we can't watch him back out of the drive way and blow him kisses and wave goodbye, Mommy will have a real tough time on her hands. We really love our Daddy. He is our protecter and sometimes Mommy says he protects us a little too much but Mommy only wants the best for us. We are really excited about the new year. Mommy keeps saying it's going to be great! We hope you all come along for the ride, we promise to keep doing things Mommy and Daddy can brag about!!! 
Love, 
Brody, Gracie, and Madilynn 

I hope you live a life you're proud of. If you find you're not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again. -F.Scott Fitzgerald

Ricky is working days this week and we don't like it at all! It's hard for him to adjust and he is exhausted when he gets home. Plus, we get to spend more time with him when he works nights. I can't wait until our schedule is back to normal.
Speaking of normal, OMG! It has really been one thing after another the past couple months. My car had some issues within a week apart that KILLED our budget, something else happened (I can't remember at this point), and now Ricky's truck needs a new tire! The crazy part is within this two month time frame we've freed up over $700 in our budget. I cannot wait to be able to see that freed money! On another downside, it looks like we might have to get me a newer car. We are concerned with the seat belts in the backseat. Newer cars have metal hooks that are welded into the frame that car seats snap into. Our car is almost 13 years old so we have the old fashioned run the seat belt through the car seats. Anyway, the seat belts have suddenly started loosening a lot but are still buckled so they wouldn't be great should we really "need" them. This makes me so sick because my car is just fine other than maintenance stuff that comes with an older car and I didn't really want to get a newer car until the kids went through the destroying phase. Plus, I really wanted my next car to be my dream car which is a black Cadillac Escalade :) Hey, I can dream, right? We've started doing some research and I was looking at a smaller SUV but Ricky pointed out we barely fit in a Suburban so we'll have to get something around the same size. I'm trying to save on gas since it cost a small fortune to fill up. Anyway, I do have a point with all this and it's this, it's always something but we are really trying to not go into any additional debt. We are so close to being debt free (minus the mortgage) I can taste it!!
I'm so excited for 2013. I hope all our dreams and plans come true. I'm proud of where we are and things are really looking bright!! I think this is the year where we can focus on specific goals and things we like individually and as a family. I feel like Ricky and I can do things that are not 24/7 kid, kid, kid stuff and I'm happy, happy, happy to make time for a good balance. That might sound bad but I don't mean it bad. If you really know me, you know I don't even take time to get a haircut because my whole life, every minute is dedicated to my Littles but I want Ricky and I to find ourselves again. It's a goal.
Another thing you might not know, most all the titles of the post are quotes that are for a reason. I lost my dad when I was 17 and it has made me who I am today. With that, there isn't a day that goes by when I wished I could pick up the phone and just talk to him. To ask his advice or bounce a crazy idea off him. The quotes are things I think are important for my Littles to know should anything happen to me and I'm not here to raise them. Hey, tomorrow is not promised. I want them to have their daddy's compassion and big heart and my no nonsense and strong will. Should something happen to me, my hope is they have this blog to know me. That's why I speak my mind 100% of the time. Yes, sometimes I should probably be a little softer on certain things but this is me and I don't think you can get much real(er) than this blog.
Another thing you might not know about me because I've just realized this about me in the past couple months are these two things:
I am obsessed with remodeling and adding stuff to our house. Like totally obsessed. It drives Ricky so crazy. Seriously, he hates it. Anyway, in some weird way I can't explain it makes me feel like home, like where I came from. My dad use to do the same stuff. Any time he would walk into my room I knew it meant he was adding something or remodeling something, etc. Goodness, I wish he were still here.
The other thing is a person I never talk about, my mother. One of her biggest faults if that's what you want to call it,  was how she would help others out. I know that doesn't sound like a fault but for instance, our neighbor growing up was a widow and didn't have any family. Mom "adopted" her as part of our family. When this person got cancer, she basically dedicated her life to the woman. Anyway, I think I do have some of my mother in me and I think this is it. I really would love to start a non profit to help families in need. I really have felt lead to do this since we were able to get such a wonderful backing for the family we "adopted" for Christmas. We will see what becomes of these plans...
Anyway, this has become totally random at this point but another insight into how this mind thinks and another view into who we really are. People change, I've changed, and I'm still changing. That's life, right?

To my love...
If I ain't got nothing, I got you.
If I ain't got something I don't give a damn, cause I got it with you.
And it's me and you that's all we'll have when the world is through.
When my days look low, pull me in close and don't let me go.
So when the world's at war, let our love heal it all.
I know I will fight for you.
Just when I ball up my fist I realize I'm laying right next to you.
Cause baby we ain't got nothing without love
Darling you got enough, enough for the both of us.

KP

Christmas through the eyes of 2.5 year olds... Magical !

We had the most amazing Christmas. It was magical. It was perfect.

Ricky had to work Christmas Eve. Instead of it destroying our day we made the best of it. When he got home we had everything cleaned and put away where all we had to do was eat dinner, him shower and then our holiday could start. We decided that we would open all our gifts on Christmas Eve and be ready for Santa to drop his gifts over night. The kids loved all their presents. Brody got a tool box, tools, and a lawn mower that blows bubbles. Gracie got Minnie Mouse light up shoes, a lap top, and a Minnie Mouse fashion light up show. Madi got Minnie Mouse light up shoes too, a doll house, and a singing broom. Ricky got a power drill, K & N air filter for his truck, and a spot light. I got a juicer, a shirt from Duck Dynasty, and a sander. We stuck with the three gift rule and loved it! The kids played and played until it was time to make Santa's cookies. They kissed Elfie goodbye because he left last night and won't be back until Thanksgiving night and then it was off to bed. Santa dropped the gifts and I couldn't sleep! I was too excited. Finally at 4AM I couldn't wait any longer and everyone was up and before we knew it we had squeals of excitement because Santa brought the girls Minnie Mouse VW Beetles and Brody got a Harley!!!!! We even went outside to ride them!! Mainly because the weather was suppose to get bad. In their stockings Madi got a hair brush, glitter body spray, Minnie Mouse figure, and a Minnie Mouse tin. Brody got a whipper snapper, Mickey Mouse figure, guitar, Micky Mouse tin. Gracie got a Minnie Mouse figure, Minnie Mouse tin, glitter body spray, and a microphone. They each had new cups waiting for them. Any guess what they were?? Minnie Mouse and Mickey Mouse.
Anyway, the kids are tuckered out. The Christmas tree is down and the decorations are starting to be put up. It was truly the most perfect Christmas ever!

KP

Paying it forward

Last year for the first time we gave a little girl a bike for Christmas because she wasn't going to have a Christmas. It was such a great feeling to do something for someone. We left that family's house and went to have dinner. While eating our waitress walked over and said a family that had just left wanted her to give us this and handed us a napkin. Inside that napkin was some money with a note and scripture. Talk about amazing!
This year I reached out for weeks asking people if anyone knew of someone in need. No one answered and as Christmas quickly approached I thought we wouldn't be able to find anyone. We didn't want to join in with the big organizations, we wanted something that we could directly do. A friend of mine on Facebook, her friend posted asking anyone if they knew of any organization to help a family that would not be able to afford Christmas. My Facebook friend immediately contacted me and got me in touch with her friend. Turns out the friend knew a family that really needed some help. It was a mother and father that had a 10 year old little girl. The father's company he worked for closed down leaving him without a job. He was able to find another job but they were really broke from being in between jobs. This was a perfect family to help. I found out a couple things the girl wanted and did purchase them but I was lead to do more. For the past couple week I've been asking people to donate food and other household items and then it hit me to have Ricky ask his company if they wanted to help. Last week at their weekly meeting with the branch, Ricky told everyone about this family's story and asked if they'd want to help us help them. Everyone was willing to help. How amazing is this?! The cut off for us to collect things is today and I talked to Ricky a few minutes ago and he said his boss's office is full of stuff for this family. I am amazed and so very thankful.
Ricky and I don't have endless amount of money in the bank. In fact, we live on a budget and sometimes our budget is stretched very thin but we are so rich. Riches are not that dollar amount in your accounts it's what you realize you've been blessed with. There have been so many times when things have been pretty bad for us but we've always been unexplainable blessed. We might get a check in the mail, I might find a good deal with coupons, gas prices drop, etc. What I'm saying is Faith in God has pulled us through so many hard times. I really use to stress out on how we'd make it on one income with the expenses we have but I rarely stress anymore. I know He will provide for us because we have Faith and we work hard.
I believe it is our responsibility to pay it forward. God didn't have to bless us with our babies living let alone bless us with having babies at all. We are undeserving blessed and it's the least we can do. I challenge each person that reads this to take a moment and acknowledge everything you've been blessed with. It could be your health or your home. I then challenge you to go out and pay it forward. You never know when you might be the one needing a hand up.
Christmas isn't about things. While we are unwrapping our presents with the fancy paper and pretty bows, there are so many praying for the necessities like a roof over their head or food to eat. Christmas is a day to celebrate Jesus' birth. When I think about Jesus all I can think about his compassion for others and it inspires me and my family. We've been reading Christmas books since December 1st and it warms our hearts to have our children no matter the book, point to Jesus in the manger and say "Jesus!". There is a song I love by the Casting Crowns called Jesus, Friend of Sinners. My favorite part is this: "Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours" Powerful.
I hope each and every one of you have the best Christmas this year and that 2013 will be a healthy, successful, and happy year.

BL3SSED,

The Patton Family


*Thank you to Aunt Judi & Uncle Daryl for the Christmas cards and Christmas money for the kids.
* Thank you Aunt Cathy & Uncle James for the Christmas card and Christmas money for the kids. Each year each of you never forget my family and you've never even met our babies. It's appreciated very much and we love you all so much. Thank you.

*Thank you to Granny & Big Dad for the card, book marks, and Christmas money for the kids. We appreciate you thoughtfulness very much.

*Thank you to everyone that took time out of busy schedules to send us a Christmas card. We really appreciate you thinking of us.

I close my eyes and PRAY

It seems like so much has been going on since the middle of the year with the kids and their health. We've had some pretty scary moments and it seems they've been back to back with little room to recover.
Last Thursday the kids had their last day of school for Christmas break. They had a party to celebrate and you never know what they eat. Gracie's stomach was tore up that night, Friday, and Saturday but she is extremely sensitive to red dye so we thought that was the reason. We went on with our plans for the train ride, etc. Sunday things were worse and I knew it was not because of red dye, she had a stomach virus. I felt she needed fluids and we should take her to the ER but Ricky said we'd take her to the Pedi on Monday. Monday morning she goes to the pedi and they say there is nothing they can give her, it has to run it's course. Monday night she is really sick, dehydrated, the works so I decided to take her to the ER. We go to one ER close to home because my thought was giving fluids isn't brain surgery. Well, I've never met a bigger quack. The doctor didn't know what ROP was, the difference between an aneurysm and a bilateral hemorrhage. That is beyond crazy! He then proceeded to tell me to just give her an adult over the counter and just give a little bit because she is little. I gathered all three of my babies and walked out. They ran after me and I told them I would never give them that medication. So off we went to St. Luke's where we always go. We got there at 9pm. The intake nurse assessed her and agreed she needed fluids. By 11:45 we were finally in a room. At 1am not a nurse nor a doctor had laid eyes on us. Nor was one to be found. We walked out. Tuesday I call the Pedi and say this hands off approach isn't working and we need to do something. The doctor had us come back in and this time said we would be directly admitted into a local hospital. By this time Gracie hadn't peed in two days, was laying around, and so dehydrated.
Just great, another hospital stay. We get there and they attempt an IV- fail. They try again and again each time a fail, each time they are digging around with the needle for minutes at a time. Finally about 1am I couldn't handle it anymore and called Ricky to come up. By the EIGHTH yes EIGHT try I freaked out. I was trying not to cry but it was horrible. She was in so much pain and they couldn't get it. Enough was enough. I request the supervisor and when she came in she said their next step would be to insert a needle into her leg bone to give fluids. Want to talk about someone loosing it- that was me and Ricky. Hell No was that answer. The next sentence was transfer us out of here now! The doctor called our room directly. By this time it's 3am and this is day 7 of Gracie being sick. She said she would come up there to see us. In the meantime I was forcing Pedilyte via syringe and she was so mad about it but it had to happen. The doctor arrives and agrees to not keep trying to stab her. That we can make her drink fluids. She had finally stopped pooping too so it helped a lot. Fast forward to the afternoon, she was back to normal. Thank goodness! I'm so thankful!
Tonight Brody and Madi have started with the same symptoms. All I want for Christmas is two things: healthy babies and a case of diaper and wipes. Jeez!
2013 is going to be a great year for us. The kids are going to have an easier time with their health and all around it will be great. I'm excited!

KP

If you look for Me at Christmas...

You won't need a special star-
I'm no longer just in Bethlehem,
I'm right there where you are.
You may not be aware of Me amid the celebrations-
You'll have to look beyond the stores and all the decorations.
But if you take a moment from your list of things to do
And listen to your heart,
You'll find I'm waiting there for you.
You're the one I want to be with,
You're the reason that I came,
And you'll find Me in the stillness as I'm whispering your name.
Love,
Jesus

All aboard the POLAR EXPRESS!

We've had the best weekend!

Saturday was our BIG train ride aboard the Polar Express! We got there several hours early to look around and take pictures. I'm so excited, I got several really wonderful pictures of the kids. The steam engine train was just amazing. This really is a hidden gem here in Texas. When it was our turn, we met up with my aunt, uncle, cousin, his wife, their son, and her mom, and aunt. We were in the "first class" car and it was so fun! We each got special hot chocolate mugs and cookies. They read us the Polar Express book, we sang Christmas songs, and went to the North Pole!! We saw where Santa and the elves live and the kids thought it was pretty awesome! Before we knew it Santa himself was in our train car!!! He gave each kid their very own silver bell, talked to each, picked up my Littles for pictures, and wished them a Merry Christmas! They were in LOVE!

We drove back instead of staying with my family. Since Brody's episode I didn't want to be away from home overnight. This morning the kids couldn't stop talking about the CHOO CHOO and the bear they received from the gift shop.

We are so very lucky!

KP

re·sil·ience

There are two definitions to the word RESILIENCE

1: The capability of a strained body to recover its size and shape after deformation caused especially by compressive stress

2: an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change

This little Patton family of 5 should change our last name from Patton to Resilience because we are. We are strong. We are determined. We are soldiers. We've got this.

I have to admit this week has knocked me down and it's taken a little bit to get back up but I'm getting there. I'm excited that Ricky has one more work night and is off for the weekend. There is safety in that. I need us to be safe.

I'm taking Brody to the pediatrician in the morning because I need him to see Brody and to tell me one more time that he will be okay. I need him to show me what to do and to some how figure out a way to get Brody breathing should this happen again. Basically, I need him to talk me off the ledge.... for the millionth time in the past 2.5 years. Because I trust and value his opinion and advice.

Brody is doing really well. The Neurologist put him on medication two times per day to help keep him from having another seizure. The doctor warned me of the side affects of this medication. It could make him very aggressive. We are hoping it won't change his sweet personality. He really has the sweetest soul. He rarely is mad or throws a fit. I'm talking I could probably count on my hands how many fits he has had. He is just so loving. He gives people he has met once kisses and tells him he loves them. That is this little boy. That is what so many are missing out on. He is a pretty amazing kid. His newest thing is he yells out "Yee Haw!" all the time now. We have no clue where he picked that up but it's so funny!

We also learned Wednesday morning that all the labs that Brody has done in the past month came back and it looks like he has a problem with his kidneys. We don't know anything other than that at this time.

Tomorrow, December 15 will mark 2 years since Brody has been home with us. What it took to get him home and end that 5.5 month NICU journey will never leave me. To be honest the hospital did not want him to go home that day. They wanted him to stay longer but this momma grizzly bear had enough. I knew I had to get him home. I knew I could care for him better than the hospital and as crazy as some might think it is, I did take better care of him at home. He has thrived since the day he was home. Nothing will change my commitment to him- NOTHING!

Happy 2 years home Brody Bear!!

KP

Seizure

Brody had a seizure Monday night. Our pediatrician confirmed it was an actual seizure early Tuesday night. Now that I 100% know what a seizure is, he has had them before. Only a couple of times but he has had them. This morning I will be in touch with the Neurologist. I will be demanding an MRI of his brain and want to see if the EEG can be moved up from January 4th to anytime sooner.
We are pretty devastated about this. Yes, I guess to some seizures aren't that big of a deal but there are a lot of factors with Brody since he already has brain damage and this is just one more thing to add to the "list".
There have been only a couple of times I feared my children would leave this world in front of my eyes. Those were back in the NICU days when their little bodies were fighting so very hard for every breath. Monday Brody was not here with us during his seizure. His body was lifeless, he was blue, his legs jerked, and he made a horrific noise, and his jaw was clinched. I yanked him up, and as the seconds turned into minutes, all I could think to do was yell his name, rub his little body really hard to stimulate him like they did so many times in the NICU, and drench him in ice cold water. I just needed him to breath, to come back with us, to not die. And he did. He finally was able to breath and I kept hitting him and rubbing him to make him mad enough to keep breathing. He was so exhausted he couldn't sit up on his own for a while. After about 10 minutes he was totally back to normal but I wasn't. I had to sit down. I told him he could never do that again and that he scared me. He cried and gave me a big hug. That boy of mine!
There are very few things that scare me since the kids were born. Really nothing scares me but when the safety of my family is at stake. I've gotten too comfortable in thinking that the events of the NICU were a distant memory. I guess I've been cocky in thinking that we are past the "big" stuff.
Our pediatrician is such a God send. We had a very long talk last night and he explained how the brain worked and what happens to cause seizures in terms that are understandable. Basically the brain is like a huge computer and sometimes when your computer is running super slow and freezing up, you turn it off to reboot it. That is the seizure part. When you turn the computer back on it takes a while to reboot and that is the recovery part. He told me that if a seizure last more than 5 minutes to call 911. They count the seizure from the actual seizure episode to recovery. He said in his 30 years of practice he has never had a child die from a seizure. I asked him about the loss of oxygen during the seizure, being blue, etc. and my concern on not being able to do CPR with his jaw clenched. He told me that if it happened like that again roll him on his side to clear his airways, make sure he won't hurt himself by the jerks, and for me to not get hurt either. He said some parents have tried to open the mouth but the kid bites their finger off not having control of their bodies during the time. So it's still a grey area about how to resuscitate during a seizure because I have a concern with him going without oxygen for any amount of time.
We are entering another part of this journey full of unknowns. The worry is exhausting. I think back to the months the kids were in the hospital and have no idea how we functioned under the extreme stress and worry and lack of sleep. God was with us there is no other explanation to it. I hope He can give us the same strength because we are exhausted, worn down, but so very thankful. This is our life. This is His plan. Our path, our kids' path. We've always had each other and it won't change. Nothing matters before the health and well being of these three amazing kids. The girls of course witnessed the events Monday night. I hate they did but there was nothing I could do about that. To be honest, that wasn't even on my mind during the events. After Brody was back to normal Madi patted Brody's back and Gracie said "Bubby". Their love for one another is unexplainable.

Krista

You know I'd fall apart without you. I don't know how you do what you do 'cause everything that don't make sense about me it makes sense when I'm with you - Hunter Hayes Wanted

We've had quite an eventful weekend. Saturday night Gracie started breathing very fast shallow breaths. She was really working hard for each breath she took and all of a sudden she got a high fever. Ricky was working so I got everyone ready and we left for the hospital. We arrived at 10pm. It's so far to The Woodlands when there is an emergency! Luckily the place was empty. Even though it was empty we waited ONE HOUR before going back to be seen by a doctor and I was HOT. The doctor overheard my come to Jesus and immediately came in to check on her. When they got her hooked up she was breathing 66 breaths per minute which is very high. Just think, that is more than 1 breath per second. Her heart rate was very elevated at 183 and her saturation were 88. As I lined out the charge nurse and doctor on how freaking crazy they are that she was a 25 weeker with chronic lung disease and any type of breathing issue is an emergency, the doctor immediately called for an xray. I was so pissed off but I had all three kids with me by myself so I couldn't really give them my piece of mind. Believe it or not, I actually try to stay calm in front of the kids. Anyway, the xray came back and the doctor called Texas Children's to compare old xrays. Since her lungs are so bad, they are never clear so they have to see if it's worse or the same. TCH decided it looked as though it was a viral thing. They did a flu screen but it was negative too. After several hours all her number went back to normal and she woke up from her nap. By this time it's like 1 or 2 am. She wakes up smiles and starts talking. I called the doctor back in to discharge us which he did. 

Here is the thing, these doctors know I know what should and shouldn't be going on with the kids. When somethings off and needs to be addressed. I know when to worry and when not to worry and they know after getting history reports we've been through it. We had the same doctor that we saw when I had to take Gracie in to the ER when her leg was infected after surgery. He remembered us and asked about what ended up happening with her leg. He apologized about how things happened on this visit and assured me they were addressing what happened. 

The next day her and Brody had a fever. We had a birthday party but didn't go because of the fevers. The kids got stir crazy so that night I loaded them up for yet another drive around the neighborhood to look at lights. 

Today everyone woke up feeling fine like nothing happened. We were going to take daddy to the zoo to see the lights but it looked like rain so we ended up going to find the kids house shoes and Ricky pajamas for our BIG event on Saturday. We are super excited for the train ride! The kids scream "CHOO CHOO" anytime we see a train so I'm hoping they will love it. 

Ricky and I are very excited for tomorrow. The kids have a Christmas play at school!! We will have one of us video recording it and one of us taking pictures. The kids seem really excited anytime we ask them about it. We'll see.

This Christmas has been so wonderful this far. Each day we put a cotton ball on Santa's beard. Brody says "Beard". Santa will have a full beard come December 24th. We also went to the library to get some Christmas books. I wrapped them all up and each day someone picks a book to unwrap and then we read it. This is so awesome because they love books but it also helps them practice unwrapping for Christmas. 

I hope everyone received their Christmas cards and yall enjoy them as much as we do. Notice they were three separate pictures... it's the same reason they've not had pictures taken since they were ONE! 

KP 

I was born to be stubborn, to be a little bitchy, to push people, to push myself. I was taught never to take life for granted, to live a little, to love with everything I had, to never give up, to believe in myself, but most of all, to fight for myself.

When a million things are thrown at you, you can either panic or find a plan. I guess it's time to start planning.

Brody and Gracie both had brain bleeds when they were born. This creates scare tissue in the brain meaning that part of the brain is dead. Brody's was a grade III so there is a lot of scare tissue. Because of this, we see a Neurologist every year to track their progress. Our doctor is a little old man that takes you back to another time. He carries a brief case with him full of charts and information- no computers for him. He has dedicated his life to medicine and has been practicing for over 40 years! He is a very no nonsense type of doctor and doesn't believe in ordering test just to order them. Anyway, I had a list of things I talked to him about. He is so very impressed with Brody. His walking and talking are very unexpected for a child with his history. I asked him about ordering MRI tests for Brody and Gracie since they've not had one since they were born. He was against it. He said it wouldn't tell us anything we don't already know and that he would order the test when they were 4. He did order one test for Brody and that test will see if Brody is having seizures. Brody falls often for no reason and it could be him having a seizure. We will have that test done at the beginning of January. 

We left that appointment and our next stop was to have Gracie's blood drawn to check her blood gas levels. I'm still waiting on the results from the Pulmonologist.

We rushed out of Texas Children's and hauled butt across town to pick up Gracie's new leg brace. Once she got it on there were major adjustments that it needed so we have to pick it up next week. 

We've made a big change to our schedule in that we've decided to switch Physical Therapist. It was one of the hardest things I've had to do because our PT has been so great to our family but the kids were not really responding to him anymore. They were meeting their goals but for whatever reason were not getting along with the PT. We are so happy that we have another PT starting on Tuesday though. We get so attached to our team because they are our family. We see them twice a week every week for hours each time. 

The kids have been accepted into a special program within Texas Children's that will be an all around service coordinator for their care and will follow them for years. We are at the very early stages but I'm very excited for this because it will be another set of eyes besides mine making sure I'm not missing something they need. 

It's been a really busy week. We are so exhausted and can't wait to just chill out and catch up on some sleep! 

KP

Big Stars!!!

We now have a You Tube channel. Click the link below or copy and paste it to your browser search window. There are only three videos posted right now so stay tuned :)

https://www.youtube.com/user/bl3ssedtriplets  


Krista

Wonderful Wednesday

How ADORABLE are these three?!?!?!

KP

"Follow your intuition. Be smart, be brave, tell the truth and don't take any shit" -Kelly Cutrone

Blogger (the site that host this blog) won't allow me to post anymore pictures without paying a monthly fee which I'm not doing. I'm not sure if I'll finally make the move over to a different blog host or what. In the meantime, if you have a iPad, iPhone, or any smart phone, you can follow us on Instagram. Just download the app and search for TripletMommy. The app is free!

The kids' teachers are going to have a real nice time with them at school today. Both girls have been up since 4:30am running and squealing around the house. OMG! So to try to keep the boys sound asleep we are making homemade cinnamon rolls, bacon in the oven, and eggs at some point.

3 weeks until Christmas!! We've been driving around looking at lights several times as week. Madi now screams "NO" if I don't stop in front of every house with lights on it. She is a demanding little thing.

Ricky had a great time hunting but two things worked against them: a full moon and it was hot. He was invited back by the owner of the property anytime he'd like which is really nice. Hopefully he will have time to go one more time before the end of the season.

By early Sunday afternoon the kids were wanting to know where their Daddy was. Madi actually sat in Brody's window looking out waiting for his truck to pull in the drive way. I think Ricky was more excited to see them if that's even possible. We sure don't like to be away from our babies!

We have a super duper busy week ahead. Brody and Gracie have to go to the Neurologist and with school, therapy, and a birthday party we'll be worn out come Sunday!

I MIGHT create a You Tube page so I can post videos of the kids. MAYBE!! They do the cutest stuff and there is no other way other than Facebook to share videos.

KP