We are still here :)

I like to plan fun things like vacations and birthday parties for the kids. When life is hectic and stressful, I'll plan something that doesn't matter at the moment to relax. So I started planning the kids' birthday party 2 days ago. This lead to me deciding it will be cowboy/cowgirl theme which initially started from doing a Woody and Jesse Toy Story party. Anyway, the point is, the kids now are very proud owners of real cowgirl/cowboy boots. Madi didn't take hers off until bedtime. The wonderful part of having two girls in different sizes is that Truette will get some really nice stuff eventually. Brody is so proud to have his boots. He put them on all by himself without a problem (he still struggles with regular shoes). As soon as he put them on he said, "Yeehaw!" When the girls allow him to talk the kid is hilarious! We hope to take them to the livestock show this year if we can get settled in somewhere.
I think we have the final step before closing on the house today, the appraisal. Our agent isn't worried about it since we pretty much have the nicest house in the neighborhood but I always worry. It's so weird to have people in the space you live. I don't feel like this is home anymore. It's really just where we are for a couple more weeks. We don't spend any time on this side of town and I just don't like driving into the neighborhood. All signs that say it's time to move on. The one thing we will miss so much is Mrs. Lupe and Ronnie. She'll come to our new house and probably even stay the night sometimes but it's just not the same.
Madi finally has school today. It was canceled on Friday and Tuesday because the big ice storm of 2014... we had very little ice. The entire city of Houston shut down :) She had her last gymnastics Monday. I don't even know how to tell her that was the last class. We'd plan on going until we moved but she had some makeup days and they just asked if they could refund us our money because of their policy so Monday was the last day. She understands she will go to a new gymnastics and dance class but she doesn't understand it will be a while.
We saw Truette last Friday morning and didn't receive the best news. I go back next week and we are praying hard that things are changing and moving in the right direction. She moves a lot all day and night which is a very good sign so my hopes are up that she will be okay.
I'm not really worried about much else these days. Ricky is in charge of finding us a place to live and moving us. I told him to just let me know the address where I can find my bed and I'll be fine. My focus is really Truette and helping Madi adjust. Brody and Gracie are much more go with the flow. I should also probably get our taxes together before we move and things are crazy but I'm carefree with that too. With being pregnant with Truette and having been through everything I did with the trips, I'm more aware of when I've done too much, should rest, am too stressed, etc. and I want a full term baby so I'm doing less and less everyday. I'm almost 24 weeks now and although my mind and personality wants to go nonstop, I'm taking it easy. I'll have plenty of time to pick up the pace of things come May.
Hopefully the next update will be from our new home!

KP

Crazy Train Express

We spent 5 hours in the ER yesterday with Madi. Saturday night she started getting a cold and by Sunday around lunch she was wheezing so badly you could hear her across the room. I tried giving her the inhaler but it didn't work so off we went. The really good thing about us moving is we will be much closer to the hospital because it's currently a 40 minute drive. Anyway, she was working way too hard to breathe when they triage her so we didn't have to wait too long to get her in and seen by the doctor. Her oxygen levels were in the low 90's which doesn't seem bad but she always sats 100%. The doctor decided breathing treatments and steroids so we did that. After the fact she came back in and said not to get upset with Madi but the medications and especially the combination of the medications will cause her to act wild. OH MY GOODNESS! The child was bouncing off the walls! If there would have been something to hang from on the ceiling she would have been up there. It was wild! It did work though so we were sent home with prescriptions. Of course we had a 40 minute wait to get the medications filled and of course Madi became really sickly again. By the time we got home, I was ready to take her back in because she was that bad but I got her situated and she went to sleep. I'm also now sick. It's so scary being sick and pregnant especially since I almost died from the flu last month! Anyway, I'm taking her to the pediatrician this morning just to see what he thinks.

We still don't have a place to live! At this point I don't care. We have so much stuff going on in our day to day lives that I have no head space to add this. The inspection came back on the house and all they want is for us to have the AC serviced so we'll get that taken care of. They've also asked if we'd be willing to move out sooner. My response to that was no response. 

We get to check on baby Truette Friday. I feel her moving a lot now even while sitting up. It's weird to be driving or walking and her kicking. I didn't have that kind of movement with the triplets at all. Really the only one that moved was Madi and she was so high up at my lungs that it just felt like when Truette just started moving. Madi is most excited about her and all of Madi's plans include something with Truette. We now have 3 small Target bags of stuff for her. I'm not worried about that at the moment either. 

We've been having BIG problems with Gracie lately. For about 2 months now, she has gotten up in the middle of the night. She gets a chair and climbs onto the counters to eat or drink anything she can get her hands on. She has gotten sick several times by doing this but also our big concern is her mobility issues and climbing up and down like that. We are really worried that she'll injure herself and we won't find her until morning. We've tried everything under the sun to try to reason with her and make her understand she can't do that. This child is so very stubborn and when she is in big trouble she won't do it that night but will the very next. We've thought about locking her in her room but Madi also shares that room and it's just not fair. She has done it again last night so I have her standing in the chair she used which she hates because she doesn't feel stable (yet she has no problem climbing up so high when she is doing what she shouldn't) instead of just standing in time out. Something has got to give! 

Brody is still just a go with the flow type guy. His eating skills have improved so much. We still have to limit his food and drink and the types of food he eats. The Neurologist and other specialist think the processor in the brain that tells you when your are full or not thirsty anymore has been affected by the brain damage from birth. I really believe this as well because if given the chance, he would eat or drink until the point of throwing up. This actually use to always happen until I realized what was going on. It does seem he is growing, just slowly. 

Madi's new saying is "sweetheart". This girl knows what she is doing let me tell you! She is growing so much and seems to have the most growth you can for sure see. If she were an only child we would be in so much trouble. Her personality is totally like mine however, I am sure I never had the meltdowns she has! She thinks she is the mommy to Brody especially but Gracie too. When her daddy is home I can't do anything for her and it's a process for him to leave. I don't mind one bit! She still freaks out if I leave to go to the store without her or if Ricky leaves to go anywhere without her other than work. We still don't understand it because of course they aren't left much. She doesn't have a problem if we take her somewhere and drop her off like school or if she stays with someone. She also does not like to come home if we are out and about. She is a backseat driver! She tells us when to go and stop and red lights. She also yells for us to be careful if we have to use the breaks or go fast. She tells us where she wants us to drive to and gives directions. It's rather annoying! She is bossy! 

I'll update soon. 

KP 

Moving on

It has been one busy 2014 and we are only 14 days in! New Years day we frantically started getting a mile long list of little things here and there that needed to be done around the house before we could list it. We worked feverishly for a week and got a nearly all the things done. 6 days ago we officially put the house on the market. It went on around lunch and we had our first showing before it was even really on the market that day followed by a second showing that afternoon. Each day the house was being shown at least 2 times per day. Saturday it was shown all day and we received our first offer. It wasn't bad but we didn't love it so we countered and eventually passed. Monday our 6th day on the market we were given an offer for full asking price minus $500. We really had no clue the house would sell so fast because it's the dead of winter and the yard looks dead plus, who buys a house at the beginning of January? Apparently a bunch of people because every house that was on the market in our neighborhood sold this past weekend! This is great BUT we have no place to move to and closing is quickly approaching! The houses in the areas where we are wanting to move are going the same day! 

I feel like we will find something because it isn't an option not to but it's really taxing and there is also this thing of being over half way pregnant to add to it! Also, Madi will have to leave her school and gymnastics before the year is over which is really sad for her. I know I won't be able to find something and get her enrolled before the end of the year so it looks like she won't be able to start anything until the next school year. We also are no where near ready to welcome Truette into the world which we do still have a little time but May will be here before we know it especially with such a huge move ahead of us. 

I realize we could have "bad" problems to deal with but if  you would, please keep us in your prayers that we find the perfect home for us and that the transition is as smooth as a major life changing event can be. I never do well in these situations EVER and it's more intense knowing that Ricky and I are responsible for 3 soon to be 4 children. Every decision we make is so important! 

We went to see Truette on Saturday. She is developing perfectly. She is still a little small but is now the size of a banana and weighs 11 oz. She does gymnastics all day long and all night long.. I'm sure she will fit right in with big sister Madi! So excited to meet her but really hope we can make it to 5/21! 

I'll update again soon!

KP 

CHEERS!

I wish all of you

PEACE 

and so much 

LOVE!

Happy New Year! 2014 is going to be AMAZING! Big things planned this year and even bigger goals to accomplish!!

XO

KP