OH MY GOSH! IT IS FRIDAY!

So yeah, I have a lot of updating to do... who do you want me to start with?!?!?

I will start with Sydney since she has the oldest update... nothing major to report at all (Can you believe it?!) Although I have to still schedule her appointment to rule out/diagnose Central Auditory Processing Disorder. Mayve I should get off here and do that! Oh wait, they are probably on lunch. So... She had her follow up with her cardiologist.... Dr. Sara Ford at Hasbro. She is incredible. If you ever need a pediatric cardiologist, I totally recommend her. She is so easy going and HUMAN! HAHA! Great bedside manner. Totally easy to talk to. Everything went well for Sydney. Of course they could still hear her VSD (Ventricular Septal Defect = Murmur)(it will probably not ever close) and her WPW (Wolff Parkinson White Syndrome = Tachycardia, bad electrical pathway in the heart) which was officially cured in November 2008. Since she has gone this long since her ablation, she should be OK! I expressed my concerns about what would happen as she grows and hits puberty and what not and the doctor seemed very confident that everything will be OK! (but I am not going to be ignorant and assume that it is 100% true because I know there is still a percentage of it coming back) So, since I dont feel comfortable being discharged from cardiology and just have her cardiac stuff taken care of by the pediatrician (or whatever we happen to see at the Naval Clinic) she said COME BACK IN 2 YEARS! although, we wont be here. SO, She was able to give me the name of a friend of hers who is a pediatric cardiologist in Florida. So, all is well with Sydneys heart! (Although the other night, WEDNESDAY she told me her heart did a little jiggle.... oh boy. Guess I should write that on a calendar.)

ASHLEY: She had her appointment with the Pediatric Endocrinologist at Hasbro on Wednesday. Her thyroid is definitely "swollen" but he would not call it "enlarged". It is soft and palpable which means that there is no goiter present. All of her TSH levels were within normal limits (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) but the Naval Clinic did not complete a Thyroid Antibody test. So, she had to have that drawn by the Hasbro lab and we will find out in about a week the results of that. Should they be negative then we are good to go. If they come back positive, Ashley will have to have her thyroid levels drawn at least every year and we will just wait until her hormone levels are out of whack. Which would mean she would probably have the Hashimoto's Disease that I have. There is one big reason as to why her thyroid would be enlarged. It is often a precursor to puberty! *WHAT*... OH LORD.... Seriously...........................................

So... yeah.... the doctor had two students with him and they were also great. I dont mind students. Someone has to be their teacher.... and now not only is Sydney a teacher... now Ashley was. There are no physical signs of puberty yet! WHEW! BUT they told me that I was late to start... but that doesnt mean anything because kids now are starting so much earlier. Ashley was quite embarrassed that the doc had to check her parts for signs. It was pretty amazing to see how everythign worked at the pediatric endocrinologist. They measure the height 3 times! That is routine! They have to be EXACT when kids might have a hormonal problem! OH, and ... HAHAHA... When I went with Sydney to her neurologist many eons ago now, The doc measured my head because Sydney's head had measured big! Well... they found out why! .... Genetics.... Sydney has her momma's big potato head... so, because I have thyroid disease (Hashimotos Thyroiditis) the doc at one point reached over and felt my thyroid!! L O L... GLAD I can be so helpful! GOOD NEWS... he did NOT feel a goiter! LOL!
So, we will wait it out about a week and see what this blood lab shows.

After the appointment, I got Ashley a McFlurry at McDonalds... and they made the thing with the Shake ice cream! She was not happy. I was trying to give her something to enjoy after a less than enjoyable appointment and they made it with the SHAKE?!?!?!!? BOO ON MCDONALDS!

I have started the biggest loser challenge here on base. I will be weighing in on Mondays. My starting weight was 204. I hope to have at least a 2 lb weight loss on monday. I have been trying to make better choices with my eating. Eating my required fruits and veggies. Exercising regularly. I will be keeping you all posted on my progress! OH, and I have not eaten fast food in over a week which I think is a world record for me!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. IT IS FREEZING here today and the kids had a 90 minute delay for school because the wind had knocked power out. All the toys and garbage cans are blowing around my backyard. It is loud!

With fingers Crossed....

Sydney's neurologist told us that she believes Sydney has grown out of her Panayiotopoulos Syndrome.
I think I have mentioned before that the neurologist believes Sydney did have this condition but the electrophysiologist has questioned it and believed all the spells Sydney ws having were from her Wolff Parkinson White Syndrome .
Will we ever know for sure? Probably not. Was there activity on her EEG's... I guess that would be a yes. Benign Occipital stuff. Dont ask me exactly what it means because in all honesty, I dont know. I do know that I think (LOL) it is in the back of the head down low where some of the activity seen on her EEG was occurring.
Sydney has NOT been complaining of headaches as she usually did which we believe had a lot to do with the complete chaos in her classroom last year. Her teacher this year is absolutely incredible and is ON TOP of Sydney like flies on shit. Sydney really enjoys school and is doing incredible. She has caught up from the deficit she experienced from her crappy classroom last year. She loves math and just everything about school.
Now.... the current recommendations that the neurologist does have....
*go to another ENT and have her tonsils and adenoids looked at and hopefully removed.
---- this is due to her evaluation with the speech and hearing people. She seems to have a lisp on her S and her Z sounds which would not be developmental at her age right now. So, the neurologist wants this to be something the school does address with some speech stuff.
---- Also, back in early november 2007 (when I was ginormously pregnant with CJ) Sydney had a sleep study and it did show some "minor" apnea stuff.
---- Sydney continues to be a mouth breather and pushes her tongue forward in her mouth (even though there is also a spacer there)
---- The last ENT we had gone to told me Sydney had poor nasal hygiene and recommended a sweat test ... OK... great... That solves WHAT?!!?!? then sends us away with some medicine. Awesome. That was not the 1st medication pushing ENT we went to. And a SWEAT test? She has NEVER exhibited ANY symptoms for Cystic Fibrosis and me and Chris went to genetic counseling and there was NO WAY we were carriers for it.

*We need to go back to the audiologist and have CAPD ruled out/in.... Still a questions as Sydney has issues with her working memory and comprehension. I thought after speech and hearing appointment she had "passed" with "flying colors" the "only one who ever scored 100% on a test she had administered".... but, the report is different. there are areas to address. (Central Auditory Processing Disorder) This seems to be something that her neurologist, pediatrican believe will be the case vs. the ADHD NOS she got on her psychological evaluation which can present similar to the CAPD.

*The neurologist also wants the school to do some occupational therapy for Sydney and her issues with pencil pressure and not being aware of her muscle strength. Tone issues or something.

So, all in all it was a good and informative appointment.

On Martin Luther King Jr. day we go to the Cardiologist to check up on her WPW. (Wolff Parkinson White)... Thankfully Chris will be able to go to this appointment. We do not want her released from Cardiology because we have read many personal stories of children with WPW and IT COMES BACK..... Scary. And of course the way Sydney's was "cured" was the "less reliable" and has more of a percentage of reoccuring. I don't know if there is a solid time frame for this reoccurance.. but, we dont want to take any chances either. Especially with her history of pulling crazy things out of the bag in regards to her medical history.

Like her mother she is a Zebra in a pack of horses....

Soccer 2009

I will add Kiley whenever we get her photos back!

Wordless Wednesday.... My Second Born

*This will not be so "wordless"... MckMama had posted a pic of her second born... and well... There is just something about second born's. They weren't first, and they aren't last... they are floating somewhere in the middle of a bunch of kiddos... they look up to the eldest and guide the young ones. They try to find their own niche... knowing what the oldest is up to... and trying to feel their way around this world while becoming who THEY are...
My second born has certainly kept me busy. She has been so easy going through everything and I am eternally grateful for that. She has been teaching me and showing me strength. She has a brave face. She has a strong will. She won't let you down. She won't let herself down. She is an amazing kid and I am one lucky lady to be able to say I AM HER MOM! Everyone needs a little Sydney in their life.....

Sisters through and through....

I love how they love each other. I love that they miss each other when seperate. I love the love they have shown each other when reunited from experiences away from one another. They fight, they argue. They share, they care. They tattle on each other. They play with each other. They share bunkbeds but often you find them snuggled in one bed together. They worry about each other. They taunt one another. They compete. They suffer defeat with each other. They encourage one another. They are almost the same size. They do things together.

I love that they love each other.

Eight is GREAT~

On September 5, 2001, after a VERY short, induced labor, Sydney June made her grand appearance in this crazy world. She was born at 39 weeks and weighed in at 8lbs 13oz.

Little did we know what kind of journey this pretty little baby would bring us on in her short 8 years (so far!)

She was such a wonderful little baby... yet puked ALL the time. With a beautiful smile on her face. Not many things phased her. She was content to sit and watch what was going on. She didnt walk until she was nearly 15 months old. She had no reason. She was a late teether. But wasnt bothered when her teeth finally come through.

Sydney is a leftie... like her grandma and her aunt.

She taught herself to read... but hates reading.

She loves clothing shopping... if the clothing is soft enough for her.

She loves soccer, softball, basketball... and doesnt mind when they dont win or she doesnt touch the ball.

She doesnt fear needles.

She is eager to make everyone happy... even if it makes her unhappy.

She wants to take Irish Dancing.

She likes to sing in the back of the car. But doesnt like loud music.

She went to her first concert this year. It was Britney Spears. It was too loud and she got bored.

She still feels like a superstar because she went to the concert. Jordin Sparks also sang.

Sydney received the Good Sportsmanship award for Softball this year. For ALL age levels. ... she more than deserved it.

She has lost some more teeth this year, and some adult ones have made their way in.

She wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up.

She loves soft things. She purchased a cozy chair, pillow and blanket with her birthday cash. She also received a pillow from us.

Since her heart procedure, he has been a different person. She allows her emotions to show. Sometimes dramatically. She sticks up for herself more and is getting better about not wanting people to walk all over her.

Oh, another thing she likes to collect is water bottles. She fills them, but hardly ever consumes the water.

She loves art supplies and markers... if only she would remember to put the caps on.

She will be a third year Brownie Girl Scout this year. ... I will STILL help out and definitely go camping with her.

She loves ice cream. She loves when I make her homemade mac n cheese. She was called "the candy queen" when she was little. She especially loved M & M's.

She was a thumb sucker until shortly after she turned 5. She also carried a "blues clues" blanket for several years.

She has been through more in her short 8 years than many adults have been through. And she does it with a smile and without being bitter or disgruntled or angry.

I am SO proud I can say I am her mother. I look forward to many more years of Sydneyisms.... although I am kind of scared of her being a teen.

Oh, she also wants to be a mommy when she gets older. She said she is going to have twins. Zoey and Joey and she is going to give me one of them.

I love you Sydney, Happy 8th Birthday!

Just some pictures....

Sydney was so proud of the cucumber she peeled all on her own! They have been having a blast playing on the (NEW) slip n' slide but they get COLD so fast.. as you can tell Kiley was FREEEEEZING
Like I said in my last post, Ashley is loving the thought of going back to school. She is so excited about all her new clothes and can't wait to show them off to her friends. (did we worry about this when we were in 4th grade? I dont think we did...)

CJ LOVES TOOLS... and now he ALSO loves THOMAS the Train...

Bell Family Updates

ME: I am trying to plan to get down to fleet and family service to figure out how I could go about getting some schooling done to become an RN. I graduated from URI in 1999 with a BS in Human Development and Family Studies but I am really drawn to medical stuff. It is all I ever have on TV. Chris always picks on me about having "The Placenta Channel" on all the time. So, I am hoping to find out something about how I can go about getting more education. Chris will be out of the Navy in a little over 5 years... so that is my time frame! Even though we will most likely be moving next July, I want to start getting the ball rolling in my education. (Again!)
I have my follow up on the 24th. I have not been taking my pills like I should be. I keep forgetting and have been trying to tweak a schedule that will work for me and bring me the most comfort. They arent major pills that I have to take. I do still take my Synthroid religiously but I need to put the Os-Cal (cant be taken with Synthroid) 2 times a day and the Prilosec. I have been getting some multivitamins in there as well. I was trying the Synthroid in the morning but it was making me feel like I had a swollen throat. BUT it also could have been a bout of allergies. Who knows, I am more comfortable with taking it at night. I have been anxious about the start of school and how our schedules will work out with the girls being at different schools. I have been at the base clinic over and over for appointments for everyone. I think they should have an open slot just for the Bell Family. I am getting a lot accomplished though. Slowly but surely.

Chris: This man makes me crazy. In a good way! He CLEP'd 9 Credits last week! SEriously?! This man has the elephant brain in this house! He is going to try and get Technical writing done today. If he passes, he will have 12 credits in a WEEK. That is like completing one semester in college in A WEEK.... He even CLEP'd BIOLOGY... WHAT?! GOOD LORD... I am so envious of his brains... but so proud of him. He is hoping to get his bachelors within the next year or so. He has the hard courses left... such as Calculus and what not. He is still really bummed that he didnt make Chief but is already getting his ducks in a row to hopefully make it next year. We should be able to start looking at orders for his next job in October. It will most likely end up including a move to the Norfolk, VA area.

Ashley: Her Lyme test came back negative but she is still having to take Doxycycline for the Ehrlichiosis. She had taken Amoxicillin in the beginning of the summer for the possibility of Lyme when we had removed the tick and she was symptomatic. They never ran blood work. Because her lymph nodes in her head were still enlarged after 4 weeks I had made the follow up appointment with an AWESOME doc who sent AShley for some labs which is where we found out the HGE was still high in her blood... so the antibiotic had not wiped it out. She is so excited about starting the 4th grade even though she is not accepted in to the Magnet school yet. I am hoping the schedules all work out and she can stay put if that is what she decides should her name make it to the top of the magnet school list. This should be our last year here and changing schools mid year is kind of silly. I guess you could say Ashley is our "Easy" one although she is getting that Tween attitude. I just got the book Care and Keeping of YOU from Paperback Swap at the recommendation of some of the moms on the MckForum. She is getting to the age where her peers are talking beyond their understanding and I am going to have to start explaining a bunch of this stuff to her... and most likely Sydney, at the same time. So, we have some reading to do!!! She just finished reading Coraline which was a cool comic book type book. I have to schedule her annual eye exam but I will not be returning to Pearle Vision so I have to look in to somewhere that I can bring them.

Sydney: I have been trying to set up a PPT... The school of course has not returned my phone call. The Neurologist and her Pediatrician recommended I set this up. She will also be meeting with a Sensory Integration person or something like that and also be getting a Psychological Evaluation done. We are also going to be getting her... hmmm... Good lord. Something else. Oh, Speech evalauation. Her report card came back at the end of the year saying she wasnt meeting grade level expectations in several different areas. So, we are going to see what is going on considering the Epilepsy and what not. And of course the year with the horrible teacher. Whatever. I am so confused as to what I should be doing and if it is going to be fruitless at the end of this journey. We will know her IQ! HAHA! So, it wont be completely fruitless. Either way, it is best we make sure everything is ok. If she had a great class this year I bet you we wouldnt even be having this journey! We have the Exceptional Family Member papers getting filled out and we will be waiting for all these other results to come back before we submit them. She wants to go to the Magnet school next year but chances are she will not be at the top of the lottery list before the beginning of the school year. Once again, we will be moving after this school year and dont know if it is worth it to move her mid year should her name come up. Once again, it all depends on the classroom situation. If I am not happy with it, then I would contamplate pulling her regardless of the fact we will possibly move next summer. She is still pretty happy go lucky!! Oh, and she is now also on Periactin for allergies which the ped thinks will work on Sydney's headaches when school starts. She has not complained much of having headaches since school got out.... coincidence? She also takes Nasonex and Singulair... they all have a specific job too which is why the periactin was added. So far so good.... it could make her tired and hungry so she takes it at bed time.

Kiley: We are getting her ready to start Kindergarten!! I am nervous. I am sad. I dont know if this is what I should be doing but the Pre-K was NOT enough for her. I know she will do ok. I am OK with it if she needs to repeat K next year because of her age or not meeting the expectations for the grade. I am worried about her getting on the bus by herself and crying. I dont want to watch the bus pull away with her with tears in her eyes. I wish one of the girls was also in the magnet school. I could pull her back to the local school but GOSH DARNIT... my kids deserve the BEST School in the District with the BEST teachers in the district. Why shouldnt my kids have the BEST equipped school and the BEST supplies... they have a nurse practitioner on staff, they have to walk every day with their class because it is a Wellness school... MY KIDS deserve it.. ALL of them. I wish there was some way I could get ALL of them in to the school before the beginning of the school year. Calling the schools now is NOT worth it... nobody is there. She has been having warts burned on her fingers which is not fun for her... and we found ANOTHER one on the bottom of her big toe. Grrr. I want them GONE. I dont want her to have anymore. I want the treatments to WORK. Ugh. We go back next week for her third time. First time for her toe.

CJ: He is in the QTEST kid contest for the local radio station and I think you should all vote for him a million times! He is # 102 in the 0-2 year category. I dont know what we would win but Gosh darnit.... whatever it is... we dont care, we just think he IS THE CUTEST! (except when having a melt down and decides to smack his head on the floor on purpose) PLEASE Vote for our little guy! Oh, and his name under his picture is Robert... because Robert is his REAL name!
He is going to miss his sissies when they all go to school. What am I going to do with just him?!
I went and had his exceptional family member papers filled out today for his Eczema and Allergies (peanut).... the doc wants him to go back to the dermatologist because of all the recent flare ups on my baby boy. I also have to get more aggressive with the lotion but he seems to hate me doing it.. I dont have eczema so I dont know if I am hurting him... he seems pretty uncomfortable when I do it and of course using hydrocortizone like it is going out of style isnt so cool either! He is finally getting better at being laid down in his bed to go to sleep without crying like a madman. He isnt too happy when we do but is settling down much better. He is asleep on my bed now for his nap because he was DIAPERLESS this morning. So, it begins!

I hope you are all having a wonderful Summer... mine has been full of medical appointments. As you can tell!!! School will start soon and we have entered the time of "No More's"
Meaning... No more August 11th's in Connecticut. No More 1st days of school in CT.... That is how we will be rolling until next July......

Wordless Wednesday.. Sprinkler Fun

playing with picasa

Long lost blogger

I am still around. Super busy and in need of a super long update on everyone!

Went and visited with Ali in New Hampshire! Had an awesome visit and won't let it get to nearly 2 years before we go and see her again! the kids all had an awesome time and I had an awesome time chit chatting away with Ali....

Here is a pic of Sydney with her son Jackson from Haiti...

when you see the picture on Sydney's blog... act surprised! LOL! She wants to post this picture on her blog when she takes the time to sit down and type.