Sunday, September 28, 2014
Abi and Eden were being silly, rolling around on the floor, giggling and snuggling.
I love moments like this.
I love moments like this.
Saturday, September 27, 2014
With Bryn's birthday at the beginning of August, we have tried to find the best time to host a party for him and his friends. We usually have it with family on (or close to) his actual day, and when he was little, we would have a small party with preschool friends and such. But as he entered school, we found that date didn't work for many of his friends. Sure, we'd have about four kids from his class come, and that was great, but it never seemed to work with the ones he wanted to come the most. So we tried hosting at the end of the month, but still not too many were able to make it as families were putting in their end-of-summer trips.
This year we decided to just do his party in September!
We put it off until mid-to end, just so families could settle into the back-to-school routine, and to get to know the classmates, but then as time was going by I realized that I had almost forgot to plan it! Bryn wanted to have a pool party, and Hunny was all over that idea! I tried suggesting a few ideas for a party (spy training, or even a geo cache party sounded like fun) but the pool won out! So much easier to plan, and doing an at-home party wasn't necessarily going to be any cheaper than to pay a company to host. I could see the point, but I was convinced I could do a cheap Geo Cache one! Maybe next year!
Bryn wasn't able to keep his "friends" list small, so we paid to have 20 children at W.C. Blair Rec Centre, which gives you one hour in the pool with an Instructor and one hour at a table where you can bring your own cake in and food, and snacks. But in the end, there was just 8 friends who came. (some couldn't come, and some didn't even bother responding. So I don't know if they lost the invitations and the parents didn't even see them, or they couldn't go to the party anyways and so didn't think to tell me. Oh well. It always seems bizarre to me to not let a host know...but it makes me wonder if I have ever done that. Not giving a response usually means a "no", right?) I have decided that is the perfect number of kids to come to a party! Plus, since we had less than 12 children, the pool gave us a refund of $49. That was nice!
The boys were eager to be in the pool, and so we sat at the table, just chatting and waiting. Hunny said it was the "most boring birthday party ever!" We didn't have anything to do! We just sat. It felt strange to not have to entertain kids or plan anything! We enjoyed this! It was by far the easiest party we've done as well!
And all of the boys loved it! They played some games with Samantha, and as soon as they arrived back at our table, they wanted to know if they could go back into the pool! We made them eat something first, and have cake and let Bryn open gifts. That took all of ten minutes! These boys were serious about swimming!
The parents were to come by 8:30pm, but all of the boys were still in the pool, so we sat together and visited for a while. In fact, we weren't even done and in our truck until 9:15! I think it is so great that the pool lets the kids go back into the water even after your scheduled party. (I do think they like you to have the area cleaned up in time though, just in case there is another party, or to give others room to sit.) It's sometimes frustrating to have to get your kid out of a pool, but it is nice to know that they aren't going to kick you out! Some places that offer birthday parties want you to leave (or sit waiting) as soon as your time is up.
This turned out to be the easiest party and we would definitely do it again! I'm so glad that we got to celebrate Bryn's eighth birthday with a party finally, and that the friends he was hoping for got to come this time! (well, most of them!)
This year we decided to just do his party in September!
We put it off until mid-to end, just so families could settle into the back-to-school routine, and to get to know the classmates, but then as time was going by I realized that I had almost forgot to plan it! Bryn wanted to have a pool party, and Hunny was all over that idea! I tried suggesting a few ideas for a party (spy training, or even a geo cache party sounded like fun) but the pool won out! So much easier to plan, and doing an at-home party wasn't necessarily going to be any cheaper than to pay a company to host. I could see the point, but I was convinced I could do a cheap Geo Cache one! Maybe next year!
Bryn wasn't able to keep his "friends" list small, so we paid to have 20 children at W.C. Blair Rec Centre, which gives you one hour in the pool with an Instructor and one hour at a table where you can bring your own cake in and food, and snacks. But in the end, there was just 8 friends who came. (some couldn't come, and some didn't even bother responding. So I don't know if they lost the invitations and the parents didn't even see them, or they couldn't go to the party anyways and so didn't think to tell me. Oh well. It always seems bizarre to me to not let a host know...but it makes me wonder if I have ever done that. Not giving a response usually means a "no", right?) I have decided that is the perfect number of kids to come to a party! Plus, since we had less than 12 children, the pool gave us a refund of $49. That was nice!
The boys were eager to be in the pool, and so we sat at the table, just chatting and waiting. Hunny said it was the "most boring birthday party ever!" We didn't have anything to do! We just sat. It felt strange to not have to entertain kids or plan anything! We enjoyed this! It was by far the easiest party we've done as well!
(they filled balloons in the hot tub, then went and played toss with them! That was a favourite part of the party!)
And all of the boys loved it! They played some games with Samantha, and as soon as they arrived back at our table, they wanted to know if they could go back into the pool! We made them eat something first, and have cake and let Bryn open gifts. That took all of ten minutes! These boys were serious about swimming!
(Abi decorated the cake for me. She had fun! She says that she made the face to look like Bryn...we laughed that she should start her own business decorating cakes!)
The parents were to come by 8:30pm, but all of the boys were still in the pool, so we sat together and visited for a while. In fact, we weren't even done and in our truck until 9:15! I think it is so great that the pool lets the kids go back into the water even after your scheduled party. (I do think they like you to have the area cleaned up in time though, just in case there is another party, or to give others room to sit.) It's sometimes frustrating to have to get your kid out of a pool, but it is nice to know that they aren't going to kick you out! Some places that offer birthday parties want you to leave (or sit waiting) as soon as your time is up.
This turned out to be the easiest party and we would definitely do it again! I'm so glad that we got to celebrate Bryn's eighth birthday with a party finally, and that the friends he was hoping for got to come this time! (well, most of them!)
Friday, September 26, 2014
Another Public Service Announcement (PSA), just to let you know.
If you run out of eggs in your house, but you don't want to pack up all of the kids to run to the store just to pick up some since it will result in a full basket of extras and whiney children all asking for junk food snacks.... but you NEED eggs so that you can make some cupcakes for the other kids since they aren't exactly invited to their brother's pool party and you feel guilty and are trying to make things better....
If you happened to read online all these wonderful ideas on how to successfully substitute eggs from a recipe and thought that it sounded easy....
If you are wondering if you can possibly use something else instead of eggs in your box cake recipe, I am here to help you out!
You can not substitute eggs with water, oil and baking powder in a box cake. Although it will make your cupcakes super de-dooper fluffy, they will just make them all crumbly.
We were not able to take a cupcake out of the pan without it falling apart. It was disappointing. The Youngers didn't get to have cupcakes...or go to the pool party. Boos all around!
Now you know.
You are welcome.
***If you are wondering about making your own crayons in the oven, here is my other PSA
If you run out of eggs in your house, but you don't want to pack up all of the kids to run to the store just to pick up some since it will result in a full basket of extras and whiney children all asking for junk food snacks.... but you NEED eggs so that you can make some cupcakes for the other kids since they aren't exactly invited to their brother's pool party and you feel guilty and are trying to make things better....
If you happened to read online all these wonderful ideas on how to successfully substitute eggs from a recipe and thought that it sounded easy....
If you are wondering if you can possibly use something else instead of eggs in your box cake recipe, I am here to help you out!
You can not substitute eggs with water, oil and baking powder in a box cake. Although it will make your cupcakes super de-dooper fluffy, they will just make them all crumbly.
We were not able to take a cupcake out of the pan without it falling apart. It was disappointing. The Youngers didn't get to have cupcakes...or go to the pool party. Boos all around!
Now you know.
You are welcome.
***If you are wondering about making your own crayons in the oven, here is my other PSA
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Welcome back to Thankful Thursday, a feature started by Talk Nerdy To Me. Here are just a few things I am thankful for this week...
1. visits with my parents
I love that I can still go visit my parents and that they have a great relationship with my kids. I love that they let us stay overnight and eat their food and mess up their house and take up their weekend! I love that they actually play with the kids too! I am so grateful for them in so many ways that I can't express.
2. Free LEGO Celebrations
I got a text from my sister to let me know that there was a LEGO event happening this past weekend at Guildford Mall to celebrate the 1st year of the LEGO store. (yes, it turns out that I managed to hold out on bringing my lego-obsessed kids there for a year!) So we raced (safely, of course) over and made it just in time! The kids got to make these cute garden pieces at an area set up near the store for free.
(I love Eden's grin as she is squashed between her brothers!)
Then we perused the busy store. Wow, that was fun! It's actually smaller than I expected, but there was so much to see! There was a small table for little kids to build, and an area where you could put together your own custom minifigs (the kids liked that one. You could also buy three for $12.99), and a wall of pieces that you could fill into a cup. We spent a good hour or more in there! Since we spent over $35, we also got a special birthday set for free! We also joined the VIP program; I figure with three boys, we could easily make up those points! (you get 1 point for every dollar spent and when you reach 100 points, you get $5! That isn't an amazing deal when you think that there isn't anything less than $5.99 in the store, but it's something, and it gets the kids excited!)
It was a good afternoon at a mall that I hadn't been to since I was a teenager! So much had changed. It looked completely different with the remodel. We decided that we'll have to go back and check out the other stores; we couldn't go for too long as Eden needed a nap (and I didn't bring a stroller, oops) and Abi's knee was bothering her. I was so grateful that as we were walking back (or hobbling) to our van, one of the Customer Service reps drove up on her Courtesy Cart to offer the kids some free temporary tattoos and honey sticks from the Honeybee Centre, and she offered to drive us to the entrance we were parked near! Hooray! That was a fun ride!
3. Memories
While at the Guildford Town Centre Mall, I had to go to New York Fries! I hadn't had their poutine in years! It brought back many happy memories of shopping with my friend.
My kids weren't as impressed though and refused to try it! Silly kids!
4.Answered Prayers
On Friday, Kai wanted to ride his bike after school, but found that the bike that was put at the side of the house wasn't there anymore! We looked everywhere, but it was truly missing. My boy was in tears! Someone stole his bike, yet they left the two smaller bikes in the yard, plus the two scooters, and the brand new lawn mower at the side of the house; it didn't make sense! My heart was so sad for him!
We learned that our neighbours found Bryn's bike in the front of their yard that morning and had returned it before we got up, so it was looking more like someone out there being jerks. Taking bikes just because they didn't want to walk or just in the delight in being selfish and mean. But there was hope for Kai's bike being out there still too!
At dinner, we prayed that God would show us where the bike was, and for our faith to grow since asking for a lost bike seems so "small" compared to the "big issues" happening in the world.
An hour later, Kai is running home and yelling that our other neighbours know where his bike is and they were going to get it!!!! Thank-you, God, for answering even simple prayers!
Unfortunately, we didn't get the bike back the way we were hoping. I laugh that we should've been more specific with our prayers, but honestly, we are happy to have it back than to think it is still out there and someone is riding it. Sadly though, no one can ride it. Whomever stole it left it where it could be hit by a car, so it is dented and damaged. Hunny may be able to straighten it out, but we don't know if that would be the best idea yet or not. So we are praying for a solution now, but we are confident that something will come up.
I am thankful that we got an answer to a prayer that we made, and that the kids could see that and that we can grow in our faith in these activities.
5.Littlest Cousins
We had another playdate with the Littlest Cousins and it was fun! They are all so close in age (M is 7 months old, G is 2 years old and E is 3) and for the first time, Eden gets to be the biggest!
These kids are busy and silly and keep me on my toes! It's not easy getting pictures of them as they are always moving too fast for my camera!
6. Canned Peaches
Hooray for peaches and being able to can some again this year! Although, I'd like to know why it is called "canning" when they are clearly put into a jar, not a can.
I managed the task by myself and I am proud to say that I was able to can 11 jars up! (Eden wanted to help, but thought that it was too messy, so she bailed on me after this picture was taken!)
7. Back to school
Okay, so this doesn't relate to me directly, but I am so thankful that things were able to be sorted enough that a deal was mediated and the public schools started up again this week! The kids have lost a month of school (I think I read it was over 20 days in total) and it was getting frustrating! I am thankful for the parents' and the kids' sakes---the kids needed to be back.
8. Hand me downs
I am so thankful for friends and acquaintances who like to pass on clothes for my kids. It's cheaper than shopping second hand! I had some clothes given to me as a kid too, but I ended up feeling self conscious sometimes at school (I was so worried that I'd wear a shirt and one of the popular girls would say, "that's my shirt!" and I'd try to deny it, and they'd say loudly, "yes, there's my old spaghetti stain on the sleeve!" LOL I have a bit of an imagination!) I am so thankful that my kids don't worry about things like that!
Abi loves this new overall-bib vest that was given to her this week. (worn over her dress) It's very quirky! She pointed out that she doesn't think that she's had to shop for many clothes in a store, which she thought was neat!
We are blessed and I am thankful.
9. This silly boy
This boy, who is slowly transforming into a little man, is a tough kid. He is stubborn and prone to ignoring instructions, but so giggly and likes to help and be in charge. He now loves to snuggle and give hugs, which is something he didn't like to do too much before! He makes me laugh.
We attempted a selfie, but well, I am not good at those! So I had B take our picture...and this is what he came up with! haha.
10. Downpours
Yes, sometimes I love me a good downpour. Like the one we had this week. I felt bad for the kids at our elementary school who were doing the Terry Fox run in that rain, but gave myself a fist pump for packing extra clothes just in case of that happening!
I totally enjoyed sitting in front of our big window with Eden watching the rain pour onto the street in big puddles. There is something exciting and fascinating and peaceful (yes, peaceful) about a downpour to me!
That's my week. What are some things you are thankful for? If you haven't stopped to think up a list, do it now! Even if you only come up with three things, it's still three things to look back on and remember. Being grateful opens up our hearts to more joy. Try it!
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
We were driving one day, just the two of us, when Bryn pipes up from the back seat:
"Mom, you know how you count things like 2 +2 is 4, and 4 + 4 is 8, and 8 + 8 is 16...?" I nodded, causally. He continued, "I lost track at 1, 364*."
Pardon me? One thousand, three hundred and sixty-four? You counted that high just by doubling the numbers? Are you kidding me? I get lost after 72! Oh, I can do the math. I just can't do it in my head. And that's what Bryn was doing! (* I just made up that number. I actually forget what number he gave me, but it was in the thousands!)
Math in his head!!! Who's kid is this???
He definitely takes after his father! My Hunny has absolutely no problems with numbers and can do the hardest of math in his head within seconds. It is mind-boggling to me. I have always struggled with numbers. What a relief it was to discover that I have Dyscalculia.(which is a learning disability in math) Of course, it was only a recent discovery...I saw a friend post about it on FB and it was such a shock to see that I could connect with everything the list suggested! Too bad I didn't recognize this while in school!
I just have no concept of numbers and struggle with visualizing them or organizing them and it sucks! However, I must say that I am happy to see that I can now understand school grade math! I'm able to do the kids' homework with them! (I admit that was a big worry about having kids who go to school and learn math-y things) Especially since this is so true:
Bryn likes to think up numbers, and loves to count things, and is always asking random questions. This evening, Bryn asks me "Do you know what 346 divided by 2 is?" (not a part of his homework, he just wanted to know!)
I look at him and shake my head. No! Not off the top of my head. We laugh. He walks away.
He is only eight and he can out-math me!!! It's not fair!
"Mom, you know how you count things like 2 +2 is 4, and 4 + 4 is 8, and 8 + 8 is 16...?" I nodded, causally. He continued, "I lost track at 1, 364*."
Pardon me? One thousand, three hundred and sixty-four? You counted that high just by doubling the numbers? Are you kidding me? I get lost after 72! Oh, I can do the math. I just can't do it in my head. And that's what Bryn was doing! (* I just made up that number. I actually forget what number he gave me, but it was in the thousands!)
Math in his head!!! Who's kid is this???
He definitely takes after his father! My Hunny has absolutely no problems with numbers and can do the hardest of math in his head within seconds. It is mind-boggling to me. I have always struggled with numbers. What a relief it was to discover that I have Dyscalculia.(which is a learning disability in math) Of course, it was only a recent discovery...I saw a friend post about it on FB and it was such a shock to see that I could connect with everything the list suggested! Too bad I didn't recognize this while in school!
I just have no concept of numbers and struggle with visualizing them or organizing them and it sucks! However, I must say that I am happy to see that I can now understand school grade math! I'm able to do the kids' homework with them! (I admit that was a big worry about having kids who go to school and learn math-y things) Especially since this is so true:
Bryn likes to think up numbers, and loves to count things, and is always asking random questions. This evening, Bryn asks me "Do you know what 346 divided by 2 is?" (not a part of his homework, he just wanted to know!)
I look at him and shake my head. No! Not off the top of my head. We laugh. He walks away.
He is only eight and he can out-math me!!! It's not fair!
Monday, September 22, 2014
I decided on a whim to go visit my parents this weekend and stay the night. My Hunny wasn't feeling well, so he stayed home, but I packed up the kids and their clothes and we high-tailed it out of Dodge, arriving at their house in Chilliwack by 8:30pm. So much for an earlier arrival and visit before bed! After setting everything up and showing off all of the new toys and telling them all of the news they had to share, we finally climbed into bed by10:30pm! (it's a good thing it was a weekend!)
The next day, we hung around in pjs and watched movies and it was wonderful! I felt like I hadn't seen my parents in a long time (although they had come for Abi's baptism last weekend, but that went by fast!) so I wanted to go see them while I could!
They were away this summer in Powell River visiting my brother and his family, and during that time, they were introduced to the game of Monopoly Empire. This isn't the same version of Monopoly I grew up with! This is a completely new version. It has new spaces made up of corporations (such as McDonald's, Nerf, Carnival, Coca-Cola, Paramount, etc) instead of the usual street names. The set up looks different and it is played differently too. Instead of collecting houses and hotels to build on your streets, you collect your corporations and each company is added to your 'business tower'. As your tower increases in size, your salary (for when you pass GO) and your tax and rent (for when others land on your spaces or if you owe money to others or the bank, etc) increases. This new version is set up in a way that the game can be started and finished within half an hour. The game ends when someone fills up their Business Tower first. My parents wanted to introduce us to the game, and we all loved it!
I used to play Monopoly, Risk, and Settlers of Catan with my sister and brother and our friends, but my favourite game has always been Clue! Mostly, every game we played, my brother won. I don't know how it was that way. He was cutthroat and didn't have sympathy like I did. He was also good at planning ahead, which I still suck at! But since having children, our broad games have been put up high and untouched...which is sad. But we didn't want the kids losing pieces and we haven't had time to actually do any playing.
Thankfully, our kids are getting older and we can maybe start to pull those games down to enjoy as a family. Maybe... After the Youngers are in bed...
Do you have any games that your family likes to play?
The next day, we hung around in pjs and watched movies and it was wonderful! I felt like I hadn't seen my parents in a long time (although they had come for Abi's baptism last weekend, but that went by fast!) so I wanted to go see them while I could!
They were away this summer in Powell River visiting my brother and his family, and during that time, they were introduced to the game of Monopoly Empire. This isn't the same version of Monopoly I grew up with! This is a completely new version. It has new spaces made up of corporations (such as McDonald's, Nerf, Carnival, Coca-Cola, Paramount, etc) instead of the usual street names. The set up looks different and it is played differently too. Instead of collecting houses and hotels to build on your streets, you collect your corporations and each company is added to your 'business tower'. As your tower increases in size, your salary (for when you pass GO) and your tax and rent (for when others land on your spaces or if you owe money to others or the bank, etc) increases. This new version is set up in a way that the game can be started and finished within half an hour. The game ends when someone fills up their Business Tower first. My parents wanted to introduce us to the game, and we all loved it!
The Olders had fun playing against Grandpa! He knows the rules and he'll play to his advantage! In one game, the corporation Intell came up for Auction and he managed to bid up Kai high enough that K won it, but in the next move, he played a Hostile Takeover card, which meant he could take the Intell piece! We all roared with laughter! Sneaky!
I used to play Monopoly, Risk, and Settlers of Catan with my sister and brother and our friends, but my favourite game has always been Clue! Mostly, every game we played, my brother won. I don't know how it was that way. He was cutthroat and didn't have sympathy like I did. He was also good at planning ahead, which I still suck at! But since having children, our broad games have been put up high and untouched...which is sad. But we didn't want the kids losing pieces and we haven't had time to actually do any playing.
Thankfully, our kids are getting older and we can maybe start to pull those games down to enjoy as a family. Maybe... After the Youngers are in bed...
Do you have any games that your family likes to play?
Friday, September 19, 2014
I just found out that September is Children's Cardiomyopathy
Awareness Month! Talk about joining the cause a bit late, but
well...oops....
Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle, and it is what Kai was diagnosed with at the age of 18 months. He has been living a normal life despite this though, and I remain focused on that, but it is scary to me!
The Children's Cardiomyopathy Foundation says this:
Kai was diagnosed after the pediatrician noticed that he wasn't gaining weight after 9 months old. It took us months and months of numerous tests (many that we felt were unnecessary as he would only have one symptom from the list of many items the doctor wanted to look into) and visits to the dietician, but it was a random x-ray that showed us the real problem and brought us to the Children's Hospital's Cardiology department. To say that I was scared would be an understatement! I still remember when the nurse gave me pamphlets on Congestive Heart Failure soon after we started to see the cardiologist! I'm sure it was very important for me to know the signs and what to look for, but wow, what bad timing! We were given the impression by the doctors that Kai was in good hands and doing well and that he would be "just fine" with this! Pamphlets on your son's heart dying is a very scary thing to read right off the bat! If I could change one thing, it would be that. The nurses could still hand out the information, but I think they would have a good chat with you first on your child's condition and the doctor's prognosis first.
This is Dilated Cardiomyopathy: The heart muscle gets thin and the left ventricle becomes enlarged so the heart muscle is unable to squeeze properly, causing the amount of blood that is pumped into the body to be reduced.
So far, Kai has been hospitalized while they did a 24 hour Holter on him and got a medication sorted out for him (at age 2), and he has had a myocardial biopsy and heart catheterization done (which really freaked me out as well!) to determine the cause (at age 7). That came up with nothing though, so he is diagnosed as Idiopathic, although it is thought to be from Myocarditis, which is an inflation of the heart from a virus (not that I remember him being really sick as an infant)
Each year, he returns to BC Children's Hospital for an Echocardiogram and EKG testing and for a follow up visit with his cardiologist. And each year, I remind myself that he has been doing well all year and has no concerning symptoms, so there is no reason to worry about a change in his heart condition. And so far I have been proven correct and relieved.
When we first arrived at BCCH, in 2005, we were told that it wasn't very common for children as young as Kai to be diagnosed with Dilated Cardiomyopathy. It was something that older men get. And because of that, there wasn't much information out there on it. The cardiologist was working with many other doctors in other hospitals to learn more, but there wasn't the statistics to go on, or the history, which was neat, but also unnerving. It says on the Children's Cardiomypoathy site that, "Cardiomyopathy in children may also present differently from diagnosed teenagers or adult. It is considered unusual when an infant or a child is diagnosed with symptoms at such a young age. Typically, symptoms are not apparent until the late teens or adult years when most patients are diagnosed."
I don't know what the future holds for Kai. But I need to remind myself that I don't know what my health future is like either! We were told to not hold him back though, to let him run and play football! So, for now, I am trusting in his wonderful doctor and trusting that God has a better plan for Kai's life.
For more information on Cardiomyopathy check out the Children's Cardiomypathy Foundation.
Also, check out for more detailed information on Dilated Cardiomyopathy HERE.
Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle, and it is what Kai was diagnosed with at the age of 18 months. He has been living a normal life despite this though, and I remain focused on that, but it is scary to me!
The Children's Cardiomyopathy Foundation says this:
With the pediatric population, cardiomyopathy
occurs in approximately 12 children out of every million
with about 1,000-5,000 new cases diagnosed each year. The
majority of diagnosed children are infants under the age
of 12 months with fewer cases between the ages of 1 to
12 years. When cardiomyopathy is diagnosed in children
before puberty, it is considered extremely unusual and
it may not have the same causes, manifestations or disease
progression as cardiomyopathy in adults.
There is a vast amount of literature on adult cardiomyopathy but not
all of
the information is relevant to children diagnosed with the disease.
Unfortunately,
there has been little research and focus on pediatric cardiomyopathy
over the
years. Consequently, the causes are not well understood. According to
the Pediatric
Cardiomyopathy Registry, less than 25% of all patients have an
identified cause despite rigorous, standardized evaluation. What is
known is that the underlying causes of cardiomyopathy in infants and
children may be considerably different from that diagnosed in
adolescents and
adults with similar symptoms. Pediatric cardiomyopathy is more likely
to be
due to genetic factors while lifestyle or environmental factors play a
greater
role in adult cardiomyopathy.
Kai was diagnosed after the pediatrician noticed that he wasn't gaining weight after 9 months old. It took us months and months of numerous tests (many that we felt were unnecessary as he would only have one symptom from the list of many items the doctor wanted to look into) and visits to the dietician, but it was a random x-ray that showed us the real problem and brought us to the Children's Hospital's Cardiology department. To say that I was scared would be an understatement! I still remember when the nurse gave me pamphlets on Congestive Heart Failure soon after we started to see the cardiologist! I'm sure it was very important for me to know the signs and what to look for, but wow, what bad timing! We were given the impression by the doctors that Kai was in good hands and doing well and that he would be "just fine" with this! Pamphlets on your son's heart dying is a very scary thing to read right off the bat! If I could change one thing, it would be that. The nurses could still hand out the information, but I think they would have a good chat with you first on your child's condition and the doctor's prognosis first.
This is Dilated Cardiomyopathy: The heart muscle gets thin and the left ventricle becomes enlarged so the heart muscle is unable to squeeze properly, causing the amount of blood that is pumped into the body to be reduced.
So far, Kai has been hospitalized while they did a 24 hour Holter on him and got a medication sorted out for him (at age 2), and he has had a myocardial biopsy and heart catheterization done (which really freaked me out as well!) to determine the cause (at age 7). That came up with nothing though, so he is diagnosed as Idiopathic, although it is thought to be from Myocarditis, which is an inflation of the heart from a virus (not that I remember him being really sick as an infant)
Each year, he returns to BC Children's Hospital for an Echocardiogram and EKG testing and for a follow up visit with his cardiologist. And each year, I remind myself that he has been doing well all year and has no concerning symptoms, so there is no reason to worry about a change in his heart condition. And so far I have been proven correct and relieved.
When we first arrived at BCCH, in 2005, we were told that it wasn't very common for children as young as Kai to be diagnosed with Dilated Cardiomyopathy. It was something that older men get. And because of that, there wasn't much information out there on it. The cardiologist was working with many other doctors in other hospitals to learn more, but there wasn't the statistics to go on, or the history, which was neat, but also unnerving. It says on the Children's Cardiomypoathy site that, "Cardiomyopathy in children may also present differently from diagnosed teenagers or adult. It is considered unusual when an infant or a child is diagnosed with symptoms at such a young age. Typically, symptoms are not apparent until the late teens or adult years when most patients are diagnosed."
I don't know what the future holds for Kai. But I need to remind myself that I don't know what my health future is like either! We were told to not hold him back though, to let him run and play football! So, for now, I am trusting in his wonderful doctor and trusting that God has a better plan for Kai's life.
For more information on Cardiomyopathy check out the Children's Cardiomypathy Foundation.
Also, check out for more detailed information on Dilated Cardiomyopathy HERE.
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Just a few things I am thankful for this week...this feature was started by Lousie at Talk Nerdy To Me. It's a great way to look over your week and see the blessings you've had and be reminded.
1. Apples
Our Pampered Chef Apple Pealer Corer Deluxe came out of our drawer this week! The kids had fun using it and slicing up all of the apples in the house! As much as I am annoyed that all of our apples were used up in one afternoon, they were eaten at least! I have found my kids will eat more (and better) when it is done in a fun way such as this!
2. Baptisms and BBQ
This past Sunday was our Fall Kickoff BBQ at church, where we celebrated a baby dedication and two baptisms; one being my Abi-girl!
Such a wonderful day. I am so thankful for this church, for the encouragement from her youth pastor Mike, for the teaching she receives at school, the love and training she feels in our extended family, but mostly for the way He is evident in her life. I am so thankful that He has claimed her as his child and breathed His breath upon her.
3. Cookies
Who isn't thankful for cookies? I had some over-ripe bananas that needed to be dealt with, so I thought I would try out this recipe for "healthy cookies" a friend posted on FB. Who the heck names a cookie "healthy cookie"? So I have chosen to name them something more obvious, like "banana oatmeal applesauce no sugar cookies", cuz I'm creative like that!
Don't you love my staged table? I had fun with that one! I may attempt to stage more often.
My cookies looked nothing like the healthy yummy-looking cookies in the photo I saw online, but hey, that's okay. They didn't taste as good as the picture looked either! haha. They weren't bad, just lacking. But I also altered the recipe with what I had in my cupboards. They are chewy, so my kids weren't into them at all! I asked Eden as she took the first bite if they were yummy. She screwed up her face and said, "They're not yummy! Here, you can have mine!" haha.
I ate them all but didn't feel bad about that! I will have to try them again with the correct ingredients! Want to try them out yourself? Here is the recipe:
Healthy cookies - 3 mashed bananas (ripe), 1/3 cup apple sauce, 2 cups oats, 1/4 cup almond milk, 1/4 cup raisins or nuts, 1 cup good chocolate chunks,1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp cinnamon. preheat oven to 350 degrees. bake for 15-20 minutes. NO SUGAR!
I made mine with regular milk, no nuts (we don't like cookies with nuts in our house) and I didn't have any chocolate chunks...not having chocolate was a big downfall! I attempted to substitute chocolate pudding, but that wasn't enough for me!
4. Deals
I try to shop second hand because I'm cheap, but I don't go too often, and I don't see too many amazing things. Apparently the more often you go, the better items you find. So I'ce been told! Go figure. I was super excited when I scored awesome deals at Bibles For Missions Thrift Store this week!
A shirt for myself, a pair of shoes for Abi (or me, teehee!), a new-ish purse for me, a boardgame and some paints! Hooray! All for just $11!
5. Excited Kids
I signed the Youngers up for swim lessons this week! They are very excited! It doesn't start until the beginning of November, but that's what happens when you put off registering so long that the class in September fills up! But the weeks will go by quickly!
6. Funny faces
Eden is so silly sometimes!
Right now, Tim Horton's has their Smile Cookie promotion on. The cookie is only $1, and proceeds go towards local charities, so they are for a good cause. Plus they are also quite yummy! But they are only around from September 15th until the 21st, so get yours while you can. H'mm...I wonder if cookies can be frozen for a later treat?
I had to laugh as I was trying to get Eden to hold up the smile cookie to her face. I was telling her to turn it around, but she would just turn it sideways! haha. Finally, I had to show her the correct way!
7. Growing up
Eden has learned how to connect the seatbelt on her carseat, so she insists on doing it all by herself each time we go out. Sometimes it is very frustrating and I feel impatient at her slowness (especially if I am feeling rushed...which is often. I suck at timing things!), but I am trying to be more encouraging in letting her show off her skills. She is proud of herself, and really I am thankful that she is growing up and learning to do more things.
8. Hope in front of me
If the video isn't showing up, check it out on youtube! Hope in front of me by Danny Gokey.
9. Independence
Rhys adjusted to kindergarten immediately! My heart is so happy! He wanted to walk to the Middle/High with Bryn after the first week, so I consented. Last year, Kai and Bryn walked up the street from the Elementary location where I would meet them. (Kai wasn't in the same class as his best friend, and since David's mom works at the middle/high school, he would walk up, and so Kai would ask to walk up with him.) This year, it's just B (and now R) and he couldn't wait to walk up on his own! I think it makes him feel bigger!
I made Rhys wait the first week (I wanted to be able to see him after school and pick him up and share with him his day right away, and get a routine started first) but he was so ready! It just took me a bit longer! I was a bit anxious this week...would Bryn remember to get Rhys? Would Rhys want to walk or would he be miserable or refuse to walk? But when I saw them walking up over that hill to the school, my heart was put at ease! They were walking together and B was even carrying Rhys' backpack, and they were both happy!
There is nothing sweeter than brothers who care for eachother!
10. Helping Hands
Abi popped out her knee on Monday night; she was trampled on the trampoline! I picked up crutches for her to hobble around on since it was too painful for her to put weight onto her leg; her knee is swollen and tender to the touch.
(you know your knee may be a *bit* swollen when your shorts are too tight on your thigh!)
We saw the doctor today just to make sure it wasn't hurt worse than we had thought, but he only suggested ice and advil, which we had already been doing. (I thought he'd want an x-ray to be sure, but he didn't) I am thankful that it is "just" a dislocation and that it will heal over time. (I guess she takes after her father in the knee department. My Hunny popped his knee out at work overextending it a few years ago and ended up needing knee surgery, which he finally got this spring! phew! He can climb stairs and get onto the floor safely again!)
I am also incredibly thankful for friends at the school who are willing to carry her books for her (even her teacher followed her to her locker with her binder after she dropped it at the end of the day!) I am impressed and thankful for her siblings for helping her carry items, and retrieving things for her so she doesn't have to get up, and for assisting her up/down the stairs. So sweet!
***Did you notice how all of my posts followed the letters of the alphabet? Well, all except the last one. I could not think of a proper title that started with the letter J! If one comes to my head tonight, I will edit it. (feel free to offer suggestions in the comments!) This wasn't intentional until I realized it after my first four posts!
So that is my list. It's the small things that count, right? What are you thankful for? I'd love to know!
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