Well Babies!

So Faith and Drew had well-baby appointments last Thursday.  Drew was 12 pounds, 6 ounces, and that is the only statistic I remember from the appointment, LOL.  They both are perfectly healthy!  Drew is doing really well at night, sleeping from about 9:00 or so until 6:00 or 6:30 pretty reliably.  Yay!

Caleb, who didn't want to be in this picture, also had an appointment.  After 2 years of basically never needing his inhaler, he has had a harder time this winter.  Starting in December, whenever he would go outside to play basketball, he would come in wheezing and needing his inhaler.  It only seems to be exercising in the cold that triggers the wheezing, though.  It had been awhile since he had been seen, and he needed new prescriptions for his asthma meds, so that is why he had to go in too.  The doctor her saw was so nice--he was one of 7 himself!--and he asked a lot of thorough questions to make sure it wasn't some new allergy or something.  It doesn't appear that it is, so the plan is that Caleb has to take Flovent in his inhaler preventatively, twice a day, now. 

The doctor called in a staff doctor to come in and make sure he was on the right track, as far as a treatment plan goes.  When she walked in, I recognized her from back when Faith was a baby, although we haven't seen her for several years.  We talked about Caleb for awhile, and then we talked about us having so many kids.  The doctor started talking about this one family who used to come in, who were "very religious" and had 7 kids.  The mom would line the kids up against the wall, and they would sit while the doctor would examine the baby and talk with the mom.  The older kids took care of the younger kids, and they were always quiet and well-behaved.  At the end of the appointment, the mom would give them a snack.  I laughed and said something about it sounding familiar, but after we left, it hit me--I'm sure she was talking about us!  She was our doctor when Faith (#7) was a baby, and Nathan was not even 12, so I still had to bring everyone in.  We saw her several times, and what she described is pretty much what I would do.  I'm sure there are plenty of other families with 7 kids who could also be described that way, but I'm pretty sure she was talking about us!  It was encouraging, though.

Good thing I had that encouragement, because the afternoon dragged on forever!  We left out house at 12:40, and we finally got back home at 6:40, after getting shots at the immunization clinic and waiting FOREVER at the pharmacy for Caleb's prescriptions.  I was so ready to be home!  And when I got home, I was greeted with flowers Amy sent me, plus balloons and a delicious "not-cake" fudgy torte thing from Christine, since it was actually my 40th birthday!  Bob had already gotten me roses, but he surprised me with an absolutely beautiful jewelry box with a really special inscription on it. Then he took me out to eat at Cheesecake Factory, and we did a little bit of shopping afterward.  He wanted to do something fun, like go ice skating, but I was just totally beat from my long day at Bethesda, so we will have to save that for another date!

Spending the afternoon at the doctor is not exactly an ideal birthday, but Bob had already given me a huge present that I am sooo looking forward to.  A few weeks ago, Amy called, and she mentioned that my high school, Dayton Christian, was having a big 50th anniversary celebration in March.  She wondered if there was any way I could possibly come home for that, since our other good friend Julie was going to be in town that weekend.  Well, the timing is absolutely the worst--right after my 2 weeks of teaching at our elementary co-op, and right before the big field trip to the space museum that I am in charge of.  No way we can pick up and drive out there in the midst of all that!  But then I got to thinking--what if just Drew and I flew out?  So I looked into ticket prices, and I found a direct flight for only $215.  Bob okayed the plan, so I bought a ticket, leaving Thursday after lab, and coming home Sunday evening!  Now it's been a few more weeks, Drew is sleeping really well, and . . . well, I'm thinking that if he will do okay with formula, I'm not going to take him.  Just me, all by myself, with no kids for 3 days!!   It sounds so amazingly refreshing.  I can. not. wait.  Best birthday present EVER!!!  I need to buy some formula so I can try Drew on it.  I'll bring a pump, which will be a little bit of a hassle . .  but  all by myself!  For 3 days!  With no one needing me!  I can hardly imagine it!