Thanksgiving fun!!!

These first pictures where just so cute, I had to add them....she loves the lid drawer (And the Dishwasher!).

Thanksgiving was so much fun this year. We actually had it at our house, and it wasn't too stressful to get it ready. My mom and Natalie brought a lot of food and that made it pretty easy. My sister Tiffany came in from Reno with her Hubby and step-daughter. It was fun to have them stay with us Wed night. We watched a few movies, played games, visited and just hung out, it was very low key, which was great and relaxing. It had been awhile since I had sat down and watched a movie that we RENTED. Kaylee seemed to enjoy some of the yummy food...as you can see...

My whole family was there, except my Sister Marisa and their family. We missed you!!!

Then on Saturday we had a fun Family Christmas Party in Ogden at Matt & Nat's house. It was FANTASTIC...yummy food, music, fun games, and Santa Clause even stopped by. He surprised us all, especially Carson. All day we talked about maybe seeing Santa (we thought the mall would be a great place for that but didn't make it, so this was a great thing to have happen). All day he told me that if he saw Santa he would ask for a "Soccer Ball Bank". (To replace his other piggy bank that broke). Sure enough....the first thing Carson said to Santa was "Soccer Ball Bank". It was hilarious. It was so fun, and we really appreciate Matt & Nat for all the work and planning that went into the party...you are the best!! It was a great party!

Thanks to my mom, we do some pretty fun musical things when we get together. Thanks again everyone for all the fun!!!

*****For all the Twilight Fans....check out Ryan and Tanya's blog link...it is Nick's brother's family, who live in Washington. They just went to Forks, WA last weekend. It is fun to see all th pictures!!! I was so jealous that they got to go, and I didn't.*****

Ears and Birthdays!!

It has been a few days since my last post, and many things have been going on since then. Like Carson's surgery and Nick's Bday. Here are a few pictures from Carson's surgery last Thursday. He did AMAZING!!! Last time he got tubes, he came out of anesthesia a monster and was inconsolable. But this time, he was a complete angel when he woke up. He wanted some apple juice and a sucker and he was happy. I was so relieved that he did so well, since I was completely ready for him to be another monster. He is getting so big and everyday does things that make me so proud of him. I love you Cars!!!

After surgery, sippin on his juice...

Over the weekend we headed down to Holden to celebrate Nick's birthday. He turned 31 on Sunday! We enjoyed the yummy food and the kids enjoyed spending time with Grandma Karen and Papa Bear. Thanks for celebrating with us!

I love this picture of Kaylee...I have learned that she is finally getting enough hair to somewhat style, it is so fun!!

Happy Birthday Nicholas...we all love you SO much! Thanks for being such a great dad and husband....you are the best!!!

Also...we went to Kaylee's post-op appt with her ENT Dr. Her ears and neck looked really good and he took off the rest of the bandages from her neck. Her scar looks so good and is in a great place on her neck so you can hardly see it. We decided, along with her pediatrician that we are going to stop her thyroid medicine for 10 days and then test her blood to determine if she needs medicine still, and then if they need more information, we will do a CT Scan. So I take her in on the 14th to have her tested. I like this idea more than just doing a CT Scan since it is easier on Kaylee and less expensive too. I will let you all know what we find out!

We got the RESULTS!!!

We finally got a call from the Dr's office for Kaylee's test results on the cyst they removed. It was a benign thyroid tissue, so there is NO cancer. Whew......So now we go to the Dr's on Friday for her post op appt and we will probably schedule a CT Scan to determine what her Thyroid status is so we know if she needs to continue on her thyroid medicine or not. So that is such good news and it is such a relief to know it isn't going to be anything serious. I will let you know how Carson does tomorrow with his tubes. Thanks again to all of you who have been so helpful during the last week and for all the comments, concerns, and prayers on our behalf. You are all amazing!! Thanks again!

He is such a BOY!!

So I am just sitting here at the computer, checking my email, reading blogs, and Carson comes over from sitting on the couch watching TV...

"Mom...Smell my shirt..."

"What, smell your shirt?"

"Yeah, smell my shirt"

So I did, and then I realized what HE was smelling.....and it wasn't from his shirt....it was an aeroma that escaped his little bum and traveled up through his shirt while he was sitting on the couch....

I just laughed! He was so intrigued that the smell was in his shirt! Oh, he is such a BOY!


**BTW...We still HAVEN'T heard anything from the test results, the nurse called yesterday and hopes to have them this afternoon. I will keep you all posted.

BOGO on the brain?

Or should I say the EARS!?!?!

Dr's should really give discounts to families that have two children, whom both get a set of tubes surgically placed in their ears, within 8 days of each other. Like buy one, get one 1/2 off! :) We would totally qualify for that discount if they did! But they don't, so thank goodness for insurance!!

I took Carson in today to see his ENT Doctor, Dr. Skedros. Carson has been complaining about his right ear hurting since last Thursday. We had seen Dr. Skedros just three weeks ago, for a check up on his current tubes, since one had already fallen out of his left ear. He said we just need to watch the right ear, since it looked like it was almost out too. At first I thought Carson wasn't too bothered by it, but since it was everyday, the same ear, I thought maybe it does hurt him...sometimes three years olds don't understand, since if I ask if it hurts or feels good...he says 'yes' to both questions. So another $15 copay later, it is determined he needs more permanent tubes that WORK. So they will put in T-Tubes, which are more permanent, since they cannot fall out of the ear, and will be removed in 2 years. Which will hopefully give his ears more time to grow and develop so they will correct themselves in the future. We are scheduled to go to Lakeview Thursday morning to have them put in. Even though it only takes 15 minutes to put the tubes in, they still have to put Carson under. So that isn't any fun, but if it is anything like last time, by dinnertime, he will be back to normal, and you would never know he had anything done to him! (This will be his 3rd set of tubes, you gotta love genetics....)

This month has been quite crazy with both Carson and Kaylee having surgery....but I am still so grateful they are plenty healthy! We HAVE NOT heard back about the test results of Kaylee's Thyroglossal Duct Cyst, to determine what we do next with her. I hope to know tomorrow. I will keep you all posted. Thanks again for all the love, support, and concern you have shown my family! We love you all!! We know there have been many prayers on Kaylee's behalf, and we know our Heavenly Father is aware of our needs. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

Just an update...

Kaylee is doing Great! She has been a lot more pleasant than we expected! This was her later Wednesday night...
This was yesterday....in this picture you can see how kinda swollen her neck area is, but she is still just doing so well!

We have the best neighbors, I know I say that a lot, but again, it is true! Kaylee got a wonderful delivery yesterday, a Fruit Flower Bouquet. It was so yummy and fun. There was the cutest little stuffed bear as well, that Kaylee loved! She even tasted the strawberries, and loved them! Thanks to the McKay's, Halls, and Yospes for such a thoughtful gift! The dinners have been wonderful, and I can't tell you how much everyone's support has meant to our family!

We took off her bandage last night, and this is what her poor little neck looks like. I am so amazed that it doesn't seem like it bothers her too much. Isn't she amazing!?

She is always busy going and going around the house, now that she has really learned to crawl and climb over things. This is where I found her this afternoon....she crawled under the table, and over the legs and found the plant, which she is always being told to leave alone! You can tell on her face that she knows she wasn't supposed to be by the plant! It made me laugh!

Kaylee is AMAZING!!

We are home from Kaylee's sugery, and the surgery went very well. There were no complications or problems. Kaylee went into surgery at 7:55 and was done around 9:30. When she woke up she was a bit groggy and fussy, which is to be expected. The nurse gave her some extra pain medicine which seemed to help right away. She calmed down, and was able to go back to sleep after drinking a bit of sugar water. The doctor said she did great during surgery, and they removed the whole cyst without any problems. They also put tubes in both her ears as well. They were able to determine that the cyst contained Thyroid tissue, which was a bit concerning to the doctor since the cyst ended up being quite a bit larger than expected. Right now they believe that the cyst was actually her thyroid, and we will have to do further testing to see if there is any remaining thyroid tissue left in her body. If there isn't, she will have to be on thyroid replacement medicine for the rest of her life. But, they won't do any testing on that until they can determine whether or not the tissue they removed is cancerous. Thyroid cancer is very rare in small children, but since her cyst was so large and possibly growing in size the docter is very concerned and has sent a sample to the lab. We should know the results by Monday, so we can determine what we need to do next for Kaylee. She would need a CT Scan to determine if she still has a thyroid, but since they use dye for that test, it would interfere with iodine radiation, which is what they use for Thyroid Cancer. SO....we are kind of on hold until we find out what the pathology results are. In the mean time, the docter has prescribed the thyroid medicine to have her take until we know for sure what is going on. I hope all of that makes sense. It was a little overwhelming for me to hear this morning, but I am optomistic that no matter what it is, she will be just fine. I don't mind giving her medicine every day, if that is what it takes to keep her healthy and happy! We feel so blessed that we have such great doctors and hospitals that can take such good care of Kaylee. We also feel that we were blessed to have noticed the cyst and get it taken care of so fast!

I wanted to share some pictures of our day.....Starting with what we saw when we got home. Thanks KRISTI!!! You are so thoughtful and I really appreciate everything that you have done for our family! We have such great neighbors and friends....I know I say that a lot, but we do!
Waiting to get checked in....it was really early....6 AM....and Kaylee was Hungry! But she was easily distracted by the toys!

I love her face in this picture....she isn't sure what is going on or what to think!

"Look at me dance in my Cute Hospital Gown!"

After Surgery:

I tried really hard to not be emotional today, but after the surgery was over and I went back to see her for the first time, I lost it! After what the Dr. had told us and just seeing her precious face, I just was so thankful that she was okay, and was relieved to see her.

We hung out for about 3 more hours while she slept on and off, to make sure there wasn't any swelling or bleeding that would cause problems. She has stitches on her neck that will disolve, and steri strips that will eventually come off. Then a bandage over that, that will come off tomorrow or the next day. I am hoping she doesn't realize it is there, and will leave it alone.

We have been home for a little over an hour now, and she took a good nap when we got home, and is now awake, it is doing quite well, and is already crawling all over the place. You can tell her throat hurts her a little (from the breathing tubes). Thanks again to everyone who has been so supportive and helpful to our family! I know the lord hears and answers our prayers! I will keep you posted and let you know what we find out from the test results. Also...Welcome Home Alex....it was so fun seeing you today, and we are so happy you get to come home today! You are a champ!

I also wanted to share this cute picture of Kaylee...we took it last night. I just thought it was so adorable!

Two Things...

I just wanted to make a quick post and mention a few things....

First- Happy Anniversary to Nick and I. Yesterday we celebrated our 8 year anniversary!! Crazy, huh?!? We went out to dinner last night at Texas Roadhouse, yum! It was a nice day, and next week we have tickets to Carrie Underwood...that is our real anniversary celebration! I was going to post a really good post yesterday about our anniversary, but time got away from me....like it seems to do everyday!

Second- Tomorrow is Kaylee's surgery...I am not excited, but I am anxious to have it done and over with so she can just keep being a cute little baby!! Thanks to Grandma Karen for hanging out with us today and be so willing to help with Carson...you are the best!

Thanks for all the comments, calls, and concern. We have the best family and friends anyone could ask for. We feel so lucky to live in such a great neighborhood and ward! THANK YOU! We will post something tomorrow as soon as I get a chance to let you know how Kaylee did. Thanks again for all your support!

Thyroglossal...What?

Our beautiful girl Kaylee has turned 9 months, and we went to the Pediatrician on Tues for her checkup. While we were there, we asked him about this weird bump Kaylee had on her neck. He didn't know exactly what it was, and recommended we go and see Dr. Hill in SLC, a Pediatric ENT doctor. Dr. Reese gave me a few ideas what it could be, but reassured me it wasn't likely anything too serious. So luckily I was able to get Kaylee in to see Dr. Hill today. And this is what we found out. He says she has a Thyroglossal Duct Cyst. I could try and explain it, but I won't, so I found this little paragraph online to explain what it is:

"A thyroglossal duct cyst is a congenital (present from birth) defect. When the thyroid gland forms during embryonic development, it begins at the base of the tongue and moves down the neck through a canal called the thyroglossal duct. This duct normally disappears once the thyroid reaches its final position in the neck. Sometimes, portions of the duct remain leaving cavities or pockets called cysts. These cysts can fill with fluid or mucus, and may enlarge if they become infected. Very enlarged cysts can cause difficulty swallowing or obstruct breathing passages."

The only way to get rid of it is to surgically remove the cyst. One thing to be worried about is the content of the cyst, like if it is all of her thyroid, or just left over cells. We want to make sure her thyroid basically will still function after we remove this cyst. If she doesn't have a functioning thyroid, she will be on medicine to replace it for the rest of her life. Dr. Hill is optimistic that it is just a cyst, but will do some testing to make sure. Wednesday morning we are scheduled at Primary Children's Hospital to go in and have it removed. They will make a horizontal incision on her neck to remove it, so she will have a bit of a scar, but Dr. Hill said they try very hard to make it as little and as unnoticeable as possible. Which I am not too concerned about, as long as she is healthy! Dr. Hill will also re-evaluate her ears for tubes on Wednesday, since he was a little concerned with fluid that was still in her ear. She had an ear infection a few weeks ago, and was on antibiotics. Since she will be under anesthesiology, not only is it convenient to put in tubes, but if she needs them in a month or so if she has infections return, they will not be able to put tubes in her ears for a few more months since she is so little, and they don't like to have them under anesthesiology that often. So....we will see how it goes.

I tried to take a picture as best as I can to show you her cyst on the neck. It first looked like a large Adams apple to me, and then we realized it was getting bigger.

Please keep Kaylee in your thoughts and prayers for next week...and Alex H. too. I can only imagine how Gary and Camille must be feeling...Kaylee's little surgery doesn't hold a candle to what Alex is going through, but I was quite emotional today after the Dr's appt. It makes me really admire how well they are doing and handling everything. It will be hard to have Kaylee in the hospital for 1/2 a day, let alone 2 weeks.....so thank you Gary and Camille for being such an inspiration to me and to everyone else who may be struggling. You are so strong and brave! Maybe we will get to come and visit while we are there! :)

TrIcK oR tReAt!

What a fun time we had on Friday! Carson was so cute in his Pirate Costume, and Kaylee was adorable in her very warm poodle costume. The weather was overcast, but very pleasant and warm. It made for a perfect night for trick-or-treating. Dad took Carson and Kaylee trick or treating, while I stayed and passed out candy. (I did managed to follow them for a few houses so I could take pictures...) They went with some of their friends and their dads. I love that Carson is getting old enough to really ENJOY this holiday. After trick or treating, we went to the Yospe's and enjoyed yummy soup and played games! What a fun day!