First post in 3 years! Polar Express!

So we are back!! I am hoping to keep this up so you all can see what is happening in our lives, but as you can see it might not be too frequently.
  Our latest adventure was going to ride the Polar Express with the Ballard family.  It is in Palestine, TX which is only a three hour car ride, unfortunately we went the Saturday after Thanksgiving and it was more like six.  Once we were there we had a lot of fun.  We got to ride the train, see Santa, sleep in a hotel, and the boys got to swim in the indoor pool (which might have been their favorite thing).

The cousins and Cal waiting for the train to arrive.

Here it is!

Cal is super excited!

Tiff and Everett with the train behind them.

Scott and Calvin!

Family photo on the train.  We always forget to do these so I made a point to get one.

Lauren and Lexie being goofballs!

One of the dancers talking to us. 

Luke and Everett

The boys drinking hot chocolate and eating cookies.

Scott (and his cheeezy smile) and Ev.

Santa giving the boys a magic bell just like in the story.

Look I believe!

Everett crying because Santa left and forgot to give him the rest of his presents.

 

 

 

 

2008 and there's snow in Houston! I can't quite belive it but I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. We woke Calvin up at 9:00 to take him out into the snow. He didn't quite know what to think of it. Barkly like it that's for usre. After a few snowballs and some heavy pointing he got the hang of it. We, cold, sticky, SNOW! Not sure if he'll remember it when he's older but we sure will, and we have the pictures to prove it.

Welcome Home!

Everett has been home for a little over a week now. (As you can tell the blogging has already started to slow down). We are getting some sleep and on somewhat of a schedule. I wake up with Everett at night and change his diaper and nurse him. Scott gets up with Calvin in the morning and let's me sleep. The seems to be going pretty well. Scott is doing a really good job at keeping house (well at least for a guy :-) ) since I am not suppose to do anything except recover and take care of Everett. Poor Calvin probably thinks his mom has fallen off the face of the Earth. He has become more attached to Scott since I can't pick him up and am not playing with him as much. I can't wait for the next four weeks to fly by so my life can get somewhat back to normal.
We had a great Thanksgiving, my mom and sister did all the cooking and cleaning. And have really been enjoying life with our two boys. Calvin is so sweet with Everett, it just makes my heart melt.

Everett first time nursing

Well it is day five for Everett in the NICU. We have been so happy with how fast he is improving but very upset with the poor communication that we keep getting from the Nurse practitioners. We have barely spoken with a doctor and hope to do that tomorrow.

Everett is now off oxygen and doing really well. He has a little bit of jaundice so he is under the UV lights getting a suntan. They started giving him milk and have increased it to 30ml today, which is really not enough because he cries after the milk is gone. Today though they let me nurse him! He ate for 30 minutes and then fell asleep. This is where the poor communication comes in. They tell us that he can't be released until he is eating at least 75ml, but they are only increasing how much he eats a little at a time to be safe (which makes sense)but then they let me nurse him knowing I am producing a lot more than 30ml. Let's just say I am very confused at the logic and getting very impatient.
We are hoping that he will be coming home by Wednesday, but we'll see.

Here are a few pics of Everett from today.


I am so happy, I finally am full!

Daddy and Everett

Everett getting a sun tan. Cool glasses!

New Pictures of Everett

Here are some new pictures of Everett in the NICU. The plastic dome is to give him oxygen that helps him breathe a little easier. Today was the first day that he got to eat. I have started pumping so he at least got to eat some yummy mommy's milk. :-) The only hard part is that he had to be fed through a feeding tube (you can see it in one of the pictures). Overall he is slowly improving. Tomrrow they think he will get to have the oxygen dome off and just have oxygen through his nose, hopefully that will mean we can finally hold him. We aren't sure when they are going to release him but it won't be before I go home (which will be Saturday). :-( You would think this would be a little easier since we didn't get to take Cal right home either but it is just as hard. We are hoping to bring him home Monday but I think we both have decided to try to stop assuming anything and just go with the flow (at least we keep saying we are going to do that)
I am doing well but still in a little pain. I look a little prettier with my new push present that Scott bought for me. He surprised me today with diamond earrings! What a sweet husband.

Everett Dean Ede

Everett Dean Ede, Born 11-19-08 at 1:51 at Clear Lake Regional Hospital via C-section.

Weight: 7.37 lbs
Length: 20 inches

Mom is recovering well and getting used to not being pregnant any more. We'll share more info in time.

(NOTE: some of these picture are from the OR/Delivery room and might make sensitive people squeamish)

Happy Halloween!

Ok I wanted to add some about Cal's first time trick-or-treating. (Scott uploaded the pics and comments below)
Calvin loved going from house to house. He figured out quickly to knock. He really was good at filling up his pumpkin with candy. We had to stop him a few times from going back for thirds or fourths. HEHE! When we got home we let him eat as much as he wanted. He had his first lollipop but didn't really like it. What he wanted to eat the most is the chocolate candy (just like mommy).

Here are some shots of our little bear on Halloween! As a matter of fact, as I write this he's hiding behind some bushes, peeking out, and shouting BOO!