Off to Hematology we go!

I haven't had the urge to write about what has been going on with Lexie, after an awful appointment last Monday, with her Gastroenterologist. I left the appointment, feeling as if we had wasted 5 long months with a doctor who has made no progress whatsoever, and had no clue what was going on.

I know a lot of you have already heard what's going on, but here's and update for those who don't:

Lexie did end up having more blood work done on Monday. Her Gastroenterologist called with a very vague message about how she needed to speak with us regarding something that popped up in Lexie's blood work. After hours. On Friday night. And I missed the call, and ended up waiting all weekend, and all day today, only hearing from her at 6:30 this evening.

Lexie's blood work in February showed that she was anemic. This round of bloodwork showed that her levels had dropped, so she needs to go on a stronger perscription iron supplement. On top of that, her Neutrophils were several hundred points lower than what is considered normal. The Gastroenterologist said that her levels fell into the range of Neutropenia. Although her numbers were low, she is not considered to be severe, but we do have to go to Hematology now. They will confirm if she really does have Neutropenia, do in depth blood work, and try to find the cause of it.

In the meantime, we have to do yet another stool sample. If the results are positive, they are going to do an endoscopy. I am keeping my fingers crossed that it won't come to that!

Lexie is doing well. You would never know that she was having problems just by looking at her. She has never been categorized as failing to thrive, but obviously the chronic diarrhea is starting to affect her, with all these deficiencies showing up. Her eating habits (although they seem to be improving this week) and chronic diarrhea tell a different story, though.

I am hoping we are able to get an appointment with Hematology within the week, and get this thing figured out. And hopefully Lexie will be diarrhea free in the near future!

I will keep everybody updated as we get the tests done, and receive more information. Thank you for the kind words, thoughts, and prayers that you've given us over the past few months, as we've dealt with this. It's been an emotional, frustrating, sometimes scary roller coaster ride, but hopefully the end is in sight, and Lexie can get the help she needs so she can get back to normal!

I Heart Faces...Sports in Action

Dylan plans on becoming a baseball player when he grows up. Or an astronaut. Or a doctor. Hopefully one of those dreams work out for him! He was still too young to join a t-ball team this year, but he is eagerly awaiting next year. He has some crazy good baseball skills for a 4 year old (my cheekbone and abdomen have been witness to that), and I love taking pictures of him playing.

The theme this week at I Heart Faces is Sports in Action. This is the photo I chose to enter. I took it the other night, as we were playing baseball in our backyard. I was, indeed, trying to pitch to him, and take the pictures! The look on his face cracks me up!

Head on over to I Heart Faces to see all the amazing entries in this category and in the Pets category!

Not Me Monday

This has not been a good week for us. I did crack a bit of a smile while writing this post, thanks to MckMama's weekly blog carnival.

While at the zoo on Monday, my children did not witness Orangutans wrestling (aka making out) or an otter licking it's...ahem...I'll stop there. I do not have photographic evidence of what the otter did.

Lexie did not throw a screaming fit while being weighed, measured, and examined, and then sit completely still and silent as she had blood taken. She is not, not, NOT a drama queen.

I most certainly did not pick up spilled mini marshmallows off of my floor, and put them into a bowl for my kids. I totally threw them away.

Lexie is not calling her new Tinkerbell doll, "Stinkybell."

While mailing my mortgage payment, Dylan did not ask me if I loved the man I was mailing my letter to. When I replied I was mailing our monthly payment to our mortgage company, he did not ask again, "But do you love him, Mommy? The man you send money to?"

I did not wake my kids up minutes before we had to leave, and give them their plates of waffles in the car. Of course I'd rather feed them at home than let them sleep!

While wearing a shorts/tee shirt pajama set, I did not get chilly, and pull on a fleece shirt and slipper boots. You know, because pants are impractical.

I am not always cold. I do not let the house get to 85 degrees before I kick on the AC.

I did not put Dylan to bed last night, covered in dirt.

We are not the proud new owners of a snail. SuperSnail is not it's name, and it is not gorging itself on all the nastiness in our Betta tank.

The Loss of a Pet

Mazzy
2000-July 10, 2009

It has been a very rough weekend. Our cat, Mazzy, passed away on Friday. Mazzy was Grant's beloved cat, and could often be found chasing after Grant, biting his feet.

We found Mazzy, and his sister, Cosette, just weeks after our wedding, in the fall of 2000. We were at a local spring, getting some water, and Grant spotted two cats in the weeds, across the road. This skinny, scraggly cat started to walk over to us, and Grant had to shoo him off the road so he didn't get hit by an oncoming car. I'm a sucker, so we ended up taking the two cats home to join our family. When we took them to the vet, he told us that Mazzy shouldn't even be alive, because he was filled with worms and parasites, and was so unhealthy. He told us not to expect much.

Mazzy was not an attractive cat. He was sweet and lovable, though, and didn't have a mean bone in his body. Even though we were always told how unhealthy he was, he lived over 9 years.

Mazzy will be missed, especially by my husband, who is having a very hard time with this loss. Mazzy is now at peace, in our backyard. We love you, Mazz!

The Loss of a Pet

A Fun Win!

A few weeks ago, I was surprised to find out I won a giveaway over at Carebear's blog, Not Quite a Fairytale...Beauty and the Little Beast. I really wasn't expecting to win, considering I never win anything, and in all honesty, forgot I entered until she emailed me that I won!
Last week, I received the package in the mail. As soon as I opened it up, it smelled like heaven, thanks to the cheesecake scented candles! There were so many wonderful goodies in the box!

I immediately put one of the candles in a candle holder. I keep it on my window sill in the kitchen, so I can catch whiffs of it while I'm doing the dishes.

The sharpies have been hidden away, so my budding little Picasso doesn't decorate the house with them. The chocolate covered pretzels were delicious, and the Seattle Chocolate was scrumptious! Really..the dark chocolate cherry pecan one was amazing! I haven't tried the Chocolate truffle bar yet. The bracelet is beautiful, and perfectly matches a new dress I just bought. The KY massage oils have been set aside, to be used at a later date! ;) Lexie loves the flower clip. Right now, she is anti-headband, but she asks to wear the clip every day!

Thanks so much, Carebear! I love everything!

4th of July...4 days later

Okay, so I admit, I've been a bit of a slacker this week. I *meant* to get my 4th of July post up on Sunday, but we've been running non-stop since then, and by the time the kids are in bed, I'm too tired to stay up late.

We had a great (but very busy) 4th of July. We celebrate Independence Day the same way every year. Or at least, the same way every year I've been with Grant.

The kids and I woke up early, and headed out to my hometown's 4th of July parade. We were a bit late getting there, due to a garage door malfunction (still not working...grrrr!), but ended up with the best seat on the street! Right on the curb, in the shade of a tree! We met my dad, my sister, two of my BIL's, and 3 of my nephews at the parade, and had fun watching all 90 minutes of it. The best part was the freezer pops they handed out to the kids!

After the parade, we stopped by the stable to see our horse. The highlight of the visit, was the snake that the kids saw. Yuck. Dylan decided that he wanted a quick ride.

While I groomed Cherokee, the kids sat on buckets, under the skylight, and snacked on organic dried apples (which we shared with our horse).

We stopped home to pick up Grant, and went to Grant's family's annual 4th of July picnic. Great food! I ate 4 plates worth...mostly dessert! After dinner, half of the guests disappeared so they could be in the Mars parade. Yes, Mars. It is, indeed, a town.
My father in law happens to be the mayor of said town.

Grant gets conned into driving one of the Camaros in the parade every year. He usually gets to drive the mayor-mobile, but this year, he just drove Nannie's brand new Camaro. (Crappy picture of him driving it in the parade follows.)

My mother in law bought mini flags for the kids to wave around.

We left the parade with bags of candy, bracelets, pencils, and erasers. The kids got more loot than they did on Halloween!

When Grant got back to the picnic, after showing the new Camaro to my nephew, and driving at a speed I shall not mention, Dylan gave it a whirl.

What can I say, Camaro blood runs in the family.

The men started up a fire, and the kids got to roast the world's biggest marshmallows. Really. They were huge!
I missed the picnic with my family, so three of my sisters and their families stopped by Grant's family's picnic for a bit, and then we all went to watch the town's fireworks. It was so nice to watch them with my family this year, as well! Yes, we watch them in the cemetary every year...it's the best spot! And, yes, Grant's friend is asleep against a gravestone.
We had a lot of fun, and after the fireworks were over, we headed back to the picnic. Grant and his brother set off a ton of fireworks that they bought. Most were illegal, but obviously it didn't matter, considering a cop stopped by just as they were lighting a big one.

After the excitement, Dylan and Lexie quickly fell asleep.
Lexie was so tired, that she fell off the couch she was sleeping on, and didn't even wake up.
Now that's a sign of a successful day!

Happy 4th of July!!!

Not Me Monday

Welcome to Not Me Monday, hosted by MckMama. Like the new banner? If you haven't already, you should join in on this awesome blog carnival!

While you read this, I am at Lexie's appointment with her pediatric gastroenterologist. Couldn't have come at a better time, considering she had the worst bout of diarrhea yet, yesterday. I'm dragging along my hubby, so we can demand some answers. Six months of daily diarrhea is entirely too long! As long as we don't have to have any tests done right away, we are treating the kids with a trip to the zoo, after the appointment! ;)

So, what hasn't happened this week? What haven't I done?

First of all, it's not me, linking up my Not Me Monday post, while I should be getting ready. We do not have to be out the door in 15 minutes. Of course, the kids and I are FULLY dressed and ready to go! ;)

I did not wear a halter top for the first time since I had Dylan and went from an A cup to a full C. I did not worry about exposing something(s) all day long.

Lexie did not ride her bike down the hill, hit the rock wall, and fly over the handlebars into the driveway. I am not overly relieved that bad road rash and a bruised cheek were the only injuries.

I did not offer to make my mom coffee, and then find out that I had only heated up water. I did not forget to pour the water into the back of the coffee maker.

My husband has not been setting off illegal fireworks all week. He is not like a child in a candy store when it comes to fireworks.

We did not abandon a PPV movie, that just may have been picked up from a neighbor, to go outside and watch fireworks. When I came inside to get drinks for my sister and nephews, I did not find an adult film on TV. Oops. I guess that's the bad part about getting channels we're not supposed to be getting. ;)

I did not forget the apples and carrots at home when we stopped to see my horse. I did not rummage through the diaper bag, and feed him a perfectly acceptable bag of organic dried apples and a granola bar.

Lexie was not so exhausted on the 4th of July, that she fell asleep on Nannie's couch, and then slept through falling off the couch. I did not leave her on the floor.



That picture lies.

Sun Safety

When the weather turns warm, we spend at least half of the day outside. There are a few things that we simply can't live without in the summer.

I am a stickler for sun safety. I know too many sun worshipers who have had skin cancer or had cancerous moles removed. As a teenager/young adult, I had several bad sunburns accompanied by sun poisoning. My parents never pushed sunscreen, but I most certainly am a sunscreen mama!

I realize there are some people who are against sunscreen, and think it's worse for you than the sun, but I've researched it, and I feel that sunscreen is right for my family. I also trust the judgement of our pediatric dermatologist, and he recommends sunscreen.

My most favorite new sunblock is Neutrogena Pure & Free Baby Sunblock SPF 60+. I first heard of it when I did a campaign for it, at BzzAgent. Most baby sunscreens irritate Lexie's eczema/sensitive skin, but this one works wonders for her. It doesn't irritate her eczema, is non-greasy, and it really protects her skin. I have some in my diaper bag at all times.

I often use the baby sunblock on Dylan as the first base. For reapplications, I currently use Banana Boat Kids Continuous Spray Sunscreen. I'm not brand loyal for him...I just stick with a kid's sunscreen with a high SPF. I use what he uses, because I don't want to buy 3 different sunscreens! ;)

I use the Banana Boat Kids Sunscreen stick for faces, and Banana Boat Sunscreen Lip Balm for their lips. Everybody gets "sunscreened up" about a half hour before we head outside. I reapply every hour.

For extra protection, I push the hats and sunglasses rule. Dylan is happy to oblige. Lexie...not so much! I bought her the cutest sun hat from Old Navy, but it only lasts about 10 minutes before it gets thrown to the ground. Any tips? ;)

I wear a daily face lotion with SPF, even in the winter. If I'm spending hours in the sun, I also use a sunscreen formulated for the face, in a higher SPF. I wear sunglasses all the time-the bigger the better! I'm 29, and still wrinkle-free, so I'm sticking with it!

As for the vitamin D deficiency argument, I feel that my kids get plenty of exposure in the winter, when we skip the sunscreen, or the few minutes they get in the sun without sunscreen, while running errands.

We are often inside during the peak afternoon hours, due to Lexie needing a nap. While we are outside, I make sure my kids drink plenty of water.

I also keep the fridge stocked with "Huggies" (that would Little Hugs, for those of you not from Pittsburgh) and Popsicles. With a plethora of nieces and nephews, there always seems to be somebody stopping by to play. It's my personal belief that these items make summer more fun for them. :) And, keep them hydrated!

Honest Scrap/10 Things About Me

I received this award from Ali at The Blessed Country Mom. Thanks, Ali!!!

Here's what you have to do: First, you have to tell your readers 10 things about you they may not already know, but are true. Second, you have to tag 10 people with the award. Third, you have to let the people you've given the award to, know that they've received this award from you. Finally, make sure you link back to the person who awarded you.

So, 10 things about me...

1. My 6 sisters named me. My mom wanted to name me Alexandra Kathryn or Kathryn Alexandra, but handed it over to my siblings. I don't think my lone brother cared to be involved. My sisters picked Stefanie Kathryn. I loved the name Alexandra, but gave it a twist: Alexandria. Grant and I had our daughter's named decided on before we were even engaged...and 8 years before she was born!

2. I am closer in age to one of my nephews and two of my nieces than I am to my next youngest sibling. I really was the baby, and became an aunt at the young age of 5.

3. I have a hard time swallowing pills/vitamins. I gag them up. I can usually get one down, but if I have to take more than one, things get difficult. Same goes for liquid medication.

4. I was a vegetarian from the time I was 8 until I was almost 20. Grant convinced me to try meat again. To this day, I eat very little of it, and prefer fruits and vegetables. I also stick to just a few kinds of meat.

5. I am a fainter. Lots of blood? I faint. Bad injury? I faint. Some medical procedures? I faint. I have actually fainted during Dylan's big head wound incident, and after my horse stepped on my toes. With my kids present. I fainted when my dad told me he cut his thumb off. I didn't even see it, but I was imagining it. I have to struggle to keep myself from fainting when my kids get hurt.

6. I have a weak stomach. If I am chewing something and I find an unknown substance, I have to spit it out before I vomit. Say, an eggshell in a cooked egg...that's a common culprit. Or a hard broccoli stem in cream of broccoli soup. I also can't stomach the gross movies my husband watches...they make my stomach turn, and I have to leave the room.

7. I'm not a drinker. I have less than 5 alcoholic drinks a year. I'm just not into drinking, and don't like the taste.

8. My pregnancies were HORRIBLE. I had hyperemesis through both pregnancies, lasting the entire way through. My contractions started before 18 weeks with Dylan, I was in the hospital with pre-term labor at 30 weeks, and had to struggle to keep him in until 35 1/2 weeks. The contractions started at 14 weeks with Lexie, and got progressively worse. Had several scares, but made it until 38 weeks. So, bad morning sickness, early dilation, and pre term labor seem to be my thing.

9. I got great grades in high school, had a GPA over 4.0, and was accepted to many colleges. I hardly ever studied, either. I just did my homework, and had a really good memory. I never actually attended college. It was a last minute decision, which worked out for the best...

10. While taking the year off, to have fun with acting and modeling, I met my husband. We were cast as Adam and Eve in the musical "The Apple Tree, " and our relationship took off. We started dating on 3-21-99...we were engaged on 5-17-99. A little over a year later, in September 2000, we got married. Our minister said that we truly met in the Garden of Eden. We will be celebrating our 9th anniversary this year, and we have two, amazing kids. I'd say that things worked out for the best. ;)

I want to pass on the Honest Scrap Award to (it was so hard narrowing it down to just 10...can I give it to everyone?):

1. Kameron at A Wrinkle in Time
2. Kylee at The Kerby Family
3. Becky at The Holloway Clan
4. Elizabeth at Small Town Blessings
5. Sara at Domestically Challenged
6. Kimmy at baby yahyah
7. Tiffany at Paging Doctor Mommy
8. Erica at Scottsville
9. Julie at Tales of Two Ts
10. Erin at Every Day Brings Something New

I realize that some of you have probably received this award already, and summer is busy, so no pressure. I just didn't want you to go unrecognized! I look forward to reading your blogs every day!

Thanks again, Ali!