April 2015 (Emergency Room Visit, Zoo, Etc)

A few highs and lows from the month of April.

Darcie with her Primary Children's Hospital tag on her ankle

1. So April pretty much kicked our butt with medical run-ins.  The first week we were up in Salt Lake staying at the Kirby's home when Darcie woke us up at 2 AM with a horrible, deep-chested cough that rattled her little body and kept her from getting air.  Burke and I tried to soothe her, but to no avail.  Burke finally wrapped her in a blanket and took her out into the cold night air while I ran upstairs to ask Amy and Karl for help.  It was terrifying, but we were so grateful to be right there with Dr. Kirby on hand.  I felt awful waking them up in the middle of the night, but I had never experienced something like that as a parent and Burke and I were thankful for Karl's experience and presence of mind.  When the night air seemed to have no impact, we brought her into the upstairs bathroom (all 4 adults crammed around her!) and cranked the hot water, steaming up the room as best we could while Karl tried to use a bulb syringe to suck out her throat.  Finally, in his calm manor, Karl told us we had better get over to Primary Children's Hospital right away.  While I ran downstairs to get some jeans on and gather our things, Darcie threw up all over, which actually ended up being a huge blessing because it cleared her lungs of a lot of the troublesome phlegm that was making it hard for her to breathe.  She actually slept peacefully all the way to the hospital, but woke up and cuddled weakly with us while we checked her in to the emergency room.  Sure enough, they diagnosed her with Croup and gave her an oral steroid to help clear it up.  We also came away with new-found knowledge that Darcie has a heart murmur as well (just like her mama!) that was exacerbated by the Croup.  

In a few days she was back to normal, but we have been very cautious with our little angel around sickies ever since as she seems to pick up on germs way more quickly than Daphne ever did.  This was exhibited just a couple of weeks later when she broke our in a rash all over her body, had to be taken to the doctor again and was diagnosed with "Fifths Disease".  What the heck?! Has anyone ever even heard of such a thing?!  Another round of steroids for the poor lil' bug.  And she also was sick in May and June with fevers and colds...just for the record.  Ugh.

Also in April, Daphne broke out in a crazy rash (a week before and different than Darcie's rash) which eventually required another trip to the doctor and was diagnosed as a metal allergy!  The metal button on her pants were rubbing each day in the same spot causing a metal rash.

Between the girls, Burke's dental work and my own sickies in June, we will have forked over about $2200 bucks in medical bills from April-July and that is AFTER insurance!  (Yes, we do have a 1,000 deductible on each person in the family before our insurance really kicks in.)  So much for completing our fence this summer.  However, I do have to say that I am so grateful for a husband who works his tail off so that we have had a rainy day fund that was able to cover all those unexpected illnesses.  Also, I think it's no coincidence that the two years we didn't have insurance we were as healthy as horses and now that we're a little more financially stable and have coverage we are getting slammed.  Heavenly Father has been so good to us.  It has been a rough few months, but we have still been very blessed.  

Bunny Babes

2. Daphne and Amira had so much fun together the couple of times we stayed with the Kirby family in the month of April.  Once for work and the next time after picking up Brett from the airport and on our way to Logan for my Mom's surprise 60th birthday (more on that later).

3.  I've mentioned on here before that Burke loves to cook.  For Christmas last year I got him a Laudree (famous and mega fancy French bakery in Paris) cook book and he was so excited to try out their chocolate macaroons (picture from the book top left).  He spent $25 bucks on ingredients and made them the night we were headed to a couples game night with some friends.  I can't even begin to tell you how mad he was and how hard I tried not to laugh when they came out looking like the picture on the top right!  Ultimate cooking fail.  However, the ganosh he made for the middle was to.die.for. and although they looked ridiculous, they tasted amazing!

Mom and Dad with the girls on General Conference/Easter Sunday

4.  The first weekend in April, my parents were down for Easter and conference.  We got them for less than 24 hours, but loved visiting with them at night, watching conference together, enjoying a few meals and of course...cockroach launching!  

My Dad and Daphne formed an unbreakable bond last fall when Dad brought her 2 fake cockroaches on Halloween and invented a game where you place the roach on the end of a spoon and try to catapult it across the room at a target.  Daphne's first launch towards the bowl target was like 1 in a billion with the cockroach wedging perfectly between the lip of the bowl and the table edge.  My Dad was freaking out with excitement and Daph was laughing her head off.  Of course we had to document such an amazing launch. :)

5. On our way to pick up Brett from the airport, Burke had a meeting in Richfield the night before, so we decided to spend the night there.  He drove up with his boss for the meeting and the girls and I left a few hours later to join him.  What should have been less than a 2 hour drive took me over 4 hours!  It was a total disaster.  Daphne had to stop for the bathroom THREE times, Darcie screamed like a banshee the entire way so I had to stop and feed her once, change her bum another time and finally just let her exercise her lungs the rest of the drive.  It was totally unnerving, especially because it started to snow on the way.  By the time I got to the hotel, I was completely frazzled and then I had to make THREE trips back and forth from the car to the hotel room with the trolley because I couldn't leave the girls in the room unattended, all the while passing the worst hotel attendant in the history of hotels who simply watched me struggling to and fro (I went past him 6 blasted times!) with the girls and never once offered to help.  However, when we finally got settled, Darcie fell in love with her reflection in the mirror and Burke arrived, the trip turned around for the better and we had a great few days!

My Favorite Chef

6. Burke and I make these rolls from the "Our Best Bites" cookbook on a monthly basis.  He loves to pull out his food scale and get each roll the exact same size.  They are the best rolls we have ever had and really easy to make, although it takes about 2.5 hours.

7. I can't remember when this was, but this was a picture in a text Burke sent on one of his trips for Western Ag.  They set up a booth at Farm Shows, Hay Symposiums, etc. and have a great time visiting and learning with/from the farmers that come through.

8. The day in-between Brett's homecoming and Mom's 60th we spent in SLC and stole away with the girls and cousin Amira to Hogle Zoo for the afternoon.  The girls and Burke had a great time and I loved watching their reactions, but the zoo itself was extremely depressing to me.  I felt so bad for all of the animals, especially the big attractions like the jungle cats, gorillas, etc.  Flipping through our pictures just now, I was reminded of how sad it was as nearly all of them were curled up listlessly in a corner or pacing maniacally back and forth in front of the glass.  I would love to go to one of the zoos my sister Chelsea has access to in Singapore with open air, natural enclosures that seem a bit more humane.

These two little honeys were killing me with their twinner piggie tails and giggles.  They get along SO well!  I'm grateful for wonderful cousins for our girls to be friends with as they grow.

 

9. Stopped at Scheels on our way home from Logan (I'd never been before) so Daphne could see the cool column and ceiling fishtank as well as ride the indoor Ferris wheel with Burke.  She loved both!