Please keep Brooklynn in your prayers

Saturday around 5pm, Brooke fell from her bedroom window to the concrete below. She is better than she could be considering the circumstances, but please keep her in your thoughts and prayers. She has a skull fracture from ear to ear and a very swollen head, a little blood on the brain. We won't know if there is any brain damage for awhile. She is responsive and in stable condition. Right now she is just in a lot of pain. They are giving morphine and tylenol, but she still wakes up screaming and thrashing around every couple hours. Please keep her in your thoughts. Thank you for the support we have already received.
Love you alll,
Kenzie

Report on Kale's Surgery

I was hoping Mike would post about Kale's surgery, but he's been busy studying for the GMAT and all the other craziness around our house. So, I'll let you know as much as I remember.
Kale has done fine since his surgery. They arrived bright and early. Mike literally took him out of bed, and put him in his carseat in the car. Off they went before any of the rest of us woke up.

From what Mike told me, the nurses loved him. I guess they don't get little guys like him very often. They gave him "sleepy juice" which eventually knocked him out. I guess he didn't really get goofy like some kids do, he just got floppy and drooled a lot.

Mike had to wait in the waiting room while he was in surgery. He called home a couple times to put my mind at ease. After he came out, it took a little longer that expected for his oxygen levels to normalize. As the mom, of coarse I was worried when I hadn't heard he was okay, but it all worked out and he came home okay. That week was hard. He was on major pain meds that make most kids sleep a lot. Of coarse it had the opposite affect on Kalers. He was hyper as can be. Getting him to stay in bed and not bother the other kids was ridiculous. And whenever the meds started wearing off, the little guy was just miserable.
We made it through that week somehow! I put more work on myself with my graphic design than I should of which didn't help. Kale is doing well now. He doesn't snore anymore, he is talking a little better. They say it may take awhile for him to loose some of his bad habits he picked up with those huge tonsils. Everyday he does seem to be talking a little better though. Here's a picture I just took today for my business blog. Such a sweet little guy!

Guess I should get caught up somehow.

So it has been ages since I've posted. Life has been so insane since Baylynn was born a year ago. I think I'll start with what's going on right now and then play catch up along the way.
Tomorrow is a big day. From the moment Kale was born, we've had a little bumpier ride than the other kids. He had bad acid reflux until, oh, I don't know, like 2 years old. I'm talking projectile across the room! Our carpet ran for cover whenever he was in the room. Thank heaven it did eventually stop. He had slower time learning to talk and still doesn't pronounce words very well. He's been to the hearing specialist many times to have his hearing checked, thinking perhaps he just can't hear very well and that's why he's not talking. And there's other bumps along the way that I can't think of right now.
We finally figured out that one of his main problems absolutely had to be the massive tonsil he's always had. Poor guy, he's had strep so many times and he's only 3! After I had a severe case of strep at the beginning of the year and had my throat so swollen I was choking, and couldn't talk, I realized that has got to be what it's like for Kale all the time.
So, Tomorrow is a big day! Kale will get his tonsils and adenoids out tomorrow. Oh my! I wasn't nervous until we went to his pre-op appointment today. Now my heart is being tugged because I don't want my baby to go through this. But, at the same time, I think it will be for the better. My poor baby! Wish him luck! Hopefully after he recovers, sweet Kale Ashton will be an even sweeter Kale!

Polar Express, All aboard!

We went bought tickets for the Polar Express for Aiden and Kale's birthdays coming up and took our ride that last weekend. Nana Jo and Grandpa were visiting and went with us. We hoped on the train in Old Town Sacramento.

The kids wore the pjs and bathrobes like in the story, even Baylynn!

While we waited in the station for our train to arrive, they played Christmas music over the speakers. The kids had a good time rocking out to the music, especially Aiden.

We arrived at the North Pole and saw the elves busy putting toys in santa's sleigh. Santa was waving too as the pulled into the North Pole.

Kale got comfortable sitting in the window sill.

You can't tell as much as I hoped, but Aiden is VERY worried in this picture. Santa is in the direction he's not looking, but a "hobo" dressed as Santa had just come in from the other direction at this point. Aiden was worried that there were two Santas. He finally did figure out which one was the real one.

As Santa walked by, he handed each person a bell from his reindeer's harnises.

Even Baylynn got her own.

Brooklynn was pretty tired and grumpy at the end and only wanted to color on Nana Jo's paper pad.

And here's what our car looked like.

We've had fun reading the book with the kids since.

Got our tree!

Trying to be better about posting on the blog. I keep my business one up quite well, but neglect the family one. Well, I'll eventually get Baylynn added to the title bar and the side. I think her nickname will be "Little Dipper". Here's a fun picture I took the other day of her smiling.

She is such a happy, little baby. The little won't last long if she's anything like Brookie. Baylynn is already starting to chunk. She is so much fun. She's giggling & babbling like crazy. Almost always smiling. The picture above is not a rare occurance.  

We bought our tree the Saturday after Thanksgiving. It was pouring rain, so that was quite an adventure. Should have bought it on Friday, but I needed to recover after Black-Friday shopping. (Found some awsome deals.)

The kids all wanted to put the ornaments on. So, of coarse everything was on the bottom foot of the tree. I've slowly been moving them up the tree when they (mostly Kale) aren't looking.

It's getting cooler here but the kids still love to play outside. At least we don't have snow, just lots and lots of rain. Brooklynn is getting to be such a big girl. Her hair can almost pull back into a pony tail too!

It's hard to believe that she isn't even 18 months yet. Maybe it's just girls but she's a 4 year old trapped in an 18 month body. She is starting to get quite the little attitude. She's cute and unfortunetly, she knows it!

Maybe it's from Mike being out of town so much lately, but Aiden has a little attitude poke out every once in awhile.

For the most part he's pretty good though. He's great at helping me with whatever I need, whether it's picking up Bayla's bottle, feeding his little sister, picking up toys, or entertaining his siblings. So this is what it's like to have older siblings with a baby. Why didn't we do it this way in the first place? Would have been a lot easier! They're cute kids though, and we wouldn't trade them for the world!

Halloween and Bayla's Blessing

September Adventures

So far, we've had Grandma and Grandpa Daley visit, gone to Apple Hill, and the kids have been having fun with Mindi, our friends daughter who's doing some nannying for us.

I'll try to write captions later. For now, gotta go feed the kiddos dinner!

August swimming and more

Goofy Kale.

Our friend's daughter, Mindi, is nanning for us. We are so grateful to her!

Mindi is really good with all the kids and they love her!

Aiden the fish.

Bayla and I can't go swimming yet, so she hung out with me on the side.

Kale has the funnest facial expressions.

Precious baby Baylynn.

First bath at home!

Is it bad to eat popcorn while exersizing on the Wii fit? :)

Aiden loves his new baby sis.