What do you think?

Let me know, but please reply on HT ladies.

Thanks for helping me out.

Some recent pics

Another biopsy, but this time with the Hirschsprungs Specialist in the US

Poor Holly bug. I just HATE to put her through anything. But, it seems that there is no choice. I have been emailing the specialist in Cincinnati about her ongoing issues. He wants to see her and rebiopsy the distal pull-through as well as do a contrast study.

It is good that he is getting onboard. But it is hard to hear that he thinks there is cause for concern. We don't have a date yet, but his nurse will be in contact to set that up.

Can I vent a little bit? People are always telling me how healthy she looks, and I know they mean well with it. I know it is intended to encourage me that she is a beautiful child and we must be giving her great care. But, in all honesty it is hard to hear when you know things aren't right, and you think you must be freakin' crazy to think something is wrong when she looks so good. Well, on the outside at least. I am not angry just feel like they must think I am a nut.

I don't even know what I want to happen. I don't want another pull through, but I am not happy at the idea of her having the issues she is having now for the rest of her life (constipation and painful bm).

Sometimes you can't win for losing.

Do I dare even blog this...

I am hesitant to even start. I am tired and really should just go to bed but I feel the need to update about Hollyse.

It all started last week when she started crying when she would go, you know. She would cry, a lot. By Monday I thought, hmmm...no bowel movement in 24 hours but really cranky. So I made an appointment, which was needed anyway for a growth check.

On Tuesday morning we headed to the pediatricians office. Thank goodness Dean insisted on going so someone else was there to hear all that was said. Her pediatrition was her usual, terrible bed manner self. But, we look past it because she has been on top of things. She didn't care about the crying during BMs (apparently I am stupid because many children do this I was informed). No need to worry about the constipation that is becoming a regular (no pun intended) occurance. Just give her papaya twice daily, it will be 'her' food. Oh, and those enemas her surgeon insisted she have if she hasn't had a bowel movement in 48 hours...that is too often. You CANNOT do them but every 72 hours at most, in fact, no enema use a suppository instead, enema is hard on the bowels. No, she doesn't get a prescription for saline, even though you are out, use pedia-lax. But what is in pedia-lax I asked, the pediatrition said "I don't know". Can I get a prescription for the saline then? She asked "Do you even need a prescription for the saline?" Yes. "No, use the pedia-lax or baby fleet".

We took Holly home, made some calls, found that she had a standing prescription for saline, picked it up and snickered wickedly.

But then the day became night, and I went to a meeting. Dean went to dinner with a friend. Amanda was taking care of Holly. She was grumpy, crying like a wild animal in fact and then had a small bowel movement. She went to sleep. Woke up again, cried like a banshee, had another small bowel movement and shook with pain when her bottom was wiped. Then she woke again, screaming hesterically with yet again, another small bowel movement. Dean came home and I was not long behind him. We found Amanda, upset, with Hollyse on the changing table screaming like someone had tried to do surgery with no anesthesia. I took over, immediately gave her a liquid suppository because I thought there is no way I am getting 35 ccs of saline in her with her screaming and writhing like this. She bawled for another 10 minutes, then had a blow out, then another, and another...and then another in the morning. She quivered and writhed as we wiped her bottom. It was burned from the acidity.

Ya, good thing I didn't wait 72 hours dear doctor who is ignorant of Hirschsprungs.

I mean really? Seriously? Ignore the surgeon and do what you say? I just don't see that happenin' ma'am. I mean, the surgeon is her doctor, and I mean he is THE man. No Hirschsprung patient can be without one excellent surgeon. He's the 'go to' man.

You, my friend, are fired.

Happy Birthday to my best friend....

Happy birthday Dean-O! You are such a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, son, and friend!
We are privileged to share your special day.

Much love from those that share Chez Waldon with you.

Intentional Planner

This planner is incredible. I know I have said it a few times already, but you really can't understand until you get one.

You will not regret it!

Planning, and Menus, and Diapers Oh My!

I have been planning lots. It is the only way to get through the holidays with some sanity left. So, I plan. I have been planning school, meals, shower time, holidays, laundry times, housework in general times...just a whole lotta planning. Honestly, I find that keeping on top of my schedule really keeps things running smoothly.

One of the biggest deterents to scheduling is the phone, another is the computer. I tend to avoid both knowing it will suck me in. If a friend calls, I want to talk. If I get online to check on something, then before I know what's happened I have gone down one seriously long rabbit trail. If you are anything like me then you completely get what I am saying and might just be cringing just a little bit. I mean, it is rather shameful that an adult can't manage his or her time on the internet and phone, but you are not alone.

Every fall I pull out my Saving Dinner

because it is a really great resource for those times when you don't have time to plan out a weeks worth of well rounded dinners. The cookbook is broken up into four categories: Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer with eight weeks of menus in each category. Each week also includes a grocery list, nutrition information, and serving suggestions that are seasonally appropriate. The recipes don't call for canned (fake) food but fresh ingredients. We eat many more seasonal foods since using this cookbook than ever before. Now, in all truthfulness there have been a few recipes that we didn't particularly care for (and that is saying something since my children will eat most everything including sushi, yes all of them). But all in all it is worth its weight in gold.

Last Friday, August 7 to be exact, I put in a couple of orders. One of them was to


Glabal Enfante...They offered free shipping. Guess what arrived Monday, 3 days later? My order! I was surprised, and very. I like natural fabrics on my baby and so I do like the wool covers. Global Enfantes carries Sugar Peas


I put in an order about a month on Saturday, August 1st to Cotton Babies and my order arrived on Friday, August 7th. What is worse is the small print with Cotton Babies, a 10% restocking fee for all returns. Sorry Cotton Babies, I am moving on up to Global Enfante! I put in yet another order to Glabal Enfante, because they have NO restocking fee and care about customer service;) I will return the one item that was too big without a penalty for being a customer. Plus, I put in an order for an extra special something that I will share about when it arrives.

I have used cloth with all my children. To be honest, I used a diaper service for six months with my first two, but the next two I used cloth with through potty training. Now, with Holly, we had so much going on medically that I didn't use them as I normally would have, but we are back on track. Although, I will say with all the extremes (constipation and then the opposite) it is sometimes comical that I add more laundry to my 7 people household. We like cloth, we prefer cloth. Yes, so does my husband, he actually prefers the prefolds with pins...no kidding. We like the Cloth-eez Prefolds at Green Mountain Diapers. So soft and absorbent. The fit is great too. I use a Snappi as I get a much trimmed fit, but dh is better with pins, so we use both. Cloth is really not an increase in work. Think about it, throw a load in the washer when you get low. No running out at night to get diapers. There are so many choices in cloth that your head will spin. You don't even need pins or snappis, buy an all-in-one( a diaper with an attached cover and snaps or velcro closures).

I am very willing to do a give away, by the way. I will just put your name in a bowl Corinne, and draw it out. Any particular colors you were hoping for?