I'm Not Just a Mom

Blogjam Cleared, Regular Posting Resumes

2009-10-07T13:36:00.004-06:00

I have once again been caught in a blogjam--refusing to update my blog until I have time to catch up on everything I've missed. As I've mentioned before, it would be much better to just briefly mention the things I've missed, and hope to post more about them later.

Things I plan to post more about

(But if I don't, at least I've mentioned them here)

Summer was as busy as ever, and included swimming lessons and tumbling.
David turned 3 in June. He is a lot less mellow than he used to be (read: typical Clark boy), but very fun. He will always choose games and puzzles over watching tv (less typically Clarkish behavior).
Our house was overflowing with Worths for a few days in July.
We've had some really big potty training accomplishments this year (but still have quite a way to go...)
Chris and the three older boys attended a Father & Sons campout.
We had our first official Clark Family Reunion in August with Chris's immediate family-- a great, long weekend at Bear Lake.
Tommy turned 8 in August and was baptized in September. He is very excited about being in Cub Scouts. His newest love this year is Phineas and Ferb. I totally approve.
Robbie turned 1 in August. All things considered, he is doing quite well. Unfortunately, he has significant trouble using his right arm and hand. (A lot more to say about this, obviously...)
Michael turned 5 in August, and started full-day kindergarten in the ELP program (an accelerated class... and another long story). He is a great little reader!
I made a goal to lose 50 pounds this year, and I only have 20 left to go! Over the summer I completed a triathlon and a half marathon.
Chris has been busy with work--his department moved office buildings so he has a longer commute, and he is also now a counselor in the Bishopric (church assignment).
I need to post about my new church bag supplies--a project I was literally inspired to tackle just days before Chris got his new assignment (leaving me alone w/4 boys in the pew during Sacrament mtg).
School stuff: We made study centers for our boys to use when they do homework at the kitchen table. We also implemented book bucks--a reward tying together at-home reading and book orders.
Tommy and Michael are now playing soccer with the local rec center.

Well, I'm sure I've missed some things, but hopefully that will be just enough "updating" to convince me that I can now post without waiting to find a 2-day period where I have nothing to do but upload/crop/collage photos and write long narratives about all of our adventures. Because I can pretty much guarantee that those days will never come. Then again, maybe Robbie will be old enough next year when Father & Sons rolls around again....

Clark Canyon Tour '09

2009-04-06T14:25:00.014-06:00

This last weekend (Thurs-Sun) we took our first family vacation. Actually, we've taken lots of trips, but this was the first "pure vacation" that was just us with our kids, going somewhere on our own, NOT to visit relatives or attend a family reunion. As much as we love each of our families, it was great to have our own little family time...

A few days before the kids started Spring Break, I politely asked (begged) Chris to take a couple days off to help me maintain my sanity. I thought we might take a day trip or two. Which turned into an overnight trip to Southern Utah. Which turned into a bit more... There is just so much we haven't seen out here, and it felt like a shame to be all the way down there and miss any of it. As our plans got more ambitious, the kids got more excited, but we just got more and more nervous.

Luckily, our fears were unfounded, and the trip was amazing...

(click on any photo to enlarge it)

THE ROUTE
THE TRANSPORTATION
THE PROOF
...But first, some quick notes

Although it was sunny, the weather at most of our stops was cold, windy, and snowy. This accounts for the lack of more/better pictures. (And our messy hair)
Yes, David's head has been shaved. No I did not approve. Yes, it was Chris. No, I don't want to talk about it.

Arches
Four Corners
Grand Canyon
Zion National Park

(Michael got a quick lesson about keeping gum in his mouth (and out of his hair)

Swimming (indoor pool, outdoor snow)
Bryce Canyon
THE TRAVELERS

Chris drove the entire 1640 miles.

Nancy spent the entire 1640 miles getting in and out of her seat--passing out food, fetching sippy cups, replacing pacifiers...

Tommy ranked the top-five activities of the trip as follows: 1)Swimming, 2) Four Corners, 3)Staying in Hotels, 4)Grand Canyon, 5)Arches.

Michael asked at one point, "why do we keep seeing so many canyons!?" He spent most of the trip asking us what state we were in.

David spent a lot of time in the van singing the alphabet. He loved the climbing and hiking. He was also a fan of the make-shift beds we made him at each hotel room, since he is still used to sleeping in a crib.

Robbie was an amazing traveler. He ate and slept at all the right times, and was very patient about all the time he had to spend in a carseat. It was a perfect trip for him, since we were mostly on the road and very rarely in public/crowded places. (Just a few more weeks until RSV season is over and he can be out and about!)

THE TIDBITS

Getting an $80 Annual National Park Pass is worth it.
We loved having baskets/bins on the floor of the van to keep all of our stuff organized (for the first few hours of each day, at least)
We planned our trip so that we'd be able to listen to most of General Conference (LDS broadcast) while we drove--nothing like having your kids strapped in chairs to help with being able to pay attention!
Regardless of how little food your children will actually eat, it is never, ever a good idea to buy 2 Happy Meals to split between 3 children. (Three days of arguing over the 2 toys...)
Our most notable driving experiences were 1)driving through a (red) dust-storm, and 2)being completely stopped on a 2-lane highway for 1.5 hours due to a car accident. We didn't see as many animals as we hoped to, but at least we didn't have any problems with the deer-, cow-, horse-, sheep-, or rabbit-crossings that the signs warned us about.
An in-car/portable DVD player is not a luxury, it is an absolute necessity. How did we (that is, our parents) ever survive without one?!
Apparently, Curious George (the movie) is capable of entertaining boys with ages ranging from 2-7--even after being viewed 7 times. And incidentally, Cinderella is "just for girls", but Barbie Mermaidia is not.
We got much better deals on hotels by driving into town and finding one (as opposed to the quotes we saw online before our trip). This was a better option financially, and it helped us be more flexible when we wanted to drive further on certain nights.
Our most "economical" stay was at the Hacienda hotel/casino in Lake Mead, NV ($20 a night for a really nice room with 2 double beds!). Our favorite hotel was The Abbey Inn in Cedar City (great indoor pool).
The presence of a waffle iron is the leading indicator of the high quality you can expect from a hotel's continental breakfast.

The kids are already asking when we are going on a trip again. And I just overheard Michael ask Tommy, "What state are we in?"

Robbie Report: Yes, We're Here... and Better than Expected!

2009-02-24T13:27:00.011-07:00

November 13, 2008: Discharged from the hospital

February 2009: Thriving

We are all alive. Robbie has now been home for as long as he was in the hospital. He is doing amazingly well. That's the short version of the story. Here are the details...

Coming Home
Robbie's last few weeks in the hospital were incredibly hard on me. Of course the whole time he was there was difficult, but that last stretch was just a killer.

One of our last days in the hospital.

Feeding
As I explained before, the main struggle was trying to teach him how to eat. I had breastfed my other boys, but it was just what had worked for us--I never had any extreme determination about it. When Robbie was born, though, something just kicked in; I was very driven to give him the opportunity to nurse, to the point of becoming quite stubborn about it. When Robbie drank from a bottle for the first time (1-2 weeks before leaving the hospital), I just sat and cried. I know the doctors and nurses thought I was insane; it should have been exciting that he was even capable of sucking and swallowing, and by this point I had been attempting to breastfeed twice a day for almost two months (unsuccessful attempts are exhausting, believe me). Normally, I'm the type of person that would have said, "hallelujah, he finally took the bottle, now I can quit all this nonsense," but again, I just couldn't let it go... I started staying nights in the recliner by his bedside, I tried every method under the sun to help him learn to latch on and eat; I had lactation, speech, and developmental specialists helping me--the most frustrating thing was that there was no obvious reason why Robbie wouldn't nurse.
The conclusion: Robbie became a successful bottle-feeder, and was scheduled to go home. Then, the night before we took him home--he suddenly nursed perfectly! We took him home with instructions to continue to bottle-feed, but nurse twice a day. Within a few days, it was a 50/50 combination of breast and bottle (so we could supplement his bottles with a little extra nutrition).
Here's the amazing part: Within 3 weeks, Robbie was gaining weight and thriving so well that we switched to nursing exclusively, and from then on we have only fed him bottles when it was for our own convenience. Our pediatrician said she has rarely (if ever) seen a case where a baby that premature has ended up exclusively nursing. I still constantly have moments when I look at Robbie and think, "Wow. All that effort, and work, and heartache. We did it."

Oxygen
Robbie came home on supplemental oxygen, due to his chronic lung disease, and long history of tachypnea (rapid, shallow breathing). He was getting the smallest concentration of oxygen that the machines can give, at a very scant flow. He was on oxygen from the time he came home (mid-November) until early January. We knew he was getting better, which was encouraging, so for us the oxygen-experience was just a pain. Right after the equipment was picked up and hauled away--just as soon as I finished my dance of joy--I realized I had never taken any pictures of how it all worked. Basically, there was a HUGE (4-5 foot tall) tank in the room with a long tube that connected to the tubes in his nose. We had 25- and 50-foot tubing, so we would be able to walk around with him. But here's the catch: while he was on oxygen, we also had to monitor him to make sure he was getting enough. For this, we had a little sticker-probe attached to his foot, connected to a pulse-oximeter, which would beep anytime that his oxygenation levels went down. Unfortunately, the wire connecting the foot probe to the monitor was only about 3 feet long, so anytime we wanted to carry the baby anywhere, we had to carry the monitor with us. It had a shoulder-strap, but it was heavy and awkward... basically, for those first couple months we tried not to move Robbie around much more than necessary. And the beeping! We would hear it in our sleep (sometimes for real, sometimes not). Thank goodness that's all over with!

(I managed to find one picture of the oxygen monitor)

The best part about getting Robbie off the oxygen was seeing what his face looked like without tubes in his nose!

Development
Robbie is now 6 months old. Because his due date was in early November, his "adjusted age" is 3 months old. Basically, the time he spent in the hospital was just a time for him to do the growing and developing he would have done in utero. When we brought him home, it was just like bringing a newborn home; he has now developed as much as another 3-month-old would have.He is now 12 and half pounds--not even on the charts for his actual age, but right in the 50th percentile for a 3-month-old baby (that's even higher than his brothers landed on the charts!) His development up to this point has been completely normal... he looks at us, smiles, coos, stares at his brothers, laughs, poops through all of his outfits, spits all over our outfits...

When he first came home, we took Robbie to the doctor once or twice a week, then weekly, then once every other week, to make sure he was growing and developing well. We're now down to monthly visits (where he gets his RSV shots). We've also been keeping an eye on his blood pressure. It got high right before he came home, and he's been on medication, but it seems to have gotten better.

Basically, our pediatrician is looking at him as being completely well. As far as his brain-bleed goes, we have not seen any obvious effects from it so far. Of course there are still things that could come up, and he will be monitored closely in the coming years. Next week, as part of a special Neonatal follow-up program, Robbie has an all-day check-up; he'll be seen and evaluated by all sorts of specialists (speech, hearing, vision, neurology, etc.). He will continue with these sorts of appointments every 6 months or so for the next few years.

Cooped Up
Despite the fact that he is doing so well, Robbie is still at risk for lung problems. Since it is RSV season, we have to be really careful about exposing him to germs--contact with a common cold could land him back in the hospital. We have been really strict about it--he only ever leaves to go to the doctor's office--no errands, no outings, no church (Chris and I take turns). We can't have children (other than our own) in our home, and we have to screen the adults that come over ("Have you been sick?" "Have you been around sick people?" "Would you mind washing your hands again?"). It gets tedious, but it is worth it. Despite the fact that Chris, the boys, and I have had our share of colds and coughs, Robbie is holding up great. The most we've noticed is a little congestion, but nothing that has made it to his lungs. It's a good thing that he's ok, because we are going bananas! Cabin fever is more than just a term to me now; it is my life. I can't really complain though... I have great friends who take turns picking up Tommy and Michael from school; as always, Chris is terrific about taking the older boys out as often as he can; and really, I'm just being forced to take it easy--which I definitely needed. The first month or two after Robbie came home, I felt like I was just recovering from the whole ordeal. Now I'm just counting down the days until spring. I can't wait to be out and about! (In the meantime, I need to figure out how to attach some gym mats to my walls, because the boys are literally bouncing off of them...)

Blessed
These three guys have been absolutely amazing.

They handled the hospital experience very well--flexible with changing schedules, willing to have us be with Robbie, so good for their babysitters. We haven't noticed an ounce of jealousy or resentment. One of them is always saying, "Robbie is so cute," or "I love Robbie," or just patting his head. They still pray for him constantly--that he will keep getting better and that he won't have to go back to the hospital.

And we know they aren't the only ones praying for us. This experience has taught us firsthand that it's not just trite when someone says, "Remember so-and-so in your prayers," or "You're in my prayers." We have literally felt all the prayers being offered in our behalf. I especially felt a tangible strength, helping me through each moment while Robbie was in the hospital; people always asked me how I was surviving it, and I know it was because of faith and prayer.

Thank you.

Homecoming

2008-11-14T19:29:00.005-07:00

Together At Last

We brought Robbie home yesterday. He'll be on oxygen for a little while, and we'll have to keep him home all winter, but we're thrilled to have him with us!

There are more details to share, but for now they'll have to wait
... it's a bit chaotic here!

Any suggestions for stomach gas?

2008-11-11T18:46:00.001-07:00

You might think I am talking about one of the kids, but guess what? It's just me. Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions. I have been dealing with this for years and wonder if any women out there have figured out a good solution. Thanks.

UPDATE
Note to self: Never leave logged-in blog unattended again.
Note to Chris: Hope the couch is comfy tonight.

Robbie Report: Due Date Come and Gone

2008-11-05T10:32:00.015-07:00

Prognosis
Parents are usually told to plan for their premature baby to be discharged from the hospital sometime around the baby's original due date. It could be a bit earlier or it could take a bit longer, depending on a myriad of factors. Robbie's due date was last Sunday, Nov 2. We were aware for the few weeks leading up to it that he most likely wouldn't be home by then, so it's disappointing, but not a shock to us that he's still at the hospital.

Latest phone-photo

(It's tiny because I'm having trouble posting it on the hospital computer; I'll try posting this in higher resolution later)

Adjusted Ages
Now that Robbie has passed his due date, he is referred to as "full-term." For the next few years, for purposes of doctor's visits and developmental evalution, we will refer to his actual age (now 2.5 months) and his adjusted age (now 3 days). His behavior, growth, and developmental milestones will match up more with his adjusted age than his actual age. This means right now, he can barely hold his head up, makes eye contact with us briefly--but does not hold it, and is not even close to smiling at us, as most 2-month-olds would be.

Progress
The good news is that he is getting closer to coming home. The fact that he was on a ventillator, has had persistent lung problems, and has required supplemental oxygen for such a long time confirms that he has Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia--aka "Chronic Lung Disease." It is typical for premature babies to have lung problems, and they are always at risk for future lung issues like Asthma or Bronchiolitis (caused by the RSV virus); he now fits into an even higher category of risk for these problems (to try to protect his lungs, even when he does get home, we will not be taking him anywhere until Spring). One of his main lung symptoms--tachypnea (fast, labored breathing) has finally significantly improved, and he is now receiving only a scant amount of oxygen through his nasal cannula--a low enough setting that he can go home on it. At this point, feeding is the only major thing keeping him in the hospital. As soon as he can take all of his feedings by mouth, and continue to gain weight for a few days in a row, he'll be ready to come home. Teaching him to eat is turning out to be a long, drawn-out, and exhausting process.

BreastFeeding
Robbie is fed every three hours--day and night--through a feeding tube. For the last month or so, for two of those feedings--one during the day, and one in the night--we have tried breastfeeding. These attempts have typically been unsuccessful because of his lung problems and rapid breathing. Now that his breathing is under control, and he is older (technically a "full-term" baby now), he has more stamina, so we don't have to limit ourselves to trying twice per day. Thanks to a lot of help from friends and family, I am now at the hospital all day every day, so that he can at least attempt breastfeeding at each feeding time. During the last week and a half, he's had about 6-7 successful breastfeeds, but lots more frustrating, unsucessful attempts followed by tube-feeds. We're very encouraged by the fact that he is indeed capable of breastfeeding; he just has a few issues with the proper latching and sucking technique, and we will just keep working at it--with the help of the nurses, lactation experts, occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech therapists, etc. It's quite an exhausting process, but I am determined to have him breastfeed; there are so many potential problems he may have in the upcoming months and years, that we want to provide him with every possible advantage we can.

Bottle-Feeding
A few days ago, Robbie learned to take a bottle, which he now gets once a night. It is important for him to aquire and practice this skill so he won't lose it, but we are hesitant to offer the bottle more often, because we don't want it to impede his breastfeeding progress. Eating from a bottle is easier than breastfeeding--that is to say, it's easier for a baby to "cheat" and get milk without using the proper latching, sucking, and swallowing techniques. I want to make sure that he perfects these techniques not only so he can breastfeed, but so his development can progress optimally (because Robbie had a brain bleed, we have to be very focused on every aspect of his development and motor skills, and that includes sucking and swallowing).

Future Feeding
Even when breastfeeding is established and he comes home, he will have bottles on a regular basis, because for a while he will need supplemental nutrition (his bottles will be made from my breastmilk, fortified with formula concentrate for extra calories). This means there will definitely be some mixture of breastfeeding, pumping, and bottle-feeding going on at home. Keeping the bottle-feeding to a minimum will also keep the pumping to a minimum, which in turn will help me maintain my sanity. (Just imagine... breastfeeding, bottle-feeding, pumping, washing the pump parts, not to mention diaper changes, 3 other kids, etc.)

Keeping at It
This last stage of the hospitalization is demanding and exhausting. As unbelievable as this may sound, I didn't realize until late Monday night that election day was the next morning--so that just confirms that I am officially out of it. We continue to be grateful for all of the love, support, and prayers on our behalf; we truly feel the strength that comes from it, and we really need it!

Halloween 2008

2008-10-31T09:48:00.004-06:00

Happy Halloween from the Four Clark Boys!

pssst... Check out previous years' Halloween costumes, including the older boys in the same puppy costume, here and here.

2 Month Mark!

2008-10-24T14:22:00.006-06:00

Last night we "celebrated" Robbie's 2 month birthday. We got permission to have both older boys with us at the bedside (usually we are limited to 3 total visitors). It was Tommy and Michael's last time to see Robbie in the NICU, since RSV season is upon us, and any day now children under 12 will no longer be admitted into the NICU.

We brought along pictures of the boys and lots of cards, so Robbie won't miss them too much.

We had a great visit with Robbie. Tommy helped take his temperature, Michael helped clean out his mouth, and they both enjoyed watching him get weighed.
(David was sad to miss out on the fun, but happily made lots of cards and sent Robbie a hug and a kiss when we left the house.)

Believe it or not, Robbie is now 6 lbs 5 oz! At the rate he is going, he will go home bigger than the birth weights of Tommy (5 lbs 10 oz) and Michael (6 lbs 7 oz). It may be tougher to pass up David's (8 lbs 2 oz).

Speaking of Robbie coming home, we have no idea when that will be. Unfortunately he continues to have lung problems (fast, labored breathing) and he still hasn't figured out how to eat by mouth. The schedule and the stress are definitely wearing on us, but luckily he's cute enough to convince us to keep being patient with him.

Same Age at the Same Time

2008-10-24T14:10:00.001-06:00

We celebrated Chris's birthday last week. I can now spend a couple months feeling like we're the same age. (Yes, I realize a 10-month age difference isn't a big deal, but it's kind of compounded when one spouse looks like a teenager!)

We love you Chris!

Catching Up

2008-10-10T10:46:00.000-06:00

I finally stole stole a few hours from my busy schedule, and spent some time documenting what's been going on around here for the last few months--before and after our new arrival.

I back-dated a lot of the posts, just to keep them in the right months for the archives.

Here's what's new:

Month in Review: May 2008

Month in Review: June 2008

Month in Review: July 2008

Five Stories of Fun (Worth Family Reunion)

Month in Review: August 2008

Month in Revew: September 2008 (includes updates and pictures of Robbie's progress throughout September)

Robbie Report: Good News! (most current update)

Robbie Report: Good News!

2008-10-10T08:00:00.004-06:00

Robbie is getting bigger and bigger, and cuter and cuter...

(click photos to enlarge)

He is now over five pounds, as of October 4. This is so amazing to us. He's already growing out of some of the preemie clothes! The recent great news is that he passed his second eye test, which means it looks like he won't have any ROP-related eye problems. This means the physical structure of his eye is intact. However, since he had bleeding in his brain, he could still have problems processing images that his eye receives. Like many other problems that could result from the brain-bleed, we won't know how he'll do until we wait and watch him develop.

He has started learning to breastfeed, but it is very slow going. He is getting the hang of latching on, but his respiratory rate is still much too high for him to be able to suck, swallow, and breathe. We try to remember that he is not even supposed to be out of the womb yet (his due date was Nov 2), so any progress he makes is really a head start!

It will still be quite a while before Robbie comes home from the NICU--we're guessing at least 3-4 weeks. He needs to learn to breathe slower and take all his feedings by mouth (breast- or bottle-feeding). It is possible that he will come home on oxygen.

It was great having Stacy here for a week. She gave Chris and I so much extra time with Robbie, and we even managed a little getaway one night at a hotel near the hospital. We were sad to see her go, and the kids still talk about how much they miss Stacy and Scott. Now we're looking forward to the arrival of Grandma Worth at the end of this week!

Month in Review: September 2008

2008-09-30T13:39:00.017-06:00

Welcome to Month in Review: September 2008, documenting events for our family history. In some ways it's been a difficult month, but things are going as smoothly as we could hope for...

Michael (4) started preschool. I really procrastinated getting this set up, so I was quite worried that we wouldn't find a place for him. As it turned out, we found a great class with wonderful teachers (Miss Jacqueline and Miss Natalie). He goes Mon-Thu from 8-11. He and Tommy are at different schools, but they have the same schedule, days off, etc.
About a month ago we found a terrific new pediatrician (Dr. Rigby) for our boys. Our main reason for this was that our former one was too far away. The timing has turned out to be fantastic. We got all up to date on immunizations, and now we're all set for when Robbie gets out of the hospital.
Instead of Stake Conference, we attended a rather large regional conference at the conference center. It was a bit hard to keep all 3 boys reverent for the full two hours, but we were fortunate to hear President Monson speak.
One day I came downstairs in the middle of the afternoon to find our front window was broken. After grilling my kids intensely for a few minutes--including a lecture on honesty--I finally realized that it was only the outside pane that had been shattered, so it definitely was not my kids that did it, but we have no clue who the real culprit was.
The next day our car wouldn't start, and we had find a time to take it in to the shop, where it was determined that it needed a new starter. These kinds of things seem to always happen all at once, don't they?
I was released from my church calling as a counselor in the Stake Young Women's Presidency. The presidency was dissolved due to the President's husband being called into a Bishopric. It's been an enjoyable couple years getting to know and love the young women and their leaders, but the timing of the release was quite convenient with all we have going on.
Tommy and I spent a Saturday morning at a local game store Kid's Club activity, where we gather to learn and play some of the new and popular games. We enjoyed Gulo Gulo and Ticket to Ride.
We attended Tommy's (7) parent/teacher conference. His teacher told us that he is great at math, which makes sense, since he has always been obsessed with numbers. She also said that he is a very good listener and remembers and follows directions the first time he hears them.
We are thrilled that David (2) is now talking in full sentences. His cheeks are still so chubby that they seem to be dripping off of his face; it's quite adorable, really.
My sister-in-law Stacy arrived (Sept 30) for a second visit, to help out so I could visit Robbie more often and for longer periods of time. We're excited to have her here.

Robbie has had some ups and downs. The best news is that he is growing very well. The hardest news was the finding that he had bleeding in his brain shortly after birth (I wrote about it here). Since I was too busy to post much, here's an overview of what happened with Robbie in September:

(click on photos to enlarge)

By September 20, he had gained enough to be out of the isolette (covered crib). The main function of the isolette was to keep Robbie warm, until he weighed enough to maintain his own temperature without burning too many calories. His current weight (Sept 30) is 4 lbs 12 oz (a 2 lb weight gain since birth!)

The old isolette:The new, open crib:The upgraded new crib, much better for fitting all the wires and tubes:

We started non-nutritive breastfeeding. In this stage he is offerred breastfeeding after I have already pumped my milk--this way he gets familiar with it, but isn't actually getting the milk yet (he is being fed my milk through an NG tube).
Speaking of my milk, there is lots of it. We have filled up our allotted freezer space at the hospital, our own freezer at home is overflowing, and we have now begun begging friends to lend us some of their freezer space. I shouldn't really complain, because often mothers have a hard time keeping up their milk suppy through pumping alone. I pump every 3-4 hours, with a 5-hour stretch at night. It's quite a time commitment, but we are trying to give Robbie every little advantage we can.
Robbie's main struggle seems to be breathing. He breathes on his own, with a nasal cannula providing extra oxygen, but his respiratory rate is very high. He consistently has fast, labored breathing, which doesn't seem to be affected by any attempted treatments. Hopefully it is something that will improve more as he and his little lungs mature. Unfortunately, until his respiratory rate slows down, he will not be able to learn to eat, because breast- or bottle-feeding require a suck-swallow-breathe pattern that is too difficult with a high respiratory rate. There would also be a risk of aspiration if he were try to eat while breathing so fast.
We gave him his first bath. We learned to do swaddle bathing, which is a way to keep the baby wrapped up, warm and cozy in a fleece blanket while he is bathing, which makes for a very comforting experience, instead of a shocking, disturbing event.
Robbie "passed" his first eye test. Premature infants are at risk for ROP--which could lead to blindness, because of damage to their retinas due to the high amounts of extra oxygen the babies usually require. So far, Robbie's eyes have matured almost completely without any signs of problems. He'll need to be checked once more in a couple weeks, but it is good new so far. Chris wrote about the eye test on his blog, here. (Warning: he included photos of Robbie's eye being held open with a tool, which some might find disturbing.)
We have had so much help from our friends and local church members. Each week they sign up to help watch the 3 older boys so we can spend time at the hospital.
Here's a typical day in our life: I wake up between 4-6 am to pump; sometimes I stay up, sometimes I get to sneak in another hour of sleep. Chris and I get the kids ready and each leave around 7:45. Between the two of us we drop off David (with a babysitter), Michael (we walk in and sign him in to preschool), and Tommy (at the bus stop if we're early, or at school if we're late). Chris goes to work, and I go to the hospital from 8:30-10:30. I then rush to pick up Michael from preschool and David from the babysitter. We have a normal day at home, including lunch, naps, playing, picking Tommy up, homework time, dinner, etc.; during all this time I have to make sure I don't forget to pump. At 7:30 pm, a babysitter comes to the house and puts the kids to bed so Chris and I can go visit Robbie from 8:00-10:00. The hospital is about a 15-minute drive from our house. By the time we get home I have to wait an hour or so to pump one more time, then collapse into bed, exhausted. On the weekends, we take the kids along for one of the visits.
When we visit Robbie, we help care for him, change him, dress him, and hold him. We used to be limited to holding him a couple times a week, but now we get to hold him whenever we're there. He responds very well to being held, and his vital stats (O2 saturation, respiratiory rate) usually get better when we are with him.
Once a week we attend a parents' class, where we meet other parents who have babies in the NICU, plus a few parent volunteers who have already been through it. We learn about topics like development, feeding, baby massage, coping, etc.
It took a while, but this month we finally got primary nurses assigned to Robbie. Every 12 hours Robbie has a different nurse, so were able to choose 4 nurses who will always be assigned to him when they are working. It will be very helpful to have some consistency, and have people working with him that are familiar with how he is doing and can help us advocate for him.
Who could help but love this little angel?

Three Pounds Plus

2008-09-10T09:45:00.019-06:00

Here is a long-overdue update on Baby Robbie...

We love this little guy so much! Even though he isn't living with us yet, and even though we don't get to cuddle him as much as we normally would cuddle a new little baby, we have really bonded with Robbie, and we adore him. When we're at the hospital we love to stare at him, and we participate in his care in every little way we can--taking his temperature, changing his diaper, cleaning out his little mouth with a tiny sponge, brushing his dark hair with a little toothbrush. When we're at home, we think of him, miss him, talk about him, and pray for him.

Ups and Downs

On one of Robbie's first days in the NICU, a nurse explained to us that there would be good days and bad days. She warned us that even though some days we would come in and he would be doing quite well, that wouldn't mean there wouldn't still be setbacks. There would be bad days too, but that wouldn't mean that he wouldn't get better. That is exactly how we would describe these first couple weeks...

The Setbacks

Since Robbie was born, he has had quite a bit of trouble with his lungs. Of course this isn't surprising for a baby born so early. At various times he has had the assistance of a ventilator, a CPAP machine, and he has also been given surfactant a couple times (read more about lung problems in premature babies). Currently, he is off the ventilator, and breathes on his own, receiving help from a nasal cannula. There is still a significant concern regarding his lung development and function, but it is being watched and treated closely.

When Robbie was about 6 days old they conducted a brain ultrasound to determine whether he had any brain bleeding after he was born; this is a major concern for premature babies, so it was a standard test. Unfortunately, it was found that he had a Stage 4 Intraventricular Hemorrhage (IVH). Stage 4 is the most severe type of bleed, and means the chances are pretty high that Robbie will have long-term complications because of it. At this point it is impossible for us to know what the problems will be or how severe they will be. They could range from lack of coordination to Cerebral Palsey to learning disabilities to mental retardation. There is also a small chance that he will have no problems at all. This news has been very difficult on us. It's especially tough because we have no idea when we will know anything more specific. Problems could surface anytime over the next few months, or not appear until he is one or two, or even when he gets to be school age.

The Good Days

We were so happy when Robbie was taken off the ventilator. Soon after that, they also took out his PICC line, making the feeding tube (with my milk) his only source of nourishment. They have gradually increased the amounts he gets at each feeding; so far he has tolerated his feedings well and has steadily gained weight. He is now just over 3 pounds.

One of the best days was when Robbie was a week old and we got to hold him for the first time. Up to that point we had been waiting for him to be stable enough and to be off the ventilator. We generally do "kangaroo care," which describes the skin-to-skin method of holding, which helps to keep him warm and helps with bonding as well. At first we were only able to hold him 2-3 times a week, but recently started holding him every day!

Of course we forgot our camera, but snapped a few pics with a phone...

Visits

We aren't able to spend all of our time at the hospital, but we've managed to work out a schedule where I visit in the morning, and Chris and I go together in the evenings. This way, we still have a small degree of normalcy in our home after school, at dinner time, etc.

For the first week or so, we rarely saw Robbie awake; he always looks so cuddly and cozy when he is sleeping.

Here are a few shots from a nap he took yesterday

But lately he's been awake and alert a lot more

A couple times a week, Tommy and Michael come along for the hospital visit. They love to see the baby, even if their attention span isn't very long.

Look closely at the bottom left picture to see how tiny Robbie looks compared to his older brothers:
(click to enlarge)

Unfortunately David is too young to visit the NICU, but here's a picture of him waiting in the hallway. He's trying to grab the camera to see pictures of the baby. Every time he sees his pictures he says, "Baby Robbie" or "I love you, Baby Robbie."

Gratitude

We are so thankful for the blessings we have received. It's difficult for us to see Robbie so ill, and to imagine the types of problems he may have in the future, but we have felt peace, knowing that God is watching over us, and has a plan. We don't know what the future holds, but we have faith that things will work out.

We are also extremely grateful for the outpouring of love and support we have received from family and friends. We had relatives who came during the first week and helped cook, do laundry, set up the kids' new Wii (they need a distraction, right?), sort baby clothes, and organize drawers, cupboards and closets. Their hard work brought so much peace into our home. Many members of our Ward (local church congregation) have cooked meals for us and signed up for turns to take care of our children while we are at the hospital. Countless other friends and family members have offered prayers and kind words of comfort and support. Although we haven't been able to respond to everyone, we have appreciated everything so much.

One more shot of our little guy...

We love you, Baby Robbie!

Month in Review: August 2008

2008-08-31T13:38:00.006-06:00

Welcome to Month in Review: August 2008, documenting events for our family history. This was a month of miracles.

Tommy started 2nd grade at the beginning of the month. (His school has a two-month summer, then they have a couple extra 2-week breaks during the fall and spring.) His new teacher is Mrs. Burt.
On August 13, I went in for an OB checkup and got put on bedrest, due to high blood pressure. I had had a bit of a problem with this in my first pregnancy, but not in the next two, so it was quite surprising.
On August 16, Chris and the boys flew to Virginia to attend the Worth Family Reunion (without me!)
August 16 also happened to be Tommy's Seventh Birthday. He was pretty excited to take a plane ride on his birthday. We celebrated a little in the morning before they left, and then they had a little party for him at Grandma and Grandpa Worth's house. Tommy was excited that Grandma and Grandpa do under-the-plates (a party-favor-passing tradition), just like we do!
I was sad to miss the reunion, but my follow-up doctor's appointments confirmed that my preeclampsia was getting worse, so it was good I stayed home. By then I was feeling very blessed that my regular OB checkup had been scheduled for before our big trip, so that I was able to be warned that I shouldn't go. Bedrest in an empty house was very quiet. I spent a lot of time watching the Olympics.
On August 22, I started feeling slightly sick. It wasn't severe at all, but since I was home alone, I decided to play it safe and drive to the hospital and have them make sure everything was ok. I didn't think it was strange to go by myself, since I was just going to have them check my blood pressure. I felt a bit embarrassed going in (by then I was even starting to feel better), but it turned out to be an inspired decision; within an hour I was extremely ill--my blood pressure reaching 200/110. I was thinking they would just admit me to finish out my 11 weeks of bedrest in the hospital. Instead I was quickly prepped for an emergency C-section (the baby was breach) and by 4 am on Aug 23, we had a new little baby. Too bad Daddy didn't make it home from the reunion until late that night.
Baby Robbie was born 11 weeks early, weighing 2 lbs 13 oz. He will spend his first couple months in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
Carl and Stacy's family were also traveling home (to Oregon) from the reunion the day Robbie was born and realized they had a layover in Salt Lake City. Stacy stayed while her family went on, so she could be with our kids for the first few days. This allowed Chris and I to spend a lot more time together and in the NICU. It also allowed me to come home to a clean house and folded laundry.
August 25 was Michael's Fourth Birthday. I was still in the hospital, so a few of my friends threw together and impromptu party for him. Stacy made sure there were decorations and under-the-plates; Daddy took them all out to dinner, and we even had a little celebration in my hospital room.
For those of you keeping track, yes--we now have 3 kids' birthdays within 9 days of each other.
The jury duty that I accidentally missed in June had been rescheduled for August, and I got called in to show up the Monday after Robbie was born. They accepted my excuse.
My sisters Stephanie (from OR) and Karen (at BYU) spent a weekend at my house, organizing every nook and cranny of every room, cupboard, and closet. This was a great gift, so that I can have a little order among the chaos of the next few months.
Chris and his brother Phil took the kids up to Idaho to visit Grandma Sydney for a few days. It looks like they had a great time

We're not sure exactly what the next few months will be like, or what our future holds, but we feel extremely blessed.

Five Stories of Fun!

2008-08-30T13:05:00.003-06:00

While I was on bedrest, Chris had his hands full! He and the boys flew to Virginia, stayed with my parents for a few days, and attended the Worth Family Reunion in West Virginia, home of the infamous "Big House"--a ginormous 5-story ski lodge with more than enough room for my parents and all ten of their children's families. It boasts an indoor pool, one entire floor with private rooms and bathrooms for each family, 3 gargantuan family rooms, 2 huge kitchens, and more. My sisters-in-law wrote about the vacation here and here, but unfortunately so far I haven't seen a good picture of the house in its entirety (Richard?).

From what I hear, Chris deserves the "Father of the Year" award for how well he did on his own with the boys. He really is great at that. Look, he even managed to snap a few pictures... (click on any of the pictures to enlarge)

He said the flights and layovers were the hardest parts,
but you wouldn't know it from the smiles on these faces:

What family reunion would be complete without a talent show?
Tommy and Michael told knock-knock jokes.

And what Worth event would be complete without some kind of brainy-mind-stimulating (read: geeky) activity? Everyone tested the laws of physics during the egg drop. Chris and the kids took the easy way out and protected their eggs in their laundry hamper (thank goodness I had prevailed before the trip, when Chris claimed they didn't even need to pack a hamper...).

Apparently, a good time was had by all

Well, all except for poor little Nancy, who was stuck at home missing everyone (as well as Jolie and Tim's family who were missed). And who says Chris is the only one who can handle things on his own? I managed to have a baby while he was gone, but that's another story...

He Has a Name (and a Face)!

2008-08-28T16:26:00.003-06:00

We finally finalized the little baby's name:

Robert Scott Clark (Robbie).

(click to enlarge)

As you can see, he's pretty cute. Even though he is so early and small, he looks pretty normal--just tiny. One of the cutest things is that he is "furry," covered in lanugo--fine, white hair covering his body--which will eventually be shed from his skin.

His health seems pretty good so far. He is on a ventilator for breathing, which means we haven't been able to take him out and hold him yet, but we are able to help care for him--changing diapers, taking his temperature, sponging off his mouth and tongue, etc. We do this all through arm holes in his isolette (incubator-like bed). He has been getting nourishment through a PICC line (a more long-term kind of IV), but a few days ago he started getting fed with my milk as well--through a tube directly into his stomach (it will be a few weeks before he can try nursing).

My recovery is going very well. I checked out of the hospital yesterday, and am officially up and around. It's been nice to be back with the older boys (most of the time), and I keep pretty busy pumping my milk and making visits to the hospital.

A huge thanks to everyone for all of your prayers and support. We appreciate Stacy being here this week, and Stephanie and Karen who will be around over the weekend. We have lots of friends who will be a huge help to us in the coming months as I will be spending most of my time going to and from the hospital.

Again, we feel so blessed about the way things have progressed. My doctor was extremely attentive to my symptoms, and I was definitely prompted to go to the hospital to get checked out that night (I wasn't actually very sick until after I got there). As far as we can tell, little Robbie is on track to grow and develop as he should, and we are in for quite a growing experience of our own along the way...

A Tiny Announcement...

2008-08-24T22:31:00.001-06:00

Well, so much for a month or two of "easy-going" bedrest...

I decided to have a baby instead.

Last Friday night my mild case of pre-eclampsia very suddenly became a severe case, dangerous enough to put the baby and I at great risk, so early Saturday morning I had an emergency C-section (29 weeks along). Chris wasn't able to make it back in time, since he and the kids were flying back from Virginia all day Saturday. We're all reunited now; I'm recovering well and feeling great.

The baby is tiny - born at 2 lbs 13 oz, and 15 inches long. He will reside in the Newborn ICU for 8-10 weeks. As far as we understand things, he is doing reasonably well. The major concern right now is his lungs; so he is getting lots of help breathing. We haven't even been able to touch him yet, but hopefully tomorrow we will have our first chance to hold him. It's been hard to get a good picture of him, but here's a little peek of him full of his wires, tubes, and even a huge bug-eyed mask...

(click to enlarge)

We haven't named the baby yet, but hopefully will come to a truce in the next couple of days.

Thanks to everyone for your prayers and well-wishes. Despite the difficulties, we feel very blessed for the way things have progressed up to this point.

More details to come...

Be Careful What You Wish For

2008-08-15T17:58:00.001-06:00

If you had followed me around during the last few months and listened to the kinds of things I sometimes mutter underneath my breath, you might have caught something like:

"Can't I just have one day where I stay in bed all day long?"

or,

"I wish I just had a few days with nothing to do..."

Well, as the saying goes, be careful what you wish for. A couple days ago I went in for a regular OB checkup (I'm 28 weeks along), and found out that my blood pressure had suddenly become extremely high, putting me at risk for toxemia--which could be very dangerous to both my and the baby's health, and unchecked would require an early delivery. The answer? ...Bedrest.

It might sound appealing for a couple days or so, but it turns out it's quite an ordeal. The saddest part is that I won't be attending the Worth Family Reunion this coming week. We rent a huge, amazing 5-story ski lodge in West Virginia, that houses my parents, all my siblings, and all the grandkids; it includes an indoor pool, tons of places to play and visit and eat and have a great time. We've all been looking forward to the reunion for 2 years, so I am more than disappointed to miss it; fortunately the kids can still go and have a great time, thanks to Chris, who is willing to take them on his own.

At first, the timing seemed terrible, but thinking about it, I'm glad I had the checkup a few days before the vacation, because things would have certainly gotten worse had I put all the work into preparing and going on such a huge trip. And now I have a full week to get some actual rest in a very quiet home.

And, also on the bright side, maybe I'll finally find a little time to write about the past few summer months, post some pics, etc.

Month in Review: July 2008

2008-07-31T13:38:00.006-06:00

Welcome to Month in Review: July 2008, documenting events for our family history. Thanks to my stubborn memory card, it's another month of lost photos...

Bryan and Anna came to town. The boys had so much fun swimming at their hotel, and Chris and I enjoyed a night of sushi and ice cream with them.
Chris and I saw Reed perform in a play which was the culmination of the theater workshop he was attending at BYU. We went with Bryan, Anna, and Stephanie and Brooke--who were also in town for a few days. Reed was amazing in the play!
Chris's brother Pete is back in the US for the summer, on break from the jobs he and Celine have teaching in Turkey. Pete came out for a visit. He gave me a break by taking the kids out on a few outings. Then Chris joined him, Phil, and Tom for a quick trip to Vegas. They saw Penn & Teller, ate at buffets, and played Settlers in their hotel room.
I saw a performance of One Clear Voice while attending a fireside up at Brighton Girl's Camp. I found their music to be quite touching, especially the song, "See Things My Way." But that may just be my weepy-pregnant-hormones talking.
The kids had a great time when Chris's Dad came to visit. The boys and I had a few fun days with him (and Katie & Quin) riding mini-roller coasters, playing arcade games, etc.
Chris took a business trip to DC where he was receiving some HR compensation training/certification. I have been promised that that was the last business trip before the baby arrives. That's all I have to say about that.
I helped plan and attended Youth Conference--a two-day excursion with about 100 teenagers. We stayed at Brighton Camp where we did ropes courses, heard inspirational speakers, and enjoyed the quiet beauty of the outdoors. There was a really steep hill there that we were forced to climb to get to our cabins. At least pregnancy gave me the excuse to sneak off and take a couple naps during the weekend. (A big thanks to Ron--Chris's Dad--who stayed with the kids on the day that our trips overlapped.)
The kids finished up their swimming lessons. I wasn't quite as disappointed as they when it was over. I am so glad they are learning the skill, but it really was exhausting for me (and my pregnant belly) to get them ready, get them there, keep them safe, get them changed, convince them to get back in the van, get them home, etc.

We have a short summer, since Tommy's school starts right at the beginning of August, so we're ready to get back into a nice routine...

Memory Card Error

2008-07-30T12:57:00.000-06:00

Today was the last day of our third session of swimming lessons. I've had all three boys in classes, which has kept me pretty busy getting them ready and out the door, keeping sunscreen on them, getting them in the pool at the right times, keeping track of the ones not in the pool at any given time, keeping suits, towels, and goggles ready, withstanding the heat, trying not to interfere with the teacher ("but maybe if I got whisper something to them, I can convince them to try it..."), getting them dressed after their lessons, convincing them to leave the pool area, etc, etc.

For all of the above reasons, I decided not to take my camera to swimming lessons until the last day. We were hoping Chris would come watch, but he had a meeting he couldn't get out of, so I reassured the kids that I would take plenty of pictures and videos on the last day, and Daddy would love seeing it all.

Taking photos while trying to keep everyone in the right place and not interfere with the classes proved to be pretty difficult, but worth it. Until halfway through the morning, when my camera shut off suddenly. I turned it back on to see the message, "memory card error." I tried viewing the photos, only to see the message, "no files." All the pictures and videos were gone, and I couldn't take any new ones either!

Had my memory card come through for me, here is what we would have shown to Daddy...

David (2) has no problem going underwater when he jumps into someone's arms, or is pulled across in a floating position, but mostly just loves to stand on the steps, reach down for pool toys, and blow bubbles.
Michael (3) overcame a lot of fear/negative attitude during his first session. During his second session, he got very brave and started going underwater more. By the end of the third session, nobody can keep track of him, because he wants to be underwater, wiggling around, kicking, floating, picking things up off the pool floor, exploring, sitting on the bottom, etc. Today he jumped off the diving board and went down the pool slide (with the teacher getting him after he landed on his own).
Tommy (6) has become a little fish. By the end of last summer he was just getting comfortable swimming on his own, but couldn't take breaths or swim alone in the deep end. Once he spent the first session getting warmed up, he took off and can now swim above or under water, swim the length of the pool, do somersaults underwater, jump off the board or slide without anyone in the deep end to catch him. He loves to make up tricky ways to jump in, work on improving his strokes, and play games like finding hidden pool toys.

It's too bad we lost all the proof we were going to show Chris, but fortunately we have a pool in our complex, so we can reschedule a little show-and-tell of our own. And the teacher gave out treats today, so all was well in the end.

National Slurp-Day

2008-07-11T17:37:00.000-06:00

Kind of late notice, but maybe a few of you will still catch this...

Since today's date is 7-11, you can get a free 7.11 oz Slurpee at your local 7-11!

We just got ours, and they hit the spot on this hot summer day.

(7-11 News Release)

Month in Review: June 2008

2008-06-30T13:36:00.003-06:00

Welcome to Month in Review: June 2008, documenting events for our family history. Summer is upon us, whether my exhausted pregnant body likes it or not...

Katie & Quin came for an overnight stay. We have been so happy to live near them ever since we've had kids, although they are a bit further away these days (2 hours)
Tommy was a frog in his class play. I didn't manage to remember the camera, but I did remember to use my phone, but I didn't manage to zoom in close enough to the stage, or catch him before he stripped his costume off the minute it was over. It was cute, trust me.
School is out. Can you hear me cheering? I didn't think so.
All three boys are in swimming lessons. We go in the mornings, then usually follow it up with lunch at the park. Having them all in lessons is great and exciting, but it keeps me busy making sure they aren't drowning, getting lost, or just getting me wet. A bit too busy to get many pictures, unfortunately.
David celebrated his second birthday.
We are excited to be having another boy!
We celebrated Kids' Day, along with other Worth Family members across the country.
A friend from our days at USU set up a potluck bbq with our Logan friends. It was so fun to visit with old friends, and let our kids get (re)aquainted with each other. (I took some great pictures of them on the slip-and-slide, but my memory card broke!)
My nephew Reed stayed with us for a few days before attending a BYU theater camp. We had a fondue feast!
I spent a week calling in to a hotline every night, waiting to see if I would be assigned to jury duty. I forgot to call on the final night, and found out the next morning (too late) that I was supposed to have been there that day. Luckily I got out of it without getting in trouble.
A major crisis was averted one day when Tommy called up to me that Michael and David had been playing with a knife. I went downstairs to assess the situation (not that I had left them alone or anything...), and Tommy showed me our largest chef knife, which the little boys had gotten out of the dishwasher. One boy had a very faint scratch on his forehead, but luckily nothing serious had happened. I was so proud of Tommy for getting the knife from them, putting it away, and telling me about it.

Birthday Number Two For David

2008-06-30T11:28:00.007-06:00

We celebrated David's 2nd birthday a few weeks ago. It was a small family party, but a lot of fun. We did under-the-plates (a Worth tradition for passing out party favors), pizza, cupcakes, and ice cream. He was very excited to get a few new toys that are all his own.

(click to enlarge)

I say this all the time, but David truly is one of the happiest kids ever. And those cheeks--The way they just drip off his face and have the deepest, most adorable little dimples! We all love David--the boys fight over who gets to sit by him, and Chris and I fight over who gets to put him to bed, since he's so easy. He's brings such joy into our home!

Oh Boy!

2008-06-27T17:26:00.000-06:00

Well, it's a good thing I already have all these boy clothes organized, since that's what I'll be needing for BABY BOY #4!

I wasn't overly-anxious for the ultrasound, but I was very curious. I always said that I didn’t mind whether we had a boy or a girl, and I wasn’t just being diplomatic. I tried and tried to figure out which I preferred, but I came up with pros and cons on either side, and it was all pretty balanced. I would have been excited either way, but now that I know it’s a boy, I’m excited AND relaxed–the clothes are all ready, I’ve had lots of practice with boys, I know (somewhat) what to expect, etc.

As far as being outnumbered, I'm pretty used to that--growing up with 7 brothers (2 sisters), being surrounded by the 7 boys in Chris's family (4 sisters); spending the last 7 years changing boy diapers, picking out boy clothes, breaking up boy battles, boys, boys, boys..

Good thing I've always had a thing for boys :)

Kids Day 2008

2008-06-26T13:58:00.006-06:00

Yesterday we had a great Kids Day--a special Worth Family tradition to celebrate the birthday of my brother Gary, who was always the ultimate "Kid at Heart."

Here are a few of the highlights

Fruit snacks right after breakfast
Swimming Lessons
A trip to Wal-Mart to pick out "gifts" for each kid. (I tried to argue that Kids' Day didn't necessarily mean gifts, but Tommy reminded me that Daddy and I both got gifts on Father's and Mother's Day.) We got Legos, a Leapster cartridge, and some toy trucks.
Lunch and playing at the park
Extra toys allowed during naptime
Mommy cleaned the boys' bedroom without making them help
Dinner at Chuck-a-Rama, the kids' favorite buffet
Double desserts
A ride on the carousel at Liberty Park
More fruit snacks ("More than 1 package on the same day!?")
Staying up late watching movies

I got a few pics with the camera phone (click to enlarge)
It was a great day to let our kids know how special they are, and to celebrate Gary's life, as well!

Read more about the origins of Kids Day or about my brother, Gary.