My Last Load of Laundry for the Night

Savannah's Hospital Stay

My sweet little lady spent 15 days in Children's hospital fighting off RSV and charming everyone who came in to visit.  I couldn't help but notice the excitement in the nurses eyes when I told them that I would be out for a few hours to see my other kids.  I always got a "Don't worry.  We'll take good care of her."  You can't help but to love on her!

The Children's Hospital was our home away from home and were very good to us.  I can't believe we stayed there that long, but we wanted to make sure that Savvy really could fare as well at home first.  The doctors were great, and I only had one nurse that I really didn't get along with that well.  Overall, a fantastic experience, amidst a hard time.

March 15th:  All packed up and ready to go... FINALLY!

All in a day....

Do you see that cute blanket in the corner of her bed?  That was from Project Linus.  Ironically enough, I had just made some blankets for them.  What goes around comes around I guess.  Isn't it cute!  It's pretty big too!  It's the perfect wrap up and cuddle blanket, or put on the floor and romp.

Her new BFF.... the nasal canula....

The view from our Penthouse Suite:

Yesterday I couldn't handle it anymore.  Savannah needed a bath!  Because of her jaundice and then hospitalization, she has not had a bath since her first one when she was born.  Can a newborn be

grubby?  I mentioned this to the nurse and she said, "Okay, I'll order up a bath."  Not sure what that meant, but apparently we got a brand new baby tub with a sling that we can keep.  Nice huh!  

Savvy didn't do too badly with it.  She took her solace on my hand rooting away as I scrubbed her.  When we finally got her dried off and snuggled into a blanket she looked like a little bald eagle eaglet. 

 As far as an update goes, Savannah does have RSV and yesterday they are starting to think that she might have reflux as well.  They are giving her medicine to see it if that will help.  The doc today said that she is very doubtful that Savvy will be going home this weekend.  We are looking at Monday at the earliest, but more likely the middle of next week.  To all of my friends, thank you for all of the help this far... would you be willing to help some more next week?!  :)  Hyrum and Emily need a place to play from 9 am to 3pm (for Hyrum) and 11 am to 3 pm (for Emily).

Thanks again for all of your prayers, love and help!  We couldn't get through all this without you.

Kisses.

To My Nine Year Old....

Tyler,
I can't believe you are nine today.  When you came to this earth, I knew right away that you were a choice spirit, so much that you were presented with a challenge from the very beginning of

your life.  I remember feeling such a strong reassurance that you would be okay as I watched you struggle every day for breath, for life.  Two weeks after you were born I brought you home.  You proved to be full of life just as you were in my tummy.  You kept me on my toes, running from one mess, to another laugh, to snuggling down for the night.  We called you "Smilely" for a reason.  Nothing that happened to you would keep you down.

Here we are nine years later and you are still that zany, crazy kid, however, there is one difference.  You have grown up so much.  Instead of being the mess maker, you have become my rock in helping to clean up the messes!  You make everyone laugh and feel good as we pull together to get things done.  You have a special way of helping people feel better as you watch to make sure they are okay.  I love your spontaneity as you make jokes, make contraptions, and you are not afraid what others think.  You are such a leader.

Tyler, today, I can't be there as I take care of your sister in the hospital, but I wanted you to know this... I LOVE YOU and I feel so blessed to be your mother.  Thank you for being understanding as I am not here today.  You are so grown up.  I can't wait to see what this next year will bring for you.
Happy 9th Birthday Tyler Ty Ty!!!

That Savvy girl....

On the way home, we knew that we had scored once again with a great kid. Savannah is so sweet natured and is a joy to hold and snuggle. We also knew that she was a bit yellow from being jaundice but we weren't too concerned since this is the "norm" for our kids. A day after we arrived home we got a visit in our home from nurse practitioner just to check in. By now she was really yellow. A blood count revealed her level at 20. Not good. They ordered lights to come to our home.

This is where she slept for the next two days. What a trooper she was!! It was hard not being able to comfort and hold her like I was aching to do, but knew that every minute she was under the lights, she would be able to come back sooner. Monday rolled around. We had another in-home visit and she was good enough to be taken off. I watched her as the week progressed as she still didn't gain weight and she got a point higher every day. She was having a hard time kicking it!

Then, five days ago, she developed a cute little dry cough that didn't happen all the time. That night it went to a wet nasty cough and has been getting progressively worse ever since. We went into urgent care on Saturday right at closing time. We were met by impatient Dr./nurses that informed me as I was feeding my sad, hungry heal-pricked baby that she (the doc) would like to check the baby out first because she'd like to get home sometime and after she's done, I can take as long as I want.... uh.... okay?...... They did a quick oxygen check once saw that she was 97% they said great! And sent us home.

Sunday rolled around and I found myself mesmerized by the way a little teeny body could work so hard to breathe. I struggled for hours trying to decide if I should bring her in. If I bring her in, do I bring her back to the oh-so-helpful clinic that dismissed us before, or do I pay 150.00 to being her to the ER. A good friend called to check in and helped me make the decision. (Thanks Jackie!!)

After much debate, I felt good about bringing her into the ER.  She was admitted after her oxygen levels her dipping down into the upper 70's.  Yikes!  After so many people had listened to her lungs and said, "Well they sound great" and being dismissed, it was nice to be validated with my concerns.  Sad that she has to go through this, but relieved because she was finally going to get the care that I couldn't provide.

So now I am in the hospital with my sweet little girl, probably at least for another day or so, maybe more, and am relying on the incredible Christ-like help from my very awesome mother in law and friends from the ward.  We could not be more blessed to be in a ward like we have.  Tender mercies are all around even while we go through yet another trial.

The rest of my sweet children are being troopers.  They L-O-V-E their new baby sister and do such a good job helping me.  Sweet Hyrum is missing his mommy and yet shows no jealously or malice to the new baby.  I know that my children are being heavenly attended to.  Perhaps by another sister?

I loved President Uchtdorf's talk two months ago and it has become one of my new motto's.... to HOLD ON A LITTLE LONGER.

Here She Is....

 

Savannah Carroll Michel

7 lbs. 2 oz.

20 inches

Gorgeous

 

After much debate, I am finally admitted to the hospital and am EXHAUSTED!!  (Can you tell they gave me a morphine shot?!)  By this point I had been at the hospital for 14 hours... in labor...

 

Here I have my epidural, I was just told I was complete, after 26 hours in labor, and I was about to

see my new little girl.  Happy maybe?! :)

Tears were very close to the surface as we got to hold our sweet little girl.  I don't think you could feel happiness any greater than what we felt when we got to hold our new little one.  Love that smile on daddy.

 

She came without hitch, so that meant siblings could come visit.... They were thrilled!  She did great with all of the attention.  Whew!

 

This cute little outfit that Aunt Jessica gave her is the perfect fit for her first "dress-up"!  :) 

(Sorry it's not rotated)

Her nicknames so far are:

Sweet Pea

little bunny

Favorites about her:

She has the most ADORABLE dimples!!

She is so LITTLE!!

She is really calm.

Can't believe we have been blessed again with an earthly angel.

Thank you all for your love and support.

More to come! 

This one is for you, Daddio....

Georgia Aquarium

Ammon, Tyler, Aaron, Aunt Valerie, my nephew Christian, and I all went to the largest aquarium in the world.  It was amazing to see so much aquatic life in such a small place, considering the different varieties they had.  We showed up shortly after they opened, and didn't have to fight any crowds.  One of the biggest hits was the petting pond with rays AND sharks!  Yes, I touched them.... pretty neat actually!

This part was astounding.  I could literally sit and watch all day long.  What I could also watch was what my kids did to get themselves "inside" without getting wet.  They would follow the aquatic life back and forth and sometimes even on their knees.  It was literally as if you were sitting at the bottom of the ocean.  Ammon kept saying over and over again, "I feel so small.  I can't believe how small I feel."  From a 10 year old who knows everything, I felt it was pretty profound to realize just how much we can't really see the whole picture sometimes.

More from the peach state!

One of the highlights from our Georgia trip was being able to actually see Stone Mountain (long story).  We had hiked it last year only to find an eerie martian land at the top, but this year we rode in style to the top, marched around, and came back down.  It was fun trying to ensure that 14 kids stayed together and didn't fall off the mountain! 

Have you seen my kids?

I haven't seen most of my kids since I have come to Georgia.  They are in cousin dreamland!  You can play "Where's a Michel" with my kids in their striped shirts in this cousin picture where all the cousins except one are gathered at Uncle Jace's home.

Spending 5 weeks off-track in a place where there is nothing but woods, frozen ponds, and cousins to hang out with, sounds much better than hangin' at home with a mom who can't do much!

Speaking of me, I am okay with contractions on and off still, but I have great sisters who keep loving my kids when I need that extra break. 

We will be coming home on January 23rd and thankfully with my mother-in-law in tow to help.  She's coming out to do some family history and then will be flying back with me to help with the kids.  I am so blessed by all of those so willingly and lovingly help!!  A giant thank you to all....