Welcome 2014

2013 is over. Another year has flown by, and I can't even believe it! We had a great year, full of blessings. We are so thankful for being able to live near our family. I love seeing the joy in my kids eyes when they are with their grandparents or cousins or aunts and uncles. We have been so fortunate to live in another area and to be able to build more friendships that will last and to reconnect with people who we may have lost contact with when we did move. We both miss Utah but it just feels like a chapter in our book that has help lead us to where we are now. I'm most of all excited for 2014 and the many changes that are ahead of us and the potential move. Change is hard but it is exciting and it opens so many doors for things that you never even have thought of. I'm feeling especially grateful for all the great people I have in my life right now and It is threw all these great people that I am reminded of all the wonderful people I had in my life in Utah. Life is forever changing but the friendships I have built are forever with me. So for me personally 2013 has been a great year watching my baby turn into a toddler and watching my little Liliana turning into a more independent girl. She has done great in preschool and is learning soo much! I love watching my kids together and seeing how much love they have for one another. Their relationship has changed so much in this last year since Bricen went threw so much change. And now that Bricen can do pretty much everything Lili is loving it!! Bricen turned one this year and so much happens in our kids first year of life. Moments that we will never forget. We had two great birthday parties this year followed by the holidays where we were surrounded by family! I don't see any greater way to end the year. So here's to 2013, and all the great memories that were made.

An Ear-y dilemma

Bricen right before his surgery


December 30th we took Bricen into the hospital at 6 am to get his tubes put into his ears. It was a difficult decision for me but I was pushed to my breaking point. It all started when I took him in for his check up and they told me "oh he has a double ear infection" at this point this wasn't surprising to me. Ever since Bricen was born I never could tell if he had an ear infection, I usually always found out while at a check up. He still sleeps threw the night, was never overly fussy or upset. So at this one year old check up I did what I always did and that was go to pick up his prescription for antibiotics. So he goes on a ten day dose and after the ten days I start to feel like he still has a cold so I take him in because he seems to have a runny nose and is messing with ears still, so 2 weeks after the first apt I'm back into the doctor. They confirm that is double ear infection is still there and they tell me he most likely got rid of the first one and then caught another cold that caused another ear infection. I accept it because we had all been sick and I just want my baby to feel better. I get another antibiotic. A few days later... I see a rash starting on Bricen's back. I call the doctor and I am back in and they tell me it's common and they will prescribe a different antibiotic. I fulfill the antibiotic and have a follow up check up. Ear infection is still there so they prescribe a heavy antibiotic that is only four days. I complete the antibiotic and have a follow up 2 weeks later. Ear infection is still there so they put him on one more and make an appointment for the ear specialist. At this point I am frustrated. I put him on this antibiotic that is less common and not usually used for ear infections but they think it might just might work. 3-4 days later I wake up and pull Bricen out of bed and he is COVERD with this horrible rash. His face, his hands, everything! And he is shaking and feels ice cold. I call the doctor immediately and go in later that day. They tell me that his ears are looking better and they think the antibiotic is working even tho he seems to be allergic to it. They tell rm that I should keep him on it and just make sure he doesn't star wheezing or start breathing abnormally. They feel like this could be the chance to get rid of his infection. I agree at the time because I was so sad that I might have to take him off of the one that was finally helping. 

Then I get home and start thinking about it and think no way am I keeping him on this. It's obvious he allergic and what's next is breathing difficulties. I'm NOT gonna chance it. So I take him off.  I make the appointment for his specialist but it is about a month away. Bricen continues to run off and on high fevers and is more cranky then normal. At this point he had stopped saying words that he used to say and will not try to say words that I continually repeat to him. We are convened for his hearing and his speech and the pediatrician confirms my worry. His fever was high for over three days so I figured it was the ear infection. I go in to the doctor and they say his ear infection is gone but they are concerned about the fever. They do a flu test and then send me to get chest x rays of his chest. I was so concerned and tired of my little boy being sick and on all different medicine for 2 months now. Luckily everything came make fine and the fever disappeared. 

So art his point he has no ear infection and I take him to his specialist appointment that I had made a month ago while in the middle of all the turmoil. I was afraid that they would no longer do the tubes because his ear infection had gone away. The specialist pulled up his record and listed the months of ear infections since birth and Bricen had had 6  ear infections since January. Plus the last one lasted 2 months!! He told me it was our decision but Bricen was defiantly eligible. Javis and I discussed it and made his appointment as soon as they could.  

Bricen did so well and I went in the surgery room and helped hold him as they gave him his anesthesia   .. It is a short procedure and very simple. After the doctor was finished he sat down and told us that when they made the

incision in Bricen's ears their was a tone of thick infected puss and that the

 infection had sat In His ear for so long that is was as thick as glue. He said

he was able to get it out but that he was positive that Bricen's hearing was 

effected by that. That is was equivalent to having your ears plugged.. 

Constantly. We are so happy that we went threw with the surgery and that

 Bricen has started saying more words and we are amazed at how we can see that his hearing is better. He had stopped saying words while he went threw

 all these ear infections. But now he is saying them again and actually

 repeating new words! He is such a blessing to us and such a little bundle of

 joy. He is a happy little boy and just loves everyone. some of the new words he is saying include Hi,Bye,Out, and Love you.