I’ve never loved the color pink as much as I have this week. My darling baby girl looks fabulously pink hanging out in the sling with Daddy.

We purchased a sling for the first time while I was pregnant with Ephraim. We’d used snugli type carriers here and there with the other babies. The saleswoman at the Bestfed expressed her surprise that we’d waited so long–she said she only had one and couldn’t do without it. I like how comfortable Richard is with wearing Anya (and Ephraim before her).

We’ve been taking it easy the past few days. Well, except for yesterday and the rather intense games of basketball Richard played with Don, Will, Kurt and Ken. Duncan played in the first game, Mike in the second. After a brief Reed’s Dairy ice cream break, it was baseball in the backyard with just about everyone.

There’s a nice cool breeze blowing this afternoon, nothing like the convection oven winds we have this time of year in Phoenix. It’s been such a treat to sleep with the windows open. Except for the oxygen tank next to the bed, life feels almost normal again.

The tiniest hands change travel plans when they start changing color. It ain’t easy, being grey.

We gained a greater appreciation of our older children’s health when Anya landed in the hospital Saturday. We knew she had a bit of a sniffle towards the end of the week and made sure we had the bulb syringe in an easy to access spot as we loaded the van. Anya was doing pretty well through the night Friday, though the stuffy nose made it harder for her to eat longer than a few minutes at a time.

Saturday afternoon we were visiting a dear friend along the way, enjoying time catching up and watching our children play together. She had been holding Anya, admiring her doll like features and cute little nose. Near the end of our time there we both noticed her color was off, no longer pink but a yellowish grey that was growing darker while we watched. We quickly loaded everyone in the van, called our insurance help line and drove to the emergency room. I parked by the doors, and ran inside with Anya in her car seat while Richard slid behind the wheel.

There wasn’t anyone in the waiting room or triage area, in fact, I never stopped walking as the nurse heard the words “newborn” and “breathing problem” and rushed us back to a bed.  Medical personnel appeared seemingly out of nowhere so we had a full complement of doctors, nurses, respiratory specialists all working on Anya right away.

They administered oxygen, vaccuum suctioned secretions, started an IV and she began to slowly pink up again. The monitors beeped with changes in her blood pressure, pulse rate and oxygen levels. They drew blood, took urine samples, mucus samples, started cultures, ran testsand prepped for a lumbar puncture. I discussed the procedure with the doctor and signed the consent form.

“Good news and bad news” the doctor said as he returned to the room. “Good news–we don’t have to do the lumbar puncture. Bad news–her test is positive for respiratory syncytial virus or RSV. We’ll move you up to a bed in just a few minutes.”

At this point all of Anya’s appendages have been ”procedured”. Left and right arms both stuck for blood samples, right arm also site for blood pressure cuff. Right foot with an IV securely attached and left foot (not pictured) with a securely taped pulse oximetry sensor.  

Saturday evening we move to a pediatrics isolation room. It will be where I stay for the next four days, minus a 30 minute walk Monday night while the fabulous night nurse covered for me.

We arrived “home” yesterday, discharged with Anya on oxygen and many follow-up appointments scheduled. Richard had driven our van with the older five children north, dropped them off with grandparents and swapped vehicles to drive back to Utah. It worked out really well for us.

If you were to see Anya now, she would look much like she did when she left the hospital. She’s down to just the oxygen tubing with an infant-sized nasal cannula.

For as difficult as this experience has been (what a way to start a vacation!) we have been blessed in many ways this week. First off, Anya’s respiratory distress could have happened during the night while we traveled when we were far less likely to detect a change in color. It could have happened during one of the stretches of nothing between Phoenix and Utah Valley. Our friend lives less than a mile from the hospital. The lack of ER patients allowed an incredibly fast response time. The specific home health company contracted to give us oxygen has offices in Utah, Idaho and Phoenix–just what we need to refresh the tanks and ultimately return them without complication. I could go on and on about the mercies of the Lord we saw in these silver linings.

So now we watch and wait, playing it by the seat of our pants and flying it by ear  =)  We missed the Montana portion of our trip, sadly, but we still have time here. We have many a potential scheme laid out and we’ll enjoy whatever doesn’t go awry.

…have a TON of work that goes into them!!!!

 Hmmm….  Still much to do of the last minute variety, all the unplugging, taping of certain appliances, final snack round-ups, video documentation of the state of the house, exchanging camera items at the store, picking up repaired suit pants, dropping off Mr. Fish, etc. I’m supposed to be topping off the tank and driving away in just a few hours and yet I’m sitting here relaxing typing instead. My plan was to stay up after everyone went to bed last night and post pics of Cheanna’s & Elena’s birthday celebrations. My reality–I fell asleep on the couch watching “Moe and the Big Exit”.

For your delectation and delight (and my redundant pleasure), I present  pics from the past couple of weeks to tide you all over until I’m back at a computer again, procrastinating the day of my postingness.

Cheanna chose a Chinese Buffet for her Birthday Dinner–the staff came to sing to her and the muzak changed to a birthday song as well.

The incredible creation–the orange swan, the cucumber ribbons and the grape mice or bunnies (varied opinions on the nomenclature)

Cheanna displays one of the necklaces she received for her birthday from her Grandparents.

Cheanna in her ‘under the sea’ scarf. We did a dolphin theme for her presents, including decorations for her room.

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Big sister, little sister.

Elena asked for earrings for her fifth birthday.

We went bowling with the homeschool group. Elena had a great time and scored a 68. (The bowling story will come later–suffice it say I didn’t win)

Elena asked for permission to pose with the Simpsons at the theater. We cashed in our free movie tickets to see Spiderman 3. 

(I know it’s a lot of pictures to do just on the page. I’m looking into slideshows like the one BiV did recently, not sure if it saves time over the web albums.)

Happy Birthday Birthday Girl! You are special!

Elena is happy to be 5!

Okay, I’m a little late, but I do have some news to report of the 13th.

:::drumroll:::

The results of Anya’s visit to the pediatrician on Wednesday–we have one healthy baby! She added 19 ounces and 1.5 inches  in the last two weeks and there was no indication of a heart murmur at this time. 

I also survived the out of town trip Richard took this week, the first one after Anya joined us. I think that’s worth mentioning now, since he’s home and the house is still standing  =) 

A hearty Thank You to you all for your comments & support over the past month. I don’t respond to everyone everytime, but I do read them and appreciate your words.  Time to tend to Anya–ta ta for now.

Right now the weather in Phoenix isn’t quite what you’d expect for June. The temp is significantly lower than normal (19-22 degrees cooler than the forecast for Wednesday & Thursday), the branches outside my window thrash about in 20+ mph wind and it’s been overcast all day.

It fits in with how I’m feeling though–low, blown about and mostly cloudy.

There are any number of reasons for our weather–you’ve got your high & low pressure systems, el niño, el niña, remnants of tropical storms heading north from Baja…

Likewise there are any number of reasons or combinations thereof for my malaise. The trick lies in determining what’s normal, what’s not and what I can do about it. Or maybe that’s a factor in its own right.

I’m writing this to rationalize my procrastination of posting anything substantive. Enable me or enlighten me, do both or neither. That’s something I know is out of my control. Just like the weather.

Who’s my favorite eight year old in the whole world?

Happy Birthday Cheanna!

A poetic one, even if I haven’t used it for a while. Or even my general writing one, seeing as how the birth story, my turning thirty reflections, thoughts on the homeschool year, all remain dormant wordpress drafts. So many tales waiting to squeeze through the pipeline between brain and pen keyboard.

Last night’s untitled attempt at renewal follows. (maybe I can get away with just writing a check and taking the eye exam again)

It started the day she was born, not surprising at all.

Anya’s arrival necessitated reinstating a rotation system so everyone has equal opportunities to hold the baby or ride beside her.

Please view the Brothers and Sisters web album for pictures of Anya with her siblings.

Here’s one of Anya that we took tonight:

:::collective adoring sigh:::